Riverdale: 20 most shocking moments during the first three seasons

Riverdale — “A Kiss Before Dying” — Image Number: RVD201a_0538.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Martin Cummins as Sheriff Keller, KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network. All Rights Reserved

20. The Black Hood Kills Miss Grundy

Episode: “Chapter Fourteen: A Kiss Before Dying” (Season 2, Episode 1)

With a mousy personality, giant glasses that dwarfed her face and hair that was pulled back into the tightest bun imaginable, Geraldine Grundy was the walking personification of a teacher when she walked the halls of Riverdale High. However, outside of school, she wasn’t afraid to use her beauty to get what she wanted and manipulated student Archie Andrews into falling for her.

While we did eventually see that there was more to her story and that she did, perhaps, care for Archie, she was caught out by the Coopers and Archie’s father, Fred. As a result, she left town immediately, with her secret intact and the freedom to do it all again in Greendale – and that was the last we saw of her in Season 1.

After overcoming an abusive marriage, a murder investigation and almost being publicly recognized for her predatory ways, we truly thought that Miss Grundy was untouchable. That’s why we were stunned when we briefly caught up with her in the Season 2 premiere only for her to be brutally killed by the Black Hood. It wasn’t just an incredibly graphic moment (he strangled her with a cello wire); it so unexpectedly jaw-dropping because we were all wondering how Riverdale’s self-proclaimed “Angel of Death” could have possibly known about her secret love affair with Archie.

It’s safe to say that Riverdale High’s former music teacher wasn’t everyone’s favorite character, but she did add her own unique brand of strange to the show during its first couple of episodes, which is why it came as a shock to see her disposed of in such a violent and abrupt manner – and it certainly set the tone for the remainder of the season, allowing the Black Hood to make his mark on the show by destroying one of the main focus points of Season 1. After that, we were all paying attention.