9 Insane "Outer Banks" Theories That Would Totally Change The Show

Outer Banks Theories

JJ and Sarah Are Actually Siblings

My favorite fan theory for the future of Outer Banks is that Madelyn Cline's Sarah and Rudy Pankow's JJ are actually, secretly siblings. Considering we've never met either of their moms...and they're the same age...and they look similar, some fans are convinced that our two favorite blondes are half siblings.

One Reddit user is not a fan of this theory because "it just feels too forced and THEY'RE THE SAME AGE! meaning they would TWINS that were SEPARATED AT BIRTH?! that's insane even for obx."

JJ's Dad Will Return

As much as I hate JJ's dad in Outer Banks, I do love scenes he's in, just because he plays such a pivotal role in JJ's character arc. And I definitely think we'll see him again. "I can see him being a minor villain next season," one Reddit user agrees. "Every season seems to be revolved around a character. Maybe it’ll be JJ’s season?"

Outer Banks Has Always Been A Story From John B.

"Based on how much inspiration the show takes from the Uncharted video games, I think the final scene of the show will be John B and Sarah sitting down and telling the stories of their adventures to their daughter," one Reddit user says. "That's where John B's narration comes from."

I'm a sucker for a full circle moment, especially when it involves telling stories to the next generation (hello Jane the Virgin!). Considering John B. and Sarah have been endgame since the beginning, I would love to see them telling the whole Pogue story to their kids — and maybe JJ and Kiara's too?

Outer Banks Hot Takes

Pope Should Have Ditched The Treasure Hunt

One Reddit user is convinced that "Pope should’ve focused on his future in school instead of giving everything up to search for treasure." And TBH, I totally agree.

In season 1, Pope has a breakthrough about the hidden treasure in the middle of his scholarship interview. He ditches the scholarship committee to tell the rest of the Pogues, throwing away a crazy educational opportunity. Pope beats himself up for it, and his parents definitely aren't pleased, but at least it meant he got to stay in the show instead of leaving for college, which leads me to...

JJ and Kiara Never Should Have Happened

While JJ and Kiara is one of the most popular ships on the show, a lot of Outer Banks fans think the "no Pogue-on-Pogue macking" rule from the pilot should have stayed in effect. The individual romances between Kiara and JJ, John B., and Pope make the story really messy, and the fact the show writes Kiara to be with all three of them in the span of three years gives a lot of viewers the ick.

I'll be team #Jiara forever (and literally screamed when The Backseat Lovers' "Kilby Girl" started playing during the motorcycle ride in season 3), but I'll say it would incredibly compelling to see a friend group take care of each other as much as the Pogues do without ever crossing over into romantic territory. That's found family, after all!

Rafe Shouldn't Have Any Kind Of Redemption Arc In Outer Banks Season 4

Drew Starkey the man that you are. According to one Reddit user, "Rafe should not have a love interest or a redemption arc" like we see in season 3. We spent all of season 1 and season 2 establishing that Rafe (played by Drew) would do anything it took to get what he wanted (including one successful murder and two other attempts?!). He shows next to no remorse for his actions, and exploring his literal psychopathic tendencies would take the show to a whole new level.

Outer Banks Should Have Started With The Pogues In Their 20s

As one of the only people alive who loves the post-time jump One Tree Hill, I would have loved to see OBX start off with the characters in their 20s (although it looks like that's where Outer Banks season 4 will pick up!). This would eliminate SO MANY problems from the jump because the Pogues wouldn't have to worry about missing school, they'd be more self-sufficient, and instead of being the same old high school drama, it could have provided a commentary on figuring out life in your 20s the same way Friends did.

Big John Should Never Have Returned

John B.'s dad's disappearance is the catalyst for the Pogues' journey at the beginning of Outer Banks, and Big John's return means the story feels somewhat repetitive in the third season, and it undoes a lot of the growth we've seen from John B. Plus, Big John is just SO chaotic, selfish, and dramatic. If he had truly died in season 1, we could have seen John B. wrestle with that finality, and how to cope with loss in the face of finding the treasure and falling in love with Sarah.

And Finally, Outer Banks Should Have Ended After Season 1

Outer Banks season 1 was exactly what we needed at the height of the pandemic. It was escapist — both in terms of the beach vacation vibes, but also because the '00s aesthetic took us right back to simpler times — and it had such a wonderfully resolved finale that some fans think nothing has matched it.