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Buckle Up: Rafe Cameron Is Coming Back To The OBX

Spoiler alert: This article discusses possible spoilers for Season 3 of Outer Banks. Season 4 of Outer Banks is officially coming back starting on Oct. 10, and to say that fans are excited would be an understatement. The teaser trailer, which dropped on Aug. 29, previews a lot of drama for the upcoming season… along with some familiar faces. And given that he wasn’t in the Season 3 finale, fans of the show have one question in their minds: Will Rafe Cameron be in Season 4 of Outer Banks?

Well, according to the teaser, signs are pointing to… yes! About 32 seconds in, fans can see Rafe — played by Drew Starkey (swoon) — taking a swig out of a bottle while a crowd cheers behind him. It’s not exactly clear what his involvement will be in the events of Season 4, or how much he’ll actually be in the season, but it’s safe to assume that the unhinged (but, to many, lovable) antagonist will at the very least make an appearance.

Naturally, fans of the show are freaking TF out about Rafe’s appearance in the teaser. While he is a main character, and one of the main villains, of the show, his fate at the end of Season 3 was uncertain. The final moments of the season included an 18-month time jump, which Rafe was notably absent from, leading fans to speculate whether or not he would return for the show’s next adventure. But now, let’s just say that fans are glad to see him back. (Even though he’s a literal murderer, but whatever. He’s hot and fictional.)

Need a refresher before the new season? Here’s what you need to know about Rafe going into Season 4.

What happened to Rafe in Outer Banks Season 3?

Season 3 was a wild one for Rafe Cameron. He orchestrated a meeting with Michel Arnaud, who introduced him to Carlos Singh. Singh wanted Rafe’s help to locate the treasure of El Dorado, but Rafe, unable to assist, escaped with Kiara from Singh’s estate. After stealing a tourist’s ID and boarding a cruise ship, Rafe returned to Guadeloupe to discover that his father, Ward, had recovered from his coma. He then asked Rafe to return to the Outer Banks to sell their property and businesses to secure the family’s future.

Rafe also learned that Ward planned to sell their family home, Tannyhill, and donate the Cross of Santo Domingo to charity. In response, Rafe made a deal with Barry to steal and melt down the cross for gold. When confronted, Ward revealed he had transferred all assets to Rose’s name instead of Rafe’s, leading to a tense standoff in which Rafe threatened to expose Ward for faking his death, but Ward threatened to tell the police that it was Rafe who killed Sheriff Peterkin.

After this, Rafe made plans to have Ward killed but changed his mind, only for Barry to go ahead with the hit, and stab Ward in the leg. Rafe managed to get him to an airstrip for evacuation, but as he prepared to flee, he was found covered in Ward’s blood and approached by Sheriff Shoupe.

So, what’s next for Rafe? It’s hard to say. But I know one thing is for sure: It’s gonna be dramatic.

julianna (she/her) is an associate editor at her campus where she oversees the wellness vertical and all things sex and relationships, wellness, mental health, astrology, and gen-z. during her undergraduate career at chapman university, julianna's work appeared in as if magazine and taylor magazine. additionally, her work as a screenwriter has been recognized and awarded at film festivals worldwide. when she's not writing burning hot takes and spilling way too much about her personal life online, you can find julianna anywhere books, beers, and bands are.