Riverdale (2016–…): Season 3, Episode 10 - Chapter Forty-Five: The Stranger - full transcript

Previously on Riverdale...

[Jughead] Hiram's gonna follow
you, or us, wherever we go.

Where is he?

[Penelope] I've heard of
this game before.

Thought this was
an urban legend.

We definitely have to play it.

[Alice] And we dubbed
ourselves "The Midnight Club."

[Penelope] Welcome to
The Ascension Party.

What about these drugs?

I don't know
how they're getting them.

A Serpent dealer
named Fangs Fogarty.



I want you to go undercover.
Join the Gargoyle Gang.

We need a man on the inside of
Hiram Lodge's drug operation

so that we can take him down.

[Archie] Your dad is still out there.

As long as we're together,
he'll be hunting me down,

and everyone close to me
is his target.

If you loved me
you would come home.

[Archie] If I ever want
to go back to Riverdale,

I have to destroy
that part of me. It's weak.

[loud roaring]

I've been attacked. By a grizzly.
I'm in bad shape.

[woman] Come on.
Wake up, kid!

[Jughead] At 8:47
on a Wednesday morning,

Archie Andrews died.



At least, the Archie we knew.

What returned to Riverdale
was something far different

from the red-headed
boy-next-door.

He was now a stranger,

with dark hair and scars...

both inside and out.

Vegas?

Archie...

Hey, Dad.

What? What's wrong, son?

It's a long story.

I don't remember
the rangers finding me.

I woke up in the hospital
knowing that...

I couldn't keep running.

It was time to come home,

back to a normal life,
if that's even possible.

What about Hiram?

[scoffs] I survived
a bear attack, Dad.

I can't live my life in fear of
when he might come after me anymore.

To be honest, I'm more worried
about him gunning for you.

I survived
the Black Hood. Twice.

Hiram doesn't scare me.

He's not the only one
in this town with friends.

What about Veronica?
You reach out to her?

[Archie] Veronica.

Archie?

What are you doing here?
Where have you been?

- Why haven't you called me?
- I wanted to.

Every day. But after
the last call...

What the hell happened
to your hair?

I dyed it, so I wouldn't
get recognized in case...

your father came looking for me.

Right.

Veronica, I'm sorry.

If... if you don't wanna ever talk to
me again, I completely understand that.

Don't be crazy, Archie.

I'm just so happy
that you're home...

and safe.

[Pop] Two chocolates, one vanilla,

and a root beer float
for Archie.

- Welcome home, son.
- Thanks, Pop.

Since when do you drink
root beer floats?

I guess I'm just not in the
mood for a strawberry milkshake.

New drink, new hair,

- new haunted, vacant look in your eyes...
- [Veronica] Guys.

Archie just lived through The Revenant.

Let him order what he wants.

So what'd I miss
while I was gone?

Well, thanks to the town quarantine
orchestrated by my father,

Pop's was shut-down
and just reopened.

And he's also been attacking
shipments to the speakeasy.

But, thankfully, I've hired the
Serpents as my full-time protection,

and that service extends to you, Archie.

You don't have to worry about Hiram's
goons coming after you or your dad.

You won't be able to see 'em, but
I have guys watching you, 24/7.

And I have a possible lead that could
diffuse this threat permanently.

What, Jug?

You can't tell anyone.

Fangs is deep undercover
in the Gargoyle Gang.

He hasn't met the King yet,
but he's still working on it

and when we get access to him,
we're gonna take him down.

My bet is that it's Hiram
underneath the mask.

- Sorry, Veronica.
- Don't be.

I wouldn't put it past him.

Well, there goes studying for the SATs.

What? SATs?

Yeah, they're this Saturday.

Don't worry, Arch. I'll help you
study and get you caught up, okay?

We all will.

[sighs]

I'm sorry, Betty, but your
debit card was declined.

I got you, Bee.
Just put it on my tab, Pop.

[Betty] This is a new low, Mom.

I just got off the phone with
the Bank of Riverdale,

who told me that
all of my accounts,

including my college fund

have been completely drained of assets.

