If you spent any time on Netflix recently, you probably found yourself spiraling down a rabbit hole of London high society, missing fingers, and absolute chaos. Everyone was asking the same thing: who is the eat the rich killer? It’s the kind of hook that keeps you up until 3:00 AM.
Joe Goldberg, our favorite (and terrifying) librarian-turned-stalker, tried to reinvent himself as Jonathan Moore. He wanted a quiet life as a professor. But naturally, bodies started dropping. The victims weren't just anyone; they were the most insufferable, wealthy, and elite members of London’s inner circle.
The Shifting Identity of the Killer
At first, the show plays a clever trick. It makes us think Joe is being stalked. Someone knows his past. Someone is texting him through an encrypted app. They’re killing his new "friends" and framing him.
The big reveal? The "Eat the Rich Killer" is Rhys Montrose.
Rhys is played by Ed Speleers. He’s the guy who wrote the memoir about growing up poor and clawing his way into the upper class. He’s running for Mayor of London. He seems like the only sane person in a room full of narcissistic billionaires. Honestly, you almost want to root for him. He talks about the corruption of the wealthy with such conviction that Joe—and the audience—totally buys it.
But here’s where it gets weird.
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The Twist You Didn’t See Coming
If you watched the first half of Season 4, you were convinced Rhys was a mastermind. But the second half of the season flips the script entirely.
Rhys Montrose isn't actually the killer. Well, he is, but he isn't.
It turns out that Joe Goldberg is, once again, the villain of his own story. The "Rhys" that Joe has been talking to, plotting with, and fearing? He was a hallucination. Joe had a complete psychotic break. He was so desperate to believe he had changed that his mind fractured. He projected all his dark, murderous impulses onto the image of Rhys Montrose—a man he had never actually met in person until the very end.
The real Rhys Montrose was just a politician. He had no idea who Joe was. When Joe finally "confronts" the real Rhys, he kills him, only to realize that the man has no memory of their supposed friendship.
Joe is the eat the rich killer. He was the one murdering Malcolm, Simon, and Gemma. He was the one texting himself.
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Why This Reveal Mattered
Netflix's You has always played with the idea of the "unreliable narrator," but Season 4 took it to an extreme level. Showrunner Sera Gamble and the writing team used the "Eat the Rich" trope—which was everywhere in 2022 and 2023 with movies like Glass Onion and The Menu—to distract us.
We were so used to the "social justice warrior turned murderer" archetype that we didn't look closely at Joe.
Breaking Down Joe’s Psychosis
Joe’s obsession with Rhys stemmed from the memoir. Joe felt a kinship with Rhys’s struggle. In his mind, Rhys was the "good" version of himself. By making "Rhys" the killer, Joe could pretend he was still the hero trying to stop a villain.
- The Dissociation: Joe literally could not remember the murders.
- The Box: Instead of a glass cage in a basement, Joe’s cage was in his own head.
- The Realization: When Joe tries to take his own life to stop the cycle, he fails. And that’s the darkest part. He finally accepts who he is.
What This Means for Joe’s Future
By the end of the season, Joe isn't hiding anymore. He’s back in New York. He has Kate’s massive fortune and a high-powered PR team to scrub his past. He’s no longer a "lovable" creep hiding in the shadows; he’s a powerful monster with the resources to be untouchable.
The irony is thick. Joe spent the whole season "hunting" the eat the rich killer, only to become the very thing he pretended to hate: a wealthy, protected elite who can get away with literal murder.
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Spotting the Clues on a Rewatch
If you go back and watch the first few episodes, the signs are there. Nobody else ever interacts with Rhys when Joe is talking to him. At the parties, Rhys is always conveniently off to the side. The dialogue is structured so that Joe is essentially talking to himself in mirrors or empty corners.
It’s a classic Fight Club maneuver, but set against the backdrop of British high society.
How to Navigate the "You" Fandom and Beyond
If you're looking to dive deeper into the lore or prepare for the final season, here are the best steps to take:
- Watch the "Rhys" Scenes Again: Focus on the background characters. Notice how they never acknowledge Ed Speleers when he’s in the room with Penn Badgley.
- Read the Books: Caroline Kepnes's book series, specifically For You and Only You, takes Joe in a very different direction than the show. It offers a much grittier look at his internal monologue.
- Check Out "The Menu": If the social commentary of the "Eat the Rich" killer resonated with you, this film is the gold standard for that specific subgenre of horror-satire.
- Follow Penn Badgley’s Podcast: On Podcrushed, Badgley often discusses the ethics of playing Joe and how the showrunners approach Joe’s mental health struggles.
The mystery of who is the eat the rich killer wasn't just a "whodunnit." It was a "how-is-he-doing-it" look at a man finally losing his grip on his own lies. Joe Goldberg didn't find a rival; he found a mirror. And he liked what he saw.