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In You Season 5, we witness the final arc of Joe Goldberg's gruesome saga. But even before Joe returns to New York with a new persona, an unnerving influence, and a fresh sense of purpose, one of his exposed chess pieces ensnares the franchise's direction: Marienne Bellamy's schematic.
Her escape in Season 4 is not just life-saving; it also acts as the catalyst that blossoms in the final season. Let's explore how Marienne's plan assists the season and changes the narrative with You's grand finale mind.
Marienne's ingenious escape: A fake death and a second chance
During the first half of Season 4, Marienne finds herself struggling to escape the infamous glass cage of Joe, located right in the center of London. She faces a horrifying fate made even worse by psychological manipulation—Joe believing he can "fix" her like the other pathetic souls he has dealt with.
The difference with Marienne is that she is not waiting to be rescued at all; she is crafting an escape plan. With the suspicion of an avid and meticulous student of Joe, Nadia comes into the picture.
Marienne begins her plan by pretending to overdose on ketamine. From that point forward, her heartbeat mimics death. Joe, filled with guilt and paranoia, believes she is dead and disposes of the body in a park.
However, Nadia is waiting. She has Narcan ready and, out of Joe's sight, discreetly revives Marienne and drags her away for a clean escape. That single moment makes Joe realize that his control is slipping.
From victim to catalyst: Marienne's return in Season 5
When Season 5 starts, Joe is now in New York, where he goes by his real name and is supposedly reformed and legitimate through Kate and her powerful ties. However, Marienne isn't off the hook—her escape might have provided her freedom, but certainly not peace.
She knows Joe is still at large and a threat. Even worse, she finds out that Nadia—the woman who risked everything to pull her out—is in prison for the murder of Edward, a crime Joe committed to cover his tracks.
This catastrophe becomes Marienne's fuel. She needs to stop being dormant. Season 5 reintegrates her back into the plot, not only as a passive survivor but as an active being ready to take down Joe.
A new threat to Joe: Truth, not revenge
Marienne's gift lies not in the scope of revenge, but in the realm of honesty. Unlike Joe, she does not possess an underlying obsessive or violent nature.
Her intentions are clear: to strip away the layers of darkness that Joe has painstakingly concealed, revealing an unending light of truth. She can dismantle his pristine facade as well as pave a way out of the prison she built for Nadia.
Her credibility alone is reason enough for viewers to be concerned about Joe's well-being. Always a few steps ahead, she knows how to play her cards perfectly. If she were to make a public statement or vouch from the side of the law, she might be the one able to single-handedly accomplish what has proven insurmountable to others.
The unfinished business of Season 5
In Season 5, Marienne serves as the moral compass guiding the story. Joe's self-absorption and deception escalate, leading him to feel a sense of salvation. Yet, Marienne is a real person he can't deny hurting. Her presence disturbs him, forcing him to confront the reality he's evaded for years. Her survival breaks down the wall of invincibility that Joe constructed.
The final reckoning: Will Marienne be Joe's undoing?
As the show hurtles toward its conclusion, one question arises: Will it finally be Marienne who can put an end to Joe Goldberg?
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If anyone deserves such a thing, it is her. She embodies every woman who was manhandled, pursued, or injured by Joe. What's more, her master plan in Season 4—tactically, quietly, and empowering—was the first major crack in his façade.
Marienne's actions are portrayed as the primary catalyst for the end, whether through publicly exposing him or privately confronting him. Moreover, this is a show where the victims typically become villains or completely vanish, and Marienne emerges as a rare beacon of resilience and truth.
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