Betty Cooper

"You think you're the only one who can scare people by being crazy? You may have fooled my mother, but not me. I'm gonna bring you down. Because I catch bad men. I caught Clifford Blossom. I caught the Sugarman. I caught the Black Hood. And you know what they all have in common? They're dead. Consider yourself warned."

- Betty to Chic

Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper is a main character on The CW's Riverdale. She is portrayed by Lili Reinhart.

Betty is a student at Riverdale High School and longtime best friend of Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Kevin Keller and new girl Veronica Lodge. She is also a River Vixen at Riverdale High as well as an editor for the Register, with her mother, Alice Cooper. She also the aunt to Jason and Polly's twin babies. Betty is the youngest sibling to her sister, Polly, and older half-brother, Charles Smith. Most recently, Betty has followed in her mother's footsteps of joining the Southside Serpents, alongside her boyfriend, Jughead, making her the Serpent Queen to his King.

Character Description
''Sweet, studious, eager-to-please and wholesome as apple pie with a huge crush on her longtime best friend, Archie. Tired of being the perfect daughter, student, sister, etc., she turns to her new friend, Veronica, for life advice — much to the consternation of her emotionally brittle mother.  ''

Early Life
Betty grew up in Riverdale with her parents, Alice and Hal Cooper, and her older sister Polly. Her childhood best friend was Archie Andrews, and as the years passed, she grew to harbor romantic feelings for him, which she dared not reveal. Betty's family life was very tense, as her mother was extremely controlling, which led to her sister having a mental breakdown and being sent to live in a group home. Though her parents claimed this was caused by Polly's disastrous relationship with Jason Blossom, Betty knew better. As the only remaining daughter in the Cooper household, she was placed under immense pressure by her mother to be perfect in every way.

Throughout Riverdale

 * -|Season 1=

Season 1
{{Scroll-1|

Power Couple: Barchie?
At the Cooper house, Kevin coached Betty as she got dressed for an evening out with Archie at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, she was nervous, but at the same time believed that the time had finally come for her to ask him out. They discussed their summer activities as they sat in a booth at the diner, Betty loved her internship, but while pouring cement all summer was no fun for Archie, he did find a new passion, a love for writing songs. Betty then saw her moment to reveal her feelings towards Archie, but they were interrupted by the arrival of Veronica Lodge, who was picking up an order.

On her first day as a sophomore, Betty's mother insisted that she do co-curricular and keep her guard up, as that year would be important for her college applications. Betty's mother also reminded her of the path that her older sister, Polly, went down by getting involved with Jason Blossom, and how it ruined her life. Betty hadn't forgotten, and she told her that Archie isn't Jason, so they shouldn't be compared.

Betty gave Veronica a tour of the school, and it wasn't long before they were joined by Kevin, who made it evident to Veronica that despite the fact that Betty and Archie weren't together, they are end-game. This came up as Veronica simultaneously spotted Archie in the hall.

Later that day, Betty, Archie, and Kevin were joined by Veronica, during which time Archie played them a sample of his music. Cheryl Blossom joined the table soon after, and she invited Veronica to try out for the River Vixens, who then invited Betty to try-out as well. Cheryl coldly agreed, but not without taking a jab at Betty, saying that she already had so much her plate, alluding to the fact that Betty was not slim enough to be a cheerleader when she tried out last year. Betty had doubts that she'd actually make the team, but Veronica wasn't taking no for an answer, so she encouraged Betty with compliments to her appearance and intelligence. She then offered to assist her in preparing for the try-outs if that's what she truly desired.

In spite of their best effort at try-outs, Cheryl found their routine to be dull and boring, this prompted Veronica to kiss Betty in an attempt to save their routine. Sadly, Cheryl was not impressed, as she stated that lesbian kisses were outdated. Then came the interview portion of the try-outs, in which Cheryl pressured Betty into talking about Polly, more so Polly's relationship with Jason, Cheryl's brother. If bringing up her sister wasn't bad enough, Cheryl denied Betty a spot on the River Vixens, which led Veronica to come to her defense. She demanded that Betty receive a spot on the squad, or else she wouldn't join and with no other choice, Cheryl reluctantly agreed.

After acquiring their River Vixens uniform, Betty asked Veronica why she defended her, as Betty was very much aware of the crowd that Veronica ran with back in New York. Veronica's drastic change in character was due to the arrest of her father, they were verbally attacked through letters and emails, and what hurt the most was that everything that was being said about her family was true, so moving to Riverdale was a fresh start. Since Cheryl had previously brought it up, Betty decided to tell Veronica her about Polly and Jason's romance, it meant everything to Polly, but nothing to Jason, the relationship quickly grew to be toxic, which led to their mother turning on Polly. Jason may have hurt her, but it was their mother that broke Polly. Then moving on to their next topic of discussion, Betty was pressured by Veronica to ask Archie to the back-to-school Semi-formal but due to her lack of confidence, Betty ended up asking Archie to be her and Veronica's escort to the dance instead.

Excited over Archie saying yes, Betty danced around her room, while wearing her cheer uniform, then her mother came in, angered by the fact that her daughter joined a cheer team led by Cheryl Blossom, as the Blossoms and Coopers had an on-going feud.

Betty refused to remove the uniform, tired of being the perfect daughter, sister, and student, she would not quit the cheer team as it is the one decision she had made for herself. Before leaving, she informed her mother that she would be attending the school dance with Archie and Veronica. As planned, Betty, Veronica, and Archie attended the semi-formal. After a nudge from Veronica and Kevin, Betty managed to ask Archie if there was a chance they could ever step up their relationship and become a couple. Unfortunately for Betty, Archie seemed unenthusiastic at the confession of her feelings toward him and could not see such a future for them.

Despite their current situation, they went to the after-party at Cheryl's house, where they were forced to play "", much to Betty's dismay, Archie and Veronica were up first. When they came out, Cheryl was delighted to inform them of Betty's abrupt departure, considering the both of them had betrayed her.

Archie went to meet Betty at her house in order to clear things up, she asked with all her heart if he had any romantic feelings towards her, but he didn't, Archie never wished to pursue a romantic relationship because he just wasn't good enough for her and she deserved better. He could not offer her what she wanted.

The following morning, Betty stood at the shore of Sweetwater River as Jason Blossom's body was brought in.

Sunday night, following the discovery of Jason Blossom's body, Betty received a text from Archie, though she wasn't interested in talking. The subsequent morning, before leaving for school, she had a brief chat with her mother, who reminded her that people like Archie, Veronica, and Cheryl are not her friends and that their recent betrayal is only further proof of that. Despite telling her mother that she would no longer seek friendship from Archie, Betty did the very opposite by asking him to walk her to school. She needed time to process the situation, to separate what she wanted from what her mom wanted, and what she wanted was to be friends with Archie. Betty was taken by surprise with Veronica's apology, one that included her being gifted with flowers, cupcakes and manicures.

Although Betty accepted the apology, she did so while under the impression that Veronica was simply being shallow, and that she'd latch on to someone else eventually. Betty, Kevin, and Veronica joined Archie at lunch, while he worked on his music. At Veronica's request, he played one of his new songs, which overwhelmed Betty, and she ran away from the table as her eyes filled with tears. Archie caught up to her, wanting to talk, Betty explained that she felt safest and most herself whenever she and Archie were at a booth at Pop's, but after the events that took place that weekend, she no longer felt that way. Later, at cheer practice, she and Veronica got into an argument over Archie, her informing Archie of her true feelings towards him, and the awkward tension now between them because of it.

To get back at Veronica, Betty invited Cheryl to get manicures with her, but it backfired when Cheryl again drilled Betty with questions about Polly and Jason's relationship. It escalated when Cheryl accused Polly of being the person who murdered Jason, having enough of Cheryl and her vindictive ways, Betty told her to get out the house otherwise, she'd kill Cheryl. At school, Betty admitted that Veronica was right about what she said pertaining to Archie, sometimes it's hard to admit things to yourself, Betty said. That night at the Pep Rally, Betty was shocked to see Archie's bruised eye after his fight in the student lounge with Reggie. Following a performance by Josie and the Pussycats, Cheryl took off the stage in tears with Betty and Veronica behind her, Betty watched from a distance as Veronica consoled Cheryl.

Seeing this with her own eyes, Betty realized that she had been wrong about Veronica's motives, so they reconciled with malts at Pop's shoppe. Unexpectedly, Archie and Jughead entered the diner soon after, so Betty invited them to join her and Veronica at the table.

Reviving the Blue & Gold
Hot off the presses, Alice threw their latest print from The Register onto Betty's bed, it read: "CHERYL BLOSSOM GUILTY AS SIN!". First, her mother leaked Jason Blossom's autopsy report, and now that, Betty insisted that her mother stops with sensationalizing his death. Whatever Jason may have done to Polly, they needed to keep in mind that he was still a person. The Register should have been writing about the real story, such as what happened to Jason, who was holding him captive, why he was frozen, and who fired the gun on July 4th. Since Betty was so keen on reporting the facts, Alice offered her a job at the Register, they could really use a type like Betty.

Jason's death changed Riverdale, people don't want to admit it, but they all feel it, nothing that bad was ever suppose to happen, so Betty wanted to know why. To further investigate the unsolved murder of Jason Blossom, Betty sought to revive the Riverdale High School newspaper, The Blue and Gold. She convinced Jughead, and his well-found journalist skills, to join her. She gave him an important task as the newest member to use his journalist skills and investigate the case of Jason’s disappearance. For his first assignment, Betty mentioned that there was one person no one had been talking about who was at Sweetwater River on July 4th: Dilton Doiley and his scouts. After going on a date with Chuck Clayton, who Betty had earlier labeled as a player, Veronica was branded with a "sticky maple", which was an act of visual slut-shaming in Riverdale.

Veronica was furious and was not about to go down without a fight, so she wanted revenge and was ready to go all "Full dark, No stars", willing to allow Betty to join her if she pleased. They stormed into the boy's locker room, passing an unprepared Archie who nearly dropped the towel tied around his waist. They then found Chuck, and Veronica demanded that he remove the photo he posted. Despite her "closet date" with Archie, Betty defended Veronica, telling Chuck that he was not allowed to go around humiliating girls for any reasons, under any circumstances. Unfortunately, nothing they said got through to Chuck, he replied that Veronica's high-tone and bitch attitude had no power in Bulldog territory.

Later on, Betty called Veronica to come back to school, as she'd gathered other girls who were also slut-shamed by Chuck Clayton and his posse. Veronica listened to Ethel's experience with Chuck's ways when Cheryl interrupted, informing them annoyingly that River Vixens practice started in five minutes. Ethel then said that they keep their conquests in the playbook, to which Veronica was ready to expose them "book or no book, proof or no proof" because they'd gone too far. Betty, Veronica, Ethel, Kevin and Cheryl met up later in the night as they broke into the school to find the playbook, where Chuck and his teammates kept track of scores, and thanks to Trev Brown, they knew just where to look. Ethel found the book by the shelf, while everyone gathered to see the contents inside, they found out that all of it was true, Veronica and Ethel were in the book, as was Polly, who was listed under Jason's name.

Cheryl was shocked that her brother would even be a part of this, but Betty was not. Now it was her turn to go "Full dark, No stars" on avenging not only Veronica and the girls, but also her sister, Polly. She returned home that night and applied make up before leaving out as Betty started her revenge plan by flirting with Chuck at Pop's shoppe, and asking him to meet her at Ethel’s house. He arrived to find Veronica by the door instead, she explained that they decided to "share". Betty soon entered the room in a black wig, red lipstick, and lingerie stating that "Betty couldn't make it, so she sent me instead." Veronica and Chuck both held a look of surprise, as they observed this "other side" of Betty.

Betty then slipped Chuck a muscle relaxer and hand-cuffed him up to the rail in the hot tub, forcing him to confess on video. However, she took a step too far by pushing his head into the boiling water with her high heel and poured a bottle of maple syrup all over his face. As she was doing this, she started telling him to say sorry for “ruining Polly”, addressing him as Jason, she then added, “Say you’re sorry for destroying me”. Veronica was disturbed by her attitude and told her that it was enough, as she stopped the recording. The next morning, Veronica found Betty by the lockers, and she expressed her appreciation for Betty’s help but also told her how concerned and freaked out she was by her odd behavior.

Betty’s nonchalance didn't seem so convincing, especially considering that the wig was tucked away in her locker. Given that she and Veronica had enough proof, Coach Clayton was forced to remove his son, Chuck and his football cronies off the Riverdale Bulldogs team. Later, Betty and Cheryl watched as the playbook burned up in the trash can, as Cheryl apologized about Polly if Jason really did hurt her.As for that gunshot incident on the 4th of July, Dilton does meet up with Jughead and Betty. He begs Betty and Jughead not to publish a story saying that he fired the gunshot the day Jason went missing. In return, he offered them a better story: he saw Ms. Grundy’s car by Sweetwater River that morning.

Detective Betty
Betty's latest diary entry read: "Dear Diary, Sheriff Keller doesn't know what I know, that Riverdale High's music teacher, Geraldine Grundy, was at Sweetwater River the morning Jason Blossom went missing, and that since Archie was also there, they could have been there together." At pop's shoppe that night, Betty seemed distracted as Jughead ranted and raved about the closing of the Twilight Drive-In, while Veronica and Kevin failed to calm him down. Jughead invited each of them to the closing night. Betty suggested they play "". By mere coincidence, Archie, Mr. Andrews and Ms. Grundy happened to walk into the diner that night, presenting Betty with the perfect opportunity to gain the answer she has been seeking.

Just outside the shoppe, where they could talk privately, Betty asked Archie if he was at Sweetwater with Grundy, which he was, revealing that he was in a relationship with Grundy to Betty and Veronica. She reminded Archie that what he was doing was illegal, and Veronica backed her up, however, Grundy was there for him when no one else was. The next morning in the music room, Betty interviewed Ms. Grundy under the false pretense that The Blue and Gold was doing a series of articles spotlighting teachers. Betty asked her a string of questions, everything from former schools she taught at to her independent studies, which surprisingly included Jason Blossom. The interview came to an abrupt end as Betty attempted to bait Ms. Grundy into revealing any inappropriate feelings she may have had about her students.

Later that day at Pop's, after doing some research on Ms. Grundy, she and Veronica informed Archie that Geraldine showed up in Riverdale a year ago, there's no record of her existence before that. The only Geraldine Grundy they could find was an elderly woman that died seven years prior. Betty told Archie about Grundy's teaching with Jason, and that he did not know anything about her despite the fact that they were in a relationship, but if Betty was truly his friend, she would let it go, Archie said.

That night, despite agreeing to let it go, Betty and Veronica broke into Ms. Grundy's car, hoping to find some kind of evidence that would prove she's not as clean as she claims, and inside a metal box, they found an ID that said Jennifer Gibson, and a handgun, which they presented to Archie. Betty suggested that Grundy may have been involved in Jason's death, but Archie didn't stick around to hear them out.

The next day, Betty learned from Archie the truth behind Ms. Grundy's fake identity and gun, but she still didn't believe that it made what Grundy did to Archie acceptable. Archie insisted that she didn't do anything to him, and that he was all she had, even though all Betty wanted him to do was realize what he was doing for not only his sake but Ms. Grundy's as well. Inside Betty drawer, Alice found Grundy's gun, which led her to not only read Betty's diary but to confront Betty on all she had just learned. After retrieving Mr. Andrews from the drive-in, the three of them, although Betty was less than willing, confronted Grundy at the school, where they caught Geraldine and Archie in a passionate embrace. She questioned why her mother was so persistent in putting Grundy on trial, but in actuality, her vendetta was against Archie, but no matter what her mother did, Betty would never stop being his friend.

Alice threatened to call the police and inform all their neighbors of what had taken place between Archie and Grundy. However, had she done that, then Betty would have told everyone that she broke into Grundy's car to rob her, and made up the affair. It would be as if she had finally snapped, like Polly, it would only further prove what everyone had already thought of the Cooper family, that crazy ran in the family. Just then, everyone in the room came to an agreement, Geraldine would quit her job and leave town, and no one would speak a word of the entire incident, though Archie was less than satisfied with the end result. Back at the house, Betty reminded her mom that she was her own person, not Polly, and that Archie was not Jason, so Alice needed to stop using them to control her life. She then sent Archie a message apologizing for what had just transpired, which he forgave her for as she was only trying to help.

Betty, Jughead, and Kevin reconstructed Sheriff Keller's murder board at The Blue and Gold offices, and, they still had no leads on who broke into the Sheriff's house and stole the evidence in the Jason Blossom murder case. Trev interrupted the three of them as he came into to make sure that he and Betty were still on for their date. Leading Kevin to question if her mother knew about this, which she didn't because Alice was out of town on a woman and journalism spa retreat. Although Betty explained that it wasn't actually a date, it was her cover for what was really an intelligence-gathering mission. Betty, Jughead, Kevin and Veronica Joined Archie as he set in the bleachers looking over football plays, she wondered if he was putting all his attention into football in hopes of avoiding his feelings.

They were briefly joined by Cheryl, who invited each of them to Jason's memorial, and while she was particularly obnoxious to Veronica, Betty suggested that Veronica go and talk to her. As planned, Betty went on her date with Trev at Pop's shoppe, she wondered if he and Jason were close. Trev explained that they were, but then he began acting weird and secretive, Trev thought it was about Polly as Jason had been dating her a few weeks before he changed. Jason had stopped handing out with Trev, and he began selling all his belongings for money, then Trev also heard he was dealing drugs. After her date, Betty approached her father, hoping to talk about Polly since her mother never would.

According to Hal, Jason and Polly had a fight, he didn't know what it was about, but Polly was devastated afterward. He came home from work one day to hear the water running in the bathroom upstairs, he kicked the door in and there she was, trying to kill herself, and this is why she was sent away. Betty relayed the story to Jughead the very next day, she asked her father if she could call Polly, who was doing better, but Jason's death caused a big set back. The two of them began to wonder why a rich kid like Jason would need to sell drugs, Betty suggested that he may have been running away from his parents, while Jughead thought that drug dealers could also be a possibility. Dead men tell no tales, Jughead said, but their bedrooms do, so they devised a plan to sneak into Jason's room during the memorial, and see what he may have been hiding.

Later that night, Betty crept down the steps, following a sound of a child's laughter, what she found was her father watching Polly's old home videos. The next day, she attended the memorial with Jughead, Archie, Veronica, Kevin and Valerie. After watching Archie return Jason's jersey to the Blossoms, she noticed her father fighting with Cliff Blossom over at the bar. Following Cheryl's eulogy, in which she wore the same white outfit from the day Jason went missing, Cheryl burst into tears, with Betty and Jughead using this distraction to make their way to Jason's room. Once inside his room, Betty and Jughead began looking for anything Jason may have wanted hidden, but they were interrupted by his grandmother, Rose Blossom.

She was likely undergoing some form of illness as she mistook Betty for Polly, searching her hand for the engagement ring she gave Polly, it had been in the Blossom family for generations. Jason and Polly's wedding was the last thing Nana Rose was looking forward to, it was a shame that it would never come to be, Rose lost a grandson, but Polly lost the love of her life, she said all this to Betty, while under the impression that she was Polly. Betty dragged her father out of the Thornhill to tell him that Polly was engaged, which he was already aware of. She wondered if that's what Cliff and her father fought about, but they were actually at each other's throats over the blood feud between the two families that rage on to this day. Cheryl's great-grandfather murdered Betty's.

They were in the business of selling and trading maple syrup, but one day great-grandfather Blossom no longer wanted to share the profit, so he murdered Betty's great-grandfather. The Blossoms stole their livelihood, and Hal would die before he allowed them to steal his daughter too, "Polly is sick, Jason made her sick, and she won't be coming back until she's no longer sick", Hal said. The next morning at the Blue and Gold offices, Betty expressed that she didn't even know who her parents were anymore. Jughead surmised if they lied about Jason and Polly, they likely lied about more, her dad would do anything to protect Polly, so the next logical question is how far would he go. Leaving Betty to realize that her father was not at the drive-in the night Sheriff Keller's house was broken into, resulting in them putting the Coopers up on the murder board.

Bringing Polly Home
Hoping to find Polly, Betty invited Jughead over for breakfast at her house, with her mother. Jughead asked for directions to the bathroom, and as planned, Alice escorted him, which provided a long enough distraction for Betty to go through her mother's purse and take photos of her checkbook. At The Blue and Gold, after doing a little digging, Betty and Jughead discovered one of the checks were made out to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, a group home for troubled youths. During lunch, they quietly discussed Polly and their next course of action, which was catching a bus to the group-home.

Betty found Polly in the Garden of Deliverance, and the two reunited after months apart, she immediately noticed that Polly was pregnant with Jason's child, she's happy for Polly, but sad that she didn't come sooner. From Polly, Betty learned that she and Jason only broke up because his parents forced him to, but after he learned of Polly's pregnancy, he was overjoyed, the two of them had planned to run away together on the 4th of July, but their parents found out and she was sent away because of it. Betty then realized that Polly had no idea that Jason had been murdered, as she began rambling on, so Betty was forced to tell her the truth.

She was then taken to a room and kept there until her mother arrived, Alice explained that she's notified by the sisters whenever Polly receives a visitor. Before leaving the facility, Alice had a run-in with Polly, who confronted her over Jason's death, Polly is pulled away by two orderlies, but not before Betty told her that she loves her and that she would get Polly out of there. After returning home, Betty was lectured by her parents, but she defended her actions as Polly needed to know the truth, however, she didn't find what she was looking for. Betty then accused her father of not only breaking into Sheriff Keller's house but possibly murdering Jason as well. Alice accused Betty of sounding just as crazy as Polly, but she insisted that her sister wasn't crazy.

The next day, Jughead came through Betty's window with a ladder, she told him about her worries concerning her parents, Polly, and possibly herself being crazy, Jughead calmed Betty down and reassures her that they are not their parents, then he kissed her, to which she smiled, right before remembering the car Jason had stashed out by an old maple farm sign on Route 40 that Polly was rambling on about. That night, they found the car, hidden under a tarp and filled with Jason's things, like his varsity jacket, as well as an abundance of drugs. They took pictures and alerted Sheriff Keller, all the while as they were unknowingly being watched by someone hidden in the woods. The authorities arrived only to find the vehicle had been set on fire. Jughead and Betty then raced to rescue Polly from the group home but found that her room was empty, the window broken and blood coating the glass.

Betty first appeared in Jughead's dream, which he described as some kind of idealized, make-believe version of the American dream, where the two of them were engaged. Outside of the dream, Betty told her friends about the current situation with Polly, and her "condition", which is how her parents referred to Polly's pregnancy. Betty's mom and dad didn't want anyone to know that Polly had escaped the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, so they neglected to tell the police. Her parents were worried that with Polly's escape, people would assume she burned Jason Blossom's car, and if she did, she could be the killer, trying to cover her tracks. Just as Betty began to worry about Polly, and the killer possibly going after her next, Jughead put his arm on her shoulder to comfort her, which both Archie and Veronica couldn't help but notice.

Archie suggested that Betty goes against her parents' wishes and tell the authorities about Polly's escape, which Kevin seconded, as they could go to his father, who would be far more discreet. However, Sheriff Keller had to answer to the Blossoms, who are the last people that Betty would want to know as they would twist the situation around and demonize Polly. Immediately following their exit of the student lounge, Veronica confronted Betty on her newly found relationship with Jughead, to which Betty explained that Jughead was there for her when she was feeling down. That day, she and Jughead orchestrated a search party throughout Eversgreen Forest for Polly, they headed East, that being the directed she would have headed if she was looking to leave Riverdale undetected. During the search, Archie apologized for not being there to help with her sister, which Betty instantly forgave him for, as he was there in that moment.

Subsequent to a brief altercation between Betty's family, and Cheryl's, Alice decided it was best to get ahead of the situation while they still could since Polly's escape was no longer a secret. Betty stood alongside her mother and father as they announced that Polly was pregnant with Jason's child. On the walk home, Betty blamed herself for Polly running away from the group home, she then recalled an incident from years ago, when Polly was nine, and she ran away from home after a huge fight with their mother. The whole neighborhood was out looking for her, but it turned out that she was in the attic the entire time, which proved to be true with this situation too, as Betty returned home to find Polly hiding in the attic once again. However, she couldn't stay long as their mother and father wanted her to give the child up for adoption.

Betty insisted that the stigma of her pregnancy was a thing of the past, but Polly wasn't so sure. At that moment, their parents returned home, Betty asked for a few days to find Polly a safe place to stay because she didn't want to lose her again. The next morning, Betty asked her parents if Polly would be staying with them, and where the baby would sleep. Alice claimed that Polly decided to give the child up for adoption, however, unbeknownst to Alice, Betty had already spoken to Polly about the child, and she knew her mothers' claims were false. In the student lounge, Betty struggled to come up with a solution that would best benefit her and Polly. Veronica suggested that she ask her mother for assistance, but Betty refused, as they had their own problems, then she and Veronica were interrupted by Cheryl, who wished to help Polly and the baby.

Reluctantly, Betty revealed that Polly needed money for a place to live and medical supplies, to which Cheryl responded that her parents would be more than willing to help. That night, Betty met up with Cheryl and her parents at Pop's shoppe, where they assured Betty that they could assist Polly with emotional and financial support, all Betty had to do was trust them enough to tell them where Polly was. The next day, Jughead was taken into custody as a suspect in Jason's death, Betty sat with him in the interrogation room, she knew he wasn't the killer, saying that the evidence was circumstantial. Later that night, Betty, Polly, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead awaited the Blossoms arrival, however, Cheryl came alone to warn them of her parent's ill intentions. With no place else to go, Veronica and Hermione allowed Polly to stay with them.

Betty, Veronica and, Hermione sat in on Polly's statement to Sheriff Keller on the days leading up to the tragic event of Jason Blossom's death.

In the student lounge the following day, Betty, Veronica, Archie, Jughead, Kevin, Cheryl, and Valerie discussed how to approach Polly's steadily worsening predicament, where Betty's parents wanted Polly but not the baby, while the Blossoms wanted the baby but not Polly, an impossible situation, Betty remarked. Veronica corrected her, saying that it was merely an annoying situation, one in which she had a solution for in the form of a baby shower.

Before she could answer, Alice showed up at the school and demanded to talk to them privately about how they were hiding Polly at The Pembrooke, which Betty commented was better than an insane asylum. Betty reminded her mother that it wasn't her choice as to whether or not Polly would give up her child for adoption, Betty informed Alice that her choices consisted of being a loving mother and grandmother or staying away.

The next morning at breakfast, Betty and Veronica shared their baby shower proposal with Polly and Hermione, which Polly was initially against, but after thinking it over decided it would be best if they went through with it. Much to everyone's surprise, Polly wanted the Blossoms to attend the shower as well. Having sent out the invitations to Polly's shower, she asked Betty and Veronica if Alice would be attending, to which they replied, she had been invited, but Betty would not allow this to ruin Polly's big day as she comforted her older sister. At that moment, Polly found it best that she announce Betty as her child's godmother; if anything were to every happen to Polly, the only person she'd trust is Betty.

After learning from Jughead that Moose had been attacked at the SoDale site by two thugs, she wondered if he was okay, to which Jughead responded with "his name is Moose, he's fine". Just then, Archie entered Pop's shoppe to inform Jughead of the plan to find the Southside Serpents that were potentially Moose's attackers, which Betty was against as they were dangerous drug dealers.

That night, the baby shower had finally come to fruition, Betty kissed Jughead and thanked him for attending the shower alongside her. Surprisingly, Alice decided to attend the event, which both Betty and Polly were thrilled over, however, the Blossoms weren't far behind, which forced Betty to assist in keeping her mother's attitude in check. Archie came storming into the shower shortly after the gift-giving part of the shower began, from him, Betty learned that Jughead's father was a Serpent. Alice's frustrations had finally toppled over as the Blossoms invited Polly to stay with them at Thornhill, which Betty couldn't do anything about except watch, and stop Cheryl from making the situation any worse.

After the shower, Betty insisted that her mother makes up with Polly, which they did, but not before Polly revealed that their father offered to pay for an abortion appointment before she was sent away, which left both Betty and Alice speechless. Once Polly fell asleep, Betty decided it was time to talk about Jughead's father, and the fact that he was a Serpent, she understood that Jughead was ashamed, but if they were going to be together, she wanted to know everything about him. Betty then suggested that they have a talk with FP since he could know something about Jason.

At the Sunnyside Trailer Park, where FP stayed. Betty and Jughead questioned him on his drug dealings with Jason Blossom, and if the Serpents had anything to do with his death, to which FP denied any and all allegations. Outside the trailer, Betty asked if Jughead believed his father, and while she wasn't sure if she believed FP, Betty definitely believed in Jughead as the two shared another kiss.

The following day at the Pembrooke, Betty assured Polly that their mother had no idea about the appointment and that she had kicked their father out. Alice meant what she said when she invited Polly to return home with them. Unfortunately, Polly took the Blossoms up on their offer to stay with them at Thornhill, which left Betty with the task of comforting her mother as tears ran down both of their faces. In spite of all of Betty's effort, she still failed. It had seemed that Polly had chosen the Blossoms over them.

For reasons unknown, Polly had been ignoring Betty's calls and emails, she confided in Jughead, wondering what it was that she did that resulted in Polly giving her the cold shoulder. Just as they kissed, her mother came barging into the room, Alice explained that it was time for the Blossom family to answer for their sins, starting with finding out why the Blossom board of trustees decided to pay Riverdale an unexpected visit.

Upon learning that Archie could possibly be attending a summer music program thanks to the Blossoms, so long as he escorted Cheryl to her family's tree tapping ceremony, Betty took the opportunity to ask Archie if he could check in on Polly while he was there. The next day, in an effort to cheer up Ethel, whose parents had been constantly fighting, Betty, Veronica, Kevin, Mrs. Lodge had lunch at The Pembrooke. Betty could relate to her struggles as her parents were also fighting, it's a terrible ordeal.

Later that night, Betty and Archie informed Alice of the information he had gathered from his time spent with the Blossoms. First of all, Archie informed them that Polly did not seem to want to come home as the Blossoms were treating her great, which Betty refused to believe as she knew her sister better than that, she suspected that there must have been more going on. Secondly, Archie explained that the Blossoms were under a hostile take over, worried that the trustees were there to steal the company, which Alice could include in her expose. However, Betty attempted to remind her that she should not write a story attacking the Blossoms while Polly was still residing at Thronhill, but Polly betrayed them, she said.

The next day at school, a brief confrontation took place between Betty, Jughead and Cheryl, in which Betty demanded that she be allowed to talk to Polly, though, Cheryl was not in much of a fighting mood. Cheryl told them that they should be celebrating over the news that Polly was having twins, which Betty was unaware of. She was shocked to learn that her own sister did not tell her, but she pleaded with Cheryl to at least deliver a message, telling Polly to call their mother as she missed her, despite her best efforts to hide it.

After school, Betty and Alice went to The Register, and presented her father with a USB drive containing a tell-all exposé of the Blossom family and their corruption, it was time that they answered for everything they'd done, including taking Polly. As her mother attempted to write the exposé herself following her father's refusal, they learned that he had changed the password and fired her from the Register. Just as Betty and Alice were leaving, Alice picked up a large rock and threw it through the glass door of the shop.

The next day at The Blue and Gold offices, Betty expressed how she could not believe how poorly her parents were behaving while Polly was locked up at Thornhill. In times of crisis, families usually come together or fall apart, Betty felt like her family was falling apart, and there was nothing she could do about that. Jughead refused to allow her to give up, he assured her that the Coopers would not fall part because she would keep them together. Jughead claimed that she was a stronger than all the white noise, her parents included, so she should not let go, which Betty agreed to just before hugging him. Soon after this, Betty and Veronica learned from Kevin that Ethel's father was in the hospital after attempting to commit suicide, which Veronica felt partially guilty for, which explained why she sped off to cry in the restroom, where Betty comforted her.

Feeling bad for the Muggs family, Betty and Veronica brought flowers to the hospital, where they ran into Ethel and her mother, Mrs. Muggs. They were just happy to learn that he was going to be okay, Betty returned home that night, accompanied by Jughead, and the two of them told Alice that from Archie they learned Polly had not betrayed them, she was at Thornhill to spy on the Blossoms, and with her, they had their woman on the inside. They planned to write the exposé from the Blue and Gold, hoping that Alice would join them, The next day at the office, Archie had one last piece of information, he claimed he overheard the Blossoms say that Cliff was responsible for Veronica's dad being sent to prison, which led them to suspect that maybe Hiram was going after the Blossoms as well, and that maybe he was responsible for Jason's death.

