After 5 seasons, Joe Goldberg’s run of mayhem, homicide, and far problematic romancing has come to an finish. Star/producer Penn Badgley warned that Season 5 of their hit present, primarily based on Caroline Kepnes’ psychological thriller ebook sequence, could be the massive finale. And with ten episodes filled with kinky intercourse, twisted turns, and extra homicides than a Regulation and Order episode, You delivers with a stunning and largely satisfying last chapter.
For a sequence as actually winding as You, a finale that’ll sate all followers was absolutely not possible. However props to showrunner Sera Gamble, who stored all of the plates spinning in a season that included a Succession-like enterprise plotline, Anna Camp as deliciously devious twins, a brand new lit-obsessed love curiosity for Joe to drool over, and much and plenty of ties to his previous crimes, sparking the return of acquainted faces (together with some who’ve been recast or downright forgotten).
Nonetheless, with that last monologue, Joe delivers one final crushing blow to followers who’ve caught by him since Season 1. So let’s get into it.
What occurs to Bronte in You Season 5’s finale?
Penn Badgley and Madeline Brewer in “You.”
Credit score: Netflix
Early on within the season, it regarded like Bronte (aka Louise) was going to be doomed to go the best way of her outdated pal Beck (Elizabeth Lail) — that means dying by Joe. Not solely had a sequence of very sensible ladies fatally fallen for Joe’s white knight schtick earlier than, but additionally Bronte’s erotica about desirous to “drown” in her associate appeared prefer it may very well be foreshadowing, particularly after they arrive at a lake home (emphasis on lake).
And for a second, it does seem to be the underside of that lake is exactly the place the sequence goes to go away her. However like Jason Voorhees, she dramatically resurfaces and will get her revenge. Not simply by capturing Joe as cops swarm nearer, however by capturing him within the genitals, an arguably poetic justice for the person led by his libido right into a sequence of homicides.
Bronte makes use of Joe’s book-centered confession to get a brand new model of Beck’s ebook printed, with out Joe’s additions. “It was more praised, more cutting, more imperfect.” To Bronte, that is a part of getting justice for Beck. Now, she will be able to transfer on. “Eventually, he’ll just be some asshole I dated,” she says.
In the meantime, Bronte’s pals, Dom and Phoenix, take their on-line sleuthing victory to podcast appearances, advocating for justice and neighborhood outreach to sort out chilly instances. (Although, whereas we’re speaking in regards to the finale, it appears a missed alternative for You to reconnect Bronte along with her pals, whom she repeatedly stated was her household! These hers is a cheerful ending, it seems like a dropped thread that she by no means reconnects with Dom and Phoenix.)
What’s Joe Goldberg finally convicted of?
Penn Badgley in “You.”
Credit score: Netflix
After crotch-shooting Joel, Bronte takes over his voiceover to guide the epilogue. Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” performs as a handcuffed Joe is led by police by a courthouse to his “messy” trial for the murders of Beck and his first spouse, Love (Victoria Pedretti).
On this sequence, we study Joe is convicted of murdering each Beck and Love. First-degree homicide convictions would additionally observe for Beck’s boyfriend, Benjamin Ashby III (Lou Taylor Pucci), and her bestie, Peach Salinger (Shay Mitchell). That each one results in Dr. Nicky’s (John Stamos) false conviction for Beck’s homicide being vacated.
In a voiceover, Bronte says, “One thing’s clear: Joe Goldberg will never be free again.”
Does Kate Lockwood die in You?
Charlotte Ritchie as Kate Lockwood in “You.”
Credit score: Clifton Prescod / Netflix
At first, it actually appears doubtless! After grappling over a gun with Joe, she’s left shot and unconscious within the basement of Mooney’s bookstore, which is on hearth because of Maddie’s impulsive pondering. Whereas Bronte will get Joe out of the burning bookstore, Kate’s destiny is left up within the air. Even when Joe calls his son Henry on the telephone, all that is identified is that Joe did one thing unhealthy to Kate — however her dying is just not confirmed.
This epilogue reveals that Kate didn’t die, escaping with burn scars on her arm that she sees as “badges” of penance. She’s handed the corporate over to her half-brother, Teddy (Griffin Matthews), who has turned the Lockwood Company from a villainous greed machine into 100% nonprofit. Seems Kate was not all discuss. She surrendered a giant chunk of her energy, realizing Teddy might do higher issues with it.
