Heroes and villains coexist, and every character in the Outer Banks has a darker side to their personality. Ward Cameron is one of the most important characters in the series. His life is extravagantly wealthy, and he’s blessed with a beautiful wife named Rose and three great kids, Rafe, Sarah, and Wheezie. But deep down, he carries an evil streak, as he secretly plans to steal the gold from the Royal Merchant shipwreck. County Kildare is divided into two communities, the Pogues and the Kooks. He may not show it, but Ward despises the Pogues. He pretends to be a very caring and supportive father, but his heart hides his true colors. Ward is a master manipulator and knows how to influence his children. Ward is hiding a secret regarding John B’s father, Big John. Ward was helping Big John and when told Ward that he wanted the greater share of the gold instead of an even split as they had previously discussed, they got into a scuffle which led to Ward killing him by drowning him in the ocean. He gets away with it for a major chunk of the series because he has various connections and businesses all over the country, and with his real estate projects, he has managed to become a very prominent person. The police officers in the county and others in the area respect Ward for his achievements. Although he has a lot of money, Ward is very greedy and wants to gain even more power and wealth to probably become one of the richest people in the world.
For some reason, he doesn’t pay as much attention to Rafe and Wheezie as he does to his daughter Sarah. He’d do anything for her, and Sarah loves her father just as much. Ward’s neglectful behavior affects his son Rafe and causes him to turn to drugs. Ward’s character is often difficult to understand because he comes across as two different people. Maybe he is a Gemini. Sometimes he seems normal and reasonable, but there are also moments when he completely loses control of himself. In the first season, Rafe kills Sheriff Peterkin to save his father. In this scene, it’s clear that Rafe doesn’t regret his decision to kill Peterkin because he’s seeking his father’s validation. Ward hasn’t paid any attention to him, and this is clearly reflected in his actions. There are moments when Sarah does not give up on her father. Even when she turns away from him, her heart believes that Ward is a good man and will never hurt her. Ward is also responsible for framing John B for Peterkin’s murder, so she wants to make things right.
Sarah confronts Ward and demands that he confess the truth. However, he refuses to tell the truth and blames the whole thing on John B, claiming that he was the one responsible. Meanwhile, Rafe roams the streets without fear. Just in time, John B finds the gold hidden in Mrs. Crain’s house. Ward gets his hands on the gold before the pogues can and his subsequent plans force Sarah to make a choice. In season 2, John B and Sarah escape from the police when they get caught in a storm and the cops think the duo is dead. That turns all of Ward’s attention to his son, Rafe. Ward gives him money to hide from the police. He hides the gold in his mansion in Nassau and later learns that Sarah is alive. Ward wants to protect his son first and foremost, and he kills anyone who gets in his way. When John B returns from the Bahamas, he provides enough evidence to prove that he is not Peterkin’s killer. To set things right, Ward commits suicide by blowing up his boat, and Sarah starts grieving him until she discovers that Ward is still alive. Ward fabricates his death and takes the entire blame of Peterkin’s murder on himself to save Rafe.
When escaping from Outer Banks, Ward has Sarah kidnapped to go to him. But now Sarah is completely against her father, and this makes him angry. Ward tries to strangle her, but John B saves Sarah. Soon, Ward and his family move to Guadeloupe, and Rafe takes over the duties since Ward is completely bedridden. He promises to sell the cross to a potential buyer while Ward is in a coma. When he awakens, Ward realizes that he has committed too many sins, and now it is time to leave his past behind and start a new future. But Rafe is not ready to accept that; he uses his father’s fake death as an advantage and threatens Ward. Ward plans to sell his businesses in the county to start a business in Guadeloupe, but Rafe wants to build his own career in Kildare. Ward realizes that his son is a troubled man. He tries to stop him, but Rafe complicates the situation by melting the cross down.
Ward decides to hide on the outskirts of Kildare, where he won’t be found. He tries to convince his son to leave their old life behind, and Rafe makes an unsuccessful plan to kill him. Finally, Rafe agrees to expand his business with Barry, and Barry hires a man to kill Ward. However, Rafe realizes his love and responsibility for his father and saves him from the killer. Meanwhile, Ward tries to improve his relationship with Sarah and responds to her every request. Sarah asks for a private plane to take John B and the others to Tres Locas to rescue Big John. In return, Sarah tells him to stay away from her El Dorado trip. But circumstances force Ward to go with them to El Dorado cave and pass on the information on to the gangster, Carlos Singh, who follows them to the cave and tries to kill John B, Big John, and Sarah. Ward wants to take his daughter home since Carlos is a dangerous man. In the end, John B and Sarah find the gold, and Ward realizes his mistake. To make up for everything, Ward saves Sarah and the others from Carlos’ guard, Ryan, by taking multiple bullets to the chest and jumping off the cliff.
See more: ‘Outer Banks’ Character John Routledge AKA Big John, Explained: What Happened To Him In Season 3?
