Riverdale (2016–…): Season 2, Episode 22 - Chapter Thirty-Five: Brave New World - full transcript

Veronica stays one step ahead after uncovering Hiram's latest scheme; FP makes a surprising announcement to Jughead and the Serpents; Betty confronts her darkest demons.

Previously on Riverdale...

My dad was the Black Hood.

He tried to shoot my dad again.

That's impossible,
he was here with us.

I rearranged Nick St. Clair's
pretty-boy face for him.

And when some hillbilly
threatened Mr. Lodge's daughter,

I did the same thing
to him, too.

- Andre.
- I'll take it from here.

The fire's started, mi amor.
Chaos is good for us.

A new Sheriff's
taken over for Keller,

a man I know very well,
Michael Minetta.



For all of Mr. Lodge's talk
about law and order,

he was nowhere
to be seen tonight.

Don't try to get between
me and my dad.

That is a battle you will lose.

This is from when I turned
the tables on Nick.

His parents gave me
a cool million.

I put it in a trust that you
won't touch until you're 21.

So you paid the Ghoulies

and Penny to go
to war with the Serpents.

How much is this costing you?

'Cause I have a counter offer.

I hand myself over to you tonight
and there's no bloodshed tomorrow.

You're a true hero, Jughead.

Let your dying thought be that
your sacrifice was for nothing.



Come back to me, Jug.

We're not done yet,
do you hear me?

Our story's not over.
It's just beginning.

So you come back to me.

Okay?

Dad?

Jug.

What did I miss?

What you did brought every Serpent
I've ever known out of the woodwork

and you would've been
proud of 'em, boy.

It looked like we were gonna win the day,
but in the end there were just...

just too many Ghoulies.

It was like shooting snakes
in a barrel.

Why?

Why did you go?

I wanted to avenge you.

I had an agreement
with Hiram Lodge.

There was
no stopping the others.

They were churned up
about you and Fangs.

Even though Fangs is...

He's alive.

Fangs is alive?

But I thought...

A deputy called you
and told you he was dead.

Yeah, that was a lie.

A ploy, you mean.

To goad the Serpents
into a fight they couldn't win.

All of riot night was a Hiram
Lodge orchestrated mousetrap.

And the Serpents
followed me right into it.

Sunnyside Trailer Park fell,

and while our trailer's still standing,
most of them burned.

Jug, after the rumble,

some of the Serpents
defected, they...

They joined the Ghoulies,
others were arrested.

More went into hiding,
the rest, they...

They left town.

The Serpents,

they don't exist anymore.

We had our time.

Nothing for you to do
but to get better.

And to be there for Betty.

Betty?

What happened with Betty?

I'm so sorry
that I wasn't there for you,

to help with your dad.

No, Jug.

I never want to see him again.

Right now,
all I care about is you,

and taking care of my mom.

And figuring out how to...

atone for all of the horrible
things my father did.

So I guess we won't be running
for student council anymore, huh?

Probably not.

Here's your schedule for
the next three days, Mr. Andrews.

My mom's doing
an Eva Perón-like rainbow tour.

Shaking the trees one last
time before election night.

I took the liberty of booking
you right behind her,

so that people know
they have a choice.

Well, I... I appreciate that,
Veronica, for what it's worth, but...

Everybody's already saying that your
parents saved Riverdale after the riot,

that it was their guy, Minetta,
who put out the fires

and rounded up
the guilty parties.

We know the truth, Dad,

that Mr. Lodge doesn't want to save
the town, he wants to take it over.

Luckily, I won't rest until you're
elected mayor, Mr. Andrews.

Even if it means I have to put my
own political admissions aside.

In what respect?

I'm no longer running for
student council with Archie.

Conspiring against my parents is
proving to be a full-time job.

Hey, Eddie, any news?

I'll be out of here
first thing tomorrow.

That's good, Jug.

Because we still need
your brain.

There's another mystery
to solve.

Mr. Cooper was at the town hall

when some other Black Hood
took shots at the candidates.

