Chughead

Chughead is the het ship between Jughead Jones and Cheryl Blossom on CW teen mystery drama Riverdale.

Canon
Cheryl is especially venomous towards Jughead, whom she considers the opposite of her own riches, while Jughead mostly eschews contact with her, but of course takes offense to her reprehensible behaviour. However, Jughead is altruistic and knows her behaviour is also marred by her twin brother's shocking death. Their contact is mostly peripheral through Betty, Veronica or Archie, such as when Jughead attends Jason's funeral at Thornhill Mansion or when Cheryl drops by the Andrews' to gift Archie an expensive guitar, an instance where Cheryl largely ignores Jughead's presence.

Basically they're enemies, but not actively out to get one another. This changes when Jughead's father is accused of Jason's murder and subsequently arrested. Jughead takes it upon himself to apologise to Cheryl, who starts hitting him in anguish and Jughead kinda lets her, until Archie pulls her away. The following day Cheryl seeks out Jughead and apologises for hitting him, offering him her expensive brooch as a token, which confuses Jughead. Once Veronica realises that Cheryl has lost all hope and attempts to jump into the frozen river, along with the others Jughead is there to help save her life.

Following the revelation of Jason's killer, Cheryl resumes her facade towards Jughead and Betty as a cold, name-calling, superficial girl. Jughead willingly participates in Betty's blackmail of Cheryl with putting the video of her dad shooting Jason online, so that Cheryl will agree to perjure herself to release FP from prison. This action is very out of character for the Jughead, who spent his time up until Jason's murderer was uncovered bemoaning the loss of decency in Riverdale, himself attempting to uphold it, and feeling ashamed of his father's involvement in covering up Jason's murder.

As Jughead transfers to Southside High, they barely spend time together, but they are in the same 'Secret Santa' group arranged by Kevin at Christmas 2017. Once Southside High is shut down and the Serpents transfer to Riverdale High, Jughead is once again belittled and bullied by the jocks, Cheryl and Reggie, and feels nothing's changed. Once Cheryl learns of her family's crimes against humanity, against the Uktena people who originally owned the land of Riverdale, she changes her attitude toward the Serpents and joins their protest for justice at Pickens Day alongside Jughead.

When Cheryl tries to reach out to the couples regarding their retreat, but is shut down, she takes it upon herself to call Jughead and inform him that Betty and Archie kissed at Christmas, as revenge for feeling she is being excluded. Toni Topaz' positive influence on and support of the broken Cheryl finally seems to start her on the path of redemption for treating people so badly. Cheryl stands by Toni and, by extension, the serpents through their ordeals with facing Hiram Lodge and the Ghoulies. When Toni is abducted by Penny Peabody, who calls Jughead to come get "his Southside Smurfette", Jug calls the bow and arrow-wielding Cheryl as back-up. After the riots and Jughead's recovery, he is crowned Serpent King as FP steps down. Jughead's first act is donning Cheryl with her very own red serpent jacket, inducting her into the gang and the family.

Trivia

 * Series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa considers them "two sides of the same coin"

Fandom
AO3

IG
 * cheryl • jughead

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