Fans can’t get enough the mysterious teen drama Riverdale. The moody, bizarre take on Archie Comics kept fans guessing throughout season one. The finale left many questions unanswered, and it feels like season two is forever away. The last episode was insane, leaving fans on the edge of their seats, eager to find out more. In order to pass time during the show’s hiatus, fans are creating all kinds of crazy theories.
The show has already thrown enough curveballs at the viewers, but knowing Riverdale, there are even better twists to come. According to star Cole Sprouse, season two will be darker and far more intense than season one.
We can’t wait to see what happens, but the speculations of fans can tide us over until season two premieres on the CW October 11th 2017. What will happen to Fred Andrews? Who was the shooter? Will Betty’s brother show up?
Each of these theories could change everything for Archie and his friends. It's time to figure out what else may be in store for the beloved characters of Riverdale.
Here are the 15 Riverdale Fan Theories That Change Everything.
Joaquin is Betty's brother
In a heartbreaking scene, Alice revealed to Betty that she gave a son up for adoption while in high school, and fans haven’t been able to forget about it. It was revealed that Betty’s brother will probably appear in season two, and there are many guesses as to who her brother may be. The most popular theory is that Joaquin, Kevin’s boyfriend and Southside Serpent, is her long-lost sibling.
Not only could he be related to Betty, but he could be Jughead’s brother too. Remember when JP told Alice “you may not live on the Southside anymore, you may not dress like you’re from the Southside, but we both know the truth: Snakes don’t shed their skin so easily”? It sounds like they have a history. He may be the father of her son.
Joaquin sure seemed to have a lot in common with FP, even helping him cover up a murder. He’s also a few years older than Betty, fitting the age of her long-lost brother. Rob Raco, who plays Joaquin, has even teased this theory on Twitter. That would definitely make things awkward for Betty and Jughead.
Cheryl and Jason were in a romantic relationship
This is one of the stranger aspects of Riverdale, but many fans sensed there was something stronger than a sibling bond between Cheryl and Jason. After all, the boat ride scene sure looked intimate. After the pilot episode, Twitter was full of users talking about those romantic vibes.
While it’s understandable to be upset about your brother’s murder, calling him your “soulmate” is a little unusual. Even after Jason was gone, Cheryl turned her attention to the other handsome redhead at the school, Archie. She even kisses him. To make it weirder, the Blossom family began to treat him as if he was a replacement for Jason.
While Star Madelaine Petsch has shut down the rumors of incest, many fans just can’t get over those strange vibes. Will they ever address it in the show? Only time will tell...
Archie is a Blossom
Are good looking red-heads just a coincidence on Riverdale, or does it mean something more? Archie has the red Blossom hair, and the family sure seems drawn to him. Riverdale is fond of it’s secrets, so would it really be that surprising if Mrs. Blossom had an affair with Archie’s father?
When she sees Archie face-to-face, she says “you resemble him so much." That could be because they’re brothers. This theory would explain why Archie’s parents are getting a divorce. The Blossoms also seem very accepting of Archie, inviting him to events with Cheryl and having him help with the maple syrup tapping (something Jason used to do). It’s as if he’s a member of the family.
It would, of course, make the dynamic between Cheryl and Archie awkward, considering the fact that they've kissed.
Riverdale takes place in the Upside Down from Stranger Things
One of the weirder fan theories ties Riverdale to the popular Netflix show Stranger Things, since actress Shannon Purser makes an appearance in both shows.
In Stranger Things, there’s a place called the “Upside Down,” a creepy, nightmare version of the real world. Riverdale also has a dark, mysterious vibe.
After Purser’s character Barb is killed on Stranger Things, fans created the hashtag “Justice For Barb,” insisting her character deserved better. In Riverdale, Purser pays the character Ethel Muggs. Maybe Barb didn’t die, she just entered an alternate version of her world and became Ethel, where she could get the justice she deserves.
It’s a stretch, but could Riverdale just be a more realistic, colorful aspect of the Upside Down?
Archie was supposed to be killed, not Jason
With all of the beautiful red-heads on Riverdale, it would be easy to confuse them. The resemblance between Archie and Jason is pointed out multiple times throughout the season.
Both characters were at the lake on the same day. Archie was with Ms. Grundy, and it’s been revealed she has a dark past, as well as a fake ID and a gun. It’s possible that her connection to Archie caused her abusive ex-husband to target them. Rather than find Archie at the lake, he mistakes Jason for him instead.
Alice Cooper also seems to have something against Archie. She continuously tells Betty to stay away from him. Knowing the way Riverdale throws in surprise twists, it wouldn’t be surprising if she had something to do with Jason’s murder. Maybe she wanted Archie killed, or knows that someone else does...
There's more than one killer
It seems as though the end of season one wrapped up the entire mystery of Jason’s death, but some Riverdale fans aren’t so certain that it’s over.
For a show that loves to throw off its viewers, it seems too convenient that Clifford Blossom is the only murderer. It’s wrapped up too quickly, and nothing on the show is ever that simple.
The Southside Serpents have a terrible reputation, and they helped cover up Jason’s murder. Maybe they helped with more than that.
Alice and Hal Cooper also have hateful feelings towards Jason. Alice seems almost glad that he’s dead and Hal has acted extremely suspicious throughout the entire season. Even after Betty confronted her parents and they said it wasn’t them, they still have conspired with Clifford Blossom behind her back.
The "core four" are just like their parents were in high school
This theory, created by Tumblr user quirkyanya, is about the “core four” characters: Archie, Jughead, Veronica, and Betty. There are a lot of parallels between the four and their parents, and it seems like their parents may have all been close friends as teenagers.
It appears that both FP and Alice Cooper both have a history with the Southside Serpents. In the finale of season one, Jughead is shown putting on a Serpents jacket. It seems likely that, because Betty loves him, she’ll follow suit.
