Riverdale: Is Cheryl A Witch? The Link To Sabrina Explained

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Riverdale season 6, episode 4, “The Witching Hour(s).”

Riverdale season 6 answered the question of whether Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) is a witch with the help of Kiernan Shipka’s Sabrina Spellman, but the reveal isn’t so cut and dry. Shipka reprised her role as the teenage witch after playing the character for four installments of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Riverdale and Netflix’s Sabrina series, which were both helmed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, exist in the same universe. Granted, this is the first time a major character crossed over to a sister series.

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Sabrina appears in Riverdale season 6’s “The Witching Hour(s),” the fourth episode in the show’s special five-parter, which is set in the mysterious town of “Rivervale.” As Bailey’s Comet is set to fly over the town, Cheryl recalls past instances involving the astrological wonder connected to Blossom ancestors. It turns out, Abigail Blossom was cursed by a warlock as the comet passed, forcing her an eternity of heartbreak and loneliness. Cheryl also recalls the story of Poppy Blossom, who was put under house arrest in the 1950s.

The reasoning behind the Blossom family flashbacks in Riverdale points to a dying Nana Rose Blossom (Barbara Wallace), but they aren’t just trips down memory lane. Cheryl and Poppy are actually Abigail, who took on new personas over time while living through the immortal curse. Abigail is ready to move on to the afterlife, so she makes a deal with Nana Rose to switch bodies, allowing Rose to take over Cheryl’s youth. In order to carry out the transference spell, Cheryl/Abigail needs the help of a powerful friend in addition to the extra magic from the comet. During Sabrina’s anticipated arrival, the character confirms that Cheryl is indeed a witch. In fact, Cheryl and Sabrina are old friends, and they even amusingly state how their respective covens are in the same softball league. However, it’s important to note that even though the Rivervale version of Cheryl is a witch, it’s unclear if the same goes for the primary character in Riverdale.

It has been confirmed that some of the events in Rivervale will affect the Riverdale continuity, but to what degree is still a mystery. Until the Rivervale special event is over, it’s impossible to determine which details carry over to the primary timeline. There’s a chance the fate of characters depicted in Rivervale won’t mirror what happens in Riverdale as the case with Archie’s tragic death. Even though Cheryl hasn’t been confirmed to be a witch in the normal storyline, there have been hints insinuating she is more than human. Aside from her coven-like religion, Cheryl keeps being tied to seances, rituals, and the occult. The character even brought up Abagail’s burning at the stake in season 5, which means witches can very well run in her family.

Not only would making Cheryl a witch in the primary Riverdale timeline add an interesting dynamic to the character, but it would also open up new opportunities for the series. The CW show has leaned into supernatural elements for quite some time. By adding witches into the mix, the story could dive into new territory by allowing for more Chilling Adventures of Sabrina crossovers. With the Netflix series canceled, Aguirre-Sacasa can use Riverdale to bring witches back to the forefront. While it would be exciting to see Sabrina have a future in Riverdale, it would be equally entertaining to see someone like Cheryl take the reigns as the town’s resident witch.

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