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The twisty ending of Netflix’s You is exactly what the show needed for its final season

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You season 5 spoilers follow.

Following five series and numerous additional casualties, the narrative surrounding Joe Goldberg has reached its conclusion. This implies that his violent rampage will also come to an end, be it through capture or other means.

However, will Joe make it through the series alive? Also, is he able to escape justice for an actual murder? Or does the television’s most attractive and controversial murderer ultimately face consequences for his actions?

What to Read Next

Only You has the answer. Well, not “you” – you wouldn’t be reading this if you did.

Come on over to Digital Spy, where we unveil the conclusion of Netflix’s series You, and discuss whether it truly lived up to the expectations of fans as an exceptional season.

You season 5 ending explained

The last nine episodes of You offered a complex and intricate storyline, filled with unexpected turns, much like the number of mysteries surrounding Joe’s identity.

To put it simply, Joe and Kate’s relationship deteriorated when his mental instability became evident. It didn’t make things better that he had an affair with Bronte, a recent hire at the bookstore, who it transpired was seeking revenge for the death of her friend, Guinevere Beck – remember her? She was the woman Joe tormented and killed in season one.

Oh, and Joe also sewed the key to his cage into HIS ACTUAL ARM this season. So there you go.

The closing installment commences with a hint of romantic overtone; yet, as Joe and Bronte depart, they leave their issues untouched in the bustling cityscape of New York. All their secrets are now exposed, except Bronte tentatively agreed to Joe’s peculiar marriage proposition in the previous episode, allowing her to covertly approach him with the intent to eliminate him.

On an ordinary day for Joe, who’s enjoying life without any regrets, his monotonous narration laments the women who allegedly hurt him yet another time.

Or, more concisely:

Joe, free of guilt and loving life, has a regular day, as he grumbles about women causing him pain once more in his dull voiceover.

Bronte ponders over the idea of shooting Joe, having secretly brought a gun along in her vehicle, even before the narration begins. However, she yearns for clarification, and it’s crucial that the public understands the truth regarding Joe’s actions.

She ponders, in one of many humorously straightforward instances addressed directly to the audience, about how to provide the conclusion fitting for you.

They pause for fuel, with Bronte grabbing a self-defense keychain and Beck’s useful book. The police appear but take no action, typical of their behavior on this series, while the tune “Guilty As Sin” by Taylor Swift plays in the background, reflecting the show’s overly dramatic nature.

As I pulled up to an isolated cabin in the wilderness, it became clear that we were indeed off the grid. Joe, ever resourceful, was busy securing passports for our border crossing into Canada. Meanwhile, Bronte, restless and impulsive as always, decided tonight would be the night for some adventure.

But things took a surprising turn when the evening morphed into something more romantic than either of us had anticipated. Joe, with his curly mane and deep, captivating eyes, managed to charm me yet again during our moonlit boat ride. Despite knowing his past, I found myself inexplicably drawn towards him once more.

It’s a complex feeling, this pull that I can’t shake, even after all the secrets he’s kept from me. But for now, I choose to embrace it and see where our unexpected journey takes us next.

However, Bronte suddenly regains consciousness during their kiss, quickly grabbing a concealed gun from under the pillow and pointing it at Joe.

Or:

But just as things were heating up between them, Bronte snapped out of her trance, swiftly retrieving a gun hidden beneath the cushions and aiming it at Joe.

“Tell me how you killed Guinevere Beck!” demands Bronte.

Absolutely, the past mistake, often referred to as original sin, has indeed caught up with Joe, a reality he can’t escape. It’s fitting since that’s where his troubles started in the first place. Moreover, due to Beck’s compassion towards Bronte, it seems this story will also conclude there.

In a predictable turn of events, Joe retreats once more. However, Bronte persists undeterred. As they both wait for responses, Bronte picks up Beck’s book and forcefully urges Joe to edit every word he wrote about her, so that he can complete the work anew, concealing his actions leading up to her demise.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase it like this: “You didn’t just end her existence, you silenced her too… Ever since our encounter, you’ve been wiping me out of the picture,” Bronte says. “The bare minimum I can do is obliterate you.

Together with Marienne’s anger from a few episodes back, the “You” series has now started focusing more on the women whom Joe harmed rather than Joe himself, which is precisely where this show should have headed. Admittedly, it could have arrived here a tad earlier, but watching Joe’s world collapse around him simultaneously is thrilling.

He doesn’t pay attention to these women due to his excessive self-centeredness. However, this changes dramatically when Joe’s son, Henry, phones and swiftly dismantles him with a few concise remarks instead.

