JJ Maybank was the show’s most popular bad guy, although his tragic past made him one of the most upsetting characters to watch. Outer Banks can be seen on Netflix.
In the Netflix original series Outer Banks, JJ Maybank is a part of the Pogues as well as John B.’s longest childhood buddy. JJ shines among his pals since he is hyperactive, rash, and the one who is responsible for the majority of the crazy choices that the group makes.
In a production as intense and dramatic as Outer Banks, he also serves as a source of humorous relief for the audience.
Despite his quips and his “Yolo” attitude, JJ is really going through a lot of internal turmoil. JJ is the recipient of many unfortunate occurrences in Outer Banks, as opposed to John B. and Sarah, both of whom also live there.
JJ is one of the most depressing protagonists in the Netflix series because of his traumatic past and the fact that the community despises his own existence.
He Yearned for His Father’s Love and Approval
Because of the extensive physical and emotional abuse that JJ endured while in his father’s care, the viewpoint that advocates for reconciliation between JJ and his father is not widely held.
And despite the fact that his father treats him like he has no value, JJ does, on occasion, find himself longing for his paternal figure. It’s a manipulating scenario due to the fact that JJ’s dad may occasionally be the fun-loving guy that JJ wants, yet he’s too tied up in his own troubles to provide JJ the love and security that he needed. This leaves JJ vulnerable to being manipulated.
When JJ entertained the idea of murdering his father, it was painful to see his thoughts unfold as they went through his brain. His father was abusive, to put it mildly.
On the other hand, this guy was his father, and he was well aware that he could never bring himself to fire the gun.
JJ Came From A Violent And Threatening Home Environment
At the outset, JJ was subjected to physical and verbal abuse at the hands of his father. JJ was influenced by the fact that his father had a difficult life filled with drug use and alcohol use. JJ had a desire for a father figure when he was a young adult, but his own father was never able to fulfill that role.
When the audience did get a glimpse of JJ at his house, it was almost always when he was heading for a hostile encounter with a person they found unlikeable.
Because of this, he went to spend the night at John B.’s so frequently because it offered him a comfortable place to lay his head. It’s unfortunate to think that JJ had a father figure in his life but that the man was never really there for him.
The True Motivation Behind J.J.’s Constant Carrying of a Gun
The Pogues were astonished to discover that Scooter Grubbs’ yacht had sunk in the water following the storm, which occurred shortly after Scooter had gone missing.
The Pogues frustrated that Scooter was nowhere to be found, plunged into the water, gathered everything they could, and began their search for him. They were only able to find one key, which led them to a hotel room that had a loaded pistol in the room’s safe.
As JJ prepared to leave, he brought the pistol with him and made sure to have it on him at all times.
The Pogues despised the fact that JJ always carried the weapon with him due to the risk it posed. Having said that, there is a more substantial motivation to carry a firearm.
JJ is subjected to a hostile environment on a daily basis by his family as well as by the Kooks.
JJ’s possession of a pistol wasn’t simply a method for him to make a statement; it was also a means of keeping him safe and a safeguard that would defend him in the event that all other measures failed, which is very tragic in and of itself.
He Had to Put Up With Constant Harassment At The Hands Of The Kooks
According to legend, the Kooks and the Pogues have a deep history of hostility against one another. The people who reside in The Cut and are members of the working class are known as Pogues, whereas the Kooks are individuals who are affluent and well-off.
The Kooks and the Pogues have a mutual contempt for each other and as a result, whenever they run into one other at the Outer Banks, they are quick to engage in antagonistic behavior against one another.
Unfortunately, due to the extroverted attitude of JJ, he is continually harassed and tormented by the Kooks. This is a consequence of his exuberant personality. In the episode “Midsummer,” they ambushed him in the locker room, which ultimately led to his dismissal.
The Absence of JJ’s Mother
Both John B. and JJ lacked the presence of their parents in their lives, but John B. was the only one of the two to be raised without his parents.
In addition to that, a shockingly little amount is stated about her. JJ’s father placed the guilt for his mother’s departure squarely on his shoulders, although it has never been revealed where she went.
It is heartbreaking to think of how much JJ wanted somebody to truly care about him at home, especially in light of the fact that he does not have a mother figure in his life.
There is also a rumor on Reddit about the Outer Banks that suggests Rose, Ward Cameron’s second wife and the mother of JJ’s real mother, is really JJ’s birth mother. It is assumed that she gave up her life as a Pogue in order to wed a Kook.
There’s a Chance That He Has Feelings for a Girl Who Doesn’t Share Those Feelings with Him
At the beginning of Outer Banks, it is hinted that Kiara and John B. each had a secret crush on the other. Since JJ had quite a crush on Kiara for a long time and constantly hoped that something might develop between them.
JJ was pleased when Kiara and John B. confessed that they would be best off as pals; nevertheless, things became worse for him after that.
Shortly after, Pope took an advance on Kiara, and the two of them began to develop emotions for one another. Despite the fact that JJ, who is a very proud guy, has never spoken his thoughts on the topic, it is clear how much he likes Kiara.
His Breakdown After John B.’s “Death”
They were being pursued by the authorities when John B. and Sarah decided to escape by stealing a boat and setting sail on the open water. However, when a terrible storm arrived, everybody believed that they had perished at sea.
The Pogues were utterly heartbroken over the tragic death of their buddy John B., particularly given the fact that he was being pursued by the police for a felony that he was not guilty of. Rafe, not John B., was the real criminal, and it was he who set John B. up for the heinous acts he committed.
Despite this, JJ was very affected by John B.’s defeat. John B. had been his buddy for the longest time, and he was the only person who knew how it felt to grow up without caring parents. Seeing him in such a miserable state was painful.
Everybody Believes That He Will Follow in His Father’s Footsteps And Go To Jail
The members of the city’s police department were familiar with JJ’s background and way of life due to the legal troubles that JJ’s father had in the past.
Regrettably, they have seen how disruptive JJ might be at times, and over the course of the broadcast, they made remarks predicting that he would soon be doing time in prison much like his father.
JJ made some heartfelt statements about how he wished he could do more with his life yet felt that he was doomed to spend his life in prison since it was the path that was expected of him by the community.
When JJ was detained for the first time, it was because he had taken the responsibility for a criminal offense that Pope was legally responsible for and had been arrested for it. After posting bail, JJ was allowed to go free, however, everybody expected he would be back shortly.
He is Never Taken Seriously By Anyone
When the Pogues begin on the quest for the treasure, and subsequently when they go on the hunt for John B, the gang dismisses many of JJ’s ideas as irrelevant. Kiara and Pope often disregard JJ because they believe his ideas to be either too risky or too fantastical.
Nevertheless, there were certain situations in which JJ’s suggestions were the only viable ones available to them. Who is to say that they would have located John B. and Sarah while they were hiding out in Charleston if it weren’t for JJ and his can-do attitude?
Rather than being chased away, what JJ wanted was love and respect from the other members of the Pogues. One of the most compelling aspects of his character was the devotion that he had for his companions.