How the latest death on Riverdale can help set up Jughead’s doom

Someone unexpected “dies” in the latest Riverdale episode and it may just be another clue to add to the mystery of Jughead’s supposed death.

We’re inching closer to Spring Break on Riverdale with every episode and the Jughead clues are sprouting. In the episode “Hereditary,” it all begins when Jughead discovers that not all of the Baxter Brothers books that Francis Dupont claimed to have written were penned by him. Dupont had stolen, at the very least, the first Baxter Brothers novel from Forsythe Jones Sr. when they both attended Stonewall High.

Jughead’s discovery could oust Dupont out as the privileged plagiarist that he is, which almost confirms that just like Jughead, Forsythe Sr. was mistreated by the snobbish students of Stonewall. Surely, Forsythe Sr. would have fought back when his story was stolen but it probably didn’t mean much coming from someone who was considered a thug. As expected, the plot further involves Forsythe and suggests that by the end of the season we will get to see Grandpa Jones in the flesh.

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Jughead brings this discovery to Dupont who doesn’t choose the path of redemption in being discovered. Dupont would rather bad mouth Forsythe Sr. then admit that he lacked the talent and creativity to start the series on his own and had to steal from someone who he regards as less than him.

Jughead then turns to Mr. Chipping for help with uncovering Dupont’s plagiarism. Unfortunately, after agreeing to help, Mr. Chipping tells Jughead that he’s changed his mind and throws himself out of a window.

How matters at Stonewall could ever get so bad that one would rather throw themselves out the window then just resign, I will never know. But there is evidence that this may also be a ruse on the rode to Jughead’s disappearance and eventual death after Spring Break. None of the students even blinked an eye, let alone, called an ambulance when Mr. Chipping jumped. Either this has happened before, it was planned, or they all know that Mr. Chipping didn’t die or get hurt. If that’s not it, then these Stonewall kids are ruthless.

There is no further talk during the course of the episode as to whether Chipping survived the fall. All we know is that Dupont took up the post as the new teacher of Jughead’s class, to his chagrin. Mr. Chipping could have intentionally faked his death to really help Jughead on the sideline. He could be a major player in faking Jughead’s disappearance and death. Mr. Chipping’s level of involvement from outside the school could really help if the rest of the school assumes that he’s kicked the bucket.

I just can’t see Dupont as so much of a threat that Chipping could only see suicide as his only option. Also, we barely know Mr. Chipping’s private life to know if he was capable of plunging from a window over something like this. But who knows how far Dupont’s money and influence go? So in the case that Mr. Chipping really did commit suicide, it could be tied to some weird loyalty oath amongst the upper crust of Stonewall.

It’s obvious that Dupont took the teaching position because he intends on torturing Jughead for his insolence. But how far is Dupont willing to go? Is he willing to kill the boy to shield his reputation? One thing is for sure, Dupont is the arch-rival of Forsythe Sr. and that makes him the only one that can fix this mess for Jughead.

Watch Riverdale every Wednesday at 8 P.M. on The CW.