Riverdale – Chapter Forty-Nine: Fire Walk With Me | Season 3, Episode 14 | Rating 7.5/11 |
Before I get into the recap, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the loss of Luke Perry. I wasn’t sure if he was going to be in this episode and seeing him come in and play the father towards the end of the episode broke my heart. I was lucky enough to sit at a round table with him during Comic-Con and it was clear to see that this guy was an absolute gem of a human. The world is a sadder and dimmer place without him in it.
No Good Deed
Archie has a big heart. We know that about him, we love that about him, and sometimes we roll our eyes at him for it. Not many people would take in a random kid they found at their place of work – a stray dog or cat, perhaps, but not a kid. Let me back up a second.
Archie has been putting in his hours at the gym and as part of his “dues” for being there, he’s been asked to do evening cleanup and lockup amongst other things. He’s about to grab some food with Josie after cleaning up when they hear a strange noise and it leads them to a kid squatting in a supply closet. This kid is named Ricky and his story is that he ran away from a group home after a bunch of Gargoyles grabbed him and branded him when he wouldn’t run drugs from them. Coincidently, he has the same brand as Archie, which means he’s marked for sacrifice.
Ricky is squirrely at best even after spending a night crashing in Archie’s garage. After leaving him at Pop’s the following morning, Archie ran off but left behind the all too familiar artwork of the Gargoyle King. At Betty’s suggestion, Archie meets with a social worker they trust and after having a sketch drawn up, Archie discusses next steps with Jughead. Jughead uses the Serpents to mobilize a search party for Ricky, thinking he could be in serious trouble. They find Ricky at the old Gargoyles headquarters and, once again, Archie brings him home. A phone call from the social worker reveals that Ricky is the younger brother of Joaquin and has been known to have violent tendencies.
Once again it seems Ricky has run off but, instead, he ambushes Archie with a knife and he spills the beans. Ricky has been trying to join the Gargoyles in order to pick up where his brother left off and killing Archie would accomplish that. And that mark he supposedly got from the Gargoyles, he gave to himself: the whole thing was a gambit and a lie. Ricky manages to cut Archie with the knife before running away again but it’s nothing too serious as Fred patches him up just fine while consoling his son for being a kind and trusting individual. Also, I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Power Plays
There are lots of power struggles going on in Riverdale right now. Between the different gangs, Veronica’s troubles, the Farm, and a brawl between the Farmies, the Pretty Poisons, and the leftover Gargoyles for a classroom, there’s a lot to contend with in that small town…
Jughead
Jughead is still struggling to get cohesion and purpose for this new Serpents/Gargoyles mix. In fact, the Gargoyles are still playing G&G whilst in the Serpents and causing some mayhem such as raiding the chemistry lab for items to cook drugs for a quest and Kurtz and another Gargoyle dropping Fangs from the second floor of Riverdale High. If it wasn’t for Jughead and Sweet Pea being there to break Fangs’ landing, he could have been seriously injured. Jughead has been going to his dad for some help and FP says they need a purpose and a focus. This leads Jughead to give the guys a “quest” like finding Ricky for Archie. Kurtz being the pain in the ass that he is, says “peace out” and a few other Gargoyles follow suit, but some do stay to help. It was after this mission that Jughead got a great idea and working with his father, the sheriff, they hatch a plan for the new Serpents. The Serpents will work with the sheriff to be deputies and extra eyes and ears for the law. They will get paid, earn school credit for their work, and anyone who isn’t on board with this new direction can leave. Exit stage left, Kurtz.
Veronica
Veronica is getting beat down. Not in the literal sense but between owing a hefty sum of money to two giants like her father, Hiram, and Gladys Jones, she’s drowning in debt. A sad side effect of being in debt to two people also makes them think that they own you, which bring us to where we are now. Both Gladys and her father seem to think they run La Bonne Nuit and can do whatever they please. Between Hiram ordering endless drinks and refusing to pay for them and Gladys helping herself to the bar as she pleases, Veronica is struggling. In an attempt to raise her profits, Veronica installs some handy casino games that feature the ability to roll away quickly should they be raided by the cops. One particular evening, Hiram brings in a potential client and – if things go well – Veronica could get a 5% cut on what she owes dearest daddy.
That same evening, Gladys decides she wants to get back on the stage and sing, for which she will give Veronica a 5% discount on what she’s owed. Needless to say, the evening does not go well. Hiram’s client starts booing Gladys and becomes that annoying, unbearable loudmouth guy at a show that we all know and hate. After Reggie kicks him out, Hiram is not pleased and Gladys drowns her sorrows by helping herself to more of whatever she wants at the bar. By now Veronica has decided she’s had enough of being roughshod so she invokes that entrepreneurial spirit and hires the Pretty Poisons as security since they no longer have the Serpents. Needless to say, the next time Hiram and Gladys show up, they are denied entry and some clear lines on the sand were drawn: They will be allowed back into La Bonne Nuit when they learn to behave themselves and respect Veronica. Go, girl!
Farm Trouble
Betty has been attempting to thwart her mother’s attempt to sell the house at every turn. She’s had some success in driving people off by pointing out that it’s a murder house, but Betty has school and can’t be there all the time. If that wasn’t enough, she’s getting death stares at school from Kevin who used to be a really good friend. Betty tries to have a “check-in” with Kevin who calls her bluff and calls her transparent and a “detractor” when Betty shows her concern for the Farm and its influence on him. In addition to that, one day Betty spies various Farmies, including Kevin, holding their hand over a Bunsen burner. Creepy right?
So Betty goes to Josie for some help. Josie lets slip that Kevin has been sneaking out at night and suggests that perhaps Kevin is meeting the Farmies instead of sneaking off to Fox Forrest for hookups. Betty being Betty sneaks out and stumbles upon a Farmie ceremony of sorts where they are walking across hot coals and, despite Betty’s well-intentioned protests, Kevin does the walk and is firmly cemented as a Farmie. Hoping to do what she does best, Betty begins to write an exposé on the Farm and the ceremony she witnessed, when who should stumble in but Kevin and Evelyn Evernever. Betty’s threat to release this article is quickly stifled when Kevin threatens to air out all the Cooper dirty laundry including the fact that Alice killed a someone in the house, that FP got rid of the body with lye, and they dumped the car in the swamp. Betty is completely stymied in her attempts at exposing the Farm.
Other Notes:
- Alice did manage to sell the house to an anonymous overseas buyer and told Betty to pack. While Alice was out getting more bubble wrap, Betty took a candle to the curtains and left.
- Jughead and crew are making the old Gargoyle hangout the new headquarters for the Serpents. After some primer, paint, handy work, and removal of the weird stuff hanging from the rafters, it should be good to go.
- Archie is tired of still being “marked” and Jughead suggests that Archie make this whole thing come to a head so he can get out of this game he’s stuck in.
- There are some rogue Gargoyles still out there who left when they joined the Serpents so, best to keep an eye out.
- Cheryl and Toni are on the rocks and there are definitely some power plays going on. Things aren’t looking so good for this power couple right now.
