Riverdale isn’t just a simple town of cheerleaders and football players anymore. It seems every week brings with it events that are more horrifying than the last. About halfway through the episode, Betty Cooper’s mom gets a letter from a man that calls himself the Black Hood. Since Betty’s mom, Alice, is the writer for the town’s newspaper he wants her to publish the letter confirming he is the one that shot the two kids and Fred Andrews and killed Ms.Grundy.
The third episode starts off with another attempted murder. Two students from Riverdale High were mysteriously shot by a hooded man. It is suspected that it was the same man that shot Fred Andrews just three weeks ago. This comes right after episode two ended with Ms. Grundy, Archie’s old school teacher and secret lover, getting murdered with the cello bow Archie gave her.
The doctors claim it as “it was an act of hate and passion.” I believe the same man is responsible for the murder and the two shootings because it seems he is targeting people that Archie care about. First his dad, Ms.Grundy and now the teenagers?
Ms. Grundy is a smart target if you are trying to hurt Archie because he cared about her so much. This hooded man is dangerous and evil and must be stopped. Will Sheriff Kellor be able to stop him this time or will the teenagers have to solve the case once again?
The town is dark. People are talking and are scared. There have been two shootings and one murder in the past two weeks, so it’s no surprise the residents of Riverdale aren’t at ease. There is a killer on the loose and the teenagers and the sheriff are finding it very difficult to find out who he is or who sent him.
In previous episodes, it seemed as if Veronica’s dad, Hiram, could have been the one behind the shooting because we know he is a criminal and isn’t afraid to hurt people. He just got out of jail and moved back in with Veronica and her mother Hermione. Hiram and Veronica’s relationship is not steady. She refuses to talk to him and blames him for breaking up their family. No matter how hard Hiram tries to get close to his beloved daughter, she is unable to forgive him for his evil actions in the past.
However, this episode seems to be different. Hiram buys Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe and saves the diner. This was a very kind gesture because Veronica and Betty have been working hard to save the diner and since he bought it, it could stay open. This shows something in Hiram’s character because although he told Veronica he’d always have her back, we thought it was all talk. By buying the diner he showed Veronica that he genuinely meant what he said. The writers are trying to show Hiram as a different person than we had thought. All that we have seen and heard regarding Hiram has been negative so this positive act gives us the hope he might not be the criminal he used to be.
The suspicions towards Hirman are decreasing but it is too early in the season to find out who this masked man is. It could be anyone and fans know that Riverdale is full of surprises and cliffhangers. All of season one was spent investigating the murder of Jason Blossom, and in the end, murderer itself was his own father. Expect the show to try to maintain this mystery until the very end.
Also this episode, we see Jughead leave Betty to go take a tour of his new school, Southside High. In order to get into the school you have to go through security which already says something about the school. After getting through the sensors he is met by a purple-haired girl that is about Jughead’s age and tells him she is his tour guide. Her name is Toni Topaz and takes him down the halls of the sketchy high school.
You can see from the start Toni and Jughead are similar. Toni is a character in the Archie comics and Riverdale fans have been waiting for her to appear on the show. Toni is a strong girl that gives off the impression that she’s been through a lot just like Jughead. Of course, any teenager attending Southside High has come from a rough past and that seems to apply to Toni. She gives off the “leave-me-alone” vibe like Jughead does. It also helps that she is a South Side Serpent which Jughead is familiar with, since his dad is the head of the gang. In the comics, Jughead and Toni have a bond but are never connected romantically. However, many fans are speculating that Toni might be a threat towards Jughead and Betty’s relationship.
The South Side Serpents are the one thing that is threatening Jughead and Betty right now. Jug feels that might be the best path for him to go down and Toni is encouraging him since she can relate to how he feels, unlike Betty. I think the writers want to show another side of Jughead this season and Toni will be able to bring out his darker and more dangerous side.
They pass three students in the hall inhaling white powder which Toni claims is “jingle jangle”. When Jughead asks about it, Toni replies “it is a highly addictive drug, so let’s stay away from that”. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen jingle jangle. The drug is being dealt by Archie’s teammate, Reggie, and was offered to Archie in the previous episode. Archie is still staying up all night to protect his dad and buys the drug off Reggie, not knowing what he is getting into. There haven’t been any scenes of Archie consuming it yet but it is clear Archie is not mentally stable.
Let’s hope the writers don’t make Archie turns to drugs to help him with his problems because that is not something Archie would do. Archie always tries to do what’s right and even though he is going through a lot, he always stays true to himself. Archie loves and is loved and he has people that are there for him in this time of crisis. So for him to turn to drugs to help him would be unlike his character.
Archie meets Veronica’s dad for the first time and even though Hiram gives off a harsh and formal first impression, he seems to approve of Archie. However, he says one thing to the teenagers before he leaves: “I can say with confidence, the police aren’t always the solution. Sometimes we need to take matters into our own hands.” Is this advice he is giving to his daughter and her friends or is he applying something more personal?
Hiram may not be the criminal he used to be and genuinely wants the best for his daughter, but it is hard to completely change the person you are. We all know Hirman is extremely manipulative and is capable of turning people against each other. He may be giving advice but his advice was to go against the rules and against the police which is a little weird if you ask me. So far there has been no evidence that he has any bad intentions but I have a feeling it won’t stay that way.
Archie is in a bad place and strongly believes that it must be the same man who shot his dad, his classmates and killed Ms.Grundy. No one believes him–not even his dad. It is clear Archie is done relying on Sheriff Keller and the rest of Riverdale to solve these crimes and catch the masked man. He is scared that someone else will get hurt and wants to protect his town, family and friends. The writers show that Archie took Hirmas advice because he goes home at the end of the scene and pulls out a gun.
Every character in Riverdale is flawed and is dealing with a lot of problems. That is what makes the show exciting and captivating because you learn to care for each character and you want to see what will happen to them. So far, every episode in season two has been thrilling and has exceeded my expectations.
Along with the letter the Black Hood gives to Alice Cooper is Fred Andrews’s wallet. This is scary and threatening but at least Archie will get the reassurance he needs that it is the same man doing these crimes.
Archie creates an army of students that he calls “The Red Circle” to protect Riverdale. He has taken matters into his own hands and is still in a bad place, but seems to be improving. He isn’t staying up all night waiting at the door to protect his dad and seems more confident in himself and his friends that they will save Riverdale. Archie goes over to the Lodge’s house for dinner and Hiram tells him that it is time they fought back. The Black Hood is working through fear and terror and it is time they do the same. Archie and the red circle make a video telling the Black Hood that they will find him and hunt him and that they are not afraid.
As Jughead is leaving his new school, he gets beat up by the kids that are called the “ghoulies.” Jughead finds out they are the ones selling the jingle jangle and they don’t want anyone to know. He lies to Betty saying he just fell and after she leaves he tells Toni not to tell Betty what really happened. I am all for team Betty and Jughead but Betty needs to realise that Jughead is in a more violent environment now and if she doesn’t he is going to turn to Toni because she is the only one of his friends that understands that.
As the episode comes to an end, we still have no idea who the Black Hood is and are starting to believe that Hiram Lodge may be the villain we thought. The last ten seconds show the video of the the Red Circle sent to the Black Hood. The camera zooms out to show Hiram himself has received the video, and smirks.
This is bringing up questions like why does Hiram have the video? Is he the Black Hood? How will the Black Hood respond?
Riverdale has yet again left us with another cliff hanger that has us eagerly awaiting for the next episode.
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