#and Jabitha is so healthy together

[hbogirls]

☕ jabitha?

they're soooo cute together. when she earnestly told jughead that he was better looking than leo in the titanic i was like oh she's in LOVE love. because, let's face it, it's just not true lol. i am, in my heart of hearts, a jarchie truther, but i'd be so happy with a jabitha endgame. that scene where they fast-forwarded through their whole lives with their kids was so moving, and even prior to that, i was already on board because they were always so supportive of each other and concerned for each other. genuinely probably riverdale's first healthy couple?

[jabitha-endgame]

A rant/Jabitha/and Bughead fandom

Ugh! I’m so sick of some people claiming Jabitha came out of no where. I’m sorry you all had your shipper goggles on and weren’t actually watching the show but cherry picking BH and then extrapolating your own fan fiction from it. What is hard for you all? Betty sleeping with Archie? Or saying she “wanted to do that since HS”? Or Betty literally not caring if Jug was missing or dead (and told Tabi she shouldn’t either)? Ignoring and being passive aggressive about him (until this most recent episode)? What do you think playing that VM was about? It wasn’t to make Tabi and Jess feel warm and fuzzy about Jug, it was to paint herself as the victim cause he was “mean” when all he did was bag on the fact that she cheated on him (and V by extension) and has blown him off for YEARS. As for Jug I’m sorry BHers you didn’t understand Betty IS JUGS TRAUMA. She was perceived as just as toxic as Jess (in his most recent hallucination) It’s not that he can’t move on from Betty, he can, he dated Jess longer than B, its that he can’t form any deep meaningful connections because he trusts no one, because the two people he trusted most betrayed him in the worst way. And I don’t want to hear how Jugs parents fucked him up (first), of course they did but they pretty much always sucked and Jug knew it, he was consistently let down by them, Betty made him believe he was worth someone loving and pulled the rug out from underneath, sorry that you don’t get that’s worse. Sorry you don’t get her lack of compassion after he almost died and was still suffering various after effects, including PTSD and depression was horrible. And insult to injury cheated with his best friend, her childhood crush, a guy who didn’t graduate while throwing Jugs academic situation, through no fault of his own, in his face. THAT IS JUGS TRAUMA. And all these years later still no real apology or explanation. (and DON’T get me started on Betty jumping Jugs bones while he was reeling from the shock) As for Tabitha herself if she wasn’t going to be a love interest for Jug why introduce her at all? The core 4 could’ve returned to Riverdale on thier own, all thier lives were a mess, a trip home to reset would’ve worked just as well (or better) But instead they had Pop’s retirement and made Tabi the granddaughter of the only character everyone can universally agree on. If the role was just going to be supportive black BFF cheerleader to BH why cast her at all? Wasn’t that what Vanessa was complaining about? If it was just so Jug had a friend the Serpents were right there, hell fellow outcast Reggie would do. Why not some random recurring character? And I’m sorry you BHers didn’t understand that Jabi agreeing to be “friends” was Jug and Tabi tabling a relationship because Jug knew he wasn’t in a headspace to date (which makes him more self aware than anyone else in that town) and liked Tabi enough not to jump into anything until he was ready. The false equivalency and cognitive dissonance of a certain corner of fandom is telling. Why do you ship Tabi with ANYONE BUT JUG? Why is Jug not good enough for Tabi but okay for Betty then? Why do you want Tabi relegated to BH cheerleader? Do you not know how systemically racist that trope is? Really? Why are you okay with Betty “getting Archie out of her system” (so she realizes Jug is the one, which is just 🤢, that’s a horrible mind set, 7 yrs apart and absence hasn’t made her heart grow fonder??) But now that Jug is in the same town as Betty he needs to be celibate until Betty decides to grace him with her attention? FUCK THAT! Jabitha has been building slowly but surely all season, you just took scenes that were supposed to show how disconnected Betty and Jughead were and turned them into the opposite of what you were being shown and told. Meanwhile the Jabi scenes were trivialized and to pile on that insidious racism so many BHers are unaware of, if the scenes between Jug and Tabi had happened between Jug and Betty you’d be loosing your shit and crying from the hill tops how cute it was and how much they were into each other and

true love. I hate to break it to you but Jabi has had more build up than any couple on the show. Tabi is Pop’s granddaughter for a reason, its not an accident she is related to the only person who has ALWAYS been good to Jug. Maybe deep down you BH stans know it and that’s why your so angry and deep in denial. For me personally a former Bughead stan, who was convinced they were endgame I don’t want it anymore. From my perspective too much has happened to walk them back now, better to let them both move on and be happy elsewhere.