And he was at home
with Betty and Mrs. Cooper

when another Black Hood,

probably the same
as the one at the town hall,

came after me and my dad. So...

Well, a second
Black Hood's attacks

at the town hall and on your dad

seem to indicate
a political motive.

Which to me suggests...

That my father's behind them?

I don't disagree.

With Fred out of the way, my mother's path
to victory is that much more assured.

So, if we're gonna stop Hiram,
we've got to do it now.

Once the Lodges are in control of the
mayor's office, they'll be untouchable.

Yeah, but do you think Hiram
would really put on a black hood

and start shooting at people
for a mayorship?

No. But he would hire
someone to do it.

We were thinking
it could be a Serpent, Jug.

Or a Ghoulie.

Or, even more insidiously,

the man that Hiram put in charge
of restoring peace and harmony.

- Sheriff Minetta.
- He was supposedly

guarding the town hall,
but no one saw him.

And he was MIA
most of the riot night.

- Let's start there.
- Will do.

I have to go down to the sheriff's
station tomorrow anyway.

Why, Arch?

I have to identify
your dad, Betty.

And with that, it's official.

Congratulations.

With Nana Blossom
as my legal guardian,

and I as her youthful ward,

Mummy and Uncle Claudius'
stranglehold

on my life and happiness
has at last ended.

I will file the papers

and send this letter of
separation to your mother.

Oh. No need. She and my odious
uncle are still on the estate,

living in one of the barns. I'll
happily deliver this missive in person.

First things first...

Yeah, that's right!
He lived here,

the Black Hood!
Come closer, do you want to come in?

Do you want to see where he
planned all of his murders?

- Do you want to see where he ate, where he slept?
- Get out of here! Go!

- The red door is wide open!
- Go hom e!

- Turn off your cameras. Go home.
- Come closer!

Hey! Leave us alone.

- Huh? Do you want to come see the Black Hood's lair?
- Go! Go home!

Abandon all hope
ye who enter here.

You know, I don't have to go back
to school today, I could come over.

I'm not sure
my mom's up for company, Jug.

At least not until
the lookie-loos move on.

I'm worried about you.

I know.

Me too.

My mom and I...

We'll just have to get through it,
and we will.

Okay.

But if you need anything...

I'll call you.

I love you.

I love you, too.

Ready to do this?

We're set here.

Archie, can you identify
the man sitting at that table?

That's Hal Cooper,

my neighbor.

The man who shot my dad
at Pop's diner.

He's one

of the Black Hoods.

A lot of people
took advantage of riot night.

We had multiple reports of
looters wearing black ski masks.

The man at my house
wasn't a looter, Sheriff,

he was there
to murder my father.

You may not be
taking this seriously

but I am.

I'm not gonna let this go.

Make sure your boss knows that.

What can I do for you, Betty?

I just wanted to say
I'm sorry, Mr. Andrews.

You have nothing
to apologize for, Betty.

You didn't do anything wrong.

I'm supposed to be this...

great detective,

but I didn't see
what was right in front of me.

And people paid for that
mistake with their lives.

Moose, you okay?

All of her stuff is gone.

- Whose stuff?
- Midge's locker was trashed in the riot.

- And...
- All the notes people left her,

and her books,
and her stuffed animals,

it's all gone.

It's just things.

You're gonna be okay, Moose.

What do you mean you're
withdrawing from the race?

It's clear.

Reggie Mantle is not ready
to be a leader of men.

And my mom and I had a big
talk after the riots, and...

I am an artist,
not a politician.

I need to get back
to what I'm best at.

Music.

And then there was one.

Well, don't forget
about Ethel Muggs,

who's running
as a third-party candidate.

So this is how it ends, huh?

Not with a whimper,
but with a memo from Weatherbee.

Riverdale High is now
suddenly overcrowded.

So, starting next week,
all former Southside High students

will be bussed to Seaside High,

- which is two hours away.
- Meaning,

he blames us for trashing the
school during riot night.

Well, to be fair, Sweet Pea,

you did.

What's our play, Jones?

Do we have one?

I don't know anymore, guys.

