Even the ‘Outer Banks’ Cast Can’t Believe the ‘Wild’ John B. Shroud Theory
The cast of Outer Banks might have just debunked a viral fan theory ahead of season 3. Many fans of the Netflix teen drama have heard of the shroud theory, which suggests that the Cross of Santo Domingo‘s healing shroud has been with a Pogue all along. In a recent interview, the stars of Outer Banks called out the shroud theory as the “wildest” one they’ve heard and poked fun at how unbelievable it was.
What is the John B. shroud theory?
In season 2, Carla Limbrey (Elizabeth Mitchell) set out to find the Cross of Santo Domingo, which allegedly contained a mythical healing shroud that could cure her deadly illness. However, when she eventually got her hands on the cross, the cloth was nowhere to be found inside, presumably eaten by moths. According to Big John Routledge (Charles Halford), though, that wasn’t the case.
In the final scene of season 2, Carla visited Big John — who was presumed dead until that point — to ask for his help. He said he knew where the shroud was, but they needed to first help his son, John B. (Chase Stokes). This sparked a theory about the shroud that many Outer Banks fans shared on Reddit, Twitter, and TikTok.
As one fan wrote on Reddit, the theory suggests that the bandana John B. always wears is actually the healing shroud. The evidence is every time John B. and his friends survived near-death experiences. For example, when Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline) got shot and died, John B. touched her with his bandana and she suddenly came back to life, perfectly fine. Sarah also wrapped John B.’s leg in the bandana after an alligator attacked him. Once again, he was suddenly fine.
The ‘Outer Banks’ cast says the John B. shroud theory is the ‘wildest’ they’ve heard
Stokes, Jonathan Daviss, Rudy Pankow, Cline, Madison Bailey, Carlacia Grant, Drew Starkey, and Austin North all sat down for an interview with Chris Van Vliet (seen above) ahead of season 3’s release. Vliet asked each of them to share the “wildest” fan theory they’ve heard. Every cast member called out the John B. shroud theory.
Daviss, Stokes, and Pankow noted that the timeline of the theory doesn’t make sense. The shroud is said to be a piece of Jesus’s tunic. It’s hard to believe the cloth would have survived long enough to be worn around John B.’s neck every day.
“I just imagine someone being like, ‘Wow, Jesus’s robe. Time to put a paisley pattern on it,” Daviss said as Stokes and Pankow laughed.
Bailey said the Outer Banks shroud theory “never clicked” for her. She called John B.’s cloth a “Walmart bandana.” Meanwhile, Cline said she doesn’t buy the theory because the cloth likely would have disintegrated over time.
North even might have subtly debunked the theory as untrue. He said that he “believed it for a while,” thinking it came from the writers. On the other hand, it’s a little suspicious that all the cast members said the same thing about the shroud theory. Are they trying to pull an Andrew Garfield on us?
The ‘Outer Banks’ shroud theory could create a major plot hole
Aside from the timeline, the Outer Banks shroud theory has another flaw. Many fans pointed out on Reddit that it would create a huge plot hole if true. John B. used the bandana to try and stop the bleeding when Sheriff Peterkin (Adina Porter) was shot in season 1. However, she still died. If the theory turns out to be true, the writers will have to explain why Peterkin wasn’t healed by the shroud.
Fans will have to watch the newest season to find out if the shroud theory is true. Outer Banks Season 3 premieres on Feb. 23 on Netflix.
