Did our problematic protagonist live to see part 2?

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Monday, 06 March 2023 at 12:00 am

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Warning: This article contains spoilers for You season 4 part 1.

Up until now, previous seasons of hit Netflix drama You have followed the same pattern: Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) develops a new obsession, typically a love interest, and a killing spree ensues. 

Season 4 shakes things up a bit as Joe becomes embroiled in a murder mystery in London, where he’s attempting to make a new life for himself as a university professor. 

However, when a shady killer starts taking out Joe’s circle of new wealthy friends one by one, Joe can’t resist taking on the mystery murderer and ends up on a collision course with the enemy, before eventually unveiling the identity of the ‘Eat the Rich’ killer in the You season 4 part 1 finale.

If you’re yet to watch it for yourself, be warned: major spoilers follow.

Part 1’s finale transports us to Lady Phoebe’s (Tilly Keeper) countryside manor where a wild whodunnit akin to a game of Cluedo — except with a lot more money flying around, classist sentiment and drugs — unfolds.

The last episode also saw Joe and Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) finally act on their obvious connection. But now that they seem to be closer, will Kate suss out that Joe has actually deceived them all into thinking he’s English professor Jonathan Moore?

While we wait for season 4 part 2, read on for a full rundown of You season 4 part 1’s ending, including who the serial killer is in season 4 and whether Joe actually survives the manor house fire or not.

You season 4 part 1 ending explained: Did Joe survive?

That is the question that we were all, surprisingly, left thinking as the season 4 finale reached its end. Who’d have thought it, hey?

We didn’t know that the murderous protagonist would actually be facing the prospect of his own death, but after being confronted by the ‘Eat the Rich’ killer, Joe found himself in a bit of a pickle.

Rhys Montrose (Ed Speleers) – AKA the ‘Eat the Rich’ killer – was holding Joe hostage in the unused basement of Lady Phoebe’s mansion. He had knocked Joe out in the forest as our protagonist was confronted by Roald (Ben Wiggins). But later, as Rhys mapped out his plan to frame Roald for the murders and kill him, Joe concocted his own scheme.

Finally face-to-face with the one person that knows his true identity in London, Joe tries to pacify Rhys into thinking that he’ll side with him. But Rhys soon figures out what Joe’s doing.

After getting increasingly annoyed at Joe’s behaviour, Rhys decides to set the basement alight, leaving Joe and Roald to make it out for themselves. While it was touch-and-go as to if they would, they managed to break free and Kate came to the overground rescue, pulling them both out.

Back at home, Joe seems to pull away from wanting to spend time with Kate – and this could signal that he now wants to devote all his time to Rhys. But with Joe surviving the deadly fire, there’s no guessing what’s in store for his character in part 2.

Who is the serial killer in You season 4?

Netflix

After five episodes that kept us guessing, the vengeful ‘Eat the Rich’ killer’s identity was finally revealed – and it was none other than Rhys Montrose.

The author turned future politician was certainly convincing throughout the season, but his comments about his friends’ wealth, as well as the state of London society, hinted at a wider plot. We weren’t to know that he would actually end up being the killer, but it was clear he’s definitely someone not to be messed with.

Could Rhys’s comments around “sorting out” certain parts of his murderous plot also point to him killing before? We’ll just have to wait and see.

What will happen in You season 4 part 2?

Netflix

Well, with Rhys and Joe very much aware of each other’s true identities, we’re assuming that part 2 will be a game of (very) intense cat and mouse. The closing clips of the part 1 finale saw Rhys officially announce his plans for London mayoral candidacy on the national news.

He’s a charming author with working class roots, who seems like he genuinely has the best interests of Londoners at heart. He’s basically a shoe-in for London mayor, but something tells us that Joe may try and stop him.

We can expect the coming episodes will likely depict Rhys’s campaign, and the two are bound to have multiple run-ins with their friendship group. However, the last thing that Rhys tells Joe is that if he makes it out alive from the burning building, they can “revisit this” back in London.