Riverdale (2016–…): Season 5, Episode 7 - Episode #5.7 - full transcript
Portrait of a town in flames,
thanks to a fire extinguisher
Mr. Andrews
kept storedin the hall closet,
and another one
under the kitchen sink.
What could have been a
suburban inferno was instead
nearly the latest indication
of how far
the now non-existent
town of Riverdale had fallen.
An arsonist on the loose
and no firemen
to battle the fires.
Archie...
You see this guy
in the front?
That is my Grandpa Ardy.
He was a fireman
back in the day.
Oh, geez.
I know where this is going.
The best counterattack
is not to fight fire with fire
but to fight fire
with a fire department.
What, no mano-a -mano
with Hiram Lodge?
I called Ronnie.
She's gonna talk to him.
Oh, Ronnie is.
That's interesting.
You see this rookie?
He ended up becoming
Riverdale's fire chief for 20 years.
He's retired now but
he still lives in Riverdale.
Well, go get 'em, soldier.
I'm hoping we already
know the answer, Dr. Curdle Jr,
but...
Is this my sister's body?
Your sister's been missing
for a week.
These remains have been
in Swedlow Swamp
for approximately three years.
The bog preserved her.
Well, do you have
a cause of death yet?
At first blush,
blunt force trauma
to the head.
What happens to the body now,
to her?
Without identification,
she'll be sent to the
crematorium for disposal.
Dr. Curdle,
will you just wait a beat
while I do some digging
for her identity?
- Of course.
- Right. I'm going back to Swedlow Swamp.
Polly, or at least her phone
is still out there.
Daddy, someone set fire
to Archie's house last night
and this attack has your
fingerprints all over it.
Now, why would I want to burn
down the Andrews' family home?
The rash of arson cases
around town
is meant to drive any remaining
long-term residents away,
so you're precious SoDale
becomes the only game in town.
Am I getting warm, Daddy?
Riverdale can't be saved.
Your high school is a joke.
Heck, you haven't had
garbage pickups in months.
The place smells
like a corpse.
It's not coming back to life.
We'll see about that, Daddy.
This just became personal.
Wow.
Was I ever that young?
Feels like a lifetime ago.
It doesn't
have to be, Chief Russell.
You could come out
of retirement.
This town
needs a fire department.
Hiram Lodge didn't just
shut down the department.
He firebombed the fire house.
Then we'll operate
out of my gym.
And I'll be the first volunteer following
in my Grandpa Ardy's footsteps.
It was an honor working
with your Grandpa, Archie.
But this is
a young man's battle.
Well, well, well, if it isn't
Miss. Winchester herself.
You come for another
surprise visit, Cheryl?
Thank you for taking care of the
River Vixens whilst I was self-isolating.
But, as Elton John
likes to say,
"The bitch is back in town"
and the squad is my birthright.
Wrong. The Vixens
are mine now, hon.
I restarted them,
I'm financing them,
and we've been doing
all the work.
So what are you gonna do
about that?
What every Vixen throughout
history has done to settle a dispute...
Challenge you to a dance off.
- I'm pregnant.
- Does that mean you forfeit?
I'll dance for Ms. Topaz
as her proxy.
You know, I usually have a rule
about annihilating high school students
but you seem
particularly insufferable.
Now let's decide this.
All those in favor of moi
as your HPIC.
And all those for me?
A tie. In that case,
I'd be willing to share control
of the Vixens,
if your ego
could handle that.
Agreed... for now.
Why are you buffoons just
standing there? Take it from the top.
Well, I spoke with my father
and of course, he denies
having anything to do with
setting your porch on fire, Archie.
Figures.
And I spoke
to the old fire chief
and he won't help.
So, now I have no fire engine,
no volunteers
and no one to train them.
I could maybe help with that.
My best friend Katy Keene's
roommate Jorge,
his ex-boyfriend is an actual
New York firefighter.
Let me see if I can get him
out here for a day or two.
Ronnie, that would be amazing.
Thank you.
In the meantime, after my
tete-a-tete with dear old Daddy,
I came up with a crazy idea
to bolster Riverdale's
struggling economy.
Listen up, guys. This week you're going
to learn how to revive a dying economy.
Namely, ours.
Step one, create jobs.
Who wants to renovate a CD-video
store and turn it into a jewelry shop
and to be exempt
from the mid-term exam?
Tabitha, check this out.
I spent the afternoon
at the library.
Found an article about Old
Man Dreyfuss in the script.
"Four of the five minors
detailed an encounter
with a frightening
humanoid creature
they described as a Mothman."
- Well, he wasn't lying.
- Or he was lying to you now
and they were lying back then.
Except, I kept looking for more
articles and I found that one
written two months
after the Mothman one.
"A group of residents
in the town of Riverdale
were stunned late last month
as they watched
a mysterious sight unfold."
Unexplained lights materializing,
hovering in the dark sky."
Read the last paragraph. Do you
see who's quoted as an eye witness?
No way.
Think you can
get me an interview?
Hey, Sarge, nice digs.
Jackson.
When did you get released
from the hospital?
A couple of days ago.
I signed up for the program the VA
was offering, the therapeutic housing.
Why? You don't need that, do you?
Some of us need help
transitioning to civilian life.
- Yes.
- I'm sorry. No. I'm happy for you.
Figured I'd take you up
on your invitation before I go.
Well, your timing's perfect.
I'm just about to go to the bar
to meet some friends.
Why don't you come inside?
Drop your stuff off and then we'll go?
So I went through
all the archives
in the Sheriff's office,
Dr. Curdle,
and there was only one missing
person file in the last seven years.
Margaret Harper.
I'm sorry, Ms. Cooper, but
Margaret Harper isn't a match, either.
According
to this police report,
Margaret had braces at the
time of her disappearance.
There's no evidence of braces
on our Jane Doe.
Okay...
So she's not Polly or Margaret.
She's a third missing girl.
And three is a pattern.
*RIVERDALE *
Season 05 Episode 07
Episode Title: "Chapter Eighty-Three:
Fire In The Sky"
Aired on: March 10, 2021
Guys, this is Eric Jackson.
We served together.
I trust him with my life.
- Eric, these are the guys.
- Nice to meet you, fellas.
Jackson, thank you
for your service.
- My dad served as well.
- No greater honor.
So, I'm looking
for a few good men.
Story of my life.
I'm hoping to assemble
a volunteer fire department
to replace the one
Hiram Lodge disbanded.
Guys who aren't
afraid to run into
a burning building
and save lives.
So...
Figured I'd start
with you guys.
We don't know the first thing
about firefighting.
Except for what
I learned watching
Backdraft over and
over in junior high.
That is why Veronica is
getting an expert from New York.
It's going to be fun.
Trust me. So who's with me?
Civilians.
Thank you
for coming in, Ms. Harper.
