This may go down as one of "Riverdale's" finest hours yet, filled with twists and turns, a few big reveals and, yep, even a musical number.
Picking up days after Midge's murder during "Carrie: The Musical," the episode made it very clear that the Black Hood is back with a vengeance. And if you were one of the many who was disappointed when Mr. Svenson was named the killer back in December, tonight proved he was simply a scapegoat. The town's masked maniac is still very much on the prowl and Betty's got a new suspect in mind.
Let's break down the biggest shocks and revelations from "Prisoners."
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View StoryThe Truth About Chic
The obvious was finally confirmed, Chic is not Alice's son.
According to the impostor, he met Charles Smith on the streets before they moved into that "flop house" together. The way Chic told it, Charles overdosed on Jingle Jangle after trying to establish contact with -- and being denied by -- Alice. Though Mama Cooper tearfully confirmed that she turned her son away, Betty wasn't buying the story and did some digging of her own with Jughead.
The two spoke with one of Charles' neighbors, who said she knew nothing about drugs and could hear the two constantly having "nasty fights." "Then one day, there was only one, the bad one," she said, adding that she saw "bloody sheets and pillows" in the dumpster. When Betty confronted Chic again, accusing him of murdering her brother and demanding to know the truth, he simply said, "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. You'll never know."
Betty Leads Chic to Death(?)
The Black Hood was back in contact with Betty tonight, calling her up with his "Lollipop" ringtone and telling her "deep down, you knew it wasn't over." The killer confirmed he set up Svenson and then asked her to deliver Chic to him for all his sins. She did as told. After letting Chic loose from the basement prison, he finally admitted to getting into a fight with Charles and losing control. "I didn't mean to hurt him," he added.
Just then, the killer emerged from the fog. "You really should start running," Betty told her faux-brother, who was last seen running from the murderer into the night.
Do you think the Black Hood finished him off? We didn't witness the murder happen and we know better than to think anyone's dead before seeing a body.
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View StoryIs Hal the Black Hood?
Hal Cooper has always been a popular guess as the man hiding under the mask, something it now appears Betty believes as well.
The episode ended with Betty and her mother sitting on the stairs, Betty lying about what happened to Chic. She said she took him to the bus station and he's "gone, for good I think." As she's sitting there though, she comes to a realization and asks, "Mom, where's dad?" Alice says he "went looking for you." Betty's reaction more than implies she thinks he could be the one who chased down Chic at the cemetery.
It's also worth pointing out that he was at the musical, is one of the few people who knew Miss Grundy was a pedophile, clearly hated Chic and has a close connection to Betty. According to next week's synopsis, she'll turn to Cheryl for help about her suspicion. We can only imagine what those two will turn up.
That Falice Reveal
Can we stop for a moment and give Madchen Amick major props for her performance tonight? While it was devastating all around, we were floored when she confirmed that Charles was, in fact, her child with FP.
"No more secrets, no more lies. I should have told you," she told him, entering his trailer. "I had your baby. I named him Charles. I had to give him up for adoption. He came to see me and I turned him away. And now he's dead, he's dead because of me. I killed our son. I'm sorry, I made a mistake. You don't understand what I've done."
He comforted her and later told Jughead they'd be there to help the family after they decided what to do with Chic.
Alice also said she was going to tell Hal the truth. Of course, if Hal is the Black Hood, he won't be too happy with this new intel -- and paired with the knowledge she helped Chic cover up a murder, Alice might be in real danger in the weeks to come.
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View StoryVarchie Gets/Vows Revenge
The Black Hood played a role in Veronica and Archie's storyline this week too. First, our red-headed hero made it known he never believed Mr. Svenson was the killer. He was then promptly kidnapped by a group of men in black hoods ... but they weren't working for the murderer.
Nope, instead, it was the vile Nick St. Clair, the guy who tried to force himself on Veronica and Cheryl and ended up injured in an accident orchestrated by the Lodges. He was out for payback, kidnapping Archie and holding him for $1 million random. Perhaps knowing Fred wouldn't have the money, Ronnie doesn't tell him at all and instead asks her parents for help paying. They refuse, saying it would only set a dangerous precedent that could lead to their own daughter getting kidnapped in the future.
With no money, Nick suggests Veronica pay with her body. Though she did take him up on the offer, she used the opportunity to roofie him and then hold him for ransom instead. His parents paid up big time, leaving Veronica $1 million richer. What the hell is she doing to do with that money?!
The whole ordeal made Archie realize he doesn't have Hiram's respect -- or hasn't "made my bones" with him -- yet. To prove he's worthy, Archie voted to bring down the Black Hood "once and for all." Hiram offered to help in any way possible.
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View StoryRandom Rumblings
- Cheryl Blossom and the River Vixens won't rest until Midge's murderer is "rightly punished," meaning they're also on the hunt for the Black Hood. Yep, pretty much everyone is looking for him now.
- Sheriff Keller, however, is off the search. He was forced to resign after Hermione talked Cheryl into writing an op-ed in the local paper asking for his removal from the force.
- The song Cheryl sings at Midge's funeral is "You'll Never Walk Alone," from the 1945 musical "Carousel." It's been covered numerous times by artists like Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Doris Day.
- Last, but not least, was Kevin already making eyes at Moose AT HIS GIRLFRIEND'S FUNERAL?
Until next week ...