After seven drama-filled seasons and 136 episodes, Riverdale has finally come to an end. But the series finale left a lot of people talking and even left some upset.
Throughout the years, writers gave viewers several fictional relationships for them to root for including Bughead (Betty and Jughead), Choni (Cheryl and Toni), and in the most recent seasons, Barchie (Betty and Archie).
Well, the show's writers decided to take things up a notch by taking a couple of the fan-favorite 'ships and throwing them into one big couple. That's right, Riverdale ended by revealing the core-four (Veronica, Jughead, Betty, and Archie) were in a polyamorous relationship for a year.
"It started innocently enough with the four of us going on dates," Lili Reinhart's character Betty explained in the finale. "And then it kind of naturally evolved from there."
"Some nights Archie would sneak into my bedroom and Veronica would go home with Jughead. Other nights, Archie would spend the night at The Pembrooke, and I'd go over to Jughead's. And sometimes, more often than you'd imagine, I would find my way to Veronica's."
The revelation generated mixed feelings amongst viewers. There were those who thought, out of all the outlandish storylines Riverdale came up with, that one was the stupidest.
introducing betty, archie, jughead and veronica to all be in a quad relationship in the finale has got to be the most stupid thing riverdale has ever done pic.twitter.com/2x6WOEBx00
Riverdale ending the series with everyone in a quad relationship instead of just giving us Bughead and Varchie….. they betrayed me until the bitter end
And then there were those who thought it made perfect sense.
Riverdale ending… never has there been a show so outrageous so camp so self referential so wild. In 10 years it will have a rivernaissance and many of you will suddenly realise it’s greatness but trust me!!! I will remember
As a shipper of Barchie, Varchie and also Betty and Veronica, that drop of "you're in a quad relationship" was the most sense #Riverdale has ever made in my personal opinion. I joked about that from like season 2 onwards with my gf lol I'm content tbh
Brett Chamberlin, executive director of OPEN (Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy), also caught wind of the finale and was not pleased by how polyamory was being displayed to the masses.
Brett recently told TMZ that although Riverdale attempted to celebrate non-monogamous relationships on TV, it should've been executed more responsibly.
"It's frustrating that Riverdale used its characters' non-monogamous relationship as a 'shocking twist' rather than engaging with an authentic portrayal of non-monogamy as simply being part of people's identities."
"We didn't see or hear anything about why these characters practice non-monogamy, what it means for them, the substance of their relationship agreements and communication practices, or any of the other underlying motivations and work that makes relationships of any type function."
But according to Riverdale executive producer Sarah Schechter, they actually had a good reason for ending the series with the quad. Sarah broke it down in a post-finale interview with Variety.
"I think it was modern and fitting. Each of these characters have such big lives that they were meant to lead — I do think it was such a brave and interesting choice."
"Them not ending up together, in a way, is more honest. It also helps you remember that each one of these relationships is equally important in its moment. If anyone ended up with anyone, it would say somehow that it’s more powerful."
Despite all of the discourse the finale created online, the series stars have yet to respond to the backlash. It looks like even after the show ended, it's still not lacking in drama.
riverdale ending tonight means that this line delivery is a historical archive pic.twitter.com/4sIMS4KWy6
