‘Outer Banks’: Is JJ Dying In Season 4?

Caution – spoilers ahead!

Season Four of “Outer Banks” is now out!

This season follows the Pogues as they embark on a new journey toward Blackbeard’s treasure. While we anxiously await the remainder of the season, set to release on Nov. 7, this season has already left viewers with many questions. The major one is a rumor that actor Rudy Pankow, who plays JJ, is leaving the show.

This rumor arose after an interview with Backstage in which Pankow stated, “I’m so thankful to be in this position…to be working on this craft with these characters. But I know that’s not going to last forever.” This statement led fans to believe this was Pankow’s way of saying this was going to be his last season with the OBX cast. Some fans even speculate JJ will be killed off this season. 

Is there any truth to these rumors? There is no hard evidence that Pankow has plans to leave the show. When reading the Backstage article, you can see the context of his quote, “I’m capable of trusting that it’s gonna be OK no matter how busy I am, or how not busy I am. This is what [acting coach Larry Moss] taught me: go back to class; that audition’s coming. And the focus on when something’s over? That’s just as much of an opportunity. It’s the classic [idea of]: when one door closes, what then opens?”

This quote shows Pankow is grateful for these experiences, which have guided his acting career. 

Rudy Pankow also posted on Instagram about his appreciation for playing JJ on Outer Banks, writing, “… it has been an honor playing JJ.” To some fans, this appeared as an unofficial goodbye from the actor. To others, it simply seems Rudy was expressing his gratitude for being a part of the show and the fans who support it. 

Season Four has given a lot of screen time to JJ, as we follow him on cloud nine after securing the gold to crashing rock bottom after losing the last of it in a gamble. JJ also received some shocking news in the final episode of part one of Season Four: Luke is not his biological father. Luke reveals JJ’s real father is Chandler Groff, a man the Pogues had close interactions with when they tried to help his father-in-law, Wes Genrette, evade a curse placed on their family by Blackbeard’s wife, Elizabeth. The true validity of this curse is later revealed when Wes is found dead. With this major plot twist now revealed, some fans believe this curse is what will lead to JJ’s death. 

However, there aren’t many signs to prove this prediction will be correct. It isn’t confirmed whether or not the curse is what killed Wes. JJ is in a complicated situation, so his character’s journey may come to a stopping point. JJ is having to piece together who his true family is and figure out why his biological father decided not to raise him. It can be assumed that there’s going to be a lot of character development for JJ as he searches for answers about why he lived life as a Pogue when he was supposed to be a Kook.

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JJ has been a focal point of Season Four, another reason fans are stressed. It could appear as though writers are giving JJ more screen time to wrap up his story. However, in a recent interview Pankow did with Rolling Stone, he explained why his character is getting the spotlight this season.

“I talked to the writers a little bit about JJ’s storyline being very submerged into the plot line and through the line of what the Pogues are going for,” Pankow said. “That’s the beautiful thing about this series, is that the writers give [each] one of the characters their season. John B shines in Season One, Pope shines in Season Two…”

JJ having a major storyline this season doesn’t have to mean this is his last season. This could just be the nature of how the show works: every season one of the Pogues’ lives is highlighted, becoming the focus of the storyline. 

Recent interviews with the cast of OBX could be used as evidence to prove that Rudy Pankow isn’t planning on leaving the show. In one interview, Pankow is seen crossing his fingers when the interviewer speaks about the possibility of Outer Banks Season Five.

In another interview Pankow did recently with costar Chase Stokes, they both expressed excitement for a Season Five. Rudy stated, “I think there’s still messages to be told, but at the same time it comes down to the writers if they have a good base on how to tell those messages, and I think they still do”. 

So, should we be freaking out? No! Not yet at least. There doesn’t seem to be any real evidence showing that Rudy Pankow is leaving the show this season. JJ receives a lot of screen time in Season Four, but this doesn’t seem to signify his end on OBX. There are a lot more plot holes to fill and mysteries to solve in OBX so, for now, it seems safe to say Rudy Pankow isn’t looking to end this treasure hunt anytime soon. 

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