*Major spoilers for You season 3 below!*
This content contains mentions of violence. Reader discretion is advised.
All 10 episodes of You season 4 have arrived on Netflix, which means Joe Goldberg is about to wreak havoc on our TV screens yet again. Penn Badgley has brought the terrifying fictional serial killer to life for four seasons now, and just when you thought he’d give up his chilling habits, they come back stronger each time. Even with marriage and a baby boy in the picture come season 3, Joe carried on and became infatuated with new victims.
Season 3 of You was released on October 15, 2021, which means it’s been nearly two years (!) since we were last immersed in the Joe Goldberg universe. Before cozying up on the couch for our binge-watch of season 4, we’re breaking down all the main plot points and unimaginable events that went down last season. Keep reading for a full You season 3 recap so you don’t miss a beat.
Where is Joe in season 3 of You?
After marrying and having a baby boy, Henry, with Love Quinn (a.k.a his victim in season 2), Joe moves to the suburban neighborhood of Madre Linda, California. But as she opens up a bakery and they settle into their life in suburbia, Joe begins to feel smothered not only by his relationship with Love, but his new neighbors comprised of mom bloggers, influencers, and tech entrepreneurs.
To escape the “madness” of his new lifestyle, Joe spends most of his time at the local library, where he soon grows infatuated with a young single mom who works there named Marienne. He attempts to make Love happy while pursuing Marienne, who eventually agrees to run away with him to start a new life with her daughter, Juliette, and Henry. What he doesn’t know is that Love already had her own affair with a troubled college student named Theo.
Who dies in You season 3?
It wouldn’t be You without some ruthless murders. After killing Marienne’s ex Ryan to get him out of the picture for good, Joe’s plans to run away with her go awry because, well, Love finds out and attempts to poison him with a paralytic. It’s revealed that Love (accidentally?) murdered her first husband in a similar fashion, but Joe makes an escape after pretending to be paralyzed (anticipating Love’s attack, he avoided the poison’s effects with its antidote). He injects Love with a deadly syringe of his own, then cleans up the crime scene and plants evidence to frame Love for all the killings that ensued throughout the season, including the murder of their neighbors, Natalie and Gil.
If that wasn’t disturbing enough, he cut his own toes off to make a meat pie and fake his death for a clean slate (which he also frames Love for). To seal the deal, he forged a letter as Love to the Madre Linda Homeowners Association, which confessed to the chilling crimes. Before his escape, Joe turned on the gas stove and set his house on fire for the police to find.
What happened to Joe’s baby in You season 3?
Before he fled the scene, Joe left his son, Henry, with his coworker from the library, Dante. Earlier in the season, it was revealed that Dante and his partner had attempted to adopt a child multiple times throughout their relationship, and in a way, Joe made their dreams come true.
Who does Joe end up with in You season 3?
At the end of season 3, Marienne runs away once she discovers Joe and Love’s disturbing behavior. So, he’s left alone. But he leaves the United States to start a new life (yet again), and as revealed in the final moments of the finale, follows Marienne to Paris. He believes that “their paths are destined to cross again.”
The reunion, obviously, isn’t welcome on Marienne’s end. The trailer for season 4 shows Joe as he overcomes the aftermath of running into her, to which he asks, “Did you break my heart, Marienne?” He claims that “heartbreak is always a catalyst for a new path” ... one that we’ll see unravel in season 4 of You.
Parts 1 and 2 of You season 4 are now streaming on Netflix. Subscription plans start at $9.99 per month.
Sam is an assistant news editor at Cosmo, covering all things pop culture, entertainment, and celebrity news. She previously covered those same topics along with health, lifestyle, and beauty at Seventeen. When she isn't draping her cheeks in blush, you can probably find her live-tweeting awards shows or making SwiftToks.
