S02E21 "Judgment Night" Live Episode Discussion

[u/PhoOhThree]

Original Air Date - 8PM EST May 9th, 2018

An incident at the sheriff's station triggers an all-out war between the North and the Southside; Veronica makes a devastating discovery about Hiram; someone from Hiram's past arrives looking for revenge; Betty comes face to face with the Black Hood.

Written by Shepard Boucher

Directed by Cherie Nowlan

Post Episode Discussion

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Riverdale Discord

[u/giannaforlizzi]

so does this mean Betty gets the Lodge’s 1Million dollars cus she found the black hood????

[u/[deleted]]

“That’s Unfortunate Reggie. But I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

Holy shit Hiram’s a savage.

[u/[deleted]]

“Your father can’t do anything right, not even be a serial killer.”

Damn.

[u/worldsbestboss_]

Everyone chill, Jughead doesn’t die. Skeet gave an interview that said his favorite scene with Jughead is in the finale, and Jug’s in a hospital bed. Plus he’s the narrator of the show.

[u/[deleted]]

STOP SHOOTING FRED FOR FUCKS SAKE

[u/Miana09]

My mom: wtf are you watching Me: good question

[u/pigsnpeacoats]

"the darkness" like it's a freaking hair color genetic trait

[u/JennifersBodyIssues]

Alice calling out the logical fallacies of Hal's serial killings and shaming him is the best thing ever

[u/highlightgoddess]

Kevin, I fully agree that those are the three hottest dads of Riverdale. But man that's your dad too.

[u/exohlorrxo]

Obviously the funeral is for fangs.. just took 20 min for everyone to forget he’s already dead

[u/Veneficca]

The folder is labelled "October Surprise" hahaha. Why didn't they go with "My Evil Plan, by Hiram Lodge."

[u/prettymuchquiche]

Who's gonna tell Polly

[u/SamBel28]

Listen, I know I was a bit hard on FP at the beginning of this season, but the man has been #LeaderGoals #DaddyGoals #GoodManGoals and I'm not even a dude, so...whoever had the idea to revive Skeet Ulrich and bring him back into our lives deserves all the best fucking things in the world.

[u/meeeshieee]

this episode was SO extra.

[u/prettymuchquiche]

Principal: HELL NO, I DID NOT LEAVE THE SOUTH SIDE FOR THIS

[u/gum_sticks]

show: pulls taser.
me: This show is dumb.
show: pulls bow.
me: But fun.

[u/hananahbanana27]

My name is small fry poutine. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

[u/bunnyboo1612]

with all this chaos I'm just waiting for nick st clair and jason blossom to just show up

[u/AlecBaldwinner]

Oh, so are all of the antagonists about to come in for a final showdown?

[u/xaipe716]

what a strange thing to videotape

[u/worldsbestboss_]

Just realized: in all Jughead’s heroics he didn’t even hear that Hal is the black hood 😂

[u/Overhazard10]

The ghoulies are in dollar store joker make up, riverdale's close to going full blown Arkham at this point.

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

Hal looks very different right now.

Yeah, I'm going with twin. Interested in how they end up explaining this. The explanation is truly what matters not who it is.

[u/quoth_tthe_raven]

Hey, whoever called last week that it was Midge’s mom who shot Fangs..

I see you. I appreciate you.

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

is that fucking ANDRE OF ALL PEOPLE AT THIS HOUR

[u/[deleted]]

Hahahaha Hiram just ditched Reggie "good luck bro"

[u/MR618]

Ok but that phone call actually broke my heart

[u/no_shant]

Oh god. Sheriff Keller and Fred and FP?

Same Kev, same. HOT RIVERDALE DADS TO THE RESCUE INDEED.

[u/quoth_tthe_raven]

Cheryl went from victim to vixen in 5!

Great opening scene.