As for Kate, she’s specializing in elevating Henry, and he or she’s returned to her Season 4 ardour for artwork by backing Marienne Bellamy (Tati Gabrielle), the painter whom Joe fell for in Season 3 and was assumed to have killed in Season 4! Marienne is just not solely alive, however she — and her 14-year-old daughter — appear to be thriving.
What occurs to Nadia in You?
Brad Alexander as Edward and Amy-Leigh Hickman as Nadia Farran in “You.”
Credit score: Netflix
As a pupil of Joe’s when he was educating English Lit underneath a false identification in Season 4, Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman) was framed for killing Edward (Brad Alexander), who was framed by Joe as being the Eat The Wealthy Killer (who was truly Joe working with a cut up character). Season 5 would not get into all of that, focusing as a substitute on Kate proudly owning as much as Nadia about her half within the pupil’s unearned downfall.
Kate will get Nadia out of jail and her identify is cleared, principally with a shrug of “money makes the world go ’round.” As soon as freed, Nadia conspires with Kate to deliver Joe down. She is also partially blamed for Kate being shot, since she introduced a gun to Mooney’s. However however, they had been going to entice a killer. It is wild extra folks aren’t armed after they confront Joe!
Mashable High Tales
Whereas their plan went tits up, Nadia has discovered some peace within the epilogue. Bronte tells us by voiceover that Nadia “returned to writing and teaching.” What’s proven is Nadia strolling into what appears to be a jail’s cafeteria, carrying books for an assembled group of girls. She’s giving again by embracing her ardour and her previous to create a greater future.
What occurs to Maddie and Harrison on You?
Anna Camp as Reagan Lockwood, Pete Ploszek as Harrison, and Anna Camp as Maddie Lockwood in “You.”
Credit score: Netflix
These self-proclaimed “piece(s) of shit” discover their comfortable ending. Sure, Maddie murdered her twin Reagan (whereas underneath intense strain from Joe). Sure, Harrison agreed to cowl it up so he would possibly embrace the dual he was dishonest on his late spouse with. But when we have discovered nothing else in regards to the Lockwoods, it is that cash lets them get away with rather a lot, together with homicide and “arson.” (Actual discuss: It ought to have been tried homicide as she was attempting to kill Joe within the hearth and almost killed Kate!)
Anyhow, Bronte tells us Maddie “went to rehab for her pill addiction,” and now is just not solely elevating the daughter she birthed for Reagan as a surrogate, however can also be pregnant by Harrison. And in a little bit of seemingly comfortable symmetry, they’re anticipating twins. These two might encourage a whole lot of trashy true crime reveals. However in a present the place loads of good and unhealthy folks get taken down by Joe, there’s one thing incongruently healthful in seeing them frolic in Central Park as a cheerful household. That is one thing Reagan might by no means have achieved.
What occurs to Joe in You’s finale?
Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg in “You.”
Credit score: Clifton Prescod / Netflix
After attempting to flee the nation, Joe is caught because of Bronte’s dangerous plan to get him to admit to Beck’s homicide. Finally, he’s comically wounded, each by a gun after which by the web that relished mocking his bodily wound. (Think about Joe doomscrolling to search out Cardi B tweeting, “He WAS a 10 now he’s a 2…inches #JoeGoldberg.”)
Locked up in a jail cell, Joe is way from the world, the place the ladies he liked and tortured are alive and thriving. The Elton John monitor is reduce off in order that solely the echo-y ambient sound of the jail surrounds Joe. The colourful colour palette of Bronte’s voiceover sequence is left behind for a murky, suffocating green-gray, enhancing the bleakness of the setting. In his cell, he has been robbed of his classically good haircut. However he has loads of time to learn, as he is proven with a replica of Norman Mailer’s The Executioner’s Tune.
This Pulitzer Prize–profitable true crime novel ignited a nationwide debate about capital punishment when its topic, convicted killer Gary Gilmore, selected to be executed by firing squad. Might it’s Joe — who begged Bronte to fatally shoot him earlier than the cops might catch him — sees a little bit of himself in Gilmore? That is a thriller You leaves for us to determine.
