3 reasons why the ‘You’ Season 4 Part 2 finale works

Joe Goldberg at his absolute worst? Yes, please!

Yet another season of You has wrapped up, leaving many gasping for breath due to the numerous twists and turns.

SPOILER ALERT!

Some people died, and others were framed, but the one person who managed to escape unscathed was Joe. That being said, the direction in which the show has pivoted in the Season 4 finale is much more terrifying than what anyone had been anticipating.

Here are three reasons why it works perfectly:

The glorious red herring

Season 4 begins with a rather bland storyline that had viewers second-guessing their stance on Joe. The man who has left a trail of bodies behind him suddenly begins looking into the Eat The Rich killer, who is targeting his circle of friends. Season 4 Part 1 ends with the revelation that Rhys Montrose is the killer, which was absurd, given that viewers simply were not invested in the politician’s life or character.

However, finding out that the entirety of Part 1 is a red herring - a beautiful misdirect - and realizing that Joe is and always will be the problem is a shocking moment that doubles as a huge payoff.

Character consistency

At his very core, Joe is troubled and constantly battling chaos, which manifests as quick-thinking in times of turmoil and a methodical approach to getting rid of his problems. An inevitable psychological break makes sense for his character, who has inflicted and internalized a lot of trauma over the past four seasons.

Moreover, Joe simply forgetting about Marienne and letting her go is very unlike him. None of his former love interests survived - it’s almost as if one is booked for death the minute Joe falls for them. While viewers were tricked into believing that Joe is on a path towards redemption, the finale comes as a brutal reality check and is a great reminder of how people don’t really change.

The setup

You is now free to go into murkier waters. With immense power and financial capital under his wing, alongside a partner who knows who he is and supports him for it, the show can go to extremely dark places. The already maniacal Joe now has an indefinite protective cover.

One could argue that the finale could have been where the show lowered its curtains for good. After all, the stark reality of the situation is that rich and powerful people get away with all sorts of heinous crimes without there being any sense of justice. That conclusion alone could have been a bone-chilling note on which You could have ended.

Even so, audiences are now anticipating the upcoming season with bated breath, wondering what their favourite anti-hero will get up to next.

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