On this episode of Riverdale, titled “Chapter Twenty-Eight: There Will Be Blood,” Archie worries for his father’s safety when Hiram convinces Fred to run for mayor, Jughead gets a tip from an adversary of Hiram’s and a long-lost Blossom returns to town.
After less than an idyllic weekend getaway in the woods (true confessions, partner swapping, home invasion), Bee, Vee, Archie and Jughead are back in Riverdale (how did the Lodges keep that swanky cabin when everything else was seized by the government?)
How Long Can Veronica Stay Blind to Her Father’s Riverdale Murders?>>>
The Lodges Set Their Sights on Fred
Jughead continues to investigate Hiram, even setting up a “murder board,” linking Hiram, his family and associates to various business transactions in Riverdale. He doesn’t have evidence of any criminal activity — aside from the former Mayor McCoy taking bribes — so all he can do is speculate regarding what Hiram’s endgame might be. What is Hiram’s master plan for the town, and why does it feel so close to coming to fruition?
F.P. no longer supports Jughead’s investigative journalism now that Hiram bought the trailer park and forgave everyone’s debts although that doesn’t mean he trusts the business tycoon. Jughead reveals that Hiram bought The Register in an attempt to silent dissenting voices before he makes his big play.
Betty recruits Kevin to catfish her brother. Every time she asks Chic questions about himself, he either gets defensive or cries as a diversion, so Betty has to be a bit more duplicitous to get Chic to open up. Kevin isn’t particularly adept at subtle interrogation, and after three online chats, he hasn’t learned anything.
Archie learns from Veronica that Hiram and Hermione want Fred to run for mayor in a special election. It turns out that Fred has always dreamed of being mayor, so he’s considering mixing business with politics. Fred is optimistic that after all of the recent downs Riverdale has gone through, he can turn things around. Archie thinks it’s weird Fred would be Hiram’s candidate of choice, but Fred knows Hiram is no dummy. He wants a friend in the mayor’s office. Hiram’s also offered a sizable donation to get Fred’s campaign started, but Fred makes it clear to Archie that if he does decide to run, it won’t be for Hiram, it will be for Riverdale.
Hiram puts the odds of Fred running at 50-50, and Hermione wants Ronnie to whisper a few sweet nothings in her BF’s ear to help move things along. When the Lodges announce their plans, they’re confident it will sound better coming from Fred’s well-respected mouth.
Another Blossom Shocker
Penelope and Cheryl learn that Clifford had a second will. His attorney, Mr. Lazenby, was under strict instructions not to reveal the existence of the will until after the police had finished their investigation of his side business — drug dealing. All of the beneficiaries will be revealed at a public reading.
Hal Cooper decides he wants a divorce. He can’t get past Alice choosing Chic over him. He also feels betrayed by Betty who tells her father that when it comes to Chic, she is on his side. Betty is more than happy to ask Chic to move out.
But Hal wants out, and he’s willing to give Alice half the proceeds from the sale of the newspaper if she agrees to let him go, immediately.
Hal may want out of the Cooper family fold, but Polly finds her way back in. She unexpectedly arrives back in town with her twin babies in tow. She hasn’t returned strictly to introduce Alice to her grandbabies, she’s been summoned for the reading of Clifford Blossom’s will, a tidbit Hal failed to share with Alice.
Veronica Pushes Too Hard
Archie’s accepted the fact that since he’s with Veronica, he’s in with the Lodges, but he doesn’t want his father tangled up with the crime family anymore than he already is, so he goes to Jughead for advice. Archie decides to feed Jughead a juicy tip about Hiram buying Pop Tate’s as opposed to just making a charitable donation (Hiram doesn’t want this news out), thinking a scathing indictment in writing could make Fred hit the pause button on running for office.
With this new scoop, Jughead goes to Alice and Betty. He’s figured out Hiram’s methodology. The gangster acquires devalued land at a deep, some might say “criminal,” discount: Twilight Drive-In, Sunnyside Trailer Park, Southside High and Pop’s. Most people may not care about the Southside properties, but Pop’s is the heart of Riverdale.
Veronica may have some doubts about manipulating Fred into running for office, but she still decides to give Fred a friendly push by designing some campaign logos, just in case. Archie questions why Ronnie is being so aggressive, and she claims it’s because she believes Fred would make a great mayor. She wonders why Archie is so resistant, and it’s because he has zero doubts that Fred is not cut out for what the Lodges want — a dog on a leash who they’ll push out the minute he doesn’t do as he’s told, just like Sierra McCoy.
Ronnie insists that Sierra stepped down because of her affair with Sheriff Keller, and her parents had nothing to do with it (except that they did.) Archie doesn’t like Ronnie trying to steer him or his dad. He wants her to ease off.
