Tall Boy

"The Northside declared war today. Your old man ain't here to call the shots. And yeah, I'm his right hand, that makes me de-facto leader, here and now. So, things are changing Jones, either you change with them or suffer the consequences."

- Tall Boy to Jughead

"Tall Boy" is a recurring character on Riverdale. He is portrayed by Scott McNeil.

He is a senior member of the Southside Serpents and FP Jones' right hand man. Following FP's incarceration, he stepped up as the de-facto leader of the Serpents. It was during this time that Tall Boy and the rest of the Serpents gave Jughead a Serpents jacket, providing him membership of their gang. After welcoming in Jughead, he served as Jughead's adviser for a short period of time, with Toni, later taking his place, guiding Jughead into the Serpent world. Now that FP has been released, Tall Boy no longer reigns over the Serpents.

Season 1
After the arrest of FP Jones, and his refusal of taking a deal of a lighter sentence in return for implicating other Serpents, Tall Boy and other Serpents visits FP's trailer to let FP's son Jughead Jones know that they would have his back for as long as FP was gone. Tall Boy offered Jughead a Serpent leather jacket, to which Jughead accepted.

Watching Over Jughead
After Fred Andrews was shot at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe by an unidentified assailant, Jughead asked the Serpents to investigate the possibility that it was retaliation for some of the Serpents being fired from Fred's construction site.

Tall Boy and a young Serpent violently interrogated a Serpent, after learning that the Serpent had been bragging that Fred got what he deserved, until confirming that it was "just talk." He then brought him to Jughead's trailer to let him know. When a horrified Jughead asked why they'd brought the beaten man there, Tall Boy said it was so Jughead could tell FP that they were keeping their promise to look out for Jughead.

Tall Boy and Jughead met up on the south side to discuss FP's sentencing. It felt as if the entire system was rigged to work against them, even with Jughead going to the Mayor for assistance. Tall Boy wondered what FP had to say about this and if he had taken the deal that was being offered of twenty years in prison. Jughead informed him that FP hadn't yet taken the deal, and he wouldn't so long as he had any say in the matter. In a desperate attempt to free FP, Jughead suggested that they break him out of jail before he gets transferred to state. Tall Boy chuckled, telling Jughead that he had seen "Escape from Alcatraz" too many times. However, Jughead believed that the plan was doable considering that the Sheriff Station had worse security that Riverdale High School. Once he was out, it was a straight shot up Sweetwater River to the Canadian border. Tall Boy suggested getting FP a better lawyer rather than breaking him out. FP needed a snake-handler. Someone whose livelihood depended on snakes. Who's used to dealing with them, and he knew just who to contact.

The following night, he and two out Southside Serpents entered Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe during Retro Night. And while they did nothing to cause trouble, some were uneasy with their presence.

Serpents Initiation
Tall Boy and Sweet Pea were playing a game of pool in the Whyte Wyrm when Jughead entered the bar, wearing the Southside Serpents jacket that Tall Boy had previously given him. Jughead stated that he was over being half a Serpent. He wanted to stand alongside them, as he was ready to claim his place as a Serpent. However, he would first have to survive the initiation, Tall Boy said.

The first trial was to take care of Hot Dog, the Southside Serpents dog. Hot Dog was given to Jughead in his trailer at Sunnyside Trailer Park by a group of Serpents in masks. The next day, back at the Whyte Wyrm, in order to pass the second trial, Tall Boy demanded that Jughead site all six laws of being a Southside Serpent. After successfully doing so, they moved on to the third trial, where Tall Boy instructed Jughead that he had to retrieve a knife from inside the cage of a venomous rattle snake. However, Jughead was unaware at the time that the snake's venom glands had previously been removed. The trial was merely a test of courage, to see if he was willing to put his life on the line, which he proved that he was.

A couple days had passed since Jughead completed the third trial. Now, it was time for his fourth and final trial. Should he succeed, he would gain membership into the Serpents. Tall Boy and Fogarty stood on the sideline as the other Serpents formed a path around Jughead. As part of his final trial, he would have to be jumped into the gang through having to endure a physical beating. Jughead walked down the path formed of Serpents, where he survived blow after blow from each Serpent, as he proceeded further. He continued down this path until reaching Sweet Pea, who delivered a heavy hit while wearing brass knuckles, which knocked Jughead to the ground, instantly. After regaining consciousness, Jughead stood to his feet, and shook Sweet Pea's hand. Tall Boy smiled as Jughead was accepted into the gang, and given his Serpents jacket by Toni.

