Characters / Riverdale - Archie Andrews

RIVERDALE CHARACTER INDEX
Main Characters (Archie Andrews • Cheryl Blossom) | Riverdale High | Riverdale Townspeople | Outside Riverdale

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Archibald "Archie" Andrews

“You can't go through life trying not to get hurt.”

Played by: KJ Apa

A sophomore at Riverdale High School who struggles with his conflicting interests of football and music, as well as the newfound attention he receives from girls after becoming newly attractive over the summer.

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#-K

• #1 Dime: Archie's yellow and blue Riverdale letterman jacket is probably one of his most beloved possessions. It's also his trademark clothing item. He's almost never seen without wearing it. In fact, it's become so ingrained in Archie to wear his letterman jacket that it's out of character for Archie to not be seen wearing it.
• 10-Minute Retirement: After Archie and the Red Circle engage in a major brawl with the Southside kids in the rain, which escalates to dangerously violent proportions, Archie decides to deactivate the Red Circle for the time being due to the excessive violence it was causing and inciting. Archie seems to have abandoned his quest to take down the Black Hood and seek vengeance. Instead, he has chosen to prioritize a new mission: keeping his best friend Jughead out of serious legal trouble after Jughead officially joined the Southside Serpents. But it turns out that it may be a lost cause, as Jughead seems to have fully embraced his role as a Serpent and is starting to get into a lot of legal troubles, just like his father, FP. However, if problems arise involving the Black Hood, it's possible that Archie will end up reactivating The Red Circle.
• Aborted Declaration of Love: In the Season 1 finale, Archie asked Betty if she was really okay with him being with Veronica, as she had claimed to be in the cafeteria when Veronica decided to tell Betty the truth about the status of her and Archie's relationship. It's obvious that by the end of Season 1, Archie is harboring ambiguously romantic feelings for Betty, as evidenced by the longing looks he gave her from a distance.
• A Boy and His X: Archie and his adorable, lovable pet dog named Vegas. Archie is extremely close to his dog, and it is evident that the two share a strong bond with each other. Archie told Veronica the story of how much he wanted a dog and how he came to get Vegas as his pet. There's no doubt that Vegas has provided emotional comfort for Archie, especially in Season 2 when he has faced significant emotional challenges due to the trauma he has experienced. It's no wonder that since Season 2 started, Archie has been seen with Vegas a lot more frequently, as Vegas has become a Living Emotional Crutch for him.
• Academic Athlete: Subverted. Archie may be an exceptional athlete, but he is definitely not academically inclined. However, it's not that he's unintelligent or stupid, but he falls more into the category of Brilliant, but Lazy. He could be a straight-A student or even a decent student if he just applied himself in his studies a bit more. However, some of this isn't his fault, as he has found himself in the middle of constant drama since Season 2. When does the guy find the time to excel academically, perform well in sports, and also work towards revitalizing the town of Riverdale?
• Accidental Hero: Archie was just a regular teenager until the end of Season 1 when he was forced into a heroic role. Archie and his friends went to Sweetwater River to rescue Cheryl Blossom, who was planning to kill herself at the same river where her beloved twin brother had died. Archie saved Cheryl's life by punching through solid ice, breaking his hand and cutting it to the point where it was oozing blood in the process, to rescue a drowning Cheryl from hypothermia. Fortunately, Cheryl was rescued by Archie and survived. Archie's heroic streak continued at the beginning of Season 2 when his father, Fred, was unexpectedly shot by the malevolent and mysterious masked man known as the Black Hood at Pop's Diner. Archie was in such shock about his father being shot right in front of him that he suffered serious trauma and PTSD. Despite the shock and trauma he felt in that moment, he drove his father to the hospital recklessly in an attempt to save his life. Archie was successful once again in saving his father's life, despite his father's condition being touch and go at first. Archie continued to be thrust into the heroic role throughout Season 2 as he embarks on a mission to try to stop the Black Hood from killing people and causing chaos in the town where he lives. He formed a vigilante watch group called the Red Circle. Their primary mission was to locate the Black Hood, apprehend him, and safeguard the civilians of Riverdale simultaneously. Although Archie was brave and heroic in wanting to seek justice and take down the Black Hood, he ended up going down a very dark path that was very out of character. Despite his close encounter with potential villainy, he remained a hero and a good person at heart. He was mostly doing the wrong thing for the right reasons.
• Accidental Pornomancer: Played straight. Archie seems to have a knack for having sex in the most unusual places. When the series first started, Archie was in a sexual relationship with his older music teacher, Ms. Grundy. The first time the audience sees Archie and Grundy engaging in a sexual relationship is when they are having Auto Erotica and sleeping together in the back of Grundy's car. The second time Archie and Grundy were seen making out and getting physical was in the music room at Riverdale High. It was then that Jughead discovered Archie's scandalous affair with Grundy and confronted him about it afterward. Archie's unconventional choice of locations for sexual activity didn't end with Grundy. He ends up engaging in sexual activity with Veronica in the shower in the Season 2 premiere. The situation is even more awkward because Archie was showering off his father Fred's blood from his body after he had been shot. Veronica then undressed and stepped into the shower with Archie, using intimacy to comfort him. Archie and Veronica also end up sleeping together while Archie is incarcerated in Season 3. The first thing that Veronica and Archie do when they are briefly reunited, before Veronica gets the opportunity to break him out of prison, is to sleep with each other in a room at the prison. Finally, Veronica and Archie sleep together in the now-deceased Dilton Doiley's bunker, the same bunker where Jughead and Betty also spent the night. It seems that Archie really doesn't care where he has sex, as long as he's getting some. After all, he is a typical hormonal teenage boy, so it's not surprising.
• The Ace: Archie is a handsome, athletic, popular and talented singer-song writer. The guy has everything going for him. On top of that, he's dating the most popular and wealthiest girl at school, Veronica Lodge. Interestingly enough, Archie was far from fitting this trope before the series began. In fact, according to both Betty and Kevin, Archie was portrayed as a basic, average teen boy who didn't have any exceptional or outstanding qualities. But over the summer, Archie underwent a complete transformation and became much more appealing as he blossomed into his looks. Archie became a handsome and physically attractive young man with an athletic body. He became the star athlete at school, attracting the attention of any girl who came near him. As a result, he became the most popular guy at school, earning the love and admiration of nearly everyone in Riverdale. However, even though Archie has blossomed into his physical beauty and has everything going for him, it doesn't mean that he's not battling a lot of emotional issues and insecurities about himself. Archie may seem to have everything going for him, but he's also a teenager with a lot of problems, although he doesn't often show it because he's such a Stepford Smiler who likes to make it seem as though everything is okay. This is lampshaded by Veronica in the pilot episode. Of course, the show deconstructs Archie as he embarks on a journey of how The Ace has fallen. By Season 3, Archie explains to his mother that he tried music and football, but it wasn't meant to be after all he had gone through. Starting with the finale of Season 2, where he is unjustly arrested, Archie slowly loses this status, and goes from The Ace to Butt-Monkey between season 3 and 4. Getting convicted and sent to juvenile detention for several months, escaping from juvie, and spending at least five weeks hiding from Hiram in a hideout given by Gladys Jones affects Riverdale's golden boy. He returns to school just in time for the SATs, but too late for him to have enough time to study for the exams. As a result, Mr. Weatherbee strongly recommends Archie repeat Junior year, meaning he won’t graduate with his friends. And not only that, when his mother obtains a chance for him to become The Ace again (by going to the Naval Academy), he refuses the offer. And when he finally makes up his mind to accept the offer, the Commandant reveals that in the time they had been waiting for an answer, he has begun to consider another candidate. Not only does Archie lose the only chance of going to college and pursuing his career as a boxer, but is also informed that he has to repeat the entire Senior Year.