Bughead Break up?
Betty and Archie informed Veronica that while at the Blossom family tree tapping, he over heard Cliff Blossom state that he was responsible for Veronica's father being arrested. Immediately after, Betty learned from Archie that Jughead's birthday was coming up, but that she should not make a big deal out of it because he hated it. Every year, he went to the double-feature at the Bijou, but considering that Betty was his girlfriend this time around, Archie thought it best if she took him, which she agreed to while also wanting Archie to join them but he declined.

With Archie out, Betty decided to call Jughead's father to see if he would join them for dinner and a movie. Before declining her offer, FP questioned if Jughead knew she was calling him, which he did not, and while Betty thought it would be nice to surprise him, she learned from FP that the one thing Jughead liked less than surprises was his birthday, he never even had a party.

Reeling from the revelation that Jughead never had a party, a claim that Archie corroborated, Betty suggested they throw him a low-key surprise party, but Archie was against it, telling them yet again that Jughead hated his birthday. At that moment, Chuck Clayton unexpectedly entered the cafeteria fresh off his suspension and headed towards Ethel, with Betty not far behind. She demanded that Chuck get away from Ethel, though he claimed that he was only there to apologize, telling her not to go 'dark Betty' on him, causing Betty to slam her hand down on the table with incredible force. As she clenched her fists, digging her nails into her inner hand, Betty asked Ethel if Chuck was bothering her, Ethel replied that everything was fine. A bit confused, Betty returned to her table, noticing the scars she left on her inner hand from the clinching.

She then turned the topic back to Jughead's party, there was not a lot she could not do or control, but she could guarantee that her boyfriend a terrific birthday, which after some thinking over, Archie finally agreed to. Refusing to take no for an answer, Betty practically ambushed Mr. Jones at work, as she wanted him to know that she was throwing a party for Jughead at Archie's house with a few friends, and she thought it would be very special if he attended the event.

Back at school, Alice informed Betty that her meeting with Mr. Weatherbee went as well as expected since he agreed that The Blue and Gold would benefit greatly from Alice's guidance as their new adviser. Betty then asked her mother if she told her father everything about herself when they first started dating, which she did, and Alice regretted it to that very day. Betty stated that she trusted Jughead, which she should, but not with everything, her mother told her.

The following night, as planned, Betty accompanied Jughead to the Bijou, where they watched "" and "". Jughead learned from Kevin that she and Chuck had a scene in the cafeteria the previous day, and he wanted to know what it was about, as well as the night of Chuck's confession, but Betty refused to answer, it was nothing worth getting upset over. If she was upset about anything, it was that she had to learn about his birthday from Archie, Jughead said that he did not take her for an American Werewolf in London kind of girl, but Betty was all about the beast within.

After the double-feature, the two of them returned to Archie's house, where a party awaited Jughead, she then came out the kitchen with his birthday cake and singing happy birthday. After blowing out the candles, she and Jughead walked in on Archie and Veronica hugging, with tears filling Veronica's eyes, Betty wondered what was wrong, but Veronica simply said she wasn't in a partying mood, neither was Jughead. The two of them got into a small fight over his attitude, but the doorbell rang before it went any further. At the door was Cheryl, Chuck and several dozen classmates, who were all excited to party.

In the kitchen, Betty had another run-in with Chuck, she nicely asked that he leave the party, however, he was very angry as since his suspension had destroyed any chance he had of playing football for a good school. Betty sarcastically apologized for Chuck having to suffer consequences for sexually harassing those girls. Chuck commented that the night at Ethel's place, he saw the real Betty, the dark Betty, the one that he thinks about every night while laying in bed, so Betty slapped him and exited.

In the garage, Jughead questioned if she knew that his father, who had arrived at the party, had a drinking problem, which she was very much aware of, but no one was supposed to be drinking, Cheryl and Chuck crashing the party was not planned, it was only supposed to be his friends. Jughead explained that she and Archie are his friends, everyone else, including Kevin and Veronica are people that he would have actively shunned two months ago because he's weird. She wondered why he was getting so upset, to which Jughead told her that her not knowing or caring that a party is the last thing he wanted is what upsets him. He claimed that she was doing it for herself, to prove that she was a great girlfriend, then wondering if it had ever occurred to her how different they were, Betty's a straight A student, she was a cheerleader and the perfect girl next door, a phrase she hated. He was just the damaged loner outsider from the wrong side of the tracks, they were on borrowed time, and he wasn't one of her projects, like Jason Blossom's Death. Jughead suspected that she was only fine with being his girlfriend until she grew tired of slumming it with him or until Archie changed his mind and wanted to be with her, this truly hurt Betty as she stormed out the garage.

Just as Jughead attempted to leave, Chuck and Cheryl cut him off, declaring that the night was far from over and that they were about to play a game called "Secrets & Sins", in which they reveal their secrets. Cheryl started with Veronica and then moved on to Archie, with the game finally coming to an end with Betty once Chuck retold the story leading up to his suspension. Chuck told the entire party how Betty dressed up as a hooker in a god awful black wig, and drugged and handcuffed him to the Jacuzzi, where he nearly drowned until she got what she wanted, the strangest part is when she started to believe she was Polly. Fed up with Chuck, Jughead punched him in the face, however, Chuck hit back a lot harder, which resulted in Mr. Jones escorting him out and ending the party altogether. At Pop's shoppe, Betty remarked how she thought Jughead was a lover, not a fighter, he commented that he was both.

Jughead then admitted that Betty doing something so nice caused him to short circuit, it frightened him, scared of the possibility that she would reject him. Betty came to admit that she should have told him the truth about Chuck instead of throwing him a party he did not want, something was genuinely wrong with Betty. There's an overwhelming darkness within her that she cannot control, and it makes her do crazy things, she says this before showing Jughead the scars left on her inner hand from the fist clenching. Jughead kissed her hand, then he kissed her, and the two snuggled up in the booth. The following morning, Alice came into her room to inquire about FP, and the long haired delinquent wearing a leather jacket that he was talking to in the previous night.

Betty explained that his name is Joaquin, that he was a Serpent and he was dating Kevin, which Alice found to be oddly suspicious. Later that day at the Blue and Gold offices, Veronica came by with coffee and pastries, and Betty joked that the last time Veronica had brought her baked goods was when she kissed Archie. Veronica revealed that she had just testified on her father's behalf, despite knowing that her dad hired Jughead's dad to trash the Twilight Drive-In, this could mean he also hired the Serpents to go after Jason for payback after what the Blossoms did. Either way, Veronica wanted to join Betty on her quest to find out the truth, good or bad.

Inside the offices of The Blue and Gold, Betty's mother declared everyone outside of the room a suspect in the murder of Jason Blossom. Betty was in disbelief, but Veronica wasn't so willing to write her off, she even went on to accuse her own father of possibly being involved, maybe even hiring FP to kill Jason, since Jughead's dad had done business with Veronica's dad before. Alice believed Joaquin to be FP's accomplice, though she had no evidence to support this claim, which Betty pointed out because all her mother saw was two people talking at a party, a couple nights prior. Alice believed they were conspiring, and she wanted Betty to find out about what, either through Jughead or FP directly, without raising suspicions. Betty refused to betray Jughead by going behind his back, she had already asked him if he thought his father was guilty, and he said no.

Betty learned from Cheryl that she and Polly would be campaigning as co-Queens of the Homecoming court in honor of Jason. Afterward, Archie asked her if he could play a couple songs during the dance, but she was hesitant to agree to this because Archie's style of writing was amazing but dark, while the dance needed to be upbeat and fun. She had very little to worry about though, as Veronica would be at his side playing upbeat covers.

As part of her Homecoming duties, Betty was stringing up the lights when she received a call from Polly, who explained that she was only running to be co-Queen in an effort to keep Cheryl distracted. Betty reminded Polly of their deal, if she hadn't found anything by Homecoming, she'd have to return home. Jughead then entered the gymnasium, asking about the dinner before Homecoming that her mother had practically tackled him in the hallway to invite him and his father to. Betty was completely unaware of the dinner, but she lied, claiming she did as Jughead was so happy about it.

Betty returned home to confront her mother on the obvious trap she was planning for FP, to interrogate him about Jason's death. Betty wasn't willing to play this game with her, and neither would Jughead once she told him the truth but Alice told him that would be unwise as Jughead was excited about their families getting to know each other, and with this in mind, Betty told Jughead nothing.

The following night, just as planned, the four of them had dinner, and the interrogation began almost immediately, which Betty attempted to put a stop to but to no avail. The doorbell rang soon after, it was Betty's father, who she invited without first consulting her mother. Unfortunately, her father being there only made matters worse as both her parents began bickering with one another, leading FP to recall their Homecoming, in which Betty's mom and dad were crowned King and Queen, but the night didn't start off that great.

According to FP, as he and Mr. Andrews were preparing to play for the dance, he was backstage when he heard Alice and Hal fighting about something serious, it sounded like life and death, but he wasn't sure what it was about. Betty then sarcastically remarked that the dinner was a nice idea, but it was time for them to leave for Homecoming. Inside the dance, Jughead told her that he would like to talk with her after the dance, everything was great but he wanted to figure something out with her.

She then spotted Cheryl, so she asked where Polly was, but Cheryl claimed Polly had a sugar crash and canceled. As Archie and Veronica entered the dance, Betty noticed they were talking with her mother, though she was quite distracted as Mayor McCoy and Mr. Weatherbee were talking to her at the same time, asking if she could escort them up to the stage. However, Betty was quite preoccupied with figuring out what her mother had planned with Archie and Veronica. She questioned them both, asking where they were and why they were talking to her mother, but they had to get on stage as it was time for them to perform, during which time Betty noticed how flirty they were with one another while performing.

After their performance, Betty confronted them yet again, and this time they told her the truth, how they teamed up with her mother and searched FP's trailer for anything that would tie him to Jason's murder. Jughead them came around the corner, and could instantly tell something was off, so Archie and Veronica told him the truth about what they had done, and how sorry they were because they were wrong. They knew to go to his father's trailer when he was at the dinner, leading Jughead to believe that Betty was involved in the entire plan, but she swore to him that she wasn't, she didn't know what they had planned.

However, she did know that her mother had something planned. Jughead questioned why he would ever even consider passing on moving with his family to Toledo for her, which is the thing he wanted to talk about after the dance. Jughead wondered if his word wasn't good enough for her, he had already told her that he believed in his father, but Betty insisted his word was enough for her, and that she only lied because he was so happy about their families getting to know each other.

After the discovery that FP was arrested for the murder of Jason Blossom, Betty and her mother returned home, where she questioned if her mother was the one that tipped off Sheriff Keller. Alice promised it wasn't her, and as much as she liked Jughead, she was happy Betty was done with the family, but Betty exclaimed that she loved Jughead, and he was as much her family, as Alice was, more so at that moment. She told her mother not to push her, or else she would push back, then leaving to find Jughead.

She stopped by Pop's shoppe to see if he had turned up there, and while he hadn't, Archie and Veronica had, they were also looking for Jughead. They told Betty that Sheriff Keller found the gun that killed Jason in a lockbox in FP's closet, but the thing is, Archie and Veronica had searched that closet, and nothing was there. The gun was planted in his closet after they left, meaning FP was being framed.

Upon learning that FP was being framed, Betty suggested the possibility that maybe they just didn't see the gun or they looked in the wrong closet. Veronica reminded her that it was a small trailer with one closet, a lockbox would've been impossible to miss, so whatever Sheriff Keller found, it wasn't there when Archie and Veronica broke in. Since Jughead wasn't answering her calls, the three of them decided to bring this information to their parents in the meantime. Their parents were outraged that they broke into the trailer, but it was with good reason, as Betty told her mother, who doubted the detective skills of a couple of teens. In that moment, she then outed her mother as being the one who asked Veronica and Archie to break in.

A little later that night, Betty laid in her bed, worried about Jughead, so she texted Archie, and the two of them headed out together to find him, starting with the bus station. Unfortunately, when they arrived, he was not there. Veronica then called Archie, and from her, they realized that the only other place that Jughead could be at that time of night was Pop's shoppe because it was open 24/7. Just as Veronica said, they found him in a booth at Pop's, each of them sorry for their betrayal, they shouldn't have broken into his father's trailer, but something good came from it since the gun wasn't there when Archie and Veronica searched the closet. The four of them rushed over to the station to tell Sheriff Keller what they discovered, but FP had already confessed to the murder of Jason Blossom.

At school the next day, Betty stated that the police report indicated that FP worked alone, which means the one good thing that came of this was that Veronica's dad wasn't involved, but Veronica couldn't help but think that maybe he hired another Serpent to plant the gun. Kevin then joined them at the table, inquiring about Jughead, who wasn't doing good according to Betty. Jughead was being grilled by Kevin's father, who was wasting his time because FP was innocent. Even though he confessed, Betty believed that he was either coerced or he was protecting someone, possibly Joaquin since her mother saw him and FP talking. Just then, Jughead entered the cafeteria to apologize to Cheryl despite his initial decision to stay home that day.

His apology meant very little as Cheryl slowly stood up, and attacked him until Archie pulled her off. Betty followed Cheryl to the restroom to explain that it wasn't Jughead's fault, even if his dad did kill Jason. Outside Weatherbee's office, Betty waited for Jughead. and so as he exited, she asked what happened, and he explained it was his second interrogation of the day. She wanted Jughead to ignore them because believed FP was innocent, and that they just needed to prove it, but Jughead wasn't so sure, if not his father, then who else would've killed Jason. FP even confessed, Jughead was done waiting for his father to do the right thing, and Betty should be too.

That night, Betty awakened from her sleep as a loud noise could be heard throughout the house, so she made her way downstairs, where she ran into her mother, who had also heard the noise, and had the gun previously owned by Ms. Grundy in hand. They proceed down the steps, Betty right behind her mother, ready to call the police. but as they reached the bottom, they discovered that it was Betty's father. Hal admitted that he broke into Sheriff Keller's house during the night of the last drive-in and stole the case files, which was impossible considering FP had already confessed to that crime. Betty's father wasn't sure why FP would do that because it was actually him. That was why he came back to the house, to destroy any evidence that could lead back to him.

Betty noted that this made fairly little sense, why would FP fess up to something he didn't do, though her mother was more concerned with why her father was stealing and destroying case files for a murder case. He was worried that the investigation would lead back to Polly, and that Sheriff Keller would somehow learn of the on-going feud between their family and the Blossoms. From there, Betty then learned from Hal that her great-grandfather wasn't just murdered by a Blossom, he was a Blossom. After the murder, Hal's family severed ties with the Blossoms, and took the new name of Cooper. Betty was disgusted by the fact that she was a Blossom, not only that, it also meant that Polly was a Blossom, meaning she and Jason were blood relatives, third cousins to be exact.

They began to question how far the Blossoms would go to keep Polly and Jason apart since Hal went to such lengths, so the three of them rushed over to Thornhill, intent on bringing Polly home. Although, the Blossoms weren't so willing to just let her leave, but then Alice outed them about the incest. She also mentioned the fact that FP's confession had a few gaping holes, meaning he was being used by someone with a crazy motive, like hiding incest, Betty said. Unfortunately, their initial assumption was inaccurate as the Blossoms were perfectly fine with Jason and Polly being relatives, nothing could be more purely Blossom, according to Penelope. As they were leaving with Polly at their side, Penelope grabbed Betty by the wrist and told her she made a grave error, but Betty doubted that, and she wasn't going to stop until she could prove it.

The next day, as she laid in bed next to Polly talking about their current predicament, in which she was happy that Polly was home, and that the babies were healthy, she received a call from Jughead, who admitted that she was right about his father being innocent. The two of them met up at The Blue and Gold offices, where they began to question why FP would lie, and who he was protecting, so then came the process of ruling out suspects, like Betty's father and Veronica's mother. On the murder board, the only suspects left were Hiram Lodge, and Clifford and Penelope Blossom. Just then, her mother entered the office to tell them that the body of a Southside Serpent had just been found, and Sheriff Keller was convinced that he was working with FP. From her mother, she also learned that the Serpent allegedly committed suicide, and that there was a bag of money in his room that linked him to Hiram Lodge, but everything was tied up into too tidy of a bow.

Betty then received a call from Kevin, who had learned from Joaquin about a contingency plan involving himself and FP, that had been deemed as too dangerous by the latter. Off route 40, where Jason's car was torched, was a bag containing Jason's varsity jacket under the old Blossom Maple Farms sign. Betty didn't understand why FP would say the jacket is dangerous, but even with all hope lost, she refused to give up, putting the varsity jacket on Archie, and checking the pockets for anything they may have missed. Inside the lining of the jacket was a USB flashdrive. On the flashdrive was the surveillance video of the basement of the Whyte Wyrm, they watched the video from start to finish, everything from Jason being tied up, to the shot that killed him, which was fired by his own father, Cliff Blossom.

After watching the murder, Betty called Cheryl, and warned her to get out of that house because her father killed her brother. She then got the USB to her mother at some point, and Alice passed it on to Sheriff Keller and Mayor McCoy.

Betty's Brother & Town-wide Exposé
Betty's family was acting as if the past few months hadn't happened, her mother was back at The Register, while Polly and her father had come home. Fake smiles and talk of the upcoming 75th Anniversary Jubilee was all Betty could gather from them, which is exactly how they were before, constantly pretending they were perfect when they weren't. Her family just barely survived their last implosion, if they didn't start addressing the problems, it was only a matter of time before it happened again. Betty confessed all this as she and Archie walked to school that morning.

Shortly following their arrival, they were called to Mr. Weatherbee's office, where Mayor McCoy announced that she wanted to feature the two of them at the Jubilee. Who better to represent Riverdale than the people who helped bring peace and justice back to their streets. However, Betty explained that it wasn't just the two of them that helped solve Jason Blossom's murder case, Jughead played a major role as well. Unfortunately, while he was welcome to attend, Mayor McCoy decided against honoring him considering that his father was involved in Jason's abduction. Betty noted this as being unfair, and because of this, she initially declined the Mayor's offer.

She and Archie then met up with Jughead, Veronica, and Kevin in the cafeteria, where they discussed FP's case, and the false allegations of drug trafficking and the villainizing of the Southside Serpents. Meanwhile, Mayor McCoy had yet to even address Clifford Blossom's role in the entire incident, which infuriated Betty, so much so that she decided in that moment to address the entire case in her upcoming article. It didn't matter how many Jubilee's the Mayor threw, the town had changed, and that needed to be acknowledged. In the midst of Betty's rant, Veronica stood from her seat, and she and Archie announced that they were in a relationship, which Betty was completely accepting of.

As she wrote up her article at The Blue and Gold, she received a visit from Archie, who was looking to make sure that Betty's feelings towards his and Veronica's relationship were genuine, and so Betty assured him they were, despite the last time when she said she was okay when she wasn't. Archie admitted that he liked Veronica a lot, but before he could continue to say something that he'd possible regret, Betty cut him off, saying that they were both lucky to have found the people they were meant to be with, and that they were all friends.

After school, Betty took the article to her mother and father at the Register in hopes that they would publish it. While it was some of Betty's best work, Alice refused to print it. Betty was too involved, meaning people would assume that she wrote the article as a favor to her boyfriend's father, but Betty insisted that she wrote it because it's the truth. Alice went on to explain that the other reason they wouldn't post it is due to the reports of attacks on the south side. People were going after the Serpents because a lot of people were angry, so Betty's parents didn't want her to become a target.

Later that day, she learned from Veronica that Cheryl had been behaving uncharacteristically, leading Veronica to suspect that something dark was going on a Thornhill. However, Betty believed the darkness to be town-wide, she could feel it "something wicked this way comes". Veronica then professed her love for Betty's article which had already been posted to the Blue and Gold website, with hard copies in circulation by the morning. Just as Archie did before, Veronica questioned Betty's feelings towards their romance. Betty swore on her September issue and her copy of Forever by that she was completely accepting of Archie and Veronica being together. Polly then entered the room, realizing just how much she missed being a normal teen, so Betty invited Polly to come back to school with her, despite their mother's feelings on the subject.

At school the following day, Betty would come to discover that there were consequences to the article she had written. Her locker had been vandalized with a hanging Betty doll and a message in pig's blood that read GO TO HELL SERPENT SLUT!. As she attempted to remove it, Jughead held Betty closely and pulled her away. As long as she was Jughead's girlfriend, and continued to write articles about his father, the attacks would continue to come from all sides. Betty wrote the incident off as being the result of one jerk, but Jughead believed it to be far more pressing, claiming that it was the work of the multiverse, which was telling him that he didn't belong. She gently placed her hands on his face, and told Jughead that Riverdale was his home, he belonged there just as much as anyone else.

Betty returned home that night only to be confronted by her mother for taking Polly to school and publishing the article against her wishes. Betty's defiance stemmed from her being sick and tired of all the secrets and lies. She'd much rather take the heat for that article than to live in fear of the truth, like her family, even though Alice claimed that she was scared for Betty, not herself. Betty called her bluff, saying that her mother talked a big game about liking Jughead when in actuality she'd be a lot happier if they weren't together. Betty then recalled FP mentioning something about a huge fight between her parents during their Homecoming, she asked what the fight was about. Alice exclaimed that it was none of Betty's business. Her father was keeping a secret that nearly destroyed them, Betty wondered how many her mother had.

The next morning, Alice entered Betty's room, and closed the door behind her as she told the story of the night that she and Hal got into that big fight. Alice had just told Hal that she was pregnant, and they disagreed on how best to handle the situation, so she went away to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Five months later Betty's brother was born, and the Sisters arranged for a quiet adoption. As tears filled both of their eyes, Alice said that it was the biggest regret of her life and that she was sorry. Betty went on to relay this information to Archie and Veronica. She then received a call from Jughead, who had already transferred to Southside High due to the belief that no one wanted him at Riverdale, however, this was not true as Betty, Archie, and Veronica raced over to get him.

Once at the school, they discovered that he was fitting in. Just outside the school, she and Jughead talked about his decision to leave without first telling her. Jughead believed that it would be better for him at Southside High, he'd blend in, and she'd be safe but Betty refused to allow 'Riverdale Civil War' to split them apart. After a passionate hug between the two, Veronica received a message from Cheryl, who was attempting to reunite with Jason, so the four of them headed to Sweetwater River, where Cheryl saw him last. They pleaded with Cheryl to stop pounding on the thick layer of ice, and while she did, it still gave away just beneath her feet, and so the current dragged Cheryl under water. They rushed over to find Cheryl just beneath the ice, however, the only way to get to her was breaking through it, which Archie did, but not without severely damaging his hand. Fortunately, he managed to save Cheryl, and bring her to shore.

That night, as Betty prepared for the Jubilee, she couldn't help but worry about Jughead. She explained Jughead's current predicament to her mother, and how she believed that it would change the dynamic of their relationship. Following Archie's performance with Josie and the Pussycats, Betty took the stage to deliver her speech just as Jughead entered the room. Riverdale was the people of the town, including FP Jones, who they were too quick to blame for Jughead's murder. Jughead was the soul of Riverdale, without him, they may have never learned the truth about Clifford Blossom, and they repaid him by banishing him, which is what they do when the truth gets too ugly. Their town was at a crossroads, and so Betty explained that if they didn't face the reality of what they were, and if they kept lying and keeping secrets, then what happened to Jason could happen again, or even something worse. She ended her speech with "Riverdale must do better. We must do better", resulting in a standing ovation.

After the four of them celebrated with milkshakes at Pop's, Betty and Jughead headed to his trailer, where Betty told Jughead that she wasn't giving up on FP until he was free, which is exactly why Jughead loved her. She then told Jughead that she loved him as well. They began kissing and undressing until hearing a knock at the door. Betty assumed it was her mother, but it turned out to be the Serpents, who offered Jughead membership into their gang, which he accepted as he put on their custom leather jacket as Betty watched from the door. }}
 * -|Season 2=

Season 2
{{Scroll-1| The following morning, after Archie's father was shot, Betty is seen with her mother in the kitchen. As she makes breakfast for the two of them. Alice asks Betty what did her and her friends do after the 75th Anniversary Jubilee? As Betty responded to her mother that they went to Pop's. While later informing her mother, that she and Jughead went back to FP's trailer. As her mother was surprised to hear this from her, later asking Betty if the "beanie-wearing cad" defiled her? She could at least tell her that she was safe. As Betty answers her mother as to what she was talking about, later telling her that she didn't "do it" with Jughead. While also adding, that they almost did it, but were then interrupted. As Alice was relieved to hear what Betty had to say to her, as she thanked God that they didn't. As Betty later informed her, that they were interrupted by the Southside Serpents. Alice then was shocked to hear what Betty later had to say to her, as she asked her that if they were interrupted by "those thugs". Later telling Betty that she knew Jughead was going to follow in his fathers criminal footsteps. later added, "that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, especially not when there's a snake curled up in its limbs." As Betty's phone later ringer, she asks Betty if it's Snake Plissken, she wants him blocked. As Betty informs her that its Archie, while Alice later adds that Betty blocks him too.

Betty later calls Veronica and Jughead immediately after, she got off the phone with Archie, informing them both that Archie had been in an accident with his father. As she later rushed to the hospital with both of her parents, later meeting up with Jughead, Veronica and her mother. Where they reached up with Archie to comfort him in a time of need. As he later sits together with the gang, to inform them of what happened back at the diner. As Hermione later comes over and asks Archie if he's informed his mother as to what had happened to his father. While Alice and Hal accompany them. As Archie later leaves to go call his mother in private. Alice looks at Jughead with a look on her face as she sighs at him. As Betty later asks her mother to not start with her business, as she immediately knew what her mother was going to say to Jughead. As Jughead later asked what she was going to start? While Alice later informs Jughead, that she "can't help but wonder if his Southside associates had anything to do with what happened." As Betty bowed her head down with her hands towards her face, covering it, as she was ashamed to hear what her mother had to say to Jughead. As Hal later asks Alice if she doesn't start with her accusations now. While Jughead later comments to Alice that her accusations were unbelievable, informing her, that it was a good thing that she couldn't accuse his father. As he stated to her the fact he was still in jail for the matter.

Later, back at the hospital lobby, Veronica and Betty are seen seated next to each other. As Veronica tells Betty a list of things that she's good at, such as "makeovers, party planning, dance-offs, dropping vintage bon bots as if they were bonbons." As Betty chuckles at her. later telling Betty, a list of things which she wasn't good at. Which included "Grief, bedside vigils, and comforting boyfriends." As a look of shame came across Veronica's face, as she didn't know what to do in situations like Archie's. Betty then informs her, that was the old Veronica who she was talking about. While Veronica added, that "old Veronica would've bolted by now, but new Veronica doesn't want to let Archie down." As she feared that she would let him down. Which Betty assures her that she won't, as she had confidence in Veronica, that she would know what to do to help Archie out in a time of need. As they later see Archie with Jughead entering the lobby again, after their discussion with Sheriff Keller.

As the girls later go to hear what was going on, after Dr. Steven Masters arrived to informs Archie of his fathers medical status. In which Veronica later recommended to him, that while in the meantime he waits to see his father once they get him in a room. He could go back home to take a shower and change his clothes, as he was still covered in his father's blood. At first, Archie refuses to leave his father unattended. But Betty then informs Archie that Veronica was right. As the nurse later comes out and hand Archie his fathers belonging, which was everything he had on him. As Betty later gives him another reason to go, as she tells him he could go get his father a fresh change of new clothes. As she then tells him that Veronica would accompany him. Which Alice assures Archie that the rest of them will stay back at the hospital in the meantime while he's gone. As Alice tells Archie, to try not to worry. As she informed Archie, that his father is strong stock, adding that he's a fighter. As she continues to tell him that "Fred Andrews isn't one to leave unfinished business behind."

Later, Kevin joins Betty at Riverdale General Hospital, in support for Mr. Andrews, who has been shot by an unknown assailant. Kevin reasons if they weren't so worried about Fred's well-being, he'd be concerned with another topic of interest. Betty astutely tells him that they didn't do it, if that was what he had implied. Kevin is disappointed with this revelation but she tells him that Jughead told her that he loved her. Kevin was happy to hear the news and was shocked; he couldn't believe Jughead, "Mr. I'm-Weird-I'm-a-weirdo", told her that he loved her. Betty goes on to tell him that she said it back but after that, things got weird. She confides in him that with the arrival of the Southside Serpents; she believes that Jughead may be joining them. Kevin immediately disapproves, relating to his own relationship with Joaquin, asking her if she'd learn nothing from him. Betty attempts to relieve the tension, telling him that Joaquin was nice, but Kevin retorts "when he wasn't dumping bodies in Sweetwater River or mopping up buckets of blood." The conversation ends when they both see Cheryl Blossom and her mother, who was being wheeled into a room on a hospital bed, covered in bandages. They ask what had happened and Cheryl reveals to them that there was a fire at Thornhill. Cheryl elaborates; when the fire started, she was still asleep and her mother risked her life to save her own, suffering burns and smoke inhalation in the process. Cheryl proceeds to ask why they too were at the hospital too.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Veronica arrives and speaks to Jughead and Betty, where she informs them both, that Archie was back at the police station, attempting to identify the shooter during a lineup. Betty then tells them that they all should go and be there with him, as it would be traumatizing for Archie to be there alone. Veronica interrupts Betty, asking her if they could do her a favor instead. As she informs both Jughead and Betty, that Fred's wallet was missing and that she and Archie were thinking that it might still be back at Pop's. She also notes that his wallet was either there, or the guy who shot Fred could possibly also have it. Betty suggests that the gunman probably took his wallet for the cash. Jughead offers a more distressing theory; what if it wasn't just a robbery and was a hit instead. This coming from the fact that Riverdale is also the place where father's kill their own sons, in reference to Clifford and Jason Blossom. Adding that people have grudges, he believes it was possible that it was a hit. Betty reassures Veronica that the wallet could still be at Pop's and tells her that they'll go check it out. Later outside of the hospital, Betty discovers that Jughead now rides a motorcycle, as she leaves with him for Pop's.

In the search for Mr. Andrews' Wallet, Jughead and Betty arrive at the diner, where they run into Pop Tate. They have a brief conversation with him as to what happened back at the diner, while the shooter was still there after he shot Archie's father. Pop tells them his version of what happened and about the mysterious man under the mask. With the story complete, he asks them if they were hungry and would like something to eat; he could use the company while he was still shaken up from the incident. Later, Jughead and Betty, seated together at the counter, are given plates of food. Jughead was hungry and was eating a burger and fries while Betty didn't touch her food. He tries to make a joke to brighten up the mood, but it falls flat; he reveals that he hasn't eaten since last night. She brings up a conversation with Jughead to break the silence. She tells him that she didn't want to think about it while Archie was going through a tough time with his father, but she admits that it couldn't wait. She talks about the moment they had last night together bothered her, explaining that after they were interrupted by the Serpents and he tried on the leather jacket, it meant something. Jughead tells her it meant that there were ten biker dudes in front of him, where he thought he couldn't say no to their offer. Betty disagrees; she tells him that the Jacket fits like a glove, "like a second skin." She goes on to add that the look that she saw on his face, showed her that he wasn't acting for the Serpents. As she pointed out after that day, she started to see him riding a motorcycle, pointing out that he's never done before. Jughead then informs her, as he assures her, that he's not a serpent. He told her that it may have been his father's life, but it wasn't his. Changing the conversation, Betty brings up his foster family, pointing out that they were also from the southside, while questioning if they also had ties to the Serpents. Jughead added to her conversation, if she thought that they were going to indoctrinate him. He reassures Betty that she doesn't have to worry, that he worked out a plan with his foster family where he could still live in his father's trailer home, while they covered for him with his social worker. He admits that it was more comfortable staying at his own place. He explains to Betty that ever since he saw Archie almost lose his father, while pointing out that he's faced the fact that his father was going to be going away for a long time, that wearing the Serpent jacket, riding his dad's old motorcycle, and living in his trailer, it meant something to him. He continues to confide in her, that he was kind of hoping that it meant that he would always be closer to his father, no matter what. Betty understands but tells him that she didn't want to see him get hurt, or end up hurting someone else as it was the Serpents' nature in doing so and carried themselves on how they lived.

