The Treasure has been found, but the Pogues have never been in a worse position.

Outer Banks Season 2 Episode 8 wrapped with a killer cliffhanger that left the fate of our core characters in the air, and thanks to the power of Netflix, we can find out what happens next!

But, where's the fun in that? You came here to have me dissect the episode, and that's what I'm going to do.

Pope's journey on Outer Banks Season 2 has been about protecting his family legacy, and it's quite the juxtaposition to the other characters, who are all trying to branch away from their families.

While Pope's family may not be as well off as Sarah's or Kie's, he's had the better upbringing, and the very notion that anything bad has happened to anyone in his family line, no matter how many generations ago, is weighing heavily on him.

Jonathan Daviss is killing it as we delve deeper into Pope's mindset, and I like to believe Pope will live to tell the tale to newer generations of his family.

He was tenacious about discovering the truth, and my heart broke when he conceded that Celia's final resting place had been defiled.

Denmark's love for Celia towered about his need for the gold and referring to her as the "treasure" highlighted how strong their bond was.

It's just a shame that Topper had to go all stalker and track the phone he gave Sarah. Seriously dude, what the hell?

No matter how he paints it, he was tracking Sarah without her knowledge, and that's not okay. Whether Sarah will survive and forgive him, I don't know.

Rafe is well aware that Sarah will never trust him again, so of course, he would want to return to Goat Island to find out what the Pogues were up to.

The rustling leaves as Sarah was in the truck getting the tools was spooky as hell, but my heart skipped a beat when the man with the arrow was waiting for the signal.

Not helping matters is the fact that the kids cheered loudly when they found the cross. It's hard to believe it will still be intact when we pick up on Outer Banks Season 2 Episode 9, but it's there.

With Pope clearly out of it and John B attacked by an alligator, I don't like their chances of making a swift getaway.

For the second time this season, their backs are against the wall, and they will be at the mercy of Limbrey, Rafe, and her men.

How will that work out? Not well, I think.

Speaking of Limbrey, what the actual hell is she thinking? I know she's close to death, but traversing across the country and making enemies in the name of finding some supernatural garment that could heal her is pretty absurd.

Then again, she clearly still has a lot of life to live, and she's not willing to give up. The healing properties of the garment are probably what has gotten her through her dire prognosis.

I wonder whether she will react in violence if her mission turns out to be for nothing. We know she had it out for Ward, so she'd probably do something to hurt Sarah.

Rafe is more of a lost puppy with murderous tendencies. He'll go wherever the emotional connection is and probably cross some boundaries in the process.

He seems to be disassociating from reality. He was shocked when Topper said he tried to kill his sister, meaning he's either too caught up in his lies, or he genuinely believes that his actions are warranted.

That's pretty scary to think about.

As for John B, I'm not buying the fact that he was still breathing by the end of the episode. I'm all for a good bit of action to break up the drama, but his wounds spelled certain death for him.

It was hard to believe he was walking around, and the color hadn't drained from his face.

The plot point was clearly thrown in there for fans to see Sarah saving him to show that there is still a strong connection between them.

I think the show could have gone about it in a more grounded way, and it would have landed much better.

Did anyone else love the way Kie was trashing Luke about his parenting skills?

Who did Luke think he was to ask for his son's help after years of treating him like crap. One thing I love about the Pogues is how they go to bat for one another, without a second thought.

They truly are the strongest group of friends on TV, and their relationships are all highly believable.

JJ's journey has been all about breaking free from the stigma that he's going to be a repeat offender like his father, and you could tell he was wrestling with it when his father called him out for stealing the Phantom.

My issue with Luke is that, even though he was leaving, he still wanted to pat himself on the back and tell himself that he couldn't have done any better for JJ.

He's the worst type of person, and I hope JJ never comes across him in his life again.

"The Cross" was another intriguing hour of this Netflix drama, but I wish it had taken a less-is-more approach.

Many of these relationships are fractured and need to be repaired, and high-stakes situations should not be used as plot devices to drive the characters together.

Deep down, these flaws will continue to manifest until they are resolved.

What did you think of the action?

Do you think any of the Pogues will die?

Hit the comments below.

Outer Banks Season 2 is streaming now on Netflix.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.