Riverdale (2016–…): Season 2, Episode 8 - Chapter Twenty-One: House of the Devil - full transcript

Previously on Riverdale...

This is the Black Hood.

I wanted to cleanse the
Riverdale of sinners.

No.

Mr. Svenson... you scared me.

I mean, really? Mom?

You talked trash about the Serpents

when you yourself were one?

FP had a little accident.

What can we do?

Just pick up a crate on the Southside,



deliver it to an address in Greendale.

You do not want to be in
bed with a snake charmer.

And if Penny Peabody reaches out,

don't respond.

No. You said that this was
going to be a one and done.

And I am just getting started with you.

You think the Riverdale
Reaper is the Black Hood?

I wouldn't be surprised
if it was the same man.

There was a family living
out near Fox Forest.

Someone broke in and shot 'em all dead.

Some say he never left Riverdale.

Like the Red Death showing up
in an Edgar Allan Poe story,

the Black Hood had come to Riverdale.

With that grimmest of
reapers looming over us,



how did we cope?

In the case of Archie and Veronica,

it was through carnal defiance.

Ugh! Get a room, Xenomorphs!

With every kiss and embrace,

they seemed to be saying:

"You have no power over me, Death."

In fact, "Varchie" became
the opposite of death.

In Archie's bedroom...

In his garage...

Even in the Pembrooke.

After all, if our young lovers
dared to defy the Black Hood,

why not risk Hiram
Lodge's wrath as well?

- Hey.
- Hmm.

Are you sure your parents aren't
gonna come back any time soon?

What if they catch us like this?

The tasting menu at Pourquoi
is 13 courses, Archie.

We have hours yet.

What?

You've always wanted to make
it in front of a roaring fire?

No, just... I love you, Ronnie.

- You, uh, wanna watch Netflix?
- I wonder what's on HBO.

Maybe I should go on the off
chance your parents come back.

Yeah, or at a minimum,
we should get dressed.

I'm gonna go... I have to do this thing.

I'll text you.

Archie...

this was as always, amazing.

Sorry, there's no service
in the bowels of City Hall.

What'd you find?

Any truth to what that creepy truck

driver said about that murdered family?

Yes, shockingly, Freddy
Krueger didn't lie to me.

A family of four was murdered

by someone that the press
called "the Riverdale Reaper."

The victims were Jim and Mary
Ellen Conway and their kids.

Tommy was ten, and Sue was nine.

Reaper was never caught or identified,

so he could be our Black Hood,

but I'm dubious. He would
be in his 60's by now.

Why did he do it... Kill them?

The reporter of the article
talked to a sheriff at the time

who thought... Killer
chose them at random

- or because their house was isolated.
- Where was it?

Edge of Fox Forest,
down some service road.

There's a picture of it.

Oh, my God.

Jughead, I've been to this house.

The Black Hood sent me to
it, as part of his game.

Well, then there's definitely a
link between the Hood and the Reaper.

We should talk to Keller.

Pull the files from the murders.

At least get a list of all the players.

No, Jughead, I can't
go to Sheriff Keller.

Not after I accused him
of being the Black Hood.

Right, yeah, that would be awkward.

You could go to the house.

I can't go back there, Jug.

He made me look in a mirror,

you know, what I saw
staring back at me...

I don't want to do that again.

Then you don't have to, okay?

Hello?

Yeah, I'll accept the charges.

So the reason we called
you guys in here...

My dad's getting out of jail.

Jug, that's... That's great.

Yeah, what heralded this miracle?

Uh, overcrowding at the jail,

I guess the judge reviewed my dad's case

and after Cheryl's testimony it was...

A perfect storm.

What do you need from us, Jug?

Both of us. We have a new
lead on the Black Hood case.

And Jughead and I, we were wondering

if you guys would
follow up on it for us.

We can give you all of
the details, the articles.

It's just that I have
to be there for my dad

to help with his re-entry, so.

Uh, yeah and I'm just...

I'm taking a break from the Black Hood.

Wait, so,

you want us to be

you guys?

Essentially, yes.

Why, is there a problem with that?

Oh, my God, Josie, your back,

it's like a sailor's rope!

