Outer Banks season 5 is starting filming very soon, but things are going to look a lot different on set for the final season without Rudy Pankow, who left the series after four seasons. Outer Banks season 5 will be the first season without JJ Maybank as a key character.
In the Outer Banks season 4 finale, JJ was killed by his biological father, Chandler Groff, played by J. Anthony Crane. After burying JJ in Morocco, John B (Chase Stokes), Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline), Pope (Jonathan Daviss), Kiara (Madison Bailey), and Cleo (Carlacia Grant) are ready to get revenge.
Heading into season 5, there are a few characters who will definitely play a bigger role without JJ. Let's get the list started with Kiara!
Kiara Carrera (Madison Bailey)
There are two people who are going to be most affected by JJ's death: John B and Kie. John B was like a brother to JJ, and while his death is devastating, I don't know if it will be as hard for John B as it will be for Kie.
Naturally, it makes a lot of sense to dive into Kiara's storyline in season 5. There have been some rumors and theories that is what's going to happen in season 5, and I think that makes a lot of sense for Kie to be such a major focus of the next season. It's going to be ridiculously hard for her to move on from JJ's death. She put all of her eggs in that basket, so to speak, and even chose JJ and the Pogues over her own family. It will be very interesting to watch if Kie's family plays a bigger role, too, or just how far she's willing to go to avenge JJ's death.
Pope Heyward (Jonathan Daviss)
Pope is also primed for a bigger role without JJ, of course. In the first four seasons, we saw a good mix of JJ and Pope interacting without John B. In season 4, we saw more of John B and Pope interacting without JJ, and I expect that obviously to continue moving forward into season 5. They'll obviously have to lean on each other now without their fallen brother.
In some ways, this might open things up for Pope to take more of a leadership role with the group. He's always been the brains of the operation, but with a force of nature like JJ in the room, it was hard for Pope to execute those ideas.
Ultimately, Pope and John B's relationship is going to be one to watch throughout the season, but I also think fans will be very interested in what happens with Pope and Cleo. Are they meant to be? We'll see!
Cleo Anderson (Carlacia Grant)
Speaking of Cleo, we're expecting the Nassau girl to play a much bigger role in season 3, as well. Of course, she's a Pogue through and through at this point, but she's the only member of the group who wasn't really an original member outside of Sarah. When Cleo falls in with the Pogues at the end of Outer Banks season 2, it's clear that she's never going back, but it's definitely been great to see just how much her character has thrived with the group. I can't see a way that she'd ever truly want to leave these people. She's found her family in many respects.
In terms of story, Cleo has a very different skill set than the rest of the Pogues. She's lived a very different life, and she has experience working on boats, ships, and other naval vessels. That might come in handy in the next season as the Pogues try to track down the Blue Crown and give Groff a taste of his own medicine.
As mentioned, fans are obviously very interested to see what happens with Pope and Cleo, too.
Rafe Cameron (Drew Starkey)
Assuming Drew Starkey has availability in his busy schedule for a bigger role in Outer Banks season 5, he should be one of the cast members who gets more screentime in the absence of Pankow. There's no doubt that Starkey is a favorite among Outer Banks fans. While there were some scheduling conflicts for season 4, Rafe having a bigger role in the series has only been a good thing, in my opinion.
Early in the series, Rafe's character was awful, but he's made a lot of strides as a person in the more recent seasons, especially in season 4. Will John B, Sarah, and the gang trust him? I have a feeling they'll have to if they want to achieve what they are trying to.
Now that Rafe is going to be an uncle, will he finally do the right thing and help his sister out? We'll see! We'll see!
Sofia (Fiona Palomo)
Speaking of Rafe, I also think fans should be expecting to see Sofia back in the mix in Outer Banks season 5. We know there are some issues with their relationship given Sofia's betrayal of Rafe, but I don't know; the love feels real, you know? She's the person who can settle Rafe down when he starts to rage.
I also think Sofia is such an interesting character. There's been so much division between the Pogues and the Kooks throughout the four seasons. Sofia is the person who can bridge that gap. She's already opened up Rafe's eyes to the possibility of a future together. He's accepting his sister, her choices, and her friends more than ever before. If Rafe and Sofia join the Pogues' revenge hunt for Groff in season 5, the story can only benefit.