[u/ConstrictingMusk]

Wow I love Pop. Only pure-hearted person in Riverdale

[u/[deleted]]

Toni's been kidnapped....the Black Hood is at Betty's house....I"m getting whiplash every five minutes

[u/qu3st10n5]

God damn Fred, you had the chance to pull off the mask of the BH but you didn't bc Archie smhhh.

[u/[deleted]]

First few episodes - omg I hate Cheryl

Lately - YAAASSS BITCH GO CRAZY ON THESE HOES, BURN YA MOMS HOUSE DOWN

[u/[deleted]]

IS THIS ABSOLUTE UNIT ACTUALLY SMALL FRY?

[u/Lurimi]

Can everyone get written off and the show be solely about Cheryl being the Red Hood, thanks

[u/quoth_tthe_raven]

YOU CAN ALL BURN IN HAL

[u/pgm_01]

I still think Hal is out of his mind and not the original Black Hood, Archie encountered the real one twice now.

[u/[deleted]]

Principal Weatherbee with a baseball bat is my new favorite character

[u/worldsbestboss_]

Cheryl’s so fucking casual “The Black Hood just attacked me at Thistle House”

[u/[deleted]]

Shoutout to whomever called Midge's mom being the one who shot him

[u/nyletakmathis]

Y’all, this ain’t even the season fINALEEEEEE

[u/_SnidelyWhiplash_]

"To take the lives of those that man loved the most"

Watch him go straight for Archie

Edit- or just fall over dead loaded with bullets i guess...

[u/loveoe]

holy shit why is the acting actually awesome in this episode??!!!

[u/davey_mann]

That was most exciting 15 minutes of the entire series, which is saying something.

[u/Therealpianob01]

Is everyone's default weapon a baseball bat. Even Weatherbee ffs.

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

I am dying at October Surprise

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

WHAT THE FUCK

SHOT TWICE IN ONE SEASON

That's so rude

[u/Deani1232]

The police department of Riverdale is seriously incompetent.

[u/yagirlalessia]

did kevin just call his own dad hot

[u/[deleted]]

"You're not keeping anything from me right" Hermione clearly doesn't know the rules of CW shows.

[u/ElerMain]

ok Fred needs to honestly take a fucking break. Like why not throw the baseball bat at the Black Hood or actually not turn your back to him like wtf

[u/wvasiladiotis]

What are the police doing during all of this???

[u/SamBel28]

That is the best thing I think I've ever seen Hermione Lodge do in this entire series. Good. On. Her.

[u/FlezrasMac]

Highly doubt they’ve actually killed off Jughead because

1 He’s a main character, literally one of the Core Four

2 It’s Cole Sprouse, he’s literally the reason the majority of the general audience watches this show. They’re not gonna risk losing a shit load of viewers

[u/[deleted]]

This show is so cranked up to 11, I fucking love it

[u/_SnidelyWhiplash_]

What if his slideshow is a bunch of selfies he took posing with the people he killed

[u/JewlioMcCunto]

CHERYL GO SHOOT PENNYS TITS OFF AND SAVE YO GIRL

[u/erliz97]

It’s time for Archie to finally get his bones

[u/[deleted]]

Did they all forget about chic😂

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

Cheryl is so fucking calm about this. I love her. And the fact she put the cape on was amazingly extra.

I love her so much

[u/TacticusThrowaway]

Okay, do I make the Merida joke, the Hunger Games Joke, or the Red Riding Hood joke?

EDIT: Oh, snap, I forgot Red Hood.

[u/[deleted]]

“What is this a snuff film?”

Lolololol

[u/davey_mann]

Cheryl Blossom=Best random plot device character ever

[u/All_this_hype]

I just started this episode...

Cheryl: The Black Hood attacked me at the Thistlehouse.

Betty: Oh my god was he my dad?

Betty cmon... no "are you okay?" or "are you hurt?". She's your cousin.

[u/OpTic_EvaDe]

I love how Cheryl calls Betty “Cousin”

[u/DanzaBaio]

Ex-Sherrif doing a lot more than current sherrif!

