You season 5 ending: Here's what happens to every character
30 April 2025, 09:25
What happens to Kate, Henry and everyone else at the end of You season 5?
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Well, it's over. You season 5 brings Joe Goldberg's twisted murder schemes to an end – but how does it all end and what happens to every character in the final season?
You season 5 sees several characters from Joe's past come out of the woodwork in order to take him down once and for all. We already knew that season 4's Nadia was set to return based on the trailers, but some other surprise names also pop back up, too.
So, from Joe Goldberg himself to Kate, Henry and everyone else who appeared in the final season including Nadia and more, here's a complete run down of what happens to every character at the end of You season 5.
- Read more: Does Joe Goldberg die or get caught? You season 5 ending explained
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WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for You season 5's ending!
What happens to Joe Goldberg at the end of You?
JAIL! Literally. In the final episode of You season 5, Joe is finally caught by the police after a very dramatic showdown between him and Bronte/Louise.
After attacking her and attempting to drown her, Joe hears the sirens and makes a run for it. However, he's quickly confronted by Bronte who a) survived and b) is now pointing a gun at him. She shoots him (in the groin, btw!) and the police quickly arrest him.
Joe was put on trial and sentenced to life without parole for first degree murder on several counts. He was convicted of the murders of Beck, Love Quinn and several others including Benji and Peach. More allegations were shared, which then turned into further convictions.
"One things clear, Joe Goldberg will never be free again," Bronte says in her final voiceover.
The final scene of the series shows Joe in prison, reading true crime novel 'The Executioner's Song' by Norman Mailer. Due to his celebrity status and high profile trial, Joe is also being sent explicit letters from women. He ends the series by saying: "Maybe we have a problem as a society. Maybe we should fix what's broken in us. Maybe the problem isn't me... Maybe, it's you."
So, not only is Joe in prison forever, but he's also effectively castrated. As Cardi B puts it, "He WAS a 10 now he's a 2...inches."
What happens to Kate in You season 5?
Surprise! Kate survived the fire at Mooney's! Yep, Kate is alive and thriving at the end of You season 5. In the final scenes, it's revealed that Lockwood Corporation is now 100% non-profit. Kate also returned to the art world and now champions Marienne's work.
While it's not specifically addressed, Kate presumably gets full custody of Henry. We're sure Dottie Quinn will have something to say about that, though.
What happens to Joe's son Henry in You season 5?
Henry ends up in Kate's custody and she raises him as her son following Joe's sentencing. When Kate bailed Joe out of prison following the murder of Clayton, he unknowingly signed paperwork stating that he was unfit to care for Henry and agreed to let Kate have a temporary custody of the young boy.
What happens to Bronte in You season 5?
After bringing Joe down, Bronte/Louise makes it her mission to remove all traces of Joe from Beck's legacy. She removes Joe's "contributions" to Beck's novel 'The Dark Side of Love' and releases a new redacted version. The reworking of Beck's work ends up being more popular and more praised than Joe's version.
What happens to Marianne?
After returning to help take Joe down once and for all, Marienne eventually returns to her passion of creating art. Now no longer fearing exposure with Joe safely behind bars, she becomes a well-known artist, supported by Kate.
What happens to Nadia?
Kate manages to get Nadia out of prison in season 5 after her wrongful arrest for the murder of boyfriend Eddie. Following Joe's sentencing, Nadia returned to writing and began teaching. She now uses her own experience to help other women process their own trauma in jail.
What happens to Maddie and Harrison?
It's revealed that Harrison spent 48 hours in jail over the murder of Reagan before the charges against him were dropped. Maddie ended up being tried for arson (for the fire at Mooney's) as well as her twin sister's murder but because of the big Joe Goldberg circumstances, she didn't end up serving time.
Now, Maddie and Harrison are a couple, raising Gertrude together and are expecting twins.
Elsewhere, the show also reveals what happens to a handful of other characters from seasons gone by. Here's what happens to them:
- Dr. Nicky - Conviction dropped and exonerated from Beck's murder following Joe's conviction.
- Lady Phoebe - Still an icon, still in London, still friends with Kate. Oh, and she's now 4 months sober!
- Dottie Quinn - Dottie pops up in episode 7, glass of wine in hand, accusing Joe of killing Love and Forty. (Joe didn't actually kill Forty, for what it's worth...)
- Sherry and Cary Conrad - Still health influencers, still plugging their book 'CAGED'.
- Will Bettelheim - Has been doing favours for Joe this whole time, helped Joe escape upstate, faked Reagan's death and helped Joe get in contact with Henry. Joe also paid for his house.
- Paco - Briefly appears on TikTok to defend Joe.
Read more about You here:
- Who is Bronte in You season 5? Her true identity and big twist explained
- You season 4's huge Joe plot twist was foreshadowed in season 1
- What did Joe say to Lady Phoebe in You season 4? Fans criticise plot hole
- You season 4's shock Joe twist called the "best plot twist ever" by fans
- Is Love in You season 4 and is she really dead? Here’s what Victoria Pedretti has said
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