The Forbidden Zone
Episode 3 of Outer Banks returns to the scene inside the mausoleum, where Kie finds a fed-ex package from John B’s father titled “For Bird”. Opening it up they find a map with specific coordinates and an X marks the spot. With a tape recorder holding a recorded message from his Father, it turns out the X relates to the exact location of the Merchant ship-wreck. Before they get there however, John B and the others head deep into Kook territory to track down the map coordinates and figure out exactly where the wreck is located, using their computer given the power is out on the Pogue side of the island. With 400 million on the line, the stakes are high. They head to the salvage yard to pick up a drone where Kie distracts the worker while the boys sneak in and grab what they need to get moving. Out at sea however, a group of fishermen look at their haul and within that, find two dead bodies. Back at shore they call the Sherrif over and show her the bodies of the two men they’ve caught. The two men who were originally hunting our four friends. Whatever happened to them, clearly there’s more going on here than first meets the eye. At the same time, Topper’s friend Rafe buys some coke for the party he and Sarah are invited to, with the former heading off alone after an awkward moment with Sarah, realizing she’s not ready to sleep with him yet. With all the gear the four friends need, and the precious drone they managed to snatch, the group wait for the right weather. Going about their days, Pope is beaten up by Rafe and Topper following the incident with the gun in the previous episode. To get their revenge, JJ and Pope team up and head over to sink their expensive boat, pulling the plug and watching the water swallow it up. The big day finally arrives and the four friends head out to sea and the location marked with an X on the map. The weather starts to turn while they’re out on sea, with a storm looming in the distance. John B and the others brace themselves while struggling to maintain a grip on the drone. Eventually they find what they’re looking for and marvel at the wreck of the Royal Merchant down on the ocean floor. Is the treasure there? We’ll have to wait and find out in the next episode! Alongside the intriguing story, the great chemistry between our four main protagonists is ultimately what keeps this one so endearing. The romance/friendship with Kie is a refreshing change of pace too, with their romance petering out into friend zone territory, while the mystery continues to develop at a decent pace. Although the dreaded shaky cam returns for this episode, it’s thankfully minimal and a minor point in what’s otherwise a solid episode in what’s shaping up to be a really intriguing season of drama.
