Why Isn't Rudy Pankow Returning for “Outer Banks” Season 5? All About JJ's Final Scene — And How the Cast Has Reacted to His Shocking Departure

'Outer Banks' creators had planned JJ's tragic end from the start

Warning: Outer Banks season 4 spoilers ahead!

After years of treasure hunting together, the Outer Banks Pogues are left mourning one of their own.

The shocking season 4 finale of the Netflix series ended with the tragic death of JJ Maybank, the beloved OG Pogue played by Rudy Pankow. Earlier in the season, JJ learned he was born a Kook and that Chandler Groff was his biological father. In a heartbreaking twist, it’s Groff who kills JJ during their fight for the Blue Crown.

Related: Outer Banks Season 4 Part 2 Ending Explained: Who Died and What Happened to Sarah and John B?

Although fans have speculated Pankow's exit was tied to a feud between him and his on-screen girlfriend, Kiara (Madison Bailey), Outer Banks creators and showrunners have confirmed that his death was planned from the start.

"For a long time we had known that someone was going to die," showrunner Shannon Burke told Teen Vogue following the season's part 2 premiere on Nov. 7. "We thought it was going to be JJ all along."

A source also told PEOPLE exclusively that Pankow and Bailey are not feuding, despite ongoing fan speculation.

So, why isn't JJ returning to Outer Banks season 5? Here's everything to know about Rudy Pankow's exit from the show.

Why was JJ killed in season 4?

Although JJ’s death shocked viewers, Outer Banks creators told Tudum that his fate had been set from the start to pave the way for the fifth and final season.

"We’re planning a story of redemption, and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent," showrunner Josh Pate explained. "JJ's death was a hard but necessary piece of the architecture for the story, and we plan on honoring that as much as we can because we love the character as much as the fans do."

Burke also shared with Teen Vogue that JJ’s death will serve as the "main spine" of season 5.

Related: Outer Banks Season 5: All About the Netflix Series' Final Installment — and How They'll Explain that Shocking Season 4 Death

"It's going to change them. They began as kids who just wanted to have a good time all the time, and now they've gone the full spectrum now, where one of them has died in a terrible way," she said.

However, just because JJ is gone doesn't mean he won't be a theme throughout season 5's story line.

Pankow told Tudum that his character's death "really does set up the future of OBX with the question, what is worth it? And when someone that close to you is gone, how do you navigate that?”

How did JJ die?

After successfully retrieving the Blue Crown, JJ and Kiara reunite and attempt to find the rest of their crew. However, they hit an obstacle when Groff, JJ's biological father, appears and puts Kiara in a chokehold.

Groff demands the crown in exchange for Kiara’s freedom, forcing JJ to choose between the treasure he and his friends have been chasing or the girl he loves. In a testament to his growth, JJ hands over the crown, telling Groff he already has everything he needs — his friends.

True to his word, Groff releases Kiara. However, in a final act of cruelty, he stabs JJ, telling him that he and his friends should have thrown him a rope earlier when they left him trapped down a well, leading JJ to fall to the ground.

In JJ's final moments before he dies in Kiara's arms, he tells her, "Take care of the others. I love you Kie."

Burke explained to Teen Vogue that the line about "taking care of the others" was Pankow’s contribution, while the idea for JJ’s final words to Kiara came from the showrunners.

Although filming the final scene was emotional for him, Pankow shared with Tudum that the focus was ultimately on creating a meaningful moment.

"I think deep down, everyone was on the same page ... ‘Let’s make an impact.’ And I think we did that," he said.

What has Rudy Pankow said about his exit from the show?

JJ has always been known as a Pogue who takes big risks. Reflecting on how this particular one would lead to his character's death, Pankow told Tudum that he “understood it.”

“When I read the character breakdown for the audition, it said ‘loyal to a fault.’ And as the stakes got higher and higher, his whole thing is taking risks and putting his friends before himself,” he explained.

Pankow also expressed gratitude for his time on the show. Thanking the cast and crew, he told Tudum, “This is by far the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my career, and to have this as my start is a start of a lifetime.”

He added that playing JJ had a profound impact on him: “It’s been an honor to bring him to life for you all, and it’s been a joy to play him. P4L!”

How did the cast react to JJ's death?

When filming JJ's final scene, the cast knew it would be emotional for fans. “This character is a huge loss, and everybody’s going to feel it,” Bailey told Tudum.

Pankow added of shooting the scene, “I knew everyone was on board to bring their all, and I felt that from everyone. Bailey and I brought it, and I know that we crushed it. It was emotional, but I think deep down, everyone was on the same page ... ‘Let’s make an impact.’ And I think we did that.”

Chase Stokes, who plays John B, told Deadline he is "forever grateful for the experience that I’ve had with Rudy, it’s just been such a fun component of the show to shoot," while Madelyn Cline (Sarah Cameron) called JJ  “the heart of Outer Banks." She added, “He is such a wild card and it was something that we all love."

Could JJ appear in Outer Banks season 5?

When asked by Cosmopolitan about the possibility of JJ returning in season 5, showrunner Jonas Pate didn't rule it out completely: "Never say never," he said.

Although his return seems unlikely, fans will have to wait until season 5 premieres to know for sure. Despite JJ's absence, showrunners have teased that the new season will be just as action-packed as ever.

"We think it will be our best [season] yet," the creators said in their  "dispatch to all Pogues" letter on Instagram announcing the series was coming to a close.