• Acquitted Too Late: At the end of season 2, Archie is falsely accused and framed for the murder of Shadow Lake resident Cassidy Bullock. He was being framed by Hiram Lodge and Sheriff Minetta. Hiram's decision to have Archie arrested and framed for a crime he didn't commit was motivated by Archie's threat to expose him. Not to mention, Hiram felt that Archie was diverting Veronica's attention from her family, and Hiram didn't like that. All summer, Archie was on trial to prove his innocence. His mother, Mary, was his attorney, and his friends were trying to prove his innocence. Betty worked tirelessly on Archie's case to help prove his innocence. Archie refused to subject his family and friends to more pain and stress by undergoing repeated trials to prove his innocence, so he decided to plead guilty to the judge in order to spare his loved ones from another trial. As a result, Archie was sent to a juvenile detention center. He was kept prisoner there and treated as a punching bag and a fighter for profit by Warden Norton. Even though Archie was innocent and his loved ones were willing to go to great lengths to prove his innocence, Archie chose to send himself to jail.
• Action Duo: With Jughead along with being a Brains and Brawn duo. While Archie is the brawn, using his physical prowess, strength, and athleticism to solve problems, Jughead is the brains, relying on his smarts and intelligence to achieve or solve things. Archie is more of an Action Hero who gets involved in the middle of all the action using mostly his physical strength and athletic abilities, while Jughead is more of an Action Survivor who gets involved in the middle of all the action using his intelligence and without the use of fighting, because Jughead is not really as strong or capable a fighter as Archie. It also helps that Jughead and Archie are Bash Brothers who always support each other during times of need.
• Action Hero: Archie is always involved in the middle of all the drama and he's most certainly not afraid to take action either. He saves a drowning Cheryl in the final episode of season one by punching through solid ice. As his experience grows throughout season two he becomes a much better fighter to the point that he’s presently one of the best in all of Riverdale. Jughead even compares Archie to a super hero, referring to him as "Pureheart the Powerful".
• Act of True Love: In Chapter 22, Archie and Betty went to dig up Joseph Svenson's grave. When they opened the coffin, it was revealed that it was empty, with no dead body inside. The Black Hood suddenly appeared and threatened both Archie and Betty at gunpoint. The Black Hood then threatened Archie, telling him to get into the coffin or else he would shoot him. But Archie told him that he refused to get into the coffin, no matter what he chose to do with him. But when the Black Hood threatened to shoot Betty in the head if Archie didn't get into the coffin to be buried alive, Archie complied with the Black Hood's demands and immediately got into the coffin so that Betty could bury him alive as the Black Hood wanted. Archie's willingness to sacrifice his life, possibly dying to prevent the Black Hood from harming or killing Betty, was an act of selflessness and true love toward her. It solidified the unconditional love, connection, and bond that Archie and Betty have shared since childhood.
• Actual Pacifist: Subverted. Since Season 1, Archie has always been someone who hates to use violence against others. He prefers to resolve his issues and problems through the use of diplomatic or non-violent methods. However, this has changed dramatically since Season 2. Archie has become comfortable with using violence when it's absolutely necessary. In fact, Archie has become somewhat of a Blood Knight who takes pleasure in engaging in brawls and fights with others. Before Archie formed the Red Circle, he proclaimed his intention to create a watchdog crew that would protect Riverdale civilians from The Black Hood without resorting to violence or weapons. However, after the formation of the Red Circle, Archie completely went against the group's original code. Archie and the rest of the Red Circle are essentially a vigilante group that is inciting violence and using it as much as possible. Archie, along with the Red Circle, has been involved in several physical altercations, particularly with the Southside Serpents. In Chapter 17, Archie and the rest of the Northside Kids end up in a major battle in the rain with the Southside Kids, where the two sides brutally beat each other in violence. It seems that Archie has been traumatized by The Black Hood's reign of terror in Riverdale, causing him to abandon his "NO VIOLENCE" mentality.
• Adaptational Angst Upgrade: In the comics, Archie is much more light-hearted and laidback. In the show, Archie is angst-ridden and bogged down with constant insecurities. In addition to these personal issues, he's also surrounded by constant drama and the toll of bad things happening to him, his friends and family.
• Adaptational Attractiveness: Much like the 2015 reboot of Archie Comics, this interpretation of the character is noted for his looks, which is a new development for him as the series begins.
• Adaptational Badass: In the comics, Archie is The Klutz and is also a bit of a wimp and/or coward despite his noble intentions and good heart. But here, the television version of Archie is much braver. It’s hard to imagine comic book Archie punching through rock hard, solid ice (to the point where his hand ends up bloodied and bruised and he has to wear a cast) to save someone from drowning. Not to mention following Season Two he’s now got experience as a mob enforcer. In Season Three he goes to juvie where he's forced to fight in illegal fights and afterwards becomes a boxer. In Season Four he puts on a vigilante mask and starts fighting criminals to protect street kids, moderately successfully.
• Adaptational Curves: Downplayed. In the comics, Archie has a very slim and lanky body type and build. He is so thin that he appears very awkward and lanky. On the show, Archie appears buff, muscular, and athletic. Apparently, Archie used to be very thin and lanky before the series started. But spending an entire summer working in construction helped him to significantly increase his muscle mass. In fact, Archie became so muscular and buff that when Kevin and Betty saw him shirtless through Betty's window, they were both shocked and impressed by how hot and attractive he had become due to his muscular and ripped physique.
• Adaptational Heroism: Played straight. Archie in the comics is a good guy, but he's a Cowardly Lion who wouldn't be willing to risk his life for others. He doesn't have the same amount of bravery or heroic characteristics that Archie on the show has. Instead, Comic Archie is more of The Generic Guy who has nothing exceptional about him but is still a Nice Guy nonetheless. However, Show Archie is much more heroic and brave than his comic book counterpart. Archie is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his friends, family, and innocent people, even if he has to put his own life on the line. Show Archie demonstrated his heroic nature by going out of his way to save a dying, suicidal Cheryl from drowning at Sweetwater River, showcasing his character's depth in comparison to his comic book counterpart. He punched through the rock-hard ice and saved Cheryl, breaking his hand in the process. His heroic behavior continued into Season 2 when he rushed his dying father, Fred, all the way to the hospital, despite not even having a driver's license yet. Jughead was so impressed by Archie's heroic behavior and actions that he even gave him the superhero name "Pureheart The Powerful." After the Black Hood continued his reign of terror in Riverdale, Archie decided to fully embrace the role of The Hero (bordering on Anti-Hero) by forming a vigilante group called The Red Circle. Their mission is to protect the citizens of Riverdale, hunt down the Black Hood, and defeat him once and for all. Comic Archie may have been the typical Nice Guy, but Show Archie fits The Hero archetype much more and has started to veer into Super Hero territory with how much he's willing to risk his life and put himself in danger in order to protect the town that he lives in.
• Adaptational Intelligence: Downplayed. Archie from the comic was incredibly Book Dumb and very much The Klutz who had no sense of coordination. However, Archie from the show seems to be a little more intelligent in this adaptation, although he still technically counts as Book Dumb. Unlike the comic version of Archie, who isn't particularly exceptional at anything, the show version of Archie is portrayed as a Ditzy Genius, demonstrating intelligence at times and also possessing natural talent in athletics and music.
