Does Riff die in West Side Story? After all, he is the boss of the Jets, and his death will have grave consequences! Let’s find out what happened to Riff in West Side Story (2021) movie.
Spielberg’s West Side Story movie was released on 10 December 2021. The movie is heavily inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet. The awesome star cast- Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and others have done a brilliant job. This movie is available on Disney+ as well as HBO Max.
Riff, Jet’s leader, challenges Shark’s leader, Bernardo. Despite Tony’s interventions and police warnings, Riff and Bernardo engage in a fight. Finally, Bernardo overpowers Riff and kills him. Yes, Riff dies in West Side Story. Read the details ahead!
The West Side Story (2021) is about love, gang wars, and epic characters that will keep you entertained. Apart from the amazing chemistry between Maria and Tony, Riff and Bernardo’s tussle is a must-watch! Let’s find out what happened to Riff in West Side Story and how it will alter the entire storyline. Join me ahead to know more!
Does Riff Die In West Side Story? What Happened To Riff? All The Answers Are Waiting For You!
Riff is one of the central characters in the West Side Story movie, and his gang is one of the most influential and powerful groups in the town. Riff’s character is full of pride, racial prejudices, and demeaning opponents, especially the Shark gang. However, he is a very loyal friend of Tony and has brotherly love for him.
Riff’s constant street fights and duels with the opponent gang members are well executed in the West Side Story movie and set a backdrop for future turning events. Let’s read all the details related to Riff and his fate in the movie.
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Who Was Riff? The Puerto Rican Gangster!
Riff was the co-founder and chief of the Jets gang. His character is inspired by Mercutio from Romeo And Juliet. Riff met Tony when he left his uncle’s place and shifted with him.
Riff was very close to Tony and loved him like his own brother. Though Tony left the gang for good, they remained close friends and shared strong relations.
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Rivalry Of Jet’s Leader Riff With Sharks | The Never-Ending Hatred!
Riff’s Jets gang had defeated many powerful rival gangs in their area and claimed a superior position. However, he was more aggressive towards the Shark gang due to racial prejudices. Bernardo was the leader of Sharks and he wanted to expand his control over Jets’ territories as well.
Riff was highly determined to subdue the Sharks at any cost and maintain the supremacy of the Jets. Despite the constant warnings of police and patrolling officers, both groups kept fighting each other from the very beginning. However, things got complicated when Tony fell in love with Bernardo’s sister Maria. Thus drastic steps taken by Riff were bound to affect everyone’s life.
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Riff Dies In West Side Story | His Tragic End!
Riff was very much pissed off with Bernardo’s attitude, and he devised a plan to defeat him. So, he challenges Bernardo for a rumble where the winner group will rule the territory. Riff proposes Tony’s name as Jet’s representative in the rumble. However, Bernardo does not pay much heed. And Tony also withdraws his name from the fight because he does not want to involve himself in violence again.
As the romance blossoms between Tony and Maria, the rivalry between the groups grows very intense. Maria is already promised to Bernardo’s friend Chino, but things get complicated when she falls in love with Tony. Soon, Bernardo finds out about his sister’s affair, and in a fit of rage, he accepts Riff’s rumble challenge to settle the score for once and all.
When Maria finds out about the rumble, she pleads with Tony to stop it at any cost. Tony tries to stop the rumble and reason with both the groups to stop this meaningless bloodshed. However, Bernardo humiliates him in front of everyone. This makes Riff very aggressive as he cannot tolerate the insult of Tony at any cost. Thus, Riff violently confronts Bernardo.
Soon, both the leaders- Riff and Bernardo, engage in a bloody war with their sleek switchblades. Things got really bad. Tony tries to intervene and saves Bernardo from Riff. However, Bernardo stabs Riff in his ribs and fatally injures him. A shocked and devastated Tony becomes very aggressive, and in return, he stabs Bernardo continuously with Riff’s knife. Thus, in the end, both Riff and Bernardo die and turn the West Side Story’s entire plot upside down.
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Final Words
Does Riff Die In West Side Story? What Happened To Riff? Well, yes, Riff dies in the West Side Story. His death led to continuous reactions and fabricated the future story. Thus, Riff’s death played a crucial part in the tragic end of Maria and Tony’s love story. What are your thoughts on the same?
