YOU Season 5 Ending & Answers

The YOU Season 5 Ending offers a lot of answers about Joe Goldberg. In fact, the iconic Netflix stalker and serial killer even manages to get some actual insight into himself. Does he deserve to live or die? Read all about the YOU S5 Finale here!

The YOU Season 5 Ending is here, and the series finale is very satisfying to most. Are you happy with the ending of You and how the story of Joe Goldberg ended? Let’s dive into the Season 5 ending of the Netflix mega-hit series and revisit some of the key moments.

You Season 5 Ending Explained: Joe Goldberg Faces His Ultimate Judgment

Netflix’s You has concluded its gripping saga with Season 5, delivering a finale that sees Joe Goldberg finally facing the consequences of his actions.

In this comprehensive breakdown, we address the most pressing questions about the series’ conclusion.​

Who is Bronte, and What Role Does She Play in YOU season 5?

Bronte, introduced as Joe’s new love interest, is revealed to be Louise Flannery. She’s catfishing Joe Goldberg in order to get justice for her mentor, Guinevere Beck’s death. Along with other Internet Sleuths, who feel confident that Joe killed Beck, she goes after him.

She manipulates Joe into confessing his crimes and ultimately facilitates his arrest, serving as a catalyst for his downfall. He does nearly manage to kill her, but she survives.

Just as it turns out, Marienne did.

How did Marienne survive YOU Season 4?

We don’t get too much into the details of how Marienne survived Joe’s supposed murder of her in Season 4. All we do know is that Marienne comments on how he was so wrapped up in holding her and feeling both guilty and vindicated in his actions that he wasn’t paying attention.

Quick reminder: After making Marienne his latest “You” in Season 3, he killed Love Quinn, blamed her for all murders, and ran off to Europe to find Marienne. However, upon discovering that Joe killed Love, she wanted nothing to do with him.

As a rule, being more focused on himself than the woman he is fixating on at any point in time is a real problem for Joe Goldberg. And yes, it will be his downfall. As it should!

Does Joe Goldberg die in the You Season 5 finale, or What Happens to him in the End?

Joe does survive, but would clearly have preferred to die.

In the climactic finale, Joe Goldberg is arrested and convicted of the multiple murders, we all know he is guilty of. The murders he is convicted of include those of Guinevere Beck and Love Quinn.

His capture is orchestrated by Bronte, who, after surviving a violent confrontation with Joe, ensures he faces justice. Joe is sentenced to life in prison, marking a definitive end to his reign of terror.

When Bronte/Louise has Joe at gunpoint, while the police are approaching them, he begs her to kill him. He cannot stand the idea of being alone for the rest of his life. Louise refuses and leaves Joe to the fate she knows is worse than death for him.

How does Bronte move on from Joe Goldberg?

Bronte does what she can to honor Guinevere Beck: She edits her book to remove all the additions made by Joe, to create a book truly and completely made by Beck. The book goes on to be an even bigger hit than “Joe’s Version”.

It seems he never improved on anything, and both the critics and the public prefer Beck’s Version. Yeah, a little nod to Taylor Swift is obvious… and I love it. Penn Badgley and Taylor Swift are also friends in real life…

Also, Bronte acknowledges that Joe was just one chapter in the book that makes up her whole life. Her life neither began nor ended with Joe Goldberg, and she is doing very well without him gaslighting her constantly.

Does Joe Goldberg Show Remorse for His Actions?

Despite his incarceration, Joe exhibits little genuine remorse. He continues to deflect blame onto society, refusing to accept full responsibility for his actions.

This lack of accountability underscores the show’s critique of societal complicity in glamorizing such figures.

He even starts blaming the women sending him “fan mail” in the same way incels and misogynists went after Bronte.

Of course, Bronte is far from the only woman who has been under Joe Goldberg’s gaslighting magic spell. Or has in some other way paid the price for knowing Joe.

What Happens to the Women Who Survived Joe Goldberg?

Let’s take a quick look at the women who had their lives ruined by Joe Goldberg over the 5 seasons of You on Netflix.

• Kate Lockwood-Goldberg: Joe’s wife, Kate, dedicates her life to art and provides a stable home for Joe’s son, Henry.​ She’s ready to help him in any way he needs to keep him from becoming his father (or biological mother, as Love Quinn was also a killer).
• Marienne Bellamy: Finally, Marienne is free to be herself and no longer needs to hide. She finds success as an artist, moving on from her traumatic past.​ Not least thanks to Kate, who does what she can to support the artist.
• Nadia Farran: Having spent three years in prison, Nadia knows about the struggles of incarcerated women. She returns to teaching, reclaiming her life after being coerced into Joe’s schemes, and working with women in prison. ​Unlike most of the other women, Nadia never really fell for Joe’s charm. Much to his dismay.
• Maddie Lockwood: Having been forced to kill her twin sister, Reagan, or be killed herself, Maddie is now free to live as she always wanted. She is with Harrison, and together they raise Gretchen (a child Maddie carried, though the fertilized egg came from her identical twin sister). When You ends, we see that Maddie and Harrison are expecting twins.

How Does the YOU Series Address Joe’s Fanbase?

The finale highlights the disturbing reality of Joe’s fan base, with some individuals still admiring him despite his crimes. This serves as a commentary on society’s tendency to romanticize dangerous individuals, emphasizing the importance of critical media consumption.

In fact, season 5 of You does an exceptionally good job at focusing on this; Critical Media Consumption.

All of Season 5 highlight how the justice system works very much in the favor of a wealthy, white, straight man (with great hair) in ways any minority will never experience.

Sure, his wife Claire is the billionaire, but even when their marriage ends and he’s “just” a good-looking white man (without wealth), there are plenty of people speaking out in support of him.

Is This the End of You on Netflix?

Yes, Season 5 marks the conclusion of You.

The series ends with Joe imprisoned, isolated, and unrepentant, providing closure to his narrative arc. The show leaves viewers with a poignant reflection on accountability and the consequences of unchecked obsession. ​

The You Season 5 ending delivers a powerful conclusion, ensuring that Joe Goldberg faces the repercussions of his actions. The series wraps up its complex narrative by holding its protagonist accountable and offering a satisfying end to a dark and compelling story.

That’s all we have on the You season 5 and series ending. If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out via our contact form here – maybe we’ll add your question to this page.