• Adaptational Jerkass: Downplayed. Archie in the comics as a noble, kind-hearted, and caring soul, despite being The Generic Guy who was not particularly special or deserving of all the attention he received. However, Archie on the show is a much darker and more complex character who grapples with various emotional struggles, issues, and insecurities, causing him to come across as more of a Jerkass than his comic book counterpart. Archie from the show is ultimately a heroic person who is a Nice Guy. However, since Season 2, he has Took a Level in Jerkass due to suffering from serious trauma and the negative effects of PTSD. Since his father was shot right in front of him by the Black Hood, Archie has become a vigilante hell-bent on revenge, resorting to numerous morally ambiguous actions. Since embarking on his mission for revenge, Archie has become increasingly impulsive and reckless. He has started abusing a drug called Jingle Jangle, used weapons such as guns, illegally purchased firearms, formed a vigilante militia group called The Red Circle, vandalized public property, threatened people with a gun, engaged in a brawl with the Serpents, and has lied to numerous authority figures, including his father, Sheriff Keller, and Principal Weatherbee. It should be noted that despite Archie's negative personality change, he remains a good person with noble intentions. His desire to take down the Black Hood makes him a Well-Intentioned Extremist who simply wants the civilians of Riverdale, including those he loves and cares about, to be safe and protected from harm and danger.
• Adaptational Personality Change: Archie in both the comics and the show is an innocent Nice Guy who's The Hero. However, in the comics, Archie is nerdier, socially awkward plus he's very much The Klutz. In the show, he is more of a Lovable Jock, who is physically confident and athletic.
• Affectionate Nickname: He is often called "Arch" by his Best Friend, Betty. Jughead calls him that sometimes too. Veronica calls him Archiekins.
• A Father to His Men: Archie deeply cares about the well-being of all his loved ones, including his family and friends. He's always the one to lend a helping hand to his friends who are in most need of support and comfort. He's essentially a Living Emotional Crutch for the entire group, including Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and even Cheryl.
• A Friend in Need: Archie is very kind, caring, empathetic, and compassionate towards his friends. There's never a time when he doesn't want to help them. An example of him helping a friend in need was when he advocated for Jughead to live with him at his house because he was homeless and had run away from home.
• Age-Gap Romance: Archie was involved in a romantic and sexual relationship with his music teacher, Miss Grundy, which constitutes a Teacher/Student Romance. Archie is 15 years old, while Miss Grundy is between 30 and 35. The relationship was frowned upon by everyone because it was illegal. Despite the significant age difference between them, it's clear that Archie deeply cared for her and even expressed a desire to be in a romantic relationship with her, much to the dismay of his close friends. Miss Grundy, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the attention she was receiving from an attractive teenage boy, but it was evident that she was also using and manipulating him. It was later discovered that Archie wasn't the only teenage boy or minor she had been sexually involved with. She was seen kissing another teenage boy before she was murdered by The Black Hood using the bow that Archie had given her as a gift. Miss Grundy is a certified Ephebophile who preys on idealistic, naive teenage boys like Archie. This is why Alice Cooper was so against them being together and blackmailed Miss Grundy to leave town before she could involve the police. The romantic relationship between Archie and Grundy caused much discomfort among Archie and his friends. Betty was downright disgusted by the notion, while Veronica found it scandalous. Jughead thought Archie was foolish to get involved with a cougar who was clearly using and emotionally manipulating him in every way imaginable. Let's just say that Archie's romantic and sexual relationship with Grundy was clearly depicted in an extremely negative light.
• Age Lift: Downplayed. Archie in the comics is seventeen years old, but in the series, he and the other main characters are fifteen years old and are sophomores (Grade 10) at Riverdale High. Archie's age has been reduced on the show because Archie and the gang are all seniors in the comic books. There's only a two-year age difference between Archie in the comics and Archie on the show.
• The Alcoholic: Since Season 3, Archie has become somewhat of a minor alcoholic. He had turned to alcohol as a way to cope with his trauma, PTSD, and depression. It's not surprising that Archie turned to alcohol to cope with his problems. He has endured countless troubles and drama throughout the year, so it's understandable why Archie would want to use alcohol to escape. When Archie is reunited with his friends at Pop's Diner in episode 3x10, he orders an alcoholic root beer milkshake. Betty, Veronica, and Jughead all look on in surprise and confusion as Archie orders an alcoholic milkshake. At the end of the same episode, he is seen hiding alcohol in his drawer. After punching his punching bag repeatedly, he takes it out of the drawer and starts chugging it down. His drinking noticeably worsens in the next episode (3x11). Fred ends up finding the alcohol bottle hidden in a drawer after searching his room. Fred confronts Archie about his drinking. He tells Archie that he isn't the first high school kid to turn to alcohol when times get tough, but drinking and relying on alcohol doesn't solve anyone's problems. Archie refuses to listen to Fred's rants about his drinking, so he storms out of the house to continue drinking. After being fired from his job at Andrews Construction by his father for being confrontational with one of Fred's employees, Archie goes to Veronica's speakeasy to drown his sorrows and wallow in self-pity. Archie, who was drinking and intoxicated, starts a fight with Reggie at the bar, and the security guard Toby almost kicks him out. Josie sees the altercation between Toby and Archie and steps off the stage during her performance to tend to a drunken Archie. Josie manages to help Archie sober up and stop relying on alcohol to solve his problems. She advises him to channel his anger and problems into something more positive and constructive, rather than resorting to substance abuse. Fortunately, Josie helps Archie break free from his drinking binges, and steers him away from a path to alcoholism.
• The All-American Boy: Archie epitomizes this trope. He used to be known as The Generic Guy but transformed into one of the most popular boys at school. He became a Chick Magnet, excelled as the top star athlete on the high school football team, and demonstrated talent in both music and athletics. Despite this, he is very much a normal teenage boy who is kind-hearted, noble, and very much The Idealist.
• The Alleged Car: Archie in the comics is known for his famous jalopy called "Ol' Betsy". Even in contemporary stories (where the jalopy—way too old to even be a realistic "lemon" anymore—has been replaced by a model merely four decades old), it's a heap, frequently breaking down, exploding, or leaking oil. This continues in the 3000 series, where Archie drives a hover-car version of his Mustang. It still tends to break down. Archie in the show fixes up a red jalopy with his father, which he ends up using as his mode of transportation. He was first seen driving it in Season 3 with his friends.
• All for Nothing: All of his tries to get admitted into the Naval Academy from season 4 and the first episode of season 5, ultimately go to hell, as he's denied in the end.
• All Guys Want Cheerleaders: Archie seems to have a habit of being attracted to the Cruel Cheerleader or the Pom-Pom Girl. Interestingly enough, Archie seems to constantly attract cheerleaders and have romantic interest in him. At first, Veronica and Betty caught Archie's attention, and they are both cheerleaders. Plus, Veronica, Betty, and Cheryl, who is also a cheerleader and the head of the Riverdale Vixens, have all expressed romantic interest in Archie as well. Betty didn't become a cheerleader until her sophomore year. Veronica was the one who convinced Betty to audition for the River Vixens with her. Betty has been in love with Archie since they were children. She has secretly expressed romantic interest in him, but Archie was completely oblivious. When Betty told Archie that she loved him, Archie freaked out and chose to reject her, fearing that he wasn't good enough for her and that he would end up hurting her. Betty was heartbroken because Archie didn't return her feelings. Eventually, she got over the heartbreak and remained friends with Archie, although there is evidence that she has deeply hidden and unresolved feelings for Archie throughout the series that have yet to be explored. Veronica is also a cheerleader and a member of the River Vixens. She makes it onto the cheerleading squad after auditioning with Betty. Veronica even briefly became the captain of the River Vixens after defeating Cheryl in a dance-off to claim the title of HBIC (Head Bitch In Charge) of the squad. Veronica caught Archie's attention from the very first moment he met her at Pop's Diner. Veronica was instantly attracted to Archie, much to Betty's dismay. Despite their instant attraction to each other, the two originally didn't date. Archie was having an affair with Ms. Grundy when he met Veronica. After Grundy left town, Archie went on to date Valerie Brown, a member of Josie & The Pussycats. It was a subversion in this case because Valerie was not a cheerleader, but rather a musician. At the end of season 1, Archie and Veronica succumb to their attraction and share a passionate kiss. They start dating and enter into a relationship by the end of Season 1. Cheryl also briefly shows romantic interest in Archie. When Archie came over to her house for dinner, Cheryl planted a forceful kiss on Archie and confessed that she liked him because he was special and not like other guys that she knows. Cheryl was drawn to Archie because he was nearly identical to her late twin brother, Jason, whom she loved deeply. In season 3, Josie, who is also a member of the River Vixens and a cheerleader alongside Cheryl, Veronica, Betty, and Toni, displays ambiguous romantic feelings for Archie. In Season 3, they start dating and enter into a relationship. Archie certainly has a way of attracting the cheerleaders. It's as if Archie emits a special pheromone that drives all of the cheerleaders, including Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, and Josie, crazy. Since Archie is a Big Man on Campus and a football player on the high school team, it's not surprising that he is attracted to cheerleaders and that they are attracted to him in return.
