After leaving a trail of dead bodies in different cities, it’s only fair that Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) gets what he deserves in the You season 5 ending. However, the tactful serial killer continued to evade justice until the end. The season started with Joe living a peaceful life in the spotlight, and no dead bodies have emerged around him in three years. In typical Joe style, he couldn’t keep up the charade for long before his dark side overwhelmed him. Admittedly, Joe’s fate should be tied between death and life imprisonment, but the verdict didn’t come in until the end of the series finale. When his bloody tale finally ended, some fans of the show didn’t think it was worthy.
All 10 episodes of the fifth and final season of the psychological thriller series were released on April 24, 2024, with a satisfying ending. Joe’s sins finally caught up with him, compounded by ghosts from the past. Familiar faces, including Beck (Elizabeth Lail), Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman), and Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), appeared in the final season to give Joe a perfect farewell. While showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo had other ideas for Joe’s fate, the You season 5 ending checks all the boxes on the desirable elements fans expect.
Does Joe Goldberg Die in You Season 5 Ending?
All things being equal, death would be an easy escape for the charming serial killer. According to Foley, he needed a fate worse than death, and that’s what he got. Joe survived several incidents that would have killed him before the grand finale. The fire at Mooney’s didn’t consume him, and getting shot at by Bronte (Madeline Brewer) didn’t do it either. With several options on the table, showrunners decided that getting someone to kill Joe would only wreak revenge, not justice. As such, he needed to be alive to receive proper penance for his sins.
Joe Goldberg’s Bloody Tale Ended in Prison
With the option of death ruled out, prison becomes the next punishment suitable for Joe. Thus, You season 5 ends with Joe serving multiple life sentences for the murders he committed. Alone in his cell, with his crazy thoughts, Joe is finally trapped, isolated from the rest of the world, especially from beautiful women who could become the object of his psychotic obsession. However, he has books for company and letters from naughty, die-hard fans who still see him as a sexual icon. Overall, got the punishment he deserved.
Getting Shot in his Genitals is a Perfect Twist
Focusing on Joe’s serial killer side negates his status as a sexual predator. However, showrunners fixed this by initiating the final moment of truth in the bedroom. With Joe left high and dry, wearing only his underwear when he realized Bronte played him, again, viewers finally saw him for the sexual predator he is. Speaking to Deadline, Badgley described the ending as “rewarding.”
Joe Goldberg Still Justifies His Bloody Tale
Despite being convicted of several murders, including the people he once loved, Joe hasn’t shown any sign of remorse. He’s still not willing to accept the fact that he is a psychopath. His final voiceover while reading a letter from a fan says it all: “Why am I in a cage when these crazies write all the depraved things they want me to do to them? Maybe we have a problem in our society. Maybe we should fix what’s broken in us. Maybe the problem isn’t me. Maybe it’s you.”
To Joe, it’s not fair that he has to spend the rest of his life in a cage while people like the fans writing disturbing letters to him roam free. He still blames everyone but himself for the murders he committed. In the end, Joe didn’t just live with the retribution he deserved, he also had to live with himself away from possible victims.
You Season 5 Has An Alternative Ending That Takes a Supernatural Spin
If fans had a say in it, Joe Goldberg would have died a painful death, and showrunners seem to have shared this sentiment. You showrunners, Foley and Lo, went through different options before taking a stand on Joe’s fate. In an alternate ending, Joe realizes he’s a ghost after being shot by Bronte. However, dying at the hands of Bronte or any other person seemed an easy way out for the serial killer.
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