- What?
- All these tension knots.

Luckily, I just picked up

a new bottle of lavender essential oil.

Turn around.

Uh, okay.

Girls, I'm so sorry, I didn't
know anyone was still in here

No, It's okay, Mr. Svenson,

Oh, my God, Josie. It's so not okay.

Take your male gaze
and your male privilege

and get out of the women's locker room!

Of course, my apologies.
I should've knocked.

Can you believe that?

He should be fired and investigated,

the peeping Tom.

- Sheriff Keller.
- Veronica.

What was he doing here?

The shadow of the Black Hood
has finally landed on our home.

We received a letter.

What? What did it say?

The usual.

That we'll be targeted and
punished for our sinful ways.

Well, don't let it ruin your day.

According to Keller,
apparently dozens of households

received the exact same letter.

Well, I don't know
about those other people,

but we're actually sinners.

The Pembrooke is a fortress

and Andre is trained
in the martial arts.

What about when I go to school?

- Or shopping?
- He'll drive you,

and if he's not available,
we'll hire a car service.

Also, your father and I have talked

and we wouldn't mind
seeing more of Archie.

He's brawny and devoted to you.

Wait, uh, Mom,

before you leave, I wanted to ask

if I could borrow the
station wagon tomorrow?

Why?

FP's getting released from jail.

So, Jughead and I,

we're gonna pick him up
and treat him to Pop's.

They're letting FP out?

And you're gonna hear it eventually,

so, it might as well be from me.

Don't freak out,

Jughead is a Serpent now, officially.

Betty...

I wish I could say I was surprised.

Jughead is important to me.

FP is important to Jughead.

So I'm asking, Mom,

will you try to give him
the benefit of the doubt,

for me?

I have an announcement to make.

My dad's getting out.

And when he does,

I'll bring him up to speed

about our plans with Mayor McCoy.

That's brilliant.

Do you have a problem
with that, Tall Boy?

Your old man? No.

I got no problem with him.

But you want us to sit
down with the Mayor.

I do. He's right.

I think we can bring the Southside back.

But it's going to take work and
it's going to take compromise.

Bring the Southside back.

You've been here all of five minutes.

Tall Boy, I am sick of you
acting like a little bitch.

Whispering behind my back
that I'm half a Serpent

or that I don't belong here.

Why don't we put it to a vote?

If you guys think what
I'm doing is wrong,

I'll step aside.

All those who stand with Jughead

and think that Tall Boy
should shut the hell up...

- My parents are in their room.
- Good.

That thing Betty and
Jughead asked us to do,

investigate the murder house,

- I wanna do it.
- Yeah, me too.

My parents got a threatening letter.

- What? From the Black Hood?
- Maybe,

or maybe it's was somebody
pretending to be the Black Hood.

- Ronnie...
- Mmm.

Are we good?

Don't stop, Archie.

I don't want to.

Can we talk about what I said?

Archie,

I wanna be with you,

and you want to be with me.

Can't that be enough for right now?

While we focus on the case?

What's wrong, Archie? Something
you wanna get off your chest?

Yeah, actually.

Me and Ronnie are in
kind of a weird place.

Things have been pretty intense lately

Something weird happened with Archie.

Well, to be honest,

I'm not sure if it even
really happened, but...

He may or may not have

said the "L" word to me.

I said "I love you" to her, Dad.

And she didn't say it back.

And yes, she heard me.

Which, if he did, I think it's...

Too soon, don't you guys agree?

I wouldn't get too in
your head about that, son.

I mean, those three words,

people are often on different schedules.

It doesn't matter what Archie said.

Or didn't say, that's my preference.

It's about whether or not
you're ready to hear it.

Ah!

- Hey, Betty.
- Hi, Mr. Jones.

Alice!

Is it true what they say about men

who have just been
released from prison, FP?

What do they say?

That they're incredibly
sexually frustrated.

- Mom! What?
- Wow.

Seat belts, Betty.

The Black Hood is targeting sinners,

so, I'd watch my back if I were you, FP,

especially once you re-join
that gang of hoodlums.

The Serpents aren't...

I'm not going back to
the Serpents, Alice.