Sorry for bringing this rant into your blog but I deleted mine a while back and I have read A LOT of nasty things about Tabitha, Jabitha and Erin and I needed to get it off my chest. If you made it to the end thanks💙

[mothmanchronicler]

everyone is arguing abt bughead vs jabitha today but i'm pretty sure he loves both of them (in a most unfortunate way)

incoherent thoughts abt this in the tags but the conclusion is that tabitha deserves a happy ending

[godheadjones]

Okay bit of unpopular opinion but I think the OG couples had some... not toxic per say but less than healthy elements and most of these couples formed because these teen were A)trying not to repeat thier parents mistakes and B) a bit of rebelling against thier parents throw in the various traumas they experienced and how that informed a bond and codependency and yeah none of those couples were exactly healthy and being horny teens they used sex to cope and gloss over relationship issues. 1 of 2

2 of 2-fast forward and we've seen how none of them coped well away from Riverdale but I think the return was supposed to be them learning hey, you don't need your crutch SO to get through shit. The difference between Barchie & Jabitha is I think Barchie are still using sex to cope, fill a void, a return to thier youthful crush is safe, comforting. Whereas Jug refused to date Tabi until he got his shit together, they have a healthy relationship based on friendship & love And sex has been implied

honestly? agree. i feel like all the og ships were a little unhealthy, even though they did have their good moments imo. most of the scenes were literally sex scenes for all the of ships as teens and betty def more because of how hard alice is on her sometimes. a lot of teen relationships are just sex and lust and horniness but so are some adult relationships I'm gonna say that before i forget to make that point. sex is used as a coping mechanism for a lot of relationships and it never makes a relationship better just like makes you and your partner forget your problems

oh yeah totally they didnt have great experiences outside riverdale. betty was kidnapped by tbk, veronica had a toxic relationship with chad, archie was in the war and jughead was a struggling writer in new york with a toxic girlfriend. barchie use sex more because for them i think it is comforting and rewarding, they've had this long slow-burn since childhood, in their teen years and now their adults. as for jabitha yeah jughead didn't ask her out until he was clean. i think his drunkenness was keeping him from getting over betty and once he was finally clean he knew she was bad for him and knew his feelings for tabitha so he went to her. i also think jughead wants to take sex slow in a relationship. as a teen, he was vulnerable with the girl he thought he was in love with and he thought she loved him back, but bughead were together for 3 years (not straight, wth bumps and curves) and then she breaks his heart. she cheated on him with his best friend. he goes to new york, meets jess, gets high all the time with her, and they probably had sex a few times. now that he's finally over betty he wants to be sure that with tabitha she wont hurt him, so i get why we haven't gotten a jabitha sex scene yet but like i think they've def had sex, like from the clips I've seen of 6x22 they look so emotional together like FUCK

[azzybarjabi]

Why Jabitha is endgame

Jabitha week/ Day 6 | Why I ship them

They support and care for each other

Tabitha gave him a job as she could see how desperate he was

She was the only one to worry about him when he went missing and did everything she could to find him (Even work with his Ex)

They worked on a mystery together 

He helped her find out what happened to her friend

She helped him through his trauma and get sober  

She was the only one to support him while not being able to hear. 

Jughead was the only one who helped her try to save pops 

He rushed her to the hospital when she got shot

Tabitha’s angel was in the form of jughead proving how much he means to her

Who are endgames

Tabitha knows which couples are endgame, She knows who she’s fighting for, and is trying to save jughead over 1,000 times - Jabitha is endgame 1000% deal with it and move on.

Their relationship is realistic

Their relationship is the most healthy on the show. It’s fresh, loving, nurturing, supporting and understanding. They are always there for each other and are very honest. They aren't just a couple, they are best friends. 

