Riverdale revealed Jughead's dead body but is he actually dead?

31 October 2019, 14:49

By Katie Louise Smith

Is Cole Sprouse leaving Riverdale season 4? That big Jughead reveal might not be as simple as you think...

The big 'What happened to Jughead?' storyline on Riverdale is set to be one of season 4's big mysteries alongside who the hell is sending those creepy videotapes... (Seriously, what is happening there?)

In the season 3 finale, Jughead was MIA as the rest of the core four stood round a fire to burn their clothes and his iconic beanie. The scene led the entire fandom to believe that Jug was dead and that Cole Sprouse was leaving Riverdale.

READ MORE: When is the next episode of Riverdale season 4 on Netflix? How to watch online

Cut to season 4 episode 4, titled 'Halloween,' where we currently find ourselves sweating over an ominous flash forward scene featuring FP Jones and Betty Cooper that just seemed to 'confirm' Jughead's fate...or did it?

So, is Jughead actually dead after all? Let's investigate...

At the end of the episode, there's a flash-forward featuring FP and Betty standing in the coroner's office staring at a body covered by a sheet. The sheet is removed and uhhh, it's Jughead. Dead on the slab. Cold. Grey. And dead.

But like, what does that even mean? Is he actually dead? Is he faking his death? Is Cole genuinely leaving the show?

The scene looks like it happens shortly after the search party shown in the season 4 trailer, as Betty seems to be wearing the same outfit. Exactly when that scene takes place in the future, however, is still a mystery.

For now, we know that Jughead is still alive at the mid-season finale because he's set to come face to face with his grandfather, the OG Forsythe Pendleton Jones. It's also been teased that we'll learn more about what happened during the Spring Break flash forward in that episode.

*record scratch* *freeze frame* I bet you're wondering how Jughead got himself into this situation... Well, there seems to be a couple of leads so far. (Side note: Is there any point in trying to form theories after the 4th episode of a season? Not really but we're gonna do it anyway.)

The first one could have something to do with his half-brother Charles and his involvement with the FBI. The only possible explanation for Jughead not being dead when his dead body is lying there on the table is that someone created a very very very very very realistic fake body – and I guess the FBI would have access to that?! (How very Hawkins Lab of them!)

There's definitely a cover-up happening somewhere and, judging by that flash-forward in the season 3 finale, Betty seems to know something about it. She was pretty adamant that everyone needed to burn their clothes and all shreds of evidence, even Jug's hat.

As a new member of the Junior FBI, could she be working with Charles (or even, against him) to help Jughead fake his death? We all know how easy it is for that coroner's office to be bought. Her reaction to his dead body was a little sus too...

There's also the drama at Stonewall Prep too. Jug is not having a great time at his new school, having already been hazed by Bret and his shitty friends after learning about the Stonewall Four mystery. Does he fake his death as a ruse to investigate further? (Bit too much effort, huh?)

Or you know, maybe Jughead is genuinely dead? (Lol, he's not, right? He's NOT.)