Fans of Netflix’s Outer Banks were dealt a major blow after showrunners killed off OG Pogue JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow). However, creators Jonas Pate, Josh Pate, and Shannon Burke trusted their writers to make the best decisions for the show’s upcoming and final season. Although JJ Maybank worked to move the storyline forward for the existing four seasons, his character arc fell flat, leaving little room for the Pogues to grow as individuals or as a group. It was often the Pogue’s altercations with the Kooks — namely, Rafe Cameron (Drew Starkey) — which made for countless twists and turns as the often confounding storyline unfurled for all the characters in Season 4.
In JJ’s absence, Rafe is one of the best replacements. Yes, Rafe is known for his volatile relationships, especially with his Kook-Turned-Pogue sister Sarah (Madelyn Cline). Although Season 4 had a ton of flaws, it still set the stage for a reformed version of Rafe to emerge. JJ would have kept the plot stagnant, but Rafe stands to add just enough drama to make Season 5 the Outer Bank’s best season yet. Since Outer Banks is, at times, as comical as Riverdale, it requires an ending that offers a balance of absurdity and sentimentality. And there’s no reason Rafe’s proposed redemption character arc can’t make this happen.
Rafe Joining the Pogues Can Change the Show’s Entire Dynamic
JJ’s character arc ran in place, each antic redundant, from his rebellious nature to his blatant disregard for what his fellow Pogues needed and asked for. Whether it’s television or a movie, character arcs set the tone for the entire performance, and Rafe is primed to fill this role. He’s demonstrated himself to be a person of highly questionable morals, his actions towards his sister despicable. But as Season 4 wore on, audiences saw a fractionally lighter side of Rafe. He reached out to Sarah, trying to fix the bond he had broken, even if indirectly. He even helped the Pogues toward the end of the season, securing them a boat for their next venture. No, this wasn’t altruistic, as Rafe had ulterior motives. However, his character arc ebbed and flowed, making it obvious that all hope was not lost for him.
With a less-than-stellar father figure (and that’s putting it lightly), Rafe and Sarah were forced to forge their own paths, Sarah found the Pogues, while Rafe continued to run with the Kooks. The Pogues’ interaction with the Kooks is fraught with tension and anxiety, a relentless form of class warfare that seems to be the very essence of Outer Banks. At times, Rafe was absolutely one of the most selfish men on TV, but his relationship with Sofia (Fiona Palomo) has softened him and the loss of his father has made him question his life decisions. Even after finding out about Sofia’s betrayal, it’s possible that he could form some alliance or friendship with Kiara (Madison Bailey) and reconcile the bad blood between them that came from when they were captured by Carlos Singh (Andy McQueen).
New Character Arcs Teach Valuable Lessons
If Season 5 continues to follow Sarah’s pregnancy (instead of fast-forwarding), audiences may get to see the siblings bonding over a new family member instead of constantly rehashing the past. There are opportunities for John B (Chase Stokes) to overcome his aggression towards the Kooks, Rafe’s character providing crucial insight that may bridge the gap between the two groups. No, there doesn’t need to be a completely harmonious relationship between them, but John B and Rafe burying the hatchet shows that people are capable of change, allowing Outer Banks to have some uplifting moments rife with sentimentality and long-lasting impact.
Rafe has also overcome countless obstacles; this doesn’t excuse his behavior in the slightest, but it opens the door for honest discussions about unresolved trauma from his childhood. From there, the focus is on how he can use these experiences to better himself. By allowing Rafe to assume JJ’ empty space on Outer Banks, creators allow the show to reach its conclusion with a fresh perspective: the villain isn’t so villainous after all. But that’s only if he truly is redeemed and if he becomes less volatile and (hopefully) more of a team player.
Even if Rafe reverts to his old ways in Season 5, there are still countless ways he can shake the season up for the greater good. Rafe might be a point of contention between the Kooks and the Pogues, and his role in the latter’s lives may cause a “turf war,” so to speak. Instead of the two factions working tirelessly to cut each other down to size — harming innocent sea turtles in the process — Rafe might help find common ground between the two groups. It would be exciting to see Rafe actually acknowledge the trauma he’s dealt with and find a place among the Pogues. While JJ’s antics were starting to feel stale, Rafe joining the group could help the Pogues in a way JJ never could.
