"Rivervale" Is Finally Going To Explain That Controversial CAOS Finale
Closure is coming.
It’s not easy to nail the final episode of a beloved TV show. There’s always going to be some fans disappointed by how things end, and that was definitely the case for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The supernatural series took a really big swing in its series finale, resulting in very mixed opinions from fans, but now that Sabrina Spellman is crossing over into Riverdale, showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa confirmed the “Rivervale” event will address Sabrina’s fate in the CAOS finale, giving fans some closure at long last.
Spoiler alert: Don’t read on if you haven’t seen the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina series finale. There’s a bit of confusion around Sabrina’s upcoming Riverdale appearance. After it was announced, fans pointed out that the teenage witch sacrificed herself in the CAOS finale, ending the series in the afterlife with no hope of returning to the mortal world. So... how can she possibly appear in Riverdale if she’s dead? That answer isn’t super clear just yet, but Aguirre-Sacasa did confirm that the crossover will indeed address the controversial CAOS finale and explain how Sabrina is back. “We definitely refer to the end of Chilling Adventures,” Aguirre-Sacasa told Entertainment Weekly. “And we own how that ended and how she's back.”
The most likely path for the show to take is to lean into the alternate universe aspect of the “Rivervale” event. The opening moments of Riverdale’s five-episode event explained that Rivervale is in a separate universe from Riverdale, so whatever transpires during these five episodes isn’t necessarily connected to the main Riverdale world. The same may be true for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina — perhaps in this “Rivervale” universe, Sabrina’s fate was different in the end.
CAOS was well-known for diving headfirst into super-confusing arcs involving parallel dimensions and time loops, so using an alternate universe to explain Sabrina’s resurrection feels right up the show’s alley. Plus, the “Rivervale” event has already proven it will push the limits of this new freedom with its shocking premiere twist.
After having to sit with that not-very-satisfying CAOS finale for a year, fans will finally get some closure when Sabrina appears on Riverdale in Episode 4 of the “Rivervale” event, which is slated to air Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 9 p.m. on The CW.
