TV

'I am neither confirming or denying that,' says showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa of a character's fate, adding that Archie's journey will be dark after the event.

• May 12, 2017

AceShowbiz - "Riverdale" season 1 ended with a bang. After the shocking reveal about Jason Blossom's killer and Clifford's death in the penultimate episode, another character appeared to encounter a similar fate in the Thursday, May 11 finale.

In "Chapter Thirteen: The Sweet Hereafter", [SPOILER ALERT!] a masked robber came in Pop's and shot Fred, while Archie was in the bathroom. The next scene showed Archie cradling his father's body, leaving a question open if Fred is dead.

Speaking to E! News, showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa was coy when asked about Fred's fate. "I am neither confirming or denying that," he says, adding, "but I am confirming that we will see Luke Perry in the season two premiere."

One thing for sure is that the event will send Archie into a darker path. Aguirre-Sacasa explains, "Archie is our hero of the series and what happens to heroes is that something happens in their lives that changes them forever, and it's sort of like when Bruce Wayne's parents are shot in front of him in Crime Alley and he vows to become the Batman."

He continues, "The impulse, the journey is going to be dark, like Batman. It is going to be driven by revenge and violence begetting violence, and payback. And then hopefully at some point, it will turn toward the light and being a real hero, being driven by more altruistic reasons and honoring the man that Fred raised. Archie was raised by Fred, he was raised by a good guy, and I think that will ultimately come true, but I think it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Aguirre-Sacasa confirms that the shooting at Pop's will be "the start of the season mystery, but it goes to more sinister waters very quickly." He goes on teasing the influence of supernatural element on the show in the coming season as saying, "...in season one, there are hints of the supernatural, and there are visions and dreams. Cheryl sees Jason as a zombie, and she sees his ghost, and Archie sees werewolves...I can tell you that in season we are going to continue pushing the envelope on that."

"It's almost like a little bit more like 'Twin Peaks', as it went on, it got a little bit more metaphysical and supernatural," he dishes on their plans. "That's kind of what we're thinking of for season two, which isn't to say that Sabrina is off the table completely, but I think it's a big thing to introduce the supernatural into a naturalistic world. We want to be really, really careful about how we do it."