Back at the hospital, Betty and Jughead arrived along with Pop Tate, bringing food from the Diner for everyone. The gang was later seen sitting next to each other in private. As Betty smiled at Archie, telling him that his father would be so proud of him. As Jughead later adds, as he agrees with Betty, telling him that he has been a "rock-star god" through all of what was going on with his father. As he was referring to Archie, as he was being strong for his father. Veronica then asks Archie what was wrong, as he was sitting there quietly. As she asked him to talk to them. Stating that maybe they can help. He then sighs, as he tells them that there's something he hasn't told them. As he admitted that he was so ashamed to tell anyone. Telling that, after the guy fired at his father, he should've rushed over to him straight away. Adding that he should've tackled the guy, but instead stood there paralyzed. As he explained he just stood there looking at his father after he was shot, as if he was frozen, long enough for the shooter to get closer to him with his gun. Explaining that during that time he could've tackled the shooter, but didn't. As he told them he didn't move, not even after the guy walked up closer toward him. While he held his gun to his head, as he explained that he just closed his guys. Adding that he didn't know how long he did, but it was long enough for the guy to escape and possibly take his father's wallet. As he was unsure if his father wallet was taken by the killer. As he was telling his story with his eyes closed, unable to look at them. Betty is seen to be looking at him, while he is telling his story, as tears fall from her eyes to hear his pain. As Archie tells them he didn't open his eyes until he heard the bell of Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe ring. Which meant that he was gone. As Betty later tells him that there was nothing he could've done. Which Archie tells he it isn't that he could've done anything, to comfort his father, to get the gun away from the guy. As he admitted in shame that he was a coward. As he told them that now him and his father, are now witnesses, as well as Pop Tate, too. As he continued that the killer may have his fathers wallet. All of his information. Telling them fearfully, what if he comes back? As the gang at there in silence after.

Afterwards, Betty and Jughead are at the back of the hospital building, where it was raining outside. Jughead offers if she was sure that she didn't want him to give her a ride back home. Betty jokes that if her mom ever saw her getting off the back of his motorcycle, she'd probably come out with a shotgun. Mused, Jughead agrees with her and they both laugh at the thought. Before Jughead leaves for his bike, Betty stops him. She tells him what he told her back at Pop's. She was listening to him and told him that she understood his situation and how he was feeling. She also told him that whatever it was that he needed to do or explore, she would support him. Jughead leans and they embrace in a kiss before he leaves.

Saving Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe
Betty met up with Archie and Veronica At school that morning, where the three of them learned from Jughead that Pop Tate's entire staff quit on him. To make matters worse, he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to keep the diner doors open. Archie then pointed out that the diner's closing was a result of his father's shooting. People were scared, not that he blamed them as he too was actively avoiding the diner. Betty couldn't believe what she was hearing; her friends accepting the fact that Pop's was closing. She wasn't going to allow one psychopath with a gun dictate what happens to their favorite hangout place. She reminded Jughead of his crusade to save the Twilight Drive-In when it was closing, though with his father's hearing approaching, he didn't have it in him to take on any further social issue, which is why Betty, with Veronica's help, volunteered to take point on helping Pop Tate.

After a night of tossing and turning, Betty called Jughead with a plan that could potentially save the diner as well as help FP with his legal troubles. However, after looking over to Archie's room, and noticing that it has gone unslept in for another night, Betty told Jughead to meet her at the Mayor's office before calling Veronica to inform her that that Archie hasn't slept in his room since he and his father returned from the hospital.

Betty and Jughead headed down to the Mayor's office, where they asked Mayor McCoy for her assistance in saving Pop's shoppe. With the diner on the verge of closing, Betty wanted Pop Tate to know that the entire town was rallying behind him. They were hoping that the Mayor could make the diner a landmark or declare a day for Pop Tate in support. However, Mayor McCoy couldn't risk endorsing Pop's, only for another shooting to occur. Her priority was keeping the town safe. If they had to close Pop's in order for that to happen, then she was all for it. Jughead then asked if she was also all for sending his father off to state prison for a murder he didn't commit while Betty, who was right there at his side, tried to stop him from voicing his thoughts.

At the Blue and Gold offices, Betty refused to give up on Pop's without a fight. So, she suggested that they host an event at the diner that'll remind the town of simpler times, such as a throwback to when it first opened its doors. While Veronica wholeheartedly supported Betty's cause, she couldn't help but wonder why Betty chose this hill to die on. Betty explained that the diner had a very special place in her heart; orange freezes with her mom and Polly after ballet. Chicken noodle soup with her dad after ice-skating. Grilled cheeses with Archie on the last day of summer vacation. Pop's is where she met many of her closest friends, including Jughead, who may lose his dad. With that in mind, Betty was hoping that she could save the diner for all of them.

Betty and Veronica entered the gymnasium for River Vixens practice, where they were greeted by Cheryl and the newest recruit, Josie. Betty then asked Cheryl if it was possible that she would allow the Vixens to help at an event in support of Pop Tate. Unfortunately, Cheryl declined her request before rudely dismissing both Betty and Veronica.

Under the suspicion that Mr. Andrews' shooter and Ms. Grundy's killer was one and the same, Betty and Archie went to her mother in search of assistance in uncovering the truth. Since her mother was the first to gain exclusive details to Jason Blossom's autopsy, they were wondering if she could get details in regards to Ms. Grundy's death to see if they line up with the attack on Mr. Andrews. Betty's mother agreed to reach out to her friend in the autopsy lab in order to put Archie's mind at ease, though not without commenting on how thin Betty was spreading herself out as the patron saint of lost causes. She was then told by her mother that she can cross saving the diner off her list of crusades because it was being purchased by an anonymous buyer, which was the precise term given when Veronica's father was secretly purchasing the Drive-In.

After Jughead consulted with a lawyer for the Southside Serpents, he and Betty headed to Thistlehouse, the current residence of Cheryl and her mother. First thanking them for sitting down with her and Jughead, Betty then explained the reason for them being there is due to being advised by FP's lawyer to seek mercy from the victim's family; an appeal for leniency to reduce FP's sentence. However, the Blossoms were unwilling to forgive. Where was FP's mercy was when she was walking the halls of Thornhill in agony, obsessing over what was happening to Jason, Cheryl asked. Although, Betty did make a point to remind Cheryl that it wasn't FP who killed Jason; that was her very own father. With neither Cheryl nor her mother willing to forgive FP, Betty wondered what their next move should be as she and Jughead left the home. If they weren't an orphan and a widow, Jughead would've suggested blackmail and extortion.

The following day, Betty and Jughead stopped by the diner to ask Pop Tate why he was selling the shoppe and who he was selling it to. As much as it shamed him to admit, he was selling it to ChugMo, the liquor store chain. With the diner nearing closing, Jughead made a last supper request for his father, who was facing twenty years of having to eat the weird meat loaf that they serve prisoners. Barring an eleventh-hour miracle, Jughead was hoping that Pop could make FP's favorites, as his last meal in Riverdale; fried chicken, cornbread, onion rings and an orange freeze. Pop's had great memory of his customers' orders, a skill he acquired over time while running the diner, which he thought he would be doing until the day he died. This is unacceptable, Betty stated. Despite their willingness to accept what they perceive to be the inevitable, Betty refused to give up, telling them both to stay strong and that she can fix everything.

After leaving Pop's, Betty returned to the school, where she blackmailed and extorted Cheryl into testifying at FP's upcoming hearing. She threatened to wide release the video of Jason's death should Cheryl fail to comply. Betty told her that before handing the USB over to Sheriff Keller, she first saved a copy onto Jughead's laptop. Just like that, the darkest chapter of Cheryl's family's twisted psychodrama becomes a viral sensation. Cheryl was being presented with the opportunity to save a man's life. A nice ending to an otherwise sad story. If she testified, Cheryl wanted the footage of Jason's death and a guarantee that any and all other copies in Betty possession be erased. Betty agreed to the terms, then telling Cheryl that she'll also need the Vixens for Retro Night.

Betty and Jughead attended court the day after she blackmailed Cheryl in the ladies locker room into testifying at FP's hearing. With Betty in possession of the video surveillance footage of Jason's murder, Cheryl took the stand and forgave FP in front of the judge for his role in covering up her brother's death, and then humbly asked the court for leniency. As much as the judge sympathized, he couldn't ignore the quality of FP's crimes. There were no extenuating circumstances. After exchanging looks with Betty, Cheryl lie under oath, claiming to have overheard her father threaten to hurt Jughead if FP didn't comply with his demands. In light of these revelations, the judge decided to delay sentencing. Betty smiled as Jughead and FP happily embraced one another after earning their first win in a series of loses.

That night at the diner, Retro Night was off to an incredibly slow start, so much so that Betty feared that no one was coming at all. It was then that she received an unwelcomed, surprise visit from her mother, who came to write her next story over one last root beer float; an article entitled "Requiem for Pop's". Her mother then asked for a quote, to which Betty replied with by calling her a fiend and telling her that the diner is one obituary that she's not going to write.

Later that night, as things finally began to pick up, Betty was approached by Josie, who was upset at her for posting all over social media that the Pussycats would be performing a free concert at the diner. Betty explained that she knew if she had asked Josie to perform, she would have said no. However, like so many others, Josie cared about the diner, and Betty was sure of it. Unfortunately, even if Josie wanted to help, they were one Pussycat down due to Valerie's norovirus. Thankfully, Cheryl was willing to step in.

Afterward, Betty and Jughead stood behind the counter as three members of the Southside Serpents unexpectedly entered the diner. Jughead instructed her to relax, he was sure that they were simply there to enjoy Pop's world-class burgers and service. Betty and Jughead then began to kiss before being interrupted by Cheryl, who compared the couple to chimps in captivity, grooming and picking lice off each other. Mark this day in your diary, Cheryl said. She lied under oath for them. Luckily, she was quick on her feet. Jughead thanked Cheryl for her help before handing over the USB flash drive containing video surveillance of her brother's murder, though Betty honoring her end of their deal was all the thanks Cheryl required.

As the night came to a close, Pop Tate formally thanked Betty for her hand in saving the diner. After sharing a hug with Pop, Betty joined Jughead, Archie, and Veronica in a booth, where they relished in their victory; a rare win for the good guys.

With her friends having already gone home, Betty stayed behind to clean up the diner, during which time she was informed by her mother that several drug deals had gone down right under her nose. And if she thought that Hiram Lodge, Riverdale's answer to Scarface, helped Pop Tate for altruistic reasons, her mother remarked that she had a bridge to sell her. Furthermore, the Serpents have now officially crossed the tracks and have a toehold on the north side. With that being said, Alice sarcastically congratulated Betty for almost single-handedly being responsible for giving crime a haven in Riverdale.

After learning that Moose and Midge were attacked at Lover's Lane by an black hood wearing assailant, Betty arrived at school, where she met with her friends to discuss the recent shooting. With Kevin being the person responsible for finding Moose and Midge, some wondered what he was doing in the woods, to begin with. Kevin claimed that he was night jogging, but Betty appeared unconvinced. Now that another shooting has taken place, Archie hoped that they all could finally agree that there was a killer in Riverdale. However, with so much uncertainty surrounding recent events, Betty wasn't convinced that the latest shooting was in any way tied to Ms. Grundy' murder. Veronica then interrupted to invite them all over to her place to officially meet her father. As Jughead headed out the door to meet his peer mentor at Southside High, Betty while already knowing the answer to her question, asked Jughead if there was any chance he could remain at Riverdale. He told Betty that he would be fine, then giving her a goodbye kiss.

Betty confronted Kevin in the hall about his unconvincing night jogging story. He claimed that he was trying to get in shape for wrestling, though with Betty knowing him better than most, she could see straight through his lie, forcing Kevin to confess that he went cruising in Fox Forest. However, his claim to join the wrestling team still held true. In order to get out the house, Kevin told his father that he was jogging, which left Betty questioning how the Sheriff could fall for such a thinly veiled lie. Betty understood that he was lonely ever since Joaquin left town, but she hated cruising. Why couldn't he just use Grind'em, Betty asked, to which Kevin replied that no one is ever who they say they are online. Betty reminded him that Moose and Midge were shot three hundred yards from Fox Forest, and the person who did it was still out there. She insisted that he refrain from going out there again, at least until the shooter is caught.

Betty, Jughead, and Archie gathered at the Pembrooke that evening to watch the Matchlerette and officially meet Veronica's father. However, Archie was distracted by the recent shooting. He expressed his frustration with Sheriff Keller and his inability to apprehend the shooter. He started to feel as if they were being specifically targeted by the killer. It was then that Mr and Mrs. Lodge entered the room to greet everyone before leaving for dinner. Veronica introduced each of them to her father, starting with Betty and ending with Archie. Mr. Lodge couldn't help but overhear their discussion in regards to Sheriff Keller's shortcomings. For someone who's had his own share of run-ins with the law, he could confidentially say that the police weren't always the answer.

Before heading out for school the following morning, Betty gave her mother an envelope that she found on the front porch with their name on it.

Betty confronted Kevin in the student lounge after he failed to show up at Veronica's. He claimed that something came up. Something in the woods, Betty asked. Alluding to another cruising in Fox Forest. Kevin hoped that Betty wouldn't take what he was about to say the wrong way, but he asked how her how many years did he listen to her talk on and on about Archie, and now she's doing the same with Jughead. She didn't ask his permission to date them, but she did so regardless because she didn't need Kevin's permission nor did he need hers. She tried to explain that there's a difference between what he was doing and dating, but Kevin didn't stick around to listen. Unbeknownst to Betty, Cheryl was listening in on their conversation. She questioned what was so bad about Kevin's sudden sex drive. Betty explained that it was putting him in danger, leaving her to wonder why he wouldn't stop. Kevin used to be a lonely, awkward, fat boy with acne. Now, he's a smoke show, though, in his mind, he was still unattractive, so now, he is seeking validation, Cheryl explained.

Betty returned home that evening to learn that her mother had received a letter from the killer, who is now calling himself the Black Hood. In the letter, he took responsibility for shooting Mr. Andrews, Midge and Moose, as well as killing Ms. Grundy in Greendale. Betty questioned the legitimacy of the letter as it could've been sent by anyone. However, as proof of his crimes, the Black Hood took souvenirs from his victims, including Mr. Andrews' missing wallet and Ms. Grundy's red sunglasses, which he included in the envelope sent their house.

Despite Betty's best effort in trying to convince Polly to stay, after reading their mother's published article on the Black Hood, Polly decided it would be safest if she left town until he was apprehended. Betty urged her to at least slowdown and to think about the babies, though Polly would be living at the Farm until further notice. She had already called ahead to make sure they still had room for her. The farm in question was the very same one that she and Jason were going to run off to before he was murdered. Polly's sudden need to leave town stemmed from her fear of the Black Hood targeting sinners. Betty told her that she wasn't a sinner, but with Polly being an unwed mother that was carrying her cousin's babies, it became difficult to argue against her.

Betty paid Jughead a surprise visit at Southside High. She came bearing gifts to make his new office at the Red and Black a bit more comfortable. While Jughead was happy to see her, he told Betty that she shouldn't be walking around the Southside at night unless she was armed with a weapon. She replied that she is armed, jokingly holding up a tea kettle. She then learned that Jughead discovered the local component of Clifford Blossom's drug pipeline (Jingle Jangle) was coming from the school. Jughead recalled FP previously stating that the Serpents never dealt in hard drugs, but a rival gang known as the Ghoulies do. Betty questioned if it was a good idea for Jughead to write about gangs and drugs while attending the school. Are you worried about me? I thought you liked me reckless, Jughead replied. The two of them then started to kiss, before being interrupted by Toni Topaz, who Jughead introduced as the Red and Black's photographer.

Betty received a call from Cheryl, telling her that Kevin was seemingly going for another jog through Fox Forest. Cheryl's suspicions proved to be correct as the two of them found Kevin cruising the woods. Betty was disappointed that he broke his promise. She wanted him to have more respect for himself. While they had been friends for a long time, Betty had no idea how difficult it was being a homosexual male in such a small town. Betty acted as if they had the same set of options, when in reality, this couldn't be further from the truth. Kevin went on to explain that she lived in a pale-pink world of milkshakes and first kisses, where her biggest romantic dilemma is whether she is going to date Archie or Jughead, except for when she exploring her BDSM sexuality, which again, she's allowed to do, but he's not. Fox Forest was all he had to work with. So, he didn't need Betty following him just to tell him how disgusted she was with it all. If she couldn't accept what he did, then they weren't truly friends.

The next day at FP's trailer, Betty cleaned Jughead's wounds that he sustained during a supposed motorcycle accident. She asked if it was possible that he take a day off, but Jughead wasn't too concerned with his injuries. Betty told him before that the motorcycle was dangerous and that he should always wear a helmet. For a moment, she worried that Jughead was going to tell her that he was jumped by the Ghoulies, though according to Toni, the Serpents would never allow that to happen. They had Jughead's back. Even though he wasn't an actual member, there was still a connection of family loyalty. With Betty having to leave for school, she asked Toni to look after Jughead.

Betty joined Polly by the front door as she prepared to leave for the farm with her bags packed and a cab just outside the house. Betty questioned if this was truly how Polly wanted to leave things with their parents, leaving for the Farm without saying goodbye. Apparently, Betty was the only member of the family she was extending this courtesy to as neither of their parents knew that Polly was on her way out of town. Betty insisted that their mother was sorry. She's always sorry, Polly said. Right up until she does the next thing that sets everyone off. Polly insisted that she would be fine. She and Betty then hug just before leaving.

With Kevin's phone going to voicemail, Betty decided to drop by his house, and while he wasn't there, his father was. Betty went on to tell the Sheriff all about Kevin's cruising of Fox Forest.

The next day, Betty arrived at school, arm and arm with Veronica, before heading over to her locker. She looked over to Kevin, who was just a few feet away at his locker. However, when she attempted to speak to him, he turned around in the opposite direction. It became fairly apparent that Kevin was upset with Betty for going behind his back, to his father

How could you do this to us? Alice asked after learning that Betty assisted Polly with running away to the farm. Betty explained that Polly wanted her help. Furthermore, she was some place safe, far away from the Black Hood, who was targeting sinners. Polly was scared, though she wasn't the only one. Betty's mother was terrified that every time Betty walked out the door or didn't answer her phone when she called, that something terrible had happened to her. It was the acts that she and Polly did in secrecy that made it difficult for their mother to protect them. To make matters worse, Alice was being portrayed as the monster because of this.

With her mother headed down a downward spiral, Betty spoke over the phone with Jughead from the Blue and Gold offices, where she hoped that he would join her for lunch. Unfortunately, Jughead had to at least try to maintain a semblance of him being a student at Southside High. After hanging up with him, she found a letter addressed to her from the Black Hood.

As she sat motionless at her desk, Kevin arrived to announce that he had no foreseeable plans of cruising. Betty then handed Kevin the Black Hood's letter to read for himself. In the letter, the Black Hood revealed that he was inspired by Betty's speech at the Jubilee. Enclosed in the letter, was a cipher, which detailed where he will punish the next sinner. Cracking the code was a test that only Betty could solve. Kevin suggested that they hand the evidence over to his father. Betty agreed to give over the cipher, however, the letter would remain with her. If they gave the letter over to Kevin's father, he would then tell Betty's mother, who would make sure that Betty never got anywhere near it. Betty reiterated the Black Hood's statement of it all being a test. She wondered what if the start of the test began with what she did with the letter. Should she share it? Or not? Is she strong? Or is she weak? Is she even worthy? However, Kevin reminded Betty that she was merely a high school student, who was dealing with a psychopath. Isn't it better for people to be focusing on the cipher, rather than the letter, Betty wondered. To make this happen, she devised a plan.

With her make up running down her face from the fake tears she forcefully cried, Betty handed over the cipher to her mother, claiming that the code didn't come with a letter and that she didn't know what else to do or who else to go to with the cipher.

While stressing to crack the code from home, Betty received a message from Jughead, telling her that he was sorry for the phone tag, but that they would have to talk tomorrow.

Betty stopped by the trailer first thing the next morning to catch Jughead before he left for school. Betty, who was on her way to the library, had asked Ms. Paroo to set aside all the books she had in relation to cryptograms and ciphers, as she thought it would help in cracking the Black Hood's code, which she hoped that Jughead would join her in doing. However, Jughead regretted to inform her that he and Toni had already started working on the code a day before, which came as little surprise to Betty because much like Jughead, Toni showed an interest in serial killers. She had an affinity for the darker side of things, Jughead remarked. After taking it all in, Betty suggested that they all work on the code together, her, Jughead, Toni, and Kevin. A code breaking party, Betty called it. Jughead could even host the event.

That night, as planned, Betty, Jughead, Kevin, and Toni convened at the trailer, where they collectively attempted to cipher the Black Hood's code. The symbols looked fairly familiar to Betty, however, she couldn't yet place them, and she would go on to struggle with them for the remainder of the night. She remarked that it was driving her crazy, to which Toni jokingly suggested that she loosen her ponytail. Jughead then proposed that they look at the killer from a more basic perspective, asking why the Black Hood chose this moment to start killing people. Betty and Kevin shared a look, both knowing where the inspiration for the killer's spree lied, yet neither came forth. From what little they knew of the Black Hood, he was obsessed with cleansing the town of sinners and hypocrites, seemingly attacking anyone with ties to the north side, which Toni referred to as "fake news". She claimed Betty was supposedly demonizing the south side. Betty clarified that she was merely stating facts. There was far more drug and gang activity on the south side, though Toni made a point in addressing the fact that the drugs Betty spoke of were mostly sold to north side crackheads. She was surprised that Betty hadn't just come out to say that she believed that the Black Hood was a Southside Serpent, because they all knew how much Betty hated the Serpents, which is why Jughead was hiding from her the fact that he sat with the Serpents at lunch, Toni revealed. And on that note, both Toni and Kevin decided it would be best if they left. Once they were alone, Jughead explained that he sat with the Serpents purely for reasons of survival, though Betty didn't seem too concerned. She appeared far more interested in cracking the code.

Betty and Jughead woke up on the couch the next morning. After realizing that they had accidentally fallen asleep while attempting to crack the Black Hood's code the night before, Betty began to panic after noticing several missed calls from her mother. She frantically grabbed her belongings and exited the trailer.

Jughead stopped by the house to drop off the notebooks that she had left at the trailer. Jughead insisted that he wasn't snooping, but while he was gathering her belongings, her letter from the Black Hood fell out, leaving Jughead to wonder why Betty hadn't told him about it. Betty initially claimed that she withheld the letter because Jughead was busy at Southside High, running around with the Serpents. But as Jughead explained, he had been gone for all of two days. And while it was upsetting that they no longer attended to the same school, he knew that this wasn't the reason she was sitting on the fact that the Black Hood sent her a letter. Betty exclaimed that she hid the letter because the Black Hood wrote that she inspired him, and she feared that once Archie learned of this, he would blame her for his father's shooting. Jughead reminded her that while Archie was definitely shaken, he could still recognize the good from the bad. You're not one of the bad guys, Jughead said. You're Betty Cooper. Like Nancy Drew meets the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was this reference that led Betty to conclude that in writing the code, the Black Hood used one of her touchstones.

Betty and Jughead arrived at library, where Betty told Jughead that when she was a kid, she used to excessively check out a Nancy Drew book entitled "The Nancy Drew Secret-Code". Betty then used the book to crack the cipher, which read that the Black Hood would strike next where it all began, that being at the Town Hall, where he heard Betty's speech that inspired him to go on his cleanse of sinners and hypocrites.

Having cracked the code, Betty and Jughead rushed over to the Town Hall meeting, where they alerted all those in attendance. Soaked and wet from the storm, the two of them came in through the back door, warning everyone that they needed to leave immediately as the Black Hood was on his way. Betty's mother stopped them in the aisle, asking what it was they were referring to. Betty explained that they cracked the cipher, which revealed to them the killer's next move. The power to the building then went out. Whether or not this was due to the storm remains unknown. But in fear of the Black Hood's arrival, Betty pulled the fire alarm, which resulted in immediate evacuation.

After successfully evacuating Town Hall, Betty and Jughead reconvened at her house, where they revealed to her, parents, as well as to Sheriff Keller and Mayor McCoy that there was also a letter that Betty had kept secret from them all.

Later that night, Betty received a call from an unknown number while laying in bed. Hello? Betty answered, to which the caller replied, "Hello, Betty. This is the Black Hood speaking."

Communicating with the Killer
How do I know this is real, Betty asked, after supposedly answering a call from the Black Hood. "I will strike next where it all began", the killer responded, which was a quote from the cipher she decoded. He was at the Town Hall, yet he didn't hurt anyone, which left Betty wondering what he wanted. The Black Hood wanted the same thing she did, to set Riverdale on the righteous path once more by cleansing it of sinners, though Betty never imagined murder as being the means to that end. The Black Hood claimed that he was only killing people that deserved it, like Polly. The Black Hood knew of her pregnancy as well as the location of the farm, which was two hours North. If Betty attempted to warn her, he'd know. The Black Hood threatened to kill Polly if Betty told the police or Jughead that they've spoken. Betty pleaded for Polly to be left unharmed, but for that to happen, she could no longer deny him. Without warning, her mother barged into her room, making the assumption that she was on the phone with Jughead. Her mother blamed Jughead for inspiring her stunt at Town Hall with the fire alarm. Given the letter that the Black Hood sent her, Betty didn't know what else to do. However, this is assuming that the letter was from the Black Hood, as the Sheriff wasn't convinced. So, he was having it analyzed along with the letter her mother received. In the meantime, her mother wanted her home straight after school.

Betty sent Archie a message the next morning, asking if he could walk her to school because she needed to tell him something. But, before doing so, she needed him to promise her that he wouldn't repeat this information to anyone else, Veronica, Jughead, and his father included. After Archie promised to keep her secret, Betty revealed that the Black Hood called her. She was taking a great risk by even telling Archie, but they were best friends, who lived next door to each other, so the two of them walking to school together would look perfectly normal to the Black Hood, assuming he was watching them. As crazy as it sounded, Betty was convinced that it was him. Archie insisted that she report this to the police, even if it wasn't him, but she couldn't because Polly's life depended on it. If the killer called her again, she would have to answer. And so Archie volunteered to be right there at her side to help her through it.

Betty and Archie entered the student lounge to learn that an old friend from Veronica's past, Nick St. Clair, was coming to town for the SoDale Gala Opening.

After school, Betty and Archie sat in her room, waiting for the killer to call, and sure enough, he did. Betty answered the phone, putting him on speaker for Archie to hear. The Black Hood told Betty that he could see her parents at the Register, through a big picture window. The killer asked if she was alone. Betty looked at Archie before lying, and saying that she was. With Betty's mother being a thorn in both of their sides, the Black Hood devised a plan that would keep her from looming over them. Betty was told to check her email, and publish what was sent to her, only then would he know that she was loyal, though before agreeing to his demands, Betty wanted something in return from the killer, for him to prove his loyalty. If Betty did as she was told, he would answer any question she asked. She had until tomorrow night to follow through on her end of the agreement. In Betty's email, was an archived mugshot of her mother. The article revealed that she was arrested and used to be a member of the Southside Serpents, many years ago.

The next day, at school, Betty and Archie discussed the Black Hood and the mugshot he wanted her to publish. Her mother went after the Black Hood pretty intensely, so it came as no surprise that he sought to humiliate her, though Betty could not do it to her mother, as it would destroy her credibility. What credibility, Archie asked. Her mother was always going after them and their friends. In spite of all this, Betty refused to blindside her with a published mugshot.

Betty and her mother learned from Sheriff Keller, who stopped by the house, that after sending Betty's letter which was supposedly written by the Black Hood, to two different specialists, they determined that the handwriting wasn't a match. Whoever wrote Betty the letter, was either a copycat or an anonymous prankster. However, her mother suggested a much more banal third option; that Betty wrote the letter herself to garner attention. The cipher was even cribbed from a Nancy Drew book. So while her mother was convinced that Betty was somehow involved, she had yet to uncover a motive. "Maybe you and your Serpent boyfriend cooked this up because you guys were bored", her mother speculated. Fed up with her mother's judgmental ways, Betty messaged Archie to let him know that she would be publishing the mugshot.

Having ripped it from every public archive, her mother asked who gave her the article. Maybe it was one of the Southsiders you attack in your paper, daily, Betty replied. She constantly talked down on FP, Jughead, and the Serpents, despite previously being one herself. Betty told her parents that it was done in the name of justice against her mother and her holier-than-thou attitude.

Later that night, while brushing her teeth, Betty received a call from the killer. How does it feel to knock your mother off her high horse, the Black Hood asked, though Betty did not respond. Instead, she reminded him of their deal, her end of which had already been upheld. Fulfilling his end of their agreement, the Black Hood asked what did she want to know, but the question couldn't be his name. The face under the hood, Betty wondered if she would recognize it. Yes. He answered. Having given her the response she desired, he felt closer to her, as if they were friends. Though, the problem with this is that he's selfish, and didn't like sharing her with other people. He needed Betty to cut them out of her life, or else he would, in his own cynical way, starting with Veronica. Betty stated that Veronica was innocent, but they both knew that she didn't honestly believe that.

Betty met up with Jughead, the next day, at Pop's, where she greeted him with a kiss. She was a sight for sore eyes, Jughead commented. They'd both been feeling unmoored recently. Jughead wanted to check in with her after the exposé of her mother that she published, with a mugshot from many years ago, of her mother's arrest as a young member of the Southside Serpents. While it was intense, it was also a long story that Betty chose not to dive into at the moment. Betty then asked about Jughead's hand, after noticing that it was wrapped in gauze. He claimed that he sustained the wound while dogsitting Hot Dog. Sitting on opposite ends of the table, holding each other's hands, Betty and Jughead both wished that they could leave Riverdale on his motorcycle for some place where there wasn't a brewing war between two sides or crazy moms and psychotic killers. They'd be like Romeo and Juliet, Betty imagined, but with a happily ever after instead.

She was approached by Archie in the hallway after he went to her house that morning to walk her to school, but her mother had told him that she had already left. Archie wondered if she got another call from the killer. Betty lied to Archie, telling him that she didn't get another call, when in fact, she did. They were then joined by Veronica and her friend from New York, Nick, who invited Betty to his party at the Five Seasons.

That night, Betty, Archie, Veronica, Cheryl, Kevin, Josie, Reggie, Valerie, and Melody attended the party in Nick's hotel room, where after having drinks, Nick suggested they turn up the party with some Jingle Jangle that he scored from Reggie. While Betty and Archie weren't interested, everyone else, Veronica included, was more than willing to indulge. Suddenly, Archie had a change of heart, and decided to join them, making Betty the odd man out, so to speak. As all her friends got high and partied under the influence, Veronica attempted to encourage Betty to have some fun, as she was without Jughead for the night. Betty told Veronica that she was making a fool of herself by acting like some privileged, shallow, airhead party girl. Betty claimed that she was only saying what they were all thinking, that Veronica was merely a friend of circumstance and that she wasn't who she pretended to be. Why should they be surprised, Betty asked. Like father, like daughter, she added. Veronica may have fooled the rest of them, but she hadn't fooled Betty. She saw Veronica for what she truly was, a bad person.

In the middle of the night, Betty sat at a dark and vacant bus stop, where she cried her eyes out until getting another call from the Black Hood. Betty told the killer that she did what he asked of her by cutting off Veronica, but now she wanted her questioned answered. What will make him stop. He replied that Betty's devotion to him was the only thing stopping the attacks, though she wasn't sure how much longer she could continue. He now wanted Betty to cut Jughead out of her life. As the son of a Serpent, he wasn't deserving of Betty's love.

Betty was confronted at the Blue and Gold offices by Archie, over her actions the night before, where she instigated a fight with Veronica. Betty revealed that she lied to Archie when he asked if the Black Hood had called again. He did call. But she didn't want to tell Archie because she knew he would try to talk her out of it. During their conversation, he told Betty to cut Veronica out of her life, and now, he's demanding that she do the same with Jughead. Archie pulled out his phone, presumably to tell someone of Betty's secret calls with the Black Hood, but she convinced him to put the phone down. The Black Hood hadn't attacked or killed anyone since the two of them started talking. Betty suspected that maybe this was distracting him. But Archie interpreted this as the killer's own form of torture. He was making Betty hurt the people around her. Archie asked Betty how she's going to put Jughead and herself through a break-up, though Betty was hoping that Archie could tell Jughead that they had to stay away from each other for a while. Anything to appease the Black Hood. It didn't have to be cruel, just enough for Jughead to believe it. They could walk him back through everything later. As tears filled her eyes, Betty pleaded with Archie not to quit on her, as she couldn't bear to break up with Jughead herself.

That night, Betty sat in her room, crying, after cutting both Veronica and Jughead out of her life. She later received a call from the killer, asking if she had cut Jughead off, as he requested. After telling him that she had done as he asked, Betty only had one question left to ask, who was the man under the hood. He told her that she'll find her answer in an abandoned house on the edge of Fox Forest.

Just as the Black Hood told her, there was a house at the end of the service road, near Fox Forest. Betty slowly entered the home. It was then that her phone rang. The Black Hood was calling yet again. He asked if she could see the wrapped present he left for her. Inside, was the answer to her question. Betty opened the box to find a black hood inside. She was instructed to put it on. Betty carefully placed the hood over her head, then turning around to see herself in the mirror. She questioned why he was torturing her. He replied that he was doing it to show her that they were the same. Betty was then scared off after hearing an odd sound coming from inside the house, taking the hood off, and leaving it behind.

