Riverdale recap: A farewell to Hiram Lodge

If you were hoping for tearful goodbyes, crazy possession shenanigans, and/or Jughead to join Team Superpowers, I've got some good news for you! This episode of Riverdale had all three of those things (and then some)!

Let's start with Jughead, who spends most of the episode struggling with his new reality. He can't get a cochlear implant for six months, which means he could learn ASL, but he doesn't exactly seem excited by that option. Nope, he'd rather mope around and spend his days NOT writing. At least until he meets Daniel, a man who lost his hearing in his 20s and ended up writing a graphic novel about his experience.

Suddenly, Jug is inspired, and he sits down to craft a graphic novel of his own. But you know what goes well with a graphic novel? A superhero! And seeing as how Jug ends the episode by being able to hear Tabitha's thoughts, well, let's just say that graphic novel probably just got a lot more interesting.

Speaking of superheroes, Betty and Archie spend the episode dealing with the downsides of having powers. For Betty, it's the fact that her new abilities come with some intense migraines. For Archie, it's the realization that palladium is his kryptonite. And it's not exactly a good time to be learning about weaknesses, because TBK is back in town and slowly sending Betty various pieces of Glenn.

TBK visits Betty at her office, where she realizes that he must be her blind spot because she couldn't see his aura. Meanwhile, all I could think about was how hot TBK must be in all those garbage bags. That's literally what fighters wear to cut weight, and this guy just chose this outfit?! He really is insane.

While TBK might not be a direct threat to Betty, he certainly is to Archie. When Dennis, a guy on Archie's construction crew, hands him some palladium he found, he then hits Archie upside the head and knocks him out. It seems Dennis — if that's his real name — is TBK.

TBK then goes through the trouble of putting his mask back on — but not the rest of the trash bags because he's (probably?) hot — and tying Archie up in his attic. Thankfully, Alice has perfect timing with her dropping off of Bingo, and Bingo knocks TBK out of the window.

As for what happens now, Betty decides she has to lead TBK away from Riverdale, but she promises Archie she'll circle back as soon as she can. I have to say, I'm really enjoying finally getting to see these two together after all this time, even if they are spending all their time avoiding serial killers and discussing superpowers.

Now to Cheryl — sorry, Abigail — who spends the episode getting caught up on the world today and setting her sights on Toni, the ancestor of her beloved Thomasina. Abigail is distraught when she learns that Toni is dating the descendant of Thomasina's murderer, and when Nana Rose calls Toni "serpent trash," Abigail locks Nana away.

Abigail then assures Nana Rose that she will take Riverdale back, but before she does that, she's going to get Toni. Abigail ends the episode by shattering the mirror where we see Cheryl trying to break through. (And Britta takes note of all of it.)

While all of this is going on, Veronica is dealing with the death of her father. First things first, she comes clean to Reggie about going through with the hit. She then spends the rest of the episode dealing with her grandmother and mother, both of whom are in town for the memorial service. (And naturally, Hermione brought her camera crew along for the trip.)

Over dinner, Veronica asks to speak to her mother in private so that she can tell her what really happened. Hermione then somehow finds a way to turn Veronica's confession into a chance to talk about how Veronica always seemed to love Hiram more? Are they really talking about how Veronica wasn't a good daughter to Hermione?! Because I think Hiram has more of an argument on that one, seeing as how his daughter just, I don't know, MURDERED HIM. But I digress.

After Hermosa fails at putting a hit on Veronica, Veronica delivers the eulogy at Hiram's service. She's then handed Hiram's final recording, which is a message about how much he loved her. In the end, he leaves her his rum business and makes sure she knows that she was the apple of his eye.

So it seems Riverdale really has gotten rid of its favorite big bad... but I trust that this Percival Pickens guy will take up that title in no time.

I don't know about you all, but I think I'm into these new superpowers? Riverdale has always felt like a place that needed that magical element, and from witchcraft to these new abilities, I'm happy it's finally embracing the crazy.

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