This article “Who is Joey in Netflix series Grand Army” contains spoilers.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
Grand Army offers a character that provides some strong messaging about the position of women in the modern world. This character is probably the one that the audience will focus on the most due to the circumstances — so who is Joey in Netflix series Grand Army?
What does she do at the school?
She’s one of the dancers, and she’s very good at it. Like Dom, she’s the centre of her friends — they vibe off her, and she treats her friends as if they were family.
What is she like as a person?
Joey is fun, loving and free-spirited. She enjoys her friendships and is very cautious in breaking the group by forming a romance with someone, as the earlier episodes suggest.
Who does she have a romance with?
She “kind of” has something going on with Tim but she is very wary that a relationship will change the dynamic of the friendship group as Tim is part of it. Anna is also very much against Joey doing anything with Tim — so while the friendship group is loving, it’s also very dysfunctional.
What’s Joey’s activism?
Joey is very vocal at Grand Army about women’s rights; what students are allowed to wear at school in comparison to the boys and how they are treated because of their gender. Joey plans a rather provocative protest at the school with her “Free The Nipple” t-shirts that winds up one of the teachers. She’s clearly a highly intelligent student and has the ability to argue her points strongly.
What happened on the night of the cinema? (major spoiler)
The following answers may be uncomfortable to read for those who have been a victim, directly or indirectly, of sexual assault.
The major story in Grand Army is the horrific event that happens to Joey. The character goes out with her male friends at the cinemas. It involves alcohol and plenty of fooling around. There’s plenty of jealousy aimed at Joey by Tim who is letting his feelings get the better of him.
In the taxi on the way home, Joey continues to have fun, but Luke and George lose control; the two boys hold down Joey’s legs and rape her at the back of the taxi. Tim did nothing to stop it.
This is a highly traumatic event.
What were the consequences? (major spoiler)
One of the main stories in Grand Army is the aftermath of the rape. Joey experiences PTSD and goes to the police about what happened. What follows are scenes that demonstrate the rape kit. But what is more upsetting, is that the boys get away with it due to lack of evidence. The story plays a scenario where the victim feels embarrassed and ousted due to the actions of men.
Do her friends not feel any guilt (major spoiler)
They barely show any guilt, but eventually, Tim breaks and tells his friends that they were in the wrong that night and admits to being complicit.
The ending of season 1 does provide a bittersweet moment for Joey; she finally gets back into dancing and feeling freedom again while Tim is desperate to reach out to her, resorting to drugs due to his guilt.
