Gunshots rang throughout "Riverdale" this week, as two separate shootings took place in the action-packed hour.
Betty went into investigation mode, Veronica took a major stand against her father and the Black Hood reared his mask-covered head once again. With just two more episodes to go after tonight's latest installment, "Shadow of a Doubt," the mystery surrounding the identity of the serial killer and the town's mayoral race are coming to a close -- but who will make it out alive?
Here's everything we're asking after Wednesday's new episode!
Is Fangs Dead?
Fangs Fogarty was exposed as Midge Klump's side piece tonight, a revelation that quickly circulated around town and painted him as her murderer. While there wasn't much hard evidence -- just a video of the two fighting the night of her death -- he was arrested and held for 24 hours when police discovered he brought a knife to school.
Fangs claimed innocence, something Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and the rest of the Serpents believed. Not buying it, however, was Reggie (Charles Melton) and the rest of the Dark Circle, who were out for revenge at the order of Hiram Lodge. What's Hiram's play in all this? An arrest for Midge's murder by the man he and his wife found to replace Sheriff Keller would be a coup for Hermione's mayoral bid.
After Hiram found out Fangs was being released, he talked Reggie into taking matters into his own hands, leading to a possibly fatal confrontation. As Fangs was being walked out of the precinct surrounded by other Serpents, Reggie charged at him with a gun and, despite Archie's attempt to stop him (or maybe because of it), Fangs was shot in the gut. There's a lot of blood, but we can't say he's dead just yet.
What's interesting about this whole storyline is that the police and the Dark Circle are still treating Midge's death as separate from the Black Hood. Reggie even took after the Black Hood himself opened fire during the town debate while Fangs was in jail. At this point, we'd say it's safe to assume the Black Hood also killed Midge and Fangs isn't him.
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View StoryIs Hal the Black Hood?
Betty (Lili Reinhart) was back in investigation mode this week after coming to the realization that her own father, Hal, might be the man behind the mask. She teamed up with Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) to get her Nancy Drew on, finding out that her dad's day planner lines up with all of the Black Hood attacks. Ruh roh.
While super sleuthing, the two also intercepted a call for Alice from the town coroner, who had a new body he thought she'd be interested in. Betty thought it would be Chic, after she delivered him to the Black Hood, but it was just another random teen. Seeing the body made her upset over her decision to lead her faux-bro to the slaughter though and she eventually came clean to both her parents.
"I have something to confess. While the Black Hood was first hurting people, he was also calling me, asking me to do things," she said, laying everything on the table. "He said I was like him. He offered to help me get rid of Chic, so I delivered Chic to the Black Hood. If he's dead, that makes me an accomplice to murder. And I think I'm OK with that. Truth is there's always been this darkness inside me. I thought Chic could help me understand it, but really it was the Black Hood who did." Hal responded by saying he's felt a darkness inside himself too. AND THOSE EYES!
If looks could kill... pic.twitter.com/2f5WhjGMgU
@RiverdaleWriter
The two junior snoops then infiltrated Hal's crash pad, finding a Nancy Drew book Betty loved back in the day, the same book Betty used to crack the killer's code. When she confronted her dad about this though, he said he only had it for sentimental reasons and planned to give it to her as a gift, adding, "All I knew is that it was your favorite."
She's last seen calling her dad and asking him to meet her "where this all started," the town hall where she gave her speech about the ugly truths of Riverdale in Season 1. "I want it to be between just you and me, just how you wanted it from the beginning, just like it's supposed to be," she tells him. She brought a gun with her and her own Black Hood mask, but he doesn't show. Instead, we see the real Black Hood show up at Cheryl Bloosom's door.
The main questions here: Does Betty still think it's her father, even after he saved her when the Black Hood -- or someone posing as him -- opened fire on the debates? And is Hal actually the killer? With a few episodes still left before the finale, we have a feeling there's at least one or two more twists coming before the reveal.
One possibility though: Hal has an evil twin. The theory has recently gained a lot traction online, thanks to the revelation that Hal is actually a Blossom and Blossoms are known for giving birth to pairs. He also forgot which flowers Alice was allergic to just last week, a red flag for fans. So, there could be two Hals running around ... or an impostor who replaced the real one after he moved out of the Cooper home.
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View StoryDoes Hiram Have Anyone On His Side?
There's some major drama going on with the Lodge family and the tides are turning against Hiram (Mark Consuelos).
First, Veronica's daddy made a move against Archie (KJ Apa), going behind the ginger's back to get Reggie and the Dark Circle to do his bidding. The main reason Hiram wanted them back in action, however, wasn't to protect the town, but to use it against Fred Andrew's mayoral run by exposing his son as the one who started the vigilante group in the first place.
"He can't even keep his own house in order," Hermione (Marisol Nichols) said, shading Fred during the debate. That seemed to be enough to Archie to turn his back on Hiram, refusing to go along with the new sheriff when Mr. Lodge asks him to accompany the cop on a ride along to find the Black Hood.
The shooting left Hermione totally shaken and Veronica (Camila Mendes) begged her to withdraw from the race, something Hiram made clear she would not be doing. Hermione said it would all be OK, but looking at her you just knew she didn't believe it. Her expressions were all very telling and we wouldn't be surprised if a split was on the horizon.
Hiram didn't fare too well with Veronica either, after he shot down her investment opportunity. After scamming Nick St. Clair's family for that ransom, she thought she had money to burn and heard out the sons of all the "families" for potential alliances. A pitch for a casino sounded legit to her, but Hiram was not having it. She felt disrespected, told him she'd invest without him and that's when he let her know the money was placed into a trust she can't touch until she's 21 and more "rational."
That was the final straw for V, who in turn put all her support behind Fred for mayor.
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View StoryWhat Can We Expect Next Week?
According to The CW, the shooting will trigger "an all-out war between the North and the Southside" where "Archie and Jughead find themselves in the fight of their lives." Also in the cards: "Veronica makes a devastating discovery about Hiram, just as someone from his past arrives in Riverdale looking for revenge. Finally, Betty comes face to face with the Black Hood." Ooooo!
So, who from Hiram's past will be back looking for revenge? Our best guess: Papa Poutine's son, Small Fry (of course that's his name), who was brought up tonight.
"Riverdale" airs Wednesdays on The CW.