Joe’s mirror moments in You expose his struggle with self-deception and the truth he can't escape

Netflix's psychological thriller You keeps viewers hooked with its spine-tingling look at obsession, identity, and morality. Over its five seasons, the show has grown from a dark love tale into a deep dive into the human mind, with Penn Badgley's Joe Goldberg at its core — a character as mysterious as lethal. The last season wraps up Joe's long bloody path in a way that makes viewers think giving answers but also leaving some questions open.

Right from the start, You challenges its viewers to think about who they're rooting for. Joe's voice-over full of excuses and emotional tricks often draws audiences in. But, as the plot unfolds, viewers see more of Joe's inner conflicts. The show uses repeating themes — like Joe checking himself out in mirrors — to show the struggle between who he pretends to be and his darker side. These quick moments when he sees himself point to an inner battle that comes to a head in the last season.

Joe faces the spotlight and himself

Season five positions Joe in unfamiliar territory: the public eye. Where he once thrived in secrecy, he now finds himself navigating the complications of wealth and visibility as the partner of Kate Lockwood, an heiress with her own complicated past. A moral conundrum is raised by their agreement to "keep each other good": can someone with a violent past actually change, or are they just repressing their true selves?

Joe has turned to writing as a way to assert control over his impulses which in turn has been a means to deal with his desires. As time goes by and more people enter into his life the balance between his past habits and present aims grows more difficult to define.

The season also reports on past actions of Joe and the results of those actions. Viewers see a full circle in the story with the return of characters like Marianne and Nadia and also a connection to Beck from season one. Bronte the new character viewers meet that season brings out into the open issues for Joe which also play into his past. Her role is to put forward Joe’s secrets which she does through what is in fact a ruse to bring him down.

The season looks at Joe’s issues with his son Henry. His character is out to prove that he is passing down more than just his legacy.

In terms of what Joe’s life does for other people, it has passed the stage of just his survival. Also at the same time, Joe’s internal struggle is mirrored by external struggle which comes in the form of the introduction of Kate’s twin sisters and growing media attention. In the later episodes, the plot breaks out into a fast pace which sees the present and past of Joe’s story come together at a critical point which in turn causes Joe and the audience to meet Joe’s real self.

https://youtu.be/kQdEHQLHDAI?si=fNeQCLxbDWTjgTTD

You concludes by reflecting on identity, responsibility, and the allure of storytelling itself rather than offering simple solutions.

Gomala Devi is a journalist at Primetimer. 

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering and has over three years of experience as a content writer.

Gomala was drawn to writing after reading the Harry Potter series, and she developed an interest in fashion and pop culture at the same time.
She loves exploring the newest developments in the lifestyle space and crafting interesting opinion pieces. She references official websites, interviews, and social media to ensure that her work is factually sound.

In her spare time, she loves to read books and play chess.