RIVERDALE (S3E19) “Chapter Fifty-Four: Fear The Reaper”: There Is Always More Lurking Behind The Scenes

Riverdale was back with an intense rollercoaster ride of an episode. With the finale just weeks way, Riverdale is far from slowing down.

Keeping up with the Jones’s

It seems the game of Gryphons & Gargoyles will never release its grasp on the town of Riverdale – or Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse) either. What is the games’ obsession with Jughead? Whether it is him, or nefarious intentions behind the scene, Jughead Jones and his family once again become the targets of game whose consequences go from mild to death. This time however, the successful completion of quests has Jellybean’s life on the line.

Knowing the dedication of the games accolades, FP (Skeet Ulrich), Gladys (Gina Gershon) and Jughead agree to play the game with Kurtz (Jonathan Whitesell) – Gladys’ old cook who seems to be “cooking” up something revenge style this evening. With each quest, a member of the Jones’ family falls prey to the game, FP is arrested for attempted robbery, Gladys is hospitalized with knife wounds and Jughead finds that as the last man standing, he is the only one that can save his sister. Yet Kurtz had a different idea in mind, as he locks Jughead in a fridge container, and ordering the execution of Jones’ sister. Yet, Kurtz is not the only one playing a different game. As Jughead escapes, frantic to reach his sister, he finds Kurtz dead, the Gargoyle King standing off to the side alluding that he is the one that save him and his sister.

What does the Gargoyle King want with Jughead? Is there something to be said for players who take the game into their own hands? While all these questions run through my head, I am left with with biggest one of the night – How the hell is Penny Peabody (Brit Morgan) still alive?! This woman will just not die and continues to prove herself the truest coach roach of the series.

The truth Shall set you free

Or will it? Betty’s (Lili Reinhart) endless crusade to uncover any thing she can about The Farm finally provided information. Fuelled by a further necessity to uncover the truth due to her mother’s impending marriage and Edgar’s intention of adopting the twins, Betty’s moment of desperation sparks a thought – one that I am surprised she had not thought of earlier. For information on The Farm, she can find information on its most vulnerable right here at Riverdale High.

Betty, utilizing her trusty body pins, breaks into the school’s office, obtaining Evelyn Evernever’s school records. Yet, what she finds is greater than a notice to be exempt from Measles vaccinations. As Betty learns, Evelyn is actually 26, repeating her junior year in various schools to add in recruiting for The Farm. As Edgar targets the adults, she targets the children. And if that wasn’t enough, Evelyn and Edgar are married.

Racing the the headquarters of The Farm to warn her mother, Betty find that plans behind the scenes were farther reaching than she could have ever have thought. What is the one thing The Farm needs to recruit more members, bring the most disbelieving into the fold. Yet, as she escapes their clutches, the fears she carries with her constantly become a little bit lighter, as she discovers her father’s van transporting him to Hiram’s (Marc Consuelos) new prison has crashed with no survivors.

With her father’s death, is this the truth that will set her free? Free from the fear that her father may one day break out of his cell, returning too his murderous rampages? Free her from her obsession with The Farm?

Murder again?

As hard as Archie (K J Apa) may try, he just can’t seem to escape trouble with the law – or his own conscience. At the end of “Jawbreaker”, Archie’s fight ended in what looked to be death. Randy Ronson (Darcy Hinds), who had been given tainted Fizzle Rocks to improve his fight, succumbed to Archies final punch, falling lifeless to the ground. As his life escaped him, so did Archie’s attempts over the last few episodes to redeem himself.

As ” Fear the Reaper” (a call to the nickname give Archie by Elio) begins, viewers discover what they feared is true, Randy has died – cause of death still unknown. As the results from the autopsy, Elio (Julian Haig) and Archie begin a race to the finish line, truth, dignity and survival on the line. As Archie looks more and more culpable, his Valiant nature rings true he tries to even the score with Elio for himself and Randy’s family. Though as viewers will find out, there is more just outside of the picture, a puppeteer you may have discounted for sometime now. If there is one thing Riverdale consistently presents to its viewers, nothing is ever as it seems.

Conclusion

“Fear the Reaper” saw a lot of events come to pass, bringing with it heightened intensity for the finale. What is also brought was a goodbye to Josie (Ashleigh Murray), who is leaving to join her father on tour. While this exit was expected as Josie will be in the Riverdale spin-off, it was handled in a delicate and surprisingly deep way, most likely setting her character up for her next chapter with The CW.

Though as Josie’s future seems assured, there are many questions following tonights episodes, some I think we may have to wait until Riverdale returns next season to get full answers.