How 'Outer Banks' Season 2 Could Play Out After *That* Cliffhanger

Spoilers ahead for Outer Banks Season 1. Outer Banks has already drawn frequent comparisons to The Goonies, and for good reason. After John B and his fellow Pogues discover that the long-rumored Royal Merchant treasure is not only real, but still up for grabs, they follow the clues that John B's missing dad left behind before he disappeared nine months ago. Turns out, X marks the spot in a well beneath the Crain residence. But finding the gold isn't even close to where Outer Banks Season 1 ends.

After John B and the crew find the forgotten treasure, he enlists the help of Kook Sarah Cameron, and ends up falling for her...despite the fact that she's the ex-friend of his former crush and fellow Pogue Kiara. This leads to Sarah's father, Ward, overhearing their discovery. He's able to piece together where the gold is buried and swoops in to steal it before the Pogues, sending it on a twin-engine plane to the Bahamas. Sarah's brother, Rafe, ends up killing Sheriff Peterkin in a standoff on the tarmac, and Ward subsequently pins the murder on John B. As a result, he flees town with Sarah, steering JJ's family boat directly into a hurricane in order to escape the authorities.

When Ward radios in to try and convince John B to bring his daughter back, the Pogue instead accuses Mr. Cameron of murdering his father and framing him, with both the local police and SBI (yes, that's what they're called!) listening to the transmission. The two lovebirds are capsized by a huge wave, but they're rescued the next morning by fishermen headed to...you guessed it: the Bahamas!

Outer Banks hasn't been renewed yet by Netflix, but this feels like a clear set-up for Season 2. Sarah and John B will obviously try to steal the gold back from Ward, though it likely won't be smooth sailing. Who knows where the gold is or if it's exchanged hands since it arrived (if it arrived). Their problems are just beginning.

On the home front, law enforcement will probably question Ward about the accusations John B leveled against him. But Ward clearly knows how to weasel his way out of things, and the new sheriff isn't as upstanding as Peterkin was and could probably be bought off. The same can't be said for Rafe. He no longer has his wealth to protect him, and now that his drug dealer knows Rafe is the real murderer, it will likely come back to bite the Camerons. Sarah already told the SBI about her brother's transgression; they didn't believe her, but perhaps this second account will convince them otherwise.

Then there are Pope, Kiara, and JJ, who are currently under the assumption that John B and Sarah are dead. Once the shock wears off, hopefully they'll be as in denial as John B was about his own father's disappearance at the start of the season and find a way to track their former friends down, kickstarting yet another adventure.