Warning: This post contains major spoilers for You season 4, part 1.You season 4, part 1 fixes a number of Joe’s problems throughout its plot. You follows antihero Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, as he obsesses over his victims. Joe’s “nice guy” persona tricks viewers into sympathizing with Joe despite his truly heinous crimes. You season 4, part 1 leaves the killing to a mysterious killer who is stalking Joe. While You season 4, part 1 does seem to be giving Joe a chance at redemption, the series is also finally starting to give Joe a taste of his own medicine.
You has a history of posing Joe next to a bigger bad person, such as Henderson in You, season 2. You season 4 follows a similar path with the Eat The Rich killer, who is more similar to Joe than he’d like to it. However, You season 4 retires many of Joe’s staple actions from the previous seasons, including stealing his obsession’s private belongings. In You season 1, Joe was pretty good at convincing himself he isn’t doing anything wrong. Yet, as his kill count rises, Joe learns that he may not the “nice guy” he thinks he is.
5 Joe’s Obsession With “Love” Isn’t At The Forefront Of You Season 4
In previous seasons, Joe spends the majority of the season stalking his obsession. While it is clearly creepy from an outside perspective, Joe convinces himself that it is his way of showing love. However, You season 4, part 1 largely eliminates this staple from the show. Joe does begin to fall into his old ways with Kate Galvin, but he is actively trying to not get involved. Instead of obsessing about Kate, Joe thrusts himself into finding the Eat The Rich killer instead.
After the Eat The Rich killer attempts to frame him, Joe is sucked into the mysterious killer’s game. The killer begins to send him messages from a disappearing message app. Eventually, the killer learns Joe’s true identity, which only gives Joe more fuel to solve the mystery. Despite his feelings for Kate, Joe does reject her to keep her safe at the end of You season 4, part 1. Additionally, Joe wants to focus his energy on bringing down the killer, now that he knows that Rhys is the culprit.
4 Joe Doesn’t Try To Convince Himself He’s A Good Person
You season 4, part 1 sees Joe actively trying to avoid his old habits and resists his interest in Kate. In You season 1, Joe convinces himself he is a good person, and that he is doing these creepy deeds for love. In You seasons 2 and 3, Joe begins to suspect that he might be a bad person. Yet, his suspicions aren't enough to stop him from pursuing Love and Marienne.
In You season 4, part 1, Joe follows Marienne, who is terrified upon seeing him. Marienne reads Joe for who he really is: "You think it's not you. You're just a good man who did a bad thing. You're a murderer, Joe." Marienne's words seemingly strike a chord within Joe, and he tells her he is going to prove her wrong. While Joe does try to convince himself that he isn't like Rhys, he knows that he has done bad things, and his arc appears to show him becoming more aware of the extent of his internal issues and general misdeeds.
3 Joe Only Kills Out Of Self-Defense In You Season 4, Part 1
You season 4, part 1 marks Joe's lowest kill count in the series. Instead of Joe doing the killing, Rhys is the one who is murdering this season. However, Joe does kill one person in You season 4, part 1. Adam's bodyguard Vic finds Joe suspicious and follows him, only to find Malcolm's ring, which was planted on Joe. The two break out into a fight and Joe kills Vic out of self-defense.
While You season 4 still has 5 episodes to go, Joe's kill count is strikingly low for his standard. Since You season 2, Joe has tried to change his ways, but this is the first time he doesn't kill an innocent. Vic was only doing his job, but it's established he is part of the corrupt world of the elite as much as his client when he takes bribes himself, making it evident that Joe wasn't eliminating an entirely wholesome character. Vic didn't deserve to die, but Joe definitely didn't want or plan to add him to You season 4's deaths.
2 Joe Lets One Of His Obsessions Go
You season 4, part 1 also marks the first time that Joe lets one of his obsessions go. When Joe catches up to Marienne in London, there is a moment where it seems like Joe will fall back into old ways and murder her. However, he lets Marienne go, so she can go home to see her daughter. Joe is presented with another chance to kill Marienne after Elliot, Quinn's family hitman, shows up to murder him. Elliot says he will provide Joe with a new identity if he murders Marienne since she knows about Joe's many crimes.
Instead of killing her, Joe steals her necklace and sends it to Elliot to make it look like he completed the task. While letting Marienne go is a risk, Joe wants to prove to her that he isn't a bad person. In past seasons, Joe would murder his love to protect his identity and convince himself that she made him do this horrendous deed. Joe letting Marienne go, not only once but twice, shows that he is working to change his ways.
1 Joe Isn't Worrying About Being A Father
You season 3 introduces a new role for Joe: fatherhood. Strangely enough, Joe takes to being a father pretty well, other than the fact he is concerned that his son Henry may end up being like him. However, when things go south, Joe doesn't hesitate to give his son over to co-worker Dante and his partner, who were trying to adopt a child. In You season 4, part 1, Joe barely mentions his son and does not seem to miss him very much. While Joe did care for his son in You season 3, he likely knows that he is not the best father for Henry.
With Joe's murderous past, he is not a suitable caretaker for Henry. You season 4, part 1 is smart to leave Henry out of Joe's mind. While Joe as a father made for good drama, Henry is better off with Dante and his partner. You season 4, part 1 works to mend Joe's biggest problems, but how this could affect his ending is still ambiguous. Whether Joe keeps working on himself in You season 4 won't be revealed until You season 4, part 2 releases on March 9th.