Several months after Riverdale's bombshell reveal that the Cooper sisters have a long-lost brother, it was announced not only that an actor had been cast in the role, but that he'd appear in the now-ongoing Season 2. Four episodes in, however, he's still nowhere to be seen. So, when does Betty's brother, Chic Cooper, show up on Riverdale?
As reported by TV Line, the recurring character — played by newcomer Hart Denton — is set to arrive midway through the season. That may seem soon, but it's actually quite far off. Riverdale initially premiered late last January, airing 13 episodes from then until mid-May. But for its second season, the series received a full network order of 22 episodes, which means that after a midseason finale, the show will go on a brief winter hiatus before returning for the second half of the season, likely in February or March. Since Chic wasn't cast until early October — mere days before the Season 2 premiere — it's more probable that he'll make his debut during that second batch of episodes. That seems to be confirmed by Hart's IMDb page, which lists his first credited episode as, "Chapter Twenty Three: The Blackboard Jungle." (It's also worth nothing that, according to IMDb, "Chapter Twenty Three" is scheduled to air in January 2018, so there's a chance Riverdale's break may be shorter than predicted.)
But while it may be some time before viewers are introduced to the eldest Cooper, he's already been ramping up heavy anticipation. Based on the character description posted by Screen Rant, Chic is "tough, resourceful, rough around the edges, and distrustful of new people." Alice gave him up for adoption after he was born, but Chic somehow ended up in the foster system. He never finished high school, has been living on his own since he was 18, and knows how to look out for himself; Evidently, he hasn't shared his mysterious past with anyone else.
Though Chic has yet to appear on-screen — at least technically — many fans have theorized that he could be the Black Hood who's been terrorizing the town. The killer has been vocal that he's doing it "for Betty," so it would make sense that the man behind the mask would be someone related to her. Alternatively, Betty and Polly had the privilege of being raised by their own family, while Chic struggled through life on his own, so it's equally possible that he's out for revenge. The only problem? He looks nothing like the Black Hood that's been shown thus far. The vigilante Archie and co. are on the hunt for is a middle-aged man with a stocky build and signature green eyes; Denton is a young 20-something with blue eyes. That doesn't totally rule out the idea, as Chic could still be an accomplice, but it certainly puts a dent in it.
Elsewhere, some have speculated that Chic could be Cheryl's new love interest, which Madelaine Petsch teased during a recent interview with Teen Vogue. However, that could also raise a few issues. As revealed in Season 1, the Coopers and Blossoms are distantly related, which would make any relationship between Chic and Cheryl incestual. That didn't stop Riverdale writers from putting Jason and Polly together, but it may be different now that both families are in on the secret. Still, anything is possible.
Aside from that, Chic seems to be quite the enigma, but he'll undoubtedly stir up trouble whenever he does land in Riverdale, and fans seem to be counting down the days until they can watch it all play out.