I thought a lot about this
while I was in Shankshaw,

and I'm done with Serpent life.

It's gonna be one last
ride for my boy and I.

But it's too much of a
slippery slope for me.

- The Serpents need you, Dad.
- Jughead needs you, Mr. Jones.

And what, pray tell, will you be doing

with all of your extra time, FP?

Working, Warden Cooper.

Saw a "Help Wanted" sign in the window.

Thought I'd talk to Pop
about picking up some shifts.

Let's hope your plans
don't come crashing down

once you start drinking again.

Actually, I'm in AA.

Started in jail and I
don't plan on stopping.

Mmm.

- Sheriff.
- We wanted to talk to you about a cold case.

About a family that was
murdered in Fox Forest

40 years ago.

Your receptionist said that the
files on the case were missing.

Is it possible they were stolen?

As part of a cover-up?

Now, now, hold on.
Sometimes with cold cases,

the lead officer will
take the files home,

so he can keep working on them.

Who would have been the
lead officer on this case?

Back then? Multiple homicide?

My guess would be Sheriff Howard.

Do you know where he is?

Sheriff Howard died two years ago, now.

But his daughter, still
lives in town here, Margaret.

Get her contact information.

Maybe she can help.

My name is Veronica Lodge.

I'm calling about one
of your father's cases,

the Conway murders?

Here we go again. What about 'em?

My colleague and I are writing
a retrospective on the murders,

and we were wondering if...

My dad was obsessed with the killings.

He called the house where they
happened the Devil's house.

He'd go to that place
day and night for hours,

trying to put the pieces together.

If you ask me, my father
lost his mind in that house.

Now, I am done talking about this, okay?

Don't call me again.

- Ronnie...
- Don't say it, Archie.

We have to go to that house.

The Devil's house.

What if he's home?

Things got ugly when you were away.

I asked myself every
day what you would do,

if you were here.

Has Penny bothered you?

Figured she's the one
who greased my wheels.

I did a job for her.

What kind of job?

It's a one-time thing.

Figured it best not to
ask too many questions.

We're squared away. For good.

You know, when I was 16,

my old man kicked me out
and told me to go to hell.

Instead, I joined the Serpents.

And then the army, and then back again.

I don't want that life for you, Jug.

I want you to go to college,

get out of this godforsaken town.

I ran the gauntlet.

I fought with the Serpents.

And fod them, I have to stay.

I wanna stay.

And I need your blessing.

Just promise me you'll keep writing.

I will.

I do every day.

Y'all finished?

Yeah, thanks, Dad.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

- Josie.
- Yeah.

Playing a car dealership opening

is barely a step above amateur porn.

Reggie's texting me that his dad

is gonna pay me $5,000

for five songs.

As long as he gets to escort me.

Clean that up, Plebe.

The way you did my brother's blood.

Jug, don't.

We'll get you another
milkshake right away.

On the house.

My dad used to be a king.

A leader of men.

Now he's being demeaned by
the likes of Cheryl Blossom.

He deserves to be
honored, not humiliated.

So, why don't we do just that?

Seriously, why not throw your dad

a retirement party fit for a king?

Don't worry, I'll take
care of everything.

You have a stage.

Would you be open to me
bringing in a karaoke machine?

For FP's retirement?

Sure, why not.

Also, Toni, one of the reasons
I wanted to talk to you,

beyond the party-planning, is...

I've been walking the razor's edge

since Jughead joined the Serpents

and all I've been thinking is...

You know, as soon as FP gets home,

everything will get better

because he'll be there
to protect Jughead

and make sure he doesn't get hurt.

Yeah, I'm following you.

I mean, with FP out of the picture...

But that's my whole point.

I do worry.

So, I wanna keep an eye on Jughead,

myself.

Make sure that as deep into these
snake-infested waters as he goes,

he doesn't do something that...
you know, puts him in danger.

So, what?

You wanna be a Serpent?

Let's say Serpent-adjacent.

But, yeah, part of
his world, this world.

Shut it, Byrdie.

Sorry, Sweet Valley High,

if you wanna join the club,
you gotta do the dance...

Serpent dance.

Excuse me, Serpent dance?

It's an outdated,
sexist Serpent tradition.