• All-Loving Hero: Archie always tries to see the best in people and is always willing to give them second chances. Archie is the type of person who wants to protect and help others, even if they haven't been particularly kind to him, like Cheryl, for example. In the Season 1 finale, Archie punched through solid ice to rescue Cheryl from drowning in Sweetwater River. Likewise, Archie is one of the few people who are always polite, kind, and respectful toward Cheryl. This is the same girl who consistently causes trouble for him and his friends. Cheryl even mentions in 1x09 that she has taken a liking to him because he is nice to her, something that she rarely, if ever, receives from others. Because he is such a good-hearted, noble, and caring person, Archie simply cannot bear to see anyone in pain or suffering. He is always willing to lend a helping hand to all of his friends. Archie is deeply loving and supportive of Betty, and he's always there for her whenever she needs someone. Betty loves Archie because of his kind, caring, and empathetic personality, and because he has been her support system and Living Emotional Crutch since they were kids. Even though Jughead is originally from the Southside with an Alcoholic Parent and a Southside Serpent father, it has never stopped Archie from being his best friend and always being willing to be there for him whenever he needs help, comfort, or support. When Archie discovered that Jughead was living at the school because he had run away from home, he was so concerned about Jughead's well-being that he offered to let him live with him for as long as he liked. Archie was nonjudgmental about Veronica's past as a bully and party girl in New York, as well as her father being a billionaire criminal. Archie refused to let those obstacles stop him from forming a friendship with Veronica, which eventually turned romantic. No matter who it is, Archie is always willing to see the best in people and extend compassion, concern, empathy, and kindness to anyone, especially to those in need. Archie is very much like Betty in this regard, probably even more so than she is. The only person he has no kindness for is the Black Hood. Overall, unless you're overtly nasty, deceitful or outright dangerous, he he'll probably like you.
• Alliterative Name: Archibald "Archie" Andrews.
• Almighty Janitor: When Archie was apprenticing for Hiram Lodge, he may have proven to be naive, but he was actually very competent in doing things for him. Archie was an excellent spy for Hiram in regards to mob matters. When Hiram's life was threatened and one of Hiram's subordinates had planned on trying to take him out by killing him, Archie heard the entire conversation and used that information to warn Hiram about it. Hiram took matters into his own hands and had Papa Poutine handled accordingly. When Hiram had enlisted Archie as the leader of the Red Circle to go and stop the protest at Southside High conducted by Jughead and the rest of the Serpents, Archie rallied up the troops with ease and had them cut the chains off the Serpents so that Southside High would be torn down and a prison would be built in his place. Despite not being able to outwit and outsmart Hiram, he's still a very competent muscle for Hiram and is a very competent and capable fighter. Archie showed Hiram that he was a very good fighter when he got into a wrestling match and beat Chuck Clayton, who was known to be one of the strongest and best wrestlers on the Riverdale Wrestling team.
• Always Someone Better: Archie may appear to be The Ace who has it all and is seemingly good at everything that he does, but the boy has serious insecurity issues. He's even proclaimed to Betty that he's not good enough for a perfect girl like her and that he doesn't believe he'll ever be worthy of someone like her. Archie seriously lacks confidence and self esteem underneath it all.
• Anti-Hero: Whilst the most straight forward heroic of the cast in season one, following the Black Hood shooting his father and his developing PTSD, Archie starts to lean into this, forming his own militia and illegally acquiring a gun to protect the town from the Black Hood. His untreated trauma causes him to develop a much darker and more violent side to his personality. While seemingly snapped out of it, following an out of control street fight on the bridge, he falls back into this in the second half of season two. Following Hiram's manipulations he ends up supporting the mob boss (convinced his way will help secure the town) and doing illegal deeds for him. Overall Deconstructed, as his darker shift in personality damages his relationships, especially with his father, and in the end the majority of his actions do more damage to the town than help.
• The Apprentice: Starting in Season 2, Archie became the intern for Hiram Lodge. Hiram manipulated Archie and took him under his wing and tried to convince him to work for him. It's later revealed that Hiram isn't just a powerful businessman, but that he's actually a ruthless crime or mob boss. Hiram influences Archie to join the Lodge family business and to join the Mafia. Archie gets influenced by Hiram to do what he wants because he believes that Hiram's plans for the Southside and Riverdale are what's best.
• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: With Cheryl. Cheryl actually has an infatuation with Archie because he is a strong reminder of her late twin brother Jason. Although Archie showed respect for Jason and even liked him, he didn't always extend the same respect to Cheryl. However, Archie has shown kindness to Cheryl and it's why Cheryl developed a crush on him because she stated that he was one of the very few people who were nice to her. When Archie had come over for dinner at the Blossoms, Cheryl confessed to Archie that she liked him because he was good hearted, kind and noble and he was one of the few people that showed her kindness and empathy. She ended up kissing him much to Archie's dismay and from that point on, he viewed her as an Abhorrent Admirer. In the Season 1 Finale, Archie showed that despite him not reciprocating Cheryl's romantic feelings for him, Archie does genuinely care about her on a human level. When Cheryl had been Driven to Suicide and wanted to kill herself at Sweetwater River so that she could be Together in Death with Jason, Archie rushed to rescue her, going as far as to severely break his hand and wound it badly by punching through rock hard ice so that he could save Cheryl from drowning in the icy current. After Archie saved Cheryl's life, Cheryl has come to view Archie has her hero and Knight in Shining Armor and even somewhat of a Living Emotional Crutch. Despite the two always antagonizing each other and Cheryl having caused a lot of trouble for Archie and his friends, the two have proven that there's a bond and that they genuinely care about each other.
• Bad Liar: Archie is terrible at lying as it goes against his good-hearted and noble character. Plus, he's very expressive with his facial and body language and it gives away how he's truly feeling. He becomes slightly better at lying due to having to do so more often in Season two, but those close to him can still tell.
• Bash Brothers:
  • With Jughead. The two have been best friends and Heterosexual Life-Partners since they were kids and they think of each other as brothers. Combines with Red Oni, Blue Oni and Brains and Brawn.
  • In Season 2, he also becomes this with Reggie. When Archie forms the Red Circle to protect Riverdale from the Black Hood, Reggie immediately becomes his second-in-command and the two even go out on patrol together.
• Batter Up!: In the Season 2 premiere, Archie takes to using a baseball bat as a weapon to take out the masked man who shot his father. He later upgrades to a gun.
