Riverdale is certainly known for its drama. More than just the usual teenage drama, too. It’s cut-throat, filled with mystery, lies, betrayal, and murder. Riverdale is certainly no Emerald City, to say in the least. Betty has had her fair share of the Riverdale drama; from her father being a serial killer to the acts she’s been forced to commit herself, she undoubtedly has a laundry list of regrets.
It’s sad, really, when so much tragedy and darkness befalls someone like Betty, who tries to do her best and to be there for everyone. Still, no one is perfect, and Betty has her fair share of mistakes.
10 When She Lashed Out At Veronica
Betty was already angry that Veronica was aware of her father’s dastardly plans for Southside High. However, she picked the wrong time to confront Veronica about it, and even worse, she embarrassed Veronica right in front of all their friends. Betty did eventually apologize, but that kind of incident has lasting effects on a friendship.
It’s sad to watch a friendship turn sour, and for a bit, hers and Veronica was nonexistent. She hurt Veronica badly, especially since several people had witnessed the entire incident. It’s something Betty can’t really take back, and it’s hard to forget, even if all is forgiven.
9 Her Family Has All Kinds Of Skeletons In The Closet
Betty’s mother was once a Southside Serpent. Her grandfather was the Riverdale Reaper. She has an older half-brother, and she’s distantly related to the Blossom family. No matter where Betty turns, she’s uncovering secrets that cause her more pain, frustration, and confusion.
All of these discoveries are no doubt overwhelming and stressful for Betty, and the fact that no one told her about these facts beforehand definitely hurts her. Betty’s relationship with her family was already strained enough following Jason’s murder. Finding out all these secrets on top of it is pretty devastating, especially to someone as sweet as Betty.
8 She Sent Chic To His Death
She may have released Chic from his basement prison, but she only sent him onwards to meet his demise courtesy of The Black Hood. This act is a show of Betty’s more ruthless “dark side,” a side she more often fears than not, but in this case, she seemed to embrace it.
It’s unthinkable to most people to be capable of such an awful thing, but Betty made her choice, and it’s sad that she made this particular decision. It’s something she will have to live with forever. Even though Chic was hardly a good guy, he didn’t necessarily deserve what was going to be a brutal ending.
7 She’s A People Pleaser
Betty was pressured to be the most perfect version of herself possible, especially by her mother. She strove to get the best grades, to be kind, and to do anything and everything that was ever asked of her. She hated disappointing anyone, and she’s undoubtedly an overachiever in everything she does, especially when it comes to solving a mystery.
Still, it takes a toll on her, as she’s hard on herself and it impacts her own happiness. It’s sad that she didn’t have a little more freedom to make some mistakes and to have room to be imperfect, as it’s impossible for anyone to be perfect to begin with.
6 Her Mother Is Controlling
Alice was already overprotective of Betty before she found out that Polly was pregnant. Alice loves her children dearly, but she takes things too far, probably because of her own difficult childhood. She can be manipulative and judgmental, and she can make Betty feel badly when it’s really Alice that should feel responsible for whatever problem has befallen them.
She and Betty don’t have a healthy mother-daughter relationship, and it’s pretty sad that Betty couldn’t have a good relationship with at least one of her parents, given her father turned out to be a killer.
5 She Was Punished For Her Father’s Actions
Betty has always worked hard. She strove for the good grades, researched her articles, and studied extensively. She should have had more consideration from Yale; she definitely deserved to earn a place there. Unfortunately, her family history was too much for the admissions staff and she was rejected. She was punished because her father was a serial killer.
Betty hardly took it well. Her actions may have been impulsive, but her feelings were not unjust. She is not her father. Yale should have seen that and either rejected or accepted Betty on her own merits and mistakes, no one else’s. It’s sad that they chose to hold Betty responsible and deny her an opportunity for a better future.
4 The Time She Was Forced To Bury Archie Alive
When Archie and Betty attempt to save Mr. Svenson and dig up a grave, they are horrified to find the coffin is empty and The Black Hood ordering Betty to bury Archie alive instead. Burying someone alive is pretty much anyone’s worst nightmare, and it no doubt left a mark on Archie, given he experienced it in reality.
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Betty certainly felt awful about the entire ordeal as she was forced to lock Archie inside and cover him with dirt. Thankfully, luck was on their side and Betty managed to take out The Black Hood when he was distracted, and she freed Archie from his almost-grave. It’s something that would be hard to get over, if at all, and it’s so devastating that Betty has the awful incident in her memories.
3 She Has A Dark Side
“Dark Betty” is an apt nickname for Betty’s darker side. Her need to be perfect has taken its tolls in more ways than one, and that includes her struggle with her anger. She’s been shown to leave nail marks on the insides of her palms when she clenches her fists, and audiences surely remember her scary, non-Betty look of a dark wig and lingerie.
It’s not the Betty that Riverdale fans know and love, but it does reveal that Betty struggles with another side of herself. It’s sad that Betty’s pain and anger run so deeply that she is prone to losing herself in “Dark Betty.”
2 She Helped Her Mom Cover Up A Murder
In one terrifying episode, Betty returned home to find the scene of a murder. Wanting to help her mother, she aids her in cleaning and covering up any and all evidence. Worse yet, it’s a murder neither woman committed, as Chic was at fault. Still, they were left with the hefty and debilitating task.
It ends up eating Betty alive, as she gets sick and later checks on the body. She ultimately confessed to Jughead what had happened, and he helped her. Still, the memory of that entire incident scarred Betty, and it’s a horrible thing to have to live with, especially when she was faced with the gore of everything firsthand.
1 Her Father Was A Serial Killer
It’s bad enough that Betty was being taunted by The Black Hood and that he told her he was inspired to kill the sinners of Riverdale thanks to her speech. It’s even worse that it turned out to be Betty’s own father, Hal Cooper.
Betty struggled immensely with this fact and feared her own fate as she worried if she was capable of doing what her father had done. Betty hasn’t had an easy family life, but finding out that both her father and her grandfather, were killers is an awful and tragic burden to bear.
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