Fred Andrews and Hermione Lodge have a romantic history, mirroring Archie and Veronica. Many fans suspect that Hermione hired someone to take out Fred. Fred will survive, and Archie will assume that the Serpents shot his dad.
This could cause conflict between him and Jughead, just like the tension between FP and Fred. If this is all true, the “core four” will end up just like their parents.
Someone possesses supernatural abilities
There’s a very supernatural history in Archie Comics. In the show, we’ve heard many references to witches, including “crazy witch hunt” and “sacrifice to some dark pagan god.” There are also rumors that Sabrina Spellman, also known as Sabrina the Teenage Witch, will make an appearance in season two.
Many fans believe that Alice Cooper has magical abilities, and those abilities could be passed down to her children or grandchildren. Polly’s daughter could be Sabrina.
Additionally, viewers see Alice threaten Hal, claiming she’ll do something that “they’ll both regret.” Hal acts afraid of what people would think, more so than a normal husband would. This could be alluding to her magic powers.
The addition of witches and supernatural powers would certainly add another layer of mystery to Riverdale.
Betty will join the Serpents with Jughead
Betty is already concerned that Jughead is going to a high school on the Southside. It seems that she would do anything to keep him from succumbing to his dark side. Why not take it a step further and join the Serpents with him?
It seems that her mom either was a Serpent or was, at the very least, heavily involved with them as a teenager. Betty could find this out and it might even push her closer to the Southside. We’re sure we’ll see more dark Betty in season two, and what better way to explore that than by joining a gang?
The story line could explore both Jughead’s and Betty’s darkness as well as their maturity, perfectly fitting the intensity that season two is supposed to bring.
Fred Andrews is Jason's father
Apparently a lot of fans think that the characters of Riverdale aren’t actually related to their parents. Although hard to believe, because Cheryl and Jason are said to be twins, some viewers believe that Fred is Jason’s father.
The similarities between Archie and Jason are often pointed out, and it could be because they are related. Maybe Clifford Blossom found out he wasn’t the real father. Fred had an affair with Penelope Blossom, and getting revenge included harming Jason. If this theory is true, it would make a little more sense why Clifford would be okay with killing him (although it would still be pretty terrible).
This could also tie into the “twincest” theory. If Cheryl knew that Jason was only her half-brother, her feelings for him would be easier to swallow.
Hal Cooper shot Archie's Dad
Some fans have pointed out that the robber in the diner looks a lot like Hal Cooper. They have a similar build and possibly the same eyes. While the motive is a bit of the stretch, some viewers have drawn a connection between Fred and Hal.
He’s been known to go to extreme measures to protect his family and their reputation, including pressuring his wife and daughter to get rid of their babies. Hal also seems to dislike Archie, and could see him as pulling his daughter even further away from the family. Alice also left him, so he's lost the thing that he’s fought so hard to protect.
Hal has lost everything at this point, and it’s possible that he would take extreme measures against Archie and his family.
The entire murder story is all in Jughead's mind
Jughead has made it clear that he’s a bit of a weirdo. In fact, the entirety of the internet knows it now. In the show, he narrates the story to us, but that doesn’t mean that everything he says is true.
The events that occur in Riverdale are all from Jughead’s perspective. The narration we hear could be his mind making up the events of Jason’s murder. He’s actively writing a story, and we are being shown the events on screen, but it could all be a trick.
Jughead is a dark, quirky, imaginative character. He could think all of it is really happening, and it could be revealed later that it was all made up from the start. He’s a loner, and this could be his way of coping with dark feelings and isolation.
Clifford Blossom has an evil twin who killed Jason
Remember that closet full of wigs in the Blossom house? Cheryl claims that it’s because her dad’s hair is white, but many fans believe that they are worn by Mr. Blossom’s imposter.
In the world of Archie Comics, witches are known to have twins. Sabrina Spellman has an evil twin named Katrina. Nana Blossom seems like she may have some kind of magical powers, which were alluded to when she predicted Polly would be having twins. Clifford’s twin could be the one causing problems in Riverdale.
Maybe the imposter has magical abilities. He may be motivated by the Blossom fortune, which might tie into why Jason was killed since it would take out the family’s male heir. This kind of twist would be fitting for such a dramatic, unpredictable show.
Betty and Polly are the same person
This theory seems pretty crazy, but there is a lot of evidence to back it up. Betty clearly has a dark side and Polly could represent this.
For one, Polly and Betty both seem to have a thing for redheads. Archie and Jason look similar, and it could explain Betty’s crush. On top of that, she seems extremely focused on finding out who killed Jason. It could be because she was the one in love with him as Polly.
Remember the scene between Polly and the Grandma at the Blossom’s house? She seemed to think that Betty was Polly. Maybe it’s because she is. The viewers even saw a glimpse of it during the hot tub scene. Betty calls herself Polly, and then forgets it the next day.
However, the baby shower scene doesn’t quite fit with this theory.
Zombies are coming to Riverdale
Riverdale could get even weirder next season. Afterlife With Archie is a comic created by the show runner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. In the comic, Archie and his friends defend their town from a zombie outbreak. Could zombies be coming to Riverdale?
The first clue was Cheryl saying “he was supposed to come back” after freaking out at the pep rally. On the surface it seems like she meant he wasn’t supposed to die, but could she have meant that literally? She also dreams about a zombified version of Jason. Foreshadowing, anyone?
Afterlife with Archie begins with Sabrina, and as we already said, she’s supposedly coming to the show. Her character appearing could launch the start of the zombie outbreak. It would certainly fit the mysterious, chilling Riverdale aesthetic.
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Know of any other interesting or crazy Riverdale fan theories? Let us know in the comment section!