He tells her he likes her first and wants to be with her despite what he is going through. He feels safe with her and says he can be perfect for her. Also she has time traveled over 1000 times and is trying to find a way to make sure he lives.  

Their duets    

They have two duets together (perfect for you and Hey3) Both are sung beautifully and the lyrics really show just how made for each other they are. Also there dance during Hey3 was so sweet.  

Their love tropes 

Slow burn, Friends to lovers, The first cut is the deepest, Hand holding, Dance of romance, Soul mates

They are the superior ship

If you don’t ship them, then I don't trust you. Why? Because you rather ship a couple where one cheated on the other.  I don’t condone cheating in any way. Even if it is with a ship I used to love. The moment someone cheats on you is a red flag. So let me ask this, if your boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever cheated on you would you go back to them. If so, here is my opinion of you: you have a hard time letting go of the past and will find yourself constantly repeating it. Tabitha and Jughead have a healthy and earthly relationship and love each other and will always be there for one another. Pops choco’lite shop has always been a safe haven for jughead. A lighthouse he can call home. And as the owner of pops Tabitha is definitely his lighthouse too. A person who makes him feel worthy of love and someone who does matter. And vice versa jughead gives Tabitha a sense of safety too, she is comfortable with him and loves him for him. He supports her choices even when her own parents don’t and is always there for her no matter what. 

They are endgame and love each other. 

[thatiranianphantom]

it’s quiet hilarious when you ask someone why they ship Jabitha and they're like "it's the healthiest ship on the show" mostly because it’s interesting what this fake woke generation on social media considers "toxic" or "healthy" and you can tell they’ve never been on a real relationship if they consider BH toxic (in the scale of Riverdale, of course) cuz BH was probably the most communicative couple of them all. Lack of conflict doesn’t mean the relationship is healthy, and that’s probably the problem with Jabitha. They have not flavor or nuance as a couple and that’s because the writers couldn’t bother to give them anything at all to explore their relationship. The "conflicts" makes a relationship stronger, not unhealthy. Jabitha is that relationship that exists just because Riverdale doesn’t do platonic when they need to be (aka Toni/Jughead). Jabitha goes through the motions of a relationship but there’s not passion in it. You even wonder if they like are attracted to each other. And the funny thing too is that the same people who say Jughead was toxic and terrible as a boyfriend are shipping Jabitha so hard because the truth is that most Jabitha shippers truly don’t care about the ship and would have probably call it boring if it was any other ship but as long as Jughead isn’t single (and therefore not a threat) they wouldn’t care less about her. The moment BA breaks up they’ll stop pretending to like Jabitha because is not longer a thing they can use to feel validated. When Jabitha breaks up, Jughead will go back to their hate list because the only reason BAs are pretending to like Jughead now is because he isn’t sharing screen time with Betty (as of now) and they have somehow deluded themselves that any couple that is together now is "endgame" when the writing couldn’t be more obvious if it tried.

This, anon. Pretty much this. Functionally there are no Jabitha shippers. They are just BA shippers in disguise trying to excuse away Archie. Sad, really.

[staliasjeronica]

Look if this episode isn't a great foreshadowing for the rest of 6b, relationship wise, what's the point? I feel like, the whole vughead canon on the show and vughead rising on social media, is an indication that they will explore this relationship in 6b.If that's not the case, that's fine, I'm just here for the edits anyways.

I’m kinda on the fence about it. Because, yeah, in ANY show it would be foreshadowing but this is Riverdale where they just do insane things for views and such, so whether it will actually go anywhere, no one (probably not even the writers lol) knows. I love Jabitha as well, and am glad that Jughead is finally in a healthy, loving relationship and I don’t know how they could end it (or if I’m lucky and bring JabithaRonnie together) without making everyone angry because you can’t deny that Jabitha is great.

I’m not really used to my ships being canon/staying together, so I definitely am keeping my expectations low as to whether Jeronica becomes a full fledged canon couple or not, so I’ll be held over by the edits as well even if I want them to be explored.

