Hal Cooper

Harold "Hal" Cooper

Hal is the former editor and co-owner of the local newspaper, which he ran with his ex-wife Alice Smith, and the father of Betty and Polly Cooper. He holds a fanatical hatred for the Blossom Family, due to a feud that occurred a few generations back. He is also the grandfather of Jason and Polly's twin babies, Juniper and Dagwood but doesn't have a relationship due to his abhor of them leaving to a strained relationship with the rest of his immediate family among other reasons.

Hal revealed to Betty and Alice that he is the Black Hood. Betty's speech at the 75th Anniversary Jubilee reminded him of a promise he made to his mother that Riverdale will do better.

Hal fakes his death and escapes a prison bus in route for Hiram Lodge's prison. After escaping the fiery crash, he takes back up the mantle of the Black Hood and resumes killing, starting at the Prom, where he murdered three students. It's later revealed that Hal has been in cahoots with the Red Dahlia, Penelope Blossom and the Gargoyle King, Chic. After Hal fails to stop Betty and her friends, he is shot in the head and killed by Penelope.

Early Life
Harold Cooper was born to Louis Cooper and an unnamed mother. He grew up being taught that sinners should be gotten rid of. When he was a child, his father killed the Conway family because Mr. Conway had blackmailed him about Louis' father's secret. Hal was then told to convince Joseph Conway; the only survivor to name someone else as the murderer of his family. He eventually married his high school sweetheart, Alice and later had two daughters, named Betty and Polly. Hal and Betty would often spend time together by working on vehicles.

During his high school years, Alice, who was simply his girlfriend at the time became pregnant with FP Jones's baby. Hal tried to pressure her to have an abortion, as he didn't want to take responsibility for the unborn child, which he believed was his. Alice refused an abortion and instead gave the baby up for adoption once he was born.

Hal also owned the local newspaper, The Register, alongside his wife. Due to his family's history with the Blossom family, he harbors a deep hatred for members of the Blossom family.