Does JJ die in Outer Banks season 4? Shocking twist explained by showrunners

Co-creators Shannon Burke and Jonas Pate said the shock death has always been part of the plan. *Warning: Spoilers for Outer Banks season 4 ahead*

Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

*Warning: Spoilers for Outer Banks season 4 ahead*

The fourth season of Outer Banks has come to a shocking and devastating end, killing off a key character and giving the remaining Pogues plenty of fuel for revenge in season 5.

Season 4 part 2 follows the Pogues as they continue their quest to find Blackbeard’s Blue Crown, locking horns with a handful of fearsome enemies in the process: the Corsair pirates and JJ’s villainous father, Chandler Groff (Tony Crane), two parties who want the treasure for themselves.

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The treasure hunt eventually culminates in a violent showdown amidst a sandstorm in Morocco, during which JJ (Rudy Pankow) appears to meet a disastrous end at the hands of Groff, who was revealed to be his biological father in season 4 part 1.

But does Outer Banks’ JJ actually die and is actor Rudy Pankow leaving the show? Read on for everything the cast and crew have had to say about the shocking season 4 ending.

Is JJ really dead in Outer Banks season 4?

Rudy Pankow as JJ and Tony Crane as Groff in Outer Banks season 4. Netflix
The season 4 finale appeared to reach its climax when JJ reached the top of a Moroccan statue in the midst of a violent sandstorm and finally found Blackbeard’s Blue Crown.

But disaster struck as Groff appeared and held Kiara (Madison Bailey) at knifepoint, leading JJ to exchange the crown to save her life.

“I already have everything I’ve ever wanted,” JJ told Groff, before handing over the crown. “Things that you’ll never have,” he added.

After faking an apology, an unexpected turn of events saw Groff then deliberately and violently stab JJ, who was left to bleed out and die in Kiara’s arms.

Is Rudy Pankow leaving Outer Banks?

Yes, Pankow is leaving Outer Banks for good following the death of his character in the season 4 finale.

In a heartwarming video of the cast saying their farewells to Pankow, which was released on the official Outer Banks social media on Tuesday 12th November, Bailey tells Pankow: “We all read the character on the page and we know what you brought to it.”

She continues: “And you turned it out and really made something of it and paid respect to the depth of the character while bringing a lightheartedness that the show desperately needed.”
Madelyn Cline says: “You made him so deeply human and lovable. You are such a … incredibly emotional and intuitive person.”
Pankow then adds: “Thank you to this amazing cast and thank you fans for loving them. And thank you to JJ. I will always carry a piece of you for the rest of my life. Always remember: Stupid things have good outcomes all the time. JJ Maybank, you have changed my life forever. I love you forever. P4L, buddy.”

Outer Banks. Netflix
Sharing a heartfelt goodbye, Pankow previously told Netflix: “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.”

He continued: “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 honour to bring him to life for you guys, and it’s been a joy to play him. And P4L!”

However, based on recent comments, it might not be the last we see of JJ in the show.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about JJ’s death, co-creator Shannon Burke was asked whether fans might see Pankow return in “flashbacks”.

She responded: “That’s a great question — maybe? I wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility. I wouldn’t say for sure but I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened.”

Co-creator Jonas Pate said also echoed Burke’s statement in an interview with Cosmopolitan, in which he was asked whether JJ would ever be seen again.

He said: “I’d say never say never.”

What have the Outer Banks cast and crew said about JJ’s death?

Rudy Pankow as JJ in episode 406 of Outer Banks. Netflix
The ending might have come as a huge shock to fans, but it didn’t shock the cast and crew, who have said JJ’s death was always part of the plan.

Co-creator Shannon Burke told The Hollywood Reporter: “We knew – we knew at the end of season three that season four was going to be JJ.

“We didn’t know everything that was going to happen, but we had a lot of the major story points. We sort of knew what JJ’s ultimate end was going to be, too – we weren’t sure if it was going to be played in this year, but we pretty much knew.”

Co-creator Jonas Pate added: “It’s been kind of lurking in his DNA from the beginning. He’s really a tragic figure, and the idea of mortality, and you only have a finite window – it’s also a theme of the show.”

He continued: “It’s something John B has talked about from the first season. So believe it or not, this is something that was always sort of baked in the cake, and we just wanted to tell the story as elegantly and interestingly as possible.”

The development didn’t come as a surprise to JJ actor Pankow either

“When I first found out that JJ was going to risk it all and not make it I understood it because when I read the character breakdown for the audition, it said, loyal to a fault,” he said in an Inside Look video feature about the season 4 finale, which you can watch below.

“And I think, as the stakes got higher and higher, his whole thing is, he takes the risk and puts his friends before himself.”

Lead actor Chase Stokes, who plays John B, added: “The beauty of John B and JJ, it shows the true definition of what friendship is. I am forever grateful for the experience I have had with Rudy.”

Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara, added: “Being a Pogue is about making your own definitions of happiness, joy, and community.

“His character embodies the spirit of never giving up and rebelling against what’s expected of you to save what really matters.”

Pankow added: ​​”He has to judge every moment of his life if it is worth it, and I think he is constantly, yeah, it is.

“Life is really precious and fragile and his death really does set up the future of OBX with the question of what is worth it and when someone that close to you is gone, how do you navigate that.”