Honestly, before I go, I just want to say that the way they are now including us is weird because it’s like they’re acknowledging/baiting us, but also potentially foreshadowing and it’s scary and confusing because I just don’t know. Up to now we only are getting to s7 is what I heard so I don’t know how it’d work in two seasons but… yeah… idk 😭😭😭 but thank you for sending in this ask <3

[arsenicpanda]

1.) Sorry for wasting you time, but I just saw another user say the Jabitha kiss was slowburn. That Jughead telling Tabitha in other words he wasn't ready for something new wasn't the nail in the coffin for their ship. If that was the case would've said he wasn't interested. That he'll finally overcome his trauma and get to a healthy place to enter a relationship with her.

2.) I already know that Jughead admitting that he never recovered from their split and him hallucinating her apologizing and seducing him were crumbs to signal that we're on our way back to Bugheadville. But I was curious to know your take? Any smidge of hope? Or nah, the writers threw us a bone with that kiss and that's all we'll ever get? 

So, before I give you my full take, I’m gonna give you the tl;dr: there is a 99.9% chance that the show is done with jabitha, and their friendship is equally likely to be over in terms of screen time.  Riverdale doesn’t do friendship, and Riverdale has foreshadowed bughead endgame since 1x02.  And jabitha isn’t a slowburn because Riverdale doesn’t do slowburns.  That’s it, that’s reality when it comes to canon.

BUT that doesn’t mean we can’t create content!  Write a fic, write some meta, draw some art, make a fanvid, make a gifset, make icons, review, reblog, etc, etc!  Fan content is one of the best parts of shipping, so let’s get out and make some!

Now, for the Official Take:

If I had to guess, I’d say that the purpose of the jabitha relationship was to have a way to bring Tabitha into the cast, give Jughead a friend, give Jughead a “romance” to turn down as a way to show he’s not over Betty, and also have an opportunity to create a 2x06 Toni parallel because Riverdale loves nothing so much as a parallel.  Not that I think the parallel was a good idea or that they executed the “not over Betty” part well, but I think that was the intent.

As for how it worked, let me say that post time skip 5a--and especially 5x10--sends the most mixed goddamn messages.  Because if I were to view it in a vacuum, as a season unto itself--which is what it would have been originally--I would 100% assume they were heading to jabitha land with the lingering shadow of bughead as a roadblock.  We got a lot of Jughead and Tabitha content and not a lot of Betty and Jughead content, after all.  Most notably, the way Jughead specifies that it was the breakup he’s not over and the placement of Jughead turning her down with that weird “as your ~friend~” being before the trip sequence where he calls her his muse, tries to dance with her, tries to kiss her, and has that bondage line is so goddamn weird.  What it suggests is that the break up (and Jughead’s subsequent toxic romance) are problems but that Jughead’s attraction to Tabitha is very much real.  And then there’s that hallucination sequence, which can definitely be read in a bughead-negative light (e.g. his relationship with Betty is paralleled with his other toxic relationship with Jessica and then sex with Betty makes his trip go seriously sideways, this is a bad sign for bughead, etc).  In context of just the time skip, I would assume that this is set up for the two of them getting together later after Jughead deals with The Betty Issue.

In context of the past 4 seasons of bughead, I’d say that the Jughead and Tabitha stuff was a weird, unnecessary detour and we are obviously heading back to bughead land because they did their Polly investigation parallel in 5x09 (notably the one episode he didn’t interact with Tabitha, and isn’t that telling) and the hallucination sequence can be read in a bughead-positive light (e.g. his relationship with Betty is contrasted with his toxic relationship with Jessica, he says he forgives her, this is a good sign for bughead, etc).

Obviously, the bughead one is going to be the canon one, but it is a very bad sign for the writing that there is a disconnect there.  Riverdale isn’t much in the way of consistent, but the relationships have always been pretty consistent.  But then here 5x10 is, speaking out of both sides of its mouth with the bunker scene, and it confuses the shit out of me.  It’s so unnecessary to do and such a waste of time to do unless they want to do something with it later, but they definitely won’t, so I just...ugh, infuriating.  Make it make sense.