On her way home, Betty got a call from Archie, telling her to come to the Pembrooke after Cheryl was nearly raped by Nick. Fortunately, the Pussycats were there to save her. Veronica felt sickened to her stomach, as Nick was a monster, who had probably committed similar acts right under her nose, though Betty assured Veronica that Nick's actions weren't her fault.

After returning home, Betty had compiled a list of everything she knew of the Black Hood so far, for instance, how he was a white male, in his 30's or 40's, with green eyes. Betty answered her phone as it began to ring. She wasn't sure if he was going to call again. The killer told her that there was one piece of unfinished business, that she had been telling Archie about their chats. He'd been watching her, and she broke the rules. So, now Polly had to pay for her disobedience. Betty begged him not to hurt Polly. If she wanted to save her sister, the Black Hood demanded that she give him another name of someone else guilty. Betty initially refused to sentence someone to death, but with no other choice, she gave up Nick St. Clair, who was staying at the Five Seasons, and had tried to rape Cheryl.

With the guilt of choosing Nick St. Clair to be the Black Hood's next victim setting in, Betty raced over to the Five Seasons hotel to save him from certain death. She entered Nick's suit to find him stabbing at the bar's counter top with a knife, while sporting a black eye, but otherwise unharmed. He told Betty to tell Veronica that she should consider herself fortunate that he wasn't pressing charges against her. Nick's parents then entered the room, which allowed Betty to warn the the entire St. Clair family that they weren't safe in Riverdale. Sheriff Keller arrived moments later to take Nick into custody, as Cheryl had filed a complaint against him. When Sheriff Keller looked to Betty, wondering what she was doing there, Betty stated that she was making sure that Nick got what was coming to him.

While leaving the hotel, Betty received a call from the Black Hood, who explained that his reason for not killing Nick was because he wasn't one of Riverdale's sons. Furthermore, Betty had already given the killer the most wonderful gift by giving up Nick's name. In that moment of nakedness, she allowed him to see "the real Betty", who he perceived as beautiful and righteous. Betty claimed that this wasn't the type of person she was, but her recent actions indicated otherwise. Now that she's revealed her true self, he stated that the real work can begin, before hanging up. Betty then got a message from Archie, asking if she was up.

Betty met up with Archie, and the two of them discussed her on-going relationship with the killer. After clearing her head, Betty realized that the Black Hood was playing a sick game of psychological torture with her. She decided then and there that she was done with him and his game. She would be ignoring any of his future calls. As for Polly, who the Black Hood threatened violence against, she was going to disappear for a while with the help of some of the people from the farm, just until Riverdale was safe again. What of Jughead and Veronica, Archie asked. They too deserve the truth. Betty agreed. But she first wanted to make sure everything was settled. As they reached the parking lot of Pop's diner, Betty and Archie noticed Jughead inside, having breakfast with Toni. Before either could react, they received simultaneous calls from their parents.

Betty returned home to learn that her mother had called everyone from Nick's party over, as well as their parents. She had heard that Jingle Jangle found its way into the party, and that many had participated in the night's drug induced festivities, with the exception of Betty, who left the party early. As her mother went on, Betty could hear Veronica whispering to Archie, mocking her "perfect girl next door" persona by referring to her as "Saint Betty". After Reggie confessed to bringing the Jingle Jangle to the party, he revealed that he acquired the drug from his dealer on the Southside, who he suspected of being a member of the Southside Serpents as well as a student at Southside High. While they admittedly shouldn't have taken the Jingle Jangle, Nick should be the only one under interrogation, given that he asked Reggie for the drugs and later pressured everyone into using it. On top of that, he roofied and tried to rape Cheryl. Unfortunately, Jingle Jangle stayed in the user's system for up to three days. So with all the witnesses being high, Sheriff Keller explained that prosecuting Nick would be difficult. After Mayor McCoy learned that Josie experimented with the drugs as well, she declared that her number one priority as Mayor was taking over the Southside, even if it meant arresting every Serpent in sight.

At school, Betty tried to explain her actions during the party, but neither Veronica nor Kevin were willing to hear her out. Despite previously telling Archie that she would no longer be taking the Black Hood's call, she answered the phone when he called her. She headed into an empty classroom so that she could speak freely. Betty had done everything the killer asked, so why couldn't he just leave her alone. The Black Hood replied that they had unfinished business. He spared Nick's life. The life that Betty had sentenced to death. It was because he chose not to do it that Betty didn't have Nick's blood on her hands. Should she choose to disobey, she'd have a lot worse to deal with. He claimed that Riverdale's streets would run red if Betty didn't help him. While Keller and the police hunted for low-level dealers, they'll go after the real sinner, that being the drug maker, known on the street as "The Sugarman". A corrupter of children who deserved swift and brutal justice, the Black Hood believed. But the fact that he was asking Betty to find the drug maker meant that he couldn't. Betty didn't understand what she could do. She was merely a school newspaper reporter. However, as the Black Hood explained, Betty was friends with Cheryl, who was the daughter of the Sugarman's former supplier, Clifford Blossom. Should Betty succeed in discovering the identity of the Sugarman, the Black Hood claimed that he would stop killing. If she failed to comply, someone will be "purified".

Betty visited Cheryl at Thistlehouse per the Black Hood's request. She claimed that she was coming to check in, but Cheryl knew better, referring to Betty was the "invisible woman", as she could see straight through her lie. Betty confessed that she was writing an article on Jingle Jangle inundating Riverdale. So, she was wondering if Cheryl ever heard of the Sugarman, which she had. As children, Cheryl and Jason were told by their mother tales of how their father was friends with the so-called Sugarman. And if they were bad, he'd sneak into their rooms at night, steal them from their beds, and whisk them away, nevermore to be seen. Betty asked if it was possible that the Sugarman worked for the Blossom drug business. But Cheryl denied any possibility of this, explaining that the Sugarman was merely a poison confection spun by her mother to scare children. Like the Sandman or Krampus.

After stopping by the Sheriff Station in search of Sheriff Keller, Betty headed down to Pop's where she was told that she could find him. Betty entered the diner, hoping to ask him a few questions for a Blue and Gold story. Have you ever heard of the Sugarman, Betty asked. Sheriff Keller replied that they both knew the Sugarman, and he went by many names, but at the end of the day, it was always one man, Clifford Blossom. Betty questioned how this could be true if Jingle Jangle was still being supplied. The Sheriff informed her that Jingle Jangle didn't hit the street until after Clifford died. Before leaving, Keller told her that anyone could be the current supplier. Unbeknownst to Betty, Veronica was in the diner, watching her from a booth. She sarcastically asked if Betty was drafting her next savage takedown. While Betty didn't expect Veronica to believe her, she insisted that she didn't mean anything she said during Nick's party. There was no sane excuse. Veronica agreed, which is why she asked to hear the insane excuse. Betty told Veronica everything, from breaking up with her and Jughead, to publishing that article about her mother. Betty would never forgive herself for all the things she did, even feeling guilty about giving up Nick. While Veronica wanted her to cut all ties to the killer, Betty thought it best if she turns the tables on him. The Black Hood said he would go away if she found out the identity of the Sugarman. But in doing so, Betty would be sentencing him to death. And drug dealer or not, he was still a human. Betty was close to ending it all, she just needed Veronica's help.

As punishment for their hardcore partying, Betty, Veronica, Archie, Kevin, Josie and Reggie were sentenced to pick up trash at Pickens park, as part of their community service, though it remains unknown why Betty was at the park considering she didn't get high like her friends. While Veronica worked Reggie for his Jingle Jangle contact, Betty promised Archie that she would come clean about everything to Jughead. But she first needed to take care of a few things, which included tracking down Reggie's dealer, which she and Veronica managed to accomplish. Betty waited in an alleyway on the Southside as Veronica purchased Jingle Jangle from Verne, the dealer. He was startled by the mere mentioned of the Sugarman's name, so much so, that he took off, unaware that Betty was following him.

Unfortunately, the dealer discovered that he was being followed, and so Betty and Veronica were caught trying to sneak in through the garage of the dealers' lair, otherwise known as the House of the Dead, a drug den to the Ghoulies. Much to their surprise, Archie and Jughead were at the drug den as well, talking to Ghoulies leader, Malachai. "These are your bitches?" Malachai asked. Betty and Veronica learned that Archie and Jughead were looking to arrange a street race between the Serpents and the Ghoulies, where the winners gain more control of the Southside. For this race to happen, Jughead was forced to put up his home, Sunnyside Trailer Park, as a bargaining chip.

In preparation for the street race, Betty and Jughead worked on Reggie's car, which he allowed them to borrow. God bless Reggie Mantle and his inferiority complex, Betty said. His car was a lot like him. It was beautiful to look at but there wasn't much going on under the hood, she remarked. Betty asked Jughead if street racing rival gangs were what the Serpents did for fun, having learned that Jughead joined the gang despite telling her that he wouldn't. Jughead countered that she didn't have much room to talk considering that she said she loved him, only to dump him via Archie, which he explained was far worse than via text. Betty apologized. It wouldn't make any sense to him at the time, but everything around them was imploding, so she broke up with him to protect him. But as far as Jughead was concerned, she did the one thing that could actually hurt him. Betty planned on telling him everything, but for the moment, she just wanted to get him through the race.

Betty stood alongside Veronica, Kevin, Reggie, and Cheryl as the race was about to begin. She approached Jughead, and told him that she needed him to know that she never stopped loving him. She wasn't sure that she could. She also reminded him not to ride the clutch or allow it to slip between gear shifts. The race started soon thereafter, with Archie and Jughead in one car, and Malachai and Verne in another. The race was supposed to go over Herk Harvey bridge to Dead Man's curve, but Sheriff Keller and the police department intervened, which resulted in the arrest of the Ghoulies. Fortunately, Archie and Jughead narrowly escaped. They returned to the starting point, where Jughead shouted at Archie after learning that he was responsible for the police getting involved. With law enforcement just down the road, Betty got in the car with Jughead, and the two of them vacated the premises.

Later that night, Betty reconvened with Veronica at Pop's. Her phone began to ring. It was Cheryl, though they were expecting a call from the Black Hood. Betty answered, and Cheryl revealed to her the identity of the Sugarman. It was Robert Phillips. A teacher at Southside High as well as Jughead's adviser at the Red and Black. Betty was conflicted, as either choice she made could end with someone's death. "What do I do, Veronica? If I give the Black Hood his name, may God have mercy on the Sugarman. And if I don't, may God have mercy on all of us."

The next morning, Betty got a call from the Black Hood. She answered, under the assumption that her time was up to deliver the Sugarman's identity. The Black Hood demanded that she give up the name, but Betty refused. She told him that she had already notified the Sheriff's office, and that he would just have to read the name in the exposé she published in the Blue and Gold. The Sugarman needed to be brought to justice, not execution. He would be dealt with correctly. The Black Hood informed Betty that she was playing a risky game. She agreed. But now it's her game. A game that ended with her catching him. She found out who killed Jason Blossom, she found out who the Sugarman was, and now the Black Hood is next. She was breathing down his neck. "Can you feel it, can you feel me?", she asked.

That evening, at the trailer, Betty came clean to Jughead about everything. And so, after they mended their relationship, she cuddled up alongside him, reading a book, as he continued working on his novel.

Investigating Sheriff Keller
Betty laid in bed with Jughead at the trailer, disappointed with herself after learning that she failed to outsmart the Black Hood, who had broken into the Sheriff Station overnight, and murdered Mr. Phillips. By having him arrested, she thought she was saving his life, but his death proved otherwise. While Mr. Phillips didn't deserves what happened to him, Jughead reminded Betty that he was a high school teacher that dealt drugs. This led Betty to question how the Black Hood even gained access to the station. She had a theory, but told Jughead that it was nothing, given that it was too crazy. Jughead then received a call, which called for him to leave the trailer abruptly.

That morning at school, Betty and Veronica learned from Kevin that the town was turning on his father, which was cause to worry. While Sheriff Keller was trying his best under the crazy circumstances, the Black Hood was far too elusive. What's he been doing to deal with it, Betty and Veronica simultaneously asked. Kevin told them that his father was neither sleeping nor eating. He would also hear the Sheriff rummaging around their house at odd hours of the night, talking to himself, and heading out in the middle of the night.

In the Blue and Gold offices, Betty and Veronica discussed the troubles surrounding the Keller men. Betty announced that she had a theory. As did Veronica. While Betty accused him of being the Black Hood, Veronica believed that he was having an affair. Veronica was appalled with Betty's story, asking if it was a joke. Unfortunately, it wasn't. Hoping to convince Betty that her theory is incorrect, Veronica further elaborated on hers. Sheriff Keller's wife is away. He's failing at his job, looking for comfort, sneaking around. All signs pointed towards cheating, though Betty was persistent in her belief, stating that maybe he could be having an affair and he's the Black Hood. Given that Mr. Phillips was killed in a cell at the Sheriff Station, Betty asked how does one explain that. However, Veronica wished to no longer entertain Betty's absurd groundless suspicions considering that Kevin was in a time of need. Veronica was positive that Sheriff Keller was having an affair. So, she advised Betty to stay tuned for when she proved it.

Furthering her investigation of Sheriff Keller, Betty headed down to the station to question the Sheriff, who was under the impression that she was writing a follow up for the Blue and Gold. How did the Black Hood get to the Sugarman despite being locked in a cell, Betty asked. Forced entry, the Sheriff explained. While he was out on patrol, and the overnight deputy was sleep, the Black Hood pried the door open from outside the station. Betty then followed Sheriff Keller down to the holding cells, where Phillips was shot. They had gathered shoe prints and video surveillance to catch the killer, but what enraged the Sheriff was the fact that the killing took place in his department, under his watch.

That night, Betty called Veronica, who was sleeping over at Kevin's house without her and in the middle of an investigation of Sheriff Keller, though Veronica insisted that she wasn't investigating the Sheriff, rather comforting Kevin, and helping him deal with his father's infidelities. Essentially, Veronica was only sleeping over to look around, and prove her theory that Sheriff Keller was having an affair. Can you add looking for evidence to prove that Sheriff Keller is the killer to your to-do-list, Betty asked. She recommended that Veronica start in the home office, but it was locked. Betty then suggested that Veronica check the basement for evidence. Betty wanted her to see if anything jumped out at her. While she was initially hesitant, Veronica reluctantly agreed. However, moments later, Veronica hung up on her without so much as a goodbye.

The next day at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, Betty learned from Veronica that Sheriff Keller had sneaked out the house in the middle of the night, and that he didn't return until 4:00 in the morning. Hearing this pleased Betty as it furthered her theory. She then placed the latest article from the Register onto the table, which read "Drug Addict Found Dead on Southside Railroad Tracks". A Jingle Jangle addict's body was found by the tracks that morning. While the article read that the addict was hit and killed by a train, Betty believed that rather than stumbling into its path, he was pushed in front of it by Sheriff Keller. She reminded Veronica of all the locked doors in the Keller home, though Veronica retorted that he was merely a private person. She instructed Betty to not confuse wanting a solution to the mystery with actually having one given that they were talking about the father of their close friend.

Later that evening, Betty hid within the trees near the Keller house, waiting for the Sheriff to depart in order for her to search the home for evidence to prove that he's the Black Hood. As he left, Betty rushed over to the house, grabbing the spare key from under a potted flower, and entering the home uninvited. She immediately went to his home office, which was locked. Betty picked the lock with a bobby pin before searching the office. Inside, she found the walls of the Sheriff's home office covered with evidence to the Black Hood's attacks, such as Mr. Andrews's shooting at Pop's, the attack on Moose and Midge near Fox Forest, and Ms. Grundy's killing in Greendale. Betty began erratically searching the drawers within the office until finding a black hood hidden within one of them. Unfortunately for Betty, Sheriff Keller had returned home. He asked Betty what she was doing in his office.

Betty was then brought down to the Sheriff Station by Sheriff Keller, who called her father down to pick her up. Her father first apologized for Betty's actions and the absurd theory that the Sheriff was the Black Hood. Given that she found his research on the case and the black hood that he had previously confiscated from Archie, the Sheriff was willing to write it off as Betty having an over active imagination. Hoping to prove his innocents to Betty, the Sheriff gave her his logbook. Upon further examination, Betty discovered that he was processing a perpetrator when Mr. Andrews was shot. When Midge and Moose were attacked, he was paroling downtown. And as for Ms. Grundy, he was in the station when she was murdered in Greendale. He had the graveyard shift. Sheriff Keller had decided not to say anything to Kevin about what had happen considering that she had been a great friend to him, and if he ever found out what Betty did, it would break his heart.

After returning home, Betty called Veronica in hopes that she would join her for a stakeout of Sheriff Keller's house. Veronica agreed to accompany her, but only to keep Betty in check and for Kevin's sake. So, that night, from their car, Betty and Veronica sat outside of the Sheriff's home, where they waited for him to leave, so that they could follow him. Sure enough, in the late hours of the night, Sheriff Keller left his home as he'd done many nights before. Betty and Veronica followed him to the Shady Palm Motel. As he pulled a bag from out the trunk of his truck, Betty took a picture, stating that it was his "kill kit". She imagined that he was about to do something terrible with his next victim, who could be in his motel room. Veronica suggested that they call the cops, but Betty would much rather investigate. They hid behind the bushes, watching as Sheriff Keller knocked on the motel room door. Much to their surprise, Mayor McCoy answered the door, and greeted the Sheriff with a hug and a kiss.

Left shocked and speechless from this recent development, Betty and Veronica had milkshakes in a booth at Pop's, where they discussed how best to handle the situation. Veronica's woman intuition told her that the Sheriff was having an affair, but she never imagined that it was with the Mayor. From that, Riverdale's list of sinners just expanded. Archie and Jughead then entered the shoppe, but the girls decided against inviting them to join given that as Veronica put it, they were having an "intense broment". Betty wondered how they would present Kevin with such terrible news. But Veronica suggested that they not say anything. For Kevin's sake, this would be one of the secrets they kept to themselves in order for him to continue believing that his father was one of the good guys. After getting off the phone with the Black Hood, Pop Tate announced that they were all sinners who failed his test, and that the reckoning was upon them.

FP's Retirement Party
Betty met up with Jughead at Pop's to discuss the murder victims of the Riverdale Reaper, a serial killer that massacred a family of four in their own home, over 40 years ago. The victims were Jim and Mary-Ellen Conway, and their kids, Tommy and Sue, who were ten and nine. The Reaper was never apprehended nor identified, meaning he could possibly be the Black Hood, though it was doubtful considering that he would be in his sixties. The reporter of the article talked to the Sheriff at the time who thought the killer chose them at random due to their house being isolated. Betty learned that the house was located down a service road at the edge of Fox Forest. She even got a look at the house where the murders took place from an archived article from the Register. It was then that she realized that she had been there once before. The Black Hood had sent her there as part of his twisted game, which meant there was definitely a link between the two killers. Jughead suggested that they go to Sheriff Keller to see if he could pull the files from the murders. However, after Betty accused him of being the Black Hood, going to him for assistance was no longer an option. They could go to the house in question, but Betty refused to go back considering that the last time she was there, the Black Hood made her look into a mirror, and what she saw staring back at her was frightening. Their conversation was then halted by news that FP would be getting out of jail soon.

Betty and Jughead called Archie and Veronica down to the Blue and Gold offices to inform them of FP's upcoming release from prison. When Veronica asked what heralded the miracle, Jughead claimed that it was the perfect storm of overcrowding at the prison and Cheryl's testimony that the Judge must've reviewed. Unbeknownst to both Betty and Veronica, this was untrue. Jughead and Archie knew the true reason for FP's release was because of the one time drug-run they made for Penny Peabody in Greendale, during which time Penny had set Jughead up to be her permanent drug-runner. With a new lead in the Black Hood case, where they had discovered a connection between the current attacks and the Riverdale Reaper, Betty and Jughead were hoping that Archie and Veronica could follow up where they left off because Jughead needed to be there to help his father readjust to society while Betty was taking a break from the case. Essentially, they wanted Archie and Veronica to be them, in the sense that they would be tackle the case as an investigative team.

Betty returned home to ask her mother if she could borrow the station wagon because she and Jughead wanted to pick up FP from prison tomorrow and treat him to Pop's. Betty knew that her mother would hear it eventually, so she decided it be best to get it out the way. Betty revealed that Jughead had officially become a member of the Southside Serpents, which came as no surprise to her mother. Betty explained that Jughead was important to her, and with FP being important to Jughead, Betty was hoping that her mother would give them the benefit of the doubt.

The following day, Betty, Jughead, and her mother greeted FP as he exited the prison. After Jughead and FP shared a hug, her mother asked if it was true what they said about men who were just released from prison; that they were incredibly sexually frustrated. This question left both Betty and Jughead feeling uncomfortable as they got in the station wagon. At Pop's, her mother advised FP to watch his back because the Black Hood was targeting sinners, especially ones who joined the Serpents, or as she put it, a gang of hoodlums. On that note, FP took the opportunity to reveal that he wouldn't be returning to the Serpents, which concerned Betty considering that she was counting on FP to watch over Jughead, upon his release. FP had come to this decision while in prison. The Serpents were a slippery slope, one that he didn't wish to revisit. As for all of the extra time that he would have since he would no longer be gang affiliated, FP said that he would be working at the diner. As they were coming in, he saw a help wanted sign in the window. FP then revealed that he had joined AA while in jail, and he didn't plan on stopping.

The next day, Betty and Jughead conversed as FP waited tables at Pop's, as their newest busboy. Betty and Jughead were forced to watch as Cheryl belittled FP by intentionally knocking over her milkshake, and demanding that he clean it up. This greatly frustrated Jughead given that his father used to be a king. A leader of men. Though he's since fallen to the point of being demeaned by the likes of Cheryl. FP deserved to be honored, not humiliated. Betty agreed with this notion, stating that they should throw him a retirement party fit for a king. She told Jughead not to worry, as she would take care of everything.

Betty's first step in planning FP's party was finding a location for it to be held. She chose the Whyte Wyrm, a known Serpent hang out. There, she spoke with Toni, hoping that she would allow a karaoke machine to be brought in, which she did. Betty then explained to Toni that she had been walking the razor's edge since Jughead joined the Serpents, and all she had been thinking was that everything would get better after FP returned because he would watch over Jughead to ensure that he didn't get hurt. However, with FP retiring, that left Jughead unprotected. With that being said, Betty sough to keep an eye on Jughead herself, to make sure that as deep into the snake-infested waters as he went, that he didn't do something that would put him in danger. You want to be a Serpent, Toni asked. Serpent adjacent, Betty replied. Byrdie, another member of the Serpents, laughed hysterically. She told Betty that the only way to gain membership was to perform the "Serpent dance", which was an outdated sexist Serpent tradition of initiation for its female members. Toni attempted to get it outlawed, but she failed. Betty wanted to know more about the dance, looking to Toni for answers.

That night, Betty thanked Pop for agreeing to cater FP's retirement party. All they would have to do was pick up the trays before the party due to the short notice. Betty then told her mother about the party at the Whyte Wyrm and how she was helping organize the event. Unfortunately for Alice, she didn't have much room to object given that she was once a Serpent.

The next day, in a reversal of roles, Betty and Jughead were called down to the Blue and Gold offices by Archie and Veronica, who informed them that via Sheriff Howard's case files, they had discovered that the Conways were a family of five, and that there was third child who survived the massacre. His name was Joseph Conway. His identity was hidden and name was changed so that he could lead a normal life. According to Sheriff Howard's notes, he was adopted by another family in Riverdale, and presumably enrolled at a local high school. Fortunately, they had a photo of Joseph, meaning that all they had to do was match the photo to one of the students that would've attended Riverdale High School during those years through the school's various yearbooks. Should they find him, he could tell them how the Conway massacre was related to the recent attacks at the hands of the Black Hood. However, Jughead proposed that they proceed with caution since Joseph Conway could be the Black Hood. Considering that Joseph possibly saw the slaughter of his family, something as traumatizing as that could've effected him throughout life, which he could possibly blame Riverdale for, and is punishing the town because of it. Betty and Jughead then invited Archie and Veronica to his FP'S retirement party.

That night, before heading out for FP's retirement party, Betty looked at herself in the mirror before letting her hair down, and doing away with her "iconic ponytail".

Betty arrived at the party with her mother, who was out of her usual attire. Alice was dressed in a fashion that neither Betty nor Jughead was accustomed to. She resembled a Southsider more so than anything else. While her mother took several shots at the bar, Betty informed Jughead that she would have a surprise for him later on in the night.

A little later in the night, Betty signaled Archie to come up on stage as he had arranged for him and Veronica to sing a duet. Betty watched as Archie and Veronica performed "Mad World" for the bar. However, their performance was cut short as Veronica ran off stage, with Archie not fan behind, causing the crowd turn on them. As the crowed booed, Betty took this opportunity to get on stage, and pick up where Archie and Veronica left off. While singing, Betty started to undress as she performed the "Serpent dance" in order to gain membership to the Serpents, thus allowing her to watch over Jughead full time. Betty stripped for the crowd, taking off everything but her black laced lingerie as she sang and worked the stripper pole. As her set came to an end, FP entered the bar, giving Betty around of applause, while encouraging the crowd to do the same. He then covered Betty with his jacket, before sending her off the stage. As she got down off the stage, she was scolded by her mother for her inappropriate actions. FP then gave a speech to the Serpents announcing that he no longer had plans of retirement. This concerned Alice, who tried to take Betty home, but she refused to leave.

As Betty stood in the bar's parking lot, where she was joined by Jughead. She noticed that something was wrong, asking if it was the dance that upset him, which it was, though it wasn't the only reason. Jughead wondered why Betty would do such a thing. Betty explained that she wanted to be apart of his world, and the Serpent dance was the only way for that to happen. Archie knew to cut bait. He questioned why Betty didn't do the same. Because of this, he was dragging Betty down, as well as his father, who was no longer retiring because of his actions. Betty insisted that everything would be alright, and that they would figure out together what they had to do, though Jughead would beg to differ. He could no longer be with Betty, out of fear that she would get hurt, which he couldn't allow to happen. This wasn't his decision to make, Betty stated. However, given his status among the Serpents, it was in fact Jughead's decision, he retorted. How many times are we going to push each other away, Betty asked. Until it sticks, Jughead replied. He wrecked his father's one chance of going straight, and he refused to subject Betty to a similar fate. Though, Betty had not the slightest clue as to what he was referring to. She insisted that he to tell her what happened, but Jughead simply begged her to go home.

After the retirement party, Betty returned home, where she adjusted herself in the mirror before turning around to see Archie from his bedroom, looking back at her.

Stopping the Black Hood
Betty is awakened from her sleep by Polly, who came into her bedroom and told her that "he's here". "Who's here?" Betty asked. She headed down to steps to find Polly standing along side their mother and father. To her right, where the Christmas tree stood, Betty saw who she initially believed to be Santa Claus, planting gifts. She called out to him. But imagine her surprise when the man in red turned out to be the Black Hood dressed in a Santa suit, holding a large knife. Betty then looked back over to her family, who had been slaughtered. All she could do was stand there speechless and motionless as the Black Hood inched closer towards her. Fortunately, Betty then woke up in her room, thus revealing that it was merely a dream. After coming to this realization, Betty looked out her room window to the sight of falling snow.

The next morning, she joined Veronica over at the Pembrooke where they discussed Kevin's Secret Santa gift exchange, which as Betty informed Veronica, had a $20 limit. Although, Veronica wasn't too concerned with Kevin's rules. Furthermore, all the gifts she had purchased weren't for the Secret Santa exchange. She had gotten a Hermes scarf for her mom, a leather passport case for her dad, and even a gift for Betty. Much to Betty's surprise, in Veronica's possession was also a gift for Archie, even though they had broken up. Betty asked if the gift was meant to reunite the two lovers. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. Veronica explained that not only was she and Archie still friends, but that the gift was purchased prior to their break up.

Betty went on to attend the Secret Santa gift exchange in the student lounge at school with Archie, Reggie, Cheryl, Kevin, Veronica, Jughead and Josie. After Veronica opened her gift from Josie, which was awkwardly a gift certificate for a couples massage, Josie suggested that Veronica use the certificate to take someone other than Archie given that they had broken up, such as Betty or her mother. Reggie then joked that he could use the gift certificate for the couples massage with Veronica's mother. Luckily, Betty was the last exchange for the evening. Based on the wrapping of the present, Betty instantly knew that it was Archie that picked her name. She unwrapped the gift to find an old read-a-long record that she and Archie used to listen to when they were younger, entitled "The Swiss Family Robinson". She loved the present, thanking Archie for such a wonderful gift. Moose and Midge then entered the lounge to join them for the Holiday event.

Betty followed Archie out the lounge as he exited abruptly. She asked why he was rushing off. Archie explained that every time he looked at Moose, all he could think about was the Black Hood and all the pain he had caused. The fact that the killer was still free to wreck havoc was giving Betty anxiety nightmares and making her paranoid. It was as if everywhere she looked all she could see is the Black Hood. Though, she cut her sentence short after noticing a new janitor cleaning the floors rather than Mr. Svenson. Betty approached the janitor, asking who he was before asking about Mr. Svenson. The new janitor told Betty and Archie that he had no knowledge of Mr. Svenson's whereabouts, who had been out for a few days. Betty grew concerned for Mr. Svenson's well being considering that Archie and Veronica had confronted him about his connection to the Black Hood. Maybe in doing so, they led the Black Hood to Mr. Svenson and got him killed.

In the front office, Betty and Archie learned from Ms. Bell that Mr. Svenson had been out all week with a cold. She stated that he sounded terrible over the phone, so she dropped off some chicken soup at his front door a few days back. She went on to explain that Mr. Svenson often became depressed during the Holidays due to having no family to spend them with.

After parting ways with Archie, Betty entered the Blue and Gold offices, where she found Jughead awaiting her arrival. He had stayed behind to personally deliver her gift. Jughead then apologized for their sudden break up. As Serpents, Jughead and his father were specifically in a precarious place, and he didn't want to see Betty get caught in the cross-hairs. However, that wasn't his decision to make, Betty stated. Even if he thought his recent actions were to protect her, what she risked and for whom was her choice. While Jughead agreed with what was being said, he decided it was best that he leave. As he was heading out, Betty revealed that she had gotten him a gift as well. He smiled as she handed him the large present.

From the office, Betty called Archie to inform him that she couldn't shake her concern over Mr. Svenson and wanted to stop by his house to ensure that he was alright. Archie agreed, asking Betty that she give him ten minutes to get there.

Betty and Archie arrived at Mr. Svenson's house, where they founded Ms. Bell's chicken soup still sitting on the front step. They knocked on the front door several times, but no one answered.

After failing to make contact with Mr. Svenson, Betty returned home, where she found her mother making ginger bread cookies in the kitchen just in case there was a Christmas miracle, and Polly decided to return home, as they were her favorite. Betty then learned that another gift was left for her on the steps, which was supposedly from her Secret Santa. Betty opened the gift in her room to find a severed finger inside. She threw the box down in terror before calling Archie over. With the gift came a letter that read "Enclosed is a finger that belongs to the sinner Joseph Conway .You have one final trespass to unearth. Find the truth, reveal it to the town, and you will perhaps save his life". Betty then received a call from the Black Hood, during which time she briefly heard Mr. Svenson's voice, begging for her to save him. The Black Hood told Betty that Mr. Svenson had lost a lot of blood, though it was nothing compared to the blood on the hands of the town. The Black Hood instructed her to exhume the past and find where the primal sin was committed. There, she could possibly find Mr. Svenson alive. Archie then snatched the phone away to talk to the killer himself, but the Black Hood immediately hung up, leaving Betty to question the primal sin that the Black Hood was referring to. Before he was adopted, Svenson lived as Joseph Conway at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Betty and Archie hoped that one of the Sisters could possibly help them in figuring out Joseph's sin.

At the group home, Betty and Archie spoke with Sister Woodhouse, who informed them that Joseph Svenson/Conway was a troubled youth. Did he suffer from survivor's guilt, Betty asked. Before Sister Woodhouse could respond, another Nun passed the nearby window, giving a menacing look, resulting in Sister Woodhouse to bring their discussion to an end. However, Betty wasn't done with her questioning. So as a mean to force Sister Woodhouse's compliance, Betty revealed that she learned all about the corporeal punishment from Polly after she escaped the group home. In fear of what would follow should Betty reveal the truth about Quiet Mercy, Sister Woodhouse told them that after Mr. Svenson's family was massacred, he identified the man responsible, known as the Riverdale Reaper. From there, a small group of townsfolk took matters into their own hands by executing the alleged killer. It wasn't until Svenson had been taken to Quiet Mercy that he admitted in his terror and shock that he accused the wrong man, meaning the primal sin was sentencing the wrong man to death. Betty asked if Svenson ever talked about who carried out the execution. Sister Woodhouse claimed that they came by the group home once, to see Joseph. It was a group of men and one woman. While she couldn't remember their names or what they looked like, Sister Woodhouse recalled that the woman had striking white hair, save for a cherry-red stripe. With that description, Betty concluded that the woman was Nana Rose Blossom.

