By Sadie York
Alas, the final season of Netflix original You has arrived, and boy am I sat. With the fifth season wrapping up the series, I’ve been very eager to find out how unreliable narrator Joe’s story will end. While his inner monologue certainly hinders the narrative which we, the audience, view, season four began to reveal Joe’s manic, more delusional side, and how it seeps into the version of himself which we see on screen. While I’ve genuinely enjoyed this series, I’m very excited to see the ultimate end to the complex, infatuated, insecure, and pathetic character that is Joe Goldberg.
!!YOU SEASON 5 SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Alright, so, season 4 left our lead Joe, and his wealthy, British, powerhouse CEO of a wife Kate Lockwood living back in New York. Following the death and cover-up of Rhys Montrose back in London, the “happy” couple live lavishly in the corporate-world of Kate’s family’s company. We, the audience, understand Joe has killed many more than he’s revealed to Kate, but amidst her own dark secrets, they’ve found solace in each other. Now in New York, we’re introduced to more of the dysfunctional Lockwood family, and learn of the tensions within the company, specifically between sisters Reagan and Kate. Reagan, a twin herself, is cold, harsh, authoritative, and cutthroat, whereas her other half Maddie appears submissive, oblivious, and ditzy—to the public at least.
Now, by this point in the show, we understand that Joe has a “savior complex” (or that’s what he at least believes to justify his thirst for blood) which often leads him to killing others out of protection for those he “loves.” Early into season five we get a kill, one which Kate allows Joe to do for her, to preserve her reputation as the Lockwood CEO. Whether they like it or not, Kate and Joe are tied down by each other, as they both harbor the other’s horrific secrets. However, Joe’s satisfaction in murder begins to instill unease within Kate, who begins to realize she doesn’t truly know the man she married. Joe, realizing Kate doesn’t “understand”, “appreciate” and “accept” him for who he is, breaks down the picture-esque facade he had of his wife. Now, with a strain in their marriage, Joe’s ultimate sacrifice for Kate (he kidnaps Maddie, and forces her to kill Kate’s ultimate threat: Reagan) must become another secret to add to Joe’s boiling pot of lies and deceit.
All the while, back at Mooney’s (the bookstore which Joe worked at in season one), Joe has employed a young woman named Bronte (or so we think). Now, when I say this girl is insufferable, I mean she is INSUFFERABLE. Bronte (what kind of name is that hello), really has little to no redeeming qualities. We’re initially introduced to her as a homeless, quirky, fan-fiction erotica-writing girl, but as she begins to pique Joe’s interest (surprise, surprise), things really begin to pick up. In the continuous cycle of Joe’s infatuation, Bronte becomes the newest victim. He feels completely seen and understood, “unlike” any of his prior relationships. However, as the season progresses and Joe kills Clay, seemingly a “threat” to Bronte, it’s revealed she is not who she appears to be. It turns out, Bronte, or Lousie—her real name, had been catfishing Joe, and attempting to catch him for the murder of Guenivere Beck (season one love interest). Louise and her friends had been plotting on the demise of Joe, that is until Louise believes she truly (of course) fell for Joe, and defends him with the law. So now, we have a spiraling Joe, who’s murderous tendencies have been revealed to the public through social media. As he loses custody of his child, struggles financially due to Kate cutting him off, and spites Louise for her betrayal, Joe’s sanity wares off as time moves on.
While Joe works on re-building his image and rekindling with Louise, Kate works on taking down Joe. She flees to London with Henry (Joe’s son), and releases Nadia from prison, the girl whom she and Joe framed with the murder of Rhys (season four). Although reluctant, Nadia agrees to do whatever it takes to put Joe away—for good. In episode nine, the tension between the married couple reaches a boiling point. Kate tricks Joe, and is able to trap him, ironically, in the cage where so many of his victims had laid to rest. Kate and Nadia plan to kill Joe, however, they must get a confession out of him in order to release Maddie and Harrison from the binds of Joe’s framing. To everyone’s surprise, Marienne, a character we presumed dead in season four, is back! She’s alive, as a fearless survivor of Joe’s wrath, and prepared to deliver the final blow. Within the last 15 minutes of the episode, chaos ensues. Joe escapes while the women are distracted with Bronte, and you know how? Joe sewed a backup key INTO HIS ARM. Of course. So now, Joe is out, he’s shot Kate in the abdomen and bashed her in the head with a hammer, however she’s not dead. All the while, Kate manages to score a hit on Joe. Now, they bleed out in the basement of Mooney’s together—dying and trapped, while the upstairs bookstore goes up in flames. In what he believes to be his final moments, Joe confesses to Kate about killing his ex-wife, Love. Kate, who records this information without Joe knowing, sends it to Nadia. While Joe doesn’t care due to being on the brink of death, Kate is satisfied with Joe’s final defeat. But alas! Louise arrives at the scene and rescues Joe. With Marienne’s earlier words in mind, Louise knows she must kill Joe, but she must be strategic about it. Before he dies, Louise must play along with his fantasy, attempting to conceal her fear, just until she can get an explanation for the murder of Beck.
Finale episode. Joe and Louise are headed toward the Canadian border, fleeing the country now that the police are after him for the murder of Love. Despite her terror, Louise attempts to mask her fear with a flimsy cover of love. Joes is a little suspicious, but his infatuation deludes his realistic thinking. While on the road, Joe is attempting to get passports from a friend, who’s also working on getting a line of communication between Joe and Henry. Joe arranges for the couple to squat a few nights at a remote lake house, in which he tries to live out his “married” fantasy. Lousie, on the other hand, plans for her method of attack. Once the night sets in, and Louise ensures Joe is completely vulnerable, she pulls out a gun and demands Joe cooperates. Shocked, Joe’s delusions of Louise falter, and his darker side begins to re-emerge. To vindicate Beck, Louise forces Joe to remove every addition he inserted into her book, but before she can finish getting her answers, Joe receives a call from Henry. In a moment of desperation, Joe begs to speak to his son, and Louise complies with much caution. Expecting to receive relief, Joe’s completely ruined to hear Henry’s revelation: Joe is a monster, and has been along. This completely shatters Joe’s delusions of redemption. With nothing left to lose, Joe attacks Louise, and we see his truest, most horrific form. With an intense chase scene, viewers are left on the edge of their seats as Louise must escape from Joe’s deadly wrath. In a desperate bid to escape, Joe attacks Bronte, but she manages to shoot him in the groin, incapacitating him. The police arrive shortly after, arresting Joe for multiple murders, including those of Beck, Love Quinn, Benji, and Peach. He is convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The series concludes with Joe, now incarcerated, receiving fan mail from admirers who still romanticize him. In his final monologue, Joe reflects on his belief that society is to blame for his actions, stating, “maybe the problem is You,” before the screen cuts to black.
Meanwhile, Bronte, now free from Joe’s manipulation, republishes Beck’s memoir without Joe’s contributions, leading to its success. Other survivors, like Kate and Marienne, rebuild their lives, with Kate raising Henry and Marienne finding success as an artist. The finale emphasizes themes of justice, accountability, and the consequences of Joe’s actions.