Cleo and Pope got the happy ending many Outer Banks fans had been waiting for when the Netflix series wrapped its fifth and final season. The two characters end the show married and building a life together in Kildare, giving their relationship a much more peaceful conclusion after years of treasure hunts, danger, and separation.
Carlacia Grant, who plays Cleo, was happy to see her character end the series with Pope, but she had a different idea for where their future should take them. Grant revealed in a new interview that she had pushed the writers to consider sending the couple to the Bahamas instead.
The fifth season, which premiered on Netflix on August 20 with all 10 episodes, put Cleo through one of her toughest stretches yet. She was separated from Pope after being deported to Nassau, while the Pogues continued their final hunt for the Blue Crown and Royal Merchant gold.
Cleo eventually made it back into the Pogues’ final story, survived the hurricane and reunited with Pope. The finale gave the couple the marriage and future Grant wanted for them emotionally, even though the location was not the one she had originally pitched.
Carlacia Grant Wanted Cleo And Pope In The Bahamas
Grant told Elite Daily that she had specifically imagined Cleo and Pope leaving Kildare behind and making a home together in Cleo’s native Bahamas.
“I pitched that [Cleo and Pope] would move to The Bahamas together,” Grant explained.
Related: Did JJ Really Save Kiara in the Outer Banks Season 5 Finale? Creators Finally Weigh In
The idea would have kept Cleo connected to Nassau, which has remained an important part of her identity throughout the series. Grant still believes the couple could spend significant time there, even though the finale places them in Kildare.
“I think we’d probably split time and go to The Bahamas most of the year,” she said. “Dual citizenship!”
Grant also has a pretty clear picture of what their marriage would look like. She does not expect Cleo and Pope to suddenly become a perfectly calm couple just because the treasure hunts are over.
“I think Pope and Cleo will have the kind of marriage where they argue about everything,” Grant joked. “I feel like they would be that couple that very awkwardly just starts arguing over everything, but they love each other. And that kind of what works between them.”
She even sees children in their future, imagining the couple eventually having a “couple little Pogue-lets.”
Warning: This section contains spoilers for Outer Banks Season 5.
What Happens To Cleo And Pope In The Finale
Cleo’s route to that happy ending is anything but easy. The Pogues travel to Azerbaijan to stop arms dealer Anton Finch from using the Blue Crown during a meteor shower, but Cleo is arrested as the group prepares to leave.
In Case You Missed It: Madelyn Cline Reveals The ‘Miserable’ Reality Of Working With Ex Chase Stokes On Outer Banks
She tries to catch the private plane as it takes off, but a police officer shoots toward the aircraft’s stairs, causing her to fall. Pope later discovers that Cleo has been deported to Nassau, leaving the couple separated while the others continue their mission.
The Pogues eventually return to the Outer Banks just as Hurricane Cassandra approaches. Kiara uses the Blue Crown in a desperate attempt to bring JJ back, but instead experiences a powerful vision of her memories with him. The artifact does not resurrect JJ, and Finch eventually takes it back.
Groff steals the Royal Merchant’s gold from Rose and attempts to escape during the hurricane. Kiara finds him aboard the boat and confronts him over JJ’s murder, leading to their final fight. Groff goes overboard while Kiara is left fighting for her own survival as the boat begins to sink.
Kiara throws the heavy cargo into the water to keep the vessel afloat, including the Royal Merchant gold. The treasure appears to be gone until Pope uses the surrounding landmarks, currents, and wind patterns to calculate where it drifted. John B eventually retrieves the gold from beneath the water.
The recovered fortune gives the Pogues the chance to rebuild their lives, and Pope and Cleo finally get married. They settle at Tannyhill, giving Cleo a stable home with the man she loves.