After five thrilling seasons, the Netflix series You has at last reached its conclusion, and Joe’s fate has been distinctly determined. It’s an intriguing development that has allowed us to witness the gradual metamorphosis of the protagonist, particularly in the way he is depicted through the events. “A romantic,” as Bronte/Louise describes him in the fifth season, a man who would do anything to rescue/protect the women he loves, yet ultimately, an individual with no moral boundaries to his actions, which is precisely what sets an ordinary person apart from a psychopath.
From the ending of the fifth season, several questions arise: is Joe’s destiny truly sealed? Is it really impossible for the story to continue in a potential sixth season of You? And who is Belinda, the one who signs the letter that Joe reads in the final frame of the series? Let’s address all the answers in this comprehensive breakdown of You‘s ending: join us.
You, the ending explained: Joe’s fate
In each season, Joe has always managed to escape unscathed. Every time, his actions lead him to commit murder, and each time, his unique mental mindset causes him to rationalize his behavior in a way that seems acceptable to him. Ultimately, from his perspective, what he does is eliminate those who don’t deserve to live. And every time, the driving force behind his killings is love, regarded as a power that overrides everything, to which Joe completely surrenders, resorting to extreme measures to safeguard the romantic stories he pursues.
However, in a potential analysis of Joe’s personality, there’s a detail that cannot be overlooked and becomes clearly evident in the final season: Joe enjoys killing. Even when it’s not strictly necessary, even when there’s no need to take any action to save his relationship, Joe kills, as was the case with the man who attempted to kidnap Bronte in the fifth season. It was a deliberate, intentional, and premeditated act, not forced by circumstances or triggered by uncontrollable reactions. Joe’s true nature is that of a killer, and the way he, in his own words, explains his actions is precisely his personal way of perceiving himself. It’s up to us to judge what counts as an acceptable explanation.
There are no limits to what Joe is willing to do to achieve his life goals. Even in details that we only notice at the very end, his need for control surpasses any inclination towards love or protection, as he presents them. When Joe rescues Bronte from her abductor, he incapacitates her ankle while she’s unconscious. Once again, it’s an unnecessary but calculated act. With the sole aim of exerting greater control over the people around him. In Joe’s mind, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to get even a little closer to his objective or to marginally increase his chances of success. It’s the sense of proportion and moral boundaries that set Joe apart from others: killing and causing harm to others are just as much a choice among the possible options available to a human being.
This is precisely why the conclusion of You Season 5 stands out distinctly from its predecessors. Joe’s true character is finally revealed in all its clarity, leaving no room for doubt. Every woman who has ever fallen for him, whether in bygone days or the current timeline, can only affirm the inevitable judgment. Even Joe himself comes to this realization, admitting in his final conversation with his son Henry, “I’m beyond being loved.” There’s no longer any possibility of masking his deeds with far – fetched justifications. In Joe’s world, love is doomed to fail, as it never unfolds according to his idealized notions. The series You uses his self – justifications as a means to expose how individuals with psychopathic and abusive tendencies perceive themselves and rationalize their actions to society. It falls upon us to discern between the believable and the preposterous in their narrative of events.
What identity does Belinda possess and what role does she play in the sphere that belongs to Joe?
Ultimately, Joe will be apprehended and handed a life sentence in prison for the homicides he’s committed. There’s no escape route left, and no other rationales can be offered for his deeds. Joe takes lives because his psychological makeup compels him to, and all the rest are merely excuses, rationales, and incentives that prompt him to make those choices for his own gain.
In the climactic scene, Joe tries to offer himself one final account of his identity and how he evolved into that individual. He does so as he reads a letter penned by a mysterious figure named Belinda, which he receives while behind bars. This detail has piqued the curiosity of fans. Could the storyline continue in a sixth season? Who is this Belinda in You, and what significance does she hold?
Netflix billed the fifth season of You as the series’ conclusion. And although the realm of television is full of surprises, there’s little indication that a sixth season will materialize. Joe’s destiny is set in stone; he’ll spend his days in solitary confinement in prison. Belinda isn’t a character who can alter the course of events. She’s one among many who idolize Joe, even after his misdeeds have been laid bare. She embodies the unhealthy aspect of society, the segment that gives individuals like Joe the impression that someone out there truly gets them.
In her letter, Belinda yearns for a man like Joe to cherish, own, and dominate her in the very way Joe defines love. She’s the societal mirror image of Joe’s psychopathic tendencies. Just as there are men like Joe who view love as a license to commit any act, no matter how atrocious, there are women like Belinda who are so consumed by love that they’re willing to excuse any action a man takes in the name of love. Total control, mistreatment, and even killing can seem justifiable to those who interpret them as expressions of affection. In this regard, You wraps up by making a statement to its audience: men like Joe thrive because society tolerates them. Some among us even find their justifications palatable. Hence, Joe’s closing remarks encapsulate the essence of the series and its finale: “perhaps the issue isn’t with me; perhaps it’s with you.” And the spirit of Belinda could lurk within any one of us.