Under the suspicion that Nana Rose was present for the execution, Betty and Archie unexpectedly showed up at Thistlehouse, where Cheryl answered the front door. She invited them in and took them to see Rose. Betty and Archie asked her about the execution of the Riverdale Reaper and if Nana Rose had accompanied them when they killed him in the name of justice and revenge. Nana Rose revealed that she wasn't there to see the execution first hand as she was told to stay at home while the men took care of the killer. Where did they hang the Reaper, Betty asked. Rose replied that he wasn't hung. They gave him a proper burial by burying him alive. As for the location of the burial, Nana Rose, who mistook Betty for Polly, as she had done before, told Betty to ask her grandfather, who had participated in the execution. Rose had a picture of them at the burial, smiling just beneath the devil's hand. Nana Rose then fell ill, asking that Cheryl take her to her room.

In the car, just outside Thistlehouse, Betty and Archie discussed how her grandfather helped murder an innocent man. Though, Archie questioned if what Nana Rose had told them was true. Betty was pretty certain that it was true considering that she vaguely remembered the picture Nana Rose mentioned. When her grandfather Louis died, Betty and her family packed up his house. While they donated most of his items, they kept the pictures, which they later organized at her house. With her grandfather having a hand to play in the death of an innocent man, Betty questioned if this was the reason that the Black Hood chose her to call and torture, as a way to enact revenge for something that she didn't even do. Archie grabbed Betty's hand as he explained to her that they were finally at the part of the story where they could end it all by stopping the Black Hood and saving Mr. Svenson. But in order for that to happen, Archie needed Betty at his side. Tomorrow, they would wake up and everything would be back to normal. But for that night, Archie needed Betty. They then shared a kiss before driving off, unaware that Cheryl watched from her bedroom window above.

Betty and Archie returned to her house, where they looked over her grandfather's old photos to see if they could find the picture that was previously mentioned by Nana Rose. There was one photo in particular that Betty somewhat remembered, but the story behind it, at least according to her father was that her grandpa Louis and his friends planted some trees in Picken Park. Betty then found the aforementioned picture. In it, they could see the burial site of the preacher that was falsely accused by Mr. Svenson. Archie suspected that the burial ground of the preacher is where they could find Svenson, hopefully alive. Betty then took a better look at the branches, which resembled the devil's hand, as described by Nana Rose. Betty and Archie planned to call Sheriff Keller as they headed to Picken Parks in hopes of finding Svesnon alive and well.

Betty and Archie arrived a Pickens Park soon thereafter, where they found a shallow grave labeled "here lies Joseph Conway". After Archie dug up the grave, he and Betty opened the coffin only to learn that it was empty. They started to wonder why the Black Hood would bury an empty coffin. Though this question was quickly answered by the Black Hood, who showed up alongside them, held them at gunpoint, and demanded that Archie get into the coffin. After he got in, Betty closed the top on him and began to fill the grave with dirt, essentially burying Archie alive as her grandfather did to the innocent preacher. As Betty continued to bury Archie, she told the Black Hood that they had uncovered Mr. Svenson's wrongful accusation of the preacher and how a small group of men executed him. This was the town's sin, which Betty was willing to expose should the Black Hood allow Archie to live. No one had to die, Betty stated. As police sirens began to ring throughout the park, the Black Hood became distracted, allowing Betty to take advantage of the opportunity by hitting him in the face with her shovel and disarming him. She then jumped into the grave to uncover the coffin and save Archie. As she did so, the Black Hood took off, leaving his gun behind. Once Archie was out, Betty and Archie climbed out the grave and chased after him.

They chased the Black Hood over a bridge, which he attempted to jump over as Betty and Archie began to catch up to him. Although, he was hesitant in doing so with Archie holding him at gunpoint. Betty looked on as Archie demanded the killer to get down off the edge of the bridge. Should the Black Hood try to escape, Archie threatened to shoot him. It would only be right, with Archie reasoning that the Black Hood tried to kill his father and friends. Despite having a gun pointed at him, the Black Hood attempted to jump over. However, before he could do so, he was shot down and killed by Sheriff Keller. Upon removing the hood, they discovered that the Black Hood was Mr. Svenson, who had even cut off his own finger to further along his goal. Betty and Archie then hugged as back up arrived.

Betty and Archie were then taken to Pop's by the Sheriff, who spoke with their parents as they sat in a booth with Jughead and Veronica. Archie and Veronica's instincts about Svenson were right. Veronica thought he was the Black Hood, and had Archie listened when they confronted him at school, they could've end everything there. But after looking directly into the killer's eyes the day that his father was shot, Archie didn't see the resemblance in Svenson's eyes. Taking a moment to forget about his eyes, they couldn't believe that he would cut off his own finger. The finger of accusation, Betty pointed out. Now that they knew who did the killings, Jughead wondered why. Betty explained that Mr. Svenson accused an innocent preacher of murdering his family, which later got the man killed. Betty suspected that maybe in Mr. Svenson's own backwards way, he thought that targeting sinners would balance the scale, so to speak. Svenson having the knowledge that he did on their lives made perfect sense given that he was always around, lurking in the hallways. He could have seen Archie and Ms. Grundy in the music room, as well as Moose and Midge buying Jingle Jangle. While they continued to go over the killer's motives and mindset, Jughead was just grateful that Svenson was in a body bag and they weren't.

Betty opened her present from Jughead the next morning, which was a 1987 novel entitled "Beloved", by Betty's literary hero, Toni Morrison. With the novel came a note from Jughead that read "A signed first edition for my beloved. Thanks for introducing me to your favorite writer. Love Jug". Afterward, she retrieved a box from under her bed, containing all her evidence in the Black Hood investigation. Betty headed down stairs by the fire place, where she tossed the files and newspapers clippings into the fire. When it came time to burn the black hood, she couldn't bring herself to do it after having stared into the blackest of voids. While she initially tossed the hood in the fire, she pulled it back out. The hood was the place where Joseph Conway's soul had once existed. It was in that void that Betty had seen a dark reflection, a truth that could not be burned away. A truth that whispered to her, "This isn't over".

Finding Chic
While sitting in the student lounge with Archie, Veronica and Kevin, Betty learned from Mr. Weatherbee, who announced over the intercom that effective immediately, Southside High was shutting down and that the students who attend would be transferring to other school's in the district, including Riverdale. When Archie asked what this meant for them, Betty replied that Jughead was coming back, leading Kevin to wonder if Betty was ready to see him given that they had recently broken up. Betty insisted that she and Jughead were fine and perfectly capable of being in each other's presence. The reason behind the sudden closure of Southside High, Veronica suspected that it was some kind of bizarre, Byzantine town ordinance that they couldn't possibly understand.

Betty returned home from school, calling out to her mom and dad, but with no response. However, she quickly discovered that she was not alone as a noise could be heard coming from upstairs. Betty quietly and cautiously headed up the staircase, pulling out a can of pepper spray as she made her way up. She entered the room only to discover that Polly had returned home, though she was only back to gather her belongings. Much to Betty's surprise, Polly had given birth to the twins. The brief moment of excitement turned into disappointment as Betty realized that their mother would be crushed upon learning that Polly gave birth without telling them. At the very least, Betty wanted to alert their mother of Polly's return, but Polly warned her against such action. The leaders of the Farm, which Betty viewed as a cult, thought it best if Polly severed all ties t their family. However, Polly insisted that they weren't a cult. Furthermore, there wasn't a stigma on the Farm, surrounding the twins, who were healthy and who Polly named Juniper and Dagwood. Betty pleaded with Polly to stay while also acknowledging the fact that their parents hurt her. Despite that, Polly's behavior was cruel, selfish and vindictive. As Polly exited the room with a box of her belongings, Betty grabbed the nightlight sitting at the top of the box, claiming that it was hers.

That night, Betty's mother returned home as Betty sat at the kitchen table, distracted over her recent fall out with Polly. Much like Archie, her mother was suspicious in regards to the abrupt closing down of Southside High. She suspected that Mayor McCoy was hiding something. Just as Betty was about to tell her mother that Polly had stopped by and that she had given birth to the twins, Alice asked Betty if she had talked to her sister because she wanted to make sure that Polly had everything that she needed and that the nursery was painted to her liking. Within the questioning and seeing the joy that the mere mentioning of Polly brought to her mother's face, Betty decided against telling her mother the truth, claiming that she was simply wondering if anyone had heard from Polly.

Later that night, Betty met up with Jughead at Pop's. She appreciated him agreeing to meet with her as she had a favor to ask of him. Jughead told her that it was not a bother given that he was going to reach out to her in an effort to avoid any awkward exchanges once he returns to Riverdale. Betty explained that she needed his help to find her long-lost brother. She was hoping that Jughead would put her in touch with his social worker, Ms. Weiss, to see if she could help Betty find him. While Jughead was more than willing to set up the exchange, he couldn't help but wonder why Betty suddenly sought to find her brother. Betty told him that Polly gave birth to the twins, but that she didn't even call their mother to tell her. Admittedly, her mother was crazy. But she was also very sad. Betty was hoping that having her brother in their lives would make things better. As for clearing the air, Betty was happy that Jughead was returning to Riverdale High.

The following day, at Pop's, Betty spoke with Ms. Weiss, who informed Betty that her brother's files were unsealed and made public when he turned eighteen. His name is Charles Smith. After her mother gave birth at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, he entered and stayed in the foster system, meaning that he was never adopted. The last known address they had for Charles was two towns over, in Centerville.

Betty went home to inform her parents that Polly had the twins. Her mother immediately realized that Polly didn't want them to be apart of the babies' lives. When her mother asked if the twins were healthy and if Polly was alright, Betty replied that she is and that they are. Betty revealed that this wasn't all she had to share. After some digging, she found an address for her brother, Charles Smith. Now that Polly was gone, Betty assumed that this would better their lives, but her father would beg to differ. He quickly grew angry, explaining that her brother had nothing to do with her or Polly. Her mother agreed.

Late that night, Betty woke up from her sleep to see her mother sitting at the edge of her bed. While they couldn't tell her father because he wouldn't support it, her mother wanted to secretly meet Charles.

That day, Betty and her mother traveled two towns over to Centerville. They arrived at a Last Resort Hostel, Charles' last known address. Upon approaching the counter, the manager told them that it was $40 a night for a single bed and $20 a night for a bunk. Betty explained that they weren't looking to stay, rather they were searching for her brother by the name of Charles Smith. Room 237, the manager said. Charles told them to come in as they knocked on the door. Just as they prepared to introduce themselves, he revealed that he was already aware of who they were, having been given their address after being kicked out by the Sisters at the age of eighteen. He admitted to even stopping by their house once before. "Must be a nice place to grow up", he remarked. He didn't approach them because he had the feeling that they didn't wish to have someone like him around, though Betty insisted that this was not true. He then looked to Betty before telling her that she was lucky that their mother sought to keep her. As the interaction carried on, they learned that he went by the name of "Chic". Unfortunately, Chic began to become angry, instructing them to leave as he had a client on the way. "Fantasy Fulfillment" was his occupation.

In the car, just outside the Hostel, Betty comforted her mother as she cried her eyes out after finally meeting her son only to discover that he holds great amount of disdain towards her.

Shortly after returning home from an ill advised trip to Centerville, Betty went up into Polly's room, where some of Polly's belongings had been boxed into specifically marked boxes i.e. "throw away" and "donation". In the throw away box, was the nightlight that Betty had taken from Polly just before she left for the Farm. This, apparently, had awaken a desire in Betty to see her brother once more. She rushed downstairs, grabbing the keys off the table before leaving the house. She headed back down to the Hostel by herself. Upon her arrival, she discovered that Chic was being attacked by the manager, who armed with a box cutter, sliced open Chic's arm. Fortunately, Betty came to his aid, pepper spraying Chic's attacker in the face before making a getaway.

Betty took Chic home, opening the front door and calling out to her parents for help as Chic was in dire need of assistance. Betty and her parents helped Chic to the kitchen, where they grabbed the first aid kit and applied medical care.

Later that night, Betty slept in her bed, unknowing that Chic had quietly crept into her room and stood at her bedside, where he creepily loomed over her.

Betty sat at the breakfast table alongside Chic, Alice and Hal. When her father asked Chic how long he planned on staying with them, her mother interjected that he was free to stay for as long as he wanted to. Hal claimed that he was simply trying to plan his life. When Betty brought Chic home, he was bleeding profusely from his arm. Hal wished to know more about why Chic was in that condition. Betty told Chic that he didn't have to answer her father's questions but he did so nonetheless. Chic explained that his attacker's name was Marcel. He ran the Hostel, and sometimes, he booked clients for them. The night Betty showed up, Chic wasn't in the mood to work, but Marcel attempted to convince him otherwise. Both Betty and Hal showed great interest in the type of clients Chic catered to. Chic replied that he had clients of all kinds, ranging from nice to even nastier than Marcel. If Hal preferred, Chic could specify, along with showing him a decent collection of scars that he had acquired over time, though he was not alone in that manner. Betty also had scars, crescent marks in her palms, from digging her nails in them. Like Betty, Chic once dug his nails into the palms of his hands.

In the student lounge, Betty passed around Chic's photo to Veronica, Jughead and Kevin. Veronica commented that he was very fetching for someone who was living on Skid Row. Kevin agreed. But he insisted that he had seen Chic before. Jughead asked if he could have possibly ran into him while cruising Fox Forest, though Kevin was unsure. With Chic still acclimating and Betty attempting to gain his trust, it was unlikely that they would be meeting him anytime soon. It was proving difficult since her mom was treating him like a ten year old and her father was acting as if he was the devil's spawn. In an attempt to solve Betty's dilemma, Veronica suggested that she bring Chic to Pickens Day so that they could all meet him, though Jughead claimed he would not be attending because the Serpents weren't extended an invitation. Instead, they were hired to work security. The damage, as they say, had been done. Betty then noticed Toni standing by the doorway as Jughead prepared to leave as he had scheduled an interview with her grandfather for his oral report, who was the oldest living Serpent.

Later that night, while spending some quality time with Chic and their mother, Betty got a call from Kevin, who had remembered where he knew Chic from. According to Kevin, he was a webcam-boy.

The next day, in the Blue and Gold offices with Kevin, Betty learned that he had gotten the better of Archie during wrestling practice. Kevin expressed the joy he felt in beating Archie, who may have had the "physique of a 1970s porn star", but that didn't mean he knew how to wrestle. Speaking of porn stars, Betty said as she transitioned the conversation towards Chic, she was fascinated by this discovery of him being a webcam-boy. She brought Chic home to help her mom without knowing who he was, and now to find out he's actually multiple people, performing online. Betty wasn't sure how to broach him. Kevin then took off as Jughead entered the room to run a story by her. When Jughead interviewed Toni's grandfather and later did some research of his own, he discovered that General Pickens was hired by Barnabas B. Blossom to remove the Uktena tribe by force. In doing so, he killed 400 innocent men, women and children. To add salt to the wound, the last remnants of the tribe, the Serpents, were being squeezed out of existence. Toni's grandfather lived in a trailer the size of a broom closet. And Hiram Lodge was planning on honoring General Pickens instead of trying to make amends. Jughead believed this was a story they needed to tell. Betty agreed, asking if he was going to get a quote from Hiram Lodge.

Betty greeted Chic as he returned home in a fit of rage after learning that Marcel, his landlord, had thrown away all of his belongings, everything he needed to survive, including his laptop and camera. Betty couldn't believe that Chic could ever go back to the Hostel after what Marcel had done to him. Chic exclaimed that his entire life was at the Hostel, though Betty didn't think this to be of great concern as she reminded Chic that her mother had said that he was more than welcome to stay with them for as long as he needed to. In that, Betty believed that he could stay with them long term, but Chic thought otherwise. He told Betty that if she honestly believed that he would permanently live with them, then she was crazier than he thought.

Betty paced back and forth in her bedroom that night as she contemplated over how best to approach Chic. While doing so, she remembered the old laptop that she had in her dresser and how Chic needed one since Marcel threw his away. With the laptop in hand, she knocked on Chic's bedroom door. But no one answered. So she placed the laptop on the floor and walked away. When Chic finally opened the door, Betty told him that she was sorry that Marcel had sold everything in his possession and she was hoping that the laptop would make up for it.

While eating at the breakfast table that morning, Betty told her father to ease up as he asked Chic if he knew that the seat he was sitting in actually belonged to Polly, who had chosen to live at the Farm, away from them. He was not only sitting in her chair, but sleeping in her bed as well. Chic was filling a void, as far as Hal was concerned. Though, Chic was surprisingly unbothered by Hal's remarks. Everyone needed something, to his point. Furthermore, he didn't expect to be staying with them for free. He never had.

Later that afternoon, Chic asked Betty why she had bought him the laptop. Betty told him that she didn't. The laptop that she gave him was an old computer she had from the Register. He then asked why Betty came back to the Hostel for him. Betty replied that he was her brother and her mother was depressed. However, Chic didn't believe her. He had come to realize that everything's a transaction. No one, not even Betty, is that nice. So, why did she care, Chic asked. He advised her to choose her next words carefully because he'd know if she was lying. Betty admitted that she wanted to figure out why she is the way she is. There's a darkness in her that she didn't understand, which scared her. She thought that if Chic had the same darkness, which she believed that he did, he would be able to help her makes sense of it. Betty revealed that she knew about the webcamming, which is why she got him the computer. So, if he ever wanted to talk about it or even compare scars, she'd be there for him. However, Chic passed on her offer.

On Pickens Day, Betty, Chic, Hal and Alice gathered around the breakfast table before their first outing as a family. Fortunately, Hal would be staying behind since he had a few odd jobs to do around the house.

Shortly after arriving at the Pickens Day celebratory event in Pickens Park, Hal confronted Chic after going through his computer while they were away. He had seen what Chic had been doing online with his "clients". Betty insisted that her father stop snooping into Chic's business and harassing him, though Chic wasn't the only subject of her father's rage. He even scolded Betty for bringing Chic into their lives and into their home, more specifically, Polly's bedroom. Her mother retorted that it was no longer Polly's room. It's Chic's. Hal was persistent in Chic needing to go, and that Alice knew why he couldn't stay. She reminded Hal that she had thrown him out once before and that she was willing to do it again. Heading Alice's warning, Hal took off into the opposite direction. For the remainder of the evening, Betty Chic and their mother watched as Veronica and the Pussycats took to the stage and performed. Unfortunately, they were interrupted by the Southside Serpents, who sought justice for their massacred loved ones.

Later that night, with Pickens Day at its end and Betty in her room, Chic entered to confess that the first night he was there, he came into her room while she was sleeping. He kept waking up that night, trying to understand why Betty would go through all that trouble just for him, who she didn't even know. Chic believed that he had figured out why she came back. She was alone there, at the house. He sat next to Betty on her bed, agreeing to share with her his personal life, starting with why he webcammed. One of the reasons was to make money. The other reason was to escape, to pretend to be someone else. It was a way of getting away from the darkness within himself. Betty looked at her scarred palms. Seeing the crescent shaped scars on her palms, she asked Chic if he could show her how to escape from the darkness inside of herself. With the stroke of a few keys, Chic's dark educating of Betty had begun.

The Case of the Decapitated Statue
Following her webcam tutorials with Chic, Betty became a full fledged webcam girl. In her 'Dark Betty' black bob-cut wig and lingerie, she talked dirty over a webcam to local strangers. In this session, her client asked her several odd questions, ranging from if he looked good to could he undress for her. When he asked if the two of them could meet, Betty replied maybe. Unfortunately, their session was interrupted by her mother knocking at the door. She repeatedly knocked on Betty's door asking her why it was locked and who she was talking to. Having removed her wig, Betty opened her door while covered with her house robe. She claimed that she was merely taking to Jughead who had questions about their homework.

In the student lounge, after already inviting Archie, Betty, Jughead and Kevin were invited by Veronica to her confirmation ceremony. Usually those kinds of events were family only, but since they were her chosen family, she managed to pull a few strings and reserve them a pew. After learning the dress code, Betty and Jughead were called down to the Principal's office by Mr. Weatherbee who scolded them over Jughead's General Pickens article. There had been a steady stream of outrage since the publishing of the article, most recently, Hiram Lodge's lawyer, Paul Sowerberry. He called to tell them that they were considering taking legal actions against the Blue and Gold on the grounds of defamation of character. Effective immediately, both Betty and Jughead were suspended from the newspaper staff. They were given a day to clean out their personal things.

In the Blue and Gold offices, Jughead apologized to Betty for getting her suspended from the newspaper. While he didn't care if they harassed him at home or school, he never wanted her to get caught up in it all. Betty asked who was harassing him at home. Jughead replied Sheriff Keller. He had no proof but he suspected that one or more of the Serpents, probably Jughead, decapitated General Pickens' statue. "And did you?" Betty asked. Even though he hadn't, she reasoned that he could've done it for the same reason he had written the article, to avenge Thomas Topaz, Toni's grandfather. Betty revealed that she saw Jughead and Toni at Pop's early one morning, in the middle of the Black Hood attacks. They were having breakfast, and to Betty, it seemed like they were more than pals. While it wasn't her place to ask, she felt compelled to ask if anything had ever happened between him and Toni. Jughead admitted that on the night of the gauntlet, after Betty sent Archie to break up with him, Toni stayed over. She gave Jughead a tattoo and they did some stuff, but they didn't have sex. However, since they were on the topic, Jughead asked if Betty had done anything with anyone. Despite kissing Archie, Betty told Jughead that she had not been with anyone else.

Betty returned home to find Ben coming from out of Chic's room. He passed right by Betty, telling her that Chic would be on his way down. As Ben exited the house, Betty asked Chic about job interview. Chic told her that Ben worked concessions at the Bijou and that he thinks he got the job. Betty suspected that Ben was one of Chic's clients, but he stated otherwise. Chic would never tell any of his clients where he lived and he advised Betty to do the same. Boundaries are key. They'd keep her alive.

Betty met up with Jughead at Pop's, where he asked for her help as she was the only one in town who he could talk to. Ironically, the last time Jughead and the Serpents were in trouble, he pushed Betty away. Jughead told her about the two week eviction notices at Sunnyside and how Mayor McCoy suspected the Serpents of vandalizing the statue. With the trailer park technically being on town property and not everyone having paid their rent, the evictions were perfectly legal. To make matters worse, Mayor McCoy was making the entire thing about the beheaded statue when in actuality, it was just a pretense to shut them up and get them out. If the statue is what was fueling the fire, Betty suggested that they take away the gas by finding the head. To do this, they would have to treat it like a missing persons case. Someone, somewhere, saw something. So they could canvas the town with reward flyers for anyone who had information. Find the head, save the trailer park.

The next day, Betty and Alice attempted to convince Hal to stay at the house, though he was adamant in leaving for as long as Chic was staying with them. Her mother argued that Chic wasn't hurting anyone, and with him getting a job at the Bijou, he could pay rent. Nonetheless, he was a stranger, Hal countered. Betty and Alice pleaded with him to give Chic a chance, though Hal wasn't interested. He told them to call him once Chic was gone. In the meantime, he'd be staying at a ShareBNB down by the Register.

A day later, Betty attended Veronica's confirmation ceremony. She sat alongside Jughead, Kevin and Archie as Veronica walked down the aisle and was confirmed. Afterward, during the post-ceremony celebration, Betty found Jughead upstairs, looking over the staircase balcony. She noted that it wasn't like him to neglect a free buffet, which concerned her. Jughead told Betty about the Serpents' meeting to determine whether or not he would be kicked out. He told her that he broke a code and that in doing so, he messed up badly. Jughead went on to tell Betty about the Snake Charmer and how she suckered him and his dad into delivery drugs, forcing him and the younger Serpents to find her, grab her and cut her. The worst part is that none of it even mattered because she was back. Every decision he had made since they broke up, including their breakup, only made things worse. Betty then got a call about the flyers they put up regarding the head to General Pickens' statue.

Betty and Jughead left the party early to meet up with Junkyard Steve in the junkyard. He was the caller who had supposedly found General Pickens' head. While he had nearly ten acres of scrap and he came across weird stuff all the time, for the first time ever, he found a bronze head stashed in an old refrigerator. Jughead questioned who dumped the head at the junkyard, asking Junkyard Steve if anyone suspicious had been around recently. Ignoring the regular scavengers, Junkyard Steve told them that one guy in particular came by last week. A stranger, claiming that he was in search of bike parts, though he didn't buy anything. According to Junkyard Steve, he was a tall, low-life type, who happened to be wearing a Serpents jacket, leaving Jughead to conclude that it was Tall Boy who decapitated the statue.

Betty, Jughead and FP entered the Whyte Wyrm with the head to General Pickens statue in hand. Betty watched alongside Toni, Sweet Pea and the other Serpents as FP demanded that they stop the vote in light of recent developments. They sat Tall Boy down to ask him what he was doing at the dump last week. Tall Boy initially claimed to have no knowledge on what they were referring to, though it wasn't long before he confessed. When Tall Boy asked why Betty, a Northsider, was in the bar given that they were handling Serpent business on Serpent land, Jughead stated that she was one of them. Tall Boy then revealed that he stole the head because he was tired of seeing the Serpents go soft under FP's rule. Hiram Lodge came by wanting to stir up trouble. He told Tall Boy that if he took the head, he'd get Mayor McCoy and the cops to swarm all over them, causing chaos in the process. Hiram Lodge essentially asked Tall Boy to start a mutiny, and he he agreed. Jughead wanted to know why. Tall Boy explained that he did it in order to get rid of Jughead, which would get rid FP as well, leaving the Serpents under the leadership of him and Penny. In doing this, Tall Boy betrayed his own kind and broke Serpent law. His punishment was being stripped of his jacket and exiled.

At the trailer, Betty and Jughead sat on the couch wondering what Hiram Lodge had planned for the Southside. Maybe they could ask Veronica on Monday, Betty suggested. Though, Jughead proposed that they investigate quietly until they knew more. They hadn't saved the trailer park yet and he was on probation with the Serpents because of what he did to Penny. But at least they stopped her from coming back and got rid of Tall Boy. Betty remarked how it was nice to hear Jughead speak of the two of them working together again. He'd be apologizing for it for the rest of his life, but he was sorry for feeling like he had to shield Betty from what he was going through with the Serpents or his darkness, since they both knew that she could handle it. Betty then prepared to head home, but Jughead asked that she stay, placing his hand on her leg, resulting in Betty getting on top of him as the two of them started kissing. As Jughead undressed Betty, she told him that she needed to tell him something. Betty looked Jughead in his eyes and told him that she wanted all of him. The two of them then proceeded to have sex.

After consummating her relationship with Jughead, Betty arrived home to find a dead man's body laying on the kitchen floor. Next to the body was her mother, who was cleaning up the bloody mess. Her mother asked if she had locked the front door back, but Betty failed to response, having been rendered speechless.

Picking up from where the previous episode left off, Betty walked in on her mother cleaning up the blood of a dead man whose body laid on the floor. When Betty asked what happened, her mother explained that the dead man tried to hurt her, so Chic who was sobbing in the corner, came to her aid. Betty was warned against calling the police. Should the police get involved, her mother feared that they would take away Chic, though Betty reasoned that if the man was killed in self defense then everything should work out in their favor. Unfortunately, her mother disagreed. Betty offered to help but her mother would prefer if she wasn't involved. Betty then answered a call from her father who was on his way to the house for toiletries. With time being of the essence, her mother conceded, telling Betty to grab the bleach so that she could help clean up the mess. Luckily, they finished with the clean up job just as Hal entered the house. Betty told him that Chic was upstairs resting before offering to get the toiletries for him as he began asking questions in regards to the overpowering aroma of bleach. Up in her room, Betty got a call from Jughead who wanted to say goodnight and that he loved her. However, with her mother needing her assistance in disposing of the body, Betty had to abruptly hang up.

With her mother in the passenger seat, Betty drove out onto the trail near the woods. She questioned what would happen if someone came looking for the man considering that he likely had a family. Her mother told her that people go missing everyday and that he didn't strike her as being a family man. Wrapped in the dinning room carpet, Betty and her mother dumped the man in the sewer pipes that were shutdown decades ago, where her mother used to play as a little girl. After dumping the body, Betty returned home with her mother and the two of them proceeded to wipe the house down of the man's finger prints. After wiping the house down, Betty went to bed. She woke up that following morning to the sound of her alarm. She joined her mother and Chic downstairs for breakfast, dropping her bowl of cereal as someone repeatedly banged at the front door. On the other side was Jughead, hoping to walk her to school.

On their way to school, Jughead asked to talk to her about the night before when the two of them had sex at his trailer. He thought that they had a nice night, but her hanging up on him later that night left him unnerved and worried that maybe she had regrets because it wasn't enjoyable or that she thought they were moving too fast and wanted to slow down. Betty assured him that this wasn't the case and that she had an amazing night. Unfortunately, per usual, there was no shortage of drama at her house upon her arrival. Jughead presumed that the aforementioned drama was "Chic centric". Betty confirmed his presumption by stating that everything would be fine as it was nothing more than typical Cooper house lunacy.

In the student lounge, there was clear friction between Jughead and Veronica whose father's pursuit to take over the Southside continued. Betty could barely keep her eyes open as the two of them went back and forth. Kevin then entered the lounge to tell them about a dead body that the police had found that morning, which was reason for concern given that Betty and her mother had just dumped a body out in the woods. While Jughead wondered if the Black Hood had risen, Archie asked whose body was found and Betty asked where it was found. Although, the investigation was ongoing, it was apparently gangland style execution at the motel. As Kevin went on to explain the gruesomeness of the murder, Betty excused herself. She ran into the bathroom and puked into the toilet. Though she was not alone in the bathroom. Cheryl found her and offered to help, but Betty insisted that she was fine.

Betty returned to the sewer pipes later that day to ensure that the body was just as they left it. She lifted the carpet to find the body just as she remembered. While the dead man didn't have a wallet or any kind of identification, he did have a phone, which rang just as Betty lifted the carpet. She grabbed the phone to discover that the man had 47 missed calls. Betty took the phone, covered the body back up and headed home, where she was briefly addressed by her mother before going upstairs, into her room. Betty locked her door just before looking through the dead man's messages on his phone. As she read through them, Betty transcribed the text messages into her notebook, during which time, she had brief flashes of her clean up job.

The next morning, Betty confronted Chic at the breakfast table after discovering that the shady guy wasn't a client, but rather a drug dealer. In his phone, Betty discovered hundreds of messages from junkies looking for their next fix, including one from Chic the night of the murder. Betty explained that she went back to the dumping site to ensure that no one could see anything from the trail. Considering that Chic lied to them about the shady guy, she began to wonder what else he was lying to them about. Rather than owning up to his lie, Chic looked up to Betty as tears ran down his face though Betty was unsympathetic, telling Chic that no one was buying the water works. Before Betty could continue her pursuit for the truth, her mother pulled her into the hallway to scold her for her recent actions. Her mother believed that if she persisted in her ways that they would all be caught. Though, Betty disagreed, reasoning that the only way for them to be caught is if Chic continued to be untruthful.

In a booth at Pop's, Betty looked through the dead man's phone, calling several of his contacts, claiming that she found the phone in the parking lot and was looking for the person who it belonged to. However, each person she called hung up on her. Just as it seemed all hope was lost, the phone rang. Betty answered. On the other end was a woman who accused Betty of sleeping around with the dead man and for being the reason why he was missing. Unbeknownst to the female caller that the shady man was dead, she told Betty to tell him not come home and that he was dead to her.

Betty returned home and sat on the front steps of her house as she called Jughead and asked him to meet her. Upon his arrival, she expressed her inner turmoil and how everything was falling apart. She then told Jughead about the dead man, everything from the moments leading up to his death to her and her mother disposing of the body. While Betty was stressing out, her mother on the other hand was acting as if nothing had happened. Despite their attempt to dispose of the body and evidence, Jughead believed that they could still call the police but Betty had her doubts. A parking enforcer then pulled up to ask if either of them knew the owner of car parked right across from Betty's house, which belonged to the dead man though neither Betty nor her mother had noticed it before that moment. In covering their tracks for them, Jughead told the parking enforcer that the car belonged to him and that he couldn't find his keys. With the street being clean, the enforcer gave him five minutes to move the car. In that time, he and Betty hot-wired the vehicle and drove off. The two of them drove the car out into the woods, pushed it into the river and held each other closely as they watched as it slowly became submerged in the water, along with the dead man's phone, which Betty also threw into the river.