I don't want to reopen
old wounds
but I was working
on another missing persons case
when I came across
your daughter's file.
Margaret was a bright girl.
But she fell in
with the wrong crowd.
- Were you and Margaret close?
- Not so much.
I think she
felt like
she couldn't talk to me
once she...
She started going
with the truckers.
Ms. Harper, what do you believe
happened to your daughter?
I have no idea.
Which in a way
makes it so much worse.
Yeah. I understand.
Sheriff Keller
did what he could.
But he was one man
and the whole town
was falling apart.
There was a social worker
named Toni.
She was a godsend.
Well, well, well,
if it isn't Cheryl Blossom.
I'd heard rumors
that Queen Elsa
had come down
from the mountain.
It was a Vixens emergency.
Well, how are your art skills
these days?
Flawless as ever. Why?
I want you to design something
for me,
something that would fit
on this printing plate.
I was a cavalry scout,
before being
selected for sniper school.
By the time I graduated,
I could bullseye
a playing card at 500 meters.
Right, guys. Last question
for Corporal Jackson.
Ask him anything.
What was the Commander like
in the army?
I'll show you.
I got this nifty hunk of metal
from a grenade
on the battlefield.
But if it weren't
for your commander,
I'd have been sent home
in a body bag.
Sergeant Andrews
is the kind of man
that never stops giving back.
Hell, that's why
he's trying to start
a volunteer fire department
on his own.
Wait. Can we help with that?
What, with the fire department?
No,
you got school and football.
With due respect,
so do you, sir.
Damn.
My own friends turned me down
and you guys are in?
Yeah.
Okay, then.
But you have to be 16 to sign up
and you need your parent's permission.
What's this,
Ms. Lodge?
Prototypes.
The real money will be
printed, not photocopied.
So,
there was a town in Oregon on
the verge of economic collapse,
much like
our beloved Riverdale.
Until they started
printing their own money.
Money they could use as actual
currency but only in their town,
so it keeps getting
reinvested in the town.
- How does that work?
- Simple.
I pay you for remodeling my
jewelry shop with River dollars
which you then funnel back
into Riverdale's economy
by spending it at Pop's
or the Bijou.
- And they'll accept it?
- Yes.
Which they can either
redeem with me,
or hopefully, use it to pay
their own employees
to keep the flow going.
I've already sold one of my
Glamerge eggs for $50,000,
which will serve as
collateral for the new currency.
It's an investment
I'm happy to make,
especially if it gets people
in the habit of spending more
and supporting
local businesses in Riverdale.
- Any questions?
- Yeah.
When do we get paid?
Mom?
I found Polly's phone.
No sign of her,
but I found this in the swamp.
That means Swedlow Swamp is
exactly where we should keep looking.
Betty Cooper.
What can I get you?
Toni, does the name "Margaret
Harper" mean anything to you?
Yeah. She went missing
a few years ago.
Yeah. I've been looking
for Polly, as you know,
and I came across
Margaret's file.
And I talked to her mom who
said that you really helped her.
I mean, I tried to.
The truth is, there's a lot
of Margarets in Riverdale.
She's just one of the few that
went missing and got reported.
- Yeah.
- I try to set them up
with jobs or a support group,
- but it's hard, you know.
- Of course.
Toni,
I found a body
in Swedlow Swamp.
- Oh, my God.
- It wasn't Polly.
It wasn't Margaret,
but my mom found
Polly's phone there.
Something really bad
is happening in that swamp
and we need your help
searching it.
All the Serpents
are at your disposal, Betty.
Thank you.
Thanks for coming
to meet with us, Pop.
No problem.
Any excuse to visit the Chock'lit
Shoppe now that I'm retired.
So about that article
we called you for,
the one with the lights,
you were quoted on it and I was
wondering if you remember what happened.
Clear as day.
It was one night
about 50 years ago.
It was late.
There were probably
five or six people
in the diner.
Here you go. And here you go.
Two World Famous
burger combos. Enjoy.
Then all of a sudden,
you could feel this...
I don't know,
electricity in the air.
We all walked out to the
parking lot to take a look.
Then, a few minutes later,
lights were gone
and it was just a beautiful
autumn night.
That's incredible, Grandpa.
- What do you think it was?
- We all had theories.
Some said aliens.
But the most
credible explanation I heard
was that
it was military testing
from an army base
outside Riverdale.
Did it ever happen again?
- The lights?
- No.
But I'll tell you,
a part of me wished
the lights would come back.
I just got goosebumps.
You know who else was here
that night you should talk to?
- Who?
- Who?
Cheryl's grandmother.
- Nana Blossom?
- Yeah.
Welcome to day one of
Riverdale's volunteer fire academy.
Today's
your first day of training
with a real firefighter
from New York City
who's gonna help
get us into shape.
Bernardo Brigsby from
Engine 141, the floor is yours.
Thanks, Archie.
So show of hands,
how many of you
have had prior experience
fighting fires?
That's okay. We're gonna start
with the most important lesson.
You must work as a team.
No one goes
into a burning building alone.
A team is only as strong
as its weakest link.
And in my crew,
there are no weak links.
"Money That's What I Want"
playing..,
Why is Veronica printing
Monopoly money with her face on it?
Relax. You will still
get your normal pay check.
This is Mad Money
to spend in Riverdale,
like here
or at the Bijou, or...
Whiskey.
You better make that a double.
I've seen a porcelain doll
possessed by my deceased brother
move faster than you lot.
What the hell is this, Cheryl?
Vixen's practice, obvi.
We need to be doing two days if you
want to avoid public embarrassment.
We're supposed to be
coaching together.
But clearly, you went behind
my back and scheduled a practice.
Well, I knew you'd cause
a scene like this, Toni.
Duh.
Vixens, call Nurse Nightingale.
Cheryl, this ends now.
Vixens, like Blossoms,
are forged in fire.
Hmm. Wow. That sounds like
something your mother would say.
Careful where
thoust treads, Toni.
You're on thin ice.
That's far enough.
Every one of you is trespassing
on private property.
Retreat immediately
or face the consequences.
Hiram,
my daughter's missing.
She might be somewhere
in your swamp.
Alice, as a father,
I feel your pain,
but I can't have people
wandering through here.
All of this is going
to be my new turnpike.
It's also a crime scene.
Well, if it is, it's not
your jurisdiction, Sheriff.
Well, I'm with the FBI.
So the FBI is declaring this
a crime scene.
Oh, I think you're gonna need
better than that badge you got
out of
a Jacker Crack box, Betty.
In the meantime,
off my property.
Now.
Nana Rose,
my grandfather claimed
that you were at the
Chock'lit Shoppe 50 years ago
when a bright light
appeared in the sky.
Oh, yes, I remember it well.
My suspicion is that the light
came from the Mothman ship.
