Reggie Mantle And Tabitha Tate Return To Riverdale

Tabitha Tate and Reggie Mantle are back in Riverdale and shaking things up. For Tabitha, it has been several episodes since she was last seen in “Don’t Worry Darling.” But this is Reggie’s first appearance in season seven, and Riverdale is not about to pass on the opportunity for either character to make an impression.

Tabitha plays a dual role in “Hoop Dreams,” playing to the romantic connection she shares with Jughead while influencing Toni to step away from cheerleading. Tabitha’s presence reminds Toni of her goals before she got involved with Cheryl. To get back in touch with her wish for activism, Toni decides to create a literary society.

While seeing the 1955 Tabitha counterpart is a great addition, there is always the question of if or when the audience will reunite with the present-day portrayal who is trying to fix the universe’s timelines.

Other than the season premiere, hints or mysteries affiliated with everyone’s true history and the memories they are missing have been lacking. Even though memory-wiped Jughead had concluded the season premiere with questions about a mysterious note and a beanie he did not recognize, there have been no direct hints since regarding questions about the present day.

Threading in those potential questions or small flashbacks, similarly to how Riverdale started to have ties to Rivervale in season six, could lead to more exciting avenues for the show’s central mystery and conclusion at the end of the series.

Considering Tabitha played such a massive part in the events that brought everyone to the 1950s, it would make sense for her to continue playing a forefront role.

Meanwhile, Reggie’s return shows the 1950s effect on everyone’s personalities. While everyone has retained a semblance of who they had been, Reggie’s initial introduction offers a different side to the character.

Unlike who he had been in previous seasons, Reggie exhibits none of the cocky and smug attitudes that he had been known for. Instead, he is more subdued. He is quieter without intentions to make close friends, and rather than connecting with Veronica as he had in the present, Reggie is initially interested in Betty.

Even if that interest does not lead to anything, it is still exciting to keep storylines and relationships fresh rather than just playing out the old ones in a different setting.

But Reggie’s arrival also makes an impact on Archie. Archie believed in the best of Riverdale, never quite seeing the problems that others were well aware were present. It takes finally listening to Reggie and then hearing others speak of Reggie later for Archie to finally grasp that things in Riverdale were not like he hoped.

Archie becoming more aware of the world around him adds character development to his 1950s persona, which is beginning to match the more serious vigilante he was in the present day. Although Archie has not become nearly as dark or violent, understanding the realities of the world he lives in means he can be more aware and work to improve.