As the twisted tale of Joe Goldberg nears its end, You returns for one final bow on April 24 with season 5. Fans who've followed Joe’s disturbing journey from New York to L.A., Madre Linda, and now London know this: nothing is ever what it seems with him. Season 4 was arguably the most layered and psychological installment yet — packed with deceit, delusion, and yes, death. If you're planning to binge-watch the final chapter, here are the 10 most important things you need to remember from You Season 4.
1. Joe Goldberg Reinvents Himself As Professor Jonathan Moore
Once again, Joe runs from his past — but this time, he's not just ditching a city. He's faking his own death. Season 4 opens with Joe in London, hiding in plain sight under the guise of an English professor named Jonathan Moore. After murdering his wife, Love Quinn, and abandoning his son Henry at the end of Season 3, Joe chops off his toe to stage his own death and start over — classic Joe, right?
What makes this reinvention chilling is how smoothly he slips into it. Teaching literature while quoting Nietzsche, Joe pretends to be a man of intellect and restraint — all while repressing the beast lurking beneath. But as we soon learn, you can’t bury your true self forever.
2. Joe Embeds Himself In London's Elite Social Circle
In typical Joe fashion, he claims to hate the shallow, rich, and entitled... yet he can’t help but get entangled with them. Season 4 introduces us to a circle of ultra-wealthy, morally questionable socialites — Lady Phoebe, Kate, Adam, and others — whom Joe alternately mocks and mingles with.
His disdain is clear, but his curiosity is stronger. He’s drawn to their secrets, to their flaws, and ultimately, to the danger that surrounds them. It’s a twisted mirror — Joe may not be rich, but he’s just as toxic and dangerous as the people he judges.
3. The “Eat The Rich Killer” Stalks The Group
A mysterious killer begins picking off members of Joe’s new social circle, sparking fear among the elite. Dubbed the “Eat the Rich Killer,” the murders appear to target the group’s wealth and privilege — and Joe finds himself both a suspect and an unlikely detective.
This was a sharp departure from previous seasons, where Joe was the hunter, not the hunted. Here, he’s investigating crimes instead of committing them (or so we think), giving viewers a false sense of moral shift — is Joe trying to be better?
4. Joe Tries To Catch The Killer — But There’s A Darker Truth
In a shocking midseason twist, Joe discovers that the killer he’s been trying to stop... is himself. Or rather, a part of himself he’s repressed. He’s been hallucinating conversations with author Rhys Montrose, whom he believes to be the murderer. But Rhys was never real — not in the way Joe thought.
The truth is horrifying: Joe has been dissociating so deeply that he genuinely didn’t know he was committing the murders. The line between Joe’s conscience and his violent impulses has fully eroded. This wasn’t a man justifying bad choices — this was a man losing touch with reality.
5. Joe Finds Love (Again?) In Kate Lockwood
Enter Kate Lockwood: sharp, guarded, emotionally complex. She's Joe’s latest romantic obsession, but unlike previous love interests, Kate is no damsel. She’s got a murky past and a powerful, manipulative father. The two are drawn to each other like moths to flame — and that’s never ended well in You.
What makes Kate fascinating is how much she mirrors Joe. She’s not innocent, and she has secrets of her own. Together, they become a disturbingly compatible match — and a dangerous one. Their bond will prove crucial heading into Season 5.
6. Marienne’s Fate Reveals Joe’s True State Of Mind
Remember Marienne, the librarian Joe was obsessed with in Season 3? At the start of Season 4, we’re led to believe Joe let her go. But in one of the season’s most disturbing reveals, we find out that he actually abducted her and kept her imprisoned in a cage — the iconic glass box makes its terrifying return.
Joe, in a haze of delusion, had convinced himself he freed her. In truth, Marienne barely survived. This reveal marks the point where viewers realize Joe isn't just dangerous — he’s mentally unhinged and capable of total psychological breaks. His mind has become as much of a prison as the one he locked Marienne inside.
7. Lady Phoebe And Adam's Relationship Ends In Ruin
While Joe spirals into madness, another subplot explores the fall of London’s golden couple — Lady Phoebe and her shady boyfriend Adam. Adam cheats, lies, and eventually tries to manipulate Phoebe for her money. Phoebe, sweet and a little naive, learns the harsh truth: Adam never loved her — he loved what she could give him.
Fortunately, Phoebe chooses self-preservation over romance. She ends the relationship and ditches the elite lifestyle altogether, later seen working as a teacher in Thailand. It’s a rare hopeful note in an otherwise bleak season.
8. Joe Frames His Student Nadia For His Crimes
If there was any doubt left about whether Joe had a conscience, this erased it. Nadia, one of Joe’s brightest students, uncovers his secrets. She finds and frees Marienne, and risks everything to expose Joe. But Joe catches her snooping — and takes decisive action.
He frames her for the murders, ensuring she’s silenced forever. Nadia ends up in prison, alone and unprotected. Joe’s previous compassion for younger characters (like Paco or Ellie) is gone. This time, there is no redemption — just cold, calculated cruelty.
9. Joe Embraces His Killer Instincts With No More Excuses
Season 4 marks a chilling transformation. Joe no longer hides behind excuses or delusions. After killing Kate’s powerful father, Tom Lockwood, he doesn’t rationalize it — he owns it. There’s no more “I did it to protect someone” or “they deserved it.” Joe is finally embracing the monster within.
For years, he believed he was the hero of his own story. But now, he accepts that he's the villain — and perhaps, he likes it that way. This sets the stage for a final season where anything — and anyone — could be on the chopping block.
10. Joe & Kate Become A Power Couple In New York City
By the end of Season 4, Joe and Kate move to New York, fully stepping into their power — and darkness. Joe is no longer hiding. He’s publicly Joe Goldberg again, now with a polished image and a powerful partner by his side.
The season ends with the two being interviewed as media darlings. Their public image is squeaky clean, but beneath the surface, it’s a deadly partnership. With Kate’s wealth and connections and Joe’s newfound self-acceptance as a killer, the stakes for Season 5 have never been higher.
The End Is Near
You Season 5 is set to be the final, blood-soaked act in Joe Goldberg’s story. With all the lies, hallucinations, and horror of Season 4 behind us, the big question remains: will Joe finally face justice? Or has he become too powerful, too untouchable?
One thing is certain — April 24th can’t come soon enough.
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