• Became Their Own Antithesis: In trying to find the Black Hood, Archie has become the complete opposite kind of person that he was in Season 1. Archie's personality has changed so dramatically for the negative that he's slowly becoming the same person that he's actively trying to hunt down. His need for revenge against the Black Hood has caused him to start acting very out of character and conducting many morally dubious and shady actions that go against who Archie is as a person. Since he's been on the hunt to take down The Black Hood, Archie has become progressively more angry and violent. He's using and buying weapons such as guns (with a fake ID no less), abusing drugs, lying to authority figures including his father and the police, hiding weapons in secret places, resorting to the use of physical violence against others, threatening others with weapons, vandalizing public property, and pushing away loved ones. Since Archie's mission in taking down The Black Hood has begun, Archie has went from being The Hero to more of an Anti-Hero and he's lost his moral compass. Although Archie may not realize it, he's slowly descending into a path of darkness and becoming the same man that's he's trying to take down.
• Belligerent Sexual Tension: Downplayed with Veronica in Season 1. They engaged in Snark-to-Snark Combat with each other occasionally and it was apparent that they were mutually attracted to each other from the start. They finally end up consummating their relationship and getting together in the Season 1 finale.
• Beneath the Mask: Archie appears a confident Nice Guy who gets all the girls and is The Ace at everything that he does. In reality, he battles numerous insecurities and doesn't believe that he's good enough, likely brought on by being groomed by the school's music teacher, which leaves Archie with PTSD and self-hatred. This is especially evident in how Jughead and Veronica often talk down to him and he doesn't defend himself, as well as staying in a relationship with Veronica for a year in total despite her mistreatment of him.
• Berserk Button: Anything that resembles the Black Hood will trigger him.
  • Hurt (or threaten) his friends or family, and you'll have red-headed hell on your hands.
• Best Friend: Betty. Archie and Betty have known each other and been best friends and next-door neighbours since they were kids, often communicating through their bedroom windows which face one another. They have a strong bond which, in their teen years, is at True Companions as they put each other before everyone else.
  • Jughead, his perennial Heterosexual Life-Partner.
• Betty and Veronica: As per the mythology, he is, of course, the Archie with Betty as his Betty and Veronica as his Veronica... at first glance. Although dating Veronica for a year in high school, he has unexpressed feelings for Betty from they are little until his senior year where he and Betty cheat together. In Season 5, he chooses Betty, after they've danced around their feelings throughout high school, culminating in a kiss in their senior year, while he was dating Veronica.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Archie is a Nice Guy, but that doesn't mean he's a pushover. This becomes considerably more pronounced in Season 2, when a combination of his experiences and PTSD causes him to grow more violent and temperamental.
• Big Damn Heroes: In the Season 1 finale, he ends up saving Cheryl from committing suicide by punching through ice and brutally hurting his hand in the process. His heroic acts continue in the Season 2 premiere when he rushes his father Fred to the hospital after his shooting.
• Big Man on Campus: Archie is handsome, smart, popular and athletic and he's clearly a Chick Magnet and a School Idol. What's not to like about him?
• Big Ol' Eyebrows: Since this is a trait of his comic counterpart, it's only natural his actor would share such a feature. It helps that his eyebrows are a dark brown while his hair is red, leading to a striking contrast.
• Birds of a Feather: Downplayed and in Season 1. Archie has a lot in common with Betty. Both are well-liked at school, are nice people who try to see the good in others but also have a dark side to their personalities. Both of them care deeply about their family and friends. Both have major insecurities about themselves. Being Childhood Friends may have played a part in this. They share the same values, but are opposites in their personalities as Betty leads with her mind, while Archie leads with his heart and emotions.
• Brains and Brawn: The Brawn (athletic and often uses his strength and athleticism to accomplish things) to Jughead's Brains (intelligent and often uses logic and smarts to achieve things). They very much compliment each other when it comes to solving things together because they each have what the other lacks.
• Break the Cutie: Throughout the first season the tensions he goes through cause Archie to slowly start to break down emotionally and mentally. Grundy preys on him and the trauma leaves him feeling damaged and self-hating. It starts to reach its peak at the beginning of Season 2 when his father Fred is unexpectedly shot by the Black Hood. This event exacerbates his trauma and PTSD, and his attempts to fix matters lead to him forming his own vigilante group, and eventually supporting a mobster (Hiram Lodge).
• Broken Ace: Over time, it becomes clear that Archie has numerous self-esteem issues, from doubt in his athletic and song-writing abilities to thinking he "isn't good enough" for Betty. These insecurities make him susceptible to someone like Grundy for comfort.
• Byronic Hero: A rare example who is also a Nice Guy. Archie is known for being talented, intelligent, loyal, honest and caring, but is also moody, prone to anger blasts, extremely passionate and reckless, and will go against the law if necessary, as seen when he creates the Red Circle to hunt down criminals. Even his character description introduces him as an "intense, conflicted teen".
• The Casanova: Subverted. Invoked by Fred after he realizes that Archie spent the night with Veronica. In reality, Archie dates different girls, but is neither callous nor cruel to anyone, and more often than not he seeks a stable, monogamous relationship.
• Character Focus: Averted. Riverdale is more of an ensemble piece rather than focusing on the Archie Comics namesake, hence the show's title reflecting the town as a whole.
• Character Tics: Archie often runs his hands through his hair or places his hands on his head, normally when he's stressed or anxious about something.
• The Charmer: Archie is very charming, magnetic and charismatic and he attracts people with ease, especially the opposite sex.
• Chick Magnet: Betty has had a crush on him since childhood, he grabs Veronica's attention in minutes, and he strikes up chemistry with Valerie. Cheryl was a tiny bit flirty with him too after he helped her be cleared of suspicion of Jason's murder. There's a bit of Even the Guys Want Him there, too, as Kevin is amazed to see his post-summer body in 1.01.
• Childhood Marriage Promise: After Betty helps him pass the second grade, he kisses her and asks her to marry him. As they were too young then, Betty tells him to ask her again when they're both eighteen.
  • In Season 4, after Archie and Betty cheat together, Betty reminisces about their childhood together and his promise to marry her. By season 6, Archie and Betty are in a serious relationship and get engaged.
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Since the Season 1 finale (ending with him saving a suicidal Cheryl from killing herself to be with Jason at Sweetwater River), Archie has grown a bit of a hero complex and feels the constant need to save other people. He repeats the same heroic act when he goes to drastic measures to save his dying father who has been shot. Later episodes see him heading up a vigilante group to save the town from evil predators like Hiram Lodge and the Ghoulies, and he becomes one of the main hunters of the Black Hood.
• Clueless Chick-Magnet: Combined with being a Chick Magnet. Betty has had a crush on him since childhood, he grabs Veronica's attention in minutes, and he strikes up chemistry with Valerie. Cheryl was a tiny bit flirty with him too after he helped her be cleared of suspicion of Jason's murder. There's a bit of Even the Guys Want Him there, too, as Kevin is amazed to see his post-summer body in 1.01. Despite all this, Archie doesn't seem to realize just how appealing he is to girls (and guys too!). For example, he was completely oblivious to Betty's crush.
• Corrupt the Cutie: Archie is easily manipulated and influenced due to his earnest and naïve nature.
  • After The Black Hood unexpectedly shoots his father, Archie starts to suffer negative changes to his personality. He begins to spiral out of control emotionally and is currently walking down a darker and more dangerous path that includes dabbling in drugs, handling firearms and becoming obsessed with getting vengeance, all things that are abnormal behaviour for him. In many ways, The Black Hood is indirectly corrupting Archie because of the chaos he's causing in Riverdale.
  • Hiram Lodge likewise takes advantage of Archie’s damaged mental state. First he manipulates him into believing he’s assisting the FBI in taking Hiram down to make Hiram appear the lesser evil, then convinces him that his plans will be beneficial to Riverdale and solve the growing crime problems the town has faced. Hiram plays Archie like a violin, and almost permanently recruits him into the mob.
• The Cutie: Archie's incredibly likeable, endearing, and charismatic. His kind, caring, goodhearted and endearing personality make it highly easy to root for him to succeed.
