It was a wistful, quiet ending. The final episode jumped back to the present, showing the characters graduating from high school (again) and finally leaving Riverdale. Archie opened a community center, Betty became an FBI agent, Veronica ran a casino, and Jughead wrote the novel of their lives. In the final shot, Jughead placed his beanie on the "Welcome to Riverdale" sign and walked away.
When Riverdale premiered on The CW in January 2017, the world thought it knew what to expect. Based on the long-running Archie comics, audiences anticipated a lighthearted, nostalgic throwback to wholesome Americana—think malt shops, drive-ins, and love triangles without stakes. Riverdale
What they got instead was a fever dream. It was a wistful, quiet ending