Goodbye, Riverdale—Series Finale Photos Are a Stroll Down Memory Lane

Riverdale Season 7 Episode 19 was the penultimate episode before the series finale, and it made one thing very clear—we’re never ever going back to the present-day timeline

In a perfect world, we’d get to say goodbye to the characters we’ve known and loved for years in the present timeline, but instead, we’re being forced to bid them adieu in these new versions of themselves—a mold of their ’50s experiences and their previous selves, with some only remember the good memories. It’s a proper sendoff in the grand scheme of things, it’s just not the same as a continuation of what once was… and that was definitely felt.

Tabitha Tate, Angel Tabitha, arrived in 1955 to nudge Jughead’s memory of all that came before (or after, who really knows) before offering to give everyone back their memories should they choose, just as she dropped the bad news: they’re all stuck here forever. 

Long story short, she couldn’t untangle all the timelines, but she was able to weave them into one… this one… meaning that the energy from all those other timelines is now uplifting this one that they exist in. My understanding is that this is where it all begins, with everything that transpired previously still true and enduring, as they live out the rest of their lives from this point forward. I guess it’s great that she managed to save them all, but it’s a pretty bleak realization, especially when you consider everything that they all lost—the progress, the relationships, the families, their futures that they once envisioned as completely different people. 

Riverdale — “Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six: The Golden Age of Television” — Image Number: RVD719fg_0005r — Pictured (L – R): Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. Photo: The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s not forget that Archie and Betty were engaged while Toni was a mother to baby Anthony! Neither of those storylines were mentioned nor did they seem to make an impact on the characters, which was downright strange. Betty seemed more phased by the fact that she and Jughead dated than anything else, though I couldn’t help but chuckle at her ecstatic smile watching herself and Archie cheat on their significant others. I guess that’s a happy memory for them but Veronica, not so much. It’s hard to think you can just keep the good memories without losing sight of the overall picture as they are so heavily intertwined but oh well. 

You can’t expect me to believe that when after the characters got their memories back, Barchie who are actually ENGAGED and now remember that, don’t even acknowledge or talk about it and basically ignore it. Yeah totally believable. #Riverdale pic.twitter.com/8oqLGBqNxq

— depressed as hell (@barchiebaby) August 17, 2023

“You and I… We were together”

“Yeah. Until we weren’t”#riverdale pic.twitter.com/Sb9p8aQpnd

— Riverdale After Dark: A Riverdale Podcast (@RiverdaleDark) August 17, 2023

And Jughead and Tabitha? They were cosmic and meant to be… and instead, they got a final kiss before Angel Tabitha disappeared into thin air. It was such a beautiful scene, and their chemistry was so natural, but there’s no denying that they were robbed of an actual chance together. They deserved better—they were supposed to be endgame! They will live on eternally, sure, but what compelled the writers to do this? To make Jughead move through the rest of his life knowing he lost his greatest love and the one that sacrificed it all so that they could have a future?

riverdale’s biggest crime was not making jabitha endgame. idk how they messed up this bad THEIR STORY WAS SO BEAUTIFUL 😭 #Riverdale pic.twitter.com/siDk0qDCpQ

— tia ♡ (@barchiesorigin) August 17, 2023

Why was any of it necessary? It’s hard to truly understand the need to blow up the entire plot that they had going and seemingly start over in a new era rather than finishing out what they started the way it was intended. The ’50s were a fun timeline to explore, don’t get me wrong, and if they wanted to dabble in time travel, fine, but it should’ve never been more than a pitstop. 

While it was nice to see everyone relive the glory days of Riverdale, back when it was just the show that could, it was also a reminder of all that we’ve lost. Jughead and Tabitha are just one of those relationships, but we also saw Archie and Betty once lasting love reduced to two schoolmates who have barely spoken to each other in the past episodes. Archie’s love story this season is with Reggie, and while I’m all in on this bromance, it’s a bummer for anyone looking for true momentum on the Betty and Archie storyline. 

Riverdale — “Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six: The Golden Age of Television” — Image Number: RVD719fg_0004r — Pictured (L – R): Drew Ray Tanner as Fangs Fogarty and KJ Apa as Archie Andrews. Photo: The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

And will the final episode simply be a walk down memory lane between the only two people that actually were brave enough to keep the breadth of their memories—the good and the bad—Jughead and Betty? Jughead wanted to preserve the history, while Betty knew that she needed to experience it all, embracing the darkness and the light, for a well-rounded experience. Both of these decisions are in line with their characters, but it also gives them a unique connection that bonds them. It’s giving  #Bughead shippers way more to work with than #Barchie shippers. I think it’s clear that the series ships Bughead, and honestly, it’s bringing me back to why I loved Jughead and Betty in the first place.

