‘Riverdale’ Graduation Photos Are Here to Make You Cry

We haven’t even gotten to prom yet, and already Riverdale is teasing its graduation episode — appropriately titled “Chapter Seventy-Nine: Graduation,” with a slew of brand new pictures. With that in mind, let’s get into some wild speculation, and happy tears of joy that our poor Riverdale teens have managed to survive four deadly years of high school.

First though, a little overall context. Initially supposed to be the Riverdale Season 4 finale, “Graduation” is written by showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and directed by frequent Riverdale director, Gabriel Correa. Here’s the official synopsis from The CW, which is much lighter on hints for the plot than the pictures:

STAY INNOCENT — With Graduation Day around the corner, the gang consider their next steps beyond Riverdale High. Archie (KJ Apa) learns whether he will be able to graduate with his classmates. FP (Skeet Ulrich) makes a difficult decision about his and Jellybean’s (guest star Trinity Likins) future. Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Madelaine Petsch, Mädchen Amick, Mark Consuelos, Casey Cott, Charles Melton, Vanessa Morgan and Drew Ray Tanner also star.

Airing Wednesday, February 3 at 8/7c on The CW, the episode was filmed once Riverdale returned to production this past Fall, and reportedly is an augmented version of the script initially planned for the Season 4 finale. The reason for that? A seven year long time jump that will take the teens from high school graduation, to closer to the actors’ actual ages, i.e. 24, 25. Initially the time jump was — most likely — the season ending cliffhanger. With it now falling in Episode 3, Aguirre-Sacasa and company spent some time rethinking how the whole thing would play out.

Also important to consider before we get to these pictures? Given the Season 5 premiere “Chapter Seventy-Seven: Climax” isn’t airing until tonight (also 8/7c on The CW, and the next day on The CW app and CW website), we don’t yet know what will happen with the main mysteries and plot, as there’s still a lot to wrap up from Season 4. That includes the mystery of The Voyeur/The Auteur, a mysterious villain who has been videotaping the town; and the fallout from Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Archie’s (KJ Apa) kiss back during this year’s musical episode. Normally, Riverdale likes to wrap up the thrust of the mystery elements in the second to last episode — in this case, next week’s “Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Preppy Murders” — and deal with the emotional ramifications in the finale.

So, that’s a lot of wind-up for some pictures of people in graduation robes, huh? Let’s finally get to the good stuff.

Goodbye, FP

We’ve known this was coming for months now, but it’s still hard to see: original cast member Skeet Ulrich, who plays Jones family patriarch FP Jones, will be leaving in this episode. Not for good — Aguirre-Sacasa has said the door is always open — but above you can see his goodbye scene with son Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse).

Seemingly following up on that is a still of Jughead standing with his girlfriend Betty, and her mom Alice Smith (Mädchen Amick).

Long-time fans will know that FP and Alice are basically the Romeo and Juliet of Riverdale, forever destined to get together, only to be torn apart. So why would FP leave town, and more importantly leave Alice behind? Chances are it has something to do with Jellybean Jones (Trinity Likins), though we’ll have to wait and see.

Also, curiously, Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) seems to be crying in the club — sorry, parking lot — and whether that has to do with FP leaving, something else, or the show knows you can always cut to Petsch for a good emotional beat? Again, we’ll have to see when the episode airs.

Let’s Do The Time Capsule Again

A persistent rumor about this episode was that there was some sort of time capsule involved — and it certainly looks like that’s accurate, based on a bunch of these pictures. What’s most interesting though is that it doesn’t look like the Riverdale teens are burying their own time capsule — they’re digging up an older one.

Here, you can see Toni Topaz (Vanessa Morgan) holding an old photo very carefully with gloves on her hands, as Cheryl looks on. While it’s hard to make out exactly who is in the photo, this sort of look back through the history of Riverdaleis Aguirre-Sacasa’s sweet spot as a writer, wrapping the past, present and future all together in a neat bow to make a mission statement about the series — and America as a whole.

Aguirre-Sacasa seemingly teased just that, on Instagram, with a pic that may or may not tie into this plotline:

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A post shared by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (@writerras)

To throw out a theory, I’d guess someone discovers a time capsule from decades earlier, and they decide to do the same thing, burying some of their favorite things for future generations to discover. That way we, the viewers, get to revisit some of the biggest and most poignant moments in the previous four seasons, through the lens of the Riverdale teens.

There’s Betty and Veronica (Camila Mendes) clearly holding a Pop’s placemat and what looks like something from the Pembrooke, Veronica’s place of residence, perhaps? These old eyes don’t see so well anymore, younguns.

…and true to form, Kevin Keller (Casey Cott) seems to be holding programs from the school’s many, deadly musicals; while Reggie Mantle (Charles Melton) is holding a signed football. Whether these are things from an older time capsule, or from current time period Riverdale, it’s sort of hard to tell because, uh, who knows when Riverdale takes place.

You Say You Want A Graduation

Oh? You came here to see pictures of the cast in graduation robes with tears in your eyes? Well, don’t mind if I do. First up, here’s Cheryl and Toni. And naturally, Cheryl is in her own red robe, because of course she is.

Here’s another look at Cheryl graduating, right up her nostrils.

Good news! Veronica is graduating, too.

As is Betty, who seems to be giving a speech of some sort. I mean, if someone was going to graduate head of their class at Riverdale High, it would probably be Betty Cooper, so this tracks.

…and just in case you thought the graduation would be all kids, all the time: don’t worry, the parents will be there, too. Here you can see Hiram (Mark Conseulos) and Hermione Lodge (Marisol Nichols), as well as Mary Andrews (Molly Ringwald) in the background.

Goodbye, Riverdale

Okay, here’s something that potentially could be considered spoilers, but KJ Apa has already talked about this in an interview with TV Line, so here goes: seems that post-graduation, Archie enlists in the army. And it certainly seems like here, the pensive redhead is heading out of town.

Elsewhere, we see the pensive redhead playing on his guitar in the garage, so maybe this is a classic “Archie needs to choose his music or the army,” not realizing the USO is a thing, situation?

Anyway, don’t worry, he’ll be back. And before he leaves, the pensive redhead seemingly assemble the Hot Dudes of Riverdale for one last… Well, something. Here are said hot dudes, including Archie, Jughead, FP and Tom Keller (Martin Cummins).

Sweet Pea Returns

Look, I do not know how, or why people love Sweet Pea (Jordan Connor) so much. He’s a fun character! But barely in the show! Anyway, in the midst of a classroom scene where everyone is all smiles, Sweet Pea is pictured in the back getting ready to break a pencil, maybe? Regardless, excited to see that for at least once this year, everyone is going to school.

Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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