Riverdale Queer Watch season 5 finale: Rebuilding Riverdale

Welcome to Riverdale Queer Watch, where we look out for the LGBTQ+ folks on The CW’s Riverdale each week. Whether it’s a snuff film or prom night, we’re watching.

Last week’s episode saw Alice and Betty deal with the tragic aftermath of Polly’s death while Fangs and Toni made their relationship official and Cheryl took in a gay Riverdale teen in need of a home.

The season finale primarily focused on the future of Riverdale in the wake of Hiram Lodge’s ousting for good. Let’s see where this leaves our favorite queer Riverdale folks.

Riverdale Queer Watch:  Kevin

As is always the case with the show, Kevin’s arc has been fleeting and lacking depth this season beyond his breakup with Fangs. In the finale, his dad offers him a job as a deputy since Kevin is always helping out. Kevin declines and says he’s going to try to make it on Broadway.

Casey Cott is not leaving the series, so Kevin will likely return to Riverdale one way or another, hopefully finding something that gives him fulfillment when he returns. As always, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a better storyline for Kevin next season.

Riverdale Queer Watch:  Cheryl

In a very confusing and convoluted storyline, Cheryl discovers more weird and creepy Blossom family history that essentially boils down to Archie, Betty, and Jughead’s ancestors having burned her ancestor as a witch at the stake.

Cheryl takes this news to mean that the Blossoms have been subjugated somehow, disrupting the town meeting to say the Blossoms will no longer be part of the new Riverdale.

This is where I kind of lose Cheryl. While it’s true that her friends could have been more empathetic, is Cheryl’s drama cause enough to derail the mission of the entire town? Needless to say, I don’t get who this character is supposed to be anymore.

We also learn that before Cheryl’s ancestor died, she cursed the town, Nana Blossom, being the enigmatic symbol of all things spooky that she is, encourages Cheryl to recite the curse again.

Right after the finale aired, the show writers announced an official crossover event with Kiernan Shipka’s Sabrina Spellman, so we can only assume Cheryl will reawaken her ancestor and bring down some big bad on Riverdale which Sabrina will have to clean up.

Riverdale Queer Watch:  Toni and Fangs

Cheryl and Toni may be a thing of the past as the Serpents rise once again. The latest power couple was at the center of the action this week as Toni announced her main goal in leading the new Riverdale would be to bring the Serpents back to town.

(In the post-time jump era the Serpents have been exiled to working on the road as truck drivers.) Toni reminds Fangs that they are both Serpents by blood. If she’s the Queen of the Serpents, he’s the King. They’re raising the next generation of Serpents with baby Anthony.

It looks like Toni will have ample room to work on this as one of four council members leading the new Riverdale. This ship may have set sail a little quickly but I’m here for Toni and Fangs if it means a new era of the Serpents. Long live the Queen.

What did you think of the season five finale? Tell us in the comments below!