‘You’ Season 5 Ending Shocks Fans as Producer Reveals Truth Behind Joe’s Fate

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Netflix series “You” finally delivered justice to Penn Badgley’s character Joe Goldberg in the Season 5 finale, and the show’s lead actor has confirmed what many viewers were speculating about after that surprising ending. After a seven-year exploration of the life of a serial killer who charmed his way through women, “You” officially concluded with the release of Season 5.

In the heart of a gripping season-long chase, I found myself hot on the heels of Joe Goldberg – my former love, Bronte, ensnared within his clutches. However, justice prevailed as he was apprehended by the police and incarcerated, destined to serve out his days behind bars.

Netflix ‘You’ Producers Explain What the Ending Really Meant

In various interviews following the final episode, co-showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo clarified the deeper significance of Joe Goldberg’s unsettling fourth-wall breach and the tragic circumstances that culminated in these events.

In the concluding scene of the critically acclaimed Netflix series, Joe found himself incarcerated, yet still receiving letters from fans. From behind bars, this former serial killer addressed the audience in a dramatic break of the fourth wall, musing, “Perhaps the issue isn’t me, but rather… you.

Why am I kept confined while these individuals pen such disturbing requests for my actions towards them? Perhaps our society has deeper issues that need addressing. Could we be the ones who require healing? Maybe the issue isn’t with me, but rather… it might be… yours.

Foley shared with TVLine that Joe delivers his final monologue to symbolize addressing the general public. Given that many viewers have supported Joe throughout the 50 episodes and five seasons of ‘You’, the ending aims to shock us all, revealing that he is indeed a terrible monster.

By identifying ourselves with long-time supporters of Joe, we aimed to shock everyone, including ourselves, by revealing that Joe, whom we’ve cheered for over 50 episodes, is actually a terrible monster.

He continued to assert that he wasn’t responsible for his actions, even after being held accountable. Consequently, it appeared quite deliberate that he damaged the wall in the finale, an act designed to shift blame onto the audience and society as a whole.

As a dedicated cinema enthusiast, I had hoped he’d acknowledge his faults. After receiving his so-called retribution and even catching a glimpse of his monstrous nature, he stubbornly refuses to accept responsibility. In that climactic scene, it was deliberately planned for him to shatter the invisible barrier between us, reminding us all of his defiance.

Foley expressed a comparable viewpoint to The Hollywood Reporter when he shared that their aim was to reveal Joe’s true monstrous nature and extract his civilization, which is why the second part of the finale felt like a horror movie.

In our efforts, we were attempting to reveal his civilized side. However, it became evident that Joe’s inherent, raw nature was the focus, which was the essence of my conversation with Penn. Ultimately, we needed to accept him for what he truly was – a beast. That’s why the second half of the finale had a horror movie feel to it.

In conclusion to the chilling slasher horror scene, Madeline Brewer, playing the character Brone, seized a gun and fired it at him in the lower body area before he was apprehended. Lo clarified that this significant moment represented “‘stripping away Joe’s powers, his masculinity, and what once made him an icon of romance:’”

To wrap up the thrilling slasher horror sequence, Madeline Brewer, portraying Brone, grabbed a gun and shot him in the lower body before his detainment. Lo elaborated that this pivotal scene conveyed “‘the removal of Joe’s powers, his masculinity, and what once defined him as a romantic figure:’

It’s clear that the intention was to strip Joe of his authority, masculinity, and the qualities that make him both a romantic and a sexual idol. It was significant for us, and particularly crucial for Penn, to seize as much as possible from Joe by the conclusion of the series.

In a conversation about the finale, Foley admitted that the team wasn’t in agreement regarding the conclusion of ‘You’. However, they ultimately decided to have Joe behind bars as it symbolized stripping him of his power.

He clarifies that our perspectives were significantly different, and in retrospect, we felt death might be too lenient and not severe enough as punishment. Primarily, our concept revolved around portraying Joe confined, perhaps in some sort of enclosure. However, the core emphasis was on stripping him of his power, denying him the sensation of a lover’s touch, among other things.

Fans had to endure a two-year wait for Season 5’s premiere, as the show’s cast and crew meticulously crafted a fitting conclusion. Similar to numerous significant Hollywood productions, the release of You was pushed back due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes, which disrupted scriptwriting and prolonged production by several months.

‘You’ Star Penn Badgley Breaks Silence on Joe’s Series Finale Ending

Actor Penn Badgley, who plays Joe Goldberg on the show “You,” discussed the ending of Season 5 with TVLine and was asked if he believed his character received a fitting outcome, considering there were essentially three possible endings: imprisonment, death, or liberty.

‘” This highlights the focus on the process rather than the final destination.

I agree with your assessment, as it boils down to those three possibilities. People often wonder how things will turn out, but when considering the practicality of the situation, we are limited to only three options. The focus should be more on the journey to these outcomes rather than the outcomes themselves.

He proceeded to delve into the fascinating topic of “unraveling his character outside the confines of his cage, specifically in his bedroom,” when confronted by Bronte. Eventually, he was unmasked as a “predator and abuser of a despicable nature.

In simpler terms, “And for me, the dismantling of this character isn’t confined to a cage but rather in his bedroom. Just as we expose him in the cage, Episode 9 serves as the exposure within the cage where he’s imprisoned and confronted by all the women he’s wronged, but escapes. However, it’s when he’s caught in his bedroom without any clothes on that he can’t escape, ultimately exposed as a sexual predator and an abuser.

When Joe and Bronte got into a fierce altercation, the onlooker remarked that it was “the first instance where one noticed him striking a woman squarely with his bare fists,” as he typically employs tools that provide a feeling of disconnection in such situations.

This is the initial instance where we witness him striking a woman, specifically Bronte, with his fist – and I regret saying this due to its intensity, yet it aligns with the show’s premise. He did indeed strike Peach with a rock earlier, there’s some humor involved in that scene. In Episode 9, he uses a sledgehammer to attack Kate, which is insane, but it does happen. However, it’s important to note that he doesn’t use his fist against Kate; the methods of violence are distinct in these instances.

He persisted in talking about their “life-or-death struggle,” emphasizing that it was crucial for him to demonstrate, at last, a physical confrontation using his fists.

In this pivotal scene, I find myself witnessing him in a vulnerable state, partially clothed with another person who moments earlier was the recipient of his affections. The tension between them is palpable, raw, and intense – truly gripping. It was crucial to reveal this moment, and I believe it serves our story well that we didn’t delve into such scenes frequently, as repeated exposure might inadvertently cross the line into exploitation.

Read more about why Netflix just ended You after Season 5.

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2025-05-12 11:04