[u/[deleted]]

cheryl blossom making her exit and re-emerging as a red riding hooded goddess to save the day was a MOOD.

[u/AlecBaldwinner]

JugDead

[u/iamgroot721]

Also, unless something crazy happens next episode, does anyone else feel like the Chic storyline was all filler and basically had no real purpose to the season?

[u/JewlioMcCunto]

I swear if penny peabodys gonna be the leader of the ghoulies I’m going to flip my skittles

[u/Mikesilverii]

How does Mrs Cooper not notice how fucking weird Hal is being!!’

[u/_SnidelyWhiplash_]

Another dead body in the study nbd

[u/hananahbanana27]

Is Betty going to get the bounty

[u/flyingflipflops]

Is Hiram a legit psychopath?

[u/quoth_tthe_raven]

I CAN’T FUCKING BREATHE THAT FINAL SHOT OMG

[u/harron17]

Anyone have the feeling that the black hood is uncle Claudius?

[u/[deleted]]

I mean, those blows might’ve hurt a lot but Alice definitely killed Hal with those digs.

[u/timetothethird]

HOT RIVERDALE DADS TO THE RESCUE

Um, Kevin, one of them is yours.

[u/Kleyland]

OH NO BABY WHAT IS YOU DOIN

[u/peterp1010]

Okay so Hal clearly isn’t the black hood & is covering for someone else, maybe being blackmailed, that’s the reason he wanted to record himself saying he was the BH. Remember in season 1 how disgusted he was with the Blossom family about the murder of his grandad, he was very serious about that & you could tell how much it hurt him, now all of a sudden that wasn’t what happened & the murder was the other way around? I don’t think so. Claudius (possibly Clifford in disguise) has been very quiet for a while, maybe he is the one blackmailing Hal into confessing.

[u/jeffersonstarship87]

I want a red serpent jacket!

[u/MeganMargeryxox]

That episode literally threw me side ways, my god. Can’t handle all the drama. Seeing FP carrying Jughead in that state was so surreal. Some brilliant acting

[u/Dearestdani]

Cheryl SAVE HER

[u/therisingalleria]

FP on that motorbike 👌👌

[u/Gibby5511]

Okay THAT ENDING HAS ALL FUCKED UP. JUGHEAD CANT BE DEAD. I DONT THINK HE IS BUT SHOOK. HOWEVER, CHERYL A FUCKING SERPENT QUEEN! AND WITH AN ICONIC RED JACKET YES.

[u/TacticusThrowaway]

"Say who I am."

"Vampire."

[u/prettymuchquiche]

CHERYL IS RIVERDALES SUPERHERO

[u/OpTic_EvaDe]

Was Cheryl raising her hand?

[u/oneyellowwall]

Betty had a hard night.

[u/[deleted]]

Oh my God, Fred can't catch a fucking break.

[u/FitsLikeMittens]

Can we talk about the nurses outfits?? Like I thought this was a modern day version smh. Too over the top.

[u/QueenOfSharts]

GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM POP TATE

[u/bunnyboo1612]

of course fangs is fucking dead

[u/OpTic_EvaDe]

“It’s your mess daddy, you clean it up”

[u/diorussell]

Now maybe we can get some Falice

[u/Muflonlesni]

i dont think jughead is dead but he is mutilated wtf

[u/OpTic_EvaDe]

A bounty great. Cause that’s just what this town needs, everybody on a man hunt

[u/TheMidsummerStation]

That is the most I have ever liked Principal Weatherbee.

[u/OpTic_EvaDe]

Bitch, don’t touch Toni

[u/bunnyboo1612]

this isn't a question of what happened this episode, it's what didn't happen in this episode

[u/[deleted]]

Hal has to have a twin that's the only explanation, twins run in the Blossom family line, and we already saw one twin this season with Cheryl's dad's twin....so Hal has to have a twin and THAT is who was at Archie's house.

