Who Could Be 'Riverdale's "Big Bad" in Season Two?

The end of Riverdale‘s first season fast approaching and TV Source Magazine is looking forward to what viewers can expect during the sophomore season. With an rich history of source material to pull from, what surprises could the show have in store for us? Speaking to attendees of the Coast To Coast virtual comic con last month, Riverdale showrunner Roberto-Aguirre Sacasa revealed that the season one finale will tease the identity of the show’s ‘big bad’ for the recently announced second season. Who could the big bad be? Let’s speculate, shall we?

In teasing the identity, Aguirre-Sacasa said, “It’s someone who has long, deep ties to the Archie universe. It’s definitely a character people know. I think it’s a character that people won’t see coming.”

Fans of The CW’s acclaimed teen drama have been buzzing on social media about the identity of this mysterious character. Below, we break down the potential suspects on a scale of one (least likely) to five (most likely) Jughead beanies. But beware – potential spoilers abound:

Sabrina Spellman

Sabrina seems to be the most obvious choice for next season’s main villain. The character’s appearance has already been teased by cast and crew numerous times and Sabrina is arguably one of the most well-known characters from the Archie Universe thanks to the iconic Sabrina the Teenage Witch sitcom that aired from 1997 to 2003. Further cementing the likelihood of Sabrina casting a spell on Riverdale is the fact that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is also the creator and writer of the most recent Sabrina comic series, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – a decidedly darker take on the teen witch.

Big Bad Likelihood: 4/5 Jughead Beanies

Madam Satan

Madam Satan is a classic Archie Comics character who first appeared in an issue of Pep Comics – an anthology comic series published by Archie Comics back when it was known as MLJ Comics. The character has gone through several iterations over the years, but was most recently featured as the ‘big bad’ in Roberto-Aguirre-Sacasa’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic series determined to get revenge on Sabrina Spellman and her family. Although Madam Satan would be a formidable foe for the denizens of Riverdale, she is not very well known by mainstream audiences.

Big Bad Likelihood: 2.5/5 Jughead Beanies

Alexandra Cabot

Alexandra Cabot has been a recurring thorn in Josie McCoy’s side since the 1960s. A constant rival for Alan M’s affection, Alexandra made it her job to cause problems for Josie and the Pussycats. Although Josie, Melody, and Valerie have not had much to do in Riverdale’s freshman run, Alexandra joining the fray would be certain to make the claws come out.

Big Bad Likelihood: 2/5 Jughead Beanies

Hiram Lodge

One thing’s for sure: Hiram Lodge coming to town would immediately spell trouble for the Andrews men – Archie and Veronica’s father have a storied history of feuding in the comics series, while on Riverdale Hiram’s wife Hermione (Marisol Nichols) is busy reconnecting with Archie’s dad Fred (Luke Perry). We’ve also become privy to Mr. Lodge less than savory business dealings (Southside Serpents, anyone?) and his connection to many of the town’s darkest secrets. With the recent news that Mark Consuelos was cast as Hiram Lodge, it’s looking as though there’s even more drama in store for the Lodges’ and the rest of the Riverdale gang.

Big Bad Likelihood: 4.5/5 Jughead Beanies