• Desperately Craves Affection: He's constantly looking for validation and stability from the people around him. As a result, he frequently gets used by people like Miss Grundy, the Blossoms, and even Hiram Lodge at one point. It's also the source of his famous dating indecisiveness.
• The Determinator: Indecisive, sure, but unless he’s outright backed against the wall, he will not give up on anything, no matter how hard it gets. Overall, his diligence is Archie’s greatest virtue, enabling him to learn new skills quickly simply because he won’t give up until he masters them. He manages to teach himself how to shoot, and learns how to wrestle over several days, to the point that he beats Chuck in his first match despite Chuck being in a higher weight class.
• Distracted by the Sexy: Archie, as soon as he lays eyes on Veronica in the very first episode.
• Ditzy Genius: Archie is very skilled and talented at many academic things, but he often shoots himself in the foot with his Hair-Trigger Temper and general impulsiveness.
• Dumb Jock: Subverted. Archie seems like the kind of athlete who's thick as a brick, but overall he’s got average intelligence, and can be quite smart and logical when he puts his mind to something. His real problem is that he's impulsive and naive.
• Empowered Badass Normal: After the bomb Hiram plants in his house explodes, Archie starts to develop all kind of "superhero" abilities like he's always fantasized about having: Super-Strength, Super-Toughness and Super-Reflexes. But his "kryptonite" is palladium.
• Even the Loving Hero Has Hated Ones: Whilst his encounter with the Black Hood forever damaged his status as an All-Loving Hero, Archie nevertheless remains a decent, compassionate individual who tries to be friendly even towards those who are jerkish or corrupt (generally only getting cooler in proportion to their actions). Nick St Claire's sheer egotistic smarminess and transparent classism was so extreme that he is the only person Archie was genuinely hostile towards from pretty much their first encounter. This only grows worse as he learns more about how depraved Nick really is.
• The Face: Of the core group including himself, Veronica, Betty, Jughead, Josie and Cheryl. Archie's also "the face" of the show considering that the show is generally centered around him, his story and his journey. Hell, check out the closing credits!
• Fatal Flaw:
  • Archie’s impulsivity is his greatest flaw. When pushed he will often act without thinking, leading to him doing things which are foolish or dangerous, with little regard to the consequences for himself or others.
  • Downplayed. As an impressionable teen, his naïvete leads him to be manipulated and corrupted by rather unsavory characters that don't have his best interest at heart such as the Blossoms and the Lodges. He does overcome this in the later seasons.
• Fiery Redhead: Downplayed. Most of the time, Archie is a very calm, mellow and down to earth guy. However, he does have a very passionate and fiery side when he's provoked. Even though Archie is cordial and diplomatic most of the time, it's really unwise to push him to far.
• Fingore: In the Season 1 finale he has to punch through the frozen river to rescue Cheryl from her suicide attempt, with the ice more red than white by the time he succeeds.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble: Phlegmatic.
• Frame-Up: In Chapter 35, Hiram frames Archie for a murder that Andre committed, hoping it will cause the group to fall apart and remove any danger they pose to his plans.
• A Friend in Need: Jughead has had a tough home life since childhood, living in poverty and with an emotionally abusive, alcoholic father (though FP's characterisation gets a Retcon from Season 2-onwards). Thus, Jughead is an outsider among his mostly middle-class peers and becomes a loner after being bullied. His only friend is Archie, his best friend from childhood. As teens, Archie supports Jughead when he discovers that Jughead is homeless and tries to get his Dad to adopt him. They consider each other brothers.
• Friends with Benefits: How his romantic relationship with Betty starts in adulthood.
• Functional Addict: Downplayed. To help him deal with the effects of his trauma and PTSD, Archie has started taking a drug called Jingle Jangle, supplied to him by Reggie. Although he's not addicted to the drug, it's definitely cause for concern. Luckily, he’s able to stop before things go too far.
• Good Is Not Soft: Archie is a Nice Guy who's friendly and caring to everyone....with the exception of those that he considers to be his enemies. If someone is an enemy to Archie, then they better watch out because there's a high probability that he won't show them any mercy. His obsession with hunting down and getting revenge against the Black Hood (for shooting his father and terrorizing Riverdale) is a clear sign of this.
• Good Old Fisticuffs: Lacking any formal training, when it comes to fights Archie is purely a brawler, relying on his physical strength, reflexes and durability, over actual fighting skill. This is best demonstrated when facing the serpents in Chapter 17. After he gains more fighting experience and trains himself to wrestle, he starts to grow out of this.
• The Gunslinger: After being convinced that a baseball bat won’t be enough to stand up to the Black Hood. Archie illegally acquires a pistol, and trains non-stop with it until he becomes a crack shot.
• Hair-Trigger Temper: Zigzagged - Whilst possessing a temper that he usually keeps under control, whilst suffering from PTSD Archie briefly falls into this, having moments of aggressive outbursts that clearly unnerve even him. He manages to seemingly get better as the season goes by, but proves the issue is lying just under the surface with anything that reminds him of the Black Hood (such as people wearing similar masks) triggering him to relieve his experiences.
• Has a Type: Downplayed. Being a musician, Archie shares this passion with some of his love interests, eg Valerie, Josie, and Veronica to some extent, but it's not necessarily a given.
• He Is All Grown Up: Turns out that working in construction over the summer does a body good.
• He Who Fights Monsters: Downplayed. Whilst taking a darker turn, Archie never comes close to being as bad as the Black Hood he’s hunting. However, he calls an end to his more aggressive attempts to hunt the Black Hood down after he causes a pointless out of control fight between the Bulldogs and the Serpents while doing so, realizing that if he carries on down this path, he’ll just cause more chaos, which is the Black Hood goal.
• The Heart: Archie is The Hero and the one who brings everyone together for a common goal or purpose. He seems to share this role with Betty to a degree. For this reason, Hiram’s plan to break up the group is to frame Archie for murder, believing him to be the unifying factor in them..
  • In episode 5x03, Jughead even calls Archie the glue who keeps everyone together. After his departure for the army, everyone left behind distance from each other pretty quick.
• Heel Realization:
  • Finally realises how dangerously out of control things have gotten, following a fight with the Serpents ending with Dilton getting a knife in his leg. He resolves to abandon his quest for vengeance, and throws his gun into the Sweetwater River. Time will tell if it sticks or not.
  • Archie goes through a subtle one, realizing that in his support towards Hiram he has been very unfair and unkind towards his father. This leads to him making it clear to Hiram that whilst he’s still loyal to him, his father comes first, and even giving back the Firebird Hiram gave him.
  • He goes through another one when he discovers Hiram has been encouraging the clearly unstable Bulldogs in their anti-Serpent views and tries to use it to discredit Fred in his political race.
• The Hero: Archie is clearly being set up as this, especially in the Season 1 finale when he brutally punches his hand through hard ice to save Cheryl from committing suicide. His hero complex continues in Season 2 where he ends up driving to the hospital (even though he doesn't even have a drivers license to begin with) so that he can get his dad who had been shot to the hospital. Jughead even lampshades Archie's heroic side by calling him "Pureheart The Powerful".
• Heroes Love Dogs: Archie has a fondness for dogs, going by how much he adores his dog Vegas. At one point he tells Veronica about how badly he wanted to have a dog.
  • As an adult, he is livid to discover a dog-fighting ring in Riverdale and takes it upon himself to stop it.
  • In Season 6, he gets a semi-sidekick in Bingo when both attain superpowers. Bingo saves his life twice.
• Heroic BSoD: Has a HUGE one when his father ends up getting shot. After that, Archie seems to be on an emotional downward spiral as a result of the trauma. He's also suffering from a serious case of PTSD.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Jughead, of whom Archie thinks as a brother.
  Archie: You're like my brother.
