Every time a show kills a big character, there are questions. Outer Banks is no different because there have been questions swirling since the show’s fourth season ended with the death of one of the main characters and original Pogues, JJ Maybanks (Rudy Pankow). The show, which followed John B. (Chase Stokes), Sarah (Madelyn Cline), Kiara (Madison Bailey), JJ (Rudy Pankow), Pope (Jonathan Daviss), and Cleo (Carlacia Grant), or the Pogues, as they hunt for treasure, has always been a lighthearted drama about kids finding a family in each other. Now, it’s gotten a lot darker.

The creators have been clear that their vision was always for the show to have five seasons, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating. There are, after all, rumblings of a feud between Pankow and co-star Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara. There’s also the negative attention the show has brought to Pankow’s girlfriend, which he has called out multiple times. And there’s the fact that Pankow and Bailey seemed to not even be sharing a scene during some of JJ and Kiara’s most intimate scenes, with camera cuts that left fans convinced body doubles were used. So, the idea that Pankow could have asked to be written off isn’t far-fetched to fans.

But considering the magnitude of the reported drama, some fans wonder if Pankow wasn’t fired from Outer Banks and now the show is trying to save face by pretending this was always the plan. So, was Rudy Pankow fired from Outer Banks? Why was JJ killed? Here’s everything we know:

Was Rudy Pankow fired from Outer Banks?

There are no indications that Rudy Pankow was fired from Outer Banks. However, there is enough to know that something strange was happening behind the scenes. Reports indicate that Pankow and Bailey had a falling out after one particular dinner last year that later grew to involve their respective girlfriends. Elaine Siemek, Pankow’s girlfriend, and Mariah Linney, Bailey’s girlfriend, unfollowed each other and the other actor. Pankow and Bailey, however, still followed each other.

But it was enough for fans to speculate that JJ’s days were numbered and when the final episode of Season 4 had Chandler Groff tragically kill JJ, it seemed to prove fans right. There have been theories about how JJ could return, with the treasure the Pogues are after, aka the Blue Crown, said to grant wishes. This would be an easy way to bring him back, the show would just have to delve into the supernatural. Others, however, have theorized that the entire show is John B. telling his son, who he named after JJ, the story of their adventures, which means JJ will likely not come back.

Either way, the showrunners have been very clear that this wasn’t Pankow’s choice, but theirs. Co-creator Shannon Burke told Cosmopolitan in an interview, “We were pretty sure early on that this was where it was going. We thought that one of the Pogues would die almost in the very beginning in season 1, and we were pretty sure it was going to be JJ. We just weren’t sure when we were going to play that card. We knew this would be JJ’s season—this is JJ’s story. And we realized pretty early on, like, Okay, we’re going to play this card now,” which should put to rest the rumors of Pankow being fired, no matter what reportedly happened behind the scenes.

And as to whether he can return, the creators and Pankow himself seemed pretty final about JJ, but if he were going to make a shocking return it’s not like they would tell us, right?