Rudy Pankow, Cast React To Season 4 Finale; JJ Shocker

SPOILER ALERT: The story includes details about season 4 part 2 of Netflix’s Outer Banks.

Season 4, Part 2 of Netflix Outer Banks was a tortured hero arc for proud Pogue JJ Maybank. After finding his Kook ancestors in the last minutes of Part 1 and from the threat of Poguelandia 2.0, he lashed out and went berserk. He was then betrayed by his biological father Chandler Groff, who threw him overboard to die.

But after hitting rock bottom and resorting to drink, he returned with a remarkable act of sacrifice, jumping after Sarah when she was swept away by a wave during a massive storm as the Pogues’ boat approached the Moroccan coast. He attacked a militiaman who was about to shoot Sarah and John B. JJ, then climbed a tall statue in the desert during a sandstorm to get the Blue Crown to the Pogues. He quickly gave up to save Kiara when Chandler had her at knifepoint, only to be killed by his Chandler, leaving his friends devastated.

While the development may have shocked fans, it didn’t come as a surprise to Rudy Pankow, who plays the fearless — and sometimes ruthless — JJ.

“Once I found out that JJ was going to risk it all and not make it, I understood because when I read the audition breakdown, Loyal was to a fault,” he said in a Inside look video feature about JJ’s death, which you can watch below. “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.”

JJ has done this numerous times over the seasons, including taking the blame when Pope capsized Topper’s boat, getting arrested for it, and getting badly beaten up by his violent drug addict father Luke as a result.

Pankow is well aware of the profound impact JJ’s death would have on the Pogues and the show.

“He has to judge every moment of his life if it’s worth it, and I think he’s constantly, yes, it is,” Pankow said of his character. “Life is truly precious and fragile, and his death truly puts the future on the line OBX with the question of what’s worth it, and when someone close to you is gone, how do you navigate that.”

JJ and John B had been best friends since childhood – or “brothers for life” as an emotional John B called it when JJ and Sarah finally washed ashore in Morocco after the storm and asked JJ to be the godfather of his and Sarah’s unborn baby.

“The beauty of John and JJ, it shows the true definition of what friendship is – it’s not just high fives, it’s lows, it’s holding each other accountable,” Chase Stokes (John B) said. “And I’m forever grateful for the experience I’ve had with Rudy, it’s just been such a fun part of the show to shoot.”

Madelyn Cline (Sarah) called JJ “heartbroken Outer Banks.” “He’s such a wild card and it was something we all love,” she said.

Added Carlacia Grant (Cleo), “His character has always represented choosing friendship,” and Jonathan Daviss (Pope), “He’s just the embodiment of that Pogue image.”

Over the past two seasons, JJ had found love with one of his Pogue friends, Kiara, whose life he saved in his final minutes, telling his father that he doesn’t need the treasure because “I already have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Being a Pogue is very much about making your own definitions of happiness, joy and community, and I think his character embodies the spirit of never giving up and rebelling against what’s expected of you to save it , that really matters,” Madison Bailey (Kiara ) said.

(Before Outer Banks co-creators/executive producers Jonas Pate, Josh Pate and Shannon Burke’ take on JJ’s death and what to expect from Season 5, read Deadline’s exclusive interview.)

Pankow, from Alaska, had just a few shorts and a few small one-off guest roles on his resume when he landed the series regular role of JJ on Outer Banks.

“This show is by far the biggest one I’ve ever done,” he said. “Having this as my start is the start of my life. I’m going to miss it.”

Pankow, who has starred in several films since Outer Banks‘ breakout success, also catered to the show’s devoted fans.

“To all the fans showing so much love and support for JJ, I just want to say thank you, it really means a lot to me. And P4L. (Pogues for Life)”