I can't keep fighting
for a gang that doesn't exist.

Well, what about us?

Or any of the other Serpents
at the Wyrm?

What Serpents at the Wyrm?

Buenos dias, Veronica.

I thought you'd wanna know.

I saw your strapping,
conquistador father

holding a summit
with Mummy and Uncle Claudius

at one of Thornhill's barns
of all places.

It looked like collusion to me.

Daddykins, care to comment

on the rumors that you've
been having secret meetings

with Claudius and Penelope
Blossom in their barn?

Certainly. I'm looking to diversify
Lodge Industries' holdings

by possibly getting into
the maple trade.

I see.

So, it's not that you enlisted
Claudius to impersonate the Black Hood

and take potshots at Mom
during the town hall debate?

Veronica, have you
lost your mind?

Your imagination is getting
the better of you, Veronica.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

But I don't think any of us in this room
can deny that it's not at least possible

that you'd put Mom
in the crosshairs

to pursue some
personal political agenda.

I don't understand.

You saw what the Ghoulies did
to most of Sunnyside.

A lot of Serpents couldn't
afford to leave Riverdale.

So we came here.

Does my dad know about this?

You should come back to school,

- be with us.
- No, how can I, you guys?

You can't carry
this weight on your own.

Veronica is right, Betty.

My dad killed Midge,

he shot Moose.

How am I supposed
to show my face there again?

Do you hate him...

for what he did to your dad?

Because I do.

I hate my father.

Since when are you
drinking again, Dad?

Oh, I am celebrating the fact that
I'm no longer Hiram Lodge's busboy.

He fired me from Pop's today.
He's cleaning house.

Getting rid of the stragglers.

- Well, he's a bastard.
- Yeah.

Who cares? We have work to do.

Why'd you lie to me?

You told me
the Serpents don't exist.

They're at the Whyte Wyrm
and they need our help.

No, what they need
is to cut bait,

get out while they still can.

Now, I wasn't lying when I
said that it was over, Jug.

Well, it is time, boy.

What are you talking about?

It is time to skip town.

I'm not going anywhere.

You bet your ass you are.

Toledo.

I already told your mom.

No, I'm not leaving Betty.

We are not
abandoning the Serpents.

I will not be standing over a body
bag with you zipped up in it.

We're moving to Toledo.

But pack light,

we're only taking the bikes.

Do you think we have a shot,
Mrs. McCoy?

Elections are won and lost
in these two days.

In my opinion, Fred,

your key to victory
is the Southside vote.

Historically, Southsiders don't vote
because they feel marginalized.

But if you can
get them to the booths,

they'll be voting for you
and not Hermione.

Sorry to interrupt, uh,
Sheriff Minetta is on the phone,

says it's urgent.

After your visit, Archie,
I made it my personal mission

to catch the man
who invaded your home.

An anonymous tip

led to the suspect,
and when we went to question him...

Well, unfortunately,
he engaged us in a firefight,

and we were forced
to take him down.

He's dead,
but he's the guy, no question.

How can you be so sure?

We found guns on the premises
that matched the ones

used at both the attack on your
house and the town hall shooting,

as well as this black hood.

Who was he?

Ex-gang member, Gerald Petite.

Also known as "Tall Boy."

What do you mean you haven't
gone to visit Dad yet?

We're taking things
one step at a time, Polly.

But if we don't go visit him, how are
we supposed to be able to forgive him?

What the hell
are you talking about?

Betty, at the farm
they taught us

that forgiveness is the most
valuable gift we can give.

- Mmm.
- If we don't absolve him, we'll become what he was,

full of hate.

And my babies deserve a mother
who's better than that.

Maybe Polly's right.

I mean, not about forgiving him,
but about seeing him.

No.

Maybe that way,

we can get some answers or I can
give him a piece of my mind.

If that's what you want, Mom.

But you two can count me out.

You were right, Veronica.

It's conceivable

that your father was behind
the attack at town hall.

And it made me think...

that we, or at least you,
should have a contingency in place.

There is a bit of leverage

that, should you acquire it,
would give you power over your father.