Not drained, just transferred.

Most of it was blood-money that
you inherited from The Blossoms...

Okay. Tell me where
that money went.

It was wired to the Farm
as a tax-deductible donation.

You gave my money to the Farm?

To help support those children that
you liberated from the Sisters.

You just gave away
my tuition money?

Or, of course, you could always
study at the Farm for free.

Mom, I swear to God, you are not
cornering me into joining your cult.

Fred Andrews, FP Jones...

What can I do for you fellas?

I came to let you know that
my son is home. Permanently.

He is?

- Well, that's just great, Fred.
- [FP] Cut the crap, Hiram.

We all know you have it
out for his kid.

I'll stop you right there.

I've never wished any harm to...

either of your sons.

Hiram, if you harm a hair on
Archie's head, I will kill you.

Make no mistake about it.

And I will be at peace

with whatever the
consequences of that are.

[Weatherbee] As you transition back
into your life at Riverdale High,

I would advise you to be
realistic in terms of your goals.

I am, Mr. Weatherbee.

I just... I wanna get caught up

and I wanna be
a normal student again.

The SATs are this coming Saturday.

I'm guessing you haven't really
had a chance to adequately prepare?

Not yet, sir.

Mr. Andrews, given your situation,

I would strongly recommend

that you repeat your junior year.

And not graduate with my friends?

In the long-term,

I believe it would be best for you.

[school bell ringing]

Synced & corrected by MaxPayne
== https://subscene.com ==

Everything all right?
You didn't text me back last night.

Reggie, cool it.

Archie's back.

Archie's back? Since when?

Look, I know we were... But...

I can't tell Archie that
one of his best friends

and his ex-girlfriend got together
while he was away, so...

You and I, this has to...

I get it. Archie's back.

Enough said.

How's he doing?

He's feeling...

unsettled and stressed.

I may not be able to do
anything about the former,

but I definitely can about the latter...

with something that'll help
all of us blow off some steam.

[Betty] She can't do this, can she?

She can as long as both of your parents
signed off to release your funds.

And from these, it looks like

your father did sign.

No, that's impossible.
She never goes to see him.

Is this his signature?

No. That's a forgery.

And I know, because I myself
have forged it in the past

as part of an investigation.

Well, you need to get your real
father to sign an affidavit

attesting to the fact that he never
agreed to liquidate your funds.

Then we can pursue legal action.

Which means...

I have to see my dad.

I'm sure you've heard, Hiram,

The Sisters of Quiet Mercy
estate is up for auction.

It appears to be a competitive
situation with multiple bidders,

including the Farm,
coming in with strong offers.

I have other plans for that property.

For my brothel?

The Sisters will not be turned
into a brothel, Madame Blossom.

[sighs] So then why did you
summon us here, Hiram?

Because we need a new Sheriff.

Someone who will allow
our various enterprises

to continue without scrutiny.

And I'm nominating you, Claudius.

The last Sheriff, Minetta,
was found decapitated.

You're out of your mind, Hiram.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Did I make it seem as if you had
a choice in the matter, Claudius?

That's where I want you.

It's not a request.

Iconoclast.

Iconoclast...

[exhales] Okay, iconoclast...
That is...

A person who attacks
another's cherished beliefs.

I'm in high school, how am
I supposed to know that?

Why don't we start thinking about
the SATs in terms of strategy?

When in doubt,
why don't you just...

fill in all the bubbles marked D?

Betty, how did I do on the practice test?

I tanked it, didn't I?

Um...

I got a 600 on this part.

That's your combined score, Arch.

It's in the bottom 10th percentile.

[cell phone buzzing]

All right, gotta go, guys.
It's Fangs.

Do you want me to come with you?

No. I'd stay and get a couple
extra hours cramming in.

If anyone's gonna get you up
to speed, it's gonna be Betty.

- Bye.
- Bye.

Good luck.

What's the point?
It's hopeless, right?

That's what you said when you were in
second grade and couldn't read, remember?

And we got you caught up.

You did, you mean.

