Riverdale – Chapter One Hundred Thirty: The Crucible

Jughead (Cole Sprouse) narrates as the next big issue arrives in Riverdale: Communism. With the town ready to pounce on anything outside of their normal, Principal Featherhead (William MacDonald) and Clifford Blossom (Barclay Hope) interrupt Mrs. Thornton’s (Frances Flanagan) class to interrogate her. While the students are confused, Clifford explains that Mrs. Thornton is suspected of being a communist and will be replaced by Penelope Blossom (Nathalie Boltt) until a proper replacement can be brought in. Later, the group discusses what happened in class, Veronica (Camila Mendes) explaining how McCarthy cracked down on Hollywood already with communism….effectively ending the careers of a few actors and executives with words.  

Eager to check out their first official comic, Jughead and Ethel (Shannon Purser) go to the first newsstand they find to purchase a copy. Unfortunately for them, the crusade against comics has reached the local newsstands and the comics were returned to Pep Comics. Talking with Fieldstone (Garry Chalk) about the turn of events, Fieldstone explains that while comics have become persona non grata in Riverdale, he’s ready to buckle down and weather the storm. Ethel asks to take a copy of the comic she worked so hard on and Fieldstone agrees. However, Jughead and Ethel get a great idea and take more than just a few copies of the comic to execute their plan. 

With the witch hunt focusing on more than just communists, Clifford presents Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) with a list of students who are assumed to live a non-hetero lifestyle in Riverdale. This comes as someone came forward saying that Cheryl was seen kissing another girl. Being at the top of that list, Cheryl also sees that Toni (Vanessa Morgan), Kevin (Casey Cott), and Clay (Karl Walcott) are also part of the Top 10. To save herself, Clifford asks Cheryl to out her friends and confirm that list. When Cheryl refuses to do so, Clifford threatens to take away the one thing that means the most to her: the River Vixens.  

Returning home to the Pembrook, Veronica is surprised to find her father Hiram (Mark Consuelos) there. When questioned, Hiram explains that he is there to visit Veronica….and she is not convinced. Quickly, Hiram admits that he is there since he has upset Hermione (Marisol Nichols) but is eager to see what Veronica has been up to in Riverdale. Wanting to meet her friends, Veronica brings Hiram to school the next day to meet her friends. But Hiram’s meeting has an additional caveat: Hiram is also there in a teaching role for drama class. 

With the advisor gone and her typewriter and telephone also taken from her bedroom, Betty (Lili Reinhart) approaches Featherhead to find out the future of the Blue & Gold. But Featherhead effectively shuts down the newspaper, ruffling Betty’s feathers. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, Betty decides to take the typewriter from the Blue & Gold and begins her own publication calling “The Teenage Mystique.” Quietly placing a newsletter in each student’s locker, Betty’s publication offers the students a place to share their thoughts by advising them to write to her P.O. Box and address it to the “Girl Next Door.”

Cheryl is in turmoil over her Vixens and explains the situation to Toni, Kevin, and Clay. Toni asks Cheryl if there would be anyone that would want to take Cheryl’s position from her and the answer is clear: Evelyn Evernever (Zoé de Grand’Maison). Deciding to confront Evelyn, Cheryl finds that Evelyn did not witness the kiss but overheard her at Pop’s Diner.  

Knowing that Archie (KJ Apa) had seemed to have a good relationship with Mrs. Thornton, Featherhead places the red-head in the hot seat and asks him what happened. Archie denies any wrongdoing but later at home, Uncle Frank (Ryan Robbins) tries to deter Archie from pursuing a writing career and focusing on more manly activities. Advising Archie to pull up a seat in the garage as they work on Archie’s car. 

Continuing his tour of Riverdale, Hiram accompanies Veronica to the Babylonium and goes in to see a show. He requests popcorn as he heads in and Veronica goes to get it for him, only to be approached by FBI agent Glen Scot (Greyston Holt). Later at the Pembrook, Hiram explains to Veronica that he is being investigated for being a communist because he took a trip to Cuba for cigars. However, Hiram asks Veronica for a favor: testify that she was in Cuba with Hiram to clear his name. The next day at school, Veronica finds Agent Scot and wants to see the proof that the FBI has. Scot agrees to show her and she gets in his car, Archie seeing her drive away. While Hiram denies any wrongdoing, Veronica is shown pictures of Hiram not only hanging out with Vidal Mastro….but also a mysterious blonde woman.  