I’m surprised Archie wouldn’t decide to keep the dark experiences as well. As a writer, you’d think he’d want to call on them to influence his writing and poetry.

Seeing all the characters come back into their experiences made me miss them for who they were and what we fell in love with them for. Season 7’s characters were shades of the people we once knew, inhabiting many of the same elements, but it just isn’t the same, and seeing them step back into those former roles, even for a brief minute, was a stark reminder of how much we’ve been failed this season. 

The one thing those “memories” via colored TV (Jughead’s initial shock juxtaposed with his nonchalant “this is called binge-watching in the future” was cute, and it was a nice meta touch that they all watched the first episode of Riverdale) proved was that Cheryl and Toni’s love defied space and time—they made it through, against all odds, always finding a way back to each other. If there’s anything that deserves to be celebrated, it’s that. 

Riverdale — “Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six: The Golden Age of Television” — Image Number: RVD719a_0273r — Pictured (L – R): Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom and Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz — Photo: Colin Bentley/The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

I also couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that Julian didn’t care to get his memories back because he was “just a doll” in the 2023 timeline—Riverdale thrives in the self-awareness of its kooky storylines. I also very much respect Kevin’s decision because the past seasons weren’t kind to him, and there’s no reality that makes sense to him without Clay in it. It can’t be said for most of the characters, but he’s better off now. Also, what was the scene with Uncle Frank and Tom Keller in the shower? Are we to assume that this reshuffling in Riverdale is allowing them to be true to themselves—and after all the flack that Frank gave Archie about his poetry?  

TOM KELLER

AND

UNCLE FRANK

WHAT THE WHAT#riverdale pic.twitter.com/vMmfjWaUpk

— Riverdale After Dark: A Riverdale Podcast (@RiverdaleDark) August 17, 2023

Riverdale — “Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six: The Golden Age of Television” — Image Number: RVD719a_0111r — Pictured (L – R): Karl Walcott as Clay and Casey Cott as Kevin — Photo: Colin Bentley/The CW — © 2023 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Tabitha’s arrival lent itself to the conclusion of the storylines for the characters while they were still in the clueless stages: Veronica’s decision to make The Comet into a movie (with W.E.B Du Boi’s blessing) with Clay writing the script, Betty finally getting through to her mother and urging her to find happiness away from her cheating father (go travel and see the world, Alice!), Jughead writing Pep Comic’s series finale-fitting eulogy, Archie deciding to work at Reggie’s barn while he goes to basketball camp so he can make it to the pros, and Cheryl winning her Vixens back (via classic dance battle, which is truly a classic throwback but also a weird way to spend precious last moments when so much has been left unsaid and undone) and living in her light while inspiring others to live in theirs.

this is what #Riverdale is spending their final episodes on instead of going back to the present i’m cryifbfbdbd pic.twitter.com/EIGEYqGEvF

— tia ♡ (@barchiesorigin) August 17, 2023

This seems like the natural cut-off point for these characters, who will undoubtedly move through life differently now with their memories, even just the good ones, intact. I’m actually surprised this didn’t cause a rip in the time-space continuum because it’s a classic rule as to why no one is allowed to know the future; if you know how things end, it’s going to influence the decisions you make. But since 2023 is 68 years from now, I guess it also doesn’t matter because, by the time they reach the year where they initially existed, they’ll be well into their 80s, which is also a wild thought. 

It was a stunning episode, particularly seeing everyone get glimpses of their former lives, which was well-crafted. There were sweet moments in the episode, naturally, as we all get nostalgic reminiscing on the town and show with pep (and plenty of murders, serial killers, cults, and superpowers—well, actually, maybe we should just forget that last part), but overall, it’s a bit of a letdown when you think of the potential, what could have been, and how much time was just wasted with pointless storylines that didn’t really make much of a difference.

Hopefully, as we take one last walk with our Riverdalians, we’ll at least get some insight as to how their lives turned out to provide audiences with some closure. Did knowing about their previous life impact them in any way moving forward in the ’50s? Did it give them hope? Did it spark new relationships or rekindle old flames? Did Reggie make it to the pros? Did Archie become a big writer? Did Betty find a way to stay in the bliss and make sense of the world despite all the darkness bubbling up? Did Veronica change the way the movie industry operates?

What did you think of the episode?

Riverdale airs its series finale on Wednesday, Aug 23.