  Jughead: Nice bro-whisper, Archie. You are my brother.
• Hidden Depths: Archie is a kind hearted, decent and caring individual, who tries his best to see the goodness in everyone. However, when pushed too far he proves he can harbor an explosive temper and is capable of surprising displays of violence.
• Horrible Judge of Character: Downplayed as he is young, naive and wants to see the best in people.
  • He really believed that the Blossoms would truly help him in his music ventures, though he does wisen up later.
  • Played With when it comes to Hiram. Early on Archie discovers Hiram is a criminal, and quickly figures out that he’s a mob boss. However, due to his growing cynicism and worry at the state of Riverdale, coupled with Hiram’s manipulation and charm, he buys Hiram’s claims that his efforts will overall help the town and that Hiram wants to go straight. It’s not until Hiram overplays his hand that Archie starts to realise he’s being used.
• Hot-Blooded: As easy going as he is about most things, Archie is very passionate, impulsive and sometimes reckless. His fire and determination push him forwards, however he has a habit of jumping into things without thinking through the consequences. He likewise hides a very bad temper underneath his kindhearted nature.
• Hunk: Archie's features are that of a Pretty Boy, but a lot of attention is given to his athleticism.
• Hyper-Competent Sidekick: Technically speaking. Reggie is the undisputed leader of the Bulldogs. However, due to the fact Archie is the better leader of the two when their goals align, Reggie automatically allows Archie take over and run things, acting as his lancer in the Red Circle and the Dark Circle right up until Hiram gets into his head.
• Iconic Outfit: His classic blue and yellow Riverdale Letterman jacket, a piece of clothing that Archie is always seen wearing in the comic books. He’s rarely seen without it.
• The Idealist: Especially in comparison to his more cynical best friend, Jughead, Archie is the sort of person who believes the best of people and that things will work out. This proves to be something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand it means he can be easily manipulated by people like the Blossoms and the Lodges. On the other hand it, also makes him a genuinely nice person, and able to see the hidden good side of others. He’s one of the few people who can see through Cheryl’s flaws to the better person underneath.
• Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Played With. Season two proves Archie is not outright incorruptible, but his dealings with the Blossoms and Hiram show that he will not violate his morals for money, favours, success or anything that benefits himself, being at heart completely selfless. The only way Hiram could get him to support him in his illegal deeds was by convincing him that his way would help the town and his friends.
  • Best friend Jughead nicknames him "Pureheart the Powerful" (a nod to an Archie comic where he became an actual superhero).
• It's All My Fault: In the Season 2 premiere, Archie ends up blaming himself for his father being shot. He calls himself a coward because he ended up freezing and didn't do anything to stop the man from shooting.
• Just Friends: What he proclaims his relationship with Betty to be. However, going by the longing and lingering looks that he's been giving Betty lately, that's clearly not the case...

L-Y

• The Leader:
  • Combined with The Hero. Archie is the obvious leader of the group including himself, Betty, Jughead, Veronica, Josie and Cheryl. The others always seem to follow Archie's lead in almost everything. Jughead serves as right hand man and The Lancer to Archie.
  • Becomes much more apparent in season two, when he forms both the Red Circle (to protect the town from the Black Hood) and later the Dark Circle (to drive two dangerous mob bosses out of Riverdale). Ironically, considering his personality his leadership style is very much the level head, with dashes of the mastermind thrown in. He always has clear goals in mind, keeps his focus strictly upon them, attempting diplomacy when he can and running matters with a calm professional attitude even during the middle of a riot. It gets to the point that he disbands both groups when he comes to the conclusion that they’re actually more detrimental to the cause than helpful.
• Light Is Good: Usually he wears light-colored outfits, and is one of the most good-hearted kids you'll ever meet.
• Like Father, Like Son:
  • Archie most definitely takes after Fred in many ways. Both Fred and Archie were in the middle of a Betty and Veronica type of love triangle, share a love of music, and are kind hearted, caring and friendly towards everyone.
  • Season two also demonstrates how he takes after Mary in several regards. They are friendly, sociable and very loyal individuals who possess a deep passion and righteous fury buried beneath their kind natures.
• Living Emotional Crutch:
  • For Veronica. Archie has provided Veronica with a sense of happiness away from her dysfunctional family. He was also one of the few people who didn't care about her Dark and Troubled Past and he's able to break through her Ice Queen facade and bring out her more tender, vulnerable and emotional side. Interestingly enough, Veronica has become this to Archie in Season 2 and is the one who's emotionally supporting Archie after he ends up traumatized and suffering from PTSD.
• Logical Latecomer: Despite being a bit more naive than the rest of the main cast(due to being introduced to the complicated web of Jason’s murder later than the others) Archie is able to think and react just a bit more rationally than his friends, who have grown jaded and gotten so used to the events not being what they seem they outright expect some new shocking twist or link. Examples include having to remind Veronica that finding no evidence that links FP to her father is a good thing and that continuing to search his home won’t cause it to just appear, or that dealing with finding a dead body is well beyond anything they are capable of or should be involved in, and that they need to bring in the police and their parents.
• Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: As a result of Desperately Craves Affection, Archie craves validation and thus has a really bad habit of falling for every single girl that he meets.
• Lovable Jock: Archie may be an athlete and a football player but he's very much a Nice Guy who's incredibly goodhearted and noble. He's the opposite of Reggie, who more closely fits the Jerk Jock type.
• Love Hungry: Due to Desperately Craves Affection. Archie seems to crave constant emotional connection from others whether it be in the form of love or affirmation. It's why the guy can't settle down with one person for too long.
• Love Hurts: Archie's love life is an absolute mess as it happens simultaneously to him being groomed by a predator and then his father getting shot (which takes place over 6 months throughout his sophomore year), both events leaving him traumatised and with PTSD. He rejects his best friend Betty as he felt he wasn't good enough for her and later intimate he felt like he needed to protect her from himself while being groomed by Grundy ("I'm stupid and I don't deserve to be your daughter's friend!"). He later started facing his feelings when Betty starts dating Jughead. He starts dating Veronica, but his relationship with her is distant and confusing because of his ever ambiguous feelings for Betty.
• Magnetic Hero: Due to being highly charismatic and charming, Archie is popular, well liked and is the School Idol and Big Man on Campus.
• Making Love in All the Wrong Places: He and Betty can't find alone time so they have a rendezvous at night in the high school shop class car.
• Manly Man: The Hot-Blooded "hunk" of the main cast, with classically macho interests and aspirations. Football, boxing, vigilantism... If there's an ass to be kicked, Archie is either giving the beating or taking it. He even joins the army and becomes a war hero during the timeskip, then volunteers as a fireman.
• Martyr Without a Cause: A combination of his low self-worth and traumatic experiences turn him into this in season two. Archie outright admits to Veronica that he is happy to die if it means he manages to stop the Black Hood. Whilst he manages to somewhat recover, it is clear that Archie does not place his own worth that highly.
• Missing Mom: Downplayed. Since his parents separated, his mother Mary now lives in Chicago and she's a lawyer for a living. She comes back to Riverdale in 1x10 to visit Archie and Fred.
• Mr. Fanservice: Unlike his comic book counterpart, this Archie actually warrants the attention he receives from girls. It helps that he's always got a Shirtless Scene in almost every single episode.
• Nerves of Steel: Downplayed, averted and then played straight. Watching the Black Hood shoot his father and threaten him at gun point leaves him traumatized, but he still manages to get himself together long enough to get Fred to the hospital before he breaks down. As time goes on (partially due to have gone through such a trauma already), he becomes this, to the point that the next time the Black Hood points a gun at his head, his only response is to stare the killer down.
• Nervous Wreck: Since his father Fred had been shot, Archie has been completely anxious and paranoid about his surroundings. Justified since he's going through some serious trauma and is obviously suffering from the effects of PTSD.
