Ricky DeSantos

Ricardo "Ricky" DeSantos is a recurring character on The CW's Riverdale. He is portrayed by Nico Bustamante.

Early Life

Throughout Riverdale

Season 3

RD-Caps-3x14-Fire-Walk-With-Me-19-Ricky — Ricky hides in the closet

Ricky is found hiding in the closest of the gym by Archie and Josie. Archie comes off a bit aggressive, but Josie comes in with a more comforting approach, asking the kid for his name and if he’s hungry. The boy reveals that his name is Ricky and then Archie and Josie take him Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe.

RD-Caps-3x14-Fire-Walk-With-Me-23-Ricky — Ricky tries to run away

While at the diner, Josie asks about Ricky’s parents, who he claims to have never known. Archie then asks about the cubby he was hiding in. Ricky explains that he’s been staying there on and off for a few weeks. Josie asks if there’s anyone they can call, but Ricky doesn’t have anyone. Short on options, Josie recommends calling Betty as she knows people at Social Services. Ricky instantly takes off and runs for the door but Archie catches up to him before he can get away. Ricky’s afraid of Social Services as they will send him back to a shelter called The Santa Lucia Shelter. While there, they branded Ricky with the same symbol branded on Archie that means sacrifice. Ricky got that brand from some of the older guys who were at the shelter. They didn’t live there, but they did crash there, and one night, Ricky woke up and they were holding him down and branding his arm. That’s when he left the shelter.

RD-Caps-3x14-Fire-Walk-With-Me-26-Ricky — Ricky stays at Archie's house

Archie brings Ricky home with him and allows him to sleep in the garage. When Ricky asks what Archie plans to tell his parents, Archie explains that it’s just him and his dad, who most of the time is at work. Also, the garage is more so Archie’s space. Tomorrow morning, Archie’s gonna take Ricky back to Pop’s and get him set up in a booth. After school, Archie’s gonna take him to the gym and teach him to defend himself. Ricky questions why Archie’s helping him, to which Archie replies that he’s been in Ricky’s shoes, alone and on the run. But he was lucky enough to have friends to help him through it, a luxury not afforded to Ricky, who then makes Archie promise that he’s not calling Social Services.

Archie returns to Pop’s only to find that Ricky is no longer there. Ricky ran away after a group of thugs came by. They saw him through the window and started banging on the glass. Ricky ran into the kitchen and out the back door. As for the thugs, they circled around and took off after him.

RD-Caps-3x14-Fire-Walk-With-Me-86-Ricky — Ricky hides in the Gargoyles' lair

Archie joins forces with Jughead and the Southside Serpents to find Rocky, but Jughead has a place that the two of them can check out themselves. Gargoyle ground zero. The abandoned house that he first met Kurtz. Inside, written on the walls are the names of all those who have ascended. Hidden inside the wall, they find Ricky. He hid there after learning that the Gargoyles moved out. He figured it would be the last place they’d look for him, but he’ll never be able to escape them as he’s marked for death, as is Archie. Archie explains that while it may mean sacrifice, neither one of them will be sacrificed.

RD-Caps-3x14-Fire-Walk-With-Me-91-Ricky — Ricky is taught how to box

Archie teaches Ricky how to box at the gym. While locked up, this is how Archie survived. He wonders how Ricky got sucked into this all. Ricky explains that at the shelter, some older guys were into G&G and Fizzle Rocks. They would come by and try to rope in younger kids to use them as runners because the younger you are, the less time they serve if caught. When they asked Ricky, he turned them down. That's when they branded him and he left the shelter. Ricky wants to keep running as he doesn’t want to bring them to Archie, though Archie is certain that running isn’t going to solve anything.

Archie enters his room and finds Ricky wearing his bulldog jacket. Archie tells him to keep it. He then tells Ricky to come down stairs to meet his dad. Archie assures Ricky that all his dad wants to do is help as they have to find him a place to live permanently. With a good family that they’ll all meet. Archie will also continue to hang out with him and give him boxing lessons at the gym.

RD-Caps-3x14-Fire-Walk-With-Me-119-Ricky — Ricky cuts Archie

Archie and Ricky spend the night playing video games until Archie gets a call from Ms. Weiss, who informs him that the administrator at Santa Lucia Shelter finally got back to her and they found a match. Ricky’s full name is Ricardo DeSantos. As it turns out, Ricky is Joaquin’s younger brother. Ricky’s files shown that he has a history of violent behavior and self-harm. Archie returns to the living room to continue the game, but Ricky is gone. Archie begins searching for him. It’s not long before he finds him. Ricky stands behind Archie with a large kitchen knife. He’s there to kill Archie as it’s the only way the Gargoyles are going to let him in and let him play the game with them. Ricky believes that he has to finish what his brother, Joaquin, started. Archie reveals that he knew Joaquin and that he was a good guy, but he listened to the wrong people and ended up dead because of it. However, Ricky fears if he doesn’t do this then the Gargoyles won’t protect him. Archie reminds Ricky that the Gargoyles marked him for sacrifice, but Ricky explains that he gave it to himself and at the lair, he wrote his name under Archie’s. Ricky then slashes Archie with the knife, though he can’t finish the job and takes off as Fred arrives.^[1]

RD-Caps-3x18-Jawbreaker-66-Ricky — Ricky plays G&G with Jellybean

Ricky plays Gryphons and Gargoyles with Jellybean at Pop’s. Jellybean has just lost the game and apparently she’s a new player. She asks if they can play another round. Ricky wonders if her parents will be worried about her being out for so long. However, as Jellybean explains, her parents are often too busy to notice her.

Ricky leads Jellybean through the woods while on a quest. When she questions why they couldn’t continue the game at Pop’s, he tells her it’s because "he" wanted to meet her. He being the Gargoyle King, who appears before Jellybean and Ricky.^[2]

RD-Caps-3x21-The-Dark-Secret-of-Harvest-House-46-Ricky — Ricky is stopped from ascending

Ricky heads out into Fox Forest to ascend, but he is stopped by Jughead, who comes and kicks over the chalices and restrains Ricky. Jughead wants to take Ricky back into town, but he refuses. While Jughead understands that the game can make them do crazy things, he needs Ricky alive because together, they’re going to stop the Gargoyle King. As it turns out, Ricky is not alone in Fox Forest. He is accompanied by a dozen or so adventure scouts, who Ricky orders to kill Jughead, but to protect the Princess. Jughead takes off running, with the adventure scouts not far behind. Luckily, he makes it to the bunker and locks himself inside.^[3]