In season four of “You,” our very well-known sociopath killer Joe Goldberg—who had started his journey by obsessing over and manipulating others to get what he wanted—turned out to be a character who was fighting to atone for his sins. This critical account of a psychopath abruptly changed into a murder mystery that began with the murder of Malcolm Harding. As is customary with murder mysteries, “You” also targeted the wealthy, but Joe Goldberg turned out to be an unexpected savior rather than the murderer this time. Before discussing this group of socialites featured in the story, it is necessary to start with Joe Goldberg, aka Jonathan Moore, who came from a working-class background. If he was finally beyond his obsessions and on the road to redemption, why was he monitoring his neighbor Malcolm and his girlfriend Kate Galvin in the first place? Merely to ascertain the character of his neighbors? In no way.
Aside from Joe’s history of stalking and compulsive behavior, Joe was a man who was devoid of worldly pleasures. He consequently grows slightly enamored by Malcolm and Kate’s lavish lifestyle. Like Joe, those who are not wealthy enough often feel some sort of attraction to those who are, despite their great distaste for them. Many other people think that if they had the money, they would make the world a better place. But does that really happen? Can acquiring limitless wealth actually help people better the world? Or does it make people busy with bettering their own lives? The socialites in “You” season 4 are depicted through this harsh reality where their wealth and success made them self-oriented. While the world is weighed down by immense social strife, this elite class is simply enthralled by grandeur and festivity.
Spoilers Ahead
The Group Of Socialites, Explained: Why Did They Become ‘Eat-The-Rich’ Killer’s Target?
Let’s start with Malcolm Harding, a fellow professor at the same university where Joe worked. Malcolm Harding was one of those who had no familiarity with crises since childhood, but adulthood had landed him in one as he was in massive debt from gambling. Malcolm’s family was royal because his father was the seventh Viscount of Walford, yet he chose an academic career to give the impression that he was a scholar. However, true knowledge is revealed through application. Even becoming a literature professor did not satisfy his gambling addiction, which only increased his debts. In such a situation, he was even more eager to party. His presence at Adam Pratt’s Sundry house was a must. Given how he helped Joe find a new apartment, Malcolm seemed friendly and appeared to be helpful.
Even better, while Joe was on the verge of passing out in the club, Malcolm took him home; unfortunately, the following morning, Joe found his lifeless body in his dining room. Malcolm wasn’t a saint, though. He kept Kate, his trophy girlfriend, at home while acting like a playboy with Nadia and perhaps several other students. One may presume that he was filthily proud of his royal title based on the portrait of his haughty visage that was in his study. Death, however, did not spare him. But why was he the first victim? It’s because Joe, aka Jonathan Moore, was his neighbor, so it was easy for the killer (Rhys Monstrose) to frame Jonathan for the murder. And when Rhys learned Joe’s true identity, he knew he had started the game off on the right foot.
The only person in this circle who understood the value of hard work and earning money honestly was Malcolm Harding’s girlfriend, Kate Galvin, who was the richest of them all because of her father, the activist investor and one of the most powerful men in the world, Tom Lockwood. Kate had become resentful of her father since he was a filthy rich guy who only knew how to swindle companies by destroying several workers’ lives. But despite her hatred for her father, Kate was unable to escape reality. She belonged to the aristocracy, but she was desperate to make her own mark through art. That’s why she only posted her artwork on Instagram rather than flaunting her beauty for likes and followers. However, Kate’s relationship with Malcolm was one of her biggest mistakes since, despite being aware of his numerous infidelities, she still decided to stay with him. But following Malcolm’s passing, Kate felt more liberated, and because of Joe’s simplicity and modest lifestyle, she decided to start a relationship with him. Joe, however, prevented it from happening since she was a decent person with intellectuality and humility in her heart. Thus, Joe didn’t want to burden her with his own chaotic life.
Lady Phoebe Borehall-Boxworth came from a wealthy family that did not require her to work. In the “You” universe, she was a bit of a Kylie Jenner. Even though she appeared to be a pretty girl with a kind heart and was a little bit dumb, she was a real player who had been in relationships with two captains of Premier League teams at the same time. From getting waxed to posting a picture in a bikini, she was always in the news, which made her mostly self-centered and kept her from thinking about the circumstances facing the world. She was so busy with her glamorous life that she was even ignorant of her relationship, missing the fact that her boyfriend was a homosexual who wanted to be with her just for her fame and money. Though, in her instance, loyalty didn’t matter, as we see her hitting on Jonathan. Later, she found that Adam was hiding some kinks, but when she finally understood that this kink only functioned for him with boys, it devastated her.