A Long-Lost Uncle Returns
At the reading of Clifford’s secret will, he leaves Thornhill, which is now a charred shell, to Penelope and Thistlehouse to his mother. Any and all of Clifford’s remaining assets are to be divided in half. The first half is to be distributed equally among anyone who can medically prove a genetic connection to the Blossoms.
Alice disrupts the reading to confront Hal. She accuses him of trying to cheat her out of his big Blossom payday. She’s hired Sierra to take half of whatever Hal gets from the “inbred cesspool.”
Alice is escorted out, and Clifford’s lawyer reveals that the remaineder of his fortune will go to Cheryl and Jason. Obviously, Clifford didn’t update this will after he murdered his only son. As the one true heir to the fortune, Cheryl takes it upon herself to say a few words. She promises there will be no more blood, madness or horror. But the horror is just beginning because Clifford Blossom decides to make a surprise appearance. Only it’s not Clifford, it’s Claudius. He’s Clifford’s twin brother.
The two brothers used to be inseparable, until it became clear that Claudius was being primed to take over the family business. At age 14, down by Sweetwater River, Clifford pointed a rifle at Claudius and told him about the Blossom Curse. How one twin always meets a violent end at the hand of the other. Clifford spared Claudius who ran away from home that very night. He joined the Merchant Marines, determined to outrun the Blossom Curse.
Bound and Gagged
Jughead confronts Pop who admits he sold out to Hiram. By doing so, Pop went against his mother’s wishes who made him promise to keep the diner in the family. Pop’s mom is still alive, and it she’d be disappointed to find out that Pop sold out, so he pleads with Jughead to keep the information to himself for as long as Pop still has his mom. Once she’s gone, Jughead can tell whoever he wants.
Blood Brother
Polly is eager to get the blood tests to prove that she, Betty, the babies and Chic are all related to the Blossoms, but Chic wants nothing to do with the Blossom blood money. More likely, Chic does’t want to do the blood test which may prove he isn’t who he claims to be. Just to get Alice’s sympathy, he whines that needles “trigger” him. What webcam boy wouldn’t want a big fat inheritence? Did he leave DNA evidence at the scene of a crime?
Betty has a plan to figure out what Chic is hiding. So, it’s back to the computer for Kevin. He tells Chic he just got tested for HIV for the first time and questions if Chic has been through the process. Chic reveals he used to go weekly and reveals he had the worst scare once. At the time, Chic was living with a rougher crew than he is now. Betty tries to signal to Kevin how to proceed, and Chic realizes Kevin might not be alone. Kevin panics and shuts down the computer. Kevin thinks Chic seems like a good guy and decieving him is making Kevin feel like a bad person. He’s done.
Will Toni Topaz Be Cheryl’s Next Love Interest on Riverdale?>>>
Friendly Persuasion
Veronica comes to the decision that she’ll do her parent’s bidding at school, but Archiekins is off limits. He’s become a pawn on the Lodge chessboard, and it’s hurting their relationship. Hermione explains to Veronica that while the men in the family are straight-up gangsters, the women rely on their wiles to get what they want. They use their cunning to manage things behind the scenes. But Veronica doesn’t want to play these games with Archie anymore.
Jughead tells Archie he can’t publish the article because it would break Pop’s heart. Archie is desperate to do something because it looks like Fred is going to run. Jughead doesn’t know what else to do. He’s spoken to every possible suspect connected to the Lodges, including Sierra McCoy, and they’re all on lockdown. Archie suggests maybe Jughead’s been grilling the wrong McCoy.
Enter Josie. Archie asks her to try and convince Sierra to talk to Fred. Josie’s looking out for her mom who barely made it out of the mayor’s office alive. If the Lodges were to find out Sierra let anything slip, there would be hell to pay. Sierra would implicate herself in a million ways. Archie is certain Sierra could tell Fred plenty of things to kill his buzz without getting into the really shady stuff.
So, Sierra speaks to Fred about the drudgery of public office. She warns Fred that there’s no way he could run Andrews Construction and Riverdale at the same time. Right now, Fred might be the people’s shining hope, but once he wins, they’ll turn their back on him, and all his friends will be standing in line to stab him in the back.
Leaks Everywhere
Pop sells out Jughead by running to Hiram to report about Jughead’s inquiries. Hiram knows there’s a snitch in their inner circle. The only ones who know about the sale are the Lodges and Archie. Yes, Archiekins has proven his loyalty, but who’s to say he isn’t feeding info to his best pal. To protect Archie, Veronica takes the blame, saying it was the best way to get Jughead off her back when he was grilling her incessantly about the Southside and SoDale when they were at Shadow Lake. Hermione has her daughter’s back. Better to throw Jughead a little bone than allow him to uncover a much bigger and controversial one. Ronnie bought them time for some damage control.
