‘You’: Penn Badgley Said It Was ‘Gut-Wrenching’ When Joe Turned on Love
The serial killer thriller You has been a huge hit for Netflix. Fans have been captured by its twists and turns, as well as its portrayal of a killer’s twisted mind. Well, more than one killer, actually. One of the most captivating You storylines was Joe (played by Penn Badgley) developing a relationship with Love. Their connection started out a little dark, then got progressively way, way darker. But there was one moment that Badgley said was especially hard for him to take.
‘You’ Season 2 follows Joe as he met Love
When Joe met Love in You Season 2, his goal was to leave his murderous ways behind and become a “nice guy.” If that was ever going to happen, Love was the last person he should have gotten entangled with.
But they did get involved, and their relationship was full of dark secrets from the very beginning. As they got closer, his secrets started to emerge, as the allegedly deceased Candace showed up to expose the truth about Joe.
However, Joe wasn’t the only one hiding some significant character flaws. As Love’s life story came out, her true nature was slowly revealed. She eventually killed Candace, then she followed that up by telling Joe that it wasn’t her first murder. The second season ended with Joe realizing that Love is at least as sick as he is–and that she’s pregnant with his baby.
Penn Badgley though Joe turning on Love was ‘gut-wrenching’
In an interview Badgley did for Elle UK, he answered questions about You. One of them was “What has been the most shocking plot twist in You?” His answer was emphatic.
“It was not that Love was a killer — sorry, spoiler alert — but that Joe would hate her for it. Even though it makes a lot of sense. It tracks, because of course he would.” It seems that this just wasn’t how he thought Joe would react to the news. “But I kind of thought they would have a Bonnie and Clyde thing. Even though they sort of did for Season 3 a little bit,” the actor noted.
Badgley seemed to think that Joe should have been a little more understanding with Love, especially since they share the same murderous tendencies. However, he does admit that it is the most likely reaction for Joe to have.
“But yeah, the fact that…that he would immediately turn on her. That was gut-wrenching. That was hard. But again, it makes the most sense.”
Joe and Love’s relationship ended with murder, of course
It turned out that Joe couldn’t live with another serial killer, although he did try. According to Netflix, he married Love, and the happy couple moved to the suburbs to raise their son.
But despite their devotion to little Henry, their base natures couldn’t be silenced. Between their jealousy, attraction to other people, and habit of murdering, the marriage didn’t last. It ended in the Season 3 finale, where Joe outwitted Love’s plan to kill him, instead ending her life.
Viewers were understandably startled, then, to see Love in the trailer for the second part of the fourth season. However, it turned out that Love was still dead. Her appearance was nothing more than a projection of his own thoughts and guilt.
Fans are waiting for the fifth season of You to see what’s next for Joe. The series is full of surprises, but one thing is sure: he’ll never have another relationship quite like the one he had with Love. Hopefully.