Adam Pratt was yet another spoiled brat from one of the richest families in the country. His family had acquired considerable wealth over the decades due to their real estate industry and their philanthropic efforts. While his gay brother was a senator and planned to run for president, Adam was the black sheep of his family. He met up with Phoebe and stopped driving after his DUI arrest. We see him having a lot of debts from opening the sundry house, but he doesn’t seem concerned about it. He would only call his father, who would handle these financial matters. Adam had to go back to his father and ask for money, which is really ridiculous, as he was supposed to please his father by running the business skillfully. As a result, his personality was the most worthless of all of them. He was prepared to take shortcuts, though. Even though he was gay, he didn’t want to ruin his connection with Phoebe. He would die for Phoebe’s wealth and success, which he would receive by marrying her; thus, concealing his sexuality for money wasn’t really an issue for him.
Influencer Sophie Soo and software entrepreneur Blessing Bosede had a lot in common, including a focus on boosting their earnings and a penchant for spending money on partying, drinking, and drug usage, completely ignoring their duties to society. But Gemma was a vile creature about whom we should talk. She was a racist and almost a Nazi who despised Jews, which we get from her conversation with Joe in Hampsbridge. We see her humiliating the servants like they were his pets. She was a monster with zero humility in her heart, so after Malcolm and Simon, it became apparent that she would be the next target of Rhys Monstrose.
Similar to Malcolm, Roald was drawn to Kate first and foremost for her beauty and allure on the outside and secondly for her boundless wealth. He was a neo-fascist whose behavior made it clear that he despised common people and secretly yearned to rule the world on his terms. Joe was justified in mistaking him for the murderer because he was an excellent hunter with strong killer instincts.
The one character I personally liked is Simon Soo, yet it crushed my heart to see his actual side through his former assistant, Blue. Sophie Soo’s brother, Simon Soo, was a tortured artist who painted the gigantic sphynx cat with unforgettable eyes, but we subsequently realized that the artwork was Blue’s and Simon had just stolen it from her. Simon, who might have initially been mistaken for a diligent artist, eventually was outed as a fraud.
Therefore, we must say that the concepts of achieving a dream through hard work, friendship, or loving someone unconditionally are beyond the comprehension of this privileged and elite group of people. They were even unable to stand one another, but they were driven to frequent Sundry House just for alcohol and drugs and to maintain their social status. Ultimately, there is no purpose in behaving in such a manner when it comes to socializing, and there is no value in engulfing a fortune all by yourself while common people in society toil day and night to make ends meet.
However, if these billionaires have money but the common people do not, should the common people kill them? Obviously not, as only a psychopath could think that murder could be the only option in a situation where it is not. Rhys Montrose wasn’t simply anti-rich; he also appeared to enjoy murdering people, as does nearly every killer. So, if we look at the killer’s mental state, we might conclude that he was merely a serial killer with a troubled childhood, which compelled him to view capitalism as his enemy. Due to his strong disgust for the rich, he could have avoided them, but his deranged mind pushed him to kill, which didn’t make him special or good but in some ways worse than the wealthy.
‘Eat-The-Rich’ Killer: Rhys Monstrose, Explained: Was He A Hypocritical, Cold-Blooded Monster?
Rhys Monstrose, who had grown up in the darkness of poverty with his single mother, understood what it meant to truly struggle. Nevertheless, his life was altered when he later learned that he was the Duke’s son. But the darkness didn’t easily go away from his life. Like Joe Goldberg, Rhys had a really difficult childhood that turned him into a monster with a deep-seated hatred for the wealthy. Although it was highly hypocritical of him to use the rich to help him climb the success ladder and then murder them one by one, yes, wealthy people had given him gifts throughout his entire life, which should have inspired gratitude, but it didn’t. He was sent to Oxford after becoming known as the Duke’s son, which allowed him to complete his education and publish his own writing. Once more, when he was campaigning for mayor of London, he took advantage of his alliance with elites to retain his status. Thus, his choice to kill the elites who had been supporting him wasn’t just psychopathic; it was also treacherous.
When Joe Goldberg eventually learned who the murderer was, he was disappointed because he had greatly admired Rhys for his inspiring accomplishments. Unfortunately, the truth hurts. Due to Joe’s concern that his own life might be endangered, he couldn’t have Rhys Monstrose arrested. He was left with no choice but to wait for the ideal chance to confront Rhys once more. Through the TV screen, Rhys Monstrose appeared to challenge Joe, seemingly to see if Joe could finally stop him. Who knows who Rhys’s next victims might be in “You” season 4 part two—it may be Roald or Adam Pratt, or Rhys could directly target Joe as well. Let’s wait for Netflix to release “You, Part Two” on March 9th to find out all the answers.
