Every time we thought Joe Goldberg was redeemable in YOU– until he wasn’t

Netflix’s YOU dropped its final season yesterday. And naturally, it’s time to reflect on the king of the “maybe he’s not all bad?” anti-hero: Joe Goldberg. For four seasons (now five), Joe had us flip-flopping between “aww, he’s traumatised” and “wait—he’s literally a serial killer.” But every now and then, the man would go and do something genuinely decent, and we’d dare to believe, just for a moment, that Joe Goldberg was redeemable.

Of course, this is YOU, and Joe always follows up a good deed with something… well, not great. Here is a look back at all the moments Joe Goldberg almost convinced us he was redeemable, and then promptly reminded us why we should never trust a man who narrates his life like a self-help podcast.

When he saved Ellie from being molested

via Netflix

Joe catching Henderson mid-creep as he was about to drug and assault Ellie was, dare we say it, heroic. He even roofied Henderson to stop him, which was a satisfying twist of fate. Ellie got out unharmed, and for once, Joe used his cunning for something truly protective.

But then… He murdered Henderson, staged it as an accident, and kept lying to Ellie. And when things got messy? He ghosted her. Cheers for the trauma, mate.

When he looked after Paco like a big brother

via Netflix

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Season one Joe had a soft spot for the neighbour kid, Paco. He gave him books, protected him from his abusive stepdad Ron, and tried to offer the kind of adult support he never got as a child. It was honestly sweet.

But then… He killed Ron. Like, beat-him-to-death-in-an-alley killed him. Yes, Ron was a violent man, but murder as parenting? Bit extreme, Joe. Also, Paco watched, and now he’s probably scarred for life.

When he sent Ellie away with money and a chance at a life

via Netflix

After Love murdered Delilah and orphaned Ellie, Joe stepped in. He didn’t try to control her or keep her around. Instead, he gave her cash, urged her to disappear, and tried to keep her safe from the chaos of Madre Linda. It was actually… thoughtful?

But then… Well, the chaos was his. He never told her the full truth about Delilah, Henderson, or Love. So yeah, Ellie was safe, but also living in hiding because of the man who claimed he was helping. Great job.

When he gave Henry to two loving dads

via Netflix

This one had me teary. Joe knew he couldn’t raise his son without bringing danger into his life. So instead of taking Henry with him on the run, he left him with Dante and Lansing; kind, stable, loving people. A rare moment of selflessness.

But then… He did this after faking his own death, killing his wife Love, and burning down their house. And let’s not forget: Henry was conceived in murder. Not exactly the ideal baby book beginning.

When he tried not to kill anyone in season four

via Netflix

Look, season four Joe was trying. He genuinely didn’t want to be the “old him” anymore. He even had a go at being a uni professor and using his words instead of his fists. It was giving “New Year, New Me”.

But then… Yeah, turns out that pesky “Rhys” was just a manifestation of his own killer instincts, and by the end of the season, Joe went full dark. Like “murder-suicide fantasy, kidnap, and balcony murders” dark. Redemption arc? Cancelled.

So… Was Joe redeemable?

Short answer: Nah.

Long answer: He had chances. He had so many chances. Every season gave us a flicker of hope that maybe Joe could break free from his patterns, heal, and become someone who didn’t leave a trail of bodies behind him. But every good thing he did came with strings attached, or a corpse.

Joe Goldberg wasn’t a misunderstood softboy. He was a man who wanted to be the hero of his story so badly, he became everyone else’s villain.

Season five of YOU is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.