That's music to my ears, Mom.

Your father's plan for the
Southside go far beyond the prison.

He wants to consolidate
the entire area into...

something.

But there's one critical piece of the
Southside that he doesn't own yet,

that's keeping his takeover
from being complete.

Though, he's in the middle of
negotiations with the proprietor.

What's the name of the spot?

The Whyte Wyrm.

You'll need money
to block him, of course.

But that should be
easy enough to get.

Daddy, Attorney McCoy

is representing me in regards to that
million dollars you plundered from me.

My client would like it back.

That money's in a trust.

I'm looking out for her future.

Of course.
And I'm looking out for yours.

The election's in two days and
you still want Mom to win, right?

Well, if you don't
release my funds,

I'll start telling
your secrets, Daddy.

The fake Black Hood attacks,
Papa Poutine's murder,

the crippling of Nick St. Clair.

And I won't stop

until all your dirty laundry
is exposed.

Or, of course, you could simply give
my client what's rightfully hers.

Of course it's Tall Boy.

I'm such an idiot.

You think
what Minetta said is true?

That Tall Boy was
the second Black Hood?

He's done Hiram's
dirty work before.

He confessed to it, which,
now that I think about it,

explains why he died
suddenly in a firefight.

There's no loose ends.

He can't implicate Hiram, ever.

And now Sheriff Minetta

can say the case of the
copycat Black Hood is closed.

Hiram is gonna get away with it.

He's gonna get away
with all of it.

Nana Rose, Cheryl?

You really think that

that senile crone would be a better
guardian than your own mother?

Oh, Mumsy.

Enough.

I'm off to deliver some nibbles to ma
cherie and her chums at the Whyte Wyrm.

Cheryl, no!

You can't go there.

Not tonight.

And why, pray tell, not?

And on top
of everything else, my dad,

who's drinking again,
wants us to move to Toledo.

Just in time, too.

'Cause Weatherbee wants to kick all
the Southsiders out of Riverdale High.

- Cheryl?
- Zip it and listen.

We have to get
to the Whyte Wyrm ASAP.

I've already called Toni
to give her the heads-up.

- What's going on?
- My mumsy warned me

that Hiram Lodge's cyborg Sheriff is
raiding your precious bar tonight.

And if things turn violent and some Serpents
end up shot, well, so much the better.

Let's go.

Take only
what you absolutely need,

and what you can carry with you.

We need to move
quickly and quietly.

Sheriff Minetta's forces
are all over the Southside

and they're looking
for our blood.

If we want our skulls
to remain uncracked,

we have to go undetected.

Go where? There's nowhere safe.

We've been offered asylum
on the Northside.

Come on, Jug.

Don't look back.

Oh, that's a good boy.

All right. Two dots and a dash.

Two chicks on a raft here, Jug.

And there's a stack of
Vermont hot for ya.

Oh, yeah, I worked at Pop's for a summer.
Come on.

What's going on here?

You do all this?

With an assist from Archie.

Toledo's gonna have to wait.

Maybe so.

Bulldogs helping Serpents, Freddie Andrews
opening his house to a bunch of snakes.

There goes the rest
of your Northside vote, buddy.

We're all neighbors here.

All right. Bacon!

Hey. Thank you.

You came through for me.

I'm not done yet.

How many of these Serpent jackets
do you think we can borrow?

Please have this faxed
to the superintendent.

What's the meaning of this?

It's a show of support, sir.

For the Southsiders
who are being

wrongly transferred
out of our school.

Everyone's ready to walk out,
Principal Weatherbee.

Any student who walks out

better keep walking,
because they'll be expelled.

You're a good man,
Principal Weatherbee.

You're not the kind of
person who discriminates.

And if you are, then expel me.

Because I don't want to be
a part of that.

Everyone,

get to class.

That jacket looks good on you.

Everything looks good on me.

Well, maybe we should
make it official.

Jughead, come here.

I have insider information

that my father is making a
play to buy the Whyte Wyrm.

Along with him
firing my dad from Pop's.

What?

- He did that?
- Yeah.