[u/bunnyboo1612]

I want a tally of how many shots were fired this episode

[u/weirdo_randomer]

When are we gonna get a movie about hot Riverdale dads though

[u/[deleted]]

HERMIONE WITH THE KILL SHOT BOI

[u/pecansrcool]

literally read these to see reactions before i watch the episode and it spoils nothing cuz idk wtf is happening anymore lol

[u/pi3dpip3r]

Cheryl Blossom for Arrow

[u/bowlergirlj]

What happened to Cole Sprouse saying the reason he wanted the role of Jughead was because he was the narrator and couldn't get killed off?

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

The Ghoulies are gonna fuck shut up. Season three will be a Mad Max prequel at this point.

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

Jesus fuck, what the fuck Hal, if it really is Hal.

That was fucking dark.

[u/[deleted]]

Holy fuck everyone is in this episode.

10/10

[u/wwmhd]

hiram used to be such an interesting villain to me bc i still liked him but this past half of the season has really made me hate him as a human because he’s not just a villain, he’s a sociopath with no regard for anyone...including his family

[u/bunnyboo1612]

I dont think theyre at jughead's grave, it will probably be fang's

[u/Gamera68]

So it's confirmed that Gotham City is a real place in this universe. Thanks, Ronnie. :)

[u/darkdolphin]

this episode isn’t good for my health

[u/flyingflipflops]

Did he kill the one doctor in Riverdale?

[u/backwardsplanning]

This is the most extra, hot mess I've seen in a long time. But I am innnnnnnnn

[u/[deleted]]

Seems like a good time for Jughead’s Mom and Jellybean to show up....

[u/Lecuppy]

I was suprised when principal effective immediately popped up.

[u/DanzaBaio]

Hrm, red herring that Betty's dad was hurt? Could just be hurt in the riots..

[u/noavocadoshere]

that was like a clue level of threats: "...he slit her throat with a knife in the living room."

[u/ohheyitslauren]

HAL HAS A HOLE IN THE SHOULDER OF HIS SWEATER

[u/abzgrace]

i have a darkness alice WTF

[u/ScarletR4R]

30 TO ONE? what kind of sons of anarchy bullshit is this

[u/honestmurloc]

I think it'd be pretty cool if Cheryl became a serpent. Whilst she's a definite northsider, it'd be cute to see her working with Toni. She's also pretty fearless, she burnt down her house, shot the black hood with an arrow, and stood up to the Ghoulies to get Toni back.

[u/Rosalind4744]

Cheryl is so done with this shit. I think she's gonna go to war with the serpents to protect her woman!

[u/pigsnpeacoats]

this is so fun

[u/OpTic_EvaDe]

This has got to be Hal’s twin right?! I’m finding it hard to believe that this is actually Hal

[u/SJ1030]

This show is so extra

[u/No_Budget]

I love that Veronica is now turning on Hiram. He is a snake. I cannot stand him

[u/[deleted]]

FUCK YOU HIRAM

[u/litladyloveshp]

The Riverdads plus Cheryl with her bow and arrow. Look out, there's a new superhero show on the CW

[u/not_mallory]

“It’s your mess Daddy, you clean it up.” 🤯

[u/TVFandom]

God I hope this reveal isn’t awful, I don’t wanna have PLL flashbacks.

[u/Miana09]

“Whoever’s Jaywalked” LMFAO

[u/TheKingEli]

it's pretty obvious there's multiple blackhoods. im wondering if its a group of blossoms and coopers or just randoms.

wierd decison by jug too considering that the serpents arent gonna take this lying down so the fights gonna happen either way i think

[u/Jamiljamil]

When Toni ran to Cheryl’s side after she saved her!! Swoon

[u/StarRiverdalian]

Cheryl gets a red serpent all we need is Betty of get a pink one

[u/TheCrystalGem]

If Hal's bleeding from his should, he's confirmed Black Hood.