I recall our conversation where you assured me that there were no monsters in my room. However, it appears now that I was wrong to believe you, for it seems you were the one hiding in the shadows all along – the real monster.

Initially, Joe points the finger at Kate, claiming innocence due to his belief that nothing is ever his responsibility. However, his pride crumbles and it appears as if genuine tears are streaming down his face, revealing his transformation into a monstrous figure. Yet, this narrative remains self-serving, designed for his own advantage – a tragic tale we’ve all been unwillingly drafted to attend.

“You’re not the f**king victim,” says Bronte before deciding to call the police.

As I swiftly grab my phone, a fierce struggle ensues with a hint of chaos surrounding us, illuminated by flashing lights. A quick succession of images flash through my mind – a bite, some choking, a punch to the face, a brutal knee strike, and finally, a gunshot that pierces the air, striking Bronte in the abdomen.

Outside, she takes off running while Joe pursues, clad only in his underwear. Bronte eventually returns indoors and attempts to call for assistance, but finds that the number key is damaged, making it impossible to dial from her phone. It’s worth noting that this wouldn’t pose a problem in the UK.

Joe manages to catch up with her, largely due to the limp she’s been forced to adopt as a result of his intentionally broken ankle from several previous episodes when she was unconscious.

“It was always going to end this way,” says Bronte. “Wasn’t it?”

“No,” replies Joe. “You’re spiteful, too selfish to know how good you had it.”

There he is, the “pathetic misogynist,” finally showing his true true colours.

In a similar fashion to how he had previously subdued Beck, Joe strangles Bronte. However, just as it often happens, things don’t go as planned. After Bronte stabs Joe with the keychain from earlier, they both find themselves in an unexpected turn of events. Bronte flees towards the lake, but Joe swiftly follows and forces her under the water, eventually causing her to drown due to lack of breath.

Instead of saying “Once again, Joe has won,” it would be more accurate to say that “Joe appears to have evaded capture once more, but this is misleading because Bronte successfully contacted the police prior to her demise, and law enforcement officials are currently searching for Joe in the woods.

In a more appropriate context, let’s avoid discussing Joe’s attractiveness here, but it’s important to note that he looks stunning in his underwear, soaked by the rain, with wet hair and captivating big eyes. This description is crucial for the story’s conclusion we’re reaching. I assure you.

When Joe initially encountered a police officer, he attacked him with a knife and concealed the officer’s body behind a fallen tree trunk. As more officers showed up, they gradually surrounded him. Somehow, Bronte miraculously re-emerged, seemingly invincible like a real-life superhero, despite her apparent injuries.

Realising that he is well and truly buggered, Joe begs her to kill him to avoid prison.

“You get to kill me,” says Joe. “This is how our story ends.”

However, it’s not up to Joe to dictate the final outcome now. That power has shifted to Bronte, and her decisions could potentially yield the finest writing we’ve experienced on this series yet.

She remarks, “It’s crystal clear to me now,” she explains, “We find solace in the illusion of a man such as you, given the harshness of the reality presented by a man like you.

It’s a low bar admittedly, but still, what a line. And it gets even better.

Bronte chuckles, “It seems like you’ll spend the remainder of your life on your own.” She adds, “Doesn’t that prospect make you feel a bit uneasy?… Everyone will observe you, and you’ll be forced to confront yourself.

In the end, despite how brief his desire for control was, Joe rushes towards her, leading Bronte to fire a shot in self-defense.

However, against all odds, Joe manages to live on, despite his attempts to the contrary. The police advance at a snail’s pace – when exactly were you during these events? – followed by a scene transition to Joe exiting the courtroom after his sentencing.

What happens to Joe and the other characters?

At this juncture, Bronte’s narration becomes prominent, as she dissects the emotional turmoil experienced by Joe after a chaotic trial. With every shred of damning evidence presented, the terrible actions he committed were finally made clear and indisputable.

I believe it’s likely that the shift in public opinion towards him was largely due to the fact that his character became synonymous with a humorous insult.

Yep, Bronte shot his dick off, as we learn from viral jokes online.

Additionally, let me provide more details about the scenario. It’s quite appropriate that the very essence of Joe, embodied in his aggressive masculinity and alluring charisma, was brought down by one of the women he initially intended to undermine.

After serving time for the murders of Love, Beck, and numerous others, Bronte’s podcast collaborators persist in identifying and bringing to justice men akin to Joe who have committed similar crimes. Simultaneously, Nadia resumes her writing and teaching endeavors to aid other women in coping with trauma similar to what she experienced at Joe’s hands.