The Mothman... again.
A few weeks
after the incident,
I found
a hideously misshapen body
in the Maple Forest.
A Mothman corpse?
An autopsy was performed.
An autopsy...
Like an alien autopsy?
Nana Rose, why has no one
heard about this before?
The Mothman didn't
want us talking about it.
You spoke to them?
Well, they came to Thornhill
looking for
their missing friends.
They don't like to be known.
And they didn't like me
keeping their deceased either.
I told them
it had been cremated.
Had it been cremated?
No.
I kept it.
Perfectly preserved
in a barrel of maple syrup.
I could try to find it
for you, if you like.
Congratulations.
We've successfully introduced
50,000 River dollars
into our town's economy.
So what's next?
We pump more money in.
Exactly. But how much more?
Another thousand?
- Ten thousand?
- Ten thousand.
Wrong.
If we flood the market
with new bills,
we risk inflation
or triggering
a run on the bank, which is me.
And since I'm the one
on the hook,
I say we build our economy
slow and steady.
Very clever, mi hija.
Daddy.
I'm in the middle of a class.
I'm sorry for interrupting,
but I had to congratulate you
on your newest enterprise,
plastering your face
over currency.
Even at my most audacious,
that thought
never occurred to me.
Well, it's a good thing.
I've never limited myself
to what you thought possible.
- Hmm.
- Now, if you'll excuse me...
Oh, wait.
You and Archie, printing money,
starting a fire department.
Who does such things?
We believe in Riverdale,
and we're bringing it back.
Now really, Daddy,
take a hike.
Where were we?
So then Sarge over here decides
to try and feed this stray dog
outside the outpost.
Now, this dog
looked more like a wolf to me.
Don't believe him,
it was a dog.
How big are we talking?
Well, timber wolf size.
Anyways, so Sarge
pours out this MRE
out onto his hand,
sticks it through the fence
then the dog
almost bites his arm off.
Show 'em your scars, Arch.
Afternoon, sir.
How can we help you?
I thought
this place was shut down.
It was. We reopened it.
Now it's going to house a
new volunteer fire department.
Do you live on Sketch Alley?
I do.
Name's Earl.
We haven't had a fire
department in a long time.
A lot of buildings
burned down because of it.
Well, things are changing.
We're going to make this town
better for you,
your friends, for everyone.
Heard that talk before.
Hope you can back it up.
Come on, Glen. There has to be
someone you can send my way.
Betty, you have a Jane Doe and two
missing girls with problematic histories.
You got to let the local
police handle this.
It's one Sheriff, Glen,
up against a rich psychopath
who won't let us search
his land.
- So I'm begging you...
- Betty.
He's back.
The Trash Bag Killer.
What?
TBK has reemerged,
in Tulsa, we think.
How many...
Are there any victims?
Two, so far.
Look, why don't you send me what
you've got and I'll see what I can do.
No, Glen.
Uh...
You focus on TBK.
Catch that bastard, okay?
I'm going to handle
everything here myself,
and I'll check in with you.
Damn it, Betty!
We warned you.
You're trespassing
on private property.
I'm not going anywhere.
My sister is missing, other
girls too. My mom is suffering.
And it's because of your boss
that I'm the only person
out here who can do
anything about it.
So if you want to stop me,
you're gonna have to shoot me.
Wait.
I found something
while patrolling the swamp.
But cone of silence,
Hiram can never know
I told you.
Okay. You have my word.
Cone of silence.
What is it?
Another body.
Cadet Burns!
When O2 rapidly enters
an oxygen-depleted environment
causing explosion,
what is that phenomenon called?
A backdraft, sir!
Correct! Your reward
is 30 more pushups.
Next question...
- You guys the fire department?
- Trying to be.
The pool hall's burning down.
What, right here on the alley?
- Let's move!
- Grab the hose. Go, go!
We got eyes on a connection,
right there.
Get the hose hooked up!
Arch, you get everyone back.
Earl's in there.
My friend Earl is still inside.
Arch, don't even
think about it.
- No, Arch.
- Archie, stop!
Mi hija, has the Treasury
Department shown up to arrest you yet?
Daddy, that River dollar bill
you had in your fist,
where did you get that?
You know, it's amazing
what you find in the trash
when there's no one around
to collect it.
I knew it.
So now you're printing fake
River dollars to sabotage me?
Are you accusing me of
counterfeiting your counterfeit money?
My numbers aren't adding up,
and my numbers always add up.
Someone is flooding the economy
with money I didn't print.
Which, of course, devalues
the money you did print.
It's funny
how economics works, isn't it?
As Archie would say,
Daddy, you suck.
Where did you find this body,
Ms. Cooper?
I didn't exactly.
An associate did in the swamp.
And I know it's not Polly,
but is it...
Margaret Harper?
Yes. The telltale braces
are present on her teeth.
Likely cause of death, trauma. The
left side of her body was pulverized.
As if with a wrecking ball.
Oh, my God.
Wherefore are
my precious Vixens?
I cancelled practice.
We need to talk.
For starters, they're our
Vixens, as we agreed.
Fine, fine, fine.
They're our Vixens.
Happy now?
No, I wasn't
gonna do this, Cheryl,
but I'm officially
calling you out.
You've gotten away
with murder in this town
because of your money
and your privilege.
And I know you've been through
hell and back time and again.
But that doesn't give you a right to be
a holy terror in this town for no reason.
As if you have any idea
what it's been like for me,
holed up in Thornhill
for the last seven years.
Oh, spare me.
This isn't Drag Me to Hell.
You cursed yourself.
And what you're doing
isn't some grand sacrifice.
It's selfish.
Oh, so now funding the school
is selfish?
Money alone isn't going to
solve the problems of this town.
There are people out here every
single day putting in real work.
And I'm not going to let you take
over the Vixens for reasons of vanity
or revenge.
Cheryl, I want you out here with us
on the ground, one of the good guys.
But you're going to have
to take a good hard look
in the mirror
and get it together first.
Your cruelty is beyond words.
Nana Rose, I need your wisdom.
My heart has once again
been shattered.
Oh, Miss Marple.
To what do we owe
this pleasure?
Ms. Blossom, I went to sell
your brother's portrait
and made the most disturbing
yet fascinating discovery.
It was a forgery.
A very skillful forgery.
And before I call the authorities,
I thought we should chat.
Don't you agree?
What did Bernardo say, Sarge?
Rule number, one don't run
into a burning building alone.
You're never going to let me
live this down, are you?
No, sir.
Now, the good news is,
you're okay.
And you managed to save
that man's life.
Do we know
what started the fire yet?
No. I mean,
it's an old building.
It wasn't up to code.
Still, it's hard not to think
it was...
Arson. Probably started
by Hiram Lodge.
Wait. Who's Hiram Lodge?