[thetaoofbetty]

I just went down a rabbit hole and apparently we are all stupid for not seeing that Jabitha had an epic night and now that they have a song and a steamy kiss it’s all over for Bughead fans. Oh and we don’t count because we all only want them together no matter what, even if it’s not healthy lol. But they are fans too just smarter and more mature than we are I guess.

imagine thinking a kiss that tabitha apologized for (and then being made to feel better about by jughead being like, hey yeah i leaned in too before he’s like, anyways i’m still heartbroken over a gf from 7 years ago—1 year is a healing scenario, 7 years is soulmate shit) was steamy. it was so awkward. 

okay, listen, i’m not going to shit on the plot devices of the show (because it is what it is) but since other people do it on the regular, i think we can figure out what they’d be saying had betty given him a shroom burger, left him alone to trip balls in the bunker before then handcuffing him and leaving him alone while in a mentally altered state, no? 

or are they going to fall all over themselves to somehow still make that betty’s doing? 

[aliciarm]

No, I don't like Jabitha as a relationship. You can't demand that I like him because Betty cheated on Jughead and he deserves better. This is a series, it's not real life, it's not Betty's fault, it's these misogynistic writers, and I want to see them together again after they solve the problems in a healthy way. So stick your stupid ship up your ass and get off my blog.

[jabitha-endgame]

Sigh another day, another racist post, why are so many (I know not all) BH stans like this? I block and unfollow and they come out of the woodwork. I swear they're like hydra. The things the accuse Tabitha of, thier wishes, headcannons and desires... And I have to ask, did everyone honestly think that all the OG couples would be endgame, all the HIGH SCHOOL couples would stay together? No one would move past those relationships clouded by thier traumas of the time? Outgrow thier SO? Really?

They seem to really get rowdy when big Jabitha episodes come around 👀

They take out their anger about their ship not happening on Tabitha/Jabitha. We've seen this kind of behavior ever since Tabitha's obvious introduction as Jughead's romantic partner. They don't take her seriously as a viable leading lady or love interest for Jughead, and that's on them. The way they view Tabitha and her character tells you everything you need to know.

Honestly, I don't know how you sit through season 4, watch Bughead (and Varchie) implode like they did and have the audacity confidence to think those ships are coming back, much less be endgame. The timejump didn't break up those pairings and those couples, Betty and Archie did (long before the timejump ever came to be). Betty and Archie and their feelings for each other have been teased every single season of the show, they were inevitable. It doesn't mean the old ships weren't good or don't have good moments, of course they do. But the ships were never locked in and set in stone, especially pre-timejump.

The only show I can think of where the OG couples stayed til the end is PLL and one of those couples included a literal groomer so... sometimes what's best for the characters is to let them grow and mature, not lock them in to the choices they made as teenagers.

I love adult Jughead, I think he is the best version of the character. I think Tabitha is his perfect match and I think he is the perfect partner for her. Jughead and Tabitha fit together seamlessly and they are so healthy as a couple. They are adorable and inspirational.

Some people can't handle seeing Jughead with a beautiful, confident, intelligent, driven, and compassionate black woman and it shows...

I've said it once and I'll say it again, the racist takes that pop up when Jabitha get content are best left ignored, they can argue with the wall. Tabitha is fantastic and Jughead Jones loves her with all his heart.

[askandsmile]

What’s your take on having Jabitha kiss if it’s not going to be explored further? Riverdale can’t seriously get away with using another black women to prop up bh, can they? It’s so clear Tabitha really cares about Jughead so why did they have to cross that line and definitively make it romantic? I love Tabitha and I don’t want to see her character disrespected & used like that. Couldn’t they have told the same story without having them kiss? Or will it lead to something more down the road?

oh god, the last time i talked about this i got some hate.

listen, i am not a diehard bughead shipper. i loved them in s1. i like them now and i vouch for bugvarchie. that’s all. i am more of a jughead fan than a betty fan, too.

that being clarified, while i would love for tabitha and jughead to be explored (just as betty and someone else who isn’t archie) and while i think this would be immensely healthy for his character, and for her, i also am 99,9% sure that bughead is going to be endgame regardless. 

so, truly, i’d rather have jabitha not dating so she doesn’t become the “poc that fixed the white so he could come back to the white main”, i really do not want that for her. and being in the chat recently with evan, they really are writing them to be friends, so i do not want more if that’s not even what the writers see.

