Ed Speleers as Rhys and Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg on season four of “You.” Netflix
- The second half of “You” season 4 shows Joe managing his stalker and relationship with Kate.
- There were foreshadowing clues and Easter eggs hidden throughout the season.
- Warning: Spoilers for season four of “You” ahead.
- Content note: This post mentions suicide.
In a way, Joe did predict the end of Edward and Nadia’s relationship.
Amy-Leigh Hickman as Nadia on “You.” Courtesy of Netflix
During the first episode of this season, Joe said Edward and Nadia would either kill or marry each other.
The two end up dating during the second half of season four, until Joe kills Edward and frames Nadia for his murder.
Joe made it seem like Nadia killed Edward, which is what he predicted.
Phoebe’s stalker was mentioned in the first half of the season.
Phoebe and her stalker, Dawn. Netflix
An article shown on episode one of this season revealed that Phoebe had previously had multiple stalkers.
Though this seemed like a random detail, we now know that this foreshadowed the plotline with Phoebe’s current stalker, Dawn.
An article on the Eat the Rich Killer includes Phoebe’s diagnosis of Dawn.
Joe walks by students reading a front-page article about Dawn. Netflix
The article title “Eat the Rich Killer is Erotomaniac” seems to confirm that Phoebe’s assessment of her stalker was correct.
The term erotomaniac, a rare delusional disorder where an individual believes that another person is in love with them, comes back later in the season when Joe wonders if it applies to him.
Marienne’s passport reveals her age.
Marienne is an Aries. Netflix
Marienne’s passport shows that she was born on March 23, 1993. She’s about 29 years old and an Aries.
The news site Joe reads shares a name with a paper that’s been inactive for decades.
The London Dispatch was once a real operating newspaper. Netflix
At one point, Joe checks the online newspaper The London Dispatch to confirm news broke about Rhys’ book being exaggerated.
The news site he reads, The London Dispatch, shares a name with a real London newspaper that’s been inactive for decades.
Joe’s status as an unreliable narrator has been foreshadowed since this season’s first episode.
Penn Badgley as Joe in season four of “You.” Netflix
On the first episode of the season, Joe assigns his students Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
The story foreshadows Joe dismembering a body later that night, but can also be seen as a major clue toward this season’s biggest twist.
The main character in this Poe story repeatedly insists that he is sane despite his psychological state unraveling — and Joe does the same throughout the season. The main character is also an unreliable narrator, which Joe is revealed to be as well.
Phoebe’s wedding hair is very much inspired by Sharon Tate’s.
Phoebe and Adam’s engagement party (and surprise wedding) is British-Invasion themed. Netflix;Keystone/Getty Images
Phoebe references Princess Diana and actress and model Sharon Tate as inspirations for her own look.
Her hair is very closely modeled to look like Tate’s bridal look, a 1960s-style bouffant with flowers in it.
You can see Joe getting takeout for Marienne throughout part one.
The red bag is from the same takeout place. Netflix
As early as the first few minutes of the season, Joe is seen carrying a red bag from Tandoori Tradition into his flat.
After it’s revealed that he has captured Marienne and is feeding her takeout, the moments where Joe holds a red bag during the first half of the season become a timeline showing when he remembered to buy her food.
Joe’s peanut-oil dream sequence is a reference to Benji’s death from season one.
Benji was allergic to peanuts. Netflix
Joe has a dream in which he accidentally kills Marienne by putting peanut oil in her coffee.
In the dream, he says that this can’t be possible, as he would’ve known if she had a peanut allergy.
The moment calls back to Benji’s death in season one — Joe killed him by putting peanut oil in his coffee to induce a fatal allergic reaction.
Joe’s suicide letter appears to reference an American author.
Joe has mentioned Hemmingway before. Netflix
At the end of the season, Joe writes what would be his suicide note while arguing with himself.
Random phrases such as “has led me” and “on my way” are visible. Hemingway’s name makes an appearance as well. Though Joe has previously referenced the American author, it’s unclear why he’s being mentioned in the note.
Kate’s passcode is an abstract painter’s birthday.
Kate’s passcode is a famous painter’s birthday. Netflix
The lock code to Kate’s phone is 250903, which Joe’s hallucinated “Rhys” says is Rothko’s birthday.
Mark Rothko was an abstract painter who was indeed born on September 25, 1903.
This is the second season finale to include a Taylor Swift song.
Taylor Swift’s music has been on “You.” Carlo Allegri/Reuters
Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” plays during some of the final scenes of this season’s finale.
The season-three finale featured Swift’s track “Exile” during a similar montage that showed Joe’s circle from the season continuing their life after Joe avoids being caught for his various crimes.
Funny enough, Penn Badgley, who plays Joe, also used “Anti-Hero” in a TikTok in October.
Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider’s parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text “HOME” to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.