After only 48 hours in prison, Harrison got a tattoo, while Maddie sought treatment for her pill addiction in rehab. Later, they both find themselves back in the world outside prisons and rehabs. They send off Reagan with an extravagant Viking-style funeral costing two million dollars. Now, this duo is anticipating twin babies and will be raising Maddie’s daughter that Reagan had previously adopted. It seems like everything is working out nicely for this carefree couple.

Following her ordeal through what the New York Post referred to as “Joe’s Inferno”, Kate underwent a transformative experience. The marks left by the fire serve as a symbol of atonement rather than a source of pride.

At last, she raised a toast in honor of her brother Teddy, who now runs the Lockwood company as a non-profit. Unfortunately, his boyfriend remains silent on these matters, which isn’t ideal for positive LGBTQ+ representation. However, he is quite attractive, offering some appeal.

With the freedom to pursue her desires, Kate rekindles her passion for art and vigorously supports Marienne, an artist who has achieved great recognition. No longer shying away from public acclaim, she stands boldly by her side.

Through her omniscient narrative, Charlotte Bronte discloses that Henry, contrary to expectations, does not follow in his father’s footsteps and become a psychopath. This revelation puts an end to centuries-long debates about human nature, firmly establishing that upbringing (nurture) holds more weight than inherent traits (nature) in shaping an individual’s character.

Thanks to Bronte, Beck’s book has now been re-issued, free from Joe’s alterations. It is “more acclaimed, more admired, sharper, flawed in a more authentic way,” and most significantly, “truer to Beck.” Bronte dreams of Guinevere flourishing as she deserves, allowing us to recall her in this light instead of merely as one of Joe’s casualties.

Bronte underscores this fact, noting that Beck is denied the opportunity to shape her own life as Joe took it away from her. Consequently, we should live our lives to the fullest, honoring her memory.

Regarding Charlotte Bronte herself, she expresses that her life isn’t simply categorized as before and after Joe. Instead, each day makes him smaller until he becomes just an ex-boyfriend. Yet, she admits she is uncertain about who she wants to be, but eagerly awaits the discovery of her true identity.

A poignant conclusion to the series is portrayed by demonstrating that these resilient characters are more powerful than a malevolent, ill individual such as Joe. However, the story doesn’t stop there; given Joe’s penchant for controlling the narrative, it seems fitting that he has one final word.

Inside the prison walls, Goldberg’s appearance was haggard – his head shaved and eyes heavily weary. Just when it seemed he had nothing left to say, his narrative made one final, poignant emergence.

In the final analysis, Joe remarks that his punishment turns out to be more severe than he initially thought, with the solitude being the hardest aspect. He exclaims, “The solitude, oh the solitude! There’s no chance for comfort or relief. I know it’s eternal.

After everything Joe has done, this is absolute music to our ears.

Indeed, it can’t be blamed on Joe that the situation unfolded as it did. After all, isn’t it always beyond Joe’s doing, correct? That’s his belief, at least.

It’s not right for so much responsibility to fall solely on me. After all, aren’t we all shaped by our surroundings? As the saying goes, “Hurt people often hurt others…” In essence, it seems that I didn’t have a fair start.

It appears that Joe hasn’t gained any insight from these experiences at all, which seems fitting. This fact merely underscores his unchangeable nature as a character, revealing his deeply flawed and appalling true self. This is the authentic Joe, and it’s certainly not an appealing portrayal.

As I sunk further into my virtual world, a chilling missive arrived from a fan, smitten beyond reason, making me question the boundaries between reality and fantasy yet again. A scenario reminiscent of my own life, isn’t it?

Joe suggests that there could be an issue within our society, and he proposes that we address and repair any flaws we might have. He implies that perhaps the source of the problem doesn’t lie with him, but rather with someone else.

And with that, Joe stares directly into the camera, at us, as the credits roll.

For a significant portion of its duration, the series has faced criticism for romanticizing its themes, with particular emphasis on the ‘Joe the Heartthrob’ or “Joe’s Team” dynamic. He is consistently portrayed as central and more significant than the women he murders, and the writing frequently exhibits empathy towards him following these acts.

Is it sufficient, considering the finale confronts these issues and indirectly blames eager viewers, that the series concluded satisfactorily? That’s for you to judge, but what matters is that Joe was imprisoned while the women in his life prospered independently, neither due to nor because of him.

You season 5 is now available to stream on Netflix.

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2025-04-25 14:21

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