Pope Heyward: The Brains and Heart of the Outer Banks Pogues

Pope Heyward is a central figure in the popular Netflix series Outer Banks, embodying intelligence, loyalty, and a strong moral compass within the adventurous Pogue crew. As "the brains of the operation," according to John B, Pope navigates the dangerous world of treasure hunts and social divides with a unique blend of caution and unwavering commitment to his friends.

The Smartest Pogue: Balancing Dreams and Reality

Pope is portrayed as the most academically inclined of the Pogues, with a scholarship to a prestigious school within his reach-a golden ticket to a life beyond the limitations of the Outer Banks' poorer side, known as The Cut. His intellectual prowess is often the group's strategic advantage, helping them decipher clues and navigate complex situations. However, Pope's aspirations sometimes clash with the Pogues' reckless pursuits, making him the voice of reason, constantly reminding them of potential consequences and urging them away from foolish decisions.

John B describes Pope as a bit of a weirdo at times or an oddball but also the smartest person he knows.

Family and Roots: Heyward's Legacy

Pope's family plays a significant role in shaping his character. He lives on The Cut and his father owns and runs Heyward's, a seafood store, which provides seafood for the entire island. Pope's father, Bobby Heyward, known simply as Heyward, is a legendary character in Outer Banks who can provide anything for anyone on the island. This connection to the local community and his father's respected status highlights Pope's deep roots in the Outer Banks and his sense of responsibility towards his family.

Season 1: The Quest for Gold and Budding Romance

In the first season, Pope gets into shenanigans with The Pogues. He helps his friends on their quest to find the gold from the Royal Merchant ship wreck. Secretly, Pope crushes on Kiara Carrera the whole season and he makes a move at the end of Season 1. She pushes him away at first but eventually kisses him back.

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Season 2: Heritage and Heroism

During season 2 Pope finds out he is related to Denmark Tanny, one of the slaves that escaped the Royal Merchant, when the ship sank. Danmark also, brought the gold to shore. This revelation adds another layer to Pope's character, connecting him to the rich and often painful history of the Outer Banks. In Season 2, Pope finds out that John B. Routledge is actually not dead and he's thrilled. He, Kie, and JJ Maybank go on a mission to clear John B's name.

Pope and the Pogues are getting by on the deserted island. They see a plane and flag down the pilot - thinking they are going to be rescued. The group agree that he is their only chance of getting off the island so they just go along with what he says. They get on the plane. JJ asks Jimmy why he was flying in this area and he tells them it’s to fish for Wahoo. The group realize Wahoo aren’t in season and so he must be lying. They see a photo of the boat they used before in Jimmy’s bag and this confirms their fears. They fight with Jimmy and the plane crashes in the water. Pope and The Pogues are desperate to find Kiara, who was separated from them after the crash. They try to find her but Carlos and his men find them first - determined to kidnap them still. The Pogues run away. Pope goes back to the Outer Banks. Later, the Pogues try to find their way to South America to rescue Big John. They get on Ward’s plane to fly down to Venezuela. They find Big John and eventually the treasure.

Season 3: New Relationships and Shifting Priorities

In a flash forward 18 months later, Pope is about to go to school. An old man approaches the Pogues complimenting their discovery of El Dorado. After returning from their El Dorado adventure with a shared wealth of gold, Pope helps the Pogues buy JJ’s family property to turn into a communal home and business. But as their financial situation worsens following JJ’s unsuccessful dirtbike bet, Pope works diligently to help manage their resources and keep the group afloat. Their adventure takes a dangerous turn when Wes claims that Blackbeard’s amulet holds the power to lift a family curse and offers them a reward to retrieve it from Goat Island. Pope fully commits to the mission, joining the others on a high-stakes dive to recover the amulet. The mission becomes treacherous when rival treasure hunter Lightner attacks them underwater, leading to a tense confrontation where JJ is forced to defend himself and Kiara. Despite the harrowing experience, Pope is thrilled by the discovery of the amulet, but his excitement is tempered by Wes’s sudden death, which leaves the Pogues as potential suspects. Pope’s loyalty to his friends is evident when Lightner kidnaps Cleo, demanding the amulet in exchange for her freedom. He fearlessly leads the rescue mission, arriving just in time to save Cleo in a chaotic showdown that ends in violence. This encounter leaves Pope shaken but more determined than ever to uncover the truth about the amulet. He grows increasingly curious about the historical elements surrounding Blackbeard’s treasure, diving into research to understand the “Blue Crown” artifact and deciphering clues that may lead them closer to the treasure. Pope struggles with the weight of his personal responsibilities, particularly as he faces pressure from his father to enlist in the military. He resists this path, ultimately choosing to stay with the Pogues, even as it means defying the law. Pope proves instrumental in helping the group navigate their challenges, holding off mercenaries alongside Cleo and assisting in their escape during critical moments.

Character Traits: Loyalty, Responsibility, and Inner Conflict

Pope is the most responsible out of the group and always wants to do the safe and legal thing. He is more quiet and calm than the others. He wants to stay out of trouble because he wants to get a scholarship for a college. Pope is caring and protective. Sometimes he doesn't know what he wants.

Romantic Relationships: Navigating Love and Friendship

Pope's romantic life is a complex and evolving aspect of his character. His feelings for Kiara, his friendship with Cleo, and his interactions with other characters reveal his vulnerability and his capacity for deep connection.

