Riverdale | Season 7

"Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen: Don't Worry, Darling"

In the aftermath of Bailey's Comet in 1955, Riverdale takes on a new dynamic: Betty and Kevin are dating, Cheryl's twin brother (now named Julian) is alive, Jughead lives alone with a pet dog, Fred died in the Korean War, and Archie–forbidden from driving by Mary after James Dean's death–competes for Veronica Lodge's attention. After Emmett Till's murder, Jughead tries to connect with Tabitha, who later leaves to tour with Till's family. Jughead unearths a time capsule from high school, but the others dismiss his claims. Veronica's exile to Riverdale is revealed, tied to her involvement in James Dean's accident. Betty and Toni draw attention to Till's injustice, and Jughead encounters Tabitha from the original timeline. She discloses that the comet hit Riverdale, prompting her to protect them by sending them to the past and erasing Jughead's memory to preserve the timeline.

"Chapter One Hundred and Nineteen: Skip, Hop, and Thump!"

Archie writes a poem to ask Veronica to the sock hop but gives up when he sees her considering others. Betty gets upset with Kevin's hesitation and develops feelings for Archie. Kevin is drawn to the new student, Clay Walker. Encouraged by Alice, Kevin commits to Betty, giving her Alice's pin. Toni convinces Cheryl to choose Fangs for the sock hop performance. Jughead confronts Pep Comics for stealing his story and gets hired by editor Al Fieldstone, who later brings in Ethel as an artist. Despite disapproval from Ethel's parents, she and Jughead agree to attend the sock hop together. At the event, Veronica apologizes to Archie, but he rejects her. Toni dances with Cheryl, upsetting Principal Featherhead. Ethel arrives, covered in blood, with news of a terrible incident.

"Chapter One Hundred and Twenty: Sex Education"

Ethel claims a milkman killed her parents, though the authorities don't believe her. Afterward, she moves in with the Coopers, to Hal's displeasure, and tells Jughead some of the pictures she drew are of her parents' deaths. He retrieves them from her house, but is nearly caught by Betty, who takes clothes and a book on sex education. Penelope pressures Cheryl to date a boy, and she starts a relationship with Archie. The students attend an open mic at the coffee shop, where Cheryl is aroused by Toni, and fantasize about each other. After a lecture on sex education, Veronica, who still has feelings for Archie, invites the students to a makeout party, though Clay declines and confesses to Kevin that he is gay. At the makeout party, Cheryl goes further with Archie, Veronica and Jughead begin a relationship, and Betty finds Kevin is not aroused by her while Archie was, and gives her boyfriend the book to get him interested. The next day, Ethel and Jughead are confronted in the principal's office by Sheriff Keller, who shows them he searched Jughead's home and found Ethel's drawings and a comic about a homicidal milkman, seemingly believing they are guilty.

"Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-One: Love & Marriage"

Jughead and Ethel are arrested for the murders. Veronica gets Jughead released, and he reveals Julian was with Ethel during the murders. They force him to tell the police and Ethel is released. She also helps him refurbish his home, and they share a kiss. Betty breaks up with Kevin when he returns the book and admits he wants to wait until marriage. When she sees him with Clay, she realizes he is gay and tells Alice, who tries to convince her it is just a phase. She confronts Kevin, and they repair their friendship. He later tells her Alice gave him the pin, and she confronts her mother, who reveals she has burned the sex book and sent Ethel to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Archie and Cheryl, claiming to have had sex, are pressured to get married by their parents. However, Cheryl eventually decides to stop denying her sexuality, and breaks up with Archie, encouraging him to pursue Betty. Mary calls Archie's uncle Frank to come and get him back on track. Fangs and Midge get pregnant, but her parents refuse to let them marry, so Fangs decides to become a rock star to be acceptable to them.

"Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two: Tales in a Jugular Vein"

Mr. Fieldstone assigns Jughead to write four stories despite censorship concerns. Jughead shares the stories with Veronica. In the first, Dilton, bullied by the basketball team, retaliates by killing them and using their heads as basketballs. In the second, Archie stays overnight at Thornhill, engaging with Cheryl who has leprosy. The third story features Betty's popularity taking a deadly turn when black widow spiders nest in her new hairstyle. The final story depicts Archie's demise after dating both Betty and Veronica. Veronica breaks up with Jughead due to the stories' negative portrayal of women, though Mr. Fieldstone approves and offers to credit Jughead.

"Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three: Peep Show"

Jughead uncovers plagiarism in Pep Comics, leading to a deal between the author Brad Rayberry and Mr. Fieldstone. However, Jughead jeopardizes the relationship by stealing and reading Rayberry's unpublished manuscript. Frank encourages Archie to improve his life, getting a job and joining the basketball team coached by Frank. After facing self-doubt, Archie overcomes it with Mary's support and joins the team. Toni joins the River Vixens, sparking a romantic relationship with Cheryl despite Evelyn's disapproval. Veronica attempts to help Betty attract Archie, leading to a compromising situation witnessed by Hal and Frank. Meanwhile, Dr. Werthers discovers Jughead's involvement in writing horror comics.

"Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four: Dirty Dancing"

After Archie and Betty are caught, Alice spreads the news to the town, and Veronica's parents. She also forces Betty to become a dancer on the Coopers' show, where she is harassed by her coworkers. When Betty gets herself kicked off by flashing her underwear at the camera, Alice refers her to Dr. Werthers. Veronica is forced to get a job working at the Babylonium, which Clay also works at, and finds out her parents plan to buy and raze it. She prevents this by buying it herself. Tom forces Kevin to join the basketball team, and Julian pressures him to see a prostitute. When Archie tells Betty about this, she tells him to stop it. He does, and finds out Kevin is gay, but continues to be friends with him, while Tom reveals to Kevin he set it up to confirm Kevin's sexuality, and takes him off the basketball team. Jughead is forced to either stop writing comics or be expelled, and he drops out of school to continue writing. When Rayberry finds out, he forces Principal Featherhead and Dr. Werthers to compromise by letting Jughead write non-horror comics. Rayberry is later visited by a milkman late at night.

"Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Five: Hoop Dreams"

The basketball team faces a losing streak, prompting Mr. Blossom to allow Frank to recruit Reggie Mantle, an out-of-town player. Reggie, who is half-Korean, reveals past discrimination and indifference to Archie's attempts at bonding. Archie addresses the team's discriminatory behavior to ensure Reggie's support. Meanwhile, Kevin starts working at the Babylonium, and Veronica seeks his help in gaining Clay's romantic attention, only to find out Clay is gay. Betty reluctantly joins the River Vixens to fulfill her parents' wishes, while Toni quits the squad after a breakup with Cheryl. However, they reconcile, and Cheryl helps Toni secure funds for a black literature club. Tabitha returns to town and strengthens her bond with Jughead, who discovers Brad Rayberry's apparent suicide after attempting to share information about Tabitha with him.

"Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six: Betty & Veronica Double Digest"

Jughead mourns Brad Rayberry's death while Betty undergoes therapy with Dr. Werthers. A rift develops when Dr. Werthers and Alice try to shape Betty's perspectives on marriage and sexuality. Feeling betrayed, Betty breaks into Dr. Werthers' office, discovering a copy of Lolita and accusing him of inappropriate fantasies. Their conflict leads to strained relations with Alice and Hal. Veronica faces interference from her parents in promoting the Babylonium, adapting by showing unique films. When her parents retaliate by evicting her, Veronica moves into her Babylonium office. Jughead, having processed Rayberry's death, aids Sheriff Keller in the investigation.

"Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven: American Graffiti"

Cheryl feels excluded as Toni dedicates time to the black literature club. Attempting to join a meeting, Cheryl realizes the importance of giving Toni space. Reggie borrows Archie's car for a date with Veronica, leading to tension when he returns home late without a clear explanation. A double date to Fangs' concert in Centerville reveals trust issues between Archie and Reggie, forcing them to confront their feelings. Betty and Veronica attend the concert with Cheryl, Toni, and Midge. Reggie seeks Betty's help to repair a jalopy, leading to reconciliation with Archie. Jughead and Tabitha investigate Brad Rayberry's death, uncovering his interracial marriage and experiences with racism. Tabitha decides to tour with Emmett Till's family, while Jughead discovers Rayberry encountered a mysterious milkman on the night of his death.

"Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight: Halloween II"

Despite the ban on Halloween celebrations, the gang decides to defy it. Archie, Betty, and Dilton attempt to give Reggie his first Halloween experience, leading to a competition for Betty's attention. Veronica organizes a show at the Babylonium where Cheryl and Toni publicly reveal their relationship. Ethel escapes from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy and contacts Jughead, leading to an investigation into the mysterious milkman. They discover the original writer of the Milkman comic, who took his own life, citing the comic as the reason. Betty's favoritism towards Archie leads Reggie to join Bulldogs in vandalizing the town. However, their actions result in them driving into Sweetwater River.

"Chapter One Twenty-Nine: After the Fall"

Reggie's actions lead to a car accident, leaving Julian in a coma and Mr. Blossom blaming Reggie. Despite this, Cheryl and the team move forward with Archie as the new captain. Reggie, displaying a talent for writing poetry, helps devise a plan to overcome threats from Stonewall Prep. Cheryl overhears her father's plot to replace Reggie and, with Archie's support, confronts Mr. Blossom to secure Reggie's captaincy. The team succeeds in defeating Stonewall. Meanwhile, Betty and Veronica bond over their parents' behavior and decide to live together at the Pembrooke. After being caught by Mary, they explain their situation, leading Veronica's parents to allow her back, and Alice to soften her attitude. Ethel and Jughead collaborate on a new comic, "The Mailman Cometh," persuading Mr. Fieldstone to publish it.

"Chapter One Thirty: The Crucible"

Mrs. Thornton is fired under suspicion of being a communist, replaced by Mrs. Grundy who mentors Archie despite Frank's disapproval of poetry. Cheryl faces pressure from Evelyn to confirm students' sexualities, leading her to pretend to date Kevin, while Clay and Toni also fake a relationship. Hiram visits Riverdale, seeking Veronica's alibi amid a communist investigation. Veronica agrees but forces Hiram to confess his affair to Hermione. Hermione reveals her intention to divorce Hiram. Betty starts a newsletter for teenage girls after the school newspaper is shut down. Jughead and Ethel attempt to sell comics discreetly but are caught; Principal Featherhead buys and burns the comics.

"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-One: Archie the Musical"

Kevin writes a musical for the spring performance, centered around senior year at Riverdale High. Despite resistance from Reggie and Jughead, he casts Archie, who later drops out after realizing he doesn't know what he wants in life. Archie leaves the basketball team to focus on poetry, disappointing Frank, and puts his romantic pursuits on hold. Kevin's song for Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, and Toni faces disapproval. Betty and Veronica prioritize their friendship over Archie, while Cheryl and Toni quit the musical due to a song about their relationship. Kevin grapples with his parents' divorce, and Principal Featherhead rejects his musical. Kevin vents his frustrations, but the other students offer support after Clay explains his perspective.

"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two: Miss Teen Riverdale"

Riverdale's beauty pageant, which will be broadcast on live television, arrives. The girls compete, coached by Alice, who tells Betty she won in her day, and had dreams of being a stewardess and traveling before she married Hal. After noticing Ethel feeling left out, Betty encourages her to join in, while Alice realizes Midge is pregnant, and has her sent to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Ethel decides to participate in her place, but Alice refuses, so Betty and Veronica blackmail Hal into allowing it, while Cheryl and Toni console Fangs, eventually getting him a phone call with Midge. Ethel wins the pageant after singing "Who Will Love Me As I Am", though it is later shown Alice lied and the judges actually chose Betty.