Tried to get it outlawed,
but misogyny dies hard.

You don't wanna know.

Uh, yeah, I do.

I wanna know everything.

A party? No, no, no, no.

The problem is, I'm
trying to keep the Serpents

in my rear view mirror, remember?

It's one night. Not even,
it's like three hours.

You've done right by the Serpents,

more than right. Why
can't they do right by you?

Come on, it's the end of an era.

Okay.

- Okay, let's do it.
- Great.

It's Archie.

Don't bogart the egg rolls.

What the hell do you want, Penny?

We have business.

How fast can you get to Pop's?

No. No, I told you that I'm out.

That I'm done.

Don't keep me waiting
long, little doggie,

or I'll have your
father back behind bars

before I finish my cup of burnt coffee.

I won't be held hostage by you.

I did my one favor, I'm out.

No, no, you have debts to pay.

And ours is an ongoing arrangement.

You know what, Penny?

I'm about to have a
sit-down with Mayor McCoy.

She's not really so big on
the whole drug dealing thing

and I'm sure that she would love to know

who took over Clifford
Blossom's operation.

You'd need proof to make an
accusation like that stick.

Like the video I have
of you and your pal

making that delivery for me.

What do you think of that?

I think that an attack
against me, or my father,

is an attack against
all of the Serpents.

And not even some fuzzy
surveillance footage

of me delivering a crate

is going to stop us from coming for you.

Your girlfriend...

Betty Cooper, I believe?

She's quite fetching.

What did you say?

All snakes have a soft underbelly.

She's yours, am I right?

Now I'm regretting throwing
your gun in Sweetwater River.

Sheriff Howard kept coming
back here year after year,

there must be a reason why.

Something that didn't,
or doesn't add up.

So, what does the article say happened?

The Reaper came at night,

when the rest of the town
was getting ready for bed.

He killed the mother,
Mary Ellen Conway, first.

Maybe over there.

He killed the father, Jim
Conway, in the kitchen.

He was rushing to save his wife.

He was shot point-blank in the chest.

The kids were still in their bedrooms.

Hiding.

My God, Archie.

They were hiding under the bed.

Archie? It was a family of
four that was killed, right?

Yeah, why?

There's something weird here...

Three sets of initials.

These are Sheriff
Howard's files, his notes.

He kept them here so he could
keep working on the case.

Does it say anything
about a third child?

With the letters "J" and "C"?

Wait, wait, turn it back.

Oh, my God, Archie, there.

The Conways were a family of five.

Why so sad?

It's great news about your dad.

I guess that means the
Snake Charmer came through.

What? She hasn't called you for
any more favors again, has she?

That deal was a favor.

A one favor. Technically,
I don't owe her anything.

Oh, Jones. Let's hope you're right.

It's no problem, we
can pick the trays up.

Thanks, Pop. Sorry for the short notice.

Bye.

Trays for what?

Juggie is throwing a retirement party

for FP at the Whyte Wyrm.

And I'm helping him organize.

Before you object, Mom,

need I remind you, you were a Serpent?

Betty won't listen to reason,
so I'm telling you, FP,

if she even thinks about
putting on a Serpent jacket,

- I'll have your head.
- I'm working.

I won't have our kids make
the same mistakes we did.

They weren't all mistakes.

If you're that worried, come
to the party. Chaperone her.

Are you high on fumes? I can't.

Yes, you can. Stop by.

Say hi to some old friends.

- Hal would never come.
- Well, then leave him.

At home.

So, the real story was
in the Sheriff's notebook.

There was a third child,

Joseph Conway, who
survived the massacre.

They hid his identity, changed his name,

so he could lead a normal life.

- Yeah.
- According to Sheriff Howard's notes,

he was adopted by another
family in Riverdale

and presumably, enrolled
at a local high school.

We got a picture of the kid.

If we match that boy

to one of the students at Riverdale High

during the years he would've attended...

Then he might be able to tell us

how the Conway murders are
connected to the Black Hood.

Or he is the Black Hood.

Just go with me here.

Let's say that our mystery kid

did end up surviving the slaughter,

maybe even saw it.

That would've messed him up for life.