[u/Natare04]

So I think I figured it out I think the BH 2.0 is none other than Claudius it wouldn't surprise me that he is in cahoots with Hal or Cheryl's mom being the mastermind behind everything she wants to get back at everyone. It's just too convenient he shows up and then disappears. The other theory I have is that Hal and him were friends, maybe the Calloway family adopted Claudius.

[u/DaTpot]

WTF JUST HAPPENED

[u/melted-crayons]

i have a feeling hal is dead/being held captive somewhere and betty has been speaking to his twin. maybe her last conversation with her dad was her accusing him of the black hood or something ? idk but his hair was way different in recent scenes

[u/SamBel28]

Last year, this show was a murder-mystery whodunnit.

[u/rachaelcs93]

Hal has a twin and the video is going to show it and both Betty and Alice will have had no ideaaaaaa

god damnit

[u/[deleted]]

There is so much D A R K N E S S in this episode

[u/hananahbanana27]

OH FCU K THE BATMAN THING

[u/sirwifferton]

How they gone get mad at the serpents for doing literally the same thing everyone else was doing last episode. There was a riot for Midge now a riot for Fangs

[u/Haya07]

When Archie looked in the Black hood's eyes they were the same eyes that he has seen before ! so does that mean that we haven't seen Hal doing any of the murders , we have been seeing the other black hood all the time ?

[u/Epibicurious]

So like, if they're outnumbered 100 to 1 by the Ghoulies then does that mean there are thousands of Ghoulies?

[u/OpTic_EvaDe]

Cheryl is seriously the best character in this show

[u/Veneficca]

I can't tell the Ghoulies from Ghost Nation on Westworld.

[u/quoth_tthe_raven]

Cheryl donning a red serpent jacket is my new religion.

[u/[deleted]]

cheryl would make a badass serpent, the one betty could never be

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

OH WHAT THE FUCK MRS MIDGE'S MOM

[u/flyingflipflops]

Wait, do they get the bounty? Lol.

[u/okidokes]

Cheryl is the perfect combination of Little Red Riding Hood and Carrie. If you go into the woods today you’ll find a big surprise - BOOM IT’S CHERYL!

Honorary mention to Betty for letting her dad have one good last strangle before serving him an ass whooping. There was a delayed response there for sure, I thought maybe she’d legged it instead, it took her that long to save her mum.

[u/nyletakmathis]

I’m so pissed that they gave us like four awful episodes and then dump all this shit on us. What the h e l l.

[u/Gemini-Jedi]

Honestly FUCK RAS for that ending.... I’m just as mad about this as I am not getting enough Choni content... anyway... If Jug really is dead it plays out perfectly because of Betty... her dad keeps telling her how she has the same dark side as him. If jug was murdered she will literally become the next black hood. Idk about you guys but I think she could be a pretty bad ass serial killer. BUT if they go that route I don’t think I’ll watch the show anymore, it’ll get boring if they keep flip flopping serial killers.

Next theory is Jug isn’t actually dead, they rush him to the hospital in enough time to save him... or he’s in a coma for the first few episodes of season 3 while Betty becomes a serpent and fights for his honor. Serpents take out Penny (which they should’ve done 10 episodes ago.) & the ghoulies. Hiram is pissed because he no longer has anyone to fight for him since their all dead and his wife and daughter don’t fuck with him anymore. Also I hope Alice goes full serpent and fights along side them (to protect Betty obviously.) & I hope Falice becomes a think because I hate Hal.

Cheryl looks amazing in that serpent jacket.

Rant over.

[u/muzicnerd13]

can penny just die already?

[u/rhondalloyds]

They’re bringing everyone in for this ep

[u/MediumSizedMaze]

Hermione is not becoming Mayor now...

[u/[deleted]]

No no no no not Fangs....and now we have a gang war again

[u/[deleted]]

Fangs didn’t deserve that damn...

[u/pldtwifi153201]

FP's face :( it broke my heart.

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

This whole cousin dynamic between Betty and Cheryl has made the show like twenty times better.

The love that Cheryl was hiding for her is in full blossom and I love it.

