Blackbeard's Blue Crown.

As the seasons have progressed, Outer Banks has raised the stakes, and season 4 saw the group fighting both Groff and mercenaries called the Lupine Corsairs for the treasure, putting them in more danger than ever. By Outer Banks season 4, part 2's ending, the group managed to find the treasure first, but in a shocking twist, JJ was killed by Groff. The moment was utterly surprising given how integral JJ is to the group, but the cast's recent appearance only makes the actor's absence more visible going into the final season.

Outer Banks' Cast Reuniting At Netflix TUDUM For Season 5 Without Rudy Pankow Is A Harsh Reminder Of JJ's Death

JJ's Death Is A Huge Loss For The Show

Netflix's 2025 Tudum event happened on May 31, with the streamer releasing new information and clips for new seasons of several of their biggest shows. The event also included a reunion of the main cast of Outer Banks. Saturday's event was the cast's first reunion since the season 4 finale, helping build anticipation for the fifth and final season of the successful series. While Madelyn Cline was missing from the event, the absence of Rudy Pankow was even more notable given season 4's ending twist.

Throughout each of its four seasons, Outer Banks has always done a very good job at keeping viewers hooked, but season 4's ending created a completely new type of cliffhanger for the series. Previous seasons have seen the Pogues get into tricky situations, becoming stranded on an island or losing all their money. JJ's death in season 4 was the first time one of the core characters has actually died, though, and the Tudum event just made his absence from the season feel even more real.

As the release of Outer Banks season 5 gets closer, the cast will undoubtedly do more events together to hype up the release, but sadly Rudy Pankow will continue to be absent from now on. The death of a major character was certainly a shock, especially a character as beloved as JJ, so the characters and the conclusion of their story will need to do him justice. Because JJ was there from the beginning, Outer Banks will fundamentally have to change, and Tudum 2025 made it clear that part of the change is in the show's Pogue group.

Drew Starkey Being With The Pogues Actors At TUDUM Further Sets Up Rafe Being JJ's Outer Banks Season 5 Replacement

Rafe Seems Set On Getting Revenge With The Pogues

In addition to Rudy Pankow being notably absent from Tudum 2025's lineup, the event did include a new addition to the group in the form of Drew Starkey, who plays Rafe. While Rafe has always been a crucial part of the series, he has almost exclusively been an antagonist to the Pogues. This only began to change by the end of season 4, when circumstances found him facing off against Chandler Groff.

Drew Starkey has always had great chemistry with his Outer Banks castmates, even in moments when his character is opposing them.

Though Rafe's motivations have always been quite selfish (and there is a degree of selfishness in wanting to pursue Groff for the money), his convincing the group that they should seek revenge for JJ's death does feel like a big character change. Even if he may still be at least partially in the treasure hunt for himself, Outer Banks season 4's ending does show that he is starting to come around to being part of the Pogues, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out in the final season.

Starkey has always had great chemistry with his Outer Banks castmates, even in moments when his character is opposing them. Despite being one of the most frustrating characters in earlier seasons, Starkey's Rafe has gotten some redemption going into season 5, and the series can lean into his character's complicated dynamic with the rest of the group. Though it will continue to be disappointing that Rudy Pankow will be absent from cast events for Outer Banks, the series can still make Rafe into a true Pogue for the final season.