Outer Banks Characters Ranked From Best To Worst

Netflix's Outer Banks focuses on the two main tribes of the Outer Banks: the Pogues and the Kooks. The Pogues make up the island's working-class, and the Kooks are usually their employers. John B and his friends Kiara, JJ, and Pope are Pogues, while Sarah Cameron and her family are Kooks.

Often, the Pogues are portrayed as the good guys, while the Kooks are power-hungry, discriminatory, and self-absorbed. Some of the other characters fall somewhere in between, and some are born Kooks but choose to be Pogues.

10. Sheriff Peterkin

The Sheriff is one of the most compassionate characters of the series. She understands John B's problems and is willing to go out on a limb to help him, even if it isn't part of her job description. She's always one step ahead of everyone else and knows perfectly well what the Pogues are up to and who they're on the run from.

In her spare time, she protects the kids who are most at risk on the island, while keeping an eye on people like Shoupe and Barry.

9. Kiara Carrera

Kiara is the Pogues' moral compass: she stops JJ from wielding his gun every chance he gets, reasons with John B about his concocting but helps him anyway, and keeps Pope focused on the task at hand. She makes sure that they never go too far with their impulsive behavior but still puts her friends above all else.

She's also a human rights activist and passionate environmentalist. No matter what comes between her and any other person, she's willing to treat them reasonably and work through it - including her grudge against Sarah, eventually.

8. JJ Maybank

JJ is John B's best friend since the third grade. At first, JJ seems violent, impulsive, and irresponsible, but he redeems himself. Everything he does and sacrifices is for his friends.

When he takes Pope's place after damaging Topper's boat, he proves himself as a good and selfless person. He becomes like a brother to Pope, and he's fiercely loyal to Kiara and John B.

7. Pope Heyward

Pope is often referred to as the brains of the operation. He also helps to keep JJ in check. However, he worries a little too much, which is sometimes detrimental to the Pogues' operations. His conscience gets in the way of finding the gold, so much so that he backs out of helping his friends at a critical moment.

John B is on the run from pretty much everyone, but Pope is worried about his scholarship interview - which is fair, but Kiara isn't too happy with him. In the end, he proves his loyalty by leaving the interview.

6. Sarah Cameron

Sarah is introduced to viewers as a very caring, compassionate, and selfless person. She enjoys helping others, even those she doesn't know well because she doesn't judge people until she truly knows them.

However, she can be easily manipulated by her father and even by John B - which is understandable, because she trusts them so much. Her fatal flaw is an inability to be her truest self when it matters, but she tries her best to overcome it.

5. John Booker Routledge

Though he's a Pogue, John B is pretty self-centered. This is to be expected of the main character, especially one whose father has left him a trail of clues leading him to an enormous amount of gold. However, John B displays trust issues with every adult and Kook he meets, and sometimes even Sarah. This is likely because adults have abandoned him all his life.

At the end of the day, he's so intent on searching for this gold because he wants to improve all of the Pogues' lives. Ward describes him as one of his best employees, and he consistently proves his courage, loyalty, and empathy.

4. Topper Thornton

At first, Topper seems like a caring boyfriend, but it becomes apparent that he doesn't have Sarah's best interests at heart. He easily becomes suspicious and aggressively interrogates her. He may believe he loves her, but Sarah knows he doesn't - he loves the idea of her, and he can't let that (or his social status) go.

He's a bystander to some pretty horrific stuff, like Rafe beating up Pope. He also gets John B fired out of jealousy, and when he "accidentally" pushes him off the tower, he's worried about being implicated, not about Sarah's feelings or John B. However, Topper proves his loyalty at the end of the season by letting Sarah and John B escape. He also rarely starts trouble or violence, and always tries to talk Rafe down.

3. Rafe Cameron

Viewers may be quick to assume that Rafe is the worst character because he kills the sheriff, but he's surprisingly easy to empathize with. Rafe doesn't have love in his life, which leads him to make poor choices and become self-centered.

He wants people, especially his father, to notice and be proud of him. What he craves most is affection. However, this doesn't excuse his terrible actions. On top of murder, Rafe is a drug addict, a bad brother, and a constant tormentor of the Pogues.

2. Deputy Shoupe

Deputy Shoupe is a corrupt police officer who steals Scooter's money in the pilot episode. He displays misconduct throughout the series and works closely with Ward.

He's ready to make the Pogues look bad before hearing their version of the story, and he doesn't have his town's best interests at heart. His actions breed crime and endanger his community.

1. Ward Cameron

Ward Cameron seems like a reasonable guy at first. He understands John B's struggles and even becomes his legal guardian, saving him from leaving his friends and going into foster care.

However, we learn that he killed Big John and has been lying about it. He threatens many people in the series, including his own children. Worst of all, he's proud of his son after he murders someone.

[Originally shared with ScreenRant.]