#Outer Banks Season 2 Episode 7 Review: The Bonfire

We knew it was coming.

Outer Banks Season 2 Episode 7 confirmed Ward’s death had changed Sarah and John B’s relationship — possibly for good.

Their relationship has been a turbulent display of emotion, and while it seemed like they were bonded for life earlier on Outer Banks Season 2, they could not be further apart.

Sarah was never going to take her father’s death well, not even after the multitude of crimes he was a part of.

Her situation with John B is unique. No amount of advice from anyone can help them navigate these murky waters, so it’s hard to look too much into both of their actions.

Their love for each other mounted as they both ran for their lives, trying to avoid some of the impossible situations you can imagine.

Now that they’re back in their hometown, they need to find a way to make their relationship work, or they run the risk of drifting so far apart that they call it quits.

Kie: Are you okay?

John B: It’s not me I’m worried about.

Sarah needed John B’s support after her father’s death, but that was a big ask when you consider that her father murdered his father.

How do you bond over that?

It was easy for Sarah to gravitate back toward Topper. He saved her life and vowed to protect her at every cost.

There’s a good chance she’s giving him the wrong impression, but it’s helping Sarah through something difficult.

Sarah returning home to find all the details about the whereabouts of the gold, lit a fire inside her. The treasure hunt would take her mind off everything and possibly allow her to come to terms with the lack of support from her faux husband.

Topper hates John B, so the big bust-up at the bonfire was predictable. It didn’t make it any less exciting because this episode was much slower than the episodes before.

There was a need to show how these characters act when their lives are not on the line, and we got it.

Kelce screaming that John B murdered the sheriff came out of nowhere, but it was hardly a surprise with these waring forces.

It seemed to me that Kelce wanted to provoke John B, but in all honesty, how low can you go to say something like that?

Rafe: Sarah, hey, wait, Sarah. wait. wait. wait. slow down.

(Rafe touches Sarah. She goes after him.)

Sarah: You touch me one more freaking time.

Rafe: We can’t keep ignoring each other. Dad wanted us to talk.

Sarah: When I tell you you are the last person I want to talk to, I mean it, Rafe.

One thing that did irk me about Sarah was that she was mad at John B for not telling his new love interest they are married.

I mean, it was only a few episodes ago that John B tried to get Sarah to tell Topper, and she didn’t seem too fond of the idea.

When all is said and done, Topper will probably have a broken heart because we’ve got another mad dash for the treasure on the horizon.

Limbrey turning up the heat was expected, but I hope she gets her comeuppance sooner rather than later. The Limbrey family stole from Pope’s grandparents a long time ago, and the Pogues will not allow it to happen again.

I’m still struggling to make sense of why Limbrey is so adamant about getting the treasure. She’s dying, and it’s hard to believe she’s finding the fortune for her handsy half-brother.

Limbrey crossing paths with Rafe was inevitable. It was obvious the wall beneath the paper concealed the path to the truth when Rafe punched it.

It was a not-so-subtle hint at what was coming up for everyone.

On a more serious note, can we get rid of Rafe? Rose is the sketchiest character on the series, and while she provoked him, she shouldn’t have had to fear for her life.

She understood there was something more to him than meets the eye growing up, but what is her endgame here?

Does she really have the gold from the Royal Merchant? It would make for a nice plot twist, but something tells me Rafe’s paranoia will be the death of him.

Limbrey and her henchmen will not pull any punches when it comes to swindling Pope for the treasure.

Watching the look of defeat on Pope’s face when he had to give up the key was heartbreaking.

He doesn’t want history to repeat itself, but with everyone after the key getting deadlier by the minute, he may go off on the mission alone.

Yes, the Pogues will want to help, but will he want them putting themselves in harm’s way for him?

There are many unanswered questions as we head into the final episodes of the season, and it’s hard to predict what’s on tap.

“The Bonfire” was a slow episode that felt more like the early episodes of Outer Banks Season 1.

Hopefully it was just the calm before the storm and we get some more high-octane action scenes because the show excels when all of the characters are in peril.

What did you think of Sarah getting closer to Topper?

Do you think Sarah and John B will get back together?

What are your thoughts on Rose possibly hiding the gold from the Royal Merchant?

Hit the comments below.

Stream Outer Banks Season 2 on Netflix.

Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.