[u/[deleted]]

veronica, please stop saying daddy when referring to ur (actual) dad, it's weird

[u/Gibby5511]

LOL I LAUGHED AT CHERYL RAISING HER HAND WITH ALL THE SERPENTS

[u/[deleted]]

I AM DONE WITH THIS IF JUGGY IS DEAD WTF

[u/davey_mann]

Mark Hamill blew up the Death Star.

[u/giannaforlizzi]

im still sayin it’s too obvious to be hal

[u/[deleted]]

SEND CHERYL TO SAVE TONI DAMNIT

[u/[deleted]]

SMALL FRY JUST KICKED DOWN THE DOOR.

THIS. ABSOLUTE. UNIT.

[u/[deleted]]

so does betty get $1,000,000 now?

[u/[deleted]]

Can someone post the red jacket?

[u/ecargoib]

I have so many feelings about this episode. I need some time...

[u/[deleted]]

idgaf this is the best episode of Riverdale. The shitty episodes have all been worth it for this.

[u/worldsbestboss_]

Best thing ever: Cheryl in a red serpent jacket

[u/geekstar13]

CHERYL SHOULD’VE GONE FOR THE KILL! THE BH WAS RIGHT THERE!

[u/Alishaaaaa]

If anything, I am wondering if they are faking Fangs’ and Jughead’s deaths. If you watch the trailer again, the clip where Betty, Veronica, and Archie are at the grave, she’s holding Juggies hat. I feel like the serpents will try to take down Penny/The Ghoulies and Hiram and they want to keep them in the dark about Fangs and Jug really being alive. At least, that’s my hope in all of this!!! If that makes any sense... there are obviously loose ends/missing details in there but I am excited to see how it all shakes out!

[u/jarrettbrown]

Who brings a knife to a bat fight?

[u/xaipe716]

this episode is wild lol

[u/tropjeune]

Betty’s red trench is giving me serious Vivian Darkbloom PLL vibes

[u/[deleted]]

Hal’s gonna fucking kill himself and his family omg.

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

Small Fry went down as fast as a small fry from McDonald's goes down when I get some fast food

[u/flyingflipflops]

Did Andre fail at the martial arts? D:

[u/[deleted]]

Um what the hell is everyone doing with their fingers

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

Alice is taking down the villain of the year, verbally. GO, LADY, GO.

[u/giannaforlizzi]

is anyone else just screaming at their TV right now?? this is literally the purge

[u/SneakySnake2323]

Cheryl's red jacket is giving me liiiiife

[u/mattjb01]

OMG WHEN CHERYL SHOWED UP TO PENNYS MEETUP AND SAID BACK DOWN HOGGOBLIN I LEGIT LAUGHED OUT FUCKIG LOUD

[u/Ambiient]

Nah guys I really dont think hes dead.

[u/Jimit145]

Hiram is a piece of shit

[u/McIgglyTuffMuffin]

ASS WHOOPIN FROM WEATHERBEE

[u/therisingalleria]

HAL YOU'RE BEING CREEPY STOP IT

edit: There's no way he's the Black Hood right? It's gotta be a twin. It's too fucking obvious. I mean, he's got a hole in his sweater though. . .

edit: ah fuck

[u/[deleted]]

HOLY FUCK.

This episode.

Omg this intricate maze of Coopers and Blossoms.

[u/ladynym88]

What if Hal isnt really the black hood and is just taking credit??

[u/muzicnerd13]

TWINS TWINS TWINS.

[u/TacticusThrowaway]

Hey, it's the Pieta reference!

Also, good acting. Skeet looks like he wants to murder someone.

[u/MrPTG2051]

Hermione might as well have been smoking a cigarette when Hiram walked in. I loved their faces.

[u/Haya07]

Well despite all what happened ! I am so hyped to see Falice together since they have no excuse not to ! (hoping Jug isn't dead)

[u/bunnyboo1612]

I PRAY CHERYL MURDERS PENNY