You's serial killer and stalker protagonist, Joe Goldberg, is probably a better person than his book counterpart, but it's not by much. While Joe has done some truly shady things throughout the Netflix series, there are still moments when this monster shows a surprising bit of humanity within him. From his fondness toward children to actually helping people in genuine distress, there are moments when he is good enough that audiences think he could be a good guy if he stops with the murder and stalking.
While Joe probably will never change his way, especially with season 4 of You on the horizon, these instances of decency from helping his victims to even giving up his son, Henry, so he can have a good life shows that there is a lot of depth to the character.
Joe Helped Paco
There are plenty of things that Joe did horribly wrong when guiding Paco and helping the kid's mom. Before he became too invested, he was compassionate toward him and seemed to be there for him when no one else was.
He would give him books to read to distract him from the horrible things in his life and just listen to the boy. Joe knew what he was going through, having dealt with it in his own life, and he was there to talk to him and listen to how he felt. He even ended up helping Paco's mom detox. Before it all went wrong, these were clearly instances that meant a lot to both Paco and Joe, who had a deep bond of understanding and trust with each other.
He Lets Will Go
Joe captured Will to create a new identity for himself when he realized that the other man was having a rough time and needed help. It was one of a few moments Joe acted and said things that went against his personality.
After Joe locked Will away in the cage, the man's mental health deteriorated due to the lack of his medication. Joe managed to get what Will needed and realized that the other man just made some bad life choices. Instead, through this, he formed a bond with Will and wanted him to genuinely succeed. In a surprising act, he gave Will a chance to leave and start anew with his girlfriend in Manilla. It's a rare act of compassion that shows Joe capable of forming genuine connections.
Joe Saves Ellie From Henderson
Despite being a predator himself, Joe found out about Henderson's crimes and wanted to stop them. Even though he could have handled it very much differently, he did protect Ellie from getting hurt, who naively thought that Henderson wanted to help her.
In the one time that Joe had accidentally killed someone, he did it to save Ellie's life. It's definitely a rare moment from someone who is more predator than protector. Even though it could have been handled entirely differently, he still protected Ellie and kept her from witnessing the crime.
He Protected Forty
Joe begrudgingly had to deal with Forty throughout the whole second season in his attempt to attract Love. Even though it was an annoyance for him, he ultimately did manage to keep Forty safe and was there for him.
Forty was a very dependent individual who needed a lot of guidance due to his naive and fragile state. Joe always made sure to be there for him and protect him, even if it was initially to get on Love's good side. When Joe assisted Forty and made sure he got home safe from Henderson's party, it did show that, on some level, he did care about the other man outside of wanting Love. Oddly, this was reminiscent, on some level, of his relationship with Paco.
He Supported Ellie
Joe tended to ruin people's lives just by being in them, like with Ellie and Delilah. After his actions ended in Delilah's death and Ellie alone, Joe, for once, took responsibility for his actions and supported Ellie, allowing her to start a new life. It's a shocking act of kindness for the character, who normally wouldn't care.
It could be due to Ellie saving Joe's life by contacting the police and he feels obligated to help her. Joe's face when he tells Ellie that Delilah wasn't coming back and told her she needed to get out of LA and start a new life somewhere. He continued to help her even after she left. In the third season, it's revealed Joe supported Ellie by giving her financial help, showing a surprising amount of guilt and empathy.
Joe Didn't Cheat With Natalie
It is obvious as season three came around that Joe was going to continue his old habits when he became fixated on the next-door neighbor, Natalie. Even though he had his urges, it was one moment he was able to control himself.
Joe was fascinated by Natalie and continued to spy on her and imagine what it would be like to be with her. She even flirted back, which only succeeded in growing his interest further and defined her character as well. When Natalie came on to him, and Joe had the chance to cheat with her behind Love's back, he decided against it. That shows a lot of restraint for the character. It was one of the only times audiences actually saw Joe control himself against the urge and do what was right.
He Took Dottie To Rehab
Dottie and Joe were very much enemies from the start because she always suspected that he was up to something. Despite not getting along, Joe ended up doing what was truly best for her, even if it was beneficial for him as well.
In the third season, Dottie went through a rough divorce that ended badly for her, which left her bereft of her beloved vineyards. In a drunken fit, Dottie takes baby Henry to burn down the vineyards with her. Even though it was also beneficial for Joe to get Dottie out of his hair, he still did what was best for her mental health by taking her to rehab. In comparison to season 1 Joe, this shows a surprising amount of growth and compassion for the character.
Joe Was There When Marienne Needed Someone
Marienne was another character who probably would have been better off without Joe in her life. Still, he managed to do some good things that were beneficial for her. It was definitely a big twist when Marienne managed to escape even after falling for Joe's charm.
Marienne struggled to get custody of her daughter throughout the third season. You showed how the system could be biased against women like her. After confiding in Joe about her history of drug and alcohol abuse and her eventual sobriety, he empathized with her journey and struggles. When she found out she had lost the case against her ex, Joe found out she went to a liquor store. Much like his relationship with Paco and Will, he got through to Marienne simply by being there for her when she needed someone.
He Saved Theo's Life
After everything Joe did in season 3, he did have a moment where he wanted to start acting better. When Love brutally injured Theo, Joe had a dire decision to make that would ultimately decide whether Theo lived or died. He actually did the right thing.
Theo blindly trusted Love throughout the third season, proving he was not one of the smartest characters in the series. Love attempted to kill him and left him for Joe to take care of. Instead, he, uncharacteristically, drove Theo to the hospital, saving his life and giving Theo a chance for a fresh start with his dad. it shows the fundamental disagreement between Love and Joe throughout the third season of You. In comparison to Love, Joe proves to have a deep amount of empathy and care for others outside of himself.
Joe Gave Henry To Dante
Even though Joe was a bad guy who continuously made wrong decisions, he proved he cared about Henry. He did his best to take care of him and wanted to make sure Henry wouldn't become like his parents.
Throughout all three seasons, Joe's most selfless act was when he decided to give up Henry. After Love died, Joe faked his death to begin fresh once again. He took Henry and brought him to Dante's house to be cared for properly by Dante and his husband. In the end, Joe knew that he couldn't be what Henry needed to be a good person. By doing this, Joe acts more like a good parent than most people on the show. It was probably the best thing Joe could ever do for him, but also leaves fans curious about what will happen in season 4.