Riverdale: 20 most shocking moments during the first three seasons

Riverdale — “Chapter Thirty-Four: Judgment Night” — Image Number: RVD221b_0067.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Casey Cott as Kevin, KJ Apa as Archie and Cody Kearsley as Moose — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2018 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

8. Fangs Fogarty Is Shot

Episode: “Chapter Thirty-Three: Shadow of a Doubt” (Season 2, Episode 20)

Poor Fangs Fogarty had a real tough time of it during the show’s second season. Not only was he wrongly arrested for Midge’s murder, he had to deal with the hatred of the entire town – many of whom had already decided he was guilty. Yet, despite all that, with Sierra McCoy speaking in his defense, he had a chance of freedom: all he had to do was wait for the maximum holding time to expire and he could walk free.

Of course, that was easier said than done in Riverdale and, because of the outcry that Midge’s death sparked, he was greeted at the front door of the police station by angry and violent protesters. Nonetheless, the Serpents vowed to protect their own and accompanied him through the swarm of people as they tried to make it to safety. The only problem was that Reggie Mantle, hired by Hiram Lodge, approached from behind with a gun, ready to exact his own brand of revenge on the man that he thought killed Midge.

But Archie managed to jump on him just in time, pinning him to the ground. Thanks to him, all was okay… until it wasn’t. Somehow, a gunshot went off and Fangs collapsed to the ground in a heap of his own blood, inciting shock and awe from all of us watching behind out screens.

With each walk, push and strut playing out in slow motion to the haunting echo of Klergy and Valerie Broussard’s “The Beginning Of The End”, this scene was the most intense that we had seen from Riverdale in quite some time and without a doubt kept us on the edges of our seats as we rooted for Fangs and the Serpents to make it to the other side. And this ultimately made their lack of success all the more deflating.

Though Fangs survived the attack, it was a heart-racing moment that will never be forgotten.