The stars of Outer Banks have reacted to the shocking death of one of the main characters in season four part two.

Fans were left outraged when the beloved personality was killed off on the hit Netflix show’s season finale, which dropped this week.

Now one of the leading actresses on the show has referred to the dearly departed character as ‘the heart of Outer Banks.’

A leading actor on the series said he would be ‘forever grateful for the experience’ he had working with the star who has just been removed from the series.

However the man who plays the murdered character has said that when he read his death scene, he ‘understood,’ in an inside look video for Netflix.

Outer Banks stars Austin North, Fiona Palomo, Madelyn Cline, Chase Stokes, Madison Bailey, Drew Starkey, Carlacia Grant, Jonathan Davies and Rudy Pankow are pictured last week

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Fans of the show were left devastated when JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow), died in the arms of his girlfriend Kiara (Madison Bailey).

JJ was fatally stabbed by his own father Chandler Groff (played by J. Anthony Crane) in Morocco after he had pulled out a knife on Kiara (Madison Bailey) and tried to rob them of their treasure. 

In a desperate attempt to save his girlfriend’s life, the Pogue offered his dad the crown – but he had his stomach slashed anyway.

As he took his final breath, JJ told Kiara: ‘Take care of the others. I love you, Kie.’

Now Rudy has said: ‘When I first found out that JJ was going to risk it all and not make it I understood it because when I read the character breakdown for the audition, it said: “loyal to a fault,” and I think as the stakes got higher and higher, his whole thing is, he takes the risk and puts his friends before himself.’

The actor continued: ‘He has to judge every moment of his life if it is worth it, and I think it’s constantly: “Yeah, it is.” Life is really precious and fragile and his death really does set up the future of OBX with the question of what is worth it and when someone that close to you is gone, how do you navigate that?’

Madison Bailey, who plays  Kiara, said JJ ’embodies the spirit of never giving up and rebelling against what is expected of you to save what really matters.’

Meanwhile Kelsea Ballerini’s boyfriend Chase Stokes, who plays JJ’s best friend John B, shared his thoughts on the connection between the characters.

Outer Banks fan favorite character JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow) was killed off

JJ – played by Rudy Pankow – succumbed to his injuries after being stabbed by his father 

He took his last breaths in the company of his girlfriend Kiara

Stars of the show have reacted to the shocking death of a main character in season four part two; Chase, Jonathan, Madelyn and Rudy pictured 

‘The beauty of John and JJ, it shows the true definition of what friendship is – it’s not just the high fives, it’s the lows, it’s holding each other accountable,’ said Chase.

‘And I’m forever grateful for the experience that I’ve had with Rudy, it’s just been such a fun component of the show to shoot,’ he added.

The program’s leading lady Madelyn Cline hailed JJ as ‘the heart of Outer Banks,’ gushing: ‘He is such a wild card and it was something that we all love.’ 

A montage of JJ’s life and treasured memories with the rest of the Pogues then played out, with Chase Stokes’ character John B paying an emotional tribute.

‘Everyone you know will die,’ he said. ‘Your father, your mother, and even your best friend.’

He continued: ‘I like to think it’s not so much how many years you get, but what you do with them.

‘And JJ packed it in. A whole life in those 20 years.’

John B added: ‘Adventure, romance. Some tough things, that was part of it too. Sacrifice. And friendship.

Meanwhile Kelsea Ballerini ‘s boyfriend Chase Stokes (left), who plays JJ’s (right)best friend John B, shared his thoughts on the connection between the characters 

The program’s leading lady Madelyn Cline (left) hailed JJ as ‘the heart of Outer Banks,’ gushing: ‘He is such a wild card and it was something that we all love’

‘If JJ was the king of anything, he was the king of friendship. He held us all together. He was the best friend we ever had.’

Viewers were crushed by JJ’s untimely and unexpected death and slammed the character’s ‘horrible ending’ on social media.

Taking to X, one said: ‘JJ Maybank, you will forever be loved. The people’s prince. I’m sorry we couldn’t protect you from your actor, writers and cast drama. There’s no Outer Banks without you.’

‘JJ Maybank comes back, it can’t end like this,’ another said.

A third vented: ‘I seriously need to stop getting attached to characters that are traumatic. They never get a happy ending. JJ never got a single peaceful moment in all four seasons of Outer Banks, and now his final scene is all over my feed. I’m so hurt and heartbroken.’

Echoing a similar sentiment, another said: ‘There is no Outer Banks without JJ.

‘There is no pogues without one of the members, there is no s5 without JJ. A huge script hole and all this because the actors have personal problems between them.’

‘Sorry but there is literally NO Outer Banks without JJ Maybank,’ posted a fifth.

Drew, Chase, Madison, Carlacia, Austin, Rudy, Madelyn and Jonathan are pictured attending the show’s season four premiere in Charleston on October 8 

A sixth continued: ‘Taking everyone’s favourite character away? Whose decision was this? Horrible ending, it definitely won’t be the same without JJ.’

JJ’s shock death comes just days after Netflix announced it has renewed Outer Banks for a fifth and final season.

A newsletter called Dispatch to all Pogues was shared by creators and executive producers Jonas Pate, Josh Pate, and Shannon Burke on Monday, confirming the update.

In their statement the trio said that they got the idea to write the series when they came across a snapsH๏τ of teenagers ‘on a beach at dusk during a power outage’ in 2017.

‘At the time, seven years ago, it seemed impossible that we would really get to tell the whole five season story, but here we are, at the end of our fourth season, still chopping away,’ they penned.

Another part of the note read: ‘Now, with a little sadness, but also excitement, we’re putting Season Four behind us, and are turning to Season Five, in which we hope to bring our beloved Pogues home in the way we imagined and planned years ago.’

The letter continued: ‘The fourth season was our longest and hardest – but most rewarding – to produce.

‘The season ends with a feature length episode, which we think is our best, most powerful episode. We hope you feel the same way.’

Concluding their announcement, they said: ‘Season Five will be our last season, and we think it will be our best yet. We hope you’ll join us for one more paddle out to the surf break.’