There’s something in the air in Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 4 “The Swell.” It isn’t the surfing and the waves. And it isn’t in the cruel kooks, the mystery surrounding them, or what happened to Terrance. There is something in this episode that feels like a noose is slowly but surely being tied around our favorite Pogues and our hearts. Making this about Blackbeard and teasing a greater treasure is a smokescreen to a pain that none of these pogues have experienced. And I’ll give it to “The Swell,” I’m scared for my favorites. Oh, and who ever decides to come up against Cleo next.
The Kooks Choose Cruelty
In my episode 2 review for Outer Banks season 4, I talked about how capitalism was the big bad of this show. And “The Swell” reminded me of how intricately tied the kooks are to said capitalism. Them having money has deluded them into thinking that they are better than everyone else. So much so that they would drive a car through a populated beach area with no regards to human life because they thought it was funny. I’m looking at you, Ruthie. I’m also looking at you Topper. Initially, what was going on at the beach was teenagers being teenagers. But the rich kids with delusions of importance and as if their sh** don’t stink, took it too far.
Out of the kooks on the beach, Topper and Rafe showed some slight hesitation. But I’m not buying it. We have come to know both of these characters over four seasons. They are cruel, manipulative, and have tried to kill their own blood sister. And I know that this is crazy to say because that last point was about Rafe, but Topper is worse than him. Topper knows what he’s doing is wrong. He has a conscience but he chooses time and time again to follow the other little rich kids who think that they’re better than everyone else without question. Rafe believes he’s the hero of his own story no matter what, and the things outside of his control really don’t matter to him as much.
I am going to throw Sofia in with the terrible kooks as well. Technically she’s a pogue but it’s about the company that you keep. And right now she’s choosing to side with Rafe Cameron. She’s choosing to hang out with him and his friends. Furthermore, she stood there as these things happened to her fellow pogues on that beach. The only thing that I understood in “The Swell” when it comes to Sofia was her trying to manipulate Rafe to take that deal because she was going to make some money off of it. Surviving is hard enough and I can’t imagine combining that with being a pogue and a woman on a water locked home with few opportunities.
But seriously, Outer Banks has shown us how Rafe reacts when in challenging situations. How do you think he’s going to react when he realizes his girlfriend has betrayed him? It’s not going to be pretty and it’s going to be worse than that yelling scream in the first episode of season 4 of Outer Banks.
Cleo Losing Terrance
Out of all the parents or adults on Outer Banks, the only ones I’ve ever trusted for more than 5 minutes have been Pope’s parents. So when it was revealed in Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 4 “The Swell” that Cleo’s surrogate father was still alive, I didn’t trust it. I trusted it even less when Terrance reassured the man who had kidnapped her that he would take care of it. But that’s when it hit me. Outer Banks has done such a phenomenal job at making me distrust 98% of the adults in these kids’ lives, that I don’t trust any kindness from parents or adults on this show. So yeah, now I understand why the pogues do not go directly to adults to solve their problems. They take it on themselves because every adult along the way has failed them.
Terrance didn’t fail Cleo. He came for her when she needed help. And he continuously spoke up for her as a means of keeping her safe. But I was just so stuck in all of the parents on Outer Banks being the worst, that it took Terrance getting shot to understand that he was genuine. He might have not been Cleo’s father by blood but he literally gave his life to protect her. That’s why Cleo is so broken and why I fear for what she’s going to do next. She treasures her family and those she chooses to trust. She didn’t even know Sarah and John B that long before she was helping them in season 2. And I think the death of Terence is going to be a shock where she’s going to feel the pain of loss in a visceral way that might make her wonder what would happen if she lost any of the pogues?
What follows after Terrance’s death on Outer Banks “The Swell” is also a stark contrast to how this episode first started. John B opened up 4×04 with a whole monologue about basically dropping everything to go to the beach. It is admittedly kind of jarring that in the middle of all this treasure hunting madness they decide to go to the beach but they can’t be adventurers 24/7. Plus they’re still teenagers and they deserve a break. Nevertheless, this moment at the tail end of the episode reminded them of how precious life is and how it can be broken by greed and a gun or kooks in a car.
Things I think I think:
- The way that Cleo is so capable and quick thinking is astounding. But it also shows that she knows when to trigger survivor at the drop of a dime because she had to do it for so long.
- Still thinking about Ruthie and her attitude. Ughh.
- Is it just me or was that an Our Flag Means Death flag in the Blackbeard giftshop? Like not Blackbeard’s flag. But the one they made for the show?
- After Ruthie ran through the pogues and over the turtles I couldn’t help but think of the following when Kiara got mad.
- JJ: Kiara, no.
- Kiara: Kiara, yes.
- JJ: Ok, Kiara, yes.
- Also JJ: I will end you all! *bombastic side-eye to the kooks*
- Wait, is JJ wearing a shirt that says, “Pookie.”
- Headcanon that Kiara calls him that.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 4 ‘The Swell’? Share with us in the comments below!
Outer Banks season 4 is now available to stream on Netflix.
Need more? Read our other reviews below:
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 1 Review: ‘The Enduro’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 2 Review: ‘Blackbeard’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 3: ‘The Lupine Corsairs’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 4 Review: ‘The Swell’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 5 Review: ‘Albatross’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 6 Review: ‘The Town Council’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 7 Review: ‘Mothers and Fathers’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 8 Review: ‘Family Plot’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 9 Review: ‘The Storm’
- Outer Banks Season 4, Episode 10 Review: ‘The Blue Crown’
I’m intrigued by the history and story telling. This show is great but there is awkward drama that’s not needed. For instance JJ blowing all the gold money, 750k for a run down house with water front property and no dock set the pogues up for another fail. That was a huge mistake to muddle/ mess up the entire show for me. With growing up without guidance and living in the marsh, JJ is supposed to be smart about things, then he goes in over his head with the bid. That Bait shop ain’t worth 100k and it won’t bring that much income. Blew my mind that they bid 33 percent above asking price. Then again, it’s just a show. John B and Topper are supposed to call it even? Yeah right. They might as well go their separate ways, Topper move out of state to college and away from all that nonsense. John B and Sara are married. It’s over Top. Topper has way better heart for people than the way he’s been acting. I don’t even recognize half these pogues and looks that started in season one. All of them are rude and inconsiderate towards their parents. The girl Topper is with is evil, she’s no good even for a kook and driving the hype up between the two guys John B and Top its stupid. The other awkward drama is with JJ and his dad (JJ sent his dad off by boat, why was he mad on season 4 ep. 4 when JJ found him hiding out, well duh! His dad had to hide somewhere). The only thing I’m interested in is the treasure hunt this season.