If This ‘Riverdale’ Theory Were True, It Would Break Betty’s Heart

The Coopers have already had their fair share of issues. But their family dynamic is about to get more complicated, because there's a Riverdale theory that Betty's brother is the Black Hood killer. Last season, she found out that she has a biological brother out there in the world, and Chic Cooper (played by Hart Denton) will be appearing in Season 2.

But as a serial killer is rocking the community, fans can't help thinking about the baby Betty's parents couldn't admit for years that they had as teenagers, and the brother that Betty never got the chance to meet. But could Chic really be the killer? He's a new character, which means he's a total wild card, and it might not be a coincidence that right after Alice admitted that she had a baby and gave him up for adoption, the Black Hood struck for the very first time.

While it's a compelling turn of events, it would be just like the residents of Riverdale to judge a kid who grew up outside of town before getting to know him, so it's probably best to try and stay at least a little objective. As with every suspect in the ongoing Black Hood conspiracy, there are no easy answers here. So before you pre-judge Chic Cooper, let's examine the clues as to whether or not this young man could be the person terrorizing the town.

The Killer Is Doing It "For Betty"

According to Betty, by sending her mysterious messages, the killer is saying the attacks are being done for her benefit. Maybe this brother she never got to know is attempting to bond with her by drawing out her "Dark Betty" side.

The Hood Looks Like A Middle Aged Man

Here's the biggest piece of evidence against Chic becoming the Black Hood: he looks nothing like the guy. Look at Denton: he's young, tall, and lanky. That's a sharp contrast from the man who's been shown as the Hood so far, who's clearly older and a little shorter. And according to the casting breakdown posted by Screenrant, Chic is only supposed to be 18 years old, much younger than the Black Hood appears to be.

But There Could Be Two Hoods

While Archie definitely saw an older, shorter man with dark green eyes shoot Fred, there's nothing about the Black Hood that suggests he doesn't have an accomplice. Sure, so far it seems like one man — but maybe there's two, or even more people behind the Black Hood's plans. In the Hood's appearance in the third episode of Season 2, Archie doesn't even see him, because he's behind the wheel of his car, following Ethel.

He Might Want Revenge

Again, think about the themes of Riverdale: the town's attempts to sweep dark elements from its past under the rug never works, and almost always leads to future violence. The Blossom family coverup. Polly's pregnancy. The Serpents. All of these things have gone from secret to violent, so perhaps Chic's adoption is the next town rumor to become town murder. And as a Cooper, he could have a bit of that dark side.

But It Could Break Up Bughead

If Betty's brother is the culprit, then he must really want her relationship with Jughead to be destroyed. Because the more that the Black Hood illuminates the ways the South Side is really not that different from the manicured suburban part of Riverdale, the angrier Alice gets, and the more determined she becomes to smear the South Side and everyone in it, including Jughead.

His Comics History

In the Archie comics, where Chic made his debut, Chic is canonically a secret agent working for the US government. While that's not quite the same as a vigilante/murderer, the character is more complex than he might initially appear, and that would go double in Riverdale. The comics history has come into play before, so it's possible that Chic has the type of skills that would come in handy if he was sneaking around town stalking and attacking people.

Before Chic Cooper has a chance to prove himself and introduce himself to the family he never got the chance to meet, it feels a bit unfair to judge him, especially because he's just another teenager in Riverdale, rather than the grown secret agent he's sometimes portrayed as in the comics. But it might be just too coincidental that just as Riverdale plans to introduce this long-lost character, the Black Hood's devious plans have come to town. So far, the evidence is slim, but this secret sibling could turn out to be involved.