Toni Topaz is already the Serpent Queen in Riverdale, but she's gonna be a whole new kind of matriarch in the upcoming season. Toni will be pregnant in Riverdale Season 5, according to a recent Instagram post from actor Vanessa Morgan, and, while I'm thrilled for the Serpent Queen Mother (Serpent Supreme?), I also have so many questions about what this means for Choni and the drama of the new season.
Morgan spilled the beans on Saturday, Dec. 19, when she posted about her last day on set before taking her maternity leave. Showing off her bump, she wrote in part, "Feeling grateful to my showrunner & producers for being so accommodating & writing my pregnancy into the show!" Cue record scratch. And, just in case you thought she might be trolling fans, showrunner Roberto-Aguirre Sacasa seemed to confirm the news in a comment of his own, adding, "Excited for our first Riverbaby!"
Looking back, it seems Morgan actually may have let that particular Season 5 spoiler slip a week earlier, when she shared a photo of baby gifts from the Riverdale costume department. Alongside a tiny South Side Serpents onesie and matching leather jacket, she shared the note from the department. Zoom in, and you can read it pretty clearly, including this particularly revealing line: "I have had so much fun designing costumes for pregnant Toni." So, it seems pretty clear that Morgan has not been trolling us. Toni Topaz will be expecting a little baby Serpent in Season 5.
Unfortunately, we don't know a lot more about Toni's pregnancy. We do know that it's likely her pregnancy will be revealed after the seven-year time jump — don't expect a pregnancy reveal on prom night, at least not from Toni.
What Does Toni's Pregnancy Mean For Choni?
When we last saw Toni in Season 4, she was still living with her longtime love Cheryl. But in September, Aguirre-Sacasa revealed that, after the time jump, Toni would have a new living situation. While announcing that Drew Ray Tanner would be upped to series regular for Season 5, the showrunner teased that his character, Fangs Fogarty, would be "living with on-again, off-again boyfriend Kevin Keller and Serpent Queen Toni Topaz." I hate to say it, but living with Fangs and Kevin while pregnant just does not seem like a Choni move. I would be pretty surprised if Toni and Cheryl are still together when Riverdale picks up after the time jump. And, honestly, who knows if Choni will even last the first four episodes, which will be leftover from Season 4.
In May, after Riverdale had been forced to pause production due to coronavirus, Aguirre-Sacasa teased a major storyline coming up for Toni and Cheryl intended for the prom episode, which, coincidentally, should be the first episode of Season 5. "Cheryl finds out that Toni's family has some pretty strong opiniopns about Toni dating Cheryl," he told Entertainment Tonight. "And we find out that Toni's family hasn't even known that Toni has been dating Cheryl." (So... I'm assuming her family doesn't live in the town of Riverdale.)
Who's The Baby Daddy?
After four years of watching Riverdale, there's one thing I know for sure: the wildest explanation is usually the right one. So, when wondering who the father of Toni's baby is, I'm going to look for the most ridiculous, out there choice I can think of. Could it be Hiram? (This would, admittedly, be wrong on so many levels, but you have to admit, it's possible.) Or maybe the pregnancy is the result of a fun night with Fangs and Kevin, and now they've decided to raise the child as a modern family? (A little sitcom for Riverdale, but, hey, much stranger things have happened.) Or perhaps Toni is caring a baby for them, surrogate style?
My only other absolutely wild guess: it's Jason Blossom's baby. This would explain that creepy Riverdale Season 5 poster that teased something returning from the dead — "Nothing stays buried forever," Aguirre-Sacasa teased on Twitter. Hear me out: what if he wasn't hinting at Jason Blossom's actual return, but at the continuation of his storyline...via a baby. Think about it. Would it really be surprising to hear that the Blossoms had, somehow, gotten some of Jason's sperm and put it on ice for later? I mean, this is Riverdale we're talking about. Admittedly, I have no idea how this would fit in with Toni living with Kevin and Fangs, but, I maintain that it is a reasonable theory for a human person to have.
How Does Being Serpent Queen Play Into This?
I'm not really sure how to answer this question, but I'll take any excuse to look at this BTS photo of Morgan doing her best Britney Spears impression on set. At least, it confirms that Toni will be reigning as Serpent Queen post-time jump, which mans she'll have plenty of support throughout her pregnancy.
Toni Topaz, may your baby be healthy, happy, and missing the serial killer gene!
Images: CW