A "Partnership" with the Ghoulies
Tall Boy arranged a meeting with Ghoulies leader, Malachai in an attempt to strengthen numbers and combat the Northsiders, who had just declared war by raiding Southside High for Jingle Jangle, and arresting Southside Serpents on sight, Toni and Sweet Pea in particular. Tall Boy informed Jughead that the heat on them and their ranks had depleted, so the two rivaling gangs needed to unite, which would be easier to accomplish if Jughead, who is the son of Serpent leader, FP Jones, endorsed the partnership, as his status carried weight, more so with their younger members. Jughead reminded Tall Boy that the Ghoulies were responsible for the school being raided, though chaos was how the Ghoulies thrived. With the Northside declaring war, and FP in prison, the fate of the Serpents were left in the hands of Tall Boy, FP's right hand and de-facto leader. He gave Jughead two options; either change with them, or suffer the consequences.

The next day, Jughead returned to the House of the Dead with Archie Andrews, his best friend, to challenge Malachai and the Ghoulies to a street race. If Jughead won the race, then the Serpents remain autonomous and the Ghoulies refrain from selling Jingle Jangle at Southside High. However, should Malachai win, Jughead agreed to allow the Ghoulies to continue polluting the Southside. Malachai was impressed with Jughead's initiative, though he didn't have much to offer beyond that. Malachai then ordered all of them out after two of Jughead's friends (Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge) were caught trying to sneak into the garage. In a last ditch effort, Jughead offered up the Whyte Wyrm in the race. Malachai agreed, but only after adding Sunnyside Trailer Park onto the agreement.

At the drag race, Tall Boy announced that the event was about to begin as both sides prepared to drive off. Unfortunately, the race didn't go as planned, as Sheriff Keller intervened, cutting Malachai off at Herk Harvey bridge and arresting him. Tall Boy confronted Jughead as he returned to the starting point, accusing him of calling the police, "You won't throw in with the Ghoulies, but you will with cops? Where's the honor in that?". Jughead explained that it wasn't him who called the police, shortly before Archie stepped up to claim responsibility for the interference of law enforcement, in which Jughead became infuriated, as now the Ghoulies shall want all of their heads on stakes, and left Archie in shock, as he didn't think that was the response he would receive.

FP's Release
While at the Whyte Wyrm, Tall Boy and Jughead had a brief agreement with one another. Tally Boy questioned Jughead's authority and his position as a Southside Serpent and, particularly, with Jughead's plan for a meeting between the Serpents and Mayor McCoy. However, he was quickly put into his place by Jughead after he told Tall Boy off, as he told him straight to his face that he was sick of the way he was acting, going behind his back to others saying that he was only half a Serpent and that he didn't belong. Unfortunately for Tall Boy, his opinion was out voted, having gained the Serpent's approval; Tall Boy left the bar in shame after his 'authority' was revoked.

After FP's release from prison, he returned to the Whyte Wyrm, where he gave his speech to the Serpents at his retirement party, the Serpents gathered around the 'King' in celebration of his return. However, FP's speech was about returning to the Serpents and not about retiring. At the end of his speech, Tall Boy later handed FP a shot glass, cheering to his return home to them, their Serpent Leader once more.

Physical Appearance
Tall Boy is a middle-aged man. He's very tall and big built, with really long straight brown hair, with blonde highlights, as well as a short trimmed beard with some gray hair in it. He has a hoop earring on one side of his ears as well as a nose ring on the same side. He also has green eyes

Personality
Tall Boy seems like a nice man who minds his own business, but he has a bad side as well, as he doesn't mind getting his hands dirty when he needs to. Jughead often goes to Tall Boy when he seeks advice from him, helping Jughead and doing what he can, making use of his services.

Trivia

 * In "Chapter Thirteen: The Sweet Hereafter" he was credited as "Older Serpent".