What happened in JJ at the end of ‘Outer Banks’ season 4?

On November 9, 2024By Littum

Spoilers for Outer Banks season 4 part 2 ends ahead. Although four seasons of Outer Banks saw the crew survive kidnappings, shootouts, motorcycle crashes, plane crashes and tropical storms, the latest episode ending tragically with Pogue’s death. Season 4 of Netflix’s low-key funny teen soap follows the teenage treasure hunters as they set out to find Blackbeard’s long-lost Blue Crown, pitting them against the season’s big bad (and JJ’s biological father) Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane) ). In the feature film finale, the show’s core group of friends faced the devastating loss of one of their own and officially entered their revenge era for the upcoming fifth and final season.

Read on for our breakdown of the devastating death at the end of Outer Banks season 4, including what the cast and crew have to say about the big twist and why fans are theorizing that behind-the-scenes drama could have led to a major cast member’s departure.

Will JJ Die in ‘Outer Banks’ Season 4?

In it Outer Banks season 4 finale, all the Pogues-John B (Chase Stokes), Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline), Kiara (Madison Bailey), JJ (Rudy Pankow), Pope (Jonathan Daviss), Cleo (Carlacia Grant) and new ally Rafe (Drew Starkey) – go to Morocco to track down Groff and Blue Crown. Although JJ and Kiara are able to retrieve the season’s treasure, Kie is quickly captured and held at knifepoint by Groff, who threatens to kill her if JJ does not give him the crown.

Groff tries to lure JJ to the dark side in the second half of the season, but the most loyal Pogue tells his money-hungry father in the finale, “I already have everything, and I have everything I ever wanted. Things that you” will never have.” JJ hands over the crown and pulls Kie away from Groff as he briefly holds her… before Groff brutally stabs his son in the stomach. As JJ dies in Kiara’s arms, his last words are, “Take care of the others.. .I love you, Kie.”

Rudy Pankow as JJ standing in front of a beach shack in 'Outer Banks' season 4.

JJ (Rudy Pankow) i Outer Banks season 4.

(Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix)

After the second half of season 4 hit Netflix on November 7, 2024, the streamer shared a behind-the-scenes clip about JJ’s death. In the memorial, Pankow recalled playing the fan-favorite character over the past four seasons. “Once I found out that JJ was going to risk it all and not make it, I understood,” the actor says in the clip. “Because when I read the grade breakdown for the audition, it said ‘loyal to a fault’.” And I think as the stakes got higher and higher, his whole thing is that he takes the risk and puts his friends before himself.”

He also thanked OBX cast and crew and shared a message with Tudum for the show’s fans, his only statement since the Nov. 7 finale aired. “To all the fans showing so much support and love for JJ, I just want to say thank you,” he wrote. “Playing him really made an impact on me. It’s been an honor to bring him to life for you guys and it’s been a pleasure to play him. And P4L!”

Outer Banks: Season 4 | (SPOILERS) Cast and Creators Talk Season 4 Finale | Netflix – YouTube

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What did the cast and crew say about JJ’s death in ‘Outer Banks?’

In an interview with Teen VogueOBX creators Shannon Burke, Josh Pate and Jonas Pate revealed that they “always knew” that JJ would meet his demise before the series ended.

“We had thought it was going to be JJ basically from the beginning,” Burke said. “For a long time, we knew someone was going to die. (In season 4) JJ is ruthless, but also gives up everything. (It’s) the two extremes of JJ: He’ll give up everything for the group, but he’s also completely ruthless and sometimes fly the plane on the mountain It is a dichotomy.

Burke added of Pankow’s reaction: “We had talked to Rudy about his character dying in Kiara’s arms in season 2 or 3 and we just said ‘way out in the future.’ We didn’t really know when we had to play that card. It was a much more abstract thing at the time, but he seemed interested in it and thought it would be a good way to go out. And so when it came to the moment when he read it, he was obviously surprised. But pretty quickly… he quickly pivoted to just thinking about how he could make it as good as possible and honor the character.”

Rudy Pankow as JJ and Madison Bailey as Kiara playing in the ocean in 'Outer Banks' Season 4

JJ (Pankow) and Kiara (Madison Bailey) in Outer Banks season 4.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Why is Rudy Pankow leaving the ‘Outer Banks?’

In the hours since JJ’s death scene debuted on Netflix, it has OBX fandom began abuzz with speculation that some long-rumored behind-the-scenes drama might have led to Pankow’s departure from the series. Despite the creators’ assurances that JJ’s death was “always” planned, there are rumors that Pankow asked to leave the series instead.

According to Stylecasterfans have speculated that Pankow and his co-star Madison Bailey, the other half of the fan-submitted Jiara (JJ and Kiara), have not agreed the past few years due to personal drama.

Fans have also speculated that Pankow’s longtime girlfriend, Elaine Siemek, may have also contributed to his departure. Pankow and Siemek met on the set of Outer Banks season 1, when Siemek worked as an assistant on the crew. They went public with their relationship in 2021.

Regardless of the reason, Pankow has indicated in interviews that he is prepared for the future Outer Banks. talking with Backstage in August 2024 ahead of his lead role in Romeo and Juliet at the American Repertory Theatre, Pankow said of her time on the Netflix hit: “I’m so grateful to be in this position… to work on this craft with these characters. But I know it won’t last forever. I “I’m able to trust that it’s going to be okay, no matter how busy I am or how not I’m busy.”