He used to be mayor.
Now he's building
a new town next to here
and doing everything he can to try and
run the rest of us stragglers out of here.
Another fat-cat lining his
pockets by gaming the system.
Welcome to Riverdale.
All right, I'll see you fellas.
- Bye, Sheriff.
- Yeah.
Man, screw that Hiram guy.
That's okay, Eric.
This is just how life is,
for now.
No, it's how life always is.
Guys like us are just cannon
fodder for scumbags like Hiram.
That guy you pulled out of the
building, Earl, he's one of us.
A vet.
Another grunt who got chewed up
and spit out
by corporate greed.
Man, what the hell
are we fighting for over there
if this is what happens to us
when we come home?
A second body. They found
a second body in the swamp.
How do you think
they did that, Reggie?
I don't know, boss.
It's a big swamp.
But this is not the hill
to die on.
No, no, no, the turnpike,
just like the rest of SoDale,
is a necessary smokescreen.
I know.
But you could either be a villain
and pour concrete over the swamp
or you could be a hero and
let them search it properly.
Sure, the turnpike
gets delayed, but who cares?
We both know
that's not the real end game.
You make a good point, Reggie.
We'll acquiesce
to the Cooper ladies.
Let them wade
into the muck awhile.
I'll make the call.
We're so,
so sorry, Diana.
But you're...
You're sure it's my Margaret?
Yeah, it's her.
- No question.
- All these years...
At least, at least now I know
where she is.
I can say goodbye.
Who hurt her?
We don't know yet, Miss Harper.
My sister's also missing.
Other girls, too.
And so I swear to you,
we will find out who did this.
- Wait. That's not...
- It is.
Yeah. A special delivery
courtesy of Nana Rose Blossom
straight from
the Twilight Zone.
Damn, the smell alone!
That's maple syrup
and decay.
It's like a rotting tooth.
It could be anything, Jughead.
It could be...
It could be human bones
mixed with fake
synthetic bones or...
Or it's a mothman.
- It's... It's...
- We're not experts.
- This person is, though.
- Who?
This is Dr. Diana Whitley.
She's an anthropology professor
at Centerville U.
She specializes
in ancient cultures
and urban legends
and extraterrestrial
phenomenon.
I say we call her and see if
she'll come here and examine this
and tell us
what we're dealing with.
So what, in the meantime,
it's just business as usual,
while a xenomorph melts
in my diner's back room?
I'll take the night shift. I'll
make sure that no one comes in,
and stumbles upon
our little friend.
We have to get
to the bottom of this.
I suspect my father
has flooded the market
with counterfeit bills,
so we'll have to do
an in-depth forensic accounting,
recall all the River dollars
in circulation and determine
how deep a hole we're in.
But for now, sadly, we'll have
to shut down our operation.
Where did you get those
ink stains on your paws?
And don't say art class.
I want the truth... now.
We printed up ten grand
instead of one.
Wow!
So it wasn't my father
who screwed me over.
It was you guys.
You got greedy and triggered
an economic collapse.
Well done class.
F's for everyone.
We're sorry.
What can we do?
Well, you're responsible
for that money you printed.
Ten thousand dollars.
And unless you've got
a secret stash
of baby Glamerge eggs,
you'll have to work it off
by providing Riverdale
a much-needed service.
- Jackson.
- Earl didn't make it.
No.
Yeah, and I found out more
about your pal Hiram Lodge.
That bastard's done plenty to
deserve what's coming to him.
Jackson, you put
that rifle down now.
That's an order!
Sorry, Sarge, but we're
not in the army anymore.
No, I'm sorry.
I won't let you do this.
I won't let you ruin your life
over Hiram Lodge.
My life's already ruined.
I lost my leg fighting in a war
that didn't change a damn thing.
None of us mattered.
Eric, I know this is dark now,
but when you get into
that VA home they'll help you
see that things can get better.
They canceled my slot.
I found out this morning.
I needed help.
A lifeline. Man, I'm lost.
Damnit, I'm lost, Eric.
The only reason
I'm fighting so hard
to save this town is because it's
the only thing keeping me sane.
I'm white knuckling it out
here too.
I promise you.
And my friends don't know
because they
wouldn't understand.
What are we gonna do, Sarge?
For a start...
I think you should stay
in Riverdale.
The fire department
needs a new commander,
and I can't think
of a better man for the job.
And maybe, maybe we can
help each other stay sane.
It was exactly as Pops said.
Things started to shake.
The jukebox turned on.
- Uh-huh.
- It was 2:00 a.m.
I went outside and there
was this bright white light.
And then I woke up in a booth
and it was 6:00 a.m.
Hours had gone by. I lost time.
It was a dream prompted
by my grandpa's story.
Or is it possible that you were
sleepwalking or had you been drinking?
That's besides the point.
I haven't even gotten
to the craziest part yet.
Will you follow me? Please.
After I woke up, the first
thing I did was come in here.
Oh, my God.
I don't understand.
Me neither, but something very
strange happened in Riverdale last night.
Paying off your debt
while cleaning up the town,
if there ever was
a teachable moment.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I have a delivery to make.
So what's up, guys?
Gossip around
the teacher's lounge
is that Weatherbee
nixed your RROTC cadets
from being
volunteer firefighters?
Yeah, well,
he was pretty pissed
I brought them
to a burning building.
Well, we want to sign up like we
should have done in the first place.
I appreciate that, guys,
but it's too late.
Bernardo's back in New York,
there's no one left to train us.
Maybe I can help on that front.
Chief Russell.
Word got around
about a crazy hero
running into
a burning building alone.
Got to say it inspired me.
Okay, Chief, you're the expert.
What do we need first?
Well, a fire truck
might be nice to have.
You've got
to be kidding me.
Ronnie, what the hell!
What?
I wanted to do my civic duty
to help you and hurt my father.
How much do we owe you?
Oh, don't worry.
We'll be putting out
a Firefighters of Riverdale
calendar to defray the costs.
But in the meantime,
I just wanted to help.
Anything for you, Archie.
Two young women went missing
on the Lonely Highway.
Margaret Harper and Polly.
We found Margaret's remains
-in Swedlow Swamp,
-Where I found Polly's phone.
And we also found
another set of remains
in the swamp belonging to
an unidentified young woman.
And I reached out
to sheriff's offices
in the counties that touch
along the Lonely Highway,
asking about any unsolved
missing person's reports,
specifically young women.
They came back with 13 names.
And I've been in touch with
a network of social workers
in towns the Lonely Highway
runs through,
and I got 11 names back,
five of which overlap
with Tom's list.
So, we're talking about
21 missing girls.
How many of them are we
going to find in Swedlow Swamp?
Well, at least Hiram has agreed
to let us search it now.
Twenty-one girls,
they can't all be runaways.
