‘Outer Banks’ Season 3 Spoilers: Do JJ and Kiara End Up Together?
Outer Banks teens JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow) and Kiara Carrera (Madison Bailey) — known together as Jiara — have been a hugely popular ship since season 1. Many fans immediately noticed their chemistry and how much they cared for each other. Now, in Outer Banks Season 3, there are hints of a budding romance between JJ and Kiara — but nothing comes easy for the Pogues, not even love.
Do JJ and Kiara officially get together by the end of season 3? Here’s what to know about their relationship and what it could look like in the future.
[Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for Outer Banks Season 3.]
Many fans have shipped JJ and Kiara since the beginning
Viewers first noticed the chemistry between JJ and Kiara in Outer Banks Season 1. At first, Kiara explored a potential romance with John B. (Chase Stokes), but that quickly fizzled out after she and John B. shared a kiss. There were hints of JJ having a romantic interest in Kiara. It became clear throughout the season that Kiara cared deeply for JJ and felt protective of him as he experienced abuse from his father.
Many fans hoped to see sparks fly between JJ and Kiara in Outer Banks Season 2. However, she and Pope (Jonathan Daviss) began a relationship. It didn’t last too long, though, as she realized her feelings for Pope were strictly platonic. Elsewhere in the season, Kiara and JJ helped his father escape the country, and she confronted Luke (Gary Weeks) about how he treated his son. She told him how special JJ was, which made viewers swoon.
At the end of season 2, Kiara jumped off the Coastal Venture ship to save JJ’s life as he nearly drowned. She cried with relief when he regained consciousness. Still, Kiara and JJ didn’t get together just yet.
JJ and Kiara get together in ‘Outer Banks’ Season 3
Finally, the slow burn between Kiara and JJ pays off in season 3 — but it takes a while to get there. The teens spend several weeks together on their little island known as Poguelandia. JJ and Kiara are hesitant to get back to reality upon their rescue. Then, Kiara gets kidnapped in Barbados, and JJ is determined to rescue her.
Kiara escapes and meets her friends on a dock, where she and JJ have an emotional embrace. They nearly kiss on the boat ride home, but Pope interrupts them. Back on the Outer Banks, JJ and Kiara address what almost happened between them. However, JJ pushes her away and tells her it would never work between them because of his trauma. He also shows concern for Pope, who still has feelings for Kiara.
The romantic tension between Kiara and JJ builds until they finally get together in Outer Banks Season 3 Episode 9, “Welcome to Kitty Hawk.” Kiara’s parents have her taken away to a camp without telling anyone. But JJ won’t stand for it, so he single-handedly sneaks into Kitty Hawk and rescues her in the night. Kiara and JJ finally share a kiss — and “I love you”s — before heading off to meet their friends in South America.
Will JJ and Kiara stay together in ‘Outer Banks’ Season 4?
The end of season 3 jumps ahead 18 months after John B. and Sarah (Madelyn Cline) find El Dorado. There’s no indication that Kiara and JJ are still a couple, but there’s no evidence against it, either. Thankfully, fans should find out in Outer Banks Season 4, which has already been renewed by Netflix.
If Kiara and JJ are still together in Outer Banks Season 4, Madison Bailey offered an idea of what the relationship might look like.
“I think it helps with both of these characters being super independent in and of themselves,” Bailey told Yahoo Canada. “If their relationship progresses for further seasons, I think you’ll really see them get separate but together, and in that way, I think the appeal is that he doesn’t ask of much from her, and vice versa.”
Outer Banks Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix, along with seasons 1 and 2. Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for the latest updates on Outer Banks Season 4.
