Netflix's Outer Banks season 2 ended with a cliffhanger revelation that Big John has not only been alive but also communicating with C. Limbrey, which begs the question of how they connect to one another. The second season takes John B and the Pogues on an adventure to find the Cross of Santo Domingo, another hidden treasure of Denmark Tanny from the Royal Merchant. As Pope discovers his true heritage, Outer Banks introduces Carla Limbrey and her half-brother, a wealthy Charleston native who has been searching for the Royal Merchant and even funded Ward’s first research expedition.
Outer Banks season 1 picked up nine months after Big John had been missing at sea. He was searching for the sunken treasure of the Royal Merchant at the time of his disappearance, which was later revealed to have been a journey taken with Ward Cameron. The men got into a scuffle over the compensation for their contributions, leading to Ward believing he killed Big John and dumping his body into the water. Lara Grubbs told John B that his father died after making his way to a beach, likely starving under the sun's heat. John B came to terms with his father’s death, only for Outer Banks season 2 to end with Limbrey arriving in Barbados to meet an alive Big John.
When Limbrey describes her connection to the Royal Merchant as Pope visits her Charleston home, she mostly sticks to how she was a former partner of Ward before he teamed up with Big John. She knows the details of Ward killing Gavin and Sheriff Peterkin because she had a phone call recorded to prove it all, which means she was much more connected to the Outer Banks characters’ search than suggested. After Ward screwed over Limbrey in their search, she likely introduced a silent partnership between herself and Big John, who she knew had much more knowledge on the ship’s history.
In Outer Banks season 2’s final scene, Big John had sent Limbrey a letter requesting her to visit him, which led to a conversation between the two suggesting their Royal Merchant research was much more intertwined than just an extended connection by Ward. Big John knows that Carla wants the holy garment of the Cross of Santo Domingo, which never seemed to be in his forefront since John B’s original journey was only to find the $400 million in gold. Limbrey had no interest in the gold, so it’s possible after Ward double-crossed both, they worked together to find the treasures each one desired.
With Big John back and alive in Outer Banks season 3, the drama will pick up between the Limbreys, the Pogues, and Big John himself. Big John just sent Carla on a mission to help find John B and save him from the deserted beach they’ve landed on, which will eventually lead to a third treasure hunt to find the Cross of Santo Domingo's holy shroud he promised to lead her to. Since Outer Banks season 2 saw the Pogues, and especially Pope and John B, get into scuffles with the Limbreys, her assistance likely won’t be warmly accepted, even if she claims to have been sent by Big John. Since Big John will have to explain his survival and lack of communication to John B in Outer Banks season 3, the series will likely dive further into the background between his and Carla Limbrey’s partnership.