THIS STORY CONTAINS DISCUSSIONS OF sensitive subject matter pertaining to suicide.

CONTENT WARNING

Among all the beloved characters on “Friends,” there is no doubt that the edgy, quirky, and hilarious Phoebe Buffay has the most complicated past. Throughout the 10 seasons, her character remained a mystery, and the most defining element of her family history is the fact that her mother, Lily, died by suicide when Phoebe was still a young teenager.

There is however one fan theory that suggests Phoebe's mother's death may be even grimmer than anyone realized, stemming from the fact that Phoebe’s mother had remarried Phoebe’s stepfather before he went to prison. Though Phoebe speaks well of her stepdad, he clearly had violent tendencies, like the time he stabbed another inmate.

According to the fan theory on Reddit, there are several signs that point to Phoebe's mysterious stepfather having a serious hand in her mother's death. The first is the length of Phoebe's stepfather's stay in prison, which is shortly after her mother’s death, as well as the fact that Phoebe once declared that her mother was "killed by a drug dealer."