Fans of Outer Banks are expecting to be reunited with their favorite Pogues later this year when the hit teen drama series premieres on the 2024 TV schedule. Excitement has been building for quite some time over Season 4, with the first official look at the upcoming OBX episodes coming from Netflix’s Tudum event last year. As the yet-to-be-determined release date creeps closer and closer, fans like myself are starting to worry that this might be the last time we see these characters in action, especially after one star shared a sappy post on social media.

It’s undeniable that the Outer Banks stars are getting older which sometimes makes it harder for people to believe in the teenage antics their characters find themselves in. Netflix also has a history of keeping shows, even the most popular ones, limited to only a handful of seasons for some reason. But the most alarming piece of evidence that OBX may be headed into its final season comes in the form of star Chase Stokes’ latest Instagram post that reflects on his time as the iconic John B. Take a look for yourself:

It’s the final image in the four-photo carousel that invoked the biggest emotion for me personally, though, showing the original four Pogus walking down a familiar dock. Add that with the mushy caption the rising star included, and well, can you really blame me for being worried?

This might seem counter-productive to my views now, but truthfully, I would have been happy had the series ended after Season 3. The creators managed to wrap up nearly every loose end and even gave us a glimpse into what these characters’ lives were like in the future, once the treasure hunt finally ended.

Unfortunately, they also committed the fatal Netflix show flaw and included a cliffhanger that saw the Pogues being asked to help with another treasure hunt. One that involved Edward Teach aka Blackbeard.

From left to right: Madison Bailey as Kiara and Rudy Pankow as JJ in Season 3 of Outer Banks.

Knowing that it took the Pogues three seasons to figure out the El Dorado treasure, it seems very unlikely that they’re going to manage to find this new treasure in only one season. Sure, they’re older now, they have learned a lot, and we know they won’t tap out of the hunt, but a secret pirate treasure seems like it would be a lot harder to find.

If Season 4 is the final season, and the creators know this, then I fear they’re going to rush into solving this mystery and ignore important character arcs that are the real reason I find myself turning in to watch. I would much rather get at least two seasons out of this new adventure so nothing feels rushed, but that doesn’t seem likely now.

Not only does Stokes’ post make me worried about the latest season, but it also has me fearful of what his character’s fate is going to be if this really is the end of the story. Anyone who has ever seen the show knows that John B. almost died multiple times. His adventurous personality is a trait he inherited from his father that ended up leading to his death, which makes me worried that history will repeat itself. I certainly hope I’m wrong though! Not every show needs shocking character deaths to make it interesting.

With no official word, yet, on when Outer Banks Season 4 will be released, fans can get their ‘Pogue Life’ fix by streaming the first three seasons with a Netflix subscription.