Riverdale – Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Nine: After the Fall

After the events of last episode, all seems well in Riverdale. Archie (KJ Apa) and Reggie (Charles Melton) go through their normal morning routines and Reggie takes to practicing some hoops while Archie sits down to pen some new work. So far, all is normal. Well, almost normal as Reggie saved the Bulldogs on Halloween from the car when it crashed into the river. While many of the players are well, Julian (Nicholas Barasch) remains in a coma. Clifford (Barclay Hope) is furious and demands that something be done about Reggie even though he was the one to save him, but Frank (Ryan Robbins) reminds Clifford to focus on his son. 

But bigger matters are afoot, as Ethel Muggs (Shannon Purser) finally took down the milkman (Matty Finochio) and explains to Sheriff Keller (Martin Cummins) what happened. But even as the Sheriff believes this is an open and shut case, Jughead (Cole Sprouse) is not so sure and has even more questions about the identity of the milkman. Keller will get to the bottom of it, but not before Ethel is about to be sent back to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Instead, Jughead calls Mary Andrews (Molly Ringwald) and asks her to take in Ethel instead…Alice (Madchen Amick) and Betty (Lili Reinhart) are in Mary’s kitchen and overhear everything. However, Alice makes a final decision to have Ethel come back and stay with the Coopers. 

As Archie regales Reggie as a hero for saving the lives of the Bulldogs, Reggie sees it quite differently. He would have been heralded a villain if anything had happened to them, especially Julian. So after being the only one who reached the surface, Reggie went back down to save everyone to protect himself.  

The next morning in the Cooper household, Betty is greeted by her mother coddling and fawning over Ethel. When Betty offers to have Ethel walk with her, Alice steps in and offers Ethel a ride to school. Angered by her mother’s flippant behavior, Betty tells Veronica (Camila Mendes) about the cold shoulder her mother has been giving her. In turn, Veronica tells Betty how her parents have locked her out of the Pembrook and she has been living at the Babylonium. With parental issues run amuck, Betty suggests to Veronica that they break into her old apartment and defy Hiram (Mark Consuelos) and Hermione (Marisol Nichols).  

In class, Mrs. Thornton (Frances Flanagan) reads a poem aloud to the class. Coincidentally, it is Archie’s poem. While at first Kevin (Casey Cott) believes that Clay (Karl Walcott) wrote the poem, Mrs. Thornton points out that Archie wrote the poem. A little shy, Archie soon realizes that his classmates enjoyed his work….as did Mrs. Thornton who hopes that he will use his voice more often.  

Welcoming back Ethel to Riverdale, Principal Featherhead (William MacDonald) and Dr. Werthers  (Malcolm Stewart) are eager to put the whole milkman business to rest and move forward. But Jughead still has questions, especially when Featherhead and Werthers claim that the milkman was a drifter….courtesy of Sheriff Keller’s assessment. Ethel and Jughead immediately blow holes in the drifter theory, but Werthers switches tactics but talking about how the milkman was inspired by the Pep Comics story…..immediately switching back to the negative impact of comics and why they should be banned. While Jughead and Ethel nod their heads to placate them, they do not buy that theory.  

Later at basketball practice, Frank appoints Archie as the new captain in Julian’s absence. Archie is flattered and talks to Frank about his choice, believing that Reggie should be the captain. Frank agrees with Archie, but is also trying to appease Clifford Blossom and keep focus off Reggie at the same time. Archie remains reluctant to be captain, but Frank produces Fred’s Captain patch to Archie. 

Taking a stand, Betty tells Alice that she is leaving the Cooper residence to stay with Veronica. Alice shows indifference to the decision, so Betty leaves and picks the lock at the Pembrook to break into the apartment. With Veronica and Betty quietly ensconced in their new digs, Veronica shares that she has invited Kevin and Clay to come join the girls in some fun. After some “South Pacific” and some drinks, Betty shares about her kiss with Archie and Kevin and Clay spill the gossip about which Bulldog is packing the most. Surprise, it’s Dilton Doiley (Daniel Yang).  

Meanwhile at Thornhill, news of Julian’s replacement on the team and the Bulldogs continuing to play has reached Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch)…who is not happy with this development. She finds her father to confront him, but Clifford pushes the narrative that the team continuing to play and win would benefit not only him but the town. However, it is when Cheryl refuses to cheer at the game that Clifford’s mood turns dark and he forcefully tells his daughter that she either cheer or suffer a fate worse than her brother in a coma. 

