Warning! Major spoilers ahead for the Outer Banks season 4 finale.
Outer Banksstar Rudy Pankow shares an emotional statement following his character’s death in the season 4 finale. Created by Shannon Burke, Jonas Pate, and Josh Pate, the hit Netflix show follows two groups of teens, the Pogues and the Kooks, as they search for treasure in North Carolina. The teen drama returned for season 4 in October with the final five episodes releasing on November 7. TheOuter Banksseason 4 finalewas a tragic one, withJJ Maybank ultimately meeting his end at the hands of his biological father, Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane).
After JJ’s shocking death in theOuter Banksseason 4 finale, Pankow shares a thoughtful statement about his departure from the show during a recent interview withNetflix. The actor seemingly confirms that JJ is truly dead, expressing his thanks to everyone involved in the production, as well as the viewers who have supported the show and his character. Check out Pankow’s comment below:
“I want to leave the cast and crew with the biggest thank-you. It’s been such a pleasure to come to work. This is by far the biggest thing I’ve ever done in [my] experience, and to have this as my start is a start of a lifetime. I’m going to miss it. Thank you for so many fun memories I’ll have the rest of my life.
“To all the fans that show so much support and love for JJ, I just want to say thank you. It really did make an impact on me, playing him.It’s been an honor to bring him to life for you guys, and it’s been a joy to play him. And P4L!”
As for what Pankow hopes viewers take away from watching the season 4 finale and his character’s death, he wants JJ’s spirit to live on:
“The spirit of JJ is: Take the risk.”
What JJ’s Death Means For Outerbanks' Future
Season 5 Has Higher Stakes Than Ever Before
Outer Banksseason 4 ends with the Pogues sitting around a bonfire, mourning the loss of their friend.The final moments, however, feature Rafe (Drew Starkey) riling them up, encouraging them to hunt Groff downand avenge JJ, teeing up an escalation of the conflict. Thankfully, it’s now been confirmed thatOuter Banksseason 5is on the way, though it will serve as the Netflix show’s last.
Outer Banksseason 5 doesn’t yet have a release date, but the release schedule for previous seasons would suggest that it will arrive in 2025 or 2026.
Why Outer Banks Is Ending After Season 5
Netflix and the co-creators of Outer Banks have confirmed that the popular teen drama is coming to an end after season 5, but it wasn’t canceled.
JJ’s death, then, wasn’t just for added shock value in the finale, and the character’s legacy will seemingly live on in the upcoming final season.Season 5 will also be able to fully explore the impact JJ’s death has had on the rest of the Pogues, especially Kiara (Madison Bailey), since the two were romantically entwined. In addition to allowing for some characters in theOuter Bankscastto go through new, challenging emotional journeys, JJ’s death also helps to firmly establish the show’s stakes. It’s entirely possible, for example, that season 5 will feature more shocking deaths.
Our Take On JJ’s Death In Outer Banks Season 4
The Netflix Show Made A Bold Decision
Character deaths have been a fairly regular part of most previous seasons, butthe show has typically shied away from killing off major fan-favorites. JJ’s death was shocking, and social media has been awash with frustration at thisOuter Banksseason 4 decision.
While it’s understandable that viewers are upset at losing a character who has been a part of the show since season 1, it could end up being the fuel that drivesOuter Banksseason 5 to be the most intense season yet. It also raises questions, however, about what beloved characters could be next to go.
Outer Banks
Cast
Outer Banks follows a group of teenagers in the Outer Banks of North Carolina as they uncover a legendary treasure linked to the mysterious disappearance of the group’s leader’s father, leading to a series of dangerous and thrilling adventures.
