You Season 5 Ending Explained: Does Penn Badgley’s Joe Goldberg Get Caught After Years of Escaping Justice?

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The fifth season of “You,” available on Netflix from April 24th, concludes Joe Goldberg’s prolonged narrative filled with pursuits, deceit, and violence. After years of chasing, controlling, and killing across various cities, Joe (portrayed by Penn Badgley) encounters the repercussions of his choices.

In the last season, Joe endeavors to flee towards Canada alongside his wife Kate Galvin (played by Charlotte Ritchie), following a fire incident in his bookstore’s basement that he managed to survive. However, it turned out that Kate wasn’t acting independently; she had been secretly collaborating with survivors Marienne (Tati Gabrielle) and Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman). Their collective aim was to ensnare Joe in his infamous glass prison.

The trio successfully convinced Louise Flannery, also known as Brontë (Madeline Brewer), to distrust Joe due to his connection with her late mentor, Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail). After delving deeper into the circumstances surrounding Guinevere’s death in season one, Brontë uncovered the truth about Joe.

After saving Joe from the flames, Brontë feigned compliance. Upon Joe’s proposal, her secret intentions surfaced within her mind: “I am the sole individual who can thwart your plans.

The pair escaped to a secluded cabin in upstate New York. Despite being briefly captivated by Joe’s allure, Brontë maintained her composure. On a romantic voyage by boat, she referred to it as ‘the pinnacle of romance,’ but the tranquility didn’t endure.

On that particular night, she approached Joe while he was lying in bed, revealing a firearm hidden beneath a pillow. She compelled him to confess truthfully about what had transpired with Beck, and also made him delete or revise the sections related to her in his posthumous literary work.

The interaction was halted when Joe got a call from his son Henry. “You tried to harm Mom,” Henry accused, referring to his father as the “monster hiding under my bed.” These words struck Joe deeply. “I adore him so much. Perhaps he deserves someone better than me,” Joe lamented. “Why? How? How did I turn into this person?

In a wooded area, Joe physically assaulted Brontë and fired a gunshot that struck her on the side. A struggle ensued between them. Eventually, Brontë dialed 911 for help. As law enforcement arrived, Joe pleaded with Brontë, “Take my life. I am deserving…You have the power to end mine.

Instead of refusing, Brontë bluntly stated, “It’s better for you to spend the remainder of your days solitary in a cell.” Enraged, Joe attacked her once more. On this occasion, she fired a shot that struck him in the lower body, and both individuals were apprehended by authorities.

In the court, Joe Goldberg was found guilty for the murder of Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), Beck, and their friends Benji (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Peach (Shay Mitchell). Brontë remarked in the final narration, “Ultimately, Joe Goldberg faced the consequences of his actions.” She also commented, “Unintentionally, I transformed him into a recurring subject of humor,” alluding to the injury sustained by Joe.

Kate emerged unscathed from the bookstore blaze, choosing instead to aid Marienne’s artistic journey. In turn, her sibling Teddy (Griffin Matthews) restructured Lockwood Corp into a charitable organization.

At the finale, Joe finds himself incarcerated, engrossed in “The Executioner’s Song” by Norman Mailer. In a poignant voiceover, he reflects, “Oh, the solitude…God, it’s relentless. This is eternal. It’s unjust. Haven’t we all been shaped by our surroundings? Wounded individuals often inflict pain.

After finishing a heartfelt fan letter, he responds with, “Perhaps there’s an issue in our society at large. Could it be that the problem doesn’t lie with me, but rather with you?

Do you think Joe Goldberg deserved his final fate in Season 5 of You?

Yes
No
He deserved a different ending
I actually still liked him as a character

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2025-04-24 12:22