Who dies in Outer Banks season 3? (spoilers)

At long last, the highly anticipated third season of Outer Banks is here! The 10-episode installment picks up where we left off at the end of season 2, with John B and the crew out living in Poguelandia and John B’s father Big John back in the picture.

The start of the season sees the group trying to get back to the OBX while John B has an inkling his dad might be back. Fans of the teen series are so happy to see their favorite characters back on their screens, and the third season is certainly a worthy follow-up.

Most of the cast returns for Outer Banks season 3, including Chase Stokes as John B Routledge, Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron, Rudy Pankow as JJ Maybank, Madison Bailey as Kiara Carrera, Jonathan Daviss as Pope Heyward, and Carlacia Grant as Cleo. Villains like Rafe Cameron (Drew Starkey) and his dad Ward Cameron (Charles Esten) are also back, and we’ll get to know a few new characters who are important this time around.

Spoilers ahead for Outer Banks season 3.

As with previous seasons, the characters get into really dangerous situations in Outer Banks season 3 as they hunt to find the buried treasure and protect one another. Though there are fewer fake-out deaths this time around, people do get hurt and, unfortunately, die. Here are the characters who don’t survive the third season.

Outer Banks season 3 deaths

• Portis
• Smugglers 1 & 2 (Carlos Singh’s guys)
• Tommy Sowell
• Ryan and another one of Carlos Singh’s guys
• Carlos Singh
• Ward
• Big John

The biggest deaths of the season, of course, are Ward and Big John. These are the dads of Sarah and John B, respectively. Now, the teens’ relationship will be forever changed after what they’ve been through together, and we hope they can support each other in their trauma. We’ll break down the deaths below.

How does Ward die in Outer Banks season 3?

Ward has a couple of near-death experiences in Outer Banks season 3, most at the hands of his son Rafe. But when he actually does die in the season 3 finale, it has nothing to do with Rafe, surprisingly. While out in South America trying to find the gold, Carlos Singh’s guy Ryan catches up to the group and points a gun at them. Knowing Sarah is in grave danger, Ward sacrifices himself and jumps on Ryan, and unfortunately, gets shot multiple times in the process. He and Ryan fall off a cliff and both die. It’s a horrifying scene for Sarah and her friends.

How does Big John die in Outer Banks season 3?

Though it looks like Big John might make it out alive, he sadly passes away while they’re leaving South America. Prior to John B and Sarah finding the treasure, they’re confronted by Carlos Singh and though they get away, Carlos is able to shoot and injure Big John. When they get to the cave, he has to sit out looking for the gold and hides from Carlos when he follows them there. By the end, the Pogues get Big John on a boat and try to keep him awake, but he doesn’t survive the gunshot wound.

Outer Banks season 4 is in the works, and we assume Ward and Big John’s deaths will be a big part of John B and Sarah’s storyline moving forward. Though both characters were far from perfect, they didn’t deserve to die.

All 10 episodes of Outer Banks season 3 are now streaming on Netflix.