Yeah, and somehow, for some reason,

he could be blaming the
town for what happened.

And now is punishing us for it.

So, basically, we just have to
go through all these yearbooks,

page by page, and see
if we find a match.

So, not quite a needle in a haystack.

What?

Uh, we just have to get ready
for a party that we're hosting.

It's my dad's retirement party, so...

- Oh.
- Oh.

No, you guys should come.

Yeah, no, I'm renting a karaoke machine.

It's not a big deal.

- You should come. You guys should come.
- If you want.

Ronnie, can we take a
break and talk about...

Oh, my God.

Is that him?

Could be, yeah.

Mr. Svenson!

Yes.

We know who you are... Joseph Conway.

Hey!

Why did you run, Mr. Svenson?

I got scared.

No one's called me
Joe Conway in decades.

We read about your family.

We know you're the
only one that survived.

If you've been tempted
to find justice...

I found justice.

What do you mean?

The night it happened,

I heard gunshots

and I escaped out of my bedroom window.

I could've run into
the woods, but I didn't.

I wanted to see him leave my house.

I saw him covered in my family's blood.

I saw his face.

You know who killed your family?

A con man,

a preacher passing through town.

Next day, a group of men took me
to the motel where he was staying.

I pointed him out,

they took him away,

and they killed him.

I'm not sure how.

What happened to the men who did that?

Nothing.

Justice had been served.

It was never reported,
never investigated.

The town demanded blood for blood.

You're sounding an awful lot
like the Black Hood right now.

Where were you the morning
Fred Andrews was shot?

Ronnie...

And the night Ms. Grundy was killed?

- And Moose and Midge,
- Ronnie. Ronnie!

- And the Sugarman.
- That's enough!

I've looked into the Black Hood's eyes.

We were wrong.

It's not him.

Andre's got the car waiting for you,

but I wanted to ask, how
things are with you and Archie?

We've been working on this side project,

and I'm realizing that

one of the reasons I
threw myself into it

was to avoid talking about the love

that dares not speak its name.

Why can't I say it, Mom?

And why does it have
to be such a big deal?

I mean, you and Daddy never say it.

I mean, I don't think I've
ever heard you say it...

Once.

Oh.

Hey, bud, picking up Veronica?

No, I think I'm just
gonna meet her there.

Oh.

So I take it things didn't go so well

on the other side of the
four-letter-word, huh?

When I'm with Veronica,

as dark as things get

and they've been getting pretty dark,

she makes me feel like
everything is gonna be fine.

She makes things fun.

I don't wanna lose that.

You won't.

You just gotta give her a little time

and space.

You're a great kid, Arch.

Really, get out there, have a good time.

Take the pressure off.

- Archie, hey.
- Hey.

I just did a sweep of the perimeter.

You good?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ronnie's almost here.

We're gonna clear the air,
it's gonna be a good night.

Here's hoping.

- I'll catch you later, okay?
- Yeah.

Jones, you look nervous.

Want a drink?

No, I'm good. I'm just
getting a lay of the land.

Wow, Betty.

Mrs. Cooper. You look incredible.

Tell me about it.

Unfortunately, I couldn't convince
this one to dress appropriately,

Hog Eye, get me...

Tequila, straight up,

- hold the worm.
- Hold the worm.

I was talkin' to you.

I have a surprise for you. Later.

Mmm. Hit me, Hog Eye.

Honey, what do you
want? A Shirley Temple?

- Just give me two.
- Two.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Can we talk?

Not about Svenson,

not about the Black Hood,

not about some murder
house. About us, Ronnie.

Archie, this is a party.

Must we discuss serious things tonight?

I just want you to know.

What I said?

That was about me and what I was
feeling in that specific moment

and you shouldn't feel any
pressure to say it back to me.

Oh, Archie.

Thank you for understanding.

Yeah, you're welcome.

Uh, yeah.

I, uh, I signed us up for a duet

that Donnie Darko song you love

or hopefully, strongly like at least.

- Archie...
- Or can you not do that, either?

No, I can sing with you.