Well, what do you think?
Human trafficking?
Or a serial killer.
thanks to a fire extinguisher
Mr. Andrews
kept storedin the hall closet,
and another one
under the kitchen sink.
What could have been a
suburban inferno was instead
nearly the latest indication
of how far
the now non-existent
town of Riverdale had fallen.
An arsonist on the loose
and no firemen
to battle the fires.
Archie...
You see this guy
in the front?
That is my Grandpa Ardy.
He was a fireman
back in the day.
Oh, geez.
I know where this is going.
The best counterattack
is not to fight fire with fire
but to fight fire
with a fire department.
What, no mano-a -mano
with Hiram Lodge?
I called Ronnie.
She's gonna talk to him.
Oh, Ronnie is.
That's interesting.
You see this rookie?
He ended up becoming
Riverdale's fire chief for 20 years.
He's retired now but
he still lives in Riverdale.
Well, go get 'em, soldier.
I'm hoping we already
know the answer, Dr. Curdle Jr,
but...
Is this my sister's body?
Your sister's been missing
for a week.
These remains have been
in Swedlow Swamp
for approximately three years.
The bog preserved her.
Well, do you have
a cause of death yet?
At first blush,
blunt force trauma
to the head.
What happens to the body now,
to her?
Without identification,
she'll be sent to the
crematorium for disposal.
Dr. Curdle,
will you just wait a beat
while I do some digging
for her identity?
- Of course.
- Right. I'm going back to Swedlow Swamp.
Polly, or at least her phone
is still out there.
Daddy, someone set fire
to Archie's house last night
and this attack has your
fingerprints all over it.
Now, why would I want to burn
down the Andrews' family home?
The rash of arson cases
around town
is meant to drive any remaining
long-term residents away,
so you're precious SoDale
becomes the only game in town.
Am I getting warm, Daddy?
Riverdale can't be saved.
Your high school is a joke.
Heck, you haven't had
garbage pickups in months.
The place smells
like a corpse.
It's not coming back to life.
We'll see about that, Daddy.
This just became personal.
Wow.
Was I ever that young?
Feels like a lifetime ago.
It doesn't
have to be, Chief Russell.
You could come out
of retirement.
This town
needs a fire department.
Hiram Lodge didn't just
shut down the department.
He firebombed the fire house.
Then we'll operate
out of my gym.
And I'll be the first volunteer following
in my Grandpa Ardy's footsteps.
It was an honor working
with your Grandpa, Archie.
But this is
a young man's battle.
Well, well, well, if it isn't
Miss. Winchester herself.
You come for another
surprise visit, Cheryl?
Thank you for taking care of the
River Vixens whilst I was self-isolating.
But, as Elton John
likes to say,
"The bitch is back in town"
and the squad is my birthright.
Wrong. The Vixens
are mine now, hon.
I restarted them,
I'm financing them,
and we've been doing
all the work.
So what are you gonna do
about that?
What every Vixen throughout
history has done to settle a dispute...
Challenge you to a dance off.
- I'm pregnant.
- Does that mean you forfeit?
I'll dance for Ms. Topaz
as her proxy.
You know, I usually have a rule
about annihilating high school students
but you seem
particularly insufferable.
Now let's decide this.
All those in favor of moi
as your HPIC.
And all those for me?
A tie. In that case,
I'd be willing to share control
of the Vixens,
if your ego
could handle that.
Agreed... for now.
Why are you buffoons just
standing there? Take it from the top.
Well, I spoke with my father
and of course, he denies
having anything to do with
setting your porch on fire, Archie.
Figures.
And I spoke
to the old fire chief
and he won't help.
So, now I have no fire engine,
no volunteers
and no one to train them.
I could maybe help with that.
My best friend Katy Keene's
roommate Jorge,
his ex-boyfriend is an actual
New York firefighter.
Let me see if I can get him
out here for a day or two.
Ronnie, that would be amazing.
Thank you.
In the meantime, after my
tete-a-tete with dear old Daddy,
I came up with a crazy idea
to bolster Riverdale's
struggling economy.
Listen up, guys. This week you're going
to learn how to revive a dying economy.
Namely, ours.
Step one, create jobs.
Who wants to renovate a CD-video
store and turn it into a jewelry shop
and to be exempt
from the mid-term exam?
Tabitha, check this out.
I spent the afternoon
at the library.
Found an article about Old
Man Dreyfuss in the script.
"Four of the five minors
detailed an encounter
with a frightening
humanoid creature
they described as a Mothman."
- Well, he wasn't lying.
- Or he was lying to you now
and they were lying back then.
Except, I kept looking for more
articles and I found that one
written two months
after the Mothman one.
"A group of residents
in the town of Riverdale
were stunned late last month
as they watched
a mysterious sight unfold."
Unexplained lights materializing,
hovering in the dark sky."
Read the last paragraph. Do you
see who's quoted as an eye witness?
No way.
Think you can
get me an interview?
Hey, Sarge, nice digs.
Jackson.
When did you get released
from the hospital?
A couple of days ago.
I signed up for the program the VA
was offering, the therapeutic housing.
Why? You don't need that, do you?
Some of us need help
transitioning to civilian life.
- Yes.
- I'm sorry. No. I'm happy for you.
Figured I'd take you up
on your invitation before I go.
Well, your timing's perfect.
I'm just about to go to the bar
to meet some friends.
Why don't you come inside?
Drop your stuff off and then we'll go?
So I went through
all the archives
in the Sheriff's office,
Dr. Curdle,
and there was only one missing
person file in the last seven years.
Margaret Harper.
I'm sorry, Ms. Cooper, but
Margaret Harper isn't a match, either.
According
to this police report,
Margaret had braces at the
time of her disappearance.
There's no evidence of braces
on our Jane Doe.
Okay...
So she's not Polly or Margaret.
She's a third missing girl.
And three is a pattern.
*RIVERDALE *
Season 05 Episode 07
Episode Title: "Chapter Eighty-Three:
Fire In The Sky"
Aired on: March 10, 2021
Guys, this is Eric Jackson.
We served together.
I trust him with my life.
- Eric, these are the guys.
- Nice to meet you, fellas.
Jackson, thank you
for your service.
- My dad served as well.
- No greater honor.
So, I'm looking
for a few good men.
Story of my life.
I'm hoping to assemble
a volunteer fire department
to replace the one
Hiram Lodge disbanded.
Guys who aren't
afraid to run into
a burning building
and save lives.
So...
Figured I'd start
with you guys.
We don't know the first thing
about firefighting.
Except for what
I learned watching
Backdraft over and
over in junior high.
That is why Veronica is
getting an expert from New York.
It's going to be fun.
Trust me. So who's with me?
Civilians.
Thank you
for coming in, Ms. Harper.