The next day at school, Betty was approached at her locker by Cheryl who insisted that she had something important to tell her. Upon receiving a message from Chic that he was at the house alone with her father, Betty took off. But not before Cheryl told her that her father was having an affair with Cheryl's mother, Penelope Blossom. Betty entered the house to find her father harassing Chic. So she questioned his presence at the house considering that he had moved out until further notice. Her father claimed that he had a change of heart and he was feeling that it was time for him to move back and more importantly, get some answers out of Chic. Though Chic, who was whimpering in the corner, wouldn't even look him in the face. Her father then began to question why the house smelled of bleach, what happened to the dinning room rug and where the lamp went. Betty exclaimed that she didn't know and that she didn't appreciate being interrogated. However, her father was positive that something was going on in the house and that it involved Chic. Betty demanded that he get away from Chic and leave the house or else she'd tell her mother about him and Penelope Blossom.

Later that night, Betty told her mother about her father stopping by the house and asking a lot of questions. Although, Betty insisted that he wouldn't be back given that he didn't want to risk his affair with Penelope Blossom being exposed. Considering that they could barely handle keeping her father at bay, Betty began to think that they were in way over their heads. The shady man's car was even parked outside of their house for two days without either of them noticing it. Fortunately, she and Jughead took care of it. However, Betty couldn't stop thinking about the body and who might come looking for it and how many loose ends there are that they weren't even aware of. They needed help, but not from the police. Betty suggested that they go to FP. Betty and her mother arrived at Sunnyside Trailer Park to learn that Jughead had just told FP everything and that he was willing to help because he didn't want the three of them to make the same mistake he made with Jason Blossom.

Betty and her mother sat quietly with Jughead in a booth at Pop's as FP got rid of the body. FP covered the man in sodium hydroxide before burying him. Once FP returned, he explained that within a week's time, there would be nothing left of the body, not even his teeth. Her mother thanked FP for his assistance. She was sorry for pulling Betty in, who then pulled Jughead in. Though, the circle ended with them. All loose ends had been taken care of.

Day after day, Betty checked the headlines and local news, waiting to see if they had been exposed for murdering the shady man and disposing of his body. She later entered her room to find Chic taking a shower. As life carried on, Betty could feel the walls closing in on her until what was once just her house became her own private purgatory.

At school, Betty and Jughead were invited to join Archie and Veronica at the Lodge's lakehouse. Betty was thrilled though she looked to Jughead to see if he would be coming as well. While hesitant, Jughead agreed. Reasoning that it would offer a chance for him to work on his novel though Veronica made sure to remind him that the point of the weekend was to relax and unplug.

While she was excited for their get-away weekend, Betty pulled Jughead away to the Blue and Gold offices to confront him over her suspicions that he was up to something. Jughead admitted that he needed a new source of intel for his article on Hiram Lodge and he was hoping that it would be Veronica since she was on the inside of her family's business. However, Betty asked that he refrain from investigating her best friend considering that she was kind enough to invite them to her family's cabin. Betty then confessed that ever since the night of the killing, she began feeling suffocated by Chic, who was by her account, everywhere. She needed the weekend to be an escape. Hearing this, Jughead agreed to postpone his investigation for the weekend. They then kissed.

Betty returned home with Jughead after school to pack her things for the get-away. Meanwhile, Jughead became acquainted with Chic downstairs. Chic asked Jughead if he knew about the killing. And while Jughead assured Chic that he could be trusted, Chic threatened the safety of Betty and her mother should Jughead tell anyone. Before Jughead could sum up an appropriate response, Betty came downstairs and headed out the front door with Jughead, completely oblivious to the conversation that had just transpired.

They were then driven out to the lakehouse by Andre much to Betty's amazement as she took in the scenery. Veronica then guided her inside. Shortly after entering the cabin, Jughead got a call from Cheryl who told him about her and Archie's kiss outside of Thistlehouse just before Christmas. After hanging up with Cheryl, Betty and Archie were confronted by Jughead.

Betty asked if the two of them could talk about the kiss as they sat awkwardly in their bedroom. Jughead explained that while he wasn't mad about the kiss, he was wondering why Betty didn't tell him the truth about her and Archie when he was truthful about his night with Toni after the gauntlet. Betty told him that she wanted to tell him but she thought that Archie was his third rail. Admittedly, Betty and Archie growing up together and living directly across from one another used to bother Jughead, but after everything they had recently been through, he wasn't intimidated by a Black Hood-prompted kiss. Just as the two of them made up, Betty and Jughead could hear Archie and Veronica having sex in the next bedroom.

A little while later, Betty and Jughead joined Archie and Veronica downstairs to ensure them that everything was fine. That night, while drinking margaritas, Jughead proposed a toast to the Lodges' hospitality and to putting the past behind them. Despite earlier agreeing to Betty's request to postpone his investigation, Jughead began questioning Veronica, asking her about her parents and the SoDale project. She tried to drive his investigation off track but Jughead was persistent. He then pointed out that as they were driving up to the cabin, he noticed that none of the houses had mailboxes or numbers. Veronica replied that Shadow Lake was a private community. Which led Jughead to wonder if they were hiding something. However, before Veronica could respond, Betty confronted him, leading Veronica to conclude that they were actually still fighting over the kiss between Betty and Archie. Understanding the reason for the tension in the room, Veronica told them to change into their swimsuits.

While drinking margaritas in the hot tub, Veronica revealed that when Archie told her about the kiss, she absorbed and processed it. In the end, she bore no ill will towards Betty or Archie. But the thought of it has haunted her a bit for the past few weeks. Now, as it seemed to Veronica, Betty and Jughead were caught up in the aftermath. To clear the air amongst the four of them, Veronica suggested that she and Jughead kiss. While Betty and Archie were against it, Jughead agreed to Veronica's sentiment to ease the tension as it would level the playing field. He reasoned that a "Vughead" kiss might be precisely what it takes to save future "Bughead" from imploding. With Betty and Archie in agreement, Jughead and Veronica shared a kiss in the hot tub as Betty and Archie watched.

Later that night, Betty pointed out to Jughead that out of the four of them, only he and Archie hadn't kissed. Jughead almost immediately realized that this meant at some point, Betty and Veronica had shared a kiss. While getting dressed in the bathroom, she asked Jughead if kissing Veronica made him feel better. Jughead replied that watching Archie's face made him feel better. She then asked again if he enjoyed kissing Veronica. Knowing entrapment when he saw it, Jughead chose not to answer. Betty then exited the bathroom in black lingerie and a black bob-cut wig, and told Jughead that she would have to punish him if he did enjoy his kiss with Veronica. Betty packed the outfit in case he needed a distraction from sleuthing. So she proceed to push Jughead on to the bed and climb on top of him as the two of them had sex.

The next day, Betty and Veronica went into town for supplies at the local convenience store where Veronica asked Betty about her and Jughead having sex. She told Veronica that it first happened on the night of her Confirmation Ceremony. As they exited the store, Veronica asked about Betty's relationship with Jughead. Betty replied that everything had been nice though Veronica replied that "nice" isn't what she heard through the walls the night before. So Betty admitted to wearing the very same outfit with Jughead that she wore when they drowned Chuck in Ethel's hot tub.

As they returned to the cabin, Jughead got a call from his dad who told him that everyone was over at the trailer celebrating because the eviction notices for their back rent were gone. Paid in full. According to FP, Jughead's article shamed Hiram Lodge into buying the trailer park and allowing everyone to stay. After the call with his FP, Jughead confronted Veronica as his suspicions had been confirmed, that Veronica's father was taking over the Southside, piece by piece, starting with the Twilight Drive-In, and now the trailer park. With the Southsiders' debt cleared and eviction notices revoked, Betty, Archie, and Veronica wondered why he was outraged. Jughead explained that Hiram's move with buying the trailer park was tactic. But Betty, Archie and Veronica insisted that he was simply being paranoid and that Hiram was trying to make amends.

That night, Betty stopped their game of Monopoly as she got a call from her mother. She returned from the call with her mother to announce that Hiram Lodge just bought the Register. Veronica insisted that she had no idea her father was buying the Register though this only confirmed Jughead's suspicions that he was making big plays to take over. So Betty began to question if Veronica's reasons for bringing them up to the cabin weren't as sincere as they initially believed. Their suspicions were warranted given that Lodge Industries was buying property all over the Southside and now the one newspaper in town so that people couldn't report on what he was doing. The means to silence the free press and keep Betty's mother from coming after him. As the four of them went back and forth, glass breaking could be heard from inside the house. Four men wearing black ski-masks then entered the lakehouse with weapons in hand, demanding their valuables. After taking Veronica's wallet, the intruders demanded that they get down on their knees. As he grabbed a baseball bat, the phone rang as Veronica had triggered the silent alarm. With guards on their way, the intruders exited the house. However, Archie chased after them though he returned empty handed, but fortunately, unharmed.

Later that night, in a booth a Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, Betty, Jughead, Archie and Veronica joined hands and came together as no one was hurt and they had each other. Afterwards, Jughead saw Betty home. As they entered her house, he told her that there was more than one kind of home invasion. It's not always fast and violent. Sometimes they open the door and let the intruders in themselves. With this, Jughead warned Betty to be careful around Chic as he had gotten an weird vibe from him during their first encounter. They then shared a kiss before Jughead left.

In the Blue and Gold offices, after school hours, Betty begged Kevin to assist her in her investigation of Chic. Every time she tried asking him questions about himself, Chic got defensive or started to cry as a diversion. Betty proposed that they Catfish him. Kevin reluctantly agreed as he got on video chat with Chic while Betty instructed him on what to say.

In the morning, Betty was shocked to discover that her father wanted a divorce from her mother. While he had stopped seeing Penelope Blossom, her father was upset at how poorly he had been treated since Chic's arrival despite worshiping Alice for the last 20 years. He couldn't believe that they had sided with Chic, a stranger, over him. However, much to Hal's surprise, Betty was on his side in regards to Chic. She too wanted him out of the house. As for selling the Register, he explained that Hiram Lodge offered a fair price, half of which he was willing to give to Alice as long as she was willing to agree to the divorce.

Betty and her mother learned Hiram's methodology from Jughead. Hiram acquired devalued land at a criminal discount. Twilight Drive-In, Sunnyside Trailer Park, Southside High and now Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe. While most people didn't care about Hiram's other acquisitions due to them being located on the Southside, Pop's was the heart of Riverdale, meaning people would care about Hiram secretly purchasing the diner.

Betty returned home to find that Polly had returned with Juniper and Dagwood. Betty and Polly shared a hug, during which time Polly expressed her surprise when meeting Chic. Still cautious of Chic given his recent behavior, Betty grabbed Dagwood from him though she made sure not to raise any suspicion. Polly then asked about their father, as she was wondering if they would be attending Clifford Blossom's will reading together.

Later that day, Betty attended the will reading with Polly and their father. Also in attendance was Cheryl, Toni, Penelope and Nana Rose. In the will, Clifford stated that ownership of Thistlehouse will remain with Nana Rose. To Penelope, Clifford left Thornhill, though that had since burned down. Any and all remaining assets of Clifford's fortune was to be divided in half. The first half would be distributed equally to anyone in Riverdale who could prove that they were of Blossom blood. Alice then arrived at the will reading to confront Hal. She had realized that he only wanted a divorce so that he could cheat her out of Clifford's will. After her mother was escorted from the premises, the will reading continued. The second half of Clifford's assets were to go to his true heirs, Cheryl and the now deceased Jason. As Cheryl gave a speech, Clifford's twin brother, Claudius interrupted the will reading.

That night, Betty, Polly and Chic discussed with their mother getting the blood test done so that they could inherit the fortune they were promised through Clifford's will. Oddly enough, Chic refused to get his blood tested, claiming that he didn't know any of the Blossoms well enough to trust them, along with being triggered by needles and not wanting their blood money.

In the Blue and Gold offices, Betty proposed that she and Kevin take a more aggressive approach in investigating Chic given his refusal to take a blood test. Betty was sure that he was hiding something so she devised a plan. Just as before, she instructed Kevin on what to say to Chic over video chat. Betty told Kevin to tell Chic that he had gotten tested for the first time and the test came back negative. Kevin asked if Chic got tested. Which he did. He used to go every week. He had a terrible scare once, one that he didn't feel like sharing. All he would tell Kevin is that he was living with a rougher crew back then. Kevin then shut the laptop close as Chic realized that someone else was in the room with Kevin. To Kevin, Chic seemed like a good guy. So he began to feel guilty about catfishing him and decided that he would do it no more.

Betty sneaked into Chic's bathroom that night in hopes of finding his DNA so that she could send it to the Blossoms' blood testing lab as she was still under the suspicion that Chic was hiding something. She looked through his cabinet, examining his toothbrush and combs only to come up empty handed. However, upon searching his trash can, she found a bloody strand of floss, which she then put in a napkin before hiding it in her pocket. Unfortunately, she ran into Chic on her way out of his room, who told her that he liked it better when Polly wasn't around. Love was finite, according to Chic, and people ran out of it eventually. He feared that Alice would stop loving him. And so Betty asked if he was alright. Rather than to respond to her question, he told Betty to never use his bathroom again.

After sending Chic's DNA off to be tested, Betty went shopping with Polly with the money they inherited from Clifford Blossom's will. On their way home, Polly told Betty that Chic was creepy. Betty agreed. It was part of the reason why she submitted a sample of his blood to the Blossoms' lab. Betty began to think that their father was right about Chic being dangerous. She also began to theorize that maybe Chic wasn't even their brother. And if he's not, she would be relieved despite their mother's heartbreak. Betty and Polly returned home to find that Chic had taken Juniper and Dagwood for a walk along Sweetwater River. Just as Betty and Polly began to panic, Chic walked through the front door with the twins unharmed.

The next day at the Blue and Gold, Betty read over Jughead's article, exposing Hiram Lodge for the diabolically insane mastermind that he is and his master plan. Betty stated that the article was the best thing that Jughead had ever written and that they needed Mr. Weatherbee to print it immediately. Unfortunately, Mr. Weatherbee refused to publish Jughead's article as he didn't condone the malicious take down of a fellow students' parents i.e. Veronica.

Later that day, Betty confronted Chic with the DNA test results from the Blossoms' lab. Chic wasn't who he said he was, and so Betty demanded to know who he really was.

Betty exploded on Chic after confronting him with the blood test results that had confirmed everything she had feared, that she had let a dangerous stranger into her house. Chic did not come from Blossom blood, leading Betty to believe that he was an impostor. Betty went to her mother with this startling discovery. However, from her mother, Betty discovered that Chic wasn't of Blossom blood because he didn't share the same father as her and Polly. Betty asked who Chic's biological father was, but her mother refused to answer. As her mother held Chic in her arms, comforting him, Chic and Betty made eye contact, followed by a devious smile from Chic.

At school the next day, Betty, Jughead, Archie and Veronica discussed the closing of Southside High and whether or not Veronica knew that the sole reason for its closing was for her parents to build a private, for-profit prison on it's bones. Betty insisted that Veronica had no knowledge of her parents wrong-doing. Nonetheless, Jughead planned to go on a hunger strike to protest Southside High closing and Betty supported him. Ethel then approached the table with a milkshake from Pop's and poured it onto Veronica in retaliation for her parents' misdeeds.

Betty joined Veronica in the girls' restroom to ensure that she was alright. Veronica's dad was responsible for the Muggs family losing everything they had and he still hadn't made amends. So by Veronica's account, Ethel had every right to be upset. Betty was impressed with Veronica's restraint. On their way back from the restroom, Betty and Veronica ran into Reggie, who began harassing Veronica. Veronica grew so angry that she attacked Reggie, dropping him with a single punch as Betty stood there speechless.

The next day in the student lounge, Betty, Jughead and Archie learned that Veronica was running for student council president against Reggie and that she wanted Betty as her running mate.

Later, River Vixens practice ended with Toni's performance before the squad. Afterward, in honor of Toni becoming a Vixen, Cheryl invited Betty, Veronica, Josie and Toni over to Thistlehouse for a mandatory slumber party.

During the slumber party at Thistlhouse, Cheryl revealed her true intentions behind inviting them over. It wasn't to celebrate. In actuality, Cheryl was terrified of being alone at the house with her uncle Claudius, who was crazy and a complete stranger to her, which Betty related to all too well. Cheryl had overheard her mother and uncle plotting against her and her Nana. Josie questioned if she was merely imagining things. But if Cheryl was, then so was Betty. There was a stranger in her life as well, Chic. With him lurking in every corner, her house felt dangerous and deadly. After hearing a loud thud, the girls ran into the hallway to find Nana Rose unconscious at the bottom of the steps. It would seem she had fell or even been pushed.

The next day, Betty and Archie supported Veronica in her run for student body president. They joined her by her stand as she gave out kisses and cupcakes.

Betty returned home from school to find Kevin in the kitchen chatting with Chic. Chic revealed that he and Kevin had been continuing their online chats. During which time Kevin told Chic about their cat fishing scheme. Upset with Kevin's betrayal, Betty asked that Kevin leave. Once he was gone, Betty demanded that Chic leave her friends alone. Clearly, there was something he wanted. A void he was looking to fill. Like brother, like sister, Chic added. Recalling on how Betty mentioned that they shared the same darkness though Betty countered that Chic knew nothing about her darkness.

Later that night, as Chic slept, Betty entered his room and waved a Zippo lighter across his face, waking him up from his sleep. Chic wasn't the only one who could scare people by being crazy. While he may have fooled their mother, Betty was fool proof. She promised Chic that she was going to bring him down as she had so many bad men before him, like Clifford Blossom, The Sugarman and the Black Hood. The commonality between all three of these men were that that were dead. With that message, Chic had been warned.

Concerned that he would be arrested for trespassing or protesting without a permit, Betty headed down to Southside High to check in on Jughead as his protest of the demolition of Southside High continued. However, that was the beauty of Jughead's predicament. It would look bad if Sheriff Keller tried to manhandle a group of teens who were peacefully trying to save their school. Not to mention it would probably go viral, which was publicity Jughead would welcome. Betty then gave Jughead a kiss before heading off to attend to her student council obligations with Veronica.

Betty watched from the crowd as Josie gave her endorsement of them running for president and vice president of the student body. Josie, Archie and Veronica then performed on stage for all in attendance. However, Ethel entered the lounge halfway through their performance with flyers that revealed Veronica knew all about her parents turning Southside High into a prison, amongst other things. Learning that Veronica had lied to her, Betty stormed out the lounge with Veronica not far behind hoping to explain herself. Betty recalled the day when Weatherbee announced the closing of Southside High and how Veronica pretended to have no knowledge of it. And so she was upset that Veronica had lied to them and gone along with her parents' plan. With this, Betty could no longer be Veronica's running mate as she could no longer trust her.

Betty returned home only to be confronted by her mother for tormenting Chic with a Zippo lighter. To make matters worse, they had found her black wig. Which Chic revealed that Betty wore when she had sex with Jughead. Betty clinched her fist tightly and admitted to her mother that she and Jughead were sexually active.

The next day, Betty told her mother that she and Jughead were using protection. Which counted for something since her mother didn't when she was Betty's age. Furthermore, her mother added that she was very well acquainted with how alluring the Jones men could be. From this, Betty surmised that her mother and FP used to be together. However, in no way was FP Chic's biological father. Like it or not, Chic was apart of their family. While he was odd and damaged, for the past 25 years, he didn't have anyone to love him. So he needed them, Alice explained. However, Betty insisted that he was dangerous and that her mother never forget what he did.

After talking it over with her mother, Betty proposed a truce with Chic though he had no reason to believe her since all she's wanted to do was get rid of him. Betty explained that if she really wanted to get rid of him, she would go down to the Sheriff Station and tell Sheriff Keller how he killed a man. However, Chic wasn't so sure that Betty would ever do that given that he never touched the body, the car, the phone or went through the dead man's contacts. It wasn't Chic's fingerprints or hair they would find, rather Betty's. Chic then threatened to call the police on Betty since all the evidence would point to her.

At the trailer with Jughead, Betty assured him that his protest had made a different. Every revolution had a starting point. Having already lost Southside High, Jughead didn't want to lose Riverdale High as well. So he had decided to run for student body president and he wanted Betty to be his co-president. She accepted his offer while also asking that Jughead allow her to stay at the trailer with him because she couldn't be around Chic any longer. Jughead agreed and they shared a kiss.

In keeping her promise to run alongside him for student body president, Betty joined Jughead at the school hall meeting where they squared off against Archie, Veronica, Reggie and Josie. The first question of the night came from Sweet Pea and Fogarty who were concerned about the Southsiders and their treatment since being transferred to Riverdale High. Betty and Jughead assured them that they would be looked after though Sweet Pea and Fogarty were less than convinced. Afterward, Betty and Jughead left the school posthaste to avoid an encounter with her mother, who was still upset about her moving in with Jughead

Back at the trailer, Betty, Jughead and FP made a shocking discovery while watching the news, that the shady man's car which Betty and Jughead had dumped in the swamp had been uncovered by local law enforcement.

Betty and Jughead convened with their parents in a booth at Pop's the very next morning to discuss their next course of action. Jughead blamed himself for the discovery of the vehicle, claiming he should've known better, but there was no way he could've known that Junkyard Steve drained the swamp for people's cast offs. It was Jones luck, Jughead noted. When FP asked why Chic wasn't at Pop's with them, Betty explained that he didn't know anything about the car. Thankfully, they wiped the car clean of prints before dumping it. As Sheriff Keller entered the diner, Betty and Jughead were told to keep their mouths shut and to proceed as they normally would. When her mother attempted to use this as motive to move back in, Betty restated her stance, that she would return once Chic was gone. In the unlikely event that something happened, they were to batten down the hatches. Until then, life was to go on and they were to stay away from the car.

Betty attended a meeting of the Swords of Serpents called on by Jughead, who was criticized by Sweet Pea for going back on his promise of going to war with the Lodges, and instead running for student body president. Jughead explained that they needed those votes to affect change. Whoever was elected got a seat on the school board, giving them access to the inside which meant they couldn't be silenced. However, Fogarty and Sweet Pea were still untrusting of Betty who they predicted would bail on them just as her mother did. However, Betty had helped the Serpents on numerous occasions, such as finding the Pickens' statue head and getting Cheryl to testify for FP's parole. Though as Sweet Pea pointed out, she did all this for Jughead, not the Serpents. Betty's legacy would be the same as her mother's as far as they were concerned, making her an enemy of the Serpents. For that reason alone, Jughead would not be getting the Serpent vote.

At the trailer that night, Betty and Jughead discussed what it would take for her to gain Sweet Pea and Fangs' trust. She questioned if she should start wearing plaid and leather jackets, along with getting a snake tattoo. To be fair, Jughead pointed out, her mother was Serpent enemy #1. Meanwhile, the shady man's car had been discovered and they had no idea what was going on with it. Jughead had been thinking about that. He asked Betty what was their normal. She replied that it was investigating something when the entire world was telling them they shouldn't. With that in mind, Betty and Jughead met up with Kevin at Pop's to gain intel of the shady man's car. They claimed that they were writing an article on how people use Swedlow Swamp as a dumping ground. According to the Sheriff, the car was claimed by its owner earlier that morning and the police were trying to figure out who stole it in the first place.

The next day, they were scolded by their parents for questioning Kevin despite being told to lay low. However, Betty and Jughead explained that they had to in order to figure out what was going on with the car. Furthermore, Kevin didn't suspect a thing. They had learned that Chic's drug dealer, Dwayne, stole his girlfriends' car before making his run to their house. Unfortunately, Chic couldn't tell them much about Darla. Although, Betty did recall briefly speaking to her when she called the shady man's phone. Switching gears to another topic entirely, Betty was ordered to return home by her mother with FP's backing.

After returning home, Betty asked her mother to sign a consent form to allow her to get a Serpent tattoo as she practically a member already. However, her mother refused to sign the form or even acknowledge Betty's adjacent membership. As the two continued to discuss the matter, Chic returned home with Darla. He was supposedly trying to help but made things so much worse. Darla wasn't surprise that Dwayne took her car though it ending up in a swamp did strike her as odd. Just as she was getting ready to head back to Centerville, Chic called her to see how much she knew, but she saw right through him. Dwayne was a terrible person by Darla's account. So she didn't care what happened to him and didn't see any reason to ask questions so long as she got the $10,000 that he owed her. If not, Darla threatened to go to Sheriff Keller. With no other choice, they agreed to pay off Darla. However, the bank was closed and they would have to wait until the morning.

Betty headed off to the bank the next morning as planned. After withdrawing the money, she got a call from her mother telling her that Marcel, the manager that attacked Chic at the hostel was also at the house. Whatever she did, her mother told her not to come home. Betty returned home despite her mother advising her not to, but not before telling Jughead about her predicament. Jughead rallied the younger Serpents and together, they kicked in the front door and threatened Darla and Marcel with knives. They demanded that Darla and Marcel leave or else the situation would get a lot worse than it already was. Heading their warning, Darla and Marcel took the money and left. As they were leaving, Betty and her mother shared a hug. Once they were gone, Jughead apologized about the front door but her mother wasn't concerned. She merely wanted to thank Jughead and the Serpents for their intervention. She then admitted that Betty was right abut Chic and kicked him out the house.

The next day, Betty joined the younger Serpents as they gathered around while her mother personally thanked them for intervening the day before when they were in trouble. Furthermore, she was done attacking and disavowing the Southside.

Betty brushed her hair back and sang "In" before heading off for school. She arrived at school some time after and ran into the auditorium with Veronica, Archie, Cheryl, Toni, Josie, Ethel, Kevin Midge and Moose. They got on stage, where they continued to sing and dance before being joined by Fangs, the assistant director. The cast then began introductions, starting with Archie who portrayed "Tommy Ross", the boy next door. Betty played "Sue Snell", the good girl. Veronica portrayed "Chris Hargensen", the mean girl. And Cheryl would be playing the iconic role of "Carrie White". As for who would be portraying, "Margaret White", Carrie's mom, that role went to Alice Cooper, which came as a surprise to almost everyone. Kevin explained that while her casting was untraditional, to him, there's nothing more amateur than age-inappropriate casting. Alice was both looking forward to playing Margaret and spending more time with Betty. Chuck Clayton joined them late after mistaking that rehearsal was in the music room.

Betty and Archie discussed how weird it was to be playing boyfriend and girlfriend. Hearing this, Jughead advised him to take it easy as Big Brother is watching. Archie acknowledged that their relationship (Archie, Betty, Jughead and Veronica) was strained at the moment. But they were there for Kevin and to do the play. So, Archie hoped that they could do it as painless as possible. However, it was not that easy for Betty considering that Veronica lied to all of them by conspiring with her parents against the entire school. Betty added that it's fine that Archie was doing exactly what Tommy Ross would do by standing by Veronica's side. However, where Betty's standing, Veronica was just as much of a privileged, selfish, spiteful mean girl as the part she's playing.

Cheryl interrupted rehearsal after hearing whisperings that some of them, mainly Ethel and Josie, didn't think she's fit to play the role of Carrie White. So to settle the matter, she began to sing "Carrie" to prove them wrong. Her singing removed all doubt as Betty, Archie, Veronica, Ethel, Josie, Alice, Toni, Midge, Moose, Jughead, Kevin, Fangs, Chuck give Cheryl a round of applause. As Cheryl headed back to her seat, a heavy sand bag fell from above and nearly crushed her.

In the auditorium, Betty and Veronica sang "Do Me A Favor" and danced with Archie and Chuck.

In the Blue and Gold offices, Betty learned from Jughead that Kevin recieved a threatening letter from someone claiming to be the Black Hood. Much like Jughead and Kevin, Betty believed the letter to be a hoax. It was a legit threat, but it wasn't from the real Black Hood, Jughead stated. Classic Phantom of the Opera tactic. Mystery man sends menacing note demanding a certain diva soprano gets recast or else. "Who's to say this letter came from a mystery man at all?" Betty asked. Jughead admitted that this was a good point as the letter may have come from a woman.

Suspect #1 was Ethel. Betty found her in the student lounge and tried to bait her. Betty accused Cheryl of always taking things she shouldn't, like the role of Carrie, to see if Ethel would agree. Jughead filmed from just outside the lounge as this unfolded. However, Ethel did not bash Cheryl, instead, she thanked Betty for the compliment of considering her to be a better fit for the lead role. Betty continued. For Kevin to cast Cheryl as Carrie without even letting Ethel audition, Betty wondered if that made Ethel angry. Ethel replied that she was born to play Carrie White. So to not be given a shot at it makes her angry. Unfortunately, Ethel noticed Jughead by the window and realized that she was being filmed and interrogated. She told them that she's not a violent person and that she would never harm anyone for her own benefit.

Betty, Veronica, Toni, Ethel and Chuck continue rehearsal in the auditorium, where they sang and performed "The World According to Chris". Though Betty seemed almost disgusted with Veronica's performance, Archie, Fangs, Kevin, Moose, Midge and Jughead were highly impressed as they applauded the routine from the crowd. Betty credited Veronica's performance to her being the literal embodiment of Chris, the character she's portraying. Never had a role been so perfectly type-cast, Betty remarked. Archie tried to stop it, but she continues. Betty went onto point out the similarities between Veronica and Chris. Spoiled rich girl. Major daddy issues. Bad to the bone, trying to control everyone around her, including her boyfriend and best friend.

Afterward, Archie confronted Betty for being so mean to Veronica. Betty had no idea what's going on with Veronica. There's a lot that Betty didn't know about Veronica, her family and the intense pressure that she's under. Betty asked that Archie tell her as she wanted to let it go, but it's not Archie's place to share it. Archie did however remind Betty how quickly Veronica forgave her when the Black Hood made her say terrible things to Veronica at Nick St. Clair's party. Kevin then called them on stage to run Tommy and Sue's ballad. Archie took Betty's hand while singing "You Shine". Taking in what Archie had said to her, Betty found Veronica in the music room to apologize. But Veronica assumed that Betty was there to continue her assault. If there was anything that playing Chris has illuminated it's that she has been a terrible friend to Betty. Betty replied that she couldn't disagree more as she and Veronica proceeded to sing "You Shine".

Betty came downstairs that night to find her mother calling Chic. She was worried about him and hadn't heard from him recently. When he didn't answer, she left a message saying that she loved him.

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Kevin informed Betty, Archie, Veronica, Jughead, Fangs, Toni, Ethel, Alice, Moose, Midge, Chuck and Josie that Cheryl will no longer be playing Carrie. When they asked why, Kevin simply replied that Penelope Blossom wasn't much of a stage mom. In the meantime, Cheryl's understudy would assume the role, that being Midge, who Kevin appointed after the sand bag incident.

Betty's mother and Midge sang "Stay Here Instead" on stage. However, Alice's performance started to seem a bit too real and more so directed at Betty than Midge. Alice then looked to Betty in the crowd and told her not to leave her like everyone else, before running off the stage in tears. Betty followed her mother into the hallway to inform her that she wasn't going anywhere. Everything was crumbling, Alice remarked. She'd driven everyone away. She gave Chic away when he was born and she just did it again. Making matters worse, she and Betty's father weren't living together because of something unspoken that happened years ago. And she and Betty have never been so frayed. Betty held Alice close as she continued to cry.

As part of the behind the scenes documentary, Betty told Jughead that while her mother has always been a woman on the verge, this was something else. Betty wanted to do something that'll make her feel less alone and abandoned.

Opening night has arrived. Betty and Alice were too nervous to even eat. Betty did however come through on her promise to do something to make her mom feel less abandoned. She called her dad and arranged that he bring her mother flowers. Hal arrived with flowers for Betty and Alice. However, Alice was allergic to peonies. Hal told her that he'd really like to come back home. If they do this, there can't be anymore secrets, which meant Alice had something to tell Hal in regards to Chic. She revealed that Chic wasn't his son. Which he always suspected though he didn't care. He only wanted to come home. Their secrets can't hurt them anymore and they can be together again. Betty listened from the hallway as her parents reunited.

In the dressing room, Betty, Archie, Veronica, Kevin, Midge, Moose, Kevin, Alice, Chuck, Toni and Ethel sang "A Night We'll Never Forget". After Betty did a bit of singing in the dressing room with Veronica, Archie and Chuck, Veronica spoke for the entire gang when she told Chuck that his behavior throughout rehearsals has been nothing short of that of a proper Victorian gentleman, meaning his pariahship was over. Chic entered the dressing room, much to Betty's surprise. He claimed that he wouldn't miss the play for the world. Betty then told him that he should get back to his seat as the play is about to begin and he wasn't supposed to be backstage.

The crowd was packed when the play began, and Alice started to sing "Evening Prayers". Betty, Archie, Veronica, Moose, and Toni watched from backstage. When Alice cued Midge, the curtains raised only to reveal that Midge had been murdered by the Black Hood. She had been stabbed with knives and scissors and pinned to the wall. On the wall, written in blood was a message. "I Am Back From The Dead. All Those Who Escaped Me Before Will Die... B.H" When Alice screamed in fear, the crowd realized that this was not part of the play and the auditorium erupted in panic and chaos.

Return of the Black Hood
The town gathers for Midge's funeral to pay respect. Cheryl sings a song in Midge's honor. She and the rest of the River Vixens are dressed in all-black cheerleader uniform. Midge's death has seemingly taken a great toll on Riverdale, Mrs. Klump and Moose especially. As the service ends, Betty, Jughead, Archie and Veronica watch as Cheryl consoles Mrs. Klump. When Sheriff Keller approached to offer his condolences, Mrs. Klump slaps him as he was supposed to be protecting them all from danger.

At Pop's, Jughead theorizes that the latest killing is the work of a copycat. And Chic coincidentally showed up in Riverdale just after Svenson was killed. That along with the fact that he's creepy with a temper places suspicion on him in Jughead's mind. However, Betty corrects Jughead. Chic is only in Riverdale because she went searching for him. Admittedly, he is weird. But he didn't know Midge. So Betty wants to move on to a different suspect. Archie explains why he doesn't think Svenson was the Black Hood. While they were there when he died and he was wearing a hood that night, it doesn't mean he's the same guy who shot Fred and killed Midge. Betty reminds Archie that Svenson forced her to bury him alive. Not to mention that he cut off his own finger. Archie argues that maybe the real Black Hood cut Svenson's finger off because he was working with him. All Archie knows for sure is that when he looked into the Black Hood's eyes, they weren't Svenson's eyes.

While leaving the diner, Jughead questions how could they possibly know with certainty that Chic isn't the killer. Jughead recalls that he's killed someone before, the Shady Man, Dwayne. Betty explains that Chic acted in self defense when killing Dwayne. Midge, however, he never even knew. So there is no motive. Given Chic's violent past and his association with equally violent people (Darla and Marcel), Jughead can't help but suspect him.

Sheriff Keller arrives at the Cooper house to question Chic as he has been talking to everyone who was at Riverdale High School the night of the musical. A couple people claim they saw Chic backstage just before the show. Her father tells the Sheriff that Chic no longer lives with them, but that they can bring him down to the station tomorrow. Sheriff agrees and then leaves. Once he is gone, her mother wonders why he threw Chic under the bus. Hal questions what Alice is worried that Chic will say. Remembering that her father has no idea about the murder that took place within the house, Betty interjects that her mother is just overprotective of Chic.

The next day, Betty asks her mother if maybe Chic should leave town for all of their safety. Betty worries that Sheriff Keller might press Chic, which could lead to Chic revealing what happened to the Shady Man. However, as Alice explains, Chic leaving town will only raise suspicions, which will result in law enforcement hunting him down. While talking to the Sheriff is a risk, it's one they have to take. Alice also insists that Betty relax because she'll be coaching Chic.

At school, Betty tells Jughead that maybe they should look further into Chic. While there is still no motive on why he would want to kill Midge, there might be something that connects him to Svenson since they both spent time at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Taking a moment to reconsider Archie's theory about there being multiple Black Hoods, Jughead notes that Svenson and Chic could've been in cahoots. While it's a long-shot since Svenson is older than Chic, he did however work at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy for years as a groundskeeper, meaning they might've crossed paths.

At the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, Betty and Jughead speak to Sister Woodhouse about information regarding Chic. They ask if Chic's time at the group-home ever overlapped with Svenson's. Betty wants to check Chic's files to see if the time matches up. When Sister Woodhouse asks for a court order, Betty informs her of her family relation to Cheryl, who recently escaped the Sisters' secret, gay, reeducation camp. So unless Sister Woodhouse cooperates, Betty threatens to return with a court order, as well as the F.B.I to shut them down. Out of fear that Betty will follow through with her threats, Sister Woodhouse provides them with the files. They discover that Chic ran away nine years ago. That means he would've overlapped with Svenson for two years. In the file, they find a photo of Charles Smith. Although, he looks nothing like Chic.

Betty and Jughead return to Betty's house frustrated at themselves for not figuring out sooner that Chic isn't really Betty's brother. Much to their surprise, Chic is in the kitchen with her mother. After taking him down to the Sheriff's station for questioning, she invited him back to the house for dinner. Betty and Jughead reveal that they paid the Sisters of Quiet Mercy a visit. While there, they discovered that Chic is an impostor. Betty shows her mother a pic of the real Charles Smith. Chic attempts to play it off, claiming that Betty's been out to get him from the start and that she never wanted a brother. When that fails and suspicion of Chic grows, he grabs a large kitchen knife, unintentionally cutting Alice's hand as he attempts to attack Jughead. Betty manages to disarm Chic before knocking him unconscious with a rolling pin.

Betty joins Jughead and her mother in the basement where they have tied Chic up to a chair. He wakes up not long after. Betty has grown tired of his games. They want answers, starting with Chic's real name. He insists that he is Chic and then calls out to Alice again for help, but she does not respond. Betty surmises that Chic must've known her real brother. When she and Alice went to the hostel and asked for Charles Smith, they were sent to Chic's room. So Betty asks why Chic was impersonating him. Chic explains that he never said he was "Charles Smith". He said he was "Chic", during their first encounter. Chic reveals that he met Charles out on the street. They then moved into the hostel together. That's where Charles told him about the Coopers. A perfect family a Riverdale who gave him up for adoption and never even came looking for him. One day, he knocked at the Coopers' door. Betty's mother answered. She told him that they weren't interested, before slamming the door in his face. Charles went on a bender that night and overdosed on Jingle Jangle. Hearing this, her mother runs upstairs in tears with Betty not far behind her.

Her mother finds the picture that Betty showed her of Charles. She gives it a good look and knows that Chic is telling the truth, at least about Charles stopping by the house. Alice remembers turning Charles away at the front door. He knocked and she asked him to leave. She begins to blame herself for killing her own son. Betty tries to calm her mother. They don't know Chic or his motives. Alice concludes that he is seeking revenge. She gave her son away and he came back to her only for her to turn him away. This, Alice believes, demands biblical punishment. However, Betty argues that Chic is the only person of guilt. Alice finally stops crying. Before leaving out the house, she requests that Betty stay at the house and watch Chic until she returns.

At the Cooper house, Betty's phone rings. It's the Black Hood. Betty instantly becomes teary-eyed. He asks if Betty missed him. Deep down, she knew it wasn't over. Betty accuses him of killing Midge and setting up Svenson. The Black Hood admits that both is true. And yet, for all he's taught her, she's been making amateur mistakes by allowing Chic, a sinner in her house. The Black Hood claims that Chic has lived in a den of sinners and that he kills as easily as he did in the house. Chic has supposedly murdered before. Jughead joins Betty in the kitchen and asks who she was talking to. She tells him it was her dad. Betty then tells Jughead that they need to go back to the hostel because she doesn't think Chic's telling the truth about what happened to Charles.

Betty and Jughead arrive at the hostel. They head up to the second floor to see if they can figure out what happened to Charles by talking to his neighbors. They have no such luck with the first neighbor, who tells them to go away. However, they do come across another one of Charles' neighbors, who is a bit more willing to talk. Betty shows the woman a photo of Charles. She recognizes him. She said that he was the nice one. He always spoke to her and even carried her groceries. May he rest in piece, she comments. Jughead asks did Charles have a Jingle Jangle addiction. The woman knows nothing of any addiction but Charles and Chic were constantly fighting. And then one day there was only one. "The bad one" i.e. Chic. Later, when she took her trash out, she saw bloody sheets and pillows in the dumpster.

Betty and Jughead confront Chic with the information they gained from his and Charles' neighbor. However, Chic refuses to admit anything other than the fact that Charles was a junkie. Jughead punches Chic and he begins to bleed. Despite all the blood, Chic seems rather unaffected. He tells Jughead to keep at it. They're not going to kill him because they're scared and they won't let him go because they're worried that he'll tell about the shady guy. Betty grabs Chic by his throats and demands the truth about her brother, but Chic continues one with his games.

Betty phone begins to ring just as she places the gun she stole from Ms. Grundy in her purse. It's the Black Hood. Betty admits that he was right about Chic being a killer, but he won't admit it. Some sinners only confess when faced with certain death. If Betty delivers Chic to the Black Hood, no one will ever know about the man who met such a gruesome end in their living room. Betty seems to be considering the Black Hood's offer, but before she can answer, FP and her mother barge into the house. FP heads downstairs to find Jughead attacking Chic. He stops the interrogation and takes Jughead out of the house. Meanwhile, Alice and Betty contemplate their next move. Betty suggests driving him out of town or driving him out of town, but her mother fears that he'll only come back. In the meantime, she decides that it's time to tell Hal the truth about everything as this affects all of their lives.

After learning that Chic is an impostor and that he is tied up in the basement, her father blows up. He demands to know what they were doing. Alice begs him to calm down, but with a psychopath in their basement, Hal is irate. When he decides that it's better to let the police deal with Chic, Her mother reveals that Chic killed a man in the house and that she helped him cover it up by disposing of the body. Alice lies to Hal and tells him that Betty had no involvement in the cover-up. It was only her and Chic. When Betty tries to speak up, Alice tells her not to say another word and to go to her room. Instead of following her mother's instructions, Betty heads into the basement. She pulls the gun from her purse. She tells Chic that she took it from a music teacher that was a predator like him. At gunpoint, Betty cuts Chic loose and they head out the back door.

Betty drives Chic out to the cemetery. Chic wonders who was it that called Betty with the odd lollipop song. Betty tells him that he'll find out soon enough. Now that it's just them, she wants to know if he killed her brother Charles. Chic reveals that they got into a fight and he lost control, but he never meant to hurt Charles. The Black Hood arrives. Just a few feet away. Chic doesn't believe her as she too would be running for her life if it was really him. But Betty tells Chic that the Black Hood is only interested in him. She lowers her gun and gives Chic a head start as the Black Hood slowly approaches. Chic takes off in the opposite direction. The Black Hood briefly makes eye contact with Betty before chasing after Chic.

Betty returns home to find her mother sitting on the steps, drinking her troubles away. Alice asks where Betty went. Betty answers that she took Chic away. He's gone for good. Betty lies and tells her mother that she took Chic to the bus station. Betty then notices that Hal is gone. So she asks her mother where he went. Alice informs her that he went out looking for Betty.

Betty is certain that the Black Hood has returned as and that he is none other than her own father, who sits right across from her and her mother at the breakfast table. Hal notices that Betty is troubled and asks if there is something on her mind. Betty claims that she had been thinking and had come to the conclusion that Chic was a test. Everything that he did to them and brought on them was a test. Betty believes that they're stronger after surviving it. Alice remarks that this supposed strength remains to be seen, but Betty is positive that they are stronger. Furthermore, they'll survive whatever comes next.

Betty and Jughead walk to school. Jughead asks if Betty has heard back from Chic. He too, like everyone else, is under the impression that Betty took Chic to the bus station, when in actuality, she set him up to be killed by the Black Hood. Nonetheless, Betty hasn't heard from him since that night. She hopes that he's gone for good. The silver lining to all this is that it can't get any worse by Jughead's account. Betty states that her dad could be the Black Hood, which would in fact make things worse. Jughead takes it as a joke, but she couldn't be more serious.

Betty pulls Cheryl into the Blue and Gold offices to ask her about Jason's killing and her father being the culprit. Before she saw the video of her dad shooting Jason, Betty asks Cheryl if she knew her father was a murderer, which Cheryl did, subconsciously that is. Betty then reveals to her that there's a chance that her father may somehow be the Black Hood. Cheryl is doubtful considering that Hal doesn't seem like much of a killer. While Betty hopes this isn't the case, everything in her body is telling her otherwise. Cheryl suggests going to the authorities given that the new Sheriff may be more competent than Sheriff Keller. However, Betty wants to be 100% positive that her father's the killer before confronting him. In that case, Cheryl advises Betty to get proof or a confession. She'll first need to buy herself sometime while she investigates.

The next day, at the Cooper house, Betty sits at the table with her parents. Given that her father has been so busy at the Register, Betty proposes that her mother join him. She is already moderating the debate. Betty sees no reason why she shouldn't report on it as well. Alice likes the sound of this. As does Hal. Betty even offers to help with proofing and layout after school. Hal couldn't be happier to have them both back the Register.

Betty hangs back at the Register to finish up her work as her mother and father head out for dinner. Once they are gone, Betty unlocks her dad's drawer and makes copies of his planner. After calling Cheryl over, Betty explains that she cross referenced every day of the Black Hood attack with her father's schedule, and they all line up. He worked late the night Midge and Moose were attacked at Lover's Lane. He had an early meeting the morning Fred was shot. He even had a business trip the night Geraldine Grundy was killed in Greendale. This isn't proof though it is corroboration. The phone rings. Betty answers. It is Dr. Curdle from the corner's office. A corpse recently turned up of an unidentified male in his mid-twenties. His mutilated body turned up on the highway, just out of town. Impersonating her mother, Betty tells Dr. Curdle that she'll be there soon to see the body. He replies by telling her to bring small bills, as always. Betty reveals to Cheryl that she sent the Black Hood after Chic. Maybe he didn't make it and it is his body laying in the morgue, Betty wonders.

Betty and Cheryl arrive at the coroner's office. While Betty isn't the Cooper he was expecting, her money is good just the same. After paying him off, Dr. Curdle unzips the bodybag. The man was found in the men's room of a rest stop outside of Greendale. Luckily for Betty, the man inside the bodybag isn't Chic. Betty and Cheryl return to school, where Betty sobs on the steps. Cheryl assures her that everything is alright as it wasn't Chic. But Betty argues that it could've been. Chic could be dead somewhere because of her. Or he got away, Cheryl counters. Betty delivered him to the Black Hood. That makes her a killer herself. Betty is disgusted with her actions. The Black Hood got what he wanted. They're the same. Cheryl tells Betty that none of this is her fault. However, part of Betty wanted Chic dead for everything he dead. If Chic is dead, that's the Black Hood's doing, Cheryl explains. She then advises Betty to confront her father with as much of the truth as she dares to see how he reacts.

Betty takes Cheryl's advise and at the dinner table reveals to her mother and father that when the Black Hood was first killing people, he was also calling her, asking her to do things as they were alike. He offered to help get rid of Chic. So Betty delivered Chic to the Black Hood. If Chic's dead, that makes her accomplice to a murder, and Betty's okay with that. There's always been this darkness inside of her. She thought Chic could help her understand it, but really it was the Black Hood who did. She says all this to potentially bait her father. Her mother is left speechless. Her father holds her hand and tells her about his own darkness. When he was away from Betty and Alice, it felt like he was drowning it it. This is why they need each other.

Betty calls Cheryl to reveal what she had learned. While her father hasn't confessed to any crimes, he did admit to not being his best self when he's was kicked out the house. It was just a hunch but Betty gained access to his credit card statements and learned that he's still making weekly payments to the ShareBnB he'd been renting even though he's back at home. Cheryl wonders if maybe he has a serial killer lair. With that, they decide to break into it to get to the bottom of it. Cheryl stands lookout as Betty picks the door open. They're looking for anything unusual or incriminating. Cheryl finds a Nancy Drew book. The same book in fact that the Black Hood used to write the cipher that only Betty could solve. Betty's dad knew she was obsessed with the book growing up. Betty then gets a call from her dad, who asks where she is. Betty lies and says that she's at Pop's with Cheryl. He tells Betty that he and her mother are about to head to the debate. When he offers to pick her up or wait for her, Betty says that she'll meet him there.

Betty sits in the crowd of the Mayoral debate, not that far away from her father. Not long after the debate starts, the Black Hood begins shooting from the balcony with a rifle. Betty calls out to her dad, who is no longer in the seat behind her. She suspects that it is him shooting from the balcony, but it's not. He grabs Betty and the two of them hide as the gun fire continues.

Betty sits at home with the Nancy Drew book that she took from her father's room at the ShareBnB. When he comes downstairs, Betty confronts him. She doesn't know what she saw at the town hall, if that was really even the Black Hood, but she and Cheryl went to his room at the ShareBnB. When they broke in, they found the book that the Black Hood used for his cipher all those months ago. She wonders why he has it. Hal had no idea that the Black Hood used that book. All he knew was it was Betty's favorite. She checked it out of the library practically every weekend. He found a copy online and was saving it for Betty's birthday. He then realizes that Betty suspected him of being the Black Hood. He assures Betty that the book was merely a present. They then share a hug.

Betty sits in her bedroom, looking at the Black Hood she previously took. She calls her father, who asks if everything is okay. Betty tells him that they need to finish the conversation they started earlier. He asks if she should come home, but Betty wants to meet where it all began, with her speech at town hall. She wants it to just be between the two of them, just like it's supposed to be. Betty arrives at town hall shortly thereafter with the Nancy Drew book and the gun she stole from Geraldine Grundy.

Betty awaits her father's arrival at Town Hall as planned. However, he never shows up. She does however have 2 missed calls from Jughead. Betty texts him back, though she lies, claiming that she is at the Register with her mother. Betty then gets a call from Cheryl, who reveals that she was attacked by the Black Hood at Thistlehouse. Betty wonders if her dad was the attacker. Based on the killer's waistline alone, Cheryl admits that it could've been her dad though she isn't sure. Luckily for Cheryl, she was able to get to her archery set before the Black Hood could hurt her. Cheryl informs Betty that her attacker fled into the woods after she shot him with an arrow and that she plans to track him. Just in case he escapes her, Cheryl warns Betty. Now that the Black Hood is wounded, he's acting on instinct, ready to lash out and kill anyone in his path, including his loved ones.

Betty calls her mother at the Register, who is relieved to hear from her. When Betty asks about her father, her mother informs her that Hal it out calming the riots. Betty is on her way to the Register to join her mother, who is taking great pleasure in the chaos unfolding as it means headlines. "If it bleeds, it leads."

Betty arrives at the Register to meet her mother. There, she learns of Hermione's announcement, a $1,000,000 reward for anyone who can capture the Black Hood, dead or alive. As a mayoral candidate, Hermione feels it's important to take charge in times of crisis. Like the riot, which she believes was brought about by the actions of the Black Hood. She offers a bounty in hopes that it will bring an end to the Black Hood. Betty disagrees with the notion that a bounty will solve their problem. Furthermore, she questions if it's even legal. Hermione reminds Betty that the Black Hood is an active shooter on the streets of Riverdale. He even tried to kill Fangs outside the Sheriff's Station. However, Betty assures Hermione that the Black Hood wasn't responsible for shooting Fangs as no one actually saw him outside the station. As Betty continues, her mother questions her sudden urge to act so protective of the Black Hood. Before she can respond, Cheryl calls with a lead as she continues to track the Black Hood. He's exited the forest and headed for the houses beyond the pines. Maybe even Betty's house. With that being said, Cheryl warns Betty against going in the house alone. However, Betty has to find her father before anyone else does given Hermione's bounty.

Despite being warned by Cheryl not to return to her house alone, Betty does so, calling out to her father as she enters the house. No one is home. Betty does however find blood on the kitchen sink, possibly from the arrow Cheryl shot at the Black Hood during their altercation.

After cleaning up the blood, Betty gets a call from FP at Riverdale General. He's wondering if Betty's heard from Jughead, which she hasn't. If she comes across him, FP asks that Betty tell Jughead that he's looking for him. FP then mentions that her father was brought into the emergency room. He was badly wounded. With this, Betty heads down to the hospital to investigate.

Betty arrives at Riverdale General to find her father, who had supposedly been checked in. According to the nurse, he was in room 221. Betty enters the room to find that her father is gone and that he has supposedly murdered Dr. Masters. His throat had been slit. The hospital telephone rings. Betty answers. On the other end is the Black Hood. He remarks that they keep missing each other. The Black Hood admits to killing Dr. Masters because he asked too many questions. With this, Betty accuses the Black Hood of being an average run-of-the-mill psychopath as there's no longer any method to his killings. The Black Hood tells Betty to come home so that they can finish what they started. He then reveals that Alice is also at the house. He threatens to slit her throat as well if Betty goes to the police or isn't home within ten minutes.

Betty returns home to find her mother in the living room, unharmed. As Betty tries to convince her mother to leave the house with her, her father enters the living room. He came up with an idea to watch home movies. Hal plays for them old home videos of himself as a child, being disciplined by his mother. On the video, Hal's mother, Betty's grandmother, tells him that his father did something very noble in massacring the Conway family as they were sinners, thus the revelation that Hal's father was the Riverdale Reaper. Young Hal was ordered by his mother to convince Joseph Conway to accuse someone other than his father of being the killer. When the video ends, Hal tells Alice to take out her tape-recorder as he wishes to share his story. He reveals that Great-Grandpappy Cooper wasn't murdered by his brother. Instead, he was the killer. He killed Great-Grandpappy Blossom and then took on the Cooper name to create a new identity for himself. The Conways discovered this secret. Mr. Conway blackmailed Hal's father and Betty's grandfather. So he killed them for being sinners and Hal convinced Joseph to accuse an innocent man as planned. He goes onto tell Betty and Alice about his darkness. The same darkness that lives in Betty. Her father approaches and demands that she say who he is. "You're the Black Hood", Betty says as her eyes fill with tears. He is responsible for shooting Fred Andrews as well as killing Geraldine Grundy the Sugarman, Midge, and Dr. Masters. But the shooting at the Mayoral debate was not his doing.

Her father goes onto explain that he became the Black Hood because Riverdale is a town of sinners. He recalls Betty speech at the 75th Anniversary Jubilee, where she says that the town must do better. It reminded him of a promise he made to his mother, that Riverdale would do better. So he picked up his father's sword, so to speak and continued the work that he and his grandfather started. Betty asks why her father wanted this discussion recorded. He replies that he wanted everyone to understand what happened when they find them. It would seem that he plans on killing her and her mother, along with himself. Betty watches as her mother taunts her father. She always knew he was a mama's boy. She claims that he can't do anything for himself. Betty advises her mother against antagonizes him, but she continues to do so nonetheless, pointing out that Hal can't do anything right. Not even be a serial killer. With Hal distracted, Betty grabs a shovel from the fireplace and hits him over the head with the shovel from behind, knocking him to the ground, Alice then hits him with the shovel.

Betty stands with her mother as Tom Keller arrives to arrest her father. He puts Hal in handcuffs and places him in the squad car before pulling off. Archie and Fred join them on the front steps. Betty reveals to Archie that her father was the Black Hood. Archie asks Betty if she saw the Black Hood leave his house after he tried to shoot his father again about an hour ago. Betty explains that this is impossible as Hal was with them during that time. Betty then gets a call from Jughead. He only called to tell her that he loves her and that he'll never stop loving her. Betty asks him where he is at, but he doesn't answer, only saying that he'll see her later, before hanging up. With that, Archie and Betty grow concerned for Jughead. Betty proceeds to call FP as she was starting to worry about Jughead after the call she got. It was almost as if he was saying goodbye.

Betty, Archie, Cheryl, Sweet Pea, Toni and the Serpents arrive at Jughead's old hangout where he sacrificed himself to Penny and the Ghoulies in order to save everyone else. FP comes out of the woods holding a lifeless Jughead in his arms. He has been beaten bloody and senseless, and his Serpent tattoo removed. Archie, Betty, Cheryl, Sweet Pea, Toni and FP are speechless.

A dream sequence takes place in the opening scene. Betty, Archie and Veronica stand over Jughead's grave. Betty falls to her knees and tears fill her eyes as she begs Jughead to come back to her as their journey has only just begun. Jughead wakes up in a hospital bed. He calls out to his father, who sleeps in the chair next to his bedside. FP jumps to his seat at the sound of Jughead's voice. It would seem that some days have passed since Jughead was attacked and left for dead by Penny, Malachai and the Ghoulies. What Jughead did brought every Serpent FP had ever known out of the woodwork and Jughead would've been proud of them. It looked like they were going to win the war with the Ghoulies, but in the end, there were just too many of them.

Betty visits Jughead in the hospital after learning that he has awaken. Jughead now knows that her father was the Black Hood. He consoles Betty as she lays alongside him in his hospital bed. He's sorry that he wasn't there to see her through it. Betty tells him not to worry as she never wishes to see her father again. Her only concerns are Jughead, her mother and atoning for her father's sins. This means that she and Jughead are no longer running for student council. She then kisses him. They are soon join by Archie and Veronica. Jughead informs them that he'll be released from the hospital tomorrow. Until then, there's still another mystery to be solved. Betty's dad was at town hall when another Black Hood opened fire on the candidates. He was also at home with Betty and her mom when this second Black Hood attacked Archie and his dad. Jughead believes that the attacks perpetrated by the second Black Hood have a political motive, which suggests that Hiram is actually behind the attacks. They have to stop Hiram now because once he has control of the mayor's office, the Lodges will be untouchable. While they're positive that Hiram is the mastermind, none of them believe he is the man behind the hood. They're thinking that the second Black Hood could be a Serpent or Ghoulie. But Jughead suspects that Sheriff Minetta could be the second Black Hood.

Betty walks home to find her mother standing outside their front door, berating their neighbors, who also stand just outside their house, taking photos and video following the discovery that her father was the Black Hood. Alice entertains the crowd, inviting her neighbors to come in and see where Hal planned all the murders. Betty pushes her way through the crowd, demanding that everyone go home.

The next day, after he was released from the hospital, Jughead calls Betty. He offers to skip school and join Betty over at her house if she is in need of support. However, Betty declines his offer as her mother isn't in the mood for company. At least not until the neighbors desist. Betty tells Jughead that she loves him and that she and her mother will have to work their way through this ordeal.

Betty heads over to the Andrews house to apologize to Fred for her father's action. Fred tells her that she has nothing to apologize for as she did nothing wrong. Betty blames herself for not realizing that her father was the Black Hood sooner. She claims to be a great detective yet she couldn't see what was right in front of her. People paid for that mistake with their lives.

Betty is joined by Archie and Veronica, who try to convince her to come back to school, but she's hesitant. How can she? Her father killed Midge and shot Moose. Betty doesn't think she can ever show her face at school again. She asks if Archie hates her father for shooting his father. Because she does. Seeing that Betty is in need, Veronica and Archie comfort her.

Polly returns to Riverdale with her twin babies Juniper and Dagwood. She questions why Betty and their mother haven't gone to see Hal yet. Betty claims that she's taking things one step at a time. Polly wonders how they're supposed to forgive him if they don't go visit him. At the Farm, they taught Polly that forgiveness is the most valuable gift they can give. If they don't absolve him, they'll become what he was, full of hate. And Polly's babies deserve a mother who's better than that. Their mother begins to think that Polly's right, at least about seeing their father. Maybe that way they can get answers or she can give him a piece of her mind. Either way, Betty has no interest in seeing her father.

Jughead arrives at Betty's house to babysit Juniper and Dagwood with her. During which time, Betty asks Jughead if he believes that evil can be past down. Her great-grandfather, grandfather and father were all evil murderers. Jughead claims that this was merely circumstance, but Betty begs to differ. She worries that the twins might even grow up to be murderers, much like her father. Jughead tells Betty that neither she nor the babies are evil, but Betty feels that being evil may be her destiny; something she can't control or understand. Jughead assures Betty that she's a good person.

Betty sees her father in prison. Betty told herself that she wasn't going to see him again, but Hal never doubted for a moment that she would come as she's the only one who understands him because they are alike. Hal did unspeakable, horrible things. Betty's not like that or like Hal, leaving him to wonder why she even came by. Betty came to say goodbye and also to say no more darkness and no more evil. For him, it's over. Hal no longer has any power over her. However, Hal is certain that Betty will be back.

Betty confesses to her mother that she went to go see her father in jail. How did it go, Alice asks. Betty says it was hard. But she wants to go back to school now. Alice and Betty then hug.

Betty, Jughead, Archie, and Veronica meet at Pop's, Veronica's newest acquisition. According to Pop Tate, the basement of the diner used to be a secret speakeasy, back in the days of flapper dresses and cigarette girls. So, Veronica wants to reopen that speakeasy. A cabaret space for world-class entertainment and the most decadent cocktails. A place for North and Southsiders alike. In fact, she is hoping that FP might want to manage it to make sure the Serpents feel welcome and at home. As for Veronica's father, he's probably plotting some sort of revenge.

Later that night, Jughead books a room for himself and Betty at the Five Seasons. They lay in bed together unclothed. Betty wonders what's the special occasion. There is none, but Jughead feels that after everything that has happened, a night at the Five Seasons might be something that she would enjoy. He also wants to ask her to be the Serpent Queen to his Serpent King. He's essentially asking her to join the Southside Serpents, though he tells her that she doesn't have to give an immediate answer. He jokes that she can take her time and tell him tomorrow at lunch. They then proceed to have sex.

The following day, Betty, Jughead and Veronica watch proudly from the stands as Archie prepares to be inaugurated in the school gymnasium. However, the event goes awry when Sheriff Minetta and two deputies enter the gym to arrest Archie for the murder of Shadow Lake resident, Cassidy Bullick. }}
 * -|Season 3=

Season 3
{{Scroll-1| Three months have passed since that fateful evening in the school gymnasium where Archie was framed by Hiram Lodge and arrested for the murder of Cassidy Bullock. It's now the summer before the gang's junior year of high school, during which time, each of them spent the summer invested in their own activities; Betty's been in an internship for Mary Andrews. And though it does't pay much, it's for a good cause, Archie's freedom.

Archie's trial is now in session. He sits alongside his mother, Mary, and Attorney McCoy, both of whom are acting as his counsel. Betty, Jughead and Veronica are all in attendance. Archie is being prosecuted by District Attorney, Ms. Wright. The evidence and testimony presented during court supposed tells a dark tale, that Archie has a history of violent behavior. She attempts to paint Archie as a bad person in her closing argument as Mary attempts to shed light on all the good deeds Archie has done, such as helping solve the murder of Jason Blossom, providing the Southside Serpents with refuge as they hid from the police, and punching through a layer of ice in order to save Cheryl from drowning. With that in mind, Mary takes the opportunity to remind the jury that there were no witnesses, murder weapon or motive to the killing of Cassidy Bullock. After hearing from both the prosecution and the defense, the jury begins to deliberate.

While the jury deliberates, Betty, Jughead and Fred praise Mary for her defense, to which Mary thanks Betty for her assistance over the summer. Veronica then arrives to ask if anyone had seen Archie. When they explain that they haven't, Betty, Jughead and Veronica set out to find him. They find him sitting on the courtroom steps alone. Archie reminds Betty and Jughead how much fun they had together every summer at the swimming hole. Coincidentally, Betty and Jughead has also been thinking about it. However, they stopped going after they got covered in leeches one summer. Unfortunately, Veronica had never been and would like to go in fact. However, that would have to wait as Kevin interrupts to inform them that it's time to return to the courtroom.

As Betty, Jughead, Veronica, Mary, Archie and Fred leave the courtroom, Hiram makes a remark towards Archie, resulting in Fred punching him in face. The two are then separated before the incident can escalate.

Betty, Archie, Veronica and Jughead grab a booth at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe. Betty thinks they can vindicate Archie if they find the gun that Andre used to kill Cassidy, however, Veronica tore the Pembrooke apart in search of the murder weapon but failed to find it. According to Veronica, after the riots, her father erased all traces of Andre. Jughead concludes that Andre most likely ditched the weapon at Shadow Lake. They contemplate returning to Shadow woods with metal detectors in search of the gun, but Archie doesn't want to spend what could be his last weekend looking for evidence that isn't there. They see it as three extra days to save Archie from going to prison, but he would rather follow the Judge's advice by spending time with them. Enter Cheryl, who invites them to her epic End-of-Summer pool party at Thornhill. Cheryl warns them that while they're welcome to invite whom ever they please, she's in the mood for some hell raising.

The following day, Betty is spotted by her mom and sister as she attempts to sneak out the house unnoticed. They welcome her to join them, but Betty declines. Alice asks if she's off to another therapy session with Dr. Glass, but that isn't for another day, Betty replies. She's actually headed to see Archie. Alice tells Betty that before she go back to school, she think it's important that they spend some quality family time together. Edgar Evernever, the leader of the Farm, thinks it's important, though Betty dismisses the notion.

Betty helps Archie and Fred fix up the car they got from the junkyard in the Andrews' garage. Betty admits that watching Fred punch Hiram Lodge in the face was Incredibly cathartic, though as Fred points out, it almost got him landed in jail. Archie has the honor of starting the car. It would seem that all their efforts are successful, as the car starts without a problem. When Archie comments that they fixed the car just in time [for him to go to prison], Fred gets choked up and heads inside. This provokes Archie to ask a favor of Betty. If he does go away, Archie asks that Betty check on his dad, and occasionally invite him to dinner, as he'll be all alone once Archie's mom returns to Chicago. Betty promises to fulfill Archie's last request from her.

