Happy Thursday TV fans!  Even though we will have to wait quite some time for season 3 of Riverdale to premiere on the CW, there is still plenty to discuss.  For today, I am going to be recapping and ranking the top 5 moments featuring our very own Nancy Drew, Betty Cooper.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch the full season yet.  Betty may seem like the model of bubble gum perfection on the surface with her glossy ponytail and sweater sets, but there is a darkness brewing within her, clawing at the surface.  Betty proves to be intelligent and always one step ahead, even solving mysteries that the local Sheriff has trouble with.  In season 2, the Black Hood reveals that he has a fascination with Betty, calling her over and over and presenting her with new obstacles along the way.  While Betty has the support of Jughead and her friends and family, she ends up internalizing a lot of her feelings, not wanting to trouble them with her own inner demons.  What makes Betty such an amazing character is that she is far from perfect and some of my favorite moments below reflect that.  Ultimately these moments are what shape Betty into the powerful woman she has now become.  Without tapping into her darkness, she would have never found the strength within to conquer it.  When Betty discovers the true identity of the Black Hood, her world begins to fall apart, as she starts to question everything, including her own moral compass.  Betty proves to be even stronger than one could have imagined when she courageously goes to face the Black Hood and find some much needed closure.  While Betty may now be crowned the new Queen of the Serpents with Jughead by her side, she was already proving just how powerful she really is by standing up for herself, her mother, and anyone who threatens the balance of good and evil in Riverdale.  My top 5 moments featuring Betty Cooper from Riverdale season 2 are:

5

Betty’s Serpent Dance. (Moment from Season 2, episode 8)

 When Betty and Alice Cooper show up to the party, these ladies have their hair down and prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.  Alice’s ensemble is wild and she even pokes fun at Betty’s tame outfit, not realizing that she is about to strip off almost every layer to perform the Serpent dance.  Jughead is not pleased with this, begging her to stay away from him, as the mistakes he made with his father are now bleeding into his relationship with Betty.  Although the dance doesn’t have the impact Betty was hoping for, it does allow her to free her inhibitions and step out of her cookie-cutter mold of perfection.  Archie sees a new side of her when he gazes out the window and he’s not alone.  We salute you Betty!

4

Betty finds her brother. (Moment from Season 2, episode 10)

Betty is surprised to find Polly in her bedroom, picking up a few things and nonchalantly sharing the news that she had the twins already.  When Polly goes back to the farm without even staying to say hello to their parents, Betty is feeling hurt and abandoned by her sister, causing her to put her Nancy Drew skills to the test once more.  Betty is not good at sitting still, always diving into a new mystery to solve, refusing to take a minute to actually deal with her feelings.  She tracks down the address of her brother, Charles Smith and lets her parents know that she wants to go and meet him.  While Betty’s father wants no part of this, Alice visits Betty later that night and confides to her that she does want to meet her son.  When they walk through the seedy motel to find him, Mrs. Cooper latches onto Betty’s arm, as if the infestation and filth will seep through their bubble of perfection.  After meeting Charles or “Chic” as he likes to be called, Betty and Mrs. Cooper are horrified by his lifestyle and surroundings, feeling somewhat responsible for his current conditions.  After Betty returns to check in on Chic, she finds him being attacked and stabbed.  Betty saves the day with Pepper Spray, proving once again that she is not one to mess with.  After taking Chic home, the Cooper family helps stitch him up and gives him a place to stay, not realizing that they just “let another monster in.” 

 3

 Betty embraces the darkness.  (Moment from Season 2, episode 12)

 In the beginning of this episode, Betty is sporting her femme fatale black wig, turning away from the computer with newfound passion and excitement.  While her deception of “webcamming” may initially seem harmless, Betty is not ready to abandon it just yet.  She begins keeping secrets from those she loves without even the slightest hesitation to suggest that she has no guilt or second thoughts about her actions.  While Chic opened the door to the darkness, inviting Betty in, she is making her own decisions.  Later in the episode, Betty and Jughead reunite and share a passionate kiss as Jughead tells her that “he wants all of her,” but what will he do when he finds out that he needs to share Betty with the rest of the cyber world?

2

“That’s your very own angel of death.” (Moment from season 2, episode 19)

 After finding out that Chic is not really her brother, Betty has a sea of emotions taking over.  With almost perfect timing, the “Lollipop” ringtone begins playing, luring her back to the darkness.  She answers and the Black Hood greets her by saying, “Hello Betty.  You miss me?”  The Black Hood asks for Betty to deliver Chic to him so that he can get what he deserves, explaining that he has murdered before.  At this point, we are not sure if Betty will follow the Black Hood’s orders.  He isn’t threatening her right now, but merely requesting this, so she has every opportunity to keep her moral compass intact.  Betty pulls a gun on Chic and takes him to the cemetery, demanding that he confess.  Chic tells her that he did kill the real Charles after they got in a fight but that he didn’t mean to kill him.  His tears suggest that he is finally telling the truth, but it’s too late.  Betty tells him she will begin counting and give him a head start when the Black Hood shows up at the edge of the cemetery.  Chic begins frantically questioning her, asking her what is going on, but Betty remains unwavering.  Chic finally takes her advice and rushes off, as she nods to the Black Hood.  While we are unsure if Chic was able to make it out alive or not, it doesn’t seem like we will be seeing him again anytime soon.  And as for our sweet and lovable Betty Cooper…well she is playing a dangerous game that makes her role play days seem like a distant dream.

1

 “I’m not like you.” (Moment from season 2, episode 22)

 While all of the drama with Mr. Lodge is taking center stage in the season finale, Betty and her mother are trying to put the pieces together again after Hal is taken off to jail, who has been confirmed as the real Black Hood.  Betty blames herself for what happened, however; and feels like she should have been a better detective and seen what was right in front of her.  While everyone around her reminds her that this is not her fault, Betty is still having doubts.  She wonders if evil can be passed on and Jughead tells her that she is a good person.  Now it’s up to Betty to believe this.  But can she deny the darkness whirling around within her?  After initially deciding not to visit her father, Betty decides to go see him anyway.  Her strength is admirable and one can’t help but cheer for her in this moment.  After telling her father that she is not like him, he asks her why she is really there.  Betty’s response gave me chills, as she tells him, “To say goodbye Dad.  No more darkness.  No more evil.  It’s over.  You have no power over me.”  In this moment, I was literally standing up and cheering for our girl, Betty Cooper.  While her father seems convinced that she will return, this moment allows her to truly move on and embrace the goodness within her.  I couldn’t be more proud.  All hail Queen Betty!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post some of your own favorite moments featuring Betty Cooper from Riverdale below in the comments section.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

@TV_Fanatic_Girl

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