my dream for tabitha right now is that she becomes her own character not only connected to jughead. she has a lot to offer, from the little we’ve seen. she’s ambitious and has chemistry with the entire cast, she likes the mysteries, she owns pops which links her to a lot of plotlines. i would love to see more of herself explored. if that means she has to date someone, i would rather it not be jughead or archie or anyone from the core4, because i know she’d be used as bump in the road (like toni was initially), so i would definitely rather see her dating someone else. maybe reggie? maybe toni (if minerva is here to stay for a while)? you know.

i wish jug and tabitha hadn’t kissed either, but right now he needs a friend and she’ll give that to him and that’s not less valuable or less interesting that a love interest. i, for one, am looking forward to see her interact with betty, for example, and more and more people.

and honestly i don’t say any of that because i don’t want jughead to date her because she’s a woc. like i said, i’m a multishipper and i would love to see them explored, but right now, in the context of the show and with bughead most definitely getting back together at some point, i’d rather that not happen. dating jug would be a disservice for her character more than anything, imo.

[jabitha-endgame]

If jabitha turn out to be endgame, what would you want their ending, both as individuals and a couple, to look like?

oooooo I know they are endgame

This is tough to really pin down since Riverdale could literally do anything for it’s final season. I am going to give my answers based on the assumptions that superpowers don’t last in this show and they’re not a factor in the last season. Watch there be a zombie resurrection by the end and season 7 becomes a variant of Afterlife with Archie

As a couple, I want to see them franchising Pop's together. Tabitha gets to uphold her family's legacy and create more of a positive influence in the world, and Jughead gets to be a part of bringing safe havens to other towns and communities. I think them getting out of Riverdale (just temporarily to scout for new Pop's locations) would be a great breather for them and a happy and hopeful place to leave them - utterly in love with each other and spreading hope across the country. Plus, they could use a vacation. And they would totally take a cross-country road trip to scout for locations, trying all kinds of food along the way, and Jughead could get writing/drawing inspiration from their travels as they stop in other small all-American towns (and he finally gets his road trip with his best friend 🥺)

I think they bring each other a sense of peace and belonging that they have never had before. Their relationship is the most beautiful, grounded, and healthy one the show has ever had. As long as they are together, I know those characters will be at their happiest and most supported.

For Tabitha individually, I want her to succeed in her business decisions (and I think she gets that success through franchising). She was so devastated when she was telling Jughead that she paid her workers over her insurance (”exactly what they tell you not to do in business school” or whatever her quote was lol). I want to see her vindicated in her ways and set up for major success. She is a go-getter, former council woman, badass business woman. I think seeing her achieve her dreams would be so satisfying.

For Jughead individually, I want him to fully come to terms with his hearing loss (if that’s even going to still be a thing next season) and his sobriety. He’s had a hard life and I just want to see him happy, healthy, and healed. I think if he picked up writing again, or got to become a successful graphic artist, with Tabitha by his side, he could have everything he ever wanted. I also really like that Jughead is in charge of the newspaper, it’s so fitting for him, words are his weapons and fighting for the truth has always been super important to him, so maybe he could flourish with his paper too.

and waaaay deep into their future, like having grandkids deep, Jughead and Tabitha still get up early everyday to open and run the original Pop’s diner. Their grandkids come every Sunday morning to help out, sip a milkshake, have some of Tabitha’s world famous pancakes, and listen to their “Pop” tell them all the wild tales from his youth. Jughead and Tabitha each have a grandkid on their knee as they sit across from each other in the booth where Jughead first laid eyes on Tabitha, beaming at each other as their grandkids stare at Jughead in absolute disbelief over his latest story (Grandma committing arson). Just another one of Pop’s crazy stories...

[jabitha-endgame]

Did you see what Cole said about jabitha in his new interview. Vindication!!!

"Erinn Westbrook and I talk about this a lot. In distinction to Betty and Jughead, Tabitha and Jughead are very much this tempered love, this easy domesticity that ends up becoming the currency of a really healthy relationship. That sits in distinction to Betty and Jughead, who at least in the earlier part of the season, were going through so much. There were ups and downs, passion and flame. The beautiful simplicity of Jughead and Tabitha is what makes it special. They care for each other in a very real and physical and grounded way, just to ensure that they are both OK.