I don't want to reopen
old wounds
but I was working
on another missing persons case
when I came across
your daughter's file.
Margaret was a bright girl.
But she fell in
with the wrong crowd.
- Were you and Margaret close?
- Not so much.
I think she
felt like
she couldn't talk to me
once she...
She started going
with the truckers.
Ms. Harper, what do you believe
happened to your daughter?
I have no idea.
Which in a way
makes it so much worse.
Yeah. I understand.
Sheriff Keller
did what he could.
But he was one man
and the whole town
was falling apart.
There was a social worker
named Toni.
She was a godsend.
Well, well, well,
if it isn't Cheryl Blossom.
I'd heard rumors
that Queen Elsa
had come down
from the mountain.
It was a Vixens emergency.
Well, how are your art skills
these days?
Flawless as ever. Why?
I want you to design something
for me,
something that would fit
on this printing plate.
I was a cavalry scout,
before being
selected for sniper school.
By the time I graduated,
I could bullseye
a playing card at 500 meters.
Right, guys. Last question
for Corporal Jackson.
Ask him anything.
What was the Commander like
in the army?
I'll show you.
I got this nifty hunk of metal
from a grenade
on the battlefield.
But if it weren't
for your commander,
I'd have been sent home
in a body bag.
Sergeant Andrews
is the kind of man
that never stops giving back.
Hell, that's why
he's trying to start
a volunteer fire department
on his own.
Wait. Can we help with that?
What, with the fire department?
No,
you got school and football.
With due respect,
so do you, sir.
Damn.
My own friends turned me down
and you guys are in?
Yeah.
Okay, then.
But you have to be 16 to sign up
and you need your parent's permission.
What's this,
Ms. Lodge?
Prototypes.
The real money will be
printed, not photocopied.
So,
there was a town in Oregon on
the verge of economic collapse,
much like
our beloved Riverdale.
Until they started
printing their own money.
Money they could use as actual
currency but only in their town,
so it keeps getting
reinvested in the town.
- How does that work?
- Simple.
I pay you for remodeling my
jewelry shop with River dollars
which you then funnel back
into Riverdale's economy
by spending it at Pop's
or the Bijou.
- And they'll accept it?
- Yes.
Which they can either
redeem with me,
or hopefully, use it to pay
their own employees
to keep the flow going.
I've already sold one of my
Glamerge eggs for $50,000,
which will serve as
collateral for the new currency.
It's an investment
I'm happy to make,
especially if it gets people
in the habit of spending more
and supporting
local businesses in Riverdale.
- Any questions?
- Yeah.
When do we get paid?
Mom?
I found Polly's phone.
No sign of her,
but I found this in the swamp.
That means Swedlow Swamp is
exactly where we should keep looking.
Betty Cooper.
What can I get you?
Toni, does the name "Margaret
Harper" mean anything to you?
Yeah. She went missing
a few years ago.
Yeah. I've been looking
for Polly, as you know,
and I came across
Margaret's file.
And I talked to her mom who
said that you really helped her.
I mean, I tried to.
The truth is, there's a lot
of Margarets in Riverdale.
She's just one of the few that
went missing and got reported.
- Yeah.
- I try to set them up
with jobs or a support group,
- but it's hard, you know.
- Of course.
Toni,
I found a body
in Swedlow Swamp.
- Oh, my God.
- It wasn't Polly.
It wasn't Margaret,
but my mom found
Polly's phone there.
Something really bad
is happening in that swamp
and we need your help
searching it.
All the Serpents
are at your disposal, Betty.
Thank you.
Thanks for coming
to meet with us, Pop.
No problem.
Any excuse to visit the Chock'lit
Shoppe now that I'm retired.
So about that article
we called you for,
the one with the lights,
you were quoted on it and I was
wondering if you remember what happened.
Clear as day.
It was one night
about 50 years ago.
It was late.
There were probably
five or six people
in the diner.
Here you go. And here you go.
Two World Famous
burger combos. Enjoy.
Then all of a sudden,
you could feel this...
I don't know,
electricity in the air.
We all walked out to the
parking lot to take a look.
Then, a few minutes later,
lights were gone
and it was just a beautiful
autumn night.
That's incredible, Grandpa.
- What do you think it was?
- We all had theories.
Some said aliens.
But the most
credible explanation I heard
was that
it was military testing
from an army base
outside Riverdale.
Did it ever happen again?
- The lights?
- No.
But I'll tell you,
a part of me wished
the lights would come back.
I just got goosebumps.
You know who else was here
that night you should talk to?
- Who?
- Who?
Cheryl's grandmother.
- Nana Blossom?
- Yeah.
Welcome to day one of
Riverdale's volunteer fire academy.
Today's
your first day of training
with a real firefighter
from New York City
who's gonna help
get us into shape.
Bernardo Brigsby from
Engine 141, the floor is yours.
Thanks, Archie.
So show of hands,
how many of you
have had prior experience
fighting fires?
That's okay. We're gonna start
with the most important lesson.
You must work as a team.
No one goes
into a burning building alone.
A team is only as strong
as its weakest link.
And in my crew,
there are no weak links.
"Money That's What I Want"
playing..,
Why is Veronica printing
Monopoly money with her face on it?
Relax. You will still
get your normal pay check.
This is Mad Money
to spend in Riverdale,
like here
or at the Bijou, or...
Whiskey.
You better make that a double.
I've seen a porcelain doll
possessed by my deceased brother
move faster than you lot.
What the hell is this, Cheryl?
Vixen's practice, obvi.
We need to be doing two days if you
want to avoid public embarrassment.
We're supposed to be
coaching together.
But clearly, you went behind
my back and scheduled a practice.
Well, I knew you'd cause
a scene like this, Toni.
Duh.
Vixens, call Nurse Nightingale.
Cheryl, this ends now.
Vixens, like Blossoms,
are forged in fire.
Hmm. Wow. That sounds like
something your mother would say.
Careful where
thoust treads, Toni.
You're on thin ice.
That's far enough.
Every one of you is trespassing
on private property.
Retreat immediately
or face the consequences.
Hiram,
my daughter's missing.
She might be somewhere
in your swamp.
Alice, as a father,
I feel your pain,
but I can't have people
wandering through here.
All of this is going
to be my new turnpike.
It's also a crime scene.
Well, if it is, it's not
your jurisdiction, Sheriff.
Well, I'm with the FBI.
So the FBI is declaring this
a crime scene.
Oh, I think you're gonna need
better than that badge you got
out of
a Jacker Crack box, Betty.
In the meantime,
off my property.
Now.
Nana Rose,
my grandfather claimed
that you were at the
Chock'lit Shoppe 50 years ago
when a bright light
appeared in the sky.
Oh, yes, I remember it well.
My suspicion is that the light
came from the Mothman ship.
The Mothman... again.
