You Showrunners Reveal the Secrets Behind That Jaw-Dropping Season 5 Finale and Joe’s Emotional Goodbye

This tale includes spoilers from "You" Season 5,Episode 10.

The penultimate episode of "You" In Season 5, it seemed like Joe Goldberg was facing his ultimate comeuppance, cornered within the confines of his own prison constructed from memories of his history with Kate, Nadia, and Marianne. However, naturally, Joe manages to free himself yet again.

In Episode 9, Joe (played by Penn Badgley) is pulled from the fire at Mooney’s by Bronte/Louise (portrayed by Madeline Brewer). Recognizing her pivotal role in bringing him to justice, she agrees to marry him. This leads them to be discovered during a scenic road trip in Canada right as the final episode begins.

"Ensuring that Joe believes he’s achieved his dream of finding a woman who loves every part of him and they live happily ever after was crucial for us," said showrunner Michael Foley to The News Pulse. He further explained that although the initial portion of the finale resembles a "road trip romance,” the latter half swiftly transforms into a thriller.

Gaps begin to appear in Joe’s dream of a future with Bronte and his son, Henry (Frankie DeMaio), particularly after he has a brief conversation with Henry through an online gaming platform. During this interaction, Henry refers to Joe as a monster — a term that, according to showrunner Justin W. Lo, brings Joe down to his lowest point throughout the whole series.

"It was the moment just prior to him entirely dropping his facade with Bronte — we required a scene that conveyed … the gravity of the situation," Lo explained, noting that the sequence alludes to what Love (played by Victoria Pedretti) told Joe near the end of Season 3 as she was passing away, mentioning that his child would discover who he truly is.

Soon afterward, Bronte discloses her real motives. A full-scale fight ensues between her and Joe; the police arrive promptly and apprehend Joe. As they lead Joe away, Bronte remains holding a firearm. Instead of aiming for a lethal shot or deciding against shooting altogether, she fires deliberately at Joe’s genitals, declaring, “The illusion of someone as deluded as you thrives due to the existence of men who truly embody such deceit.”

The kick to the groin was partly about us enjoying ourselves and lightening up a serious scene," Foley explained, noting that co-creator Greg Berlanti understood Joe’s strength lies in being a romantic lead. "It presented an opportunity to undermine his masculinity.

Following Foley and Lo’s decision that death was too lenient a conclusion for Joe—they aimed to “punish” him by confining him within what could be described as a “virtual prison,” stripping away his liberty—having him lose his genitalia may serve as some form of compensation for those anticipating a harsher punishment.

Following Joe's arrest, the responsibility shifts to Bronte, who becomes the sole advocate for Beck. Beck had lost her ability to speak due to Joe’s actions—both physically and symbolically—as he took credit for rewriting “The Dark Face of Love,” which was published under Beck’s pseudonym.

Louise served as a representative figure for viewers," Lo mentioned, with Foley chiming in that she embodies every woman. "Our aim was to have a female character deliver the concluding message. Even though Joe gets the last word in his succinct epilogue where he places responsibility solely on others, it was crucial that ultimately, a woman confidently strides off and declares, 'I refuse to let Joe Goldberg make me a victim.'

Following Joe’s intense accumulation of murder charges, which led him to perceive “the totality of his being,” Bronte/Louise takes over narration to provide satisfying conclusions for those who successfully evaded Joe. This includes Bronte, who reinstated Beck's initial composition into her manuscript, as well as Kate — about whom the show creators vividly recall having significant discussions in the writer’s room regarding her conclusion.

"Some individuals believed that she deserved death due to ... her responsibility for the fatalities of children discussed in Season 4 and this current season. They felt these were actions deserving punishment, yet we considered that the character experienced significant remorse, which made her eligible for potential redemption. That’s why we decided not to kill her off," explained Lo.

The concluding scenes of the "You" series finale end with Joe delivering a monologue from within his prison cell. As he reads through piles of fan mail brimming with dark whimsical wishes, he shifts the responsibility onto his viewers. "Perhaps our issue lies at a societal level," Joe remarks. "We might need to address the flaws in ourselves. It’s possible that the real problem isn’t me—it could be all of us."

The entire series aims to reflect upon the audience and their balance between love and obsession. The creators intend for the concluding monologue to illuminate “our involvement, and how readily we accepted his reprehensible actions under the guise of love,” as stated by Foley.

Could it be that from a young age, we're simply programmed to hope for the Disney prince and princess to fall in love?" Foley asked. "We may not have concrete answers, but our aim is to pose this question and encourage individuals to reflect on it themselves.

Seasons 1-5 of "You" are now available for streaming on Netflix.

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