Rudy Pankow’s JJ dies, fans react

On By Littum

Warning: Spoilers below.

“Outer Banks” killed off one of its most beloved characters during the Season 4 finale.

JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow) was murdered by his biological father, Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane).

Groff went after JJ and Kiara (Madison Bailey) to get the Blue Crown. He held a knife to Kiara’s throat and JJ handed over the blue crown to save Kiara.

Rudy Pankow as JJ in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

However, Groff stabbed JJ, who died, in Kiara’s arms.

“I already got my wish. Everything I wanted, JJ told Kiara in his last breaths.

“Take care of the others. I love you, Ki,” he added.

Rudy Pankow as JJ in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX
Madison Bailey as Kiara in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

An emotional montage then replayed JJ’s moments with the other Pogues with narration by John B (Chase Stokes).

After JJ’s death, Kiara reunited with the rest of the Pogues as they decided to go after Groff and seek “revenge” for JJ.

Pankow, 26, played JJ since the Netflix show premiered in 2020. The series was renewed for a fifth and final season before the final episodes of Season 4 dropped on Thursday.

Drew Starkey as Rafe, Rudy Pankow as JJ, Madison Bailey as Kiara, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Chase Stokes as John B, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

Fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their devastation over fan favorite JJ’s death.

“You’re telling me that the character who went through the most trauma and ultimately deserved a happy ending was murdered. Throw it away!” one person tweeted.

“There is no #OuterBanks without JJ Maybank,” another said.

“‘I love you’ as the final scene for a death trope is pure evil,” another fan wrote. “Jj maybank come back, it can’t end like this.”

Madison Bailey as Kiara, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Rudy Pankow as JJ, Jonathan Daviss as Pope in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

ONE different angry tweet read: “There are no outer banks without jj. There is no pogues without one of the members, there is no s5 without jj. A huge script hole and all this because the actors have personal issues between them. Professionalism sent greetings.”

“Still shocked by JJ’s death,” another viewer confessed. “I didn’t expect anyone from the Pogues to be killed off before the series ended. It was a brave move. His last scene with Kiara destroyed me.”

“Take away everyone’s favorite character? Whose decision was this? Terrible ending, it sure won’t be the same without JJ,” another fan wrote.

Rudy Pankow as JJ, Chase Stokes as John B, Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, Madison Bailey as Kiara in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

Pankaw talked about his character’s death in an interview with Netflix after the final.

“For JJ, he has to judge every moment of his life whether it’s worth it (to take the risk), and I think it’s constantly, yes, it is for him,” the actor said. “Even during the pain and the suffering and the struggles for JJ, it’s worth it for him to go this far. He’s living his life to the fullest and I don’t think he regrets any of it.”

The show’s creators, brothers Josh and Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke, revealed that they had always planned to kill JJ.

“It was a really hard decision because he’s such a big part of the ensemble,” Josh said. “It sets the stage for an epic fifth and final season. We’re planning a story of redemption and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent. JJ’s death was a tough but necessary part of the story’s architecture, and we plan to honor it as much as possible because we love the character as much as the fans do. And Rudy is a good friend of ours.”

Madison Bailey in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

The Season 4 finale also revealed that Sarah (Madelyn Cline) is pregnant with John B’s baby.

Sarah found out she’s expecting after taking two pregnancy tests in a pharmacy bathroom. She later told John B, who was clearly shocked but thrilled by the news.

Madelyn Cline, Jonathan Daviss, Chase Stokes in “Outer Banks.” ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

“We’ll figure this out. Because we always do,” he told her.

Stokes, 32, and Cline, 26, dated in real life for less than two years until October 2021. Stokes is now dating country singer Kelsea Ballerini.

Madelyn Cline in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

“Outer Banks” follows a group of friends who search for missing treasure in North Carolina. The cast includes Stokes, Cline, Pankow, Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Drew Starkey and Carlacia Grant.

Chase Stokes in “Outer Banks”. JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

Netflix announced this week that the show will end with season 5.

“With some sadness, but also excitement, we put season 4 behind us and turn to season 5, where we hope to bring our beloved Pogues home in the way we envisioned and planned years ago,” the creators said. in a statement.

“Season five will be our last season and we think it will be our best yet,” they added.

“Outer Banks” is streaming on Netflix.