The Coastal Venture
Outer Banks Season 2 marks its finale with a slap – quite literally. Sarah strikes her Father as he apologizes, claiming it was the only way for their family to be together. Ward set up the explosion all this time, using scuba gear to swim away; timed to the second to make it look as authentic as possible. Ward admits he didn’t think Sarah would be there but she was, and found herself stuck carrying this phantom grief. The ship they’re on is bound for a paradise just off the coast of Guadeloupe. Ward claims they handed over the cross to John B but Sarah is wise to her Father’s trickery and knows there’s more going on here. And it doesn’t take long before she notices the cross in the cargo hold. While their uneasy family reunion continues, the kids try to find a way out the container. The “A-Team” all break up, with Pope managing to sneak into the engine room. There, she finds Cleo working as an engineer. Pope’s cover is blown but as he mentions John B and Sarah, Cleo switches sides. She heads down to the container with the others, reminding them of their impossible odds. John B even shoots the bombshell reveal about Ward being alive. However, guards arrive and force Cleo to lie, claiming she’s already searched the container. It’s enough of a distraction to allow Cleo and Pope to work together, taking out a pair of sailors – which includes the captain. They force him to put out a call to meet in the hull. It’s just what the kids need to lock the sailors inside while taking the bridge for themselves. Sarah meanwhile finds herself engaged in a heated debate with Ward. Well, it’s less a debate and more Ward telling her she’s leaving. After smacking her Father with a hook, Sarah eventually locks Ward in a room. With everything going their way, Pope and the others manage to find the cross and set to work tying it up. While they do, John B goes in search of Sarah. Only, he instead finds Rafe who comes at him with a weapon. Even worse, Ward and the others are let loose, courtesy of the ship’s captain. Skirmishes break out across the ship, with Ward and John B going toe to toe. It’s a scene that feels reminiscent of the past, especially given what Ward did to his Father. Well, John B decides not to throw him overboard, although a nasty blow to the back of the head sees Ward woozy and bleeding out nonetheless. Meanwhile, Pope continues to move the cross with the ship’s crane but runs out of time. Rafe grabs the stray rope, desperate to try and free it before dropping to a watery tomb. This is just the distraction the kids need to scramble off the boat and break free from Ward’s grip. From the boat however, Rafe grabs a gun and prepares to fire at them. He can’t bring himself to do it though, as the kids manage to get away. JJ regains consciousness after being hit with the blunt end of a machete, while Ward and the others manage to get the cross back aboard the ship. The kids have lost the gold and the cross, leaving them with nothing else to do but surf. Back on the boat, Rafe promises to do his best to bring Sarah back. He also promises to be a better man too, but Ward is not in the talkative mood. Meanwhile, the families and friends back home are worried sick. Missing posters are put up, Shoupe holds a press conference and various residents hover around trying to make sense of what’s happened. In Bridgeport Barbados, Limbrey shows up holding an envelope from a mysterious man. In his house, she finds a map, diagrams and various other documents. As she heads outside, she speaks to a mysterious man wearing glasses, who tells her she needs to help his son. And that person? None other than John B’s Father! Oh my god, what a twist!
The Episode Review
Outer Banks storms onto screens for this final episode with some big revelations and lots of plot points set up for season 3. While the dreaded Netflix cliffhanger is annoying, given the popularity of this show it seems like it will be renewed for a third season. Let’s just hope Netflix make a move on this sooner rather than later. So with John B’s father still alive, what does this mean for our kids? Well, it seems like Limbrey is working with him but how deep this goes and how far back in history remains too be seen. However, it could well lead to friction growing between Pope and John B if their families are on opposite sides of this conflict dating back generations. This finale does do quite well to add action into the fold, with plenty of drama on the boat. The poetic way John B and Ward were fighting, with the former given the choice of potentially getting rid of Ward by dumping him off the ocean only reinforces how far these kids have come. Likewise, thee show does a great job fleshing out each of its supporting characters and this season has seen the will they/won’t they romance between Kie and Pope fizzle out by the end as the pair decide to stay friends in the end. While a little bittersweet, at least it keeps the friend dynamic going. As it stands though, Outer Banks Season 2 has been just as enjoyable as the first, albeit more contrived and not quite as tightly written. Still, the big twists and late-season treasure hunt are enough to make for an enjoyable watch nonetheless.
