New evidence suggesting JJ Maybank is alive and Rudy Pankow will return in Outer Banks season 5 has surfaced. This time, it's because of none other than Pankow's friend and former OBX cast mate, Chase Stokes.
The cast of Outer Banks was featured during Netflix's Tudum event in Los Angeles on May 31. After the event, Stokes dropped several pictures from the night on his Instagram. Everything seemed normal until a meme from the game Merge Mansion appeared in the middle of pics of the Outer Banks cast. In the meme, an animated grandma, I guess, has "he is alive" written on her hand.
Of course, this sent fans into a frenzy, and for good reason.. Needless to say, some fans are convinced that JJ is still alive and will be returning in Outer Banks season 5.
The big question is obviously why would Stokes post this? The drop also included pics of fellow Outer Banks stars who attended the event, including Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, and Drew Starkey.
After JJ was killed in the Outer Banks season 4 finale, fans have been hoping that, because there was no body, JJ somehow survived in the Moroccan desert after being stabbed by his own father. We've heard that Outer Banks season 5 will be a season about revenge. The Pogues want to avenge JJ's death and steal back the Blue Crown that could make them rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Outer Banks season 5 starts filming very soon, thanks to updates from Madelyn Cline and Starkey. Will Pankow be there? We'll have to wait and see, but I have my suspicions.
While I would love to entertain the idea of Pankow returning alive and well in Outer Banks season 5, I just don't really think that's going to happen. I don't really know who it serves, you know? If JJ were alive, it makes so much more sense to do a cliffhanger ending for season 4. We see it all the time with shows. They leave a character in limbo until the next season. That didn't really happen in Outer Banks season 5. Instead, we got a lot of closure. We got the fade out for JJ. We got the interviews immediately after the season. It just doesn't feel like JJ is alive based on how TV shows usually handle situations like this.
If Pankow does return and JJ is still alive, I will be absolutely shocked. It would be one of the greatest performances in TV history, convincing fans that JJ was dead and then keeping it a secret for more than two years by the time season 5 premieres.
I just don't see how they could even keep it a secret with how many leaks while Outer Banks is filming a normal season. If Pankow is returning, we'll definitely find out long before the show premieres.
Outer Banks season 5, which is also the final season of the series, will be released sometime in 2026 on Netflix. Stay tuned for more news about the hit series!