Riverdale‘s seventh and final season is almost here, and with the gang heading to the year 1955 following Bailey’s Comet, there are definitely some questions on the horizon. Between being in the ’50s to who could possibly be coming back for one more chapter and more, take a look at some of the theories and questions we have as Riverdale heads back in time.
How and Why the 1950s?
Bailey’s Comet usually passed over Riverdale every several decades, but because of Percival, the town was in its direct path. Cheryl, being a Phoenix, absorbed everyone’s powers in the hopes of destroying it. Which then blasted everyone to the 1950s. How? And what really happened?
Of course, there’s no sure way to know what really happened, but it could be paired with the spell that Percival put on the comet, and the powers that Cheryl used were so cosmic that it created a rift of some sort.
The somewhat normal explanation could be that this is all a dream. Or, it could be a good way to explain why Jughead has been narrating the entire series. Perhaps this is one last story he has up his sleeves, and they are not actually in 1955, but Jughead is telling a story of what should have happened after Cheryl destroyed the comet. Who’s to say there were even superpowers and comets, after all?
Why Is Jughead the Only One to Remember Life B.C.?
This brings us to our next question. Why is Jughead the only one to remember their life in the future? If we are sticking with the story theory, then it’s very plausible that Jughead would want to read it that way, but if it’s not a story, then what?
Jughead had the ability to read thoughts, so that could also play a part in everything; how, I don’t exactly know. This also raises the question of whether or not the gang still has their powers. Again, if there were even superpowers, it’s possible that this whole series was just a figment of Jughead’s imagination, which could explain why he’s been narrating the entire time. If Jughead being the only one to remember is tied to him being the narrator, that would answer just about everything.
Will They Get Back to The Future?
When the first trailer for season 7 was released, it said that saving the future means surviving the past. Nothing is ever simple in Riverdale, and even in the ’50s, the sentiment rings true, and it’s just as crazy in the past, perhaps even crazier. It’s possible we could get another comet scenario. However, if we go by real-time and Riverdale time (which we know by now are either one and the same or completely off), assuming that season 6 ended when it was 2022, that would make the comet’s last sighting in 1957.
If the gang were blasted to that time, that would make more sense. But what is so significant about 1955? There has to be a reason it was that time. With Tabitha, Riverdale’s guardian angel and resident chrono-kinetic, perhaps she has the answers that Jughead and the rest of us are looking for?
Tabitha is still very much the town’s guardian angel, even in the ’50s, which is probably why that is still true. With her and Jughead working together, and hopefully, later down the line, everyone else, they will make it back to the future.
At some point, Jughead’s going to have to jog everyone’s memories. There was a sneak peek that was released that showed him trying to tell his friends what their lives were like, and it wasn’t too successful (given everything that’s happened, who can blame them?), so it’s going to take some convincing.
How and Why Is Everything Different?
When we meet up with the gang in the 1950s, it is not going to be like it was in the 2020s. Many of the characters have different storylines than what we know. Again, without the full story of why they’re in 1955, it’s hard to predict just what exactly is different aside from what we already know.
We know there’s a Julian Blossom now, but whether he replaces Jason is unknown. We also don’t know if those who previously left will wind up making appearances since this is a different time. With it being the last season of Riverdale, we can likely expect some surprise returns throughout the season, but who, how, and why of course, is unknown.
It would be interesting to see certain characters return, like Hiram Lodge, who died via a bounty hunter that Veronica hired. With Veronica being a Hollywood starlet in the 1950s, perhaps we could see some role reversal. Hiram working for his daughter as a manager or agent. But on the side, of course, he’s still slinging rum. And we already know one dead character that will be making a reappearance.
Midge Klump, who was murdered at the hands of the Black Hood during the Carrie episode of season 2, is back. This definitely supports the theory that those who were no longer with us have a chance of returning. It does make sense, given that this is the final season, and since the timeline is widely different, it’s a good excuse to bring dead characters back to life without too many questions. So it’s a huge possibility that Midge won’t be the only one to come back to life.
How Will Riverdale Wrap Up?
This is perhaps the biggest question and has been the biggest question since the start of the series, practically. Riverdale has done everything you can imagine that would be possible for a show like this and then some. Having the last season take place in the 1950s as opposed to just keeping it in the present is a risky move, yet completely on brand for Riverdale, especially since the characters are dressed like their Archie Comics counterparts.
Assuming at one point, likely towards the end of the season, that Jughead is able to get everyone back to the future, it’s going to be emotional, which is a given. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Town of Riverdale isn’t completely quiet when the series ends because ever since that fateful 4th of July day, it hasn’t been the same. It’s hard to predict how a show as crazy and unpredictable as Riverdale will end, but if it doesn’t include one last storyline that will make you rethink everything and have you questioning what you’ve been watching, then what’s the point?
See what happens in the final season of Riverdale premiering tonight at 9 p.m. EST on The CW! Check out the rest of our coverage of the series here.