Maybe Weatherbee's right,
maybe I'm...

I've just missed too much
or I've changed too much.

Well, in one respect,
maybe you have.

Do you trust me?

Jughead, I'm in.

Tell me everything.
What happened?

The Gargoyle King.

The other guys told me that he's
impressed by my Fizzle Rocks sales,

so he wants to invite me
into his inner circle.

They're having a ceremony
tomorrow night.

He'll be there.

Fangs, this is huge.
Where's it happening?

A clearing in Fox Forest.
Not too far from here.

- What do you want me to do?
- I want you to go.

Don't worry,
you're gonna have back up.

[Betty] Okay, Archie, let's see it.

[Archie groans]

[exhales]

There he is.

Just in time, too.

Just in time for what?

[all] Surprise!

What is...
what is all this?

Well, it was going to be
a study party,

but that was before
you came back home to us.

So now it's a Study/Welcome
Home party, Archie,

complete with a musical
amuse bouche provided by moi.

So take a seat, lover,
and let me entertain you.

[music playing]

[singing in Spanish]

[music distorts]

[stops singing]

[all murmuring]

It's good to see you, Betty.

I'm disappointed it took so long.

So let's skip the small talk.

[paper rustling]

Is this your signature?

No.

What is that?

Mom stole my college funds,

so I need you to sign
an affidavit that says

that this signature is a forgery.

In reading the papers most recently,

I've found myself compelled
by this Gargoyle King.

Fourteen souls he's claimed.

Remarkable.

Of course, you'd find
a kill-count impressive.

I'll bet it roils you up that you
haven't caught him yet, doesn't it?

I could help you.

I'm just trying to go to college.

[clears throat]

This Gryphons and Gargoyles manual
that I've read so much about,

bring me a copy.

And I'll be happy to sign your affidavit.

[Reggie] I'm not down with it, Ronnie.

Archie taking off like that?
It's not cool.

He's in extremis, Reggie.

For all we know, he walked back to
Riverdale all the way from Canada.

And right into the pressure
cooker of school and the SATs.

All I'm saying is, the Archie I
saw last night, he's different.

I don't disagree.

He is different, Reggie.

And if it's permanent, hmm?

And he's not your
Archiekins anymore?

Look, I know what
you want me to say.

I just can't even think
about that right now.

[door slams]

You got some pretty big coconuts

pulling that kind of stunt last night.

You don't know what the hell
you're talking about, Reg.

I'm talking about how you stormed out of
the speakeasy like a little bitch, Andrews.

Bro, I'm warning you,
you don't wanna start with me.

Dude, what the hell happened?
How'd you get those scars?

I was attacked by a bear.

What? You serious?

You were attacked by a friggin' bear?

Damn, no wonder why you're all messed up.

[Hiram] Mi amor,
we've outgrown the Pembrooke,

so I've decided to buy
The Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

It'll be our castle, our stronghold.

Sounds wonderful.

Except for the fact that
the place is probably

being haunted by the ghosts
of the nuns that died there.

I'll have it cleansed by a Senora.

In the meantime, I need you to appoint
Claudius Blossom Sheriff of Riverdale.

After some careful consideration,

he's agreed to take on the challenge.

Hiram... no.

Claudius Blossom is your business partner.

- People will talk.
- Let them talk.

Given our recent expansions,

it's imperative that we have a friend
we can trust in the Sheriff's office.

Ironic, considering I don't
know what these expansions are.

Yeah, it doesn't matter.

It's what's best for the family, Hermione.

So, for all our sakes,

but especially yours,

I'd do it quick.

[Betty] The G&G manual, as requested.

Did you bring the affidavit?

Leaving so quickly?

Can't we at least exchange pleasantries?

What? What do you want to talk about, huh?

The SATs,
my college applications...

I think we're beyond that point, don't you?

Perhaps. So what if we
talked about Ascension Night?

How do you know about that?

I was there.

How?

You weren't a member
of the Midnight Club.

No, but I knew about them.

Who they were.

I was the one who sent them the
invitations for Ascension Night.