A few weeks
after the incident,
I found
a hideously misshapen body
in the Maple Forest.
A Mothman corpse?
An autopsy was performed.
An autopsy...
Like an alien autopsy?
Nana Rose, why has no one
heard about this before?
The Mothman didn't
want us talking about it.
You spoke to them?
Well, they came to Thornhill
looking for
their missing friends.
They don't like to be known.
And they didn't like me
keeping their deceased either.
I told them
it had been cremated.
Had it been cremated?
No.
I kept it.
Perfectly preserved
in a barrel of maple syrup.
I could try to find it
for you, if you like.
Congratulations.
We've successfully introduced
50,000 River dollars
into our town's economy.
So what's next?
We pump more money in.
Exactly. But how much more?
Another thousand?
- Ten thousand?
- Ten thousand.
Wrong.
If we flood the market
with new bills,
we risk inflation
or triggering
a run on the bank, which is me.
And since I'm the one
on the hook,
I say we build our economy
slow and steady.
Very clever, mi hija.
Daddy.
I'm in the middle of a class.
I'm sorry for interrupting,
but I had to congratulate you
on your newest enterprise,
plastering your face
over currency.
Even at my most audacious,
that thought
never occurred to me.
Well, it's a good thing.
I've never limited myself
to what you thought possible.
- Hmm.
- Now, if you'll excuse me...
Oh, wait.
You and Archie, printing money,
starting a fire department.
Who does such things?
We believe in Riverdale,
and we're bringing it back.
Now really, Daddy,
take a hike.
Where were we?
So then Sarge over here decides
to try and feed this stray dog
outside the outpost.
Now, this dog
looked more like a wolf to me.
Don't believe him,
it was a dog.
How big are we talking?
Well, timber wolf size.
Anyways, so Sarge
pours out this MRE
out onto his hand,
sticks it through the fence
then the dog
almost bites his arm off.
Show 'em your scars, Arch.
Afternoon, sir.
How can we help you?
I thought
this place was shut down.
It was. We reopened it.
Now it's going to house a
new volunteer fire department.
Do you live on Sketch Alley?
I do.
Name's Earl.
We haven't had a fire
department in a long time.
A lot of buildings
burned down because of it.
Well, things are changing.
We're going to make this town
better for you,
your friends, for everyone.
Heard that talk before.
Hope you can back it up.
Come on, Glen. There has to be
someone you can send my way.
Betty, you have a Jane Doe and two
missing girls with problematic histories.
You got to let the local
police handle this.
It's one Sheriff, Glen,
up against a rich psychopath
who won't let us search
his land.
- So I'm begging you...
- Betty.
He's back.
The Trash Bag Killer.
What?
TBK has reemerged,
in Tulsa, we think.
How many...
Are there any victims?
Two, so far.
Look, why don't you send me what
you've got and I'll see what I can do.
No, Glen.
Uh...
You focus on TBK.
Catch that bastard, okay?
I'm going to handle
everything here myself,
and I'll check in with you.
Damn it, Betty!
We warned you.
You're trespassing
on private property.
I'm not going anywhere.
My sister is missing, other
girls too. My mom is suffering.
And it's because of your boss
that I'm the only person
out here who can do
anything about it.
So if you want to stop me,
you're gonna have to shoot me.
Wait.
I found something
while patrolling the swamp.
But cone of silence,
Hiram can never know
I told you.
Okay. You have my word.
Cone of silence.
What is it?
Another body.
Cadet Burns!
When O2 rapidly enters
an oxygen-depleted environment
causing explosion,
what is that phenomenon called?
A backdraft, sir!
Correct! Your reward
is 30 more pushups.
Next question...
- You guys the fire department?
- Trying to be.
The pool hall's burning down.
What, right here on the alley?
- Let's move!
- Grab the hose. Go, go!
We got eyes on a connection,
right there.
Get the hose hooked up!
Arch, you get everyone back.
Earl's in there.
My friend Earl is still inside.
Arch, don't even
think about it.
- No, Arch.
- Archie, stop!
Mi hija, has the Treasury
Department shown up to arrest you yet?
Daddy, that River dollar bill
you had in your fist,
where did you get that?
You know, it's amazing
what you find in the trash
when there's no one around
to collect it.
I knew it.
So now you're printing fake
River dollars to sabotage me?
Are you accusing me of
counterfeiting your counterfeit money?
My numbers aren't adding up,
and my numbers always add up.
Someone is flooding the economy
with money I didn't print.
Which, of course, devalues
the money you did print.
It's funny
how economics works, isn't it?
As Archie would say,
Daddy, you suck.
Where did you find this body,
Ms. Cooper?
I didn't exactly.
An associate did in the swamp.
And I know it's not Polly,
but is it...
Margaret Harper?
Yes. The telltale braces
are present on her teeth.
Likely cause of death, trauma. The
left side of her body was pulverized.
As if with a wrecking ball.
Oh, my God.
Wherefore are
my precious Vixens?
I cancelled practice.
We need to talk.
For starters, they're our
Vixens, as we agreed.
Fine, fine, fine.
They're our Vixens.
Happy now?
No, I wasn't
gonna do this, Cheryl,
but I'm officially
calling you out.
You've gotten away
with murder in this town
because of your money
and your privilege.
And I know you've been through
hell and back time and again.
But that doesn't give you a right to be
a holy terror in this town for no reason.
As if you have any idea
what it's been like for me,
holed up in Thornhill
for the last seven years.
Oh, spare me.
This isn't Drag Me to Hell.
You cursed yourself.
And what you're doing
isn't some grand sacrifice.
It's selfish.
Oh, so now funding the school
is selfish?
Money alone isn't going to
solve the problems of this town.
There are people out here every
single day putting in real work.
And I'm not going to let you take
over the Vixens for reasons of vanity
or revenge.
Cheryl, I want you out here with us
on the ground, one of the good guys.
But you're going to have
to take a good hard look
in the mirror
and get it together first.
Your cruelty is beyond words.
Nana Rose, I need your wisdom.
My heart has once again
been shattered.
Oh, Miss Marple.
To what do we owe
this pleasure?
Ms. Blossom, I went to sell
your brother's portrait
and made the most disturbing
yet fascinating discovery.
It was a forgery.
A very skillful forgery.
And before I call the authorities,
I thought we should chat.
Don't you agree?
What did Bernardo say, Sarge?
Rule number, one don't run
into a burning building alone.
You're never going to let me
live this down, are you?
No, sir.
Now, the good news is,
you're okay.
And you managed to save
that man's life.
Do we know
what started the fire yet?
No. I mean,
it's an old building.
It wasn't up to code.
Still, it's hard not to think
it was...
Arson. Probably started
by Hiram Lodge.
Wait. Who's Hiram Lodge?
He used to be mayor.
