Joe Goldberg has done some pretty unforgivable things throughout the first two seasons of YOU, which range from stalking and manipulating to outright murder. However, there was one particular YOU Season 2 twist that upset Penn Badgley more than anything else and it may not be what you'd expect. The actor recently sat down to speak with BuzzFeed about several unknown facts that have gone on behind-the-scenes throughout the making of the series, including a certain plot development that he didn't necessarily agree with. Spoilers ahead for YOU Season 2.
Badgley knew early on in the filming process that Love would also end up being a killer. In fact, executive producers Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble told him about it shortly after Victoria Pedretti's audition. "Greg and Sera told me after she left the room. We were talking about, you know, she was talented and it wasn't up to me, but they were kind of including me in the process," Badgley told BuzzFeed. "And then, Greg just said, 'Do you want to know?' And I said, 'Yeah, that'd help.' And he's like, 'Alright, so she's a killer.'"
But while Badgley found that aspect of the Love twist to be really intriguing, he wasn't a huge fan of Joe's reaction to the discovery.
When Love divulges her true self to Joe, admitting to all of the things she's done in order for them to be together (a habit that Joe himself has been known to do), Joe did not approve of her actions, which made his feelings for her instantly change. "The part that I didn't know about, that I was upset about, was that Joe, I mean, it is consistent with Joe, he wouldn't accept Love," Badgley explained to the outlet. "That really hurt my heart, but again, it's morally consistent with Joe's morality."
Indeed, logically you'd think that Joe would embrace their Bonnie and Clyde similarities and ride off happily into the sunset together. Yet Joe has always struggled to recognize his own actions reflected in others. He continues to want to see himself as a good guy, believing that he kills out of necessity rather than because he likes it. So, yes, rejecting Love isn't all that out of character for him. Joe yearns to be with someone who is genuinely good, most likely because that's the type of person he wants to be worthy of.
Badgley may not like or even agree with the direction of their love story, but it definitely aligns with Joe's nature. And now that he has a new target lined up for Season 3, it doesn't look like that pattern will be changing anytime soon.