Who dressed up as the Gargoyle King.

And who poisoned the chalices.

Wait. You killed Principal Featherhead?

Why?

My plan had been to kill as many
members of the Midnight Club as possible

because they were all sinners, Betty.

Every last one of them.

But Featherhead crashed the
party and drank from the cups...

Was he your first kill?

Yes.

Is that why you think
you can solve the mystery

of the Gargoyle King in the present?
Because...

Because I was the Gargoyle King,
in the past.

You and your mother
keep missing each other.

Excuse me?
My mother hasn't been here in months.

Her name is Alice Cooper, isn't it?

Yeah...

She comes every Monday.
Like clockwork.

[Fred] Fresh whites coming in.

What, you changing it up
in here a little bit?

I was studying at my desk, but it
was cluttered with all this crap.

Oh! Who is this guy?

The Variety Show.
You remember that?

- That was great.
- Barely, to be honest.

Are... are you
feeling okay, son?

Yeah, Dad,
I'm just... restless.

It's weird being home, back in
this room after all this time.

I'm feeling kind of lost.

Wanna talk about it?

Maybe after the SATs.
I better keep studying.

- Yeah.
- Thanks.

[breathes deeply]

[Gargoyle leader] Fangs Fogarty.
Kneel before your King!

To enter his kingdom,
you must bear his mark.

The mark of the Gargoyle.

[grunts]

[Jughead] Now!

[all screaming]

[Gargoyle leader]
It's the Serpents. Scatter.

[Jughead] Sweet Pea, get Fangs!

- You're mine!
- [grunts]

Tall Boy?

- [grunts]
- [groans]

We all thought you were dead, Tall Boy.

Where you been hiding?

A small town called Athens.

Gotta say, it's good to be back.

And Alice Cooper,
she was looking extra sweet

the night me and my boys
broke into her house

and scared the crap out of
her and her bitch daughter.

- That was fun...
- [groans]

[laughs]

All right, let's cut to the chase.

We know you're working for Hiram.

You've been dressing up
in that little costume,

like his mascot.

So now you are going
to help us take him down.

You know what else was fun?

Carving that symbol into Joaquin's
forehead after I killed him...

- You're dead!
- You son of a bitch.

What? He killed Joaquin!

[Jughead] What do you think, Tall Boy, huh?

Should I let them tear you limb from limb

or are you gonna help us get to Hiram?

I know you have access to him.

The Man in Black would never
agree to meet with me.

Not unless I have something

that he really wants.

[Betty] Mom?

Why are you dressed like that, hmm?

Oh, is that what you wear
when you go visit Dad?

Okay, I don't have time for
your mad ranting, Betty.

I'm prepping for an interview
with RIVW.

You know it's been my lifelong dream
to work for local broadcast news.

I went to see Dad.

To try and get my money back
after you forged his signature.

- Okay, Betty...
- Dad said he was the one

who murdered Principal Featherhead.

Well, that's impossible.

Your father wasn't even there that night.

And how would Dad know details
about Ascension Night, and he does,

unless he was there, or if someone
told him about the Midnight Club,

and that someone has to be you, Mom.

Okay, Betty, I swear to you,
in 25 years of marriage,

I never mentioned Ascension Night once.

And I haven't gone to see your father

since before this whole Gryphons
and Gargoyles mess started.

Well, someone named Alice
Cooper's been visiting him.

[Reggie] No. No.

Hey, Reg, you busy?

Nah, just swiping on Bumble,

praying the future Mrs. Mantle
is within a 30-mile radius.

The truth is, love doesn't
come easily for me these days.

[cell phone vibrating]

Or does it?

Yeah.

Listen, Reg.

I need to talk to you about something.

I need to talk to you about cheating.

Aw, dude, she told you?

You know it's over, right?

What are you talking about, Reg?

What the hell are you talking about?

I... figured you'd know
a way to cheat on the SATs.

Oh, crap.

She's gonna kill me.

She didn't think
you were gonna come back.

I didn't think
you were gonna come back.

Maybe I shouldn't have.

