Is Joe Goldberg hot?
Start writing a post
Arts Entertainment

Stop Romanticizing Joe Goldberg from ​"You​"

He's a murderer, not your #baegoals.

320
Stop Romanticizing Joe Goldberg from ​"You​"

Netflix's new binge-worthy psychological thriller 'You' has garnered a lot of social media attention. The story follows Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, an attractive bookstore manager who's also a huge stalker. Badgley also played lonely boy Dan Humphrey from the hit teen show 'Gossip Girl'. The roles seem to be similar, but with Joe being artsier trying to find the deeper meaning of life through Faulkner's books. Joe becomes infatuated with Guinevere Beck, played by Elizabeth Lail, who visits him in his bookstore. They bond over their love of books, and soon Joe is stalking her on every social media available, even finding her address.

Joe then spots Beck outside of her NY apartment, while he watches everyone she interacts. He even follows her entire daily routine, all while staying in the background. Joe also steals Beck's phone after successfully saving her from getting hit by a subway train and keeps it to know about her activity on her phone. He uses all this information to track Beck's whereabouts and who she hangs out with, voicing his own opinion on her friends before they even began their relationship.

Joe realizes that he needs to eliminate, aka kill, anyone that poses a threat to Beck and his relationship. He believes that this is what's best for Beck. Joe kidnapped Benji, Beck's on-and-off-again boyfriend before Joe, and locks him in the basement of his bookstore where no one can hear Benji's' screams. He keeps up with Benji's social media presence so that Beck and her friends can assume that Benji just went on a bender and left her. In the meanwhile, he kills Benji and burns his body in the woods of New York.

Joe even goes after Beck's best friend Peach, who doesn't trust Joe for a second. When her classic "Ozma of Oz" book and the laptop goes missing, she blames Joe, saying he stole it so he could afford to live. The accusations turn out to be true, but Joe cleverly returns Peach's belongings before he can get caught. However, he finds out that Peach is in love with Beck and has to be eliminated. When Peach and Beck go to vacation for a few days, Joe follows them up to Peach's villa just to make sure Beck is alright. He sneaks into the house secretly. Beck leaves the vacation early after a fight with Peach and Peach realizes Joe is there. She almost shoots him, and as they quarrel for the gun, a shot is heard. Peach is found dead but Joe makes it seem like suicide by writing her suicide note.

In the end, Joe kills Beck. But how can a man kill the woman he was so in love with? His one true love, the peanut butter to his jelly, the woman he killed for just so that their relationship could survive. In my opinion, Joe was never truly in love with Beck but wanted to assert control over her. When he realized that she can't be controlled, he took the only measure he could.

Penn Badgley tweeting to a fan about Joe being a murderer

Tweet By Penn Badgely

Penn Badgley tweeting to a fan about his character, Joe Goldberg

Tweet by Penn Badgley

'You' has only been on Netflix since December, but the first season has become a big topic on social media. The actor himself has noticed some fans tweeting about their attraction to his character. And this doesn't sit right with anyone, especially Penn Badgley. It's upsetting that many of the 'You' fans are willing to see past Joe's obvious dangerous qualities such as kidnapping, emotional manipulation, stalking, and murder, to post tweets about how Joe is the kind of boyfriend they need because he's always at Beck's side. Penn Badgley urges fans that while Joe is a guy you like to watch on TV, he's not a guy you should like in real life.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

86221
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

52152
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments