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Riverdale season 3, episode 22 review: Survive the Night

By Catherine Palmer

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In the season three finale, Riverdale reveals how the Gargoyle King and the Black Hood are connected, and the Core Four are assigned a quest.

Veronica, Archie and Jughead get mysterious invitations delivered to their houses. Meanwhile, Betty wakes up in a strange bedroom to find an invitation and a dress waiting for her. She walks downstairs, reuniting with the rest of the Core Four… and Penelope, in what Penelope reveals to be the hunting lodge on the grounds of Thornhill (their estate that Cheryl burned down.)

Penelope saved Betty from The Farm just before Edgar could cut open her head by asking to meet with him. She tells Edgar that she knows about his side business and wants the buy all the organs. He agrees to sell.

Meanwhile, at the lodge, Penelope explains that she has a quest for “the sons and daughters of the original Midnight Club,” but first an introduction is in order. Here’s a look at what went down in Riverdale‘s season 3 finale, “Survive the Night.”

Who is the Gargoyle King?

Well, it’s not Jason Blossom… but it also sort of is. Chic, Betty’s creepy imposter brother who’s now a ginger, has been masquerading as Jason and working with Hal and Penelope. Why?

So remember last season when Betty gave up Chic to the Hood? Sensing a sadistic “kinship” with him, Hal decided not to kill him after all and, instead, took Chic under his wing. When Hal went to prison, Chic turned to Penelope, who Hal had been having an affair with, for guidance.

The OG G&G Gamemaster was determined to get revenge on the OG Midnight Club members, who mocked her Blossom “child-bride” status and didn’t offer support after Jason’s death, so she introduced Chic to G&G. He got Ben hooked, who got Dilton and Ethel hooked, and so on.

After bringing the Core Four up to speed, she reveals her endgame. They must embark on a final quest: surviving a night in the woods while facing a series of challenges specifically designed for each of them.

Who survives?

First up, Archie has to fight a “bear”… again. Despite taking quite a beating, he comes out on top.

Next, Veronica has to play Spin the Bottle: Russian Roulette Edition (a callback to that party in the pilot where Varchie kind of betrays Betty and has their first kiss). This time, Veronica and a partner (Betty volunteers) must take turns drinking from chalices, three each. One of the chalices is poisoned, and they must spin the bottle to pick the chalices. After her final turn, Veronica remains unaffected, so they realize chalice number six must be the poisoned one. Out of love for her best friend, she grabs the chalice before Betty can and downs it. Betty is devastated, until they realize that Veronica is fine.

Just then, Penelope arrives, and Jug asserts that it must have been a test of character and integrity rather than chance. None of the chalices were poisoned. Penelope reveals that, in fact, they all were, but with a slow-acting poison. The Core Four has to finish the game to get the antidote.

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Jughead is up next. He has to fight Chic. Jug questions why he would want to get wrapped up in all this, but Chic counters, why not? He has power. It’s good to be King. Well, not for long. Despite almost getting chocked to death, Jug ultimately knocks Chic out.

Finally, it’s Betty’s turn. She has to shoot her dad and get the antidote, or he’ll shoot all of them. At the last second, Betty shoots him, wounding him. Then, to Betty’s horror, Penelope shoots him in the head, killing him. Penelope spots Archie grabbing the antidote and reveals that it’s pointless. Even if the girls take it, they’ll die anyway, at the hands of her Gargoyles, who Penelope orders to hunt down the Core Four.

As night turns to day, the Serpents and Poisons, led by Cheryl (who Alice broke out of The Farm), and Toni arrive and chase off the Gargoyles. B&V take the antidote, and the Core Four take a moment to celebrate their survival.

But Betty soon realizes her mom might still be trouble. Cheryl reveals that Alice stayed behind at The Farm to protect Polly and that Edgar is preparing for the “Ascension.” The gang rushes over and finds Kevin, dejected and alone. He reveals that everyone has ascended, except him, because he had to stay behind to explain what happened: all of The Farmies are “gone forever.”

On a happier note, Varchie is back together after declaring their love for one another in the woods.

Alice’s secret

Earlier in the episode, Alice seemingly starts coming to her senses and confronts Edgar about Betty’s whereabouts and about “harvesting” rumors. Edgar denies knowing anything about Betty, but also admits he hasn’t been “entirely truthful” with Alice.

Just then, Cheryl crashes the party, revealing that Edgar stole Jason’s body to harvest his organs. Edgar has Cheryl locked up, but Alice frees her, along with Juniper, and asks Cheryl to look after the baby and find Betty.

Here’s where the twists start getting truly absurd, if still entertaining. In the aftermath of the Ascension, an FBI Agent, Smith, comes to town and tells Betty and Jughead that the agency has been investigating Edgar for months and that Alice was their informant.

How did Alice enter this line of work? Well, it just so happens that Smith is Charles, aka Falice’s presumed dead, secret love child and Bughead’s half-brother. Charles says he’ll be in town for a while because he wants to find Alice, and he wants his siblings’ help.

Spring Break Senior Year

Just when you thought Riverdale couldn’t get any darker a flash-forward reveals what’s in store. (Hint: The Core Four still can’t catch a break.)

Archie, Veronica and Betty are in the woods in their underwear and covered in blood. Betty says they have to burn all their clothing, including Jug’s beanie, and never tell anyone what happened. Furthermore, they must part ways after graduation to ensure that they’ll never get caught. Archie reluctantly throws Jug’s beanie into the fire.

First off, where’s Jughead? Did they kill him? That seems highly unlikely, especially given that Riverdale already tried to fake out fans by “killing” Jughead toward the end of last season. But if he is alive, where is he? And who’s dead? Because the Core Four definitely killed someone together, right???

Riverdale: 20 most shocking moments. dark. Next

Riverdale Randomness

  • Cheryl creating a shrine for Jason, complete with his dead body that she recovered from The Farm, can’t be a good sign for her mental health.
  • What is Penelope planning to do with those organs from The Farm?
  • Veronica and Hermione now co-own Pop’s and La Bonne Nuit, although that may not hold up because…
  • Hermione gets arrested for conspiracy to kill Hiram after Hiram pays a guard in his prison, the same one in which he’s currently incarcerated, to plant evidence. Smithers is now Veronica’s legal guardian.
  • Veronica gifts El Royale to Archie, naming him as the official owner. He wants to turn it into a community center and asks Mad Dog to run it with him.
  • Did you catch Billie Eilish’s “when the party’s over” playing during Varchie’s confession scene?
  • If Riverdale‘s fourth season takes place over their entire senior year, what is the plan for season 5? Will there be a “four years later” time jump since most shows tend to skip the college years?
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