Episode 2 of Season 5 of "You" kicks off with Joe meticulously tidying up Mooney's place, where he finally feels a semblance of his old self returning. However, Kate insists on burning his murder fanfiction, fearing any trace could lead back to them. Joe acknowledges her concern but believes his former self deserves better; thus, he cunningly conceals it within the confines of a cage.
At the bookstore, Bronte's whimsical and energetic demeanor has Joe convinced she's flirting. She, mistaking him for affluent, dismisses his grasp of real-world struggles like rent. In an act of generosity tinged with pride, Joe boosts her pay, hoping she'll find a proper place instead of sleeping at the store or relying on her ex. She teases him about being a trophy husband but graciously accepts the money. Joe finds her both alluring and exasperating. While Joe is tidying, she surreptitiously moves a shelf to obscure the basement door, prompting Joe to sternly caution her to stay away.
At school, Henry finds himself in a brawl with Gretchen, Reagan's daughter, breaking her nose in the process. The teacher's suspicion of Henry's violence doesn't abate despite Joe's defensive stance. Reagan, intent on pressing charges and having Henry expelled, ensures his immediate suspension. Joe then takes Henry to the store, where a curious and lock-picking Bronte engages Henry in playful banter about "The Hobbit." She hints at a fondness for bad boys, casting a meaningful glance at Joe that sets his mind racing.
Later, Joe seeks to unravel the mystery behind Henry's aggression. It transpires that Reagan has been spreading rumors, portraying Henry's mother as a killer. Joe seethes with rage but promises to one day share the truth about Love with Henry.
Kate orchestrates a dinner with Reagan, hoping to broker peace. However, the evening unfolds anything but amicably, with Reagan bringing Maddie for moral support while Teddy arrives to rally behind Kate. The atmosphere is thick with tension as Reagan gets straight to the point: she'll drop the charges if Kate foots the bill for Gretchen's nose job, transfers Henry to another school, and enrolls him in therapy. Additionally, she demands an apology from Joe and Kate for their parental shortcomings. For Henry's sake, they humbly oblige, yet it falls short. Reagan also insists Kate relinquish her CEO position, skeptical of her self-righteous facade and convinced she's exploiting the company for personal gain.
An enraged Joe confronts her, accusations of gossip flying thick and fast. Yet, her words had nothing to do with Love; instead, she harbored a belief that Kate had ended Bob's life. Teddy stepped into the fray, asserting he possessed footage of Bob's suicide – footage he had conveniently erased. Reagan, however, was unconvinced, her mind flashing back to their father's enemies meeting untimely deaths and his praise for Kate's ruthless instincts. Meanwhile, Henry, who had been eavesdropping on the heated exchange, threw a knife at Reagan, sparking a whirlwind of chaos. Joe, fed up, booted everyone out.
Later, at the store, Bronte broke in, her eyes widening in awe at the rare books confined within a cage. She couldn't resist snapping photos of the precious tomes. But fate had other plans; she found herself locked inside, her claustrophobia kicking in with a vengeance.
In a secluded moment, Joe harbored dark thoughts of ending Reagan's life, but Kate stood firm, refusing to countenance such violence. Furthermore, she concurred that Henry required therapeutic intervention. Joe's fury knew no bounds; he was convinced that Reagan was poisoning everyone's minds. He insisted that Henry was merely misunderstood and longed for love. These accusations stirred up painful childhood memories of an abusive father. Suddenly, Joe's gaze fell upon the motion sensor alarms guarding the cage.
He noticed Bronte acting suspiciously and sensed something was amiss. Under interrogation, she finally confessed her dire financial woes and her scheme to sell the rare books. Joe dismissed her with immediate effect, and she retorted that as a wealthy man, he couldn't comprehend her plight. As he freed her, she couldn't resist commenting on his murder fanfiction, observing that the serial killer protagonist lacked flaws. Joe, having reached his breaking point, unleashed a torrent of anger about his harrowing childhood marked by abuse. Bronte, glad to witness his true colors, left with a knowing smile.
Elsewhere, Kate bestowed Bob's board seat upon Teddy. Curiosity piqued about the CCTV footage, she confronted him, only for him to admit he had been bluffing all along.
Joe decides to terminate Reagan first and confront Kate about his actions later, confident in his belief that she will eventually grant him forgiveness. That fateful night, he spies on Reagan indulging in role-playing with her spouse, Harrison, within Kate's office. With calculated precision, Joe renders Reagan unconscious and confines Harrison in a storage closet. He then places Reagan in the cage and chronicles the event, acknowledging Bronte's critique of his writing style. He subsequently reaches out to her, and after mutual apologies, he reinstates her position and offers her refuge in his former apartment upstairs.
Bronte, visibly anxious, ultimately confesses her awareness of the Conrads' book detailing Joe's incarceration in a cage. Joe deftly fabricates a tale, asserting that he had disclosed to the Conrads how Mooney once punished him similarly, which they exploited for their own notoriety. He further reassures her of his platonic intentions, visibly relieving her tension.
Returning home, Joe confides in Henry that, unlike when Love was ailing, he himself remains mentally sound. Nevertheless, Joe recognizes Henry's need for assistance and persuades him to embark on therapeutic journey. Meanwhile, Kate offers an apology for their recent dispute, and they unite in their resolve to halt Reagan's machinations. However, Joe's smile fades when Kate insists their actions must remain within legal bounds. She expresses remorse for Bob's demise, branding it a moment of fragile judgment. Kate yearns for a guilt-free conscience for Henry's sake, while Joe claims purity of motive in his killings. This revelation terrifies her, making Joe realize she has never glimpsed his true self—a realization that prohibits him from divulging Reagan's fate.
The cliffhanger of You Season 5 Episode 2 unfolds as Reagan files charges against Joe, leaving him puzzled. Rushing to the cage, Joe discovers to his astonishment that his captive is Maddie, Harrison's paramour and Reagan's identical twin. In a twist of fate, Joe has inadvertently abducted the wrong sibling.
