Toni Topaz/Season 5

Prom Queen

Toni wants to be Serpent Queen

Toni asks Cheryl why she wants to be prom queen so badly. As far as Toni is concerned, the only royalty worth competing for is Serpent Queen. Kevin joins them at the sign up table for prom king, prepared to add his name at Fangs' behest, but Cheryl turns him away, explaining that she and Toni are campaigning to be co-queens and that it’s been her destiny to wear the prom crown since birth.

Cheryl proposes that she and Toni host a dinner party at Thistlehouse before the dance. Cheryl wants to invite Toni’s family specifically, however, Toni claims that her grandparents, who love her, aren’t quite ready for some "big gay Prom dinner party." Cheryl questions what happens when she meets them at graduation. Toni replies that it may be better if she pretends that they’re not dating.

Toni explains to her nana that Cheryl isn't like her family

Toni approaches her Nana, prepared to inform her that she has a girlfriend, but Nana Topaz is already aware of her relationship with Cheryl, who is outraged not because Toni is dating a girl but that the girl is a Blossom. Nana Topaz reminds Toni how the Blossoms have taken everything from them over the decades. Toni retorts that Cheryl is nothing like her family, but Nana Topaz would beg to differ. She refuses to allow Toni to date a Blossom.

Toni confronts Cheryl for going to see her Nana. Cheryl was under the impression that Toni didn’t want her to meet her family because she was a lesbian, but in actuality it’s the Blossoms that Toni’s family hates. And now, Toni’s Nana is begging Toni not to go to prom with Cheryl. She says that it would dishonor their family. Cheryl apologizes and says that she hopes they can still go to prom together, but Toni isn’t so sure.

Toni and Cheryl are crowned prom queens

At Thistlehouse, Cheryl gets ready to leave for prom but not before Nana Rose takes a few photos. Toni arrives at the last moment to escort Cheryl out, though the pair manage to take a few photos together first. At prom, Toni and Cheryl are crowned Riverdale’s first openly gay Prom Queens. However, no queenship is complete without a court, so Cheryl invites Archie, Veronica, Betty, and Jughead to join them for the traditional promenade court dance. However, the dance ends abruptly after the lights shut off and the and the Auteur makes their next move, playing on the big screen a snuff film of what appears to be David being killed by several individuals wearing masks while tied to a chair in the back of the Blue Velvet Videos store. Jughead shuts off the video while Betty gets the lights.

Toni parts ways with Cheryl

While they didn’t get to finish their ceremonial dance, Cheryl is overjoyed that they were crowned prom queens. Now, a carriage awaits them to Thistlehouse. However, Toni can’t leave with Cheryl. Her Nana said that if she didn’t return home by midnight then she would never speak to Toni again. With no other choice, Toni parts ways with Cheryl, who thanks her for a memorable prom. Toni promises Cheryl that they’ll work it out eventually.