The opposite studying supplies Joe has in lock-up are letters from lovelorn followers. Reflecting the response to You, followers of Joe relish the illicit thrills of lusting after a madman who would kill for you. Whereas Joe fed into this fantasy as he wrote his personal vampire smut to please himself and Bronte, now he is essential of such fandom. (Notably, this displays Badgley’s real-life response to ladies who crush on Joe on social media, as he responded on then-Twitter to thirst tweets.)
What does Joe’s last speech imply?
Charlotte Ritchie as Kate Lockwood, Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg, and Frankie Demaio as Henry Goldberg in “You.”
Credit score: Clifton Prescod/Netflix
The ultimate moments of You are wickedly intelligent. For one factor, Joe was by no means going to let any of his lovers have the ultimate phrase, be it Beck’s ebook or Bronte’s narration. But on this last second, his voiceover would not rush in. As an alternative, episode 10 permits us to soak within the silence of Joe’s cell. Maybe it is a reminder that whereas the viewers might hear his inside monologue throughout all 5 seasons of occasions, he all the time remained eerily quiet as he stalked, stared, socialized, and serial killed. (Props to Kate’s siblings for calling this creepiness out early on within the season!)
When he does converse, he’s self-pitying, proclaiming, “My punishment is even worse than I imagined.” He’s lonely and “knowing this is forever.” He opines, “It’s unfair, putting all of this on me. Aren’t we all just products of our environment? Hurt people hurt people. I never stood a chance.”
Joe leans on cliches to push away the blame for his physique depend, that means the precise quantity of corpses he triggered and never the variety of folks he is bedded. However then a fan letter arrives, and he finds another person in charge: us.
In voiceover, he pronounces it is unjust that he is “in a cage” whereas these “crazies” write to him about their sexual fantasies, the place violence and lust collide. Now, “Creep (Very 2021 Rmx)” by Thom Yorke begins to play within the background as Joe seems to be on the letter.
“Maybe we have a problem as a society,” he muses. “Maybe we should fix what’s broken in us. Maybe the problem isn’t me.” Behind his voiced inside ideas, Yorke’s electronically distorted voice squalls, “You’re so very special.” Then, Joe concludes, trying proper into digital camera, “Maybe it’s you.”
Yorke sings, “I’m a creep,” and the episode cuts to credit. So, what does it imply?
Since its begin, You tapped into two genres that attraction distinctly to ladies: true crime and romance. The grim actuality of the worst that may occur to our our bodies collides with the steamy fantasies of one of the best that may.
As dreamed up by Kepnes, Joe is the monkey’s paw model of a dream man. He’s completely obsessed along with his love curiosity, dedicated to figuring out her intimately and defending her fiercely. However there’s a darkish aspect to such obsession, as Joe’s complete identification and happiness will depend on being liked again simply that intensely. He — like real-world abusers — goals to isolate his girlfriends (and wives) by killing off those that would possibly come between them. Endlessly, he’d argue that he was not the issue, as a result of his motives are purely love. And this season, that evolves into demanding that his lover settle for him warts and all — warts that means killing folks and liking it.
As a fiction, Joe’s story is compelling exactly as a result of it is repulsive and alluring. It is an attractive taboo to lust after a fictional villain, be he Joe Goldberg, Loki, or Draco Malfoy. Nonetheless, there are various incidents in the actual world of girls swooning over precise serial killers. So, perhaps Joe has some extent when he argues there’s one thing “broken in us,” maybe not with the ability to separate fantasy from actuality. However is not that the best way he operates?
He is a grasp manipulator who can discover that hook to lure you into his perspective, and subsequent factor , you are making excuses for his volatility or possessiveness. You are serving to him body somebody for homicide, then marrying him to guard him from retaliation. You are ditching your crime-solving pals to curve up in his mattress. It is a slippery slope listening to Joe Goldberg, who ultimately blames his crimes — and by extension the very existence and recognition of this sequence — on you, the viewer. Our obsession is what allowed his to go on and on and on. Are we complicit?
Ultimately, Joe could also be trapped in his cage. However these letters recommend his attain continues. Greater than that, his final look proper into the digital camera, proper at us, his viewers, calls for we mirror upon ourselves. Why are we watching You? Who’re we rooting for? Not simply within the present, however within the many real-world crimes and points it displays.
Joe could also be gone. However along with his last phrase, he assures us that he’ll linger in our minds (and darkest fantasies) for years to come back.
You Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.
