Elizabeth Lail’s cameo in You season 5, explained 

You season 5 dropped all ten episodes exclusively on Netflix on Thursday, April 24, 2025, marking the final chapter of the hit thriller series starring Penn Badgley. The show ended with a thrilling finale, offering closure for its characters and finally holding the killer accountable for his crimes.

But besides the ending, a shocking flashback halfway through the season exposed a dramatic secret connecting a new character to the first season of the series. As longtime fans might remember, Badgley's serial killer character, Joe Goldberg, murdered his muse and bookish girlfriend, Guinevere Beck, played by Elizabeth Lail, in season 1.

However, in You season 5 episode 6, Beck made a surprise return. While her cameo was for a flashback scene, it revealed that Joe's new muse, Louise, aka Brontë, played by Madeline Brewer, and Beck knew each other before. Beck was once Louise's writing TA, who had been incredibly supportive of her writing and even inspired her nickname.

The flashback also revealed how Louise felt truly seen by Beck and how she appreciated the other woman's support in her creative writing. She told Beck in one of the scenes:

"Nobody's ever championed me as a writer like you have."

While their lives took different paths after Louise left for Ohio, her parting words made it clear how she would always remember Beck and her support.

---

Elizabeth Lail's cameo in You season 5 reveals an elaborate plan to expose Penn Badgley's serial killer character

Before Elizabeth's return as Beck in Netflix's You season 5, the narrative suggested that Louise met Joe at Mooney's bookstore by chance. However, Beck's cameo in a flashback scene reveals otherwise—it wasn't entirely a coincidence. Louise's meeting with Joe was, in fact, part of her elaborate plan to expose Joe's murderous past.

After Louise heard of Beck's death while she was in Ohio and taking care of her ailing mom, she got a hunch that Joe, Beck's then-boyfriend, was the one who killed her. It prompted her to dig into his past and connect with online friends, one of whom is Clayton, the son of Dr. Nicky, whom Joe framed as Beck's killer. Together, they hatched a plan to expose Joe as a serial killer.

The scene at Mooney's bookstore was not entirely a coincidence, as Louise had been there snooping around to get information on him. Initially, the group planned to investigate Joe but watch him from afar. But when Joe caught her breaking into Mooney's, she used that opportunity to get close to him.

From there, she decided to mold herself as Joe's perfect woman. What she didn't expect was how convincing and charming Joe could be, and she ended up falling for him. He even managed to convince her that he was innocent enough that Louise tried calling off their plan. She even protected Joe after he killed Clayton, claiming to the police that Joe did it out of self-defense, not murder.

---

Was the serial killer found out in You season 5?

You season 5 ends with a satisfying conclusion, especially for serial killer Joe Goldberg's victims, both dead and alive. He went on trial and ended up in prison, facing the consequences of his crimes. Meanwhile, the other characters in You season 5, those who were still alive, get their chance to move on from the chaos that Joe caused in their lives.

Louise has taken back her power, and the series ends with her telling the story. She also cut Joe's additions from Beck's novel. Joe's son, Henry, also knows who his dad really is—a "monster"—by the end of the series, which was Joe's worst fear coming true.

---

Catch all episodes of You season 5, along with the complete series, now streaming on Netflix.