Betty comes downstairs to find her mother with all of her diaries. After talking to Edgar about them, both he and Alice agree that Betty should burn them because she's been filling the pages with so much pain and suffering over the years. She need to let that go. Betty retorts that her therapist, Dr. Glass, says journaling is a perfectly healthy outlet. And while Alice respects that, the diaries are Betty's past. And her past is crushing her. Betty again dismisses the notion and Edgar entirely/ Although, Betty may look down on the Farm, Edgar has done nothing but help Alice. He's encouraged her to embrace everything that she was ashamed of and become the best version of herself. Alice then points out that Betty's not dealing with her problems, such as The trauma from last year with what happened with her father and Chic. Alice worries about Betty, so she suggest that Betty listen to what her soul is telling her. Betty sarcastically remarks that her soul is telling her to get away from her mother as she's been body-snatched. As Betty exits the house, Polly warns their mother that there's something else she should know about Betty.

Just as planned, Betty attends Cheryl's End-of-Summer pool party at Thornhill. Betty approaches Veronica as she sits alone at the party. Veronica went to see Archie's mom and Attorney McCoy, to ask them to put her on that stand. She wanted to get in front of that jury, to tell them the truth about her father, to see if that might make a difference, but they said it's too late. Josie interrupts to inform Veronica that she may not be too late after all. The jury is being sequestered at the Five Seasons. Third floor, room 301. The security's tight, but Josie thinks she can get Veronica in. Veronica's thinking that she only needs to get to one Jury member. To convince them that her dad's the villain here, not Archie, for there to be a hung jury. Which would give them more time to prove Archie is innocent.

Betty, Jughead, Sweet Pea, Toni, Cheryl and Fangs rally together and plot to invade Ghoulies territory after learning that they have Hot Dog. Fangs suspects that the Ghoulies snatched him on riot night. He looked very skinny. Fangs doubts they're feeding him enough. So they look to Jughead for their next move. They'd be going behind enemy lines, outnumbered, open to attack from all directions and risking another gang-war. However, no Serpent left behind. That includes their spirit animal. They're going to deploy after dark. It's going to be a quick stealth mission. Betty reminds Jughead that the last time he went into Ghoulie territory, he was beaten to within an inch of his life. However, he'll have backup this time. With that being said, Betty wants to come along. The Serpent Queen is a warrior queen. So if Jughead's on the frontlines, then so is she.

Betty, Jughead, Cheryl, Toni, Sweet Pea and Fangs steak out the Ghoulies' lair, where they are holding Hot Dog. Jughead instructs everyone to be lookouts as he goes to retrieve Hot Dog. Armed with a set of bolt cutters, Jughead cuts Hot Dog's chain. Immediately after doing so, he is surrounded by Penny, Malachai and the Ghoulies. As it turns out, taking Hot Dog was merely a ploy to get Jughead to come to her. Penny wants to talk about him trying to get into their business. Penny warns him to back off unless he wants to replay riot night, where they almost killed him. Penny also wants his jacket as it says "South Side Serpents" despite the fact that the south side no longer belongs to the Serpents. Penny had heard about Betty joining the Serpents and contemplates going after her next. With that in mind, Jughead agrees to give up the jacket so long as the Ghoulies stay out of the north side. As Malachai approaches Jughead, he is shot in the shoulder with an arrow by Cheryl, much to Jughead's dismay. When Penny orders the others to just kill the young Serpents, Jughead orders Cheryl to aim her next arrow at Penny, forcing Penny to call off her men. She lets Jughead go, but not before telling him that he just made the north side fair game.

The next day, Betty is sat down by her mother and sister. The pharmacy called. They can't complete an Adderall prescription that was requested by Betty's doctor because she had one refilled in Greendale two weeks ago. Furthermore, DR. Glass doesn't exist. Betty's been forging prescriptions for herself. So now Alice and Polly are worried about her. She's been lying about going to therapy. Now, she's making up a psychiatrist so that she can scam medication. Betty can't believe that she's being given a hard time for trying to re-up a prescription that her mother literally shoved them in her hands a year ago. Alice explains this was before Edgar explained the dangers of pharmaceuticals. Betty cant believe her mother's actually buying into the Farm. Edgar is helping them move on and he can help Betty too, though Betty doesn't see their methods will help get over the fact that her father murdered four people and tried to kill them. Polly becomes enraged, stating that Betty is in denial. She has a secret life, involving hoarding stolen drugs and hiding from her pain. Betty may hate the Farm, but they healed Polly and Alice, and before they can heal Betty, she needs to admit that she's sick. Archie then arrives outside to pick her up.

Betty, Archie, Veronica and Jughead drive down to Sweetwater Swimming Hole in Archie's jalopy. They get undressed and jump into the water. Afterwards, the four of them sit around a campfire. No matter what happens in court, Archie informs them that this is the best last day of summer a guy could ask for. In a one last-ditch effort to keep Archie out of prison, Jughead suggests that he make a break for it. Past that treeline, there's a road that goes through the mountains to Quebec. There are Serpents north of the border that will keep him supplied. Betty says that he doesn't deserve it, but Archie questions if he does. He's guilty. He didn't kill Cassidy, but he left him alone with Andre. Had Archie stayed, he might still be alive. More than just that, Archie blames himself for everything that went wrong last year. And he has to take responsibility for that.

Betty and Jughead have split off from Archie and Veronica. Betty reveals that she isn't ready for summer to end. This summer, she hasn't stopped or slept, because of working on Archie's case. She's barely looked up since May, and her mom and Polly think that she's been hiding and avoiding, which she admittedly has been. Betty thinks that she should stop taking Adderall and start seeing an actual therapist. Either way, come Tuesday, it'll all be over. And she'll have to face everything that has happened, everything that will happen. All these things that she doesn't have control over, they terrify her. Jughead assures Betty that they're gonna get through it. From now on, they're partners. In Serpents, in life, all of it. Betty and Jughead then begin to kiss.

Labor Day weekend is over and Archie's trial is now in session. Betty, Veronica, Jughead, as well as the rest of Archie's friends and family are in attendance, as well as his enemies. However, the jury could not reach a verdict. They're deadlocked. Six-to-six. With that, the jury is dismissed. Archie wonders what will happen next. Mary explains that the judge will declare a mistrial and they'll have to do it all again. In lieu of another trial, the State is prepared to offer a deal for a lesser sentence, Ms. Wright says. Instead of prison, time served plus two years in juvenile detention, if Archie will plead guilty to the crime of manslaughter. Despite his mother's counsel, Archie takes the deal, much to the court's surprise. Archie explains that he can't put all the people he cares about through this again. The court accepts Archie's guilty plea and he is taken directly from the courthouse to the Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center, where he will serve out his sentence beginning immediately. Betty consoles Veronica, who breaks down as Archie is taken away.

That night, Betty comes downstairs, calling out to her mom and Polly. She heads onto the back porch, where she finds Alice and Polly, along with several other members of the Farm, holding Juniper and Dagwood over a fire. They let the twins go into the fire. However, instead of falling in, Juniper and Dagwood float above the flames. Betty then collapses. She begins convulsing and is unresponsive to Alice's calls to her.

Investigating the Gargoyle King
The Cooper women are recuperating from the night before, where Betty fainted on the back porch. Dr. Patel kept her overnight for observation but it was just a precaution. They ran test hoping to discover the source for the seizure though he suspects it was the result of Betty begin stressed. Polly was up with the twins all night worried about Betty, though Betty herself is more concerned with the whereabouts of Juniper and Dagwood, who she swears she saw her mother and Polly throw into giant bonfire. Alice claims that the only thing burning last night was the Hibachi, as they were making skewers with a few friends from the Farm. Polly concludes that Betty was merely hallucinating when she saw the twins go into the fire as they are fine, upstairs sleeping in fact.

Betty meets up with Jughead in the Blue and Gold offices, where she learns that Dilton Doiley is dead. And Ben from the Twilight Drive-In is barely hanging on. Doctors don't know when or if he's ever going to wake up. What Jughead saw was horrendous. He describes it as being a ritual site. Dilton and Ben's lips were blue. There were these chalices with what was likely poison and even animal bones surrounding the site. Even the tree had markings on it. Not to mention the winged totem with a skull and branches. And there's no way to determine whether it was a murder or suicide pact gone wrong. Jughead first recalls seeing Ben and Dilton at Pop's and then Dilton later coming to his trailer raving about the Gargoyle King. With that in mind, Betty and Jughead decide to investigate the case together. At least until they catch another lead with Archie's case.

Betty and Jughead meet with Dr. Curdle Jr., who took over his father's coroner business after his passing. The toxicology report revealed lethal levels of cyanide in Dilton's blood. Dr. Curdle surmises that Ben only survived because he didn't drink enough to finish the job. Betty looks to Dr. Curdle, hoping he can determine whether this was a murder or suicide. He replies that the body did show signs of stress and there are three symbols carved out on Dilton's back. He guesses they're Runic. Jughead proceeds to take a photo of the symbols. As for what caused their lips to turn blue, the cyanide was mixed into a sugary drink called "Fresh-Aid". Blueberry flavored. There's something dimly familiar about this case to Dr. Curdle. Still, he's not quite sure if it's a murder or suicide.

In the Blue and Gold offices, Betty calls Riverdale General Hospital to check in on Ben's status. He's apparently out of the ICU, and so Betty prepares to visit him. Just behind her stands Evelyn Evernever. She introduces herself to Betty, explaining that they almost met through her mom and Polly. Evelyn is the daughter of Edgar Evernever. The leader of the Farm. Evelyn now attends Riverdale High, so she stopped by to say hi and inform Betty that she won't tell anyone about her seizure from the other night. As it turns out, Evelyn was present during Betty's incident. She and her father were invited over by Alice for a cookout and to burn a few of her things. Evelyn then inquires about Betty, who excuses herself to visit Ben.

Betty and Jughead arrive at Riverdale General, and after slipping past a Sheriff's deputy, they enter Ben's room. Ben is still unconscious, though his mother is at his side. Betty and Jughead introduces themselves, stating that they know him from school. Ben's stabilized, but he hasn't woken up yet. While Mrs. Button doesn't know what exactly Ben was doing in the woods, she notes that he's always been odd. Kept to himself. Especially after his piano teacher was murdered. But this summer, he became friends with Dilton Doiley. When that happened, he became a different person. Secretive, sneaking out at all hours and having horrible nightmares. Hanging on the door of Ben's hospital room, Jughead finds a twig doll. Mrs. Button believes that it was left behind by a girl whose name she has forgotten, but was wearing a bow in her hair. Sheriff Minetta then bust Betty and Jughead. He refuses to allow a couple of teenagers to compromise an active murder investigation. Jughead retorts that if this is an active murder investigation, he might want to start by letting the rest of the town know. Betty and Jughead then overhear Sheriff Minetta's conversation with another deputy, who reveals that an Adventure Scout's parents called. They haven't seen him in two days, and he was a part of Dilton Doiley's troop.

In the student lounge, Jughead confronts Ethel with the twig doll he found in Ben's hospital room. Ethel questions where he got it from, but when Jughead asks what she was doing in Ben's hospital room, Ethel tries to leave. However, Betty pleads with her to cooperated as they're only trying to figure out what happened to Ben, Dilton and the missing scout. Jughead wonders if the twig doll is the Gargoyle King, but it's not. According to Ethel, it's the opposite. She made that talisman to protect Ben. When Betty asks how Ethel and Ben knew each other, Ethel replies that he's her boyfriend. They just started dating that summer and spend most of their time in Dilton's secret bunker in the woods. Given this, Jughead and Betty present Ethel with a ultimatum; either she show them where the bunker is located or they go to Sheriff Minetta with this information. Ethel caves, telling them that they'll meet up at Fox Footbridge after dark.

Betty and Jughead are confronted by their parents as they arrive at the house after receiving a call from Sheriff Minetta that Betty and Jughead were snooping around Ben's hospital room. Jughead believes that something strange is in the works. Dilton even came to him for help, which FP was present for. Jughead feels as if he owes Dilton but FP exclaims that Jughead doesn't owe him anything. As for Betty, her mother reminds her that this is exactly what Dr. Patel was referring to. If she keeps up this stressful behavior, she'll likely have another seizure, which neither FP nor Jughead were aware of. Alice blames Jughead for dragging Betty into murder investigations. As Betty takes off upstairs, FP and Jughead exit the Cooper house.

That night, Alice apologizes to Betty for revealing to Jughead that she had a seizure. Alice was terrified and she only wants the best for Betty. Alice then gives her a hug and leaves the room. When she does, Betty hops out of bed, fully dressed. She locks her bedroom door, grabs her coat and leaves throughout the window.

On their way to Fox Footbridge to meet with Ethel, Jughead asks about the seizure. One moment Betty was fine and the next she was hallucinating some insane, horror movie-like stuff. Then she woke up in the emergency room, embarrassed, which is why she didn't say anything. Besides, Dr. Patel said it was just stress. Jughead now blames himself for getting Betty involved in a murder investigation in the midst of her own problems. However, being in the middle of the woods with Jughead, investigation a potential murder/suicide is the least stressful thing she can think of. It reminds her of when they first started dating. As they near Fox Footbridge, Betty and Jughead have their first encounter with the Gargoyle King, a giant imposing creature with a bloody, snout-shaped face and branches for wings. Betty and Jughead run away in terror.

Once the coast is clear, they grab a booth at Pop's, where Jughead shows Betty what they suspect to be Dilton's drawing of the Gargoyle King. Betty notes that it was too tall to be Ethel, unless she was on stilts, which is a possibility because she's not answering her phone. As for Dilton's map, Jughead points to the marked off location where he found Ben and Dilton. And he then points to the footbridge where Ethel wanted them to meet. There's a symbol written on the map that Jughead and Betty don't recognize, even after researching runic symbols. Jughead suspects that it's not a symbol at all, but a drawing for the hatch that leads to the underground bunker. Assuming the map is halfway accurate, right around the deadfall in Fox Forest.

Having followed the map, Betty and Jughead locate Dilton's underground bunker. It is filled with odd objects and decoration. Betty and Jughead quickly discover the pieces to the game Ben and Dilton were playing, Gryphons and Gargoyles. Betty finds a large drawing of the Gargoyle King on the wall, who is also featured prominently on a copper coin Jughead just found. They then find a poster with chalices that read "drink from the correct cup and ascend to the kingdom". As well as a blue Fresh-Aid packet and cyanide. Jughead realizes that it was a challenge from the game. As he takes photos of the bunker, Betty looks under the bed, where she is startled by the missing adventure scout.

Jughead tries to explain to the scout just how worried his parents are, but he doesn't seem to care. The adventure scout tells Jughead that he's supposed to stay hidden in the bunker until "Master Doiley" comes back. It is then that Betty and Jughead realize that the scout has no idea that Dilton is dead, forcing the difficult task on them of having to reveal that Dilton isn't coming back. The adventure scout was Dilton's apprentice in Gryphons and Gargoyles. Dilton was teaching him how to play so that he could eventually join the game. When Jughead brings up Ben and Ethel, the scout reveals that "Princess Etheline" isn't dating been in real life. Only in the game. And she warned him that Jughead and Betty might invade the bunker. Having gathered all they could, Betty and Jughead take the scout home.

Betty and Jughead confront Ethel after she not only blew them off but withheld the location of the missing adventure scout. Also, she and Ben aren't really dating, but Ethel insists that they are in love. Betty attempts to explain that they were simply role playing, but to Ethel, it was real. Betty and Jughead are trying to help her but she first has to stop lying to them. When Ethel maintains that she's not lying, Jughead threatens to take her to the Sheriff Station, where she can repeat her truth on record to Sheriff Minetta. Ethel explains that if any of them talk to the adults, the Gargoyle King will get angry. Dilton tried to talk to Jughead and look what happened. Before Ethel can continue, she begins to have a seizure mid-sentence. Jughead yells out to Weatherbee before calling an ambulance. All the while, Evelyn watches from the doorway as this unfolds.

At Riverdale General, Betty and Jughead learn that Ethel is fine and that she is resting. Given that seizures aren't contagious, Betty is certain that her seizure and Ethel's isn't a coincidence. Sounds like another mystery for them to solve, which both Betty and Jughead are up for. Betty suspects that maybe there's even a connection between the seizures and whatever happened to Dilton. They then decide to check on Ben. When they enter his room, they find him sitting in the window. Ben says that he's going to be with Dilton now. They both flipped the coin but Dilton was scared to ascend. Ben isn't however. What about Princess Etheline, Betty asks. Ben replies that they'll all be reunited in the kingdom and that it's all part of his plan. Ben then jumps out the window onto the street below, killing himself.

Betty and Jughead are cuddled up on Dilton’s bunker. Betty’s uncomfortable in the bunker, however, it’s the only place in town they can get a modicum of privacy. Ben’s death still haunts Betty, as he didn’t scream, forcing her to wonder why. She and Jughead begin to question the rules behind Gryphons & Gargoyles. Perhaps it’s the key to solving everything. Ben, Ethel and Dilton talk of it as if it’s a religion or cult. And every cult has its king.

At Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, Veronica expresses her concern for the diner to Betty. She’s overwhelmed with bills as Pop’s is hemorrhaging money. Betty inquires about the speakeasy, hoping that it is near. Veronica confesses that the speakeasy is ready and it has been for a while but she hasn’t opened it because she’s waiting for Archie to be released. Betty reminds Veronica that putting her life on hold is precisely what Archie asked her not to do. Betty suggests that Veronica focus on herself and open the speakeasy.

At school, Betty informs Jughead of the strict dress code for Veronica’s speakeasy. They then notice Ethel across the hall with Evelyn Evernever, much to Betty’s dismay. Betty suspects that Gryphons & Gargoyles may have some kind of connection to the Farm. Ben, Dilton and Ethel started playing the game that summer, which is the same time the Farm and the Evernevers moved to Riverdale. Betty tells Jughead that Evelyn’s father is their leader and her mother won’t stop talking about him. They compare Edgar to a king. Unfortunately, Betty doesn’t know much about him. They continue to watch Ethel and Evelyn’s exchange from across the hall, deciding then to continue their investigation with Ethel.

Betty and Jughead enter the classroom, where they find Ethel sitting alone. This is the first time they’ve spoken since the incident in the student lounge and so she informs them that she’s been given medication to prevent the seizures. She’s been having them multiple times a day. Betty asks if Ethel had any visions when she collapsed. Unfortunately, Ethel can’t recall. Betty then inquires about her friendship with Evelyn Evernever, to which Ethel replies that Evelyn’s been helping her get better so that she can titrate down her meds. Betty questions whose idea this was, Evelyn’s or her dad’s. Before Ethel can respond, Betty asks if Ethel has ever met Edgar Evernever. She doesn’t answer the question directly but instead suggests that Betty look into Evelyn’s peer support group if she’s so curious. She has started a student chapter of the Farm at Riverdale High. Jughead tells Ethel that before Ben killed himself, he mentioned reuniting with Dilton in the Kingdom, leading him to his question, if Gryphons & Gargoyles has a rule book or player’s manual. Ethel admits that one does exist though they refer to it as the scripture. However, she isn’t allowed to reveal to Jughead whether or not she owns a copy as he is not worthy of the King’s scripture. Jughead replies that he wants to be worthy and that he would like for Ethel to show him how. Ethel agrees to show Jughead, but him alone as Betty will never be worthy. They arrange a meeting for tomorrow night in Dilton’s bunker.

When Betty arrives at Evelyn’s peer support meeting, she finds the classroom empty. However, she is joined by Evelyn not long after. Betty claims that she’s come to learn more about the Farm and that she came to ask about Ethel, who told her that Evelyn had been helping her with her seizures. Evelyn says that she’s been trying to with her dad’s teachings as she has to get Ethel off the medication. Evelyn then asks if Betty is on any medication, which Betty claims she isn’t, but she is considering it as she’s still having convulsions one or twice a day. Betty is hoping that Evelyn’s dad could help, which Evelyn is thrilled to hear.

Betty returns home to find her mother and sister, along with half a dozen members of the Farm, Evelyn included, sitting in the living room, awaiting her arrival. Evelyn told them that Betty was finally ready to meet the Farm. Betty was under the impression that Edgar would be joining them, to which to the group laughs. Alice and Polly explains that there are certain levels one must first attain before meeting Edgar. First, Betty must start by meeting a few "Farmies". This will be Betty’s first testimony, which is essentially an open, non-judgmental conversation about all the bad things she’s done in her life. Evelyn reveals that between Alice and Polly, the Farm has gathered much information on Betty, such as her dark kinship with her father and the role she played in disposing of a dead body in her kitchen. Betty is in disbelief that her mother shared this information regarding Chic and the shady man with the Farm.

Alice tells Betty that everything spoken at the Farm is kept in confidence. They all know each other’s secrets. They also know about the wake and the webcamming. Feeling cornered, Betty changes the subject to Evelyn being present at both her seizure and Ethel’s, and how the Farm showed up in Riverdale at the same time as Gryphons & Gargoyles, which made Ben and Dilton kill themselves all to appease a creature only known as the Gargoyle King, which Betty suspects may be Evelyn’s father. Evelyn claims that the first time they had ever heard of Gryphons & Gargoyles was from Alice, leaving Betty to wonder how her mother knows about the game. Alice attempts to drive the discussion away from her past, stating that it’s too soon and that Betty isn’t ready. Betty then becomes dizzy, as if she’s about to faint, but she keeps her balance.

As Betty prepares for the opening night of Veronica’s speakeasy, her mother enters the room. Alice knows that Betty never had any intentions of working with the Farm. She merely wanted to meet Edgar so that she could question him. Betty explains that by Alice telling the Farm her deepest, darkest secrets, she’s also implicating Betty, Jughead and FP. However, Alice believes that the Farm would never use her testimony against her. Betty questions what her mother told the Farm about Gryphons & Gargoyles but Alice chooses not to answer because she trusts the Farm more than she trust Betty.

As Jughead and Betty arrive at opening night, Jughead informs Betty that he hid the rule book in the trailer and will show Betty at a later time. Betty then asks about Ethel, who is physically alright, but she’s going to need a bit of deprogramming Jughead states. Betty remarks that Ethel can keep her mom company as the Farm has gotten way deeper into her head than initially presumed. Betty is certain that her mom knows something about Gryphons & Gargoyles, but she refuses to speak on it. Betty then attempts to wipe away the blue fresh-aid on Jughead’s lips.

Betty and Jughead return to the trailer to find it in complete disorder. Their parents demand to know where Jughead got the rule book from. FP is especially enraged as he can still see the blue on Jughead’s lips. Betty questions what her and Jughead's parents are hiding and she instructs Jughead to not answer any of their questions until they start telling the truth about what they know about Gryphons & Gargoyles. FP explains that the game is pure evil and that no one else will ever play it again. Jughead begs his father not to destroy the scripture. While they don’t intend to play it, the book may be the only chance they have of figuring out what happened to Ben and Dilton. Nevertheless, with this being the only known copy, FP and Alice decide it’s best to destroy the scripture by throwing it into the fire.

Betty and Jughead are once again in Dilton bunker, laying in bed. Jughead begins to thinking that maybe destroying the rule book was for the best because as he was flipping through the manual, he felt as if he was reading evil. Betty states that both of their parents played the game, which is why they were so adamant against them investigating Ben and Dilton’s deaths, and why they freaked out over the rule book. If what Ethel said about that being the only rule book is true, then it doesn’t matter anymore as it’s all over.

Given the growing dangers that the teens of Riverdale are facing, the town Mayor, Hermione Lodge, decides to personally visit Riverdale High to provide clarity on the dangers they face. Betty, Cheryl, Jughead, Veronica, Reggie, Josie and Kevin are all in attendance. Hermione explains that Dilton Doiley and Ben Button have already taken their lives, and Ethel Muggs attempted to. All three victims are linked through playing Gryphons and Gargoyles. Betty asks where the game came from and where Ben and Dilton first gained access to it, but Hermione doesn’t know. From what little they do know about it, the game seems to be targeted at impressionable developing minds. Hermione elaborates that the game’s quests and role-playing scenarios are specifically designed to foster delusions, paranoia, and violence. As mayor, Hermione officially bans Gryphons and Gargoyles. On top of that, Mrs. Burble is going to be holding extended office hours and Hermione has set up a 24-hour crisis hotline overseen by Kevin.

In the Blue and Gold offices, Betty and Veronica discuss Gryphons and Gargoyles and just how dangerous it’s becoming. Veronica isn’t playing and neither is Betty and Jughead. However, they’re still trying to figure out why their parents were so triggered by them having the manual. Betty then gets a call from Dr. Curdle Jr, informing her of a discovery he made in the morgue archives.

After meeting with Dr. Curdle Jr., Betty confronts her mother once she returns home with a case file from many years ago. Per Alice’s Farm testimony, she’s undoubtedly played G&G before. And now, Betty has concrete evidence that when her mother was her age, there was another suspicious death that took place at Riverdale High where the corpse had blue lips. With that, Alice decides to tell Betty everything she knows about the game for her own protection. Alice tells Betty the long story of how she, Fred, FP, Sierra, Penelope, and Hermione discovered Gryphons and Gargoyles during their junior year of high school.

Betty is shocked by the revelation that her mother and Fred Andrews kissed. Alice explains they were lonely, young and attractive. It was just a brief fling, however. She also learns that all the parents became obsessed with the game and during an ascension party, the school principal went missing, only to be found a week later, dead with blue lips.

If principal Featherhead died from drinking from a poison chalice, Betty questions who poisoned the cups, but not even Alice has the answer to that. Featherhead’s death was ruled a suicide under suspicious circumstances and they never spoke about it because they knew it must’ve been a member of the Midnight Club. One of them was a killer and Featherhead was an unintentional casualty as a member of the Midnight Club was meant to drink from the poison chalice. Betty has a lot more questions to ask, which concerns Alice because the more you talk about the game, the more you think of it and the more at risk you are. The game gives you permission to hurt or kill. Ben, Dilton and Ethel all willingly drank the fresh-aid during their quest, but Betty can’t figure out if it is murder or suicide. In the end, it’s just death, Alice explains. She wants Betty to promise her that she won’t investigate any further but that’s a promise Betty can’t make. Someone from the Midnight Club used the game to murder Featherhead and now Betty’s classmates are dying. The entire school is playing. Betty recalls seeing the Gargoyle King in the woods. She suspects that it may be the same person from the Midnight Club way back when. Knowing that Betty has no intentions on stopping her investigation, Alice at least asks her to swear that she won’t play the game, which Betty agrees to.

The next day at school, Betty goes looking for verification of her mother’s story. She starts in the classroom, where she finds the Midnight Club’s initials in the window seal, just as her mother said. Betty also finds the chalices hidden in plain sight, in the trophy case.

With this, she goes looking for Jughead. She finds him in Dilton’s bunker, playing Gryphons and Gargoyles along with Toni, Cheryl, Sweet Pea and Fangs. Betty questions what Jughead is doing but he is clearly too far gone, rambling on about having it all figured out and beating the Gargoyle King.

Picking up from where the previous episode left off, Betty enters Dilton bunker to find Jughead, Toni, Cheryl, Sweet Pea and Fangs playing the game. Jughead explains that he’s made sense of it all. Once he ascends, he will meet the Gargoyle King. Betty sits Jughead down and informs him of the story she learned from her mother, how all their parents played Gryphons and Gargoyles during their junior year of high school. Betty continues to reveal that while they were playing, one of them killed their then principal, Felix Featherhead, as he also had blue lips, which is why Betty thinks Jughead should stop playing. However, he sees this as confirmation that they’ve been playing this game off board for a lot longer than they realized. The Hot Dog rescue mission, for instance, he believes was a quest. The Serpents and Ghoulies, if nothing else, are warring tribes, such as the orcs and goblins.

Betty stops Jughead, as he isn’t making sense. They have nine suspects, meaning one of their parents could be a murderer. So, Betty wants to investigate them alongside Jughead, but he continues to ramble on about Eldervair, the realm of Gryphons and Gargoyles, which Jughead concludes is an anagram and analog for Riverdale. This is why the game only exists in Riverdale and why there’s no online trace of it. Betty states that this is merely a coincidence, but he thinks it’s one big narrative that’s still being written and played. The more Jughead plays the game, the more familiar he becomes with Eldervair and its rules. The more he sees the patterns. And the more he understands the Gargoyle King. The game is the Gargoyle King’s imagination and psychology. How they view Riverdale. How do you catch a Game Master, Jughead asks. To that he replies that you become a Game Master. And that’s exactly what he’s doing. Once he proves that he’s at the Gargoyle King’s level, he’ll come face-to-face with him. Betty grows tired of Jughead ramblings and decides to investigate on her own.

Betty calls Josie, Kevin and Reggie into the Blue and Gold offices to inform them of the Midnight Club and their parents’ past involvement with Gryphons and Gargoyles. Josie is in disbelief that her mother was a rule-breaking, anti-apartheid activist in high school. And Kevin questions how his father and her mother were together even back then. Much like Josie, Reggie is also skeptical. He doesn’t believe that his father did live action role-play with as he put it "a group of lame ass nerds". Regardless of what they would like to believe, Betty needs them to subtly ask their parents about Gryphons and Gargoyles, as her suspicion is that whoever was running the game back then is also running it now. Josie, Reggie and Kevin seem aggravated at the insinuation that one of their parents could be responsible for what happened to Ben and Dilton, but they agree nonetheless.

Betty reconvenes with Josie, Kevin and Reggie in the Blue and Gold to discuss their efforts to gain more information from their parents. Josie and Kevin came up with nothing as their parents did not admit to anything. All they did was lie and pretend as if they knew nothing of G&G. In other news, Josie reveals that her mother and Kevin’s father announced their engagement. As bad as that was, Reggie’s dad’s reaction to Reggie’s questioning in regards to G&G was much worse, as Reggie was left with a black eye. Reggie wonders why their parents are acting so secretive about something that happened 25 years ago and what Betty is keeping from them. Before Betty can answer, Veronica enters. She tells them how Archie is caught up in some diabolical teen fight club and that she intends to break him out of juvie with all of their help.

Betty returns to Dilton’s bunker to find that Jughead is about to set forth on a new quest. She’s about to help Veronica break Archie out of juvie and she’s hoping Jughead will help. Jughead notes that this is perfect. The quest he’s been working on lacked heart and humanity until Betty just gave him the missing piece; a rescue mission, to save their friend. Betty exclaims that this is not a game. It’s real life. But since he refuses to recognize that, she’ll just take Jughead’s bike and do this without him.

Betty, Veronica, Kevin, Josie and Reggie reconvene at La Bonne Nuit. Archie’s stuck behind bars and his life is in danger. As much as possible, they must follow the plan. The slightest deviation and Archie could end up dead. They will need a distraction if they’re going to disorient the guards and save Archie. Something they can sneak into the location easily, that won’t arouse suspicion, something they’ll have to make themselves, so Josie, Kevin and Reggie sneak into the chemistry class to make smoke grenades, masqueraded as beverages. As for the getaway route, Veronica already has a position picked out for Betty. So long as she sticks to the woods, their cars shouldn’t be able to follow her. Just in case, Betty suggest adding another precaution to the plan.

Just outside the recreation center, Betty disables the Warden’s car. Afterward, Betty joins Kevin over by the sewer tunnel. He informs her of the lock they weren’t aware of. Kevin then reveals that Joaquin just passed and that he has to go after him. As Kevin goes looking for his past love, Betty picks at the lock with a bobby-pin. Betty picks the lock open just as Archie makes his way through the pipe. He’s bloody and covered in sludge, but Betty helps him out the pipe. She’s overjoyed having helped free him. She notices his stab wound and helps to apply pressure.

Betty and Archie then ride off on Jughead’s motorcycle, passing Wraden Norton and his men. Warden Norton orders his men to go after them. Much like Betty, they too are on motorcycles. Betty speeds throughout the woods, with the guards on her and Archie’s tail. As they go further into the woods, they are cut off, forcing Betty and who they believed to be Archie to a stop. However, the passenger on the motorcycle is actually Kevin, who removes his helmet, asking how can he help them. As it turns out, Betty's extra precaution previously mentioned was swapping out Archie for Kevin. Warden Norton grabs Kevin by his jacket, demanding to know the whereabouts of the Red Paladin i.e. Archie. After Kevin says that he doesn’t know, Betty pulls out a can of mace and threatens to spray the Warden. The Warden lets Kevin go and calls his men off, ordering them to fall back to the center.

After Betty, Veronica, Josie, Kevin and Reggie arrive at Dilton’s bunker to regroup with the others, Toni patches Archie up and tells him not to make any sudden movements. Archie reveals that it was Joaquin who stabbed him though Archie thinks the Warden made him do it. He