Look, Jug, I don't know
if I can handle any more quizzing.

That's not why I'm here.
I need your help, Archie.

The Gargoyle King is Tall Boy.

We have him locked down in the bunker.

- Tall Boy's alive?
- Yeah, he's been hiding in Athens.

This is our shot to finally
smoke out Hiram Lodge.

But we're gonna need bait to lure
the Man in Black out of the shadows,

and I'm betting the thing
that he still wants most...

is you.

Save your breath, Jug.

You don't have to convince me to
take down Hiram Lodge. I'm in.

- This is Hiram.
- [Tall Boy] I have the Red Paladin.

Him and his friends tried
to ambush us in the woods.

- If you want him...
- I do.

- Where?
- Usual meeting place.

Nine o'clock.

Understood.

Good work.

Hi, this is Elizabeth Cooper.

I was just there yesterday
visiting my dad, Hal Cooper,

and you mentioned that my
mom has also been visiting.

I know this is gonna seem
like a weird question,

but can you just describe to me
what Alice Cooper looks like?

Thank you for meeting me, Auntie.

I was reluctant to show up

since the last time we met,

you accused me of murder.

- I trust that won't be happening again.
- No, Auntie.

But I did want to ask.

Are you one of those sickos who
fantasizes about serial killers?

As a young woman,

I did write the odd letter
to Jeffrey Dahmer, yes.

[chuckles]

Was there a specific reason
you asked?

Yeah. You've been posing as
my mother to visit my father.

Why?

It's the only way to get conjugal visits.

A man has his needs.

Did you ever tell him about
Ascension Night?

Yes, during pillow talk.

He's claiming he was
the Gargoyle King back then.

Why would he lie to me
about that?

Oh, men and their delusions.
Why do they do anything?

Self-aggrandizement.

[Betty] You sick narcissist.

You made it all up. You
were not at Ascension Night.

The only reason you even know about it

is because Penelope Blossom told you.

So I've been asking myself,

why would you take credit
for murdering Featherhead?

Was it so I would write about it?

To put you,
the original Big Bad, Black Hood

back in the spotlight?

Try again.

Why would I dangle such an
outrageous lie in front of you?

I have no clue!

Come on, think about it, Betty.

Why would a father tell
his daughter such a thing?

For what possible reason?

To keep me on the line.

To keep me coming back to you.

Oh, Betty,
how I've missed you and our chats.

You will stoop to any level

to get me back in your clutches, won't you?

I just wanted some father-daughter time.

Well, I hope you got your fill today,

because I will never be
coming back here again.

Well, that's what you said before.

[Gargoyle King] You're not Hiram.

Tall Boy?

Looks like neither of us
is who we were expecting.

- What the devil...
- Claudius Blossom.

You're not the Man in Black.

What happened,
why would Hiram send you?

I don't know what you mean.

Save it for the judge, Blossom.

You may not be the Man in
Black, but his stink is on you.

I'm making a citizen's arrest.

[Archie] Ronnie...

[sniffles]

Hey.

Reggie called me.

- Archie...
- Ronnie...

You don't have to explain.
You didn't do anything wrong.

Archie, when we broke up,

I was angry.

At my father for driving you away,

but mostly at you

for not fighting to stay by my side.

And the more time passed,

the more I got tired of missing you.

And now that I'm back?

Oh God, Archie.

This is the worst time to be doing this.

Then let's not.

Let's finish this conversation tomorrow.

But tonight, can we be together?

Will you stay with me?

You have 30minutes...

To complete the first portion
of the SAT Math section.

When you are finished, do not
skip ahead to other sections.

I will issue a five-minute
warning for your convenience

prior to the time limit.

Do you all understand?

Good.

You may begin.

[pencil breaks]

[Proctor] Is there a problem?

Archie...

If you follow him out that door,
it's an automatic zero.

[water running]

[Hiram] Don't worry about
Claudius' arrest, mi amor.

Why do you think I sent him
instead of going myself?

I have instincts about these things.

It's how I stay alive,

by always being one step
ahead of everyone else.

