Riverdale Recap: Issue 12.13

What a silent, deadly night in Riverdale High, folks. It's time for your Riverdale Recap.

Lunch Money, Please?

Money is an issue. The Blossoms aren't able to have anything, but a "hard candy Christmas," and Fred Andrews just received his hospital bill totaling at $86,000. That's a whopper. Fred sells Christmas trees to get himself back on the right track, while Mrs. Blossom might have some other ideas up her sleeve.

Secret Santa in the Teacher's Lounge

Well, this is the holiday season, so we all try to forget our debts and finances, right? Thanks to Kevin who organizes a Secret Santa get-together at school, we see how strained the relationships are between Jughead, Betty, Archie and Veronica. Veronica receives a couples massage coupon, that she obviously thinks is from Archie. But Arch went a different route and got the Swiss Family Robinson record he and Betty used to listen to when they were kids. Yep, feelings are starting to arise again. But it wasn't only that memory of that Swiss Family that came up, she and Archie noticed that Mr. Svenson has been missing for several days. Remember when he was confronted by Archie and Veronica? She and Archie decide to sneak into Mr. Svenson's house to investigate his whereabouts. Obviously, Betty has not gotten enough of going into people's houses without them being there. Luckily, nothing happened. But this is short-lived as she gets back home and receives another Secret Santa gift. It's gift from #TheBlackHood. What could it be? Mr. Svenson's FINGER. That is NOT what I want to get in my stocking, sir. She receives another call from him and he tells her the only way to find out about Mr. Svenson is by finding out where Riverdale's first sin was committed. They head into town to talk to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. It is here they find out Mr. Svenson (aka Joseph Conway) got that group of men that killed his family, to kill the murderer. EXCEPT IT WAS THE WRONG MAN. So, Joseph sentenced an innocent man to death. That was his sin. They find out that Nana Rose was part of the group that participated in the murder of this man, so they retreat to the Blossoms household, where Cheryl has "purchased" a beautiful tree. Nana Rose tells them no women were allowed in the group, and went into detail about burying the man alive. She also says Betty's grandfather had something to do with the burial as well. Plot twist, baby.

Oops, You Dropped a Penny

Jughead pleads with FP not to continue with the Serpents, but FP says he will be her "dancing monkey" to protect him. Jughead has enough and gathers his Serpent(y) friends around a fire and pledges to take Penny down. He and his group of gangsters head to the spot a few minutes before she and FP were supposed to do a drug deal. The group masks her and takes her to Greendale where he gives her a long speech about loyalty and how she will never hurt anyone again. She thinks she's in the clear when she flashes her Serpent tattoo and claims no one Serpent can harm another. Well, that's a simple change for Jughead...he just skins it right off. NBD. See, I thought he might kill her...but, he didn't. So, we all know Penny is coming back for revenge.

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Hood

Betty and Archie head to the shallow grave where they see a headstone marked "Mr. Svenson." They dig through and find an empty coffin. As they're exploring, they get an unexpected surprise from #TheBlackHood. Great. He demands Archie get into the coffin or he'll shoot Betty. Archie follows through and Betty must pour the dirt back on the coffin. As she follows  orders, police sirens ring, distracting #TheBlackHood. She whacks him with the shovel and she gets Archie out. #TheBlackHood runs away, but he forgot his gun. Betty and Archie pick it up and chase after him. They get to the bridge (which seems to be a location of contention in this town), and #TheBlackHood attempts to jump. But before he does, Sheriff Keller shows up and shoots him down. The big reveal? Mr. Svenson. Yep. We nearly piddled.

This midseason finale was amazing. We want more! Guess we'll have to wait until next year. See ya then for your Riverdale Recap!

--Wendell Scott