Kiernan Shipka hopes Sabrina's witchy 'Riverdale' crossover is 'not the last we see of her'

The witching hour is close at hand as Riverdale prepares for the magical return of Sabrina Spellman in tonight's Season 6 episode on The CW. Kiernan Shipka is reprising the role of the iconic teenage witch she played in Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which concluded with Sabrina's death after a total of 36 episodes told in four parts.

While this special crossover event is only meant as a one-time deal, Shipka is holding out hope that this won't be the last time she's brought back into the Archie Comics fold on the small screen. "It was lovely to step back into her shoes," the actress told TVLine. "I hope it’s not the last we see of her in Riverdale. I certainly would love it."

Shipka also revealed that the idea of bringing the character to Riverdale was a long time coming, but "the stars never really quite aligned for it." However, "it was just a matter of all the elements coming together, finally. It was always a no-brainer in my mind that I would do it," she added. Given the horrific and supernatural overtones of Riverdale's sixth season, now was the perfect time to finally make it happen. "This is for the fans, in many ways," Shipka said. "It’s been a long time coming.”

The fact that Sabrina is technically dead is immaterial. “It’s very unlike Sabrina to just kind of chill in the Sweet Hereafter," Shipka continued. "I think she would get bored and want to find her way back to her friends and her family, and vice versa. Her aunties and her friends and Ambrose would do anything for her, so to me, it makes sense that her death wasn’t a forever death.”

Sabrina will be summoned onto the show by Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) who is inspired to reflect on her tragic family history when the character witnesses a comet passing through the night sky.

As a result, Cheryl finds herself "in need of some extra horsepower and some extra witch power, and who better to call than Sabrina?” Shipka said. “It made sense that she would come in as a witch with a more fantastical waft in the air, if you will. I think it was a justifiable arrival, given the fact that she died. I know anything can happen, but the more magic involved, the better.”

The new episode of Riverdale — "Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Witching Hour(s)" — will air on The CW at 9 p.m. EST. All four parts of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina are now streaming on Netflix.