It’s a big change in Outer Banks Season 4 when JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow) finds out about his real family history. A mysterious letter tells the young Pogue that he is actually the biological son of Larissa Genrette and Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane). He had always thought that his father, Luke Maybank, raised him. This find not only makes JJ a Kook by blood, but it also ties him to a dark family history full of murder, secrets—and lies. As JJ digs deeper into his past, he learns shocking facts about what happened to his real parents and how dangerous his father Chandler Groff’s goals are. Who did it? Larissa and Wes Genrette were killed. Did Groff kill these people to protect the Genrette family’s money?
Groff’s Marriage to Larissa Genrette and His Hidden Agenda
The story of JJ’s dad grows darker and more complicated as he learns more about Chandler Groff. Groff was born and raised in Kildare. He left home and became a criminal, committing many crimes around the world, such as fraud and deceit. He came back years later with a plan to get into the wealthy Genrette family by marrying Larissa Genrette (Tommi Rose). He wanted to get their money.
Groff found out after marrying Larissa that her father, Wes Genrette (David Jensen), did not want to give the family money to someone from outside the family. Groff’s goals turned evil when he saw Larissa and her son JJ as things that would get in the way of him getting the inheritance. To get around these problems, he planned a series of lies that were meant to make the Genrette fortune easier for him to get.
Staging Larissa’s Death and Passing JJ to Luke Maybank
Groff knew he couldn’t just hurt Larissa and JJ without getting caught, so he came up with a plan based on ghost stories and local legends. He made up a story about Elizabeth Teach’s ghost haunting the Genrette family because they stole an amulet. Groff spread these rumors to make it look like Larissa’s mental health had gotten worse, which led people to think she had drowned herself and her son in a terrible accident.
To make it seem like JJ really did go missing, Groff gave the baby to Luke Maybank, a family worker who liked Larissa and her child. Groff tricked Luke by saying he had to keep JJ safe from Larissa’s instability and that he would come back to get his son one day. Wes Genrette believed this lie, so he thought his grandson was dead and Groff was the only heir left. Even though Groff tried hard, Wes Genrette still wouldn’t give the inheritance to Groff’s children. This made Groff take even harsher actions.
The Search for the Blue Crown by Groff’s Return to Kildare
Groff suddenly went back to Kildare, but it wasn’t for JJ. He went back for the legendary Blue Crown, a treasure that has a connection to the Genrette family history. Because Groff did illegal things in other countries, Interpol knew about him. He joined a bad group called the Lupine Corsairs and learned about the treasure there. He knew that the Genrette amulet was important for finding the Blue Crown, so he went back to Kildare with one goal in mind.
Groff found out that JJ and his friends were good at finding treasure, so he decided to trick his son into getting closer to the prize. But Wes Genrette, who was still alive and suspicious of Groff’s plans, got in the way. To get rid of Wes—Groff lied again. He told the old man the Elizabeth Teach ghost story to make him believe that he was cursed and needed the amulet to break the spell.
Groff’s Evil Plan and the Death of Wes Genrette
Groff’s control over Wes led to his death. He made it look like he had a supernatural experience, which made Wes think that the ghost was planning his death. In reality, Groff killed Wes and made his death look like it was caused by a ghost. In order to get an alibi, Groff asked his lover, the real estate agent Hollis, to help him lie to the police about how Wes died. As soon as Wes left, Groff jumped at the chance to get the Genrette amulet—which he needed for his treasure hunt.
JJ’s Discovery and Groff’s True Intentions
When JJ found out who his parents were, it was a terrible realization that Groff had lied and manipulated him his whole life. Groff didn’t come back out of fatherly love or a desire to get back in touch with his son. He came back because he was determined to get rich. He didn’t mind giving up family ties to reach his goals, and he used everyone, even JJ, to get to the Blue Crown.
In Outer Banks Season 4, Chandler Groff is shown to have planned the tragic deaths of Larissa and Wes Genrette. Because he was greedy and wanted to get ahead— he made up complex lies to get the Genrette fortune and then the Blue Crown. When JJ finds out what his father really wants, he has to face a painful truth: he’s not only the son of a kook—but also the pawn in his father’s sick game. Groff’s actions show a scary side of betrayal in the family because he would do anything, even kill— to get what he wanted.
Outer Banks Season 4 Finale Explained: Is Sarah Pregnant, and What’s Next for the Pogues?
For more detailed recaps, visit otavo.tv.