Now he's building
a new town next to here
and doing everything he can to try and
run the rest of us stragglers out of here.
Another fat-cat lining his
pockets by gaming the system.
Welcome to Riverdale.
All right, I'll see you fellas.
- Bye, Sheriff.
- Yeah.
Man, screw that Hiram guy.
That's okay, Eric.
This is just how life is,
for now.
No, it's how life always is.
Guys like us are just cannon
fodder for scumbags like Hiram.
That guy you pulled out of the
building, Earl, he's one of us.
A vet.
Another grunt who got chewed up
and spit out
by corporate greed.
Man, what the hell
are we fighting for over there
if this is what happens to us
when we come home?
A second body. They found
a second body in the swamp.
How do you think
they did that, Reggie?
I don't know, boss.
It's a big swamp.
But this is not the hill
to die on.
No, no, no, the turnpike,
just like the rest of SoDale,
is a necessary smokescreen.
I know.
But you could either be a villain
and pour concrete over the swamp
or you could be a hero and
let them search it properly.
Sure, the turnpike
gets delayed, but who cares?
We both know
that's not the real end game.
You make a good point, Reggie.
We'll acquiesce
to the Cooper ladies.
Let them wade
into the muck awhile.
I'll make the call.
We're so,
so sorry, Diana.
But you're...
You're sure it's my Margaret?
Yeah, it's her.
- No question.
- All these years...
At least, at least now I know
where she is.
I can say goodbye.
Who hurt her?
We don't know yet, Miss Harper.
My sister's also missing.
Other girls, too.
And so I swear to you,
we will find out who did this.
- Wait. That's not...
- It is.
Yeah. A special delivery
courtesy of Nana Rose Blossom
straight from
the Twilight Zone.
Damn, the smell alone!
That's maple syrup
and decay.
It's like a rotting tooth.
It could be anything, Jughead.
It could be...
It could be human bones
mixed with fake
synthetic bones or...
Or it's a mothman.
- It's... It's...
- We're not experts.
- This person is, though.
- Who?
This is Dr. Diana Whitley.
She's an anthropology professor
at Centerville U.
She specializes
in ancient cultures
and urban legends
and extraterrestrial
phenomenon.
I say we call her and see if
she'll come here and examine this
and tell us
what we're dealing with.
So what, in the meantime,
it's just business as usual,
while a xenomorph melts
in my diner's back room?
I'll take the night shift. I'll
make sure that no one comes in,
and stumbles upon
our little friend.
We have to get
to the bottom of this.
I suspect my father
has flooded the market
with counterfeit bills,
so we'll have to do
an in-depth forensic accounting,
recall all the River dollars
in circulation and determine
how deep a hole we're in.
But for now, sadly, we'll have
to shut down our operation.
Where did you get those
ink stains on your paws?
And don't say art class.
I want the truth... now.
We printed up ten grand
instead of one.
Wow!
So it wasn't my father
who screwed me over.
It was you guys.
You got greedy and triggered
an economic collapse.
Well done class.
F's for everyone.
We're sorry.
What can we do?
Well, you're responsible
for that money you printed.
Ten thousand dollars.
And unless you've got
a secret stash
of baby Glamerge eggs,
you'll have to work it off
by providing Riverdale
a much-needed service.
- Jackson.
- Earl didn't make it.
No.
Yeah, and I found out more
about your pal Hiram Lodge.
That bastard's done plenty to
deserve what's coming to him.
Jackson, you put
that rifle down now.
That's an order!
Sorry, Sarge, but we're
not in the army anymore.
No, I'm sorry.
I won't let you do this.
I won't let you ruin your life
over Hiram Lodge.
My life's already ruined.
I lost my leg fighting in a war
that didn't change a damn thing.
None of us mattered.
Eric, I know this is dark now,
but when you get into
that VA home they'll help you
see that things can get better.
They canceled my slot.
I found out this morning.
I needed help.
A lifeline. Man, I'm lost.
Damnit, I'm lost, Eric.
The only reason
I'm fighting so hard
to save this town is because it's
the only thing keeping me sane.
I'm white knuckling it out
here too.
I promise you.
And my friends don't know
because they
wouldn't understand.
What are we gonna do, Sarge?
For a start...
I think you should stay
in Riverdale.
The fire department
needs a new commander,
and I can't think
of a better man for the job.
And maybe, maybe we can
help each other stay sane.
It was exactly as Pops said.
Things started to shake.
The jukebox turned on.
- Uh-huh.
- It was 2:00 a.m.
I went outside and there
was this bright white light.
And then I woke up in a booth
and it was 6:00 a.m.
Hours had gone by. I lost time.
It was a dream prompted
by my grandpa's story.
Or is it possible that you were
sleepwalking or had you been drinking?
That's besides the point.
I haven't even gotten
to the craziest part yet.
Will you follow me? Please.
After I woke up, the first
thing I did was come in here.
Oh, my God.
I don't understand.
Me neither, but something very
strange happened in Riverdale last night.
Paying off your debt
while cleaning up the town,
if there ever was
a teachable moment.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I have a delivery to make.
So what's up, guys?
Gossip around
the teacher's lounge
is that Weatherbee
nixed your RROTC cadets
from being
volunteer firefighters?
Yeah, well,
he was pretty pissed
I brought them
to a burning building.
Well, we want to sign up like we
should have done in the first place.
I appreciate that, guys,
but it's too late.
Bernardo's back in New York,
there's no one left to train us.
Maybe I can help on that front.
Chief Russell.
Word got around
about a crazy hero
running into
a burning building alone.
Got to say it inspired me.
Okay, Chief, you're the expert.
What do we need first?
Well, a fire truck
might be nice to have.
You've got
to be kidding me.
Ronnie, what the hell!
What?
I wanted to do my civic duty
to help you and hurt my father.
How much do we owe you?
Oh, don't worry.
We'll be putting out
a Firefighters of Riverdale
calendar to defray the costs.
But in the meantime,
I just wanted to help.
Anything for you, Archie.
Two young women went missing
on the Lonely Highway.
Margaret Harper and Polly.
We found Margaret's remains
-in Swedlow Swamp,
-Where I found Polly's phone.
And we also found
another set of remains
in the swamp belonging to
an unidentified young woman.
And I reached out
to sheriff's offices
in the counties that touch
along the Lonely Highway,
asking about any unsolved
missing person's reports,
specifically young women.
They came back with 13 names.
And I've been in touch with
a network of social workers
in towns the Lonely Highway
runs through,
and I got 11 names back,
five of which overlap
with Tom's list.
So, we're talking about
21 missing girls.
How many of them are we
going to find in Swedlow Swamp?
Well, at least Hiram has agreed
to let us search it now.
Twenty-one girls,
they can't all be runaways.
Well, what do you think?
Human trafficking?
Or a serial killer.