5 Things You Need To Remember Before Watching ‘Outer Banks’ Season 5

After its debut more than six years ago, Outer Banks (2020) will conclude with its fifth season. Nearly every year since it premiered, this adventurous teen drama has returned with a new season that takes the Pogues, a friend group that has become family, on the wildest treasure hunts. I can’t really believe that the show is actually ending. As far-fetched as Outer Banks gets, I still care about the characters and their relationships after all these years.

For that reason, I have a lot of nervous energy heading into this final season, especially after last season. Somehow, someway, Outer Banks has to move forward in the wake of a truly massive loss. Not to mention, the fifth season has to find some place to land and wrap these characters’ stories up after all this time. Final seasons are daunting for that reason—there are so many expectations wrapped up in them. Before you dive into the Outer Banks final season on Thursday, August 20, 2026, on Netflix, here are the most important things to remember. 

1. JJ Was Murdered for Some Reason

The most obvious place to start is with JJ’s (Rudy Pankow) death in Outer Banks Season 4. It’s been more than two years since I watched that episode for the first time, and I’m still not over it. There are some TV deaths that will forever confound me, and JJ has joined that list as one of them because his loss feels so unnecessary and wrong. After everything that character has gone through, it’s just really tough to reckon with his story ending in such a tragedy. 

He’s the heart of the Pogues in so many ways, and imagining the show without him is almost impossible. The friend group is still very much intact and a solid support system, but it’s missing a core member. Then again, that may be the point in all of this. After all, there is no way for Outer Banks to move forward—even in a final season—and not address this loss as anything other than seismic. Doing that would be a disservice to JJ and all those who loved him. Plus, as delusional as it sounds, I have hope that maybe, just maybe, he could come back. 

2. The Blue Crown Is Magical…Maybe

JJ’s biological father, Chandler Groff (Anthony Crane), killed JJ after already obtaining the elusive Blue Crown—the focal point of this season’s treasure hunt. In the world of Outer Banks, the fictional object was last believed to belong to Blackbeard and has been missing since. When the Pogues find it, JJ gives it to Groff to save Kiara’s (Madison Bailey) life. Upon rewatch, I’m not sure Kiara was all that in danger, but the gesture is appreciated because JJ loves her.  

In a literal one-two punch, JJ learns that Groff is his biological father and the trade means nothing. Despite the Blue Crown being in his possession, Groff makes the infuriating choice to fatally stab JJ and run off with the object Groff believes will bring him financial gain. However, the mystical object is meant to have grant-wishing powers. So, who’s to say Outer Banks doesn’t go the extra mile in its final season and use that to its advantage and revive JJ? 

3. The Lupine Corsairs Probably Still Exist

Despite them being mercenaries, the Lupine Corsairs feel like a thing to at least keep in mind heading into the final season. To be honest, they don’t feel all that pressing, but that could mean they will show back up when the Pogues and the audience expect it the least. Assumedly, they are out there in pursuit of the Blue Crown. The mercenaries just became the least of the Pogues' (and my) worries when the threat (and general interest) pivoted to Groff in the back half of Outer Banks Season 4.

There was more history there with the revelation that he was JJ’s biological father, making the Lupine Corsairs pale in comparison. However, since there is no resolution with the group by the end of the season, I imagine they will be back in Season 5. They don’t seem like they’d be ones to give up, especially after they found the scroll but never got Blackbeard’s treasures. Given that the final season hinges on revenge, I’d bet that the mercenaries want some of their own.

4. Sarah Is Pregnant

Talk about another twist that still confuses me two years later: Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline) is pregnant with John B’s (Chase Stokes) baby. Not long before this surprising development, Sarah talked about how she wasn’t ready to have kids. Understandably so! These teenagers have been on the run in some of the most dangerous situations since the show’s more grounded first season. 

So, it’s a bit jarring to then go right into Sarah finding out she’s pregnant while the group is on a deadly treasure hunt in Morocco. The Outer Banks Season 5 trailer suggests that it will pick up shortly after Season 4, so I doubt there will be many developments with the pregnancy. I don’t think Sarah and John B will be taking a baby with them on their adventures—just yet. Maybe there will be a flash forward at the end of the show? Only time will tell!

5. The Cut May Be in Jeopardy

It may seem like a far reach to be worried about home with everything else the Pogues are dealing with right now. I wouldn’t be shocked if what was at the forefront of their minds at the start of Season 4 has shifted backwards. However, the trailer for the new season suggests that it’s a worthy concern. It looks like changes are already happening in The Cut, which proves that Dale Zeasy (Jason Davis) is an antagonist to remember heading into the final season.

He may not be as overtly threatening as Groff or a group of mercenaries, but Dale’s threat to extend Figure Eight into The Cut is concerning. It’ll be interesting to see if and how Outer Banks Season 5 involves the Pogues’ efforts to protect The Cut from gentrification. Since they’ve already lost one of their own in JJ, I don’t imagine they’ll let their home go without a renewed fight. Also, bringing the characters back to where it all started just makes sense for the series. I know I’d appreciate that as a full-circle ending for the show.