- [glass shatters]
- [gasps]

[coughs]

[gasping]

- [Evelyn] Eat up.
- [chuckling]

Betty, you're just in time!

We are celebrating with some raw
milk and oatmeal-raisin cookies.

Mmm. Celebrating what?

With a little help from
Edgar's connections,

I got the job!

[Evelyn] And that's not all.
The Farm has found and bought

its new headquarters.

The convent where The Sisters
of Quiet Mercy used to live.

Thank you so much, Betty.

What... what did I do?

Well, thanks to your
generous contribution, Betty,

all of us, including those
lost souls you saved

will benefit with a new
permanent home in Riverdale.

It's the dawn of a new era for the Farm.

- [Alice] Cheers!
- Cheers.

Excuse me, room 260. Lodge?

Ronnie...

I'm sorry I missed your calls.

Where have you been?

I came as soon as I heard.

How is he?

We don't know.

He just got out of surgery.

What the hell happened?

He was shot...

sometime after you ran out of the SATs.

Sometime after I...

Wait.

You don't think that I...

Did you?

No.

But the fact that you could
even ask me that...

It's over, isn't it?

[Fogarty groaning]

Fangs, Sweet Pea.
What happened?

- Don't touch him don't touch him.
- What happened?

Tall Boy was just trying to escape...

I don't know.
It was an accident.

[Sweet Pea] You gotta believe us.

What are we gonna do, Jug?
Look at him.

What do we do, Jug?

I told him not to come at me like that.
I told him.

What do we do?
Look at him!

Shut up! Let me think!

Phew.

[Fangs sobbing]

We're gonna throw a party.

Okay.

Looks like Hiram is gonna be
out of commission for a while.

[sighs] You must be relieved.

[scoffs] I'm not.

What's wrong, son?

Veronica and I broke up.

I also walked out of the SATs today, so...

I don't know how to do this.

To just pretend

like everything's the same
as it was before.

It's gonna take you a minute
to pick up the pieces.

But listen...

Let's take it slow.

How did you get through juvie?

All that time alone

in the wilderness, on the run?

I fought.

Every day.

I didn't stop fighting.
I fought for my life.

Well, you'll just have to keep fighting.

[guard] It's meal time, Mr. Blossom.

[FP] How is he?

Hermione...

How is he?

Well, Hiram's stable for now, at least.

That's not why I called you here, FP.

I think it's time.

No one else understands
what she's capable of.

No one but you.

She just gave my money away, Dad.

Mom gave all my money...

like my education meant nothing.

It means everything.

And I'm sorry, Betty.

But here's the good news.

Betty, you're gonna have
colleges lining up

to give you scholarships.

Weren't the SATs this weekend?

So how'd you do?

Pretty good, I think.

[monitor beeping]

Reggie?

Come here.

We're freaking out, dude.

Hey, just keep it together, guys, okay?

It was an accident.

As far as anyone knows,
Tall Boy's been exiled.

- I exiled him.
- [stutters]

Relax, okay?
Just grab a drink.

And party like your life
depends on it.

Serpents...

we have a lot to celebrate!

[crowd whooping]

We finally unmasked our
foe, the Gargoyle King!

[crowd whooping]

Hiram Lodge, the Man in Black,
is down for the count!

Yeah.

And tonight, we're welcoming
back one of our own...

Fangs Fogarty!

[crowd cheering]

[all chanting] Serpents!
Serpents! Serpents!

[siren wailing]

[wailing stops]

Oh, God,
they know about Tall Boy.

[indistinct chatter on police radio]

Dad?

Sheriff Jones now, boy.

Listen up! You're looking at
the new law in Riverdale.

[crowd cheering]

Son...

You hit that thing any harder, Alice
is going to file a noise complaint.

[chuckles softly]
It's like you said, Dad,

you gotta keep fighting, right?

It looks like a cell in here.

[sighs]
You gonna be okay?

I think so, Dad, yeah.

[upbeat music playing]

Synced & corrected by MaxPayne
== https://subscene.com ==