Who Dies at the End of ‘Outer Banks’ Season 4? Major Character Death, Revealed

Warning: Major spoilers ahead. Some huge moments occur at the end of Outer Banks‘ fourth season, including an unexpected pregnancy, a betrayal or two — oh, and a major character’s death that has left fans in disbelief. As the fifth season comes hurtling towards us, we can expect one Pogue who won’t make it to the final hunt for treasure.

Keep reading to uncover who dies in OBX season 4:

Who Dies In ‘Outer Banks’ Season 4?

At the end of season 4 part 2, which premiered on Thursday, November 7, JJ (played by Rudy Pankow) is killed off. To make things even more heartbreaking, his death comes at the hands of his real, biological father, Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane) — who we learn, also killed JJ’s mom.

But what led to JJ’s death? After the Pogues travel to Morocco to search for the Blue Crown, a piece of Blackbeard the pirate’s treasure, the Pogues end up fighting off mercenaries. Groff makes a surprise reappearance — after JJ had left him in the desert for all of the awful things he had done in his life — and takes JJ’s girlfriend Kiara at knifepoint. After handing the Blue Crown over to Groff, JJ’s dad returns Kiara but stabs his son in the stomach. JJ then dies in Kiara’s arms after telling her he loves her.

JJ’s death doesn’t end in vain, though, as the rest of the Pogues promise to avenge his death in their final hunt for treasure and Groff. Days prior to part 2’s premiere, the OBX creators announced that the show’s fifth season will be its last.

“From this beginning, we imagined a mystery that would lead to a five-season journey of adventure, treasure hunting, and friendship,” the writers wrote in a Nov. 4 statement shared to the series’ social media. “At the time, seven years ago, it seemed impossible that we would really get to tell the whole five season story, but here we are, at the end of our fourth season, still chopping away.”

Why Is Rudy Pankow Leaving ‘Outer Banks’?

Rumors of Rudy’s possible his departure first began after his Aug. 2024 interview with Backstage went viral — and it seemed like he was saying goodbye.

“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,” he told the outlet. He then went on to discuss what he plans to “focus on when something’s over.”

He continued, “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? That next door should always, always be what fascinates you with your craft. Ask yourself: What kind of person am I now? What stories do I want to tell? I think [figuring that out] is the duty of any artist. That’s the stuff that you should be focusing on, whenever you get a job and whenever a job ends. What is the thing to communicate to an audience that is important to tell?'”

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