“Outer Banks” Cast Breaks Down Their Reactions to How Their Stories Wrap Up in ‘Shocking’ Series Finale (Exclusive)

The series stars tell PEOPLE how they feel about where the Pogues — and Rafe! — leave off after five seasons

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Outer Banks season 5 finale, now streaming on Netflix.

NEED TO KNOW

• Find out how Outer Banks wraps up for each of the main characters after a five-season run
• The show’s stars tell PEOPLE how they feel about their individual endings, as Madison Bailey says, “I couldn’t predict anything that was going to happen”
• The final season of Outer Banks is now streaming on Netflix

It’s the end of the road for the Pogues — and Rafe.

Outer Banks came to an end after five seasons on Netflix on Thursday, Aug. 20. The 10-episode final season picked up right where the dramatic season 4 finale left off, in the aftermath of JJ’s (Rudy Pankow) murder by his dad, Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane), who stole the Blue Crown and fled Morocco. The Pogues — John B. (Chase Stokes), Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline), Kiara (Madison Bailey), Pope (Jonathan Daviss) and Cleo (Carlacia Grant) — and Rafe (Drew Starkey) made numerous valiant attempts to get the Blue Crown back over the course of the season, as Kiara’s grief over JJ’s death propelled her to track down the ancient artifact that was long rumored to bring back the dead.

A quick trip to Azerbaijan in the penultimate episode gave Kiara what she wanted: she stole the Crown from Finch (Jason Alan Carvell), fulfilled the prophecy and unlocked its powers. Instead of JJ resurrecting, though, she saw a montage of moments from their years-long relationship that soothed her grief.

In the finale, the Pogues finally achieved a five-season-long mission: after a devastating hurricane battered Kildare and sunk the sailboat Groff tried to escape on — with the Royal Merchant gold onboard — John B. located the wreckage, and the gold that started it all returned once more to the Pogues.

After finally hitting the jackpot, all of the Pogues made big moves for their future. Kiara bought back JJ’s family’s old property to rebuild, where she hung the Poguelandia flag, and began working as a marine biologist intern.

“I think I feel okay about it,” Bailey, 27, tells PEOPLE of how Kiara’s story wraps up after five seasons. “I feel good about the ending. I can’t say that I expected it, but that’s also, if I’m thinking about season 1, I couldn’t predict anything that was going to happen.”

“After last season’s ending, I really didn’t know what Kiara’s end would look like, and the fact that we finished it with a smile on her face, I’m good with that,” she says, referring to JJ’s devastating death.

Pope’s first move after finding the gold was to fly to the Bahamas to get Cleo, who had been deported. He got down on one knee, redid his proposal, and she returned with him to Kildare, where she was easily granted U.S. citizenship. They moved into Tannyhill together.

“Him finishing out his arc in a way where he gets to have a happy ending was really nice to see,” Daviss, 26, tells PEOPLE. “I mean, honestly, his whole storyline took a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t expect when I first came onto the show, I’m [not] going to lie.”

Grant, 35, feels the same about Cleo’s final chapter. “I mean, I couldn’t have predicted how it would’ve ended,” she tells PEOPLE. “So it was very shocking and exciting, because who doesn’t want to have that much money? And a new house and dual citizenship!”

John B. and Sarah used their money to rebuild the Chateau, and then Sarah gave birth to a son, who they named JJ in honor of their fallen friend. The episode ended with a flash-forward to a year in the future, and the longtime couple finally had a proper wedding.

“I’m happy,” Cline, 28, tells PEOPLE of how the story leaves off for her and Stokes’ characters.

The only person missing from the final sequence was Rafe, who had to flee Kildare after the hurricane, thanks to Groff, who shared a letter from Ward (Charles Esten) revealing that Rafe was behind the murder of Sheriff Peterkin in season 2. Sofia (Fiona Palomo) left with him after they reconciled and he proposed to her again.

Starkey, 32, tells PEOPLE he’s “definitely” happy with how Rafe’s arc concluded. “Listen, he’s a person that is in constant pursuit of some type of love and connection. That’s where you find him season 1 — he wants some attention and admiration from a person that he loves. And I think ultimately, in the end, he gets that.”

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“He gets a feeling of friendship, and he gets a feeling of connection with people that he cares about,” Starkey says. “So I think it’s wrapped up nicely.”

The fifth and final season of Outer Banks is now streaming on Netflix.

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