Who Is JJ's Real Dad in 'Outer Banks'? Season 4 Reveals His Biological Parents

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 4 of Outer Banks .

Season 4 of Outer Banks opens with the Pogues enjoying a seemingly peaceful life in their new sanctuary, Poguelandia 2.0. But, of course, that doesn’t last long. After JJ (Rudy Pankow) blows the bag, pushing them into a financial rut, the group is forced to consider Wes Genrette's (David Jensen) suggestion to search for Blackbeard’s treasure. JJ also discovers a letter from Wes, written before his death, telling him to ask his dad about Albatross .

When JJ finally confronts his father, he learns that Albatross is the name of the boat where Larissa Genrette tragically passed away. But the real bombshell drops when Luke (Gary Weeks) says, "I'm not your blood father, J." Baffled by the revelation, JJ barely manages to respond, "What?" prompting Luke to further clarify, "I'm not your father."

With that shocking twist, Outer Banks Season 4, Part 1 has left fans hanging, eagerly awaiting Part 2. But the big question remains: If Luke isn’t JJ’s dad, who is?

Who is JJ's father in 'Outer Banks'?

Luke not only reveals to JJ that he isn't his biological father in Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 5, but he also tells him, "The person you thought was your mother, she was just my girlfriend." While JJ shows some doubt in Luke's revelation, Luke tries to further explain, "Look, when I took you on, I was just trying to help."

JJ then asks, if Larissa is his mom, then who is his dad? To which Luke replies, "I mean, damn JJ, isn't it obvious?" JJ takes a moment to let it soak in and seems to come up with the answer.

It turns out, JJ's real father is Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane). That’s a bombshell no one saw coming! However, at the end of Part 1 of Outer Banks Season 4, it isn't clear if Chandler is also aware that JJ is his biological son.

So, who is JJ's real mom in 'Outer Banks'?

During their eye-opening conversation, Luke confirms to JJ that his real mom is Larissa. JJ, confused, responds to the newfound information, "Larissa, the one that died, that's the one you're talking about?" Luke then explains that Larissa was a good person and that JJ should be "proud to have her as a mother."

As it turns out, Larissa is the daughter of Wes Genrette, making her a direct descendant of Francis Genrette, the very man responsible for killing Blackbeard. She was also married to Chandler.

While fans were initially led to believe that Larissa’s baby had died, it turns out he survived (obviously), with Luke stepping in to care for him. Just as viewers are inching to the edge of their seats with this reveal, the shock continues. Since Chandler is JJ's real father, this technically makes him a Kook. Does this mean JJ will be affected by the Genrette curse? And how will the group move forward with this newfound information?

Clearly, there’s a lot to digest and speculate on, which might explain why Netflix opted to split Season 4 into two parts. Part 2 (five episodes) is set to release on Nov. 7, 2024.