This text comprises spoilers for the ultimate season of You.

“It’s unfair, placing all of this on me. Aren’t all of us simply merchandise of our surroundings? Damage folks damage folks. I by no means stood an opportunity… Possibly we’ve an issue as a society. Possibly we should always repair what’s damaged inside us. Possibly the issue isn’t me. Possibly it’s you.”

These are the final phrases uttered by newly-convicted serial killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) within the You collection finale, which sees him fittingly punctuate his closing remarks by breaking the fourth wall and gazing again on the viewer one final time from the mattress of his tiny jail cell. However is his speculation proper? Are we actually the issue for gleefully bingeing Joe's five-season-long dying spiral, or is that this simply him refusing to take culpability for his crimes?

For Badgley, the reply isn’t that lower and dry. “It's each. It's a cop out from him nevertheless it's additionally true as a result of, on the finish of the day, he's not actual and we’re,” he tells Leisure Weekly. “And so we've been watching a present about him and he not exists, so it’s about us. It couldn't be about him. He's not actual. In order that's form of plain and easy to me.”

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Nonetheless, the 38-year-old actor says the reply actually will depend on what viewers wished from Joe and the present itself within the first place.

“I imply, I believe once more: do we have to see him change? What would really be the circumstances for him to alter meaningfully? Is that what anyone desires to see?” he asks. “That will really be a really completely different present with a really completely different tempo and tone and ethos, and it wouldn't be as common as it’s. So it's frustratingly true, I believe, his assertion ultimately.”

You bosses on deciding Joe's ending and 1 pitch that didn't make it Penn Badgley convinced Gossip Girl crew to buzz off his mullet before shooting pilot: 'I surprised everybody'

Badgley explains that any collection — You included — wouldn’t practically be as common if its story wasn’t “socially related” or didn't trigger its viewers to look inward in a roundabout way, form, or kind.

“This one [You] does have one thing to do with our… I really assume it’s like a cultural-level love dependancy, which isn’t in any respect precise love. And so ultimately, I do assume it's about us relatively than him,” he says. “However there’s a model the place that's such an emotional and psychological and ethical cop out from him as a result of he's nonetheless skirting duty.”

And, simply to be clear: Badgley doesn’t blame audiences for falling for Joe’s charming nature and desirous to see how he will get away with (literal) homicide all through the final 5 seasons.

“He has all the time been a romantic icon. That's what he's meant to be, whereas additionally carrying the hat, so to talk, of a killer to ship this satire and social commentary, you realize?” He says. “Individuals are supposed to fall in love with him and see him as a romantic determine. That’s really the purpose. And so I believe all all through, I used to be making an attempt to make that time, which is like, ‘Let's simply bear in mind the purpose of the train, although.’ And now the train is over.”

And what has Badgley realized ultimately? Nicely, he may have some extra “time and perspective” away from Joe to completely comprehend the character’s better influence on his life.

“I've simply been reflecting on how I’ve needed to sit with this character for the higher a part of 10 years. All of my 30s,” he says. “It's attainable that these reflections have led me in the direction of being a greater man and husband and father. It's attainable. I don't know, nevertheless it's attainable.”

The ultimate season of You is streaming now on Netflix.

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