♪ All around me Are familiar faces ♪

♪ Worn out places Worn out faces ♪

♪ Bright and early
For the daily races ♪

♪ Going nowhere Going nowhere ♪

♪ Their tears are
filling Up their glasses ♪

♪ No expression No expression ♪

♪ Hide my head I
wanna drown my sorrow ♪

♪ No tomorrow No tomorrow ♪

♪ And I find it kind of funny ♪

♪ I find it kind of sad ♪

♪ The dreams In which I'm dying ♪

♪ Are the best I've ever had ♪

♪ I find it hard to tell you ♪

♪ I find it hard to take ♪

♪ When people run in circles ♪

♪ It's a very, very ♪

♪ Mad world ♪

♪ Mad world ♪

Veronica...

♪ Children waiting for
The day they feel good ♪

♪ Happy birthday ♪

♪ Happy birthday ♪

♪ And I feel the way
That every child should ♪

♪ Sit and listen ♪

♪ Sit and listen ♪

♪ And I find it kind of funny ♪

♪ I find it kind of sad ♪

♪ The dreams In which I'm dying ♪

♪ Are the best I've ever had ♪

♪ I find it hard to tell you ♪

♪ I find it hard to take ♪

♪ When people run in circles ♪

♪ It's a very, very ♪

♪ Mad world ♪

- ♪ Mad world ♪
- Oh, my God.

♪ Mad world ♪

There he is!

Quite the show.

Thanks, Betty.

Here you go.

Let's give her a round of applause!

And show her some of that

Serpent hospitality we're known for.

You know what? I've been
in and out of the Serpents

since I was younger than my son.

And it's been a... A wild ride.

Good times, bad times,

but through it all, the
Serpents stuck by my side,

while most other people
turned their backs on me.

My own family included.

Now, the letter of the law

says that I can't be here

in the Serpent den.

That I can't associate with my friends.

- My real family.
- Yeah!

My blood.

You're the man!

But I've been thinking about that.

And it'll be a cold day in hell

before a snake lets a
pig tell him what to do.

All right, Coyote Ugly, let's go.

No, I'm staying.

Elizabeth, you're coming with me now.

No, I'm staying.

Well, I can't.

Northside wants me outta this gang?

Well, they better bring a coffin

because FP Jones isn't retiring!

I am not going gently into the night!

I'm here to stay!

So, bring the fire!

Yeah!

What happened to retiring?

I know about the Snake Charmer.

And the delivery you did
and the debt you owe her.

It was the one thing, son.

The one thing I asked you not to do.

I can fix this. Let me just talk to her.

No. No. I'm in, you're out.

Penny's my problem now.

You broke my heart, Jughead.

Shots, let's line 'em up!

Hail to the king!

- To the king!
- To the king!

Ronnie, what I said, it doesn't matter

if you don't' wanna say it back to me.

But it does. And it should.

And...

for whatever messed-up reason,

Archie, whatever
deep-seated issues I have,

I can't let myself go there with you.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Home, Andre.

Yes, Miss Veronica.

Hey.

What's wrong?

Was it the dance?

It's everything.

And, yeah... Why would you do that?

I wanted to be a part of this.

The Serpents, your world.

Why?

Archie knew to cut bait.

Now I'm dragging you down.

I'm dragging my dad down.

Jug, he's still figuring it out.

And It's going to be okay.

We'll figure out what
we have to do, together.

No. Betty... Mmm-mmm.

Not together.

Betty, if you stay,

I don't know if I can
protect you anymore.

You might get...

You probably will get hurt.

I can't let that happen to you.

It's not your decision to make.

Actually...

yeah, it is.

How many times, Jug?

How many time are we going
to push each other away?

Until it sticks.

I was my dad's one chance

at going straight and I wrecked it.

I'm not going to destroy you, too.

Just tell me what happened, Jug.

Jug!

Tell me.

Please,

go home.

That night, I realized

it was like we'd been playing
a game of Snakes and Ladders.

Me, Betty, Archie, Veronica.

And in one fell swoop,

we all slid off the
board and into free fall

and not just us, other people.

Maybe innocent, maybe not,

had been dragged into our game,

as old wounds reopened.

And as feelings that
had long been buried

shook loose.

And a boy looked out his
window at the girl next door

as if for the very first time.