The next day at the pep rally, a hungover Betty, Veronica, Clay, and Kevin are watching from the bleachers….giggling as they see Dilton Doiley. Cheryl officially appoints Archie as the new Captain. While he flounders at his speech in front of the students, Mrs. Thornton approaches Archie afterwards in the hallway and encourages him to keep writing….as it seems to be his real passion. 

At Pep Comics, Fieldstone (Garry Chalk) welcomes Ethel back to the fold. With Ethel and Jughead back as the dream team, Fieldstone encourages the two to write a new story. But when they pitch a milkman sequel, Fieldstone shuts down the idea as the heat over the original story is still on Pep Comics. Jughead and Ethel can write about anything they want, except for that. But for Ethel, she is not ready to shake the milkman story as it has affected her life more than anyone else in the town. She wants to tell her story, Jughead ready to help her.  

After having their mascot stolen by Stonewall Prep, Archie, Reggie, and the rest of the Bulldogs go to confront them. Stonewall Captain Bret Weston Wallis (Sean Depner) taunts the team and tries to put down Reggie after his time on the team at Stonewall. Archie doesn’t buy in, but does get in Bret’s face the minute he mentions Julian and the financial status of Riverdale. Before Archie can throw in a punch, Reggie pulls him back and a wager is made: if the Bulldogs win, they will get their mascot back. The pressure is on to win.  

Imparting his wisdom with the team, Reggie pulls the Bulldogs together and gives them the weaknesses of each team member. Later while washing dishes, Archie admits to Reggie that he should have been chosen as the team captain, not him. Archie played basketball to be closer to his dad, but his real passion is not that.  

At the Pembrook, Betty and Veronica talk about their mothers and the way they have been living without them. For Betty, she tells Veronica how alienated she feels like she was adopted and in turn….Veronica feels like she was a mistake. Their conversation brings the girls closer together and they make a pact to grow up to not be their parents. But when they start talking about Kevin and Clay, their conversation turns to experimenting with girls. Betty admits that she has thought about Veronica in more than a friendly way and they go to kiss, but are interrupted by Smithers (Tom McBeath) and Mrs. Andrews. After running into Mrs. Andrews at her dress shop earlier, Mary decided to get to the bottom of the issue once and for all.  

Holding vigil at Julian’s bedside, Cheryl wishes for nothing more than her brother to wake up. She continues to cry and talk kindly to Julian, until he finally speaks and breaks the silence. Julian and his sarcastic wit have finally woken up, much to Cheryl’s glee. Later when Cheryl goes to tell her parents, she overhears her father with Principal Featherhead talking about getting rid of Reggie from the team. Taking the information that she finds out, Cheryl tells Archie about the big plan. 

After hearing the whole story of Betty’s disowning and Veronica being locked out of her apartment, Mary Andrews acts. She confronts both Alice and Hermione, chastising them for their actions and expecting them to act like parents to their children. Mary’s words strike a chord with Alice and Hermione, Veronica getting a key to the Pembrook and Betty welcomed back in her home. Later that night, the separation from their time at the Pembrook spurs Veronica to call Betty and they cement their friendship further…and possibly something more. 

With Cheryl’s information, Archie tells Reggie about the big plan and they figure out a way to stick it to Clifford. Reggie wants to lead the Bulldogs to victory as Captain. With Archie on board with the plan, they decide to take it to their teammates and Clifford Blossom. Clifford refuses to appoint Reggie as Captain, but when the entire team threatens to walk out he relents and allows Reggie to be Captain. 

At Pep, Ethel and Jughead have swapped out the milkman and turned the story into a mailman. Same type of uniform, different profession. Fieldstone seems reluctant at first but goes with the story for print. It may ruffle some feathers, but Fieldstone is ready to weather the backlash with Ethel and Jughead.  

On the night of the game, Reggie is ready to lead the team. He is thankful for the opportunity to lead the team and excitedly shares how his parents have come to see him play. When the Bulldogs take the court, Reggie is ready to take down his old team once and for all. The Bulldogs beat Stonewall Prep in a slaughter of a game. Later that night, Archie and Reggie talk about the game and Archie gives Reggie his father’s Captain patch. He at first refuses, then accepts the gift and plans to honor Fred’s memory. Archie stays on the team for now, not sure of where his real passions lie.