Ahead of Season 4's dramatic conclusion, Netflix announced Outer Banks' Season 5 return with several stars already confirmed for the show's final season.
Since Season 1 debuted in 2020, the Outer Banks main cast (check out Season 4's character ages here) has tackled various treasure-hunting mysteries and their subsequent dangers together. But Season 4 changed all that while also hinting at further changes to come.
Who's Confirmed to Return in Outer Banks Season 5?
Chase Stokes - John B. Routledge
Since Chase Stokes' John B. is considered the lead of the Outer Banks ensemble, and since Season 4 ended with him and the Pogues in Morocco, his return in Season 5 is no surprise.
In talking to Cosmopolitan, Outer Banks co-creator Jonas Pate confirmed John B. and Sarah have more story to tell in Season 5 as their pregnancy "has to do with our larger vision of the series."
Madelyn Cline - Sarah Cameron
As many suspected during Season 4, Madelyn Cline's Sarah Cameron, John B.'s wife (albeit unofficially), discovered she was pregnant.
According to Outer Banks showrunner Shannon Burke (via Cosmopolitan), it was time for Sarah and John B. to "enter the next stage in their relationship:"
"They’ve been through a lot of different things as a couple and this is sort of the next stage. We have this overall arc in our heads of where everyone will end up and what the end will look like, and it just felt like it was time to play that card and have them enter the next stage in their relationship. Obviously, they’ve been together, they’ve been not being a hundred percent loyal to each other and doing things wrong, and they’ve made up. They’re devoted to each other now and this is the next stage."
Another major moment for Madelyn Cline's heroine in Season 4 was her reunion with her brother, Rafe, suggesting he may continue to play a part in her life in Season 5.
Madison Bailey - Kiera Carrera
Outer Banks co-creator Josh Pate also confirmed Madison Bailey's return as Kiera for Season 5, which was also expected since she ended the fourth season vowing to get revenge for the death of her love interest, JJ.
According to Pate (via Cosmopolitan), "I think Kiara is really consumed with revenge," but he also acknowledged that Rafe is on a similar path of vengeance.
Just how far Kiera goes in Season 5 and what her life will look like if she returns to Kildare Island will be interesting to see.
Drew Starkey - Rafe Cameron
Season 4 of Outer Banks was a semi-redemption story for Rafe as he attempted to reunite with his sister and through his relationship with Sofia. But since he broke it off with Sofia for accepting Hollis' bribe, and still has maintained some of his old ways, Rafe's rehabilitation may still have a ways to go in Season 5.
In discussing Kiera's Season 5 narrative, Josh Pate also talked about Rafe, noting he has different "motivations" but is also "more bonded with the Pogues" than ever. He also claimed Season 5 will "explore that relationship" between Rafe and Kiera:
"He has different motivations, but he is more bonded with the Pogues than he’s ever been. Still, it’s a hard turn to go straight to Rafe and Kiara's ship given where they’ve been in the past. But we also know how great Drew and Madison are as actors and how great they are together. So we’re definitely going to explore that relationship."
Carlacia Grant - Cleo
First introduced in Season 2, Carlalcia Grant became a series regular in Season 3 and is now an official member of the main cast (check out Outer Banks Season 4's Part 2 cast here).
In addition to furthering her relationship with Pope and helping run Poguelandia, Cleo witnesses the death of her father figure, Terrance, and is later shot in the arm in the season finale.
In talking with Deadline about Season 5, Josh Pate revealed Kiera is a main focus, but also that "[they] definitely want to give more time to Cleo:"
"Kiara is going to be a big focus, but we definitely want to give more time to Cleo too. It’s a question of bandwidth in the show that we have with all these stories, so it’s hard to say, but we definitely want to develop Cleo and honor her character as well."
Jonas Pate confirmed fans will see more of Caralacia Grant in Season 5 as well, saying, "We have a good plan for Cleo, it’s absolutely true."
Rudy Pankow - JJ Maybank
While Outer Banks killed off JJ (Rudy Pankow) in the Season 4 finale, Cosmopolitan pointed out his story still has loose ends, particularly in terms of his family history and the fate of the coveted Goat Island.
When asked if audiences will see JJ back in some form, Jonas Pate said, "I'd say never say never."