Archie goes to visit Mrs. Thornton, whose home is filled with moving boxes. Mrs. Thornton explains that she has accepted a volunteer position at the library in Greendale and will be moving away from Riverdale. Confused about what happened at the school, Archie wants to understand what is happening. Mrs. Thornton presents Archie with a copy of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible so that he can gain some perspective.  

Putting their plan into play, Jughead and Ethel decide to start selling comics a la black-market style out of Pop’s Diner. Students come over to talk with Jughead, he gives the signal, and Ethel hands over the requested comic. The plan seems to work beautifully. Unfortunately, they are quickly found out when an Adventure Scout (Steven Huy) is planted as part of a sting operation. Sheriff Keller (Martin Cummins) requests the remaining comics be handed over.  

With Cheryl in turmoil over her Vixens, Toni has figured out a way to hold off Evelyn’s tirade for now: Cheryl pretends to date Kevin and Toni will date Clay. This way the scent will be thrown off their sexual inclinations. However, during Archie’s reading of John Proctor’s monologue from The Crucible that Cheryl has a moment of clarity. When called down to Featherhead’s office to confirm the list of deviants to the Principal, her father, and Dr. Werthers (Malcolm Stewart), Cheryl stands up to her father and gives up her leadership role over the Vixens to protect her friends.  

After his monologue, Veronica finds Archie in the lounge. She was very moved by his performance and tells him so, their moment ending in a kiss. Later on that night, Veronica decides to get to the bottom of her father’s lies once and for all when he returns from his trip to New York. Veronica confronts him about the pictures and Hiram admits to his infidelity with a woman named Kelly….the blond in the picture. Even as Hiram pleads for Veronica to help him so they don’t lose everything, Veronica reminds her father that she was taken away from everything when they sent her alone to Riverdale. The only thing that Hiram is willing to protect other than himself is his precious show “Oh, Mija!”

The next day at school, Archie meets Mrs. Thornton’s replacement: Geraldine Grundy (Sarah Habel). Mrs. Grundy explains that she knew Mrs. Thornton well and was told about Archie’s great talent as a writer. Eager to help him continue, Grundy offers her time to Archie to help him and provide him works from her husband to inspire him. Archie agrees to work with Mrs. Grundy. 

For class, Veronica decides to recite a monologue from King Lear. After icing out her father for his choices, she ultimately agrees to write the affidavit to exonerate him…for a price. Her demands include that her father not only come clean about his infidelity to her mother, but also that the Pembrook is signed over to Veronica so she will have a home should Hiram try to hurt her again. Hiram acquiesces to his daughter’s demands.  

Eager to check her P.O. Box, Betty heads to the post office to see if there is any mail for her. When she only sees a card in the box, she asks the mail clerk (Teana-Marie Smith) what this means. Fortunately for Betty, it means that the amount of mail is too big to fit into the box. The clerk hands over a large bag of mail to Betty, who seems pleased that her newsletter is gaining traction. 

After Hiram’s departure, Hermione comes to Riverdale to see Veronica. Hermione then tells Veronica that her and Hiram have decided to announce the final season of “Oh, Mija!” to the press. In addition, after the show is over….Hiram and Hermione are divorcing. Veronica is stunned by this news, but Hermione has decided that with the divorce to put more time into her relationship with Veronica.  

With Jughead and Ethel’s stash of comics still on the streets, Dr. Werthers realizes that more drastic measures need to be taken to remove comics completely. The next day at school, Jughead stumbles upon students in a line holding their comic collections. Jughead asks Dilton Doiley (Daniel Yang) what he is doing and Dilton explains that Featherhead is buying back the old comics. However, Jughead learns the true reason for this plan later on….as he watches hundreds of comic books being dumped into a fire for burning. The plot to destroy comics and control the students has taken a dark turn.