I won't be eating there anymore.

Wait, Jughead.

I was gonna make a play
to buy the Wyrm

in order to torpedo Daddy's
monopolizing of the Southside,

but now I'm thinking there's a better,
smarter play here.

If you trust me,
and we move fast.

Hello. Hog Eye?

Daddy.

Welcome to the bar I bought
from Mr. Hoggins two hours ago.

Here's the deed,

looked over by my attorney,
Sierra McCoy.

All legal, of course.

But... I'm willing
to sell the Whyte Wyrm to you.

Or, rather, trade it.

In exchange
for Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe.

How did you even know
I was after the Wyrm?

It was the hot gossip amongst all the
Serpents who escaped to Fred Andrews' house

the night
of your misbegotten raid.

You're risking war
with me over Pop's?

- Why?
- Because I realized,

once I learned how you so
callously fired Mr. Jones,

that Pop's is one of the only
places left in this town

that my friends and I
can call our own.

I'm looking
for an even trade here.

You want to barter?

Let's barter.

But to be clear,
if I make this deal with you, that's it.

That's the last thing
you'll ever get from me.

No more allowance, no more trust fund,
no more credit cards.

You'll also sign over your third
of Lodge Industries to me.

You'll relinquish your vote,

your seat on the board,

your legacy.

Fine.

That's all blood money anyway.

Jug...

Do you think evil
can be passed on?

Betty.

My great-grandfather had it,

my grandfather, my father,
they were all...

murderers, Jug.

- That's just circumstance.
- Is it?

Or is it possible that this baby

is gonna grow up to be a
monster like my father?

Or like me.

That's easy.

No.

That baby is not evil.

And neither are you.

What if it's my...

My destiny, my birthright? Something I'll
never be able to control or understand?

Hey.

Look at me.

I know you.

You're a good person, Betty.

You might have some darkness,

just like me...

But you're not evil.

Do you believe that?

Do you believe me?

Yeah.

Think you'll eke it out, Arch?

Uh, to be honest, Jug,
mine's not the election I'm worried about.

In the meantime,

Betty is voting
for you through me,

by proxy.

How's she doing?

You know...

I think she's gonna be okay.

I told myself I wasn't going
to see you again.

Really?

I never doubted
for a moment you'd come.

You're the only one
who understands me,

that's like me.

You did...

unspeakable,

horrible things.

I'm not like that.

I am not like you.

Aren't you?

No.

Then why are you here?

To say goodbye, Dad.

And also to say...

No more darkness,

no more evil.

It's over.

You have no power over me.

You'll be back, Betty.

You can move across the country,
you can change the locks!

You can fry me
in the electric chair,

but I will always be with you, Betty...

Attention,
Riverdale High students.

The results of your student
council election are in.

Your new
student body president is...

Archie Andrews.

In unrelated news,

for the foreseeable future,

all former Southside High students
will remain at Riverdale High.

That is all.

Listen up now!

Hey, listen up!

Some 60 years ago,

the very first Serpent
meeting took place

on these same riverbanks.
And it makes sense

that is where we gather now,
where I...

Where I say my goodbye.
Jughead, would you step up here, son?

Dad, what are you doing?

What I should've done
a long time ago.

I'm retiring from the Serpents.

For real this time.

Whoa.

But my boy...

My boy has never stopped
fighting for this crew.

Hell, he almost died for it.

That's why I'm giving you
the mantle.

And now, as your first official
duty as Serpent King...

I think you know
what to do with this.

Take it.

All right. All right.

All I can say is...

I love you, Dad.

And the Serpents
will not die out.

Not on my watch.

I wanted to let you know, Mom...

I went to see Dad today.

How did it go?

To be honest, it was...

hard.

But I... I think, tomorrow,

I want to go back to school
if you think you'll be okay.

Hello?

Well, um...

I appreciate it.

Thanks.

Hermione won.

I'm sorry, Dad.

Dad.

Hello, Fred.

May I come in?

Was it close, at least?

Very.

Less than 200 votes.

So, what, you came to gloat?

No, Sierra.

