Riverdale: “Night of the Comet” Has Unexpected Results

Where do you want to be at the end of the world? Riverdale has featured major season finales, and “Night of the Comet” is no exception. However, there is a slightly bigger overarching question regarding the town’s survival as Percival’s final act of revenge hurdles their way.

Bailey’s Comet is due to strike Riverdale leading to the town’s extinction. With a magical barrier surrounding every inch of town, entering Riverdale is possible, but leaving is another problem. The barrier prevents anyone from going, trapping all the town’s residents to a brutal death.

With the potential of death hanging over everyone’s heads, “Night of the Comet” is mostly a quieter finale as everyone grapples with loose ends and deals with the question of where they want to be and who they want to be with as their final moments arrive.

But, that does not mean there is not one final save up their sleeves. Veronica comes to the rescue, realizing her abilities will allow her to take in everyone’s superpowers and then transfer them to Cheryl, giving Cheryl the power to destroy the comet with less of a chance of anyone she had resurrected dying in the process.

As Cheryl prepares to destroy the comet, however, a few loose ends need to be tied up first, just in case. So Cheryl and Toni lend their bodies to Abigail Blossom and Thomasina Topaz, allowing their ancestors one final night together in exchange for Abigail helping to destroy the spell’s tether to the comet and town.

While it may initially be a deal to save everyone for Cheryl and Toni, Heather later explains to Cheryl that Cheryl and Toni are soulmates and that Heather plans to return to Greendale. However, Cheryl never discusses the find with Toni afterward, as the discussion occurs moments before Veronica calls for a group meeting to reveal her idea.

Besides coming up with the plan that saves everyone, Veronica’s moments of peace and closure as the comet comes closer derive from her decision to step away from serious romantic relationships. Instead, Veronica wants to spend time focusing on self-growth and being a better friend to others, and that decision comes with her reconciliation toward a friendship with Reggie.

Jughead and Tabitha also receive a similar moment, as Tabitha uses her time travel abilities to let them live a life within a minute. However, one of the most significant changes comes from Archie and Betty.

As time dwindles, Archie is inspired to use most of the little time they may have left to marry Betty. Archie and Betty have discussed their future before, but since it looks like their survival is uncertain, taking a giant leap forward announces where Archie sees their relationship.

Although Betty declines at first, asking Archie to ask again after they have survived the comet, it also allows Betty to rest the dark feelings she has had for a while. Betty may love solving mysteries, but diving so deep into finding serial killers may not be the life she wants for herself.

However, as Cheryl faces off against Bailey’s Comet, Betty takes her future into her own hands, asking Archie to marry her. Archie’s agreement to her proposal leaves them engaged right before the comet’s destruction. But, what happens next leaves the door open for many twists and turns in season 7.

Cheryl’s actions had saved Riverdale from destruction but also had the unintentional side effect of sending everyone, and the town itself, back to the 1950s as teenagers. But, there is one last plot twist in store. Jughead is the only person who remembers what life was like before. So, what does that mean for the final season?

Jughead is the only one who remembers their lives as everyone else experiences a reset. But how long could that go on? Will Jughead be keeping this secret from everyone? Are there residual pieces of the future existing amongst the 1950s town that suggests there is more to the story than anyone else realizes?

In a way, Riverdale has rebooted itself going into its final season, returning the main characters to teenagers in a different timeline, allowing them to exist without the memories of any of their previous complicated relationships and lives. But will they be able to sense something is off anyway?

“Night of the Comet” undoes many of the characters’ declarations for their future by sending them back in time and wiping their memories. While it gives the show a chance for a blank slate and the ability to do anything, it also risks the chance of removing character development unless everyone is given their memories back by the series finale.