Who is Larissa Genrette in Outer Banks? How she died and how she's connected to JJ

7 November 2024, 20:04

Who is Larissa Genrette on Outer Banks? Is she a real person? Picture: Netflix

By Katie Louise Smith

Larissa Genrette is introduced in Outer Banks season 4. Here's what happened to her and how she's connected to JJ.

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Alongside a brand new treasure, Outer Banks season 4 just blew the show's lore wide open with all new characters and a new central mystery that has major implications for everyone's fave chaotic Pogue, JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow).

Outer Banks season 4 sees the Pogues tangled up in an adrenaline-pumping hunt involving Blackbeard's lost treasure and the Genrette family. Alongside Wes Genrette, the man who approached the group at the end of season 3 with the Blackbeard request, the show has also introduced a woman called Larissa Genrette.

Larissa is key to not only this season's big mystery, but also JJ's season 4 storyline. But who is she? How did she die? And was she actually murdered... by her husband Chandler Groff?! Here's everything we know so far.

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for Outer Banks season 4 part 1!

Read more: Who is JJ’s real dad in Outer Banks? His true identity and entire plot twist explained
Read more: Outer Banks season 5: Release date, cast, plot, spoilers and news so far

Who is Larissa Genrette in Outer Banks?

Who is Larissa Genrette? Is she JJ's real mom?

Larissa Genrette is the daughter of Wes Genrette and a direct descendant of Francis Genrette, the soldier who killed Blackbeard. Larissa died prior to the events of Outer Banks, and is said to have died alongside her infant son.

However... that's not entirely true. In episode 5, it's revealed that Larissa is actually JJ's real mother. Before her death, she became friends with Luke Maybank who regularly took care of JJ while working as a groundskeeper at the Genrette estate in order to help her out.

After her mysterious death, Larissa's husband Chandler Groff asked (or subtly bribed, more like) Luke to take care of JJ permanently and keep it a secret. He claimed that Wes Genrette would try to "take him away" if he ever knew that his grandson was still alive.

How did Larissa Genrette die?

Larissa is said to have died a "violent death", one week after seeing the ghost of Blackbeard's wife Elizabeth. Wes is convinced that the 'Genrette Family Curse' is the reason behind her death.

In a newspaper clipping shown in episode 3, Larissa is reported to have taken her own life – alongside her infant son – after experiencing postpartum depression. Later, we find out that Larissa is said to have died on board a boat named 'Albatross'.

However, Larissa's death was not due to the family curse – it was Chandler Groff, her own husband, who actually murdered her.

How did Larissa Genrette die in Outer Banks? Did Chandler Groff kill her? Picture: Netflix

Did Chandler Groff kill Larissa Genrette?

At the end of episode 5, it becomes clear that Chandler Groff is hiding a lot of secrets and that he's not to be trusted. He's not only in a relationship with Hollis, but it also appears as though he's secretly working with her to secure property and land around the OBX.

Chandler Groff was Larissa's husband at the time of her death, but based on speculation that he may have been the one who killed Wes Genrette, it's entirely possible that he was the cause of Larissa's death too.

In episode 3, we see Shoupe holding a newspaper clipping with the headline 'Chandler Groff Exonerated' amongst a pile of clippings about the 'Genrette Curse' and Larissa's death. So clearly, he was once a suspect.

In episode 6, Groff is seen asking Luke to take care of baby JJ in a flashback because Larissa is not "well" and "needed a break". The following morning, her death is announced with all signs pointing towards Groff being the last one to see her alive.

A few episodes later, when Groff and JJ visit Larissa's grave, JJ discovers that her corpse has a pretty significant head wound. In a brief flashback, we see that Groff did in fact murder Larissa by hitting her over the head.

Is Larissa Genrette a real person?

While Blackbeard (real name Edward Teach) was a real pirate who frequented the North Carolina shores (including the Outer Banks), the show has added its own lore onto the story.

According to TIME, Blackbeard is said to have been killed by one of the soldiers on British naval Lieutenant Robert Maynard crew in an six-minute ambush.

Outer Banks specifically names that soldier as Francis Genrette. Wes explains that he was the British officer who "caught and killed the notorious pirate", embellishing a little on the story of Robert Maynard.

Francis Genrette is a completely fictional character created specifically for the series based on the story of Blackbeard's death. By extension, that means that Wes Genrette and Larissa Genrette are not real people.