Season 4 of Outer Banks delivered its biggest shocker yet, leaving audiences questioning the fate of fan-favorite Pogue, JJ Maybank.
While previous seasons of Netflix's treasure-hunting drama have offered glimpses of his troubled home life, Rudy Pankow's JJ was blindsided by that Larissa Genrette twist in Season 4 Part 1, leaving fans wondering what Part 2 would hold.
Did JJ Die in Outer Banks Season 4?
Episode 10 of Outer Banks Season 4 may be the show's most shocking finale yet.
Following a nailbiter of a showdown between the Pogues and Dalia's team for the Blue Crown, JJ's real father, Chander Groff, arrives on the scene after escaping the well JJ left him stranded in.
Knowing he has the Blue Crown, Groff grabs Kiara and holds a knife to her throat, demanding JJ hand it over.
JJ complies willingly, telling his father there are more important things than treasure. But even though Groff finally has what he wants, he still does the unthinkable and stabs his son in the stomach for having left him in that well.
Throughout four seasons, the Pogues have survived gunshot wounds, stranglings, and even hurricane-level storms (check out how old Outer Banks actors are vs. the roles they play here). But this time, it is different.
As JJ realizes the severity of the wound and begins to bleed out, he tells Kiara he got what he wished for and asks her to take care of the Pogues. Before drawing his final breath in Kiara's arms, he tells her he loved her one last time.
As proof that JJ is dead and that audiences should not expect another twist, Outer Banks delivered a tear-jerking montage of JJ's greatest moments as John B. memorializes his friend, followed by the Pogues burying JJ's body in Agapenta.
Episode 10 ends with the crew sitting around a fire and deciding to go after Groff who is headed to Lisbon. But there is a meaningful beat where Kiara vows to get revenge.
Why Did Outer Banks Kill Off Rudy Pankow's JJ?
In talking with Tudum, Outer Banks co-creator Josh Pate addressed Groff's murder of his own son, saying, "Dude, Groff is a sociopath:
"Dude, Groff is a sociopath. I mean, we patterned him after a sociopath that we read about in a nonfiction book. Even when he’s lying, he lies to himself and thinks he’s telling the truth. We would go look up psychological profiles, [thinking,] 'How can we make the most sociopathic character?' Like sociopaths, he doesn’t really feel that kind of empathy. Everything’s just kind of a mask."
Also, this is not anything new for Groff as the described "sociopath" had already murdered Omar, Hollis, and JJ's mom and grandfather, Larissa and Wes.
Just how the Pogues will take revenge, and what it will cost them, is expected to play out in the show's fifth and final season.
But as for Outer Banks killing off a main member of its cast, and JJ in particular, there were rumors leading up to Season 4 that Rudy Pankow may be leaving Outer Banks. Therefore, the character's death may have been the actor's decision and possibly due to rumors of offscreen drama.
While fans may never know the real story, within the world of Outer Banks, JJ Maybank is dead and the effects are likely to have a huge impact on the Pogues moving forward.
Seasons 1-4 of Outer Banks are streaming now on Netflix.
