Who is Limbrey in Outer Banks season 3? Her storyline and history explained

23 February 2023, 09:23

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By Katie Louise Smith

Carla Limbrey's family have deep connections to Denmark Tanny and the Royal Merchant. Here's her Outer Banks 2 storyline explained.

Outer Banks season 2 introduces fans to a handful of new characters, but none more terrifying than the extremely toxic, obscenely rich, and high-key chilling Limbrey, played by Elizabeth Mitchell.

Carla Limbrey is introduced in season 2, episode 3, with viewers finally meeting the ominous figure in episode 4, when Pope (Jonathan Daviss) is summoned to her home.

After a few episodes, we find out that Limbrey and her family have very deep connections to the Royal Merchant, the gold and Denmark Tanny. As the season goes on, we find out exactly why she's so interested in Pope, and why she's so desperate to get her hands on the treasure.

Limbrey also has ties to both Ward Cameron and John B's dad, Big John Routledge – but what exactly are they and how far back do they go?

WARNING: Major spoilers about Outer Banks season 3 and Limbrey's storyline below!

Who is Carla Limbrey in Outer Banks? Picture: Netflix

Who are the Limbrey family?

The Limbrey family are one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in Charleston. As JJ puts it, "they make our Kooks look like Pogues."

Herman Limbrey was the captain of the Royal Merchant. The family are also linked to Denmark Tanny, and were responsible for the murder of Tanny's wife Cecilia, and his daughters. They later killed Tanny for burying his wife's body.

Who is Carla Limbrey?

"C. Limbrey" is first mentioned in episode 3, when Pope receives a letter with the same wheat symbol as what is on the gold from the Royal Merchant.

Carla Limbrey is a relative of Captain Herman Limbrey, and believes that the treasure on board the Royal Merchant belongs to her family.

Just like Big John Routledge and Ward Cameron, Limbrey has been searching for the gold from the Royal Merchant. She and Ward were partners in the search, and also have a "long and tortured history" as she funded his first development project. Limbrey tells Pope that Ward ultimately "crossed" her too.

Outer Banks season 2: Limbrey and Renfield are searching the Cross of Santo Domingo. Picture: Netflix

In season 2 episode 4, when Pope visits her house in Charleston, we find out that Limbrey is not actually chasing the Royal Merchant gold. She's now looking for the Cross of Santo Domingo, a huge golden cross encrusted with jewels that contains an ancient holy relic – a garment that is "capable of healing the sick from any malady".

Limbrey is desperate to get her hands on it because she is dying and she believes that the garment will heal her.

She enlists Pope to find the key because she believes he is a descendant of Denmark Tanny and that the key is somewhere in Pope's family. She's right, and eventually, she ends up in possession of the key.

After getting the key and finding the Cross, Limbrey fails in her mission to locate the garment as it is not hidden within the Cross as Tanny suggested. She also loses the actual Cross to the Cameron family.

But season two's shock twist ending reveals that Limbrey's hopes for finding the holy garment might not be over yet. In the final scene of season 2, Limbrey arrives in Barbados to meet Big John (yes, John B's dad is ALIVE!) and the two work together to get the gold and the Cross back from Ward.

Who is Limbrey in Outer Banks season 2? Picture: Netflix

What happens to Limbrey in Outer Banks season 3?

We don’t see much of Limbrey in season 3, and she’s not central to the El Dorado mystery either. At the start of the season, we see her with Big John in Barbados, before she disappears for a couple of episodes.

In episode 5, Big John and John B arrive at Limbrey’s house after locating the second half of the Signpost of Orinoco. In return for helping him find John B, Big John promised her that he’d find the missing shroud. But Big John doesn’t actually know where it is, and also reveals that it’s a known hoax.

So he goes ahead and gives Limbrey a random piece of fabric, says it’s the shroud, makes up a story about what happened to it and watches as Limbrey clutches the cloth her face and body. Thinking it's the magical shroud, Limbrey then attempts to walk without her crutches and believes she's healed.

Who plays Limbrey in Outer Banks?

Carla Limbrey is played by Elizabeth Mitchell. If you’re a fan of LOST, you’ll obviously know her as the iconic Dr. Juliet Burke. If you’re a fan of Once Upon a Time, you’ll instantly recognise her as Ingrid, the Snow Queen.

Elizabeth Mitchell has also had major TV roles in V, Revolution, Dead of Summer and ER. Elsewhere on screen, you may recognise her from her role as Carol, a.k.a. Mrs Clause, in The Santa Clause movies, The Purge: Election Year and Gia, opposite Angelina Jolie.