This is surprising since Outer Banks Netflix producers confirmed JJ's fate, referring to how Rudy Pankow embraced the "powerful way to end" the character's journey.
It's also worth noting there were widespread rumors about off-screen drama between Outer Banks' Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey and their respective romantic interests.
While Pankow's future involvement with the hit Netflix drama remains to be seen, Jonas Pate's comment suggests audiences could see Pankow in a flashback, or at least redemption for his family's tragic story.
Jonathan Daviss - Pope Heyward
Season 4 saw Pope struggling to save Poguelandia, to ending up in jail for saving JJ, to leaving his father at the recruitment office for Cleo, and to pursue Blackbeard's Blue Crown.
With Outer Banks Season 5 promising to bring home the Pogues, Jonathan Daviss return is practically confirmed, especially since Pope is in Morocco with the rest of the gang.
The question is whether it's still possible for him to ever pursue his dreams of a college education (and a relationship with Cleo) when he returns to Kildare Island.
Outer Banks Season 5's Confirmed Supporting Cast
As for whether audiences will see more of Fiona Paloma's Sofia, Rafe's girlfriend and short-lived fiance, as well as the nefarious Dalia, played by Pollyanna McIntosh, Outer Banks showrunners told Deadline, "We love those characters. They're still in play for sure in Season 5."
Sarah and Rafe's stepmother Rose (Caroline Arapoglou) and their younger sister Wheezie, played by Julia Antonelli, are also expected to return in Season 5 after being absent from Season 4.
According to the Pates, "When we get to the end, I think everyone’s going to be satisfied that we bring everything home and all the stories are wrapped up.”
Season 5 might even allow for new characters, including the mysterious Finch who was teased in Season 4 but has yet to be revealed.
When asked if Finch is the show's big bad, Jonas Pate told Teen Vogue, "His character is going to be developed" and teased expectations of his "formidable presence:"
"His character is going to be developed going forward, and we knew that he would really land in the next season. So it's just kind of like the expanding of that character. But yeah, we expect him to be a formidable presence, for sure, going forward."
While fans don't yet know who will play this new baddie, he may have already been cast.
Shannon Burke admitted there were Sesaon 4 scenes "where he came in;" but in the end, the team decided it would be "more powerful not to see him:"
"We had a few scenes written where he came in, and we decided that it was more powerful not to see him."
Other Outer Banks Actors To Expect in Season 5
While Netflix has yet to confirm any additional stars for Season 5, there are a few actors who are likely to return.
Austin North - Topper
Sarah's former Kook boyfriend with a tendency to follow the worst influences appeared as if he was on the wrong track more than ever in Season 4. Whether he will continue down that path, or finally break away from his current circle, could be explored in Season 5.
Cullen Moss - Sheriff Shoupe
The last audiences saw of Cullen Moss' Sheriff Shoupe was in Season 4 where Rafe talked him out of letting the Pogues go due to upcoming election pressures.
Since he's been a recurring presence since Season 1, he's sure to be around in Season 5 for the series final chapter.
J. Anthony Crane - Chandler Groff
While not confirmed, J. Anthony Crane's return as Chandler Groff is expected since he killed his son, JJ, and is now the motivation for the Pogues' Season 5 revenge quest.
Groff is also in possession of Blackbeard's Blue Crown, and there's also the question of how he may continue JJ's family story since he was married to Larissa Genrette, the focus of Outer Banks Season 4's Part 1 twist.
Gary Weeks - Luke Maybank
After Luke Maybank was wanted in Outer Banks Season 4 and revealed he wasn't JJ's real father, Luke is likely to return in Season 5 to learn JJ's fate and deal with his part in the Pogues losing Poguelandia.
E. Roger Mitchell - Heyward
Another reoccurring Outer Banks character, it would be strange for Season 5 not to feature E. Roger Mitchell's Heyward. However, since Pope left his dad at the recruitment office, it's tough to say what their father-son reunion will look like.
Marland Burke - Mike Carerra
Throughout Outer Banks, Kiara's dad Mike has struggled to keep his daughter from the Pogues and particularly her boyfriend, JJ.
But since he acted to save JJ from the cops in Season 4, and now that JJ is dead, Kiera may look to her parents for help with her grief in Season 5.
Seasons 1-4 of Outer Banks is streaming now on Netflix.