Pope and Cleo: A Supportive Bond

Pope and Cleo met on Coastal Adventure in the second season. At first, she pointed the knife at him and they had a fight until Pope mentions John B and Sarah, who Cleo already knew from when they were in Barbados. Pope brings Cleo to John B and Sarah and she decides to help them get the Cross. Cleo helped Pope and they jumped on the water to get on the ship with John B and Sarah. She gets stranded on the island with them and becomes an official Pogue. In the third season, Pope and Cleo become close friends. He talks to her about the scolarship and they even light up a fire to get the attention of the plane that rescues them. During their trip to the OBX, they create the "No-Love Club" after Cleo cheers Pope up because of Kiara. When they arrive to Kildare, Pope asks his parents to let Cleo move in with them because she helped them and she doesn't have a place to stay. Pope's parents agree and Cleo develops a great relationship with them. When Pope walks Cleo into her room she tells him that she never had her own room and he tells her that now she does. When he leaves, she lies on the bed and says "Thank you, Pope" with a smile on her face. During the season, Cleo is the person that is there for Pope the most. They lie to a police officer and pretend to be a couple who wants to run away to get married so they can steal the cross from the train. When he thinks of shooting Rafe because he melted the Cross, Cleo is the one that puts talks to him and stops him. He has a breakdown and cries in her arms. They later walk home together and Cleo looks at him smiling while she goes into her room. Pope also smiles when he turns back. Cleo is the one that convinces Pope's parents to let them go to South America. In the final episode of the third season, Cleo tells him that all her life the only thing she ever thought about was surviving but during those months with him, she felt her life could be different. She says that she wants to quit the No-Love Club and kisses him on the cheek. He smiles at her and they share a kiss.

Pope and Kiara: Unrequited Love and Complicated Friendship

Pope's feelings for Kiara are evident from fairly early on the first season. He watches on with jealousy as John B and Kiara dance together in The Wreck and is angry at Kiara when she focuses mainly on John B and the trouble he is in. He comforts Kiara when she gets upset over John B's relationship with Sarah. He drunkenly admits that he is in love with her on the night that John B is deemed a person of interest in the murder of Sheriff Peterkin. However, Kiara rejects him and tells him that it can never happen and that they want different things. Pope is angry and the next morning he is cold and distant. Later that day, when Kiara, JJ, and Pope helps John B escape, Pope tells her that he's fine just staying friends, but Kiara kisses him, and when John B and Sarah are deemed missing persons after getting lost at sea, Pope holds Kiara's hand for comfort and they embrace and hold on to one another, devastated. In The Gold, Kiara asks Pope if he wants to hook up, but he rejects her because she is high. In Homecoming, they hook up.

Friendships: The Bonds That Define Him

Pope's relationships with the other Pogues are crucial to his character development, each friendship offering unique dynamics and challenges.

Pope and JJ: An Unlikely Brotherhood

JJ and Pope are probably the closest duo of the group. When Rafe and Topper beat Pope up when he was delivering groceries on Figure Eight, JJ, helps him with his revenge. An episode after, Pope was worried about JJ and asked for him, but a few minutes later he sees JJ and hugs him very tightly, then JJ, jokingly and platonically, kisses him on the cheek and said "I love you too man". Pope sees bruises and cuts on JJ's face and asked him if Shoupe did it, to which JJ responded that it was his dad. JJ has also stepped between a gun and Pope to protect him, while Pope put his hands on JJ's shoulders to keep him in line. Pope is often seen calming JJ down as well as stopping him from doing stupid things. They are seen hanging out with each other outside the story's plotline.

Pope and John B: Best Friends and Confidants

Pope and John B are best friends. They remain close throughout the first season, except when Kiara and John B get closer. Pope has a crush on Kiara so he lashes out in one episode saying "Why is it always about John B?". In the end, he cares about him and grieves him when he thinks he is dead. In the beginning of Season 2, Pope and the other Pogues do everything they can to try and clear John B's name.

Pope and Sarah: Allies in Adventure

Pope and Sarah are friends and they care about each other. When Sarah first joined the Pogues, Pope and JJ both welcomed her into the group with open arms while Kiara didn't due to her history with Sarah. Pope along with JJ and John B, lured Kiara and Sarah onto Heyward's boat and then stranded them, and by doing so made them make up and become friends again, which works. Pope and Sarah, along with the other Pogues, searched for the gold together and in Season 2, The Cross of Santo Domingo. After John B was framed for the murder of Sheriff Peterkin, he, JJ and Kiara helped Sarah and John B to escape on The Phantom, and later on when they were presumed dead at sea, he grieved them both.

Appearance and Portrayal

Pope is a handsome teenage guy who is usually seen wearing button up t-shirts, shorts and a cap. He is African-American. John B (Describing Pope): "And that's Pope, the brains of the operation… finalist for the Lucas T. Vanderhorst Merit Scholarship. And the smartest person I know. Little bit of a weirdo. His father's this legendary character, Heyward. Anything you wanted on the island, Heyward could get for you. Now, I'm not sure Heyward knew what to make of his oddball son, but it didn't matter. He was a finalist for the Lucas T.

Pope is played by Jonathan Pierce Daviss (born February 28, 2000),[2] also known simply as J.D. or JD, is an American actor. Daviss was raised in Conroe, Texas and attended Conroe High School, where he played football and participated in Speech and Debate. He has a younger sister.

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