Tabitha is a go-getter and really driven. Jughead is looking for someone who understands him and understands his process and his method. They both really care for each other. In the first couple of episodes this season, it's par for the course. They end up in an apartment together. Everything seems to be working out well."

Cole's interview (maybe read the full thing after the episode, it appears to have some spoilery stuff)

Jabitha 😍😍😍

I love what Cole had to say!

[jabitha-endgame]

Jabitha Rising!

No hate to anyone but it’s bizarre to me that some bughead shippers still can’t see that Betty and Jughead’s storyline this season is NOT about them getting back together, it’s about getting closure. Betty hasn’t expressed ANY interest (romantic or otherwise) in Jughead this season. Meanwhile Jughead has been getting closer to Tabitha, she’s shown to actually care about him and his well-being (putting a blanket on him when he’s drunk, taking him home when he’s stumblingly drunk, letting him hang out out Pop’s, protecting him from the debt collectors, making him a burger, going to the alien support group with him, worrying about him and noticing he was missing, etc.). Plus Jughead’s one call out of town was to Tabitha (and he told her he wants to “finish that dance”!). The Voicemail™ was teased at the beginning of the season and now that it has reared it’s ugly head it’s yet another nail-in-the-coffin for Bughead getting back together this season. They have to be on speaking terms again before they even consider getting back together, and right now Betty is busy catching serial killers and couldn’t care less about Jughead (“he’s not my problem anymore and he shouldn’t be yours”, calling his writing cringey, not really caring that he’s missing or that he was a drunken mess at the key party, and acting like she’s a victim calling Jughead “not so innocent” while SHE was the one who imploded their relationship by cheating). There’s nothing “bughead” about Betty this season. And with Jughead, it’s no coincidence that his big trauma was heavily intertwined with Betty (and not just about drugs or falling into a hole) - Betty blowing him off, his rude drunk voicemail to her, hallucinating Betty in angelic all-white saving him. And when he got back to Riverdale initially after the time jump he told Tabitha not to “be such a Betty” (which clearly is meant with a negative connotation). There was nothing about any of the episodes that showed Betty reciprocating Jughead’s old feelings that he was holding onto. It was all extremely one-sided and clearly not healthy or putting Jughead in a good place. Not to mention in the present day at AA he even starts his story by saying he couldn’t let go of the past. It’s something he needs to get over and move on from (which he is working towards given his voicemail to Tabitha “we’ll finish that dance”).

All this to say, I see Jabitha/Tabhead happening by the end of the season and not Bughead. And of course, this is Riverdale and things change episode to episode, but I think the writing is on the wall at this point.

[staliasjeronica]

While I'm here, I hated so much about that episode, but the few good things where how Tabitha handled Jug relapsing. She did good. She showed support and care in the right amount. I loved her for that. Also Jug sending in the scriptin the first place was good, even better when he started to do the right thing and say he didn't write it. It showed to what length an addition can drive you, even if you only do it to try and fix yourself. That, and that he didn't want to start rebuilding his life with a lie, shows he's really trying to get his shit together. Not just performative soberness, but really work on his issues and problems, even if it causes him to lose his dream job for now. That was a good character statement and development.

Yeah, Tabitha handled Jughead’s relapse very well in my opinion (though I am NOT an expert in anything dealing with alcoholism)—she’s really going to be his rock through this and support and care for him which is something he hasn’t had in such a long time (since, like, s1-2 really…).

I’m so glad that Jughead did the right thing in the end because you’re right it does mean he’s actually putting in the work to better himself and not just for someone else, for HIMSELF. After four seasons of never being able to grow in a healthy way because he was stuck in a dead relationship since the second they randomly decided to get together (but lets be real it wasn’t exactly random, just more so because they we’re using each other. Betty to get over Archie and feel wanted, and Jughead because someone actually paid attention to him), it’s really nice to see him get through all that so I’m very excited for his arc and Jabitha’s development into a romance. For once, Jughead can finally be in a healthy, loving relationship <3