Picture Credit: Netflix / Warner Bros. Television
With filming having just wrapped up on the fifth and final season, we’re likely just months away from getting our mitts on the final batch of episodes, which should bring one of Netflix’s most popular shows to a triumphant end (for us – hopefully not for Joe). In the run-up to release, we can reveal nine of the episode titles that tease what we’ve got in store.
Naturally, episode titles can be quite revealing for what is coming up for a show’s season, so at this point, we’re going to put a spoiler warning for anyone who wants to go into the final season cold. It’s been pretty hard to avoid spoilers, given that social media has been flooded with behind-the-scenes pictures over the last few months (including many from a superfan we interviewed recently).
With the caveat that these episode titles are not in the correct order but rather in alphabetical order, here are the 10 episode titles for the upcoming season:
- #JoeGoldberg
- Blood Will Have Blood
- Folie a Deux
- Imposter Syndrome
- Last Dance
- My Fair Maddie
- The Dark Face of Love
- The Luckiest Guy in NY
- Trial of the Furies
What do these episode titles suggest about what’s coming up in the final season? Well, let’s get into some predictions, which also come from the helping hand of the dozens upon dozens of snapped pictures from the set of YOU, which has been filming throughout New York since early 2024. Once again, we’ve got spoilers for season 4 below.
#JoeGoldberg
As Joe was meant to be dead, to return to the USA and New York City, Joe’s billionaire girlfriend Kate used her media connections and lots of bribing to paint the picture to the world that Joe had a harrowing escape from Love Quinn and to keep himself safe was forced to fake his death and move abroad.
Naturally, the boyfriend of a billionaire with an incredible tale of survival would cause quite a stir. So, we expect the first episode to see Joe settle into his new life as a minor celebrity.
On the surface, Joe is a chameleon. Being the center of such attention, he can use his charm and charisma to feign any discomfort he’ll experience from his newfound celebrity status. As Joe brushes shoulders with the social elite of New York, who knows what bloody ordeal we’ll be in store for next?
Blood Will Have Blood
“Blood Will Have Blood” comes from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. As an old saying, therm means that bloodshed through violence seeks more blood in revenge, creating a cycle of violence.
So, what context does this have for You? Well, this could have multiple meanings for Joe. First of all, Joe has murdered many people, which has created the cycle of bloodshed that has so heavily dictated Joe’s life over the past few years. Second, this could mean a person related to one of Joe’s victims, such as a friend, family member, or survivor (Marienne, anyone?), could be out for blood and scheming for Joe’s downfall. Third, it wouldn’t be surprising if, by the end of the first episode, Joe has blood on his hands, and we see the consequences of those actions.
Lastly, Joe has bought a bookshop, most likely the one he used to own. We also know that Madeline Brewer has joined the final season cast as Bronte, a woman who comes to work for Joe in his bookstore. The phrase “Blood Will Have Blood” could instead refer to the cycle of violence that always begins when Joe finds himself a new person of obsession.
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Folie a Deux
Another episode title that could have multiple meanings, the shortened meaning of Folie a Deux, is “madness of two.” This madness of two could refer to his relationship with Kate, who, in her attempt to “change the world,” may encounter some roadblocks that need to be removed. As Joe has embraced his dark self, perhaps the pair will become New York’s bloodiest power couple.
The second meaning could be his friendship with Bronte and their love of literature. When the character was announced, Bronte was described as a person who “connects over literature and loss. She stokes in him a nostalgia for his former self, causing him to question everything his life has become.”
Lastly, if Bronte’s influence means Joe begins to doubt himself, the “madness” could be about the different sides of Joe’s personality, his dark and murderous self, and the kind of Joe who still believes himself to be the good guy in his own story.
Imposter Syndrome
As Joe begins to doubt himself, perhaps this will impact his relationship with Kate, especially if Kate uses all the dark tactics possible to make the changes she wants in the world. As a person who grew up in poverty, and despite always making his way into the social circles of the wealthy, Joe has never seen himself as a member of that world. As the boyfriend of Kate, he is expected to keep up appearances as the perfect boyfriend and tragic survivor, so as Joe struggles to adjust to his new surroundings, perhaps he’ll be longing more and more for his bookstore and working with Bronte, where life is more straightforward and quiet.
Last Dance
Thanks to the influence of the Chicago Bulls, the “last dance” is now a popularised phrase to describe a person’s final act or performance. Concerning Joe Goldberg, this could mean the serial killer has one last target in sight that he needs to remove before calling it quits on murder for good.
My Fair Maddie
Maddie Lockwood is Kate’s half-sister and described as the “unserious twin, a thrice-divorced socialite whose job is ‘vaguely PR.’ But make no mistake: a master manipulator lies underneath Maddie’s frivolous façade.” Naturally, Maddie will significantly impact the story in this episode, potentially resulting in her death.
What this means for Joe remains unclear. As Kate’s half-sister, Maddie would have some inheritance after her father’s passing; however, as far as we know, Kate has left everything and taken control of the family business and its assets. Maddie’s introduction could be as the angry half-sister who feels entitled to the family fortune and will stop at nothing to manipulate Kate and Joe.
If Maddie is after Kate’s downfall of Kate, and therefore Joe’s, then she could very quickly wind up dead. However, the high-profile death of the daughter of a recently dead billionaire could draw lots of unwarranted attention.
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The Luckiest Guy in NY
The title of this episode feels like a giant bait-and-switch. In the beginning, it will seem like Joe’s life has never been better. However, by the end of the episode, Joe Goldberg will be in handcuffs and under arrest.
How did Joe come to be arrested? There could be multiple angles to go at, resulting in his arrest.
First, we can go down the scorned lover route. By this, we mean that Joe indulges in his former bad habits and allows his relationship with Bronte to evolve into something romantic. Naturally, Kate discovers this and becomes angry at her boyfriend for cheating, so she no longer protects him. It wouldn’t be surprising if Kate used her resources to bug Joe’s bookshop and is aware of everything that has gone on the entire time.
Second, Joe’s past comes back to haunt him, with Marienne and Nadia uncovering the evidence needed to get Joe arrested. We also know that Will Bettleheim will return in season five, and he could be a wildcard and a piece of Joe’s past that results in his downfall.
Trial of the Furies
The one we’ve all been waiting for is the trial of Joe Goldberg. Will Joe be able to escape the clutches of the law? Or will the serial killer finally pay for all his crimes? Will Joe even be able to make it out alive by the end of the episode, or is he destined to spend his life in prison?
For the title’s context, the Trial of the Furies is part of the trilogy of the Greek tragedy Oresteia. In it, the goddess Athena presided over a jury of ten citizens who would decide the fate of Orestes, who was accused of matricide by the Furies and defended by the god Apollo. The Furies were Chthonic goddesses of vengeance.
This means if Joe is the Orestes of this tale, then the likes of Marienne and Nadia are likely The Furies.
We’ve got more on YOU season 5 in our full preview for the upcoming final season here, which includes more on all the new and returning cast, all the production updates, some of the aforementioned behind-the-scenes pictures, and much more.
What are your big takeaways from the episode titles for YOU season 5? Let us know in the comments.