Jughead’s discouraged that Hiram is always a step or two ahead of him. F.P. decides to confess to his son how he and the Serpents worked for Hiram to trash the drive-in. F.P.’s willing to own up to it on the record if it will help Jughead bring Hiram down.
Archie’s actions cause a fight between himself and Veronica. She’s angry he leaked the info about Pop’s to Jughead. She can’t stress enough just how upset Hiram will be if he finds out Archie snitched. Archie refuses to apologize for trying to protect his father, but Veronica swears that Fred is untouchable. He’ll never be corrupted. She wants to know what happened to Archie’s loyalty. The Lodges brought him in because he made a promise; he swore he was okay with all of this.
But Archie entered into the situation with his eyes wide open. If Fred’s going to run, he needs to know the whole truth. Archie wants to know what Hiram has planned for Riverdale. Ronnie almost told him at her confirmation until Archie stopped her, but now he wants to know. Veronica says Archie will need to have that discussion with Hiram.
Fred interrupts the squabbling lovers to announce he’s going to run for mayor. Ronnie suggests Archie talks to Hiram — fast.
Nancy Drew and Jughead Too
Betty searches Chic’s bathroom and procures a piece of used dental floss She runs into him on her way out, and he makes it clear how much sweeter life was at Casa Cooper when it was just him, Betty and Alice. So, in addition to the few things we do know about Chic, we can add that he’s not a fan of babies. Chic tells Betty that love is finite. People run out of it, or they stop loving someone esle.
Jughead receives a call from someone claiming to have information about Hiram and arranges a meeting. Jughead’s Deep Throat turns out to be Smithers, former doorman for the Pembrooke who left abruptly for persoal reasons. Smithers was privy to the Lodge’s personal affairs such as coordinating transportation for Mr. Lodge out to Shankshaw prison — F.P.’s old stomping ground. Hiram also received mail from the warden.
Jughead questions if F.P. has any connection inside Shankshaw who might know something. There’s an inmate named War Baby who knows everybody’s business.
Polly confides in Betty that she doesn’t get a good vibe from Chic. Betty’s on the same page which is why she submitted Chic’s DNA for testing. Betty thinks her father could be right about Chic being dangerous and possibly not even related to them.
Polly and Betty arrive home and find out that Alice handed over babysitting duties to Chic. He decided to take his niece and nephew for a walk along Sweetwater River. Polly is outraged Alice would hand over her babies to a stranger, but Alice doesn’t see the problem. Chic returns with the twins, and they’re fine. (Even Riverdale couldn’t sink so low as to make Chic a baby killer.)
Making Riverdale a Better Place
Archie confronts Hiram, and he doesn’t pull any punches. He knows Hiram’s bringing organized crime to Riverdale and questions what happens when he and Fred don’t see eye-to-eye. Archie reveals he has a journal which he started keeping around the time Agent Adams came on the scene. It contains information about everything Archie learned while apprenticing with Hiram. Hiram views this as a potential threat while Archie sees it as a way to protect his family.
Hiram believes that he and Fred will make a great team. He promises that in 18 months Lodge Industries will be totally legit, and Riverdale will be crime free — the safest small town in America. Archie wants to know how, but Hiram isn’t ready to show all of his cards yet.
Polly announces she’s heading out West to San Francisco with the twins. Chic thinks this is a great idea because San Francisco is such a safe place for her and the babies. In other words, “Don’t come back.” First Chic cuts Hal out of the family and now Polly.
The Lodges get a call from Warden Jeffires at Shankshaw. He informs them that F.P. and Jughead paid a visit to one of F.P.’s cronies, a well-informed and loose-lipped cronie. Now the family is almost certain F.P. and Jughead know everything which means it’s only a matter of time before Jughead splashes it all over the front of a newspaper they don’t own.
Hiram summons Fred and Archie to tell them about his plans. He wants to build a private, for-profit prison on the grounds of the old Southside High. SoDale will be housing for the employees of the prison. Fred has no intention of supporting the scheme. Fred’s also upset that the only reason Hiram is coming clean is because Jughead’s about to take the news public. Fred’s ready to storm out, but Archie wants to stay to hear what Hiram has to say.
With Fred out of the picture, Hermione decides to run for mayor. Claudius is back in town and in league with Penelope to get revenge on Clifford’s mother, Cheryl and the Lodges. Betty gets the DNA results, and it turns out Chic isn’t who he says he is, and Betty wants to know his deal. And after Jason’s murder and the Black Hood, Archie’s on board with Hiram’s plan, even swearing a blood oath, or so it seems …
Who is Chic? Is Archie really loyal to the Lodges? Can Jughead defeat Hiram? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW. Want more news? Visit our Riverdale page on Facebook.
(Image courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