"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three: Stag"

Julian gets a pornographic film, which Veronica allows him to screen at the Babylonium, only for it to be shut down when Betty finds out her sister Polly is the star of it. She contacts Polly, who comes to Riverdale and admits she is now a burlesque dancer, which Alice and Hal know about. She also tells Betty and Veronica she is engaged, and agrees to perform her act for the women at the Babylonium. After Alice refuses to attend and Betty reprimands her, telling her she can't wait to leave Riverdale forever, Alice slaps her. After being told about the Beats, Archie is aroused watching a wrestling film with Reggie, who is also aroused. They later have a questionable encounter with a prostitute, Twyla, and tell each other they love each other. Cheryl and Toni do a photoshoot in lingerie. Jughead attempts to help Mr. Fieldstone come to terms with Dr. Werthers and the board censoring comics, but Dr. Werthers tells him the terms are already set. Veronica consoles Jughead, and they reignite their relationship.

"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four: A Different Kind of Cat"

Josie McCoy, an actress, comes to Riverdale to screen her new film at the Babylonium, and befriends Veronica, who is now openly in a relationship with Jughead. Archie, attempting to get more experience for his poetry, is rejected by Twyla, and performs a poem about Mrs. Grundy, who rejects him and tells him to write about his greatest pain. He writes a poem about his father, but Frank disapproves. Betty tries to write a book about her newsletter, and discovers Cheryl and Toni are dating. She admits she is the writer of the newsletter and asks them to do a photoshoot starring her. They do, using one of the photos as the cover for the book, and Cheryl later tells her about masturbation. Inspired by Veronica, Jughead creates a new comic character, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, only for the publishers to reject it. Toni introduces Fangs to Josie, who recognizes his talent and offers to connect him to her producer. Despite problems at the screening, the movie is a success, and Josie suggests to Veronica that she should direct movies instead of managing a theater.

"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Five: For a Better Tomorrow"

Sheriff Keller kills a man suffering from radiation poisoning, revealing ties to the Blossom family. Archie contemplates joining the merchant marines, but his father's influence pushes him toward the army. Mary, Archie's mother, learns of this and kicks Frank out, leading to a reconciliation between Archie and Frank. Jughead discovers a connection between the milkman's victims and the Blossoms and convinces Cheryl to investigate. Cheryl overhears her parents speaking Russian, finds a room full of milkman uniforms, and discovers a bunker connected to Dilton. They report the Blossoms to the FBI, exposing them as Russian spies building bombs. Meanwhile, the girls sign up for driver's education, leading Betty to uncover a family secret: Hal had an affair with Ethel's mother, making Ethel his biological daughter. Betty forgives her parents and offers to adopt Ethel, but she chooses to leave Riverdale.

"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six: The Golden Age of Television"

Principal Featherhead resigns, replaced by Waldo Weatherbee who rehires Mrs. Thornton. Archie plans to work at a basketball camp but takes Reggie's place at the farm. Cheryl regains control of the River Vixens and openly acknowledges her relationship with Toni. Betty's book is published, deepening her bond with Alice. Jughead's comic is rejected but eventually published, leading to the closure of Pep Comics. Veronica and Clay decide to adapt the story into a movie. Kevin sees Tom and Frank together. Jughead reunites with Tabitha, learning the future is secure but they can't return. Tabitha offers to restore their memories, which they agree to. They decide to keep only the good memories, though Betty and Jughead choose to remember the bad as well.

"Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Seven: Goodbye, Riverdale"

In the present day, after reading a recently deceased Jughead's obituary, an aged Betty tells her granddaughter Alice she wants to go back to Riverdale one last time. The night before they leave, she sees an apparition of Jughead as a teenager, who brings her back to the day they graduated high school. Passing through her house, the school, the coffee shop, Thornhill, and eventually ending at Pop Tate's grave, she recalls the final fates of all her friends and their families, including her own. The next day, Alice and her husband bring Betty back to Riverdale, now a ghost town, and stop in front of Pop's, now out of business, only for her to die in the back seat. A teenage Betty leaves the car and walks into a functional Pop's, meeting all her friends from high school, teenagers once again, in the afterlife. She sits in a booth with Archie, Jughead and Veronica. Outside, the apparition of Jughead gives closure to the series.