When The CW Series’ season 5 finale ended on a shocking cliffhanger, things in Riverdale were just getting hot. Literally. In the last moments of the episode, Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) and Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) find a ticking bomb under Archie’s bed, and Hiram Lodge (Mark Consuelos), who has been exiled, enjoys one last chuckle as he drives away from the town while the bomb’s remote is sitting next to him. Before Riverdale’s Season 6 debuts on Tuesday, November 16 with a five-episode extravaganza, there is a vast network of crimes and retaliation plans to be discussed. This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of Season 5 of Riverdale. The season 6 trailer suggests that the town with pep is no longer, and the premiere event has been given the name “Rivervale.”
Season 5 Recap:
Let’s address the issue that is the room’s elephant first. Before the season five finale cuts to black, Archie and Betty have just discovered a ticking bomb that is ready to detonate below Archie’s bed. He avenges himself once more through the help of the exiled Hiram Lodge (Mark Consuelos) before permanently fleeing Riverdale. Since Hiram has been causing havoc since his introduction in season two, it only makes sense that the actor who played the evil character of Riverdale, Mark Consuelos, ended his tenure with a bang. But based on the season 6 trailer, Archie and Betty seem to have avoided the bomb’s blast and managed to escape unscathed. Did the Riverdale firefighters help them escape the blazing house, or was Betty unable to prevent the explosion of yet another bomb? There are numerous questions, and the most recent season will undoubtedly address them.
The various murder investigations and breakups that go place in Riverdale can make it difficult to keep up, and this season included several standout moments. It’s time to look back at what the various town residents were up to before they started hurling bombs and having new relationships, careers, and schemes. The chaos that characterised season five was centred on the core four, so let’s start there.
Alice Smith and Frank Andrews
Alice Smith (Mädchen Amick) is poor. She’s been thrown through the ringer in every way. Her husband’s identity as the Black Hood serial killer is first made public. Then, during the conclusion of season 5, her loving but disturbed daughter, Polly (Tiera Skovbye), was killed and discovered dead in addition to the passing of her long-lost psychopathic son, Charles. There seems to be a new man in the picture as Alice tries to put the pieces back together and go on. Sparks sparked between Alice and the sympathetic Frank Andrews (Ryan Robbins), uncle to Archie and sibling of the late Fred Andrews, during the town hall meeting in the season 5 finale. Season 6 wouldn’t be surprising if we saw the two getting close to one another, and let’s hope Frank isn’t shown to be yet another covert serial killer.
Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead
With the beginning of season 6, there is a lot to review for Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), and Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse). Archie has made the decision to go back to his origins, and by restarting Fred’s construction, he is continuing his father’s history. By accomplishing this, he will be even more in close proximity to his new love, Betty, who has now formally assumed the title of FBI Special Agent Cooper and has reopened the FBI offices that are situated just next to Fred’s construction. She appears to have her hands full as the legendary garbage bag killer has returned to his prey. He calls Betty in the season 5 finale and tells her not to look for him so he won’t look for her in return. Although the details of Betty’s encounter with the trash bag killer while she was an FBI trainee are still unknown, it is clear from her numerous horrifying flashbacks that he held her captive for some time before she was able to flee. If Betty is anything like her detective instincts, she won’t allow the garbage bag killer get away with it.
In contrast, Veronica’s hopes of going back to New York City and regaining her reputation as the she-wolf of Wall Street have been crushed. The stockbrokers in The Big Apple have made it apparent that they don’t want to welcome back the insane ex-wife of Chad Decco (Chris Mason), who was killed by her in self-defense. She is now referred to as the black widow. Reggie (Charles Melton), her partner in crime, and she are attempting to start over. Regardless of whether they receive the Riverdale town council’s consent, the two have great ambitions to establish up a casino in the community.
And as the new editor-in-chief of the Riverdale high school newspaper, good old Jughead Jones is back to doing what he does best: instilling timeless wisdom in the brains of impressionable young journalists. Principal Weatherbee not only offered Jughead the job at the newspaper, but also made a suggestion that if all went well with the newspaper, Jughead could be able to return to teaching English. This may be a difficult task given the daily grind and mayhem of covering the numerous scandals in the lawless town.
Barchie: Archie and Betty
Barchie is now a thing after a painful on-again, off-again relationship that lasted the whole fifth season. Since the pilot, the pair has made significant progress, and they now appear to be committing fully to a committed relationship. Archie and Betty ultimately confessed their affections for one another over cocktails during the season 5 finale, proving that friends with benefits never works. After that, the two were having a sexy time in Archie’s bedroom when the bomb Hiram Lodge planted abruptly interrupted them. Even if Betty and Archie might be in imminent danger, it is certain that their love for one another will endure.
Cheryl and The Blossom Family
The Blossoms have always had a flair for the dramatic, and by the time season 5 finished, they were cooking up a terrible stew of retaliation. Cheryl’s situation was ominous when we last saw her, and in a terrifying turn of events, it appears that she is developing into a full-fledged, cold-blooded witch. In the season 5 finale, while looking for palladium in the Thornhill mines, Cheryl and her devoted assistant Britta (Kyra Leroux) come across some old skeletons. Grandma Rose (Barbara Wallace), who is consistently trustworthy, has all the latest rumours and can identify whose skeletons the remains belong to.