I came to tell Fred
that he ran a great campaign.

Hey, where did you say
your dad was again, tonight?

Veronica?

Hermione?

They're at my house, Mr. Lodge.

Archie, what are you...

How did you get in here?

The door
to the servant's quarters

that Veronica
keeps unlocked for me.

Oh.

Well, I'll have to see about
getting those locks changed.

Oh, congratulations, Mr. Lodge.

You won...

everything you wanted.

The Wyrm, the election,
the Southside,

the town.

Oh, what do you
have there, Archie?

After my dad was shot,
I felt lost, powerless.

And you took advantage of that,

manipulated me.

I know about
Tall Boy, Mr. Lodge.

That you hired him

to go after my dad,

the same way you got Andre
to kill Papa Poutine,

and that boy at Shadow Lake.

What was his name,
Cassidy something?

I practically saw that murder.

And Penny.

And the Ghoulies who almost
killed Jughead at your bidding.

Archie...

These delusions of yours...

You're smart, Mr. Lodge.

So, all or any of this
will be hard to prove.

But I will.

Wherever you go,

whatever you do,

I'm gonna be there,

watching.

And when I do prove this,

I'm just gonna come for you.

And I won't hesitate
like I did with the Black Hood.

I'm gonna make my bones
once and for all!

Well, here's a fun
fact about my newest acquisition.

According to Pop Tate,

the basement of this very diner
used to be a secret speakeasy,

back in the days of flapper
dresses and cigarette girls.

So...

Yes?

I want to reopen that speakeasy.

A cabaret space
for world-class entertainment

and the most decadent cocktails.

A place for North
and Southsiders alike.

In fact, Jughead, I was hoping
your dad might want to manage it.

To make sure the Serpents
feel welcome and at home.

That's amazing, Vee.

What about your dad?

Knowing Daddy,

he's probably plotting
some sort of revenge.

And though,
Veronica said it as a half-joke, in fact...

That's exactly
what her father was doing.

Ladies, gentlemen,

it's been months in the making,
but we're finally here.

Welcome to New Southside.

Where's your wife, Hiram?

Now that she's Mayor, there are certain
machinations she can't be privy to.

But the plan remains the same.

The prison will soon be
up and operational,

with your drugs
running through it, Claudius.

Like brother, like brother.

Malachai and his Ghoulies will
be our soldiers and dealers,

with Ms. Peabody
troubleshooting.

And hopefully, doing a better job than
she did of killing Jughead Jones.

He wasn't breathing
when we left him.

You promised me
a brothel, Hiram.

All in good time, Madam Blossom.

What about your daughter
and her meddlesome friends?

Not a concern.

Steps have been taken

to dissolve the very glue
that holds them together.

I'm proud of you, Mom...

for going to visit Dad.

I know that wasn't easy on you.

We all have
our albatrosses, Polly.

I think I have someone
who can help you, Mom.

A friend of mine from the farm,

who healed me when I was so...

broken, after Jason.

If you're open to it,

I would love to invite him
to come visit and talk to you.

That sounds nice, Polly.

What made you decide
to book this room, Jug?

Not that
I'm complaining, mind you.

I don't know.

Felt like after everything that happened,
a night at the Five Seasons

might be something you'd enjoy.

I actually wanted
to ask you something.

Now that I am
the Serpent King...

I was wondering how you felt
about being my queen.

Are you asking me
to join the Serpents, Jug?

Sort of.

Jug.

You don't have
to answer right now.

You can take your time.
Let me know.

Like, tomorrow at lunch, or...

It was a foolish question

asked between
two young people in love.

But it didn't matter,
for it would soon be overshadowed

by the next day's
cataclysmic events.

Students,

faculty and staff,

before we inaugurate Archie Andrews
as our new student council president,

please rise
for our national anthem.

Sheriff Minetta,
what are you doing?

Archie Andrews,
you're under arrest for the murder

of Shadow Lake resident,
Cassidy Bullick.

What?

- I didn't kill him...
- You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say can and will be used
against you in the court of law.

You have the right to an attorney...

What?