Never in their lives would anyone want to be chased by a psychotic lover who turns out to be a murderer. But the popular Netflix show ‘You’ made viewers imagine all such sort of scenarios. Its plot effectively put the audience in a chokehold and introduced a character to the list of “fantasy men” called Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley.
Because of his dark past, Joe grows up to be an obsessive stalker and murderer, who works as a bookstore manager. He seems to be charming at first, but as the story unfolds, he turns out to be a psychotic murderer who can go to any extent to control the lives of his girlfriends. Until season 3, he successfully gets away with several murders. But the course of his story changes in season 4. Here’s what happens.
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Joe Goldberg Is More Vulnerable In Season 4 Of ‘You’
‘You‘ is based on Caroline Kepnes’s three-part book series, including ‘You‘, ‘Hidden Bodies‘, and the recently released ‘You Love Me‘. The show has introduced a few plot changes compared to Kepnes’ book series. Though both narratives focus on Joe Goldberg as a mad psychotic man who is obsessive towards his girlfriend, the slight changes in the plot make the story stand apart.
However, the plot of ‘You Love Me’ is different than the characters shown in its Netflix adaptation. Season 4, the latest season of the series, shows Joe in London with a new identity of Jonathan Moore, after running from all the murders he has committed.
He is shown to be a friendly person with a few wealthy people in the elite societies of London. As the narrative progresses, things take the wrong turn as Joe’s rich friends start getting murdered one after another and he gets framed for them. Moreover, Joe Goldberg’s obsession is revealed at the end of the first part of season 4.
His character is shown in a more vulnerable state in this season as compared to the other seasons. He keeps getting involved in the murders he hasn’t committed, which puts his character in a weaker spot.
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What Happens To Joe At The End?
In episode 6 of season 4 of ‘You‘, Joe struggles with erotomania, characterized by an obsessive fixation on a celebrity or public figure. After reaching London, Joe becomes fixated on a writer named Rhys after reading his autobiography, ‘A Good Man in a Cruel World‘. He resonates deeply with Rhys’ story, and eventually even starts getting vivid hallucinations.
As co-creator Sera Gamble explained during an interview with Tudum, Joe’s internal conflict stems from his desperate need to see himself as a good person. “The Rhys part, the part that just feels like he’s doing what he needs to do, isn’t going to let go either,” she said. As the story progressed, Joe and Rhys’ fates got intertwined.
By the end of season 4, Joe is seen fully embracing his darker side, and committing murder once again. After what turns out to be his last crime, Joe is confronted with the realization that Rhys is a part of him. He then contemplates his actions and the havoc he has wreaked on the women in his life.
After suddenly having this horrible realization about himself, Joe tries to rationalize the suffering he caused to the women who loved him. Worried that her present partner Kate might suffer the same fate as his previous victims, Joe kills himself by jumping off a bridge — much like Rhys.
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