Grandma Rose, who has all the answers, then tells Cheryl and Britta a disturbing story about a long-running conflict that had Abigail Blossom, Cheryl’s ancestor, at its heart. Abigail, who was an outsider like Cheryl in 1890, established an academy for wayward girls on the Thornhill property. When she refuses to allow the Riverdale villagers to hunt for palladium in her mines beneath the maple groves, they seek retaliation by accusing her of being a witch and have her burned alive at the stake. None other than Archiebald Andrews, Jedidiah Jones, and Beatrice Cooper, Archie, Jughead, and Betty’s forebears, are leading the witch hunt. Abigail curses the group and says that she and Satan will follow them forever in addition to stealing their boys and children as she burns at the stake. When the Riverdale men enter the Thornhill mines to look for palladium, Abigail’s prophecy comes true and the mine collapses, killing everyone there.
Back in the present, Cheryl is incensed by the newly discovered information and accuses Archie, Betty, and Jughead of being responsible for the crimes committed by their ancestors. She continues by announcing that Thornhill is coming from Riverdale Township and that she will once more be opening an academy for lost and wayward girls. But Cheryl feels that merely saying goodbye is insufficient. She recites the same curse that Abigail pronounced on Archie, Betty, and Jughead all those years ago at Grandma Rose’s urging because she is itching for vengeance.
Fopaz: Toni and Fangs
Anthony, the newborn son of Toni and Fang, has brought Riverdale’s royal family to its final destination. Sadly, Choni failed to survive the turbulent season 5, and the two have since split up. While Toni has moved on and found security in her baby daddy, Cheryl is loving her newfound independence. The King and Queen of the Serpents falling in love makes perfect sense, and the happy couple appears to be setting out on a voyage that will be packed with both romantic getaways and Serpent business. When considering partnerships from the beginning, Toni and Fangs’ decision to have a child before dating is out of the ordinary, but hey, that’s Riverdale.
Jabitha: Jughead and Tabitha
Jughead and Tabitha have fallen deeply in love after having unmistakable chemistry while working together at Pop’s diner. Jughead brings out Tabitha’s wild side while providing stability for the rambunctious Jughead. They are the perfect counterbalance to one another. Moving right along into season 6, Tabitha will advise that the couple move in together to advance their romance. Jughead’s days of sleeping in Archie’s garage are long gone, and ideally the season will begin with the couple living happily together.
Kevin Keller
Kevin Keller (Casey Cott) told his father, Sheriff Keller (Martin Cummings), that he was leaving Riverdale’s crime-ridden neighbourhood and moving to New York City. Giving his Broadway aspirations one final shot, only time will tell if he is successful and if he will be welcomed back to his hometown as a hero.
Pop’s Diner
At the conclusion of season 5, a Ghoulie gang member destroys Pop’s Diner on Hiram’s orders, leaving Riverdale’s throbbing heart in ruins. But worry not, as the proud owner of the diner, Tabitha Tate (Erinn Westbrook), is here to pick up the pieces and make sure that delicious cheeseburgers and chocolate milkshakes will continue to be served. Pop Tate, her grandfather, is there to assist her (Alvin Sanders). Pop has just returned from Florida with a freshly grown beard and matching Hawaiian shirt, making retirement look good on him. He offers to pay for repairs with his retirement fund and come back to work, claiming he misses the diner too much to remain away. The remainder of the repair money will come from any proceeds from the sale of Hiram Lodge’s material goods. It appears that he is not entirely useless.
The Southside Serpents
The Southside Serpents are eager to get back to work. The Serpents’ King and Queen, Toni Topaz (Vanessa Morgan) and Fangs Fogarty (Drew Ray Tanner), have decided it’s time to return to their old ways after taking a back seat for the entirety of season 5 and earning their living as truck drivers. Pulling the truck drivers off the road and reintegrating the Serpents into Riverdale by aiding in the reconstruction of the town Hiram attempted to destroy are the first items on their list. From there, they intend to increase their workforce’s Serpent population by enlisting a younger generation. Audiences got a glimpse of what the Southside Serpents will be up to when Toni and Fangs cruelly tortured the Ghoulie who set Pop’s diner on fire during the season 5 finale, and you can be sure that it will involve shady transactions and murderous crusades.
Veggie: Veronica and Reggie
In Riverdale, people quickly move past heartbreak, and Veronica has her sights set on Reginald “Reggie” Mantle after just ending a relationship. Veggie has been preordained ever since the couple’s passionate first kiss in season 3 and their dangerous love triangle with Archie. It just seems sense that the two give their love another opportunity because they were going to happen at some point or another. Veronica and Reggie have always shared a Bonnie and Clyde-like love of high stakes drama, and as they enter the casino industry together, they’ll no doubt continue their charming banter, late-night rendezvous, and illegal acts.
What to Expect in Season 6
This season, viewers may anticipate significant changes, beginning with Riverdale’s transformation into Rivervale.
Betty and Archie are closer than ever after surviving the explosion. Then Betty drops another bomb by telling Archie that her only want in life is to be the mother of his child.
Cheryl and her all-girl group have taken a nasty turn and may even be practising Satanism. The Devil appears to have arrived in Riverdale, which leads to another significant storyline revelation. In the season 6 trailer, Veronica encounters a lovely man who claims to be the Devil after Cheryl conjures Satan to aid in avenging her ancestor, Abigail.
The town of Riverdale now has magic. Enter Kiernan Shipka’s Sabrina Spellman, who played the young witch for four eerie seasons of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a Netflix original horror series. The clever witch is heading to town with a few spells up her sleeve, according to Shipka’s Instagram image of her on the Riverdale set dressed as Sabrina and a quick appearance in the season 6 teaser.
