If you're an "Outer Banks" diehard, you already know that JJ Maybank — the rebellious, treasure-hunting teen played by Rudy Pankow — received some shocking, life-changing news at the end of season 4 part 1 of the Netflix drama. (But if you haven't yet watched, warning: spoilers ahead!)
After five episodes of JJ and his Pogue pals searching for Blackbeard's treasure at the behest of a wealthy local man named Wes Genrette (David Jensen) in "Outer Banks" season 4, the young Maybank receives a mysterious letter from the late Wes. Genrette's letter prompts JJ to track down his father Luke (Gary Weeks) — a wanted man with whom he's had a volatile relationship since childhood — and ask about something called "Albatross."
Luke eventually comes clean and confesses that Albatross is the boat that Genrette's daughter Larissa died on. Luke also reveals that he is not actually JJ's biological father, and that the woman that JJ has believed to be his mother was actually just Luke's girlfriend at the time. Rather, JJ's real parents are Larissa and Genrette's son-in-law, Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane), making JJ the rightful heir to the Genrette fortune and a card-carrying Kook.
That revelation is entirely at odds with the proud Pogue that JJ has been for the past four seasons, and it was a shocking one even to actor Rudy Pankow, who discussed the writers' decision in a recent interview with The Daily.
"I did read it like four times, just to make sure it was in my brain. And then I called Gary [Weeks], immediately. I called Gary and was like 'hey, this is what they’re thinking just FYI and gave him a heads up.’ And yeah we were both talking through it. What does it mean not only just JJ, but also for Luke," Pankow told the outlet.
"It came as a shock, it really did. It was fun to play the whole entire JJ now trying to redefine himself in part two too."
And the new information will definitely have an effect on JJ's psyche going into part 2, the actor revealed: "There's a dynamic thing that goes down in terms of, well, JJ going off the rails, yet again, we'll just put it that way. He goes off the rails. I think we've seen a chair get thrown through a window. I can talk about that. That's in the trailer. That gets a little bit more elaborated on in part two."
"Outer Banks" fans have to wait a bit to see exactly how JJ deals with his new familial history — as with fellow Netflix series "Emily in Paris," "Stranger Things" and "Bridgerton," the fourth season of "OBX" is dropping in two separate batches on the streamer, with the first five episodes having premiered on October 10 and the final five arriving in a few weeks on Thursday, November 7.
Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all updates surrounding part two of "Outer Banks" season 4, including behind-the-scenes tidbits, character descriptions, casting news, on-set photos and new trailers. In the meantime, you can revisit the first three seasons of the action-adventure teen drama, as well as the first half of the fourth season, with a Netflix subscription.
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