• Nice Guy: Anger issues aside, he's an all around friendly, kind, caring, polite and a good natured fellow.
• Oblivious to Love: Archie has never noticed that Betty has been in love with him since they were kids, and is surprised by her confession. This causes him to freak out and reject her because he doesn't think he's good enough for her.
• Official Couple:
  • With Veronica in seasons 2 and 4.
  • As an adult he is a relationship with Betty and wants to start a family with her.
• Pretty Boy: Unlike his comic book counterpart, who was very much The Generic Guy and the Ridiculously Average Guy, this adaptation of Archie manages to be a combination of both this and a Hunk.
• Primary-Color Champion: Archie is commonly seen wearing blue, red and yellow colors, which are all colors that are commonly worn by heroic characters. Archie is The Hero so it's fitting that a lot of his wardrobe consists of these colors.
• Rage Breaking Point: Downplayed. After his father Fred is shot by the Black Hood, generally calm, friendly yet occasionally Hot-Blooded Nice Guy Archie becomes consumed with anger and is desperate to get revenge against the man who almost killed his father and is bringing havoc to Riverdale. Archie's trauma and PTSD manifests as anger (Tranquil Fury to be exact).
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Red Oni (passionate, idealistic, ambitious) to Jughead's Blue Oni (aloof, distant, brooding).
• Redheaded Hero: Exactly What It Says on the Tin. Archie is a redhead who's also The Hero.
• Replacement Goldfish: Archie is constantly compared to the deceased Jason Blossom in looks as well as personality; it's implied that this is why the Blossoms want to use Archie as a replacement for Jason, with Cheryl even developing a crush on Archie after noticing his similarities to her deceased twin.
• Secret Relationship: With Veronica, at first. Archie and Veronica haven't progressed past hand holding with everything that's going on, but they're still hiding that from their friends. This is later subverted when Archie and Veronica tells Betty that they are officially together and Betty being totally accepting of their relationship.
• She Is Not My Girlfriend: In the first episode, Veronica asks Archie upfront if he's in love with Betty or if he's ever been in a relationship with her. Archie tells Veronica that Betty is not his girlfriend and that they are Just Friends. However, it's subverted at the end of the season as Archie seems to finally be reciprocating Betty's feelings. Too bad that she's now with Jughead and it's now an Unrequited Love Switcheroo.
• Shirtless Scene: Archie seriously seems to be allergic to an article of clothing called a shirt. Is there ever a single episode when Archie is not shirtless at least once?
• The So-Called Coward: In the Season 2 premiere, Archie considers himself a coward after his father is shot by the Black Hood because he froze out of seeming fear of what the gunman would do. In reality, Archie is actually very brave and heroic. His friends and his father try to convince him that he's the opposite of a coward and that his reaction was completely normal in that type of situation.
• Stepford Smiler: Archie puts on a smile but underneath, he has a lot of insecurities and emotional issues that he hides behind it.
• Strong, but Unskilled: A variation in that for a teenager he's incredibly well-toned, strong, and physically fit, but so far he’s been shown to be terrible at defending himself in a fight, seeing as how Reggie knocked him out with a single blow and Mustang was able to easily take him down and almost maim him. He starts to grow out of this throughout the second season, getting much better at fighting to the point that he’s presently verging on Strong and Skilled.
• Took a Level in Badass: Throughout the series, Archie keeps getting tougher and braver. In Season One he is effortlessly beaten in every fight he gets into. By the end of Season Two he’s gotten skilled and experienced enough that when the second Black Hood grabs him from behind, he is able to effortlessly break free and dominate the much bigger man in the fight.
• Took a Level in Cynic: Following the Black Hood almost killing his father, Archie becomes noticeably more cynical. This new mindset leads him to found the Red Circle (a group of vigilantes), believing that Sheriff Keller isn’t equipped to protect Riverdale's citizens. It eventually leads to him carrying a gun and supporting Hiram Lodge, even after learning of his plans to build a for profit prison, out of the belief that serious changes are necessary to deal with rampant crime and corruption present in his home town.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: During the beginning of Season 2, Archie becomes less and less of a Nice Guy and more of a selfish and impulsive idiot. Becoming consumed with vengeance against the Black Hood and letting his rage get out of his control, he becomes more of an Anti-Hero. The negative change in Archie's personality is justified, since it's apparent that Archie has some serious trauma and is suffering from PTSD. Thankfully, towards the end of the Season he sees the error of his ways, and by Season Three he is back to his Nice Guy self.
• Tranquil Fury: Normally Archie keeps his temper in check, appearing at worst annoyed. However, whenever he gets angry (normally in response to someone threatening or seriously insulting his friends and family) he doesn’t scream or shout; instead he gets frighteningly calm, with his voice becoming low and proves to be surprisingly dangerous.
• Trauma Button: When his father Fred ends up getting shot, Archie becomes so traumatized by his shooting and the possibility of his father dying that he ends up suffering from PTSD.
• Unstoppable Rage: If he's ever fighting while extremely angry this is what will happen. Plus his PTSD will make act out in violent outbursts.
• Unwitting Pawn: Hiram spends much of the second half of the second season manipulating Archie. He first sets him up to believe he’s helping the FBI take Hiram down, to make Hiram seem the lesser evil, then convinces him that his way will ensure Riverdale will become a safe town again. Archie comes dangerously close to effectively joining the Mob, acts as Hiram’s enforcer and only snaps out of it when Hiram gets too arrogant.
• Uptown Guy: Downplayed. As teenagers, Archie is the middle class small-town guy dating Veronica Lodge, the glamorous, upper class Mafia Princess from New York.
• "Well Done, Son" Guy: Archie has openly admitted that he wants to make his father proud and that he wants his approval and support, no matter what he chooses to do with his life.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Grows into this in season two.
  • After the Black Hood almost kills his father, Archie takes it upon himself to protect him. When it becomes clear the Black Hood is terrorising all of Riverdale, worried that Sheriff Keller isn’t doing enough, Archie starts the Red Circle as a neighbourhood watch group just to keep the town safe. But on Hiram’s prompting and his growing obsession, Archie shifts, causing the Red Circle to become proactive and him to grow obsessed with taking the Black Hood down to keep the town safe.
  • Archie agreement to work with Hiram Lodge despite learning that he is secretly a mob boss starts out with Archie believing he’s helping bring him down. However, Hiram manages to convince him that his methods will bring business prospects and ensure that Riverdale will become a safe town again, leading to Archie agreeing to follow him and commit several illegal acts on his behalf.
• Will They or Won't They?: With Betty. They have clear Unresolved Sexual Tension and history, but can't seem to get the timing right and are scared of taking the next step and losing each other.
  • They kiss in season 4 and cheat on Veronica and Jughead, and proceed to sneak around trying to decide if they should pursue their romance. Archie wants to and writes Betty a song about how he feels, but she flashes back to being brokenhearted when he rejected her and ends their affair. As a result, Archie leaves town to join the army for 7 years where he has no contact with his friends.
  • In Season 5, they return to town in their mid-20s and become Friends with Benefits, ending with them starting their relationship for real.
  • In Season 6, they are in a relationship and end the season getting engaged.
• Wrestler in All of Us: Following his joining the wrestling team and forcing himself to train non-stop until he gets good at it, Archie’s started to incorporate wrestling moves in his brawls. This, coupled with his growing experience, has transformed him from being forced to rely on brute strength and durability, to actually becoming a skilled fighter.
• You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry!: Brought out by the traumatic experiences he’s gone through and his PTSD, Archie has a surprisingly horrible temper for such a nice guy. People who make Archie seriously angry are likely to end up receiving a vicious attack from him. Since he is physically quite strong and an impressive fighter, this is very bad for them.

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