Outer Banks‘ decision to kill off JJ received backlash from some fans — but are there plans for more Pogue deaths during the show’s fifth and final season?

The hit Netflix series debuted in 2020 and fans quickly fell in love with the found family between John B (Chase Stokes), Sarah (Madelyn Cline), Kiara (Madison Bailey), Pope (Jonathan Daviss) and JJ (Rudy Pankow). The second season extended the fictional friendship group with Cleo (Carlacia Grant) as the Pogues continued to search for treasure while avoiding near-death obstacles.

Outer Banks creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke never publicly stated that the Pogues were safe, but three seasons with no major deaths made fans feel like they were — until they weren’t. Things took an unexpected turn during the season 4 finale when JJ was killed off in a shocking — and controversial — twist.

“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,” Jonas told The Hollywood Reporter in November 2024. “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.”

Viewers quickly suspected that the departure was a result of Pankow looking to exit the series. The actor, however, weighed in on the writers’ room surprising him with the narrative shake-up.

“When I first found out JJ was gonna risk it all and not make it, I understood it. And the risks got bigger and bigger, and the stakes got higher and higher,” he explained to Netflix’s Tudum that same month. “His death really does set up the future of OBX with the question, what is worth it? And when someone that close to you is gone, how do you navigate that?”

With Outer Banks coming to an end with its fifth and final season, all bets are off. The cast and creators have hinted at the stakes being higher and Us has compiled everything they have teased about how much danger the rest of the Pogues are in now:

Crossing That Line

After JJ’s on screen death, the show’s creators explained the decision to kill off a Pogue.

“The overarching plan was to begin with just some kids who wanted to have a good time all the time, and take them on a whole journey,” Burke told Deadline in November 2024. “One of them was going to end up dying, and pretty early on, we knew that was going to be JJ, he’s the most reckless. He is also the most beloved and, in one way, the most sacrificing and the most risk-taking. And this was going to be JJ’s year.”

He continued: “The kids, they’re getting older. We wanted to begin in a place of innocence and then go to a place that at least one point to go is really dark for them, and then have them come out of it. That’s the overarching plan for the show. It was always JJ that was going to be, we just weren’t sure how we were going to play it.”

Is Topper Next?

Austin North, who has played Topper since season 1, revealed whether he had any concerns about his character’s life coming to an end after JJ.

“Not necessarily. At the end of the day, I trust the creative team. I’m there to do my job and show up to film the material they give me. I dive into it 100 percent and try to bring my most to the character. So whatever route they take things, that’s what they do,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2024. “I do my job as an actor and just bring my best work to it. I’m just grateful to have season 4 out there. The response has been amazing. And to be able to announce season 5 is just such a blessing and I can’t wait to be back at it.”

The Plan for the End

According to Burke, JJ’s death will “change” the Pogues as they deal with grief as a group.

“It’s the main spine of the rest of the series, basically. It’s going to change them. They began as kids who just wanted to have a good time all the time, and now they’ve gone the full spectrum now, where one of them has died in a terrible way,” he noted to Cosmopolitan after the season 4 finale. “We’re just hoping to play that out and take them on this long journey and end it in the right way.”

Josh, meanwhile, hinted that the Pogues will continue to take more risks, adding, “Well, I think as far as the Pope thing goes, it would be because, just like you said, it’s the most surprising. We like to get our characters as far up the tree as we can.”

He continued: “The ramifications of [Pope taking a life] are going to be part of his story going forward, for sure. Overall, the stakes have to keep rising in some way to keep the story building, and we’re excited to keep it going for one more round.”