'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAxCcEn//EAB4QAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQAEQUGEyJB/9oACAEBAAE/AIuU8de8VrRMRXDAuT6sfo1rIe2XlhRSEOlA3n//xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAIx/9oACAECAQE/ACo7P//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQf/aAAgBAwEBPwCI/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
You season 5 finally premiered on April 24, 2025, on Netflix, after a long wait. This is the last season of the show, and it's the end of Penn Badgley's (Joe Goldberg) long and troubled journey through love, obsession, and murder.
In this final season, Joe returned to New York City, where it all began. He is not the naïve bookshop owner this time, though. With his new wife, Kate Lockwood (Charlotte Ritchie), by his side, he is a different man—he is now America's Prince Charming.
The end of You season 5 shows Joe finally facing Bronte (Madeline Brewer), and things from the past coming back to haunt him. After fighting for her life and to prevail in justice, Bronte finally gets Joe caught by the police and exposes his crimes to the world. Though Bronate was attacked, she survives, gets Beck's book revised and republished, and starts a new life.
Trending
As Joe is being arrested, the show ends with a moving look at his fate, his conviction for multiple murders, and his life in prison. In the last few minutes, Bronte tells the story's ending, and Joe's change into a villainous figure for everyone to see is shown.
In her final attempt to get justice, she tricks Joe into a dangerous situation and tells him he needs to take responsibility for what he did. While they were fighting, Joe was shot in a sensitive area and then turned over to the police.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from You season 5. Reader’s discretion is advised.
You season 5 puts an end to Joe's story
One of the most intense and dramatic parts of You season 5 is the last fight between Joe Goldberg and Bronte. The standoff starts when Bronte moves. She has been playing Joe's game while planning to reveal his secret.
She tells Joe to take back all the changes he made to Beck's book. This is a metaphor for her attempt to bring back Beck's voice and get rid of Joe's controlling influence. As she holds Joe at gunpoint, she forces him to face his dark past, demanding accountability for Beck's killing he has committed.
Also read: 10 things to remember before watching You season 5
Joe tries to manipulate the situation and deflect responsibility. Despite this, Bronte is not the same innocent woman who loved him before. She decides to seek justice as she learns more about Joe's true nature.
In a shockingly vulnerable moment, Joe's son Henry calls him and accuses him of being the monster, though he had always mentioned that there was no monster in the room. Joe seems shaken up by this emotional upheaval, but that doesn't stop him from trying to control Bronte.
Joe charges at Bronte and knocks the gun out of her hands. As things get worse, Bronte gets a bullet wound and runs off into the woods. However, she returns quickly to call the police. Joe goes after her and finds her in a lake, where he tries to drown her.
Also read: You season 5: Full list of cast explored
But Bronte lives, even though she was shot, and things get even more intense when she takes a police officer's gun and shoots Joe in the groin, making sure that justice is finally done. At this point, Joe's reign of terror comes to an end, and Bronte plays both the role of a survivor and a heroine by bringing Joe to justice.
Kate Lockwood's survival and new beginnings
Kate Lockwood's journey in season 5 of You is one of change. Joe betrayed Kate, and she almost died in a terrible fire. But Kate rises from the ashes, both literally and figuratively. To get rid of Joe, Kate planned to kill him and confine him in the basement cage with the help of Marienne and Nadia.
When Maddie set the bookstore at Mooney's to kill Joe, it also seriously hurt Kate. Kate miraculously survives after being shot and left for dead, crawling out of the wreckage.
In the finale, Kate's journey from being manipulated by Joe to reclaiming her independence is a strong story thread. Kate decides to leave her father's business after she gets better. It had been a big source of stress for her. Teddy takes over the company and turns it into a non-profit one.
The company had always been a reminder of her bad relationship with her father. This action shows that Kate is free from her past.
Kate goes back to the art world to manage an art gallery because she loves it so much. She even accepts and displays Marienne Bellamy's (Joe's ex-lover) art in her gallery. She has fully changed, as she is at peace with her choice to leave her father's legacy behind.
Her love for Henry, whom she treats like a son, shows that she is ready to start over. Kate's story arc in the series ends on a hopeful note. She is no longer in Joe's shadow and is ready to make her own way in life.
Read more: You season 5: Everything we know so far
Bronte shines in You season 5
Bronte's introduction into Joe Goldberg's life starts out innocently: she is introduced as a book lover who often goes to Joe's bookstore, Mooney's. At first glance, her presence seems harmless because she sneaks into the store after hours to look through books. But Joe, who is always looking for new things to be interested in, becomes interested in her right away.
Bronte's quiet interest in books and her love of literature help her connect with Joe, who finds comfort in her company. As their relationship grows, Bronte sees Joe as more than just the bookstore's owner, and she ends up falling in love with him.
Joe, who is always trying to get what he wants, tells Bronte a bunch of lies to make her believe he is telling the truth. At first, his charm caught Bronte's attention, and she started to like him. But as their relationship goes on, Bronte starts to doubt them more.
Also read: You season 5 complete release schedule
She finds out disturbing things about Joe's past, like how he played a part in the deaths of several women. When Bronte finds out the shocking truth about Joe's murderous tendencies, she starts to wonder if she should still be with him.
Once Joe is caught, Bronte focuses on making Beck's memory a good one. To get back to the original manuscript, she makes Joe undo the changes he made to Beck's book. She later thinks about her life and realizes that Joe's influence will always be a part of it. She finally feels at peace with her life because she has taken charge of it and made sure that Joe is caught for his crimes.
Maddie and Harrison get a second chance for their "happily ever after" by the end of You season 5
In season 5 of You, Maddie and Harrison's journey leads to a surprising but ultimately good ending. In the last episode, Maddie is in a tough legal situation because she was involved in the deadly arson that almost killed Joe.
However, Maddie does not face the consequences one would expect for her part in the murder of her twin sister, Reagan. She is not sent to prison because of the circumstances of her actions, such as the fact that Joe manipulated her, and the events were very chaotic.
When it is revealed that Maddie is pregnant with twins, her story takes a more positive turn. This is the start of a new chapter in her life. She is shown living a calm life with Harrison by her side. The couple doesn't know what the future holds, but they are hopeful as they make plans for their growing family.
Maddie's redemption story is based on how she grows as a person and how Harrison helps her get over the terrible things that happened in her past. Maddie is free from the memories of her past mistakes by the end of the season and is ready to start over with her partner.
Also read: How many episodes are there in You season 5?
Nadia starts afresh by helping others to get rid of trauma
In You, Nadia Farran's journey is full of tragedy, manipulation, and redemption. During season 4, Nadia was wrongly blamed for killing her partner, Eddie, even though she did not do it. It was forced on her to take responsibility, but things get better for Nadia in season 5 of You.
She is freed from prison with Kate's help, and her part in Joe's downfall is key to catching him in the end.
By the time Nadia teams up with Kate to expose Joe for the monster he really is, she has fully changed. Nadia's part in the last few minutes of the show is a metaphor for personal growth as she uses her painful past to help other people.
Once Joe was found guilty, Nadia went back to her job as a teacher and helped other women who had been through similar trauma. The series is about evolving mindset and the power of redemption. Her change from being a victim of Joe's manipulation to a strong, independent person highlight these ideas.
The last few words of Joe fiercely represented no remorse at all, even after getting punished.
“It’s unfair putting all of this on me. Aren’t we all just products of our environment? Hurt people hurt people. I never stood a chance. Why am I in a cage when these crazies write me all of the depraved things they want me to do to them? Maybe we have a problem as a society? Maybe we should fix what’s broken in us? Maybe the problem isn’t me. Maybe it’s you,” Joe said.
You season 5 is available to stream on Netflix.
