You season 4 part 1 chronicled a new chapter of Joe Goldberg’s life after faking his death at the end of season 3. Joe (Penn Badgley) has ended up in London under a new name: Jonathan Moore. He’s a professor at a London university and even seems dedicated to starting over. After tracking down Marienne (Tati Gabrielle), he lets her go. (Will she be returning? Find out what EP Sera Gamble told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY.)
However, trouble follows Joe everywhere. Joe wakes up after a night out to his professor pal and neighbor, Malcolm (Stephen Hagan), dead on his dining room table. Joe, who is adamant he did not kill Malcolm, has to get rid of Malcolm’s body to avoid being framed. He disposes of Malcolm’s body in the grossest way necessary. But this isn’t a one-and-done. There’s a killer on the loose, and he’s taking out people in this ultrarich group Joe has fallen into. This group includes Kate (Charlotte Ritchie), Lady Phoebe (Tilly Keeper), Adam (Lukas Gage), Gemma (Eve Austin), Rhys Montrose (Ed Speleers), and more. There’s also a mysterious person who has been stalking Joe and texting him.
When the group descends on Lady Phoebe’s country house for a weekend getaway in episode 4, that’s when things really take a turn. Adam wants to marry Phoebe as soon as possible because his financial deals aren’t panning out. Joe discovers that Roald (Ben Wiggins) is taking inappropriate pictures of Kate. Roald, who already does not like Joe, pushes him out the window. Joe manages to survive the fall. When he returns upstairs, he finds Kate next to Gemmy’s dead body, and she’s holding a knife.
Who Is The Eat The Rich Killer?
Episode 5 begins with Joe thinking that Kate is the killer. Kate swears that she’s not the murderer, but she doesn’t want to create a stir because it would alert her father’s security. “He would own me,” Kate says. Kate points out that this situation doesn’t look good for Joe either. Joe, thinking as level-headed as he can, says they need to be all-in on this together. They try to put Gemma in a chest, but her body falls through. Joe decides to take a page out of Roald’s book and toss Gemma’s body out the window while the rest of the house is high on drugs and booze.
Joe and Kate take Gemma out of the game larder to dispose of her body. Kate has a brief moment of panic and holds a knife to Joe’s throat. Joe swears he’s also not the killer, but he does think someone is trying to frame her. He notes that the same thing happened to him with Malcolm.
When Kate returns to the house, she finds Phoebe standing over the bloody rug. Kate explains the situation to Phoebe, who is just glad Kate isn’t dead. Adam confronts Joe about “sabotaging” his relationship with Phoebe and tells Roald that Joe and Kate are sleeping together. When Joe goes back to find Kate’s bracelet that got lost on Gemma’s body, Roald follows him and thinks that Joe is the Eat the Rich Killer.
Joe is brought before the rest of the group — excluding Kate and Phoebe — where Roald plays judge, jury, and executioner. He lets Joe get a headstart on running away before Roald hunts him down. Joe runs for his life on the property. Roald catches up to Joe and prepares to kill him. Joe is able to knock Roald out. After the fight, Rhys Montrose shows up and grabs the gun.
Joe wakes up and finds himself chained up next to Roald in the basement of Hampsbridge House. Joe realizes then and there that Rhys is the Eat the Rich Killer. Rhys is the one who has been stalking him. Rhys explains that they’re going to pin all the murders on Roald. He knows all about Joe’s past and notes that Joe’s ability to escape scrutiny time and time again has inspired him. Rhys wants Joe to kill Roald so Roald can’t protest his innocence.
“You really are the Eat the Rich killer. You hate them,” Joe says about Rhys in his head. Joe believes that the only path out of this is to make Rhys believe that Joe is all in. Joe agrees to kill Roald, and Rhys says he will take care of the rest. Rhys leaves Joe chained up to do the deed. When Rhys is gone, Joe refuses to be Rhys’ puppet. He’s not going to kill Roald.
You Season 4 Part 1 Ending Explained
Rhys returns to the basement and finds Joe has made no progress. “Clearly you’re not the man I hoped you were,” Rhys says. Rhys reveals to Joe that his initial plan was to just frame him for Malcolm’s murder before he knew who Joe was. Rhys notes that he could just go back to that plan. Rhys leaves after setting the basement on fire.
Smoke begins to permeate the house. Roald finally wakes up as the basement fills with smoke. Joe gets out of the shackles and begins to head for the exit. Roald begs Joe for help, and Joe does save him. Just when it looks like Roald and Joe aren’t going to be able to get out, Kate arrives to open the basement door to get them out.
Joe, Kate, and Roald watch as Hampsbridge House burns. Everyone returns to London after the wild and bloody weekend. Kate shows up at Joe’s door with new clothes for him. She asks him out, but he turns her down because he can’t put her in harm’s way again. “I’ve never met anyone like Kate Galvin. In another world, another life, I would run after her, risk everything for her. But I can’t because I’m already in a relationship with you, Rhys,” Joe says.
Joe watches as Rhys talks about the Eat the Rich Killer on TV. Joe calls Rhys a “monster hiding in plain sight.” During the interview, Rhys announces that he’s running for mayor of London. “Whatever your big plans are, I need to stop you before you can hurt another soul and drag mine down with you. I know who you really are now, Rhys. And I’m coming for you,” Joe promises. Joe is on the hunt to take down Rhys, but he may have finally met his match. You season 4 part 2 will debut March 9 on Netflix.