Happy Thursday TV fans! After watching the CW’s Riverdale season 2 episode 21 last night, secrets are revealed, unlikely heroes are born, and a sacrifice has left us on the edge of our seats. Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet. In last night’s episode, “Chapter Thirty-Four: Judgment Night,” Fangs is rushed to the hospital and his real attacker is revealed. Hermione Lodge announces a bounty award for the Black Hood and Veronica finds a file that causes her to lose faith in her father. Meanwhile, Cheryl fends off the Black Hood, Betty attempts to protect her mother, and Jughead is faced with his old enemy, Penny Peabody. My top 5 moments from Riverdale season 2 episode 21 are:
5
“I only miss when I mean to.”
In the beginning of the episode, Cheryl opens her door and finds the Black Hood waiting for her. She doesn’t waste any time and rushes up to her bedroom. Cheryl is able to get out the window to her bow and arrow set and shows off her impressive archery skills. Cheryl’s got a crimson hood of her own and takes on the Black Hood without revealing the slightest bit of fear. Cheryl is not a scared little girl anymore, embracing the hero within her and defending herself. She calls Betty to warn her that the Black Hood is wounded and heading through the woods. Betty’s initial reaction is to run to her father, but soon learns that she may not be able to reason with him anymore, as the darkness and madness within him have fully consumed his actions at this point.
4
“What the hell do you boys think you’re doing to my school?”
After Fangs is shot, the Serpents are looking for vengeance and decide to destroy school property to make their point. Archie attempts to get them to stop and reveals the new information that Midge’s mother is responsible for shooting Fangs, unable to process her grief and looking for someone to blame. While one can be sympathetic toward Midge’s mother, the Serpents do not back down, as they explain that this is further proof why they need to destroy everything on the Northside. Archie is ready to defend, but there is no need to do so when Principal Weatherbee proves to be someone you do not want to mess with, especially when he has a baseball bat. Let’s hear it for the adults of Riverdale! Later on, the Ghoulies show up at Pop’s Diner and surround the place, leaving poor Archie alone again to try and stop them. Luckily, it’s “Riverdale Dads to the rescue,” as Kevin so eloquently put it, when Sheriff Keller, Fred, and FP show up to defend their town. I mean seriously Archie cannot take on every single threat, but it’s great to see some teamwork here even when Riverdale is being threatened left and right.
3
“Chaos is good for us.”
As things get worse in Riverdale, Mr. Lodge sees this as an opportunity, proving to once again be the most dangerous player in town. Hermione has her suspicions and asks if he is keeping anything from her, but he assures her that everything he is doing is for her and Veronica. Hermione announces a one million dollar bounty for whoever can deliver the Black Hood and Betty hilariously asks if that is even legal. Veronica takes it a step further when she asks, “Are you and Daddy trying to turn Riverdale into Gotham City?” Her suspicions cause her to take action and she discovers the hidden file her father is keeping on Fred, which includes a story he is about to leak, revealing the affair between Hermione and Fred. Veronica is appalled that her father could do this to his own wife’s reputation, but Mr. Lodge will stop at nothing to damage Fred’s campaign. As if this wasn’t enough drama for the Lodge family to deal with, Poppa Poutine’s son shows up looking for someone to blame for his father’s death and knocks on the Lodge door. He takes out Andre and attacks Veronica and Hermione, looking to take away the people that Mr. Lodge cares about the most to even the score. Another unlikely hero emerges when Hermione tells her daughter to run and she gets to her gun in time to stop this man, protecting her family. When Mr. Lodge shows up, he tries to tell them both how sorry he is, but Veronica doesn’t want to hear it. She backs away from her father as if he is a stranger and tells him, “It’s your mess daddy. You clean it up.”
2
“I always knew you were a mama’s boy.”
While fans everywhere have accepted that Hal Cooper is the real Black Hood, we have been waiting for some solid evidence. Well it’s finally arrived as Hal is no longer hiding his identity. After Cheryl wounds him, he leaves the hospital, but not before killing a doctor in his way. Betty realizes that the monster within Hal is no longer thinking rationally and worries for her mother’s safety when he threatens her. Betty rushes home and Hal tells his daughter and wife that he wants to show them a home movie. Alice is immediately confused, as Betty’s suspicions have now become a reality. A killer is born during the film, as we see Hal as a young boy speaking to his mother about why he has to lie about his father killing the Conway family. His mother tells him that “sinners have to die” and that Hal “must do better.” Hal wants the conversation recorded so he can tell his story. He admits that he is the Black Hood and takes credit for all the attacks and murders he is responsible for. When asked about Fred, he mentions his adultery, focusing purely on cleaning up the sin in this town. Hal does not take credit for the shooting at the debate, however; which makes Mr. Lodge our prime suspect once again behind this crime and perhaps in the second attack against Archie and his father. When Alice and Betty realize the immediate danger they are in, Alice becomes a hero we can root for. She tries to provoke Hal to distract him and it works like a charm. After Hal tries to choke Alice, Betty knocks him out, proving once again that team Betty and Alice is a force to be reckoned with. They call the police and Hal is arrested, ending the threat that has been tearing Betty’s life apart for now. But something tells me that this is not the last we will see or hear of Hal Cooper, the Black Hood.
1
Jughead makes the ultimate sacrifice.
Penny and the Ghoulies are back and demand that the Serpents give up and leave so that they can take over this town. Penny takes things a step further when she holds Toni captive, demanding that Jughead pay her a visit. Luckily, Jughead brings some back-up, which is none other than our favorite archer in town, Cheryl Blossom. “Untie her you Serpent Hag!” I found myself cheering as Cheryl rescues her love, Toni, proving once again that Choni is absolutely swoon-worthy. Jughead realizes that the Serpents are no match for the Ghoulies and calls up the devil himself, Mr. Lodge. Jughead has put together all the pieces and knows that Mr. Lodge is pulling the strings here. He makes a counter offer and shows up alone to see Penny, but not before he calls Betty to tell her how much he loves her. Betty immediately knows something is wrong and calls FP who rushes off to help Jughead. The end of the episode leaves fans with a cliff-hanger that perhaps no one saw coming. FP emerges with Jughead’s lifeless body in his arms, covered in blood with his tattoo burned off. Is our main protagonist really dead? What happens now? The questions are unending, as we need to wait a very long week to get to our season finale and finally learn the fate of our beloved Jughead Jones. Let’s try to stay positive Bughead fans, but it looks like we need a miracle in Riverdale.
I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Riverdale in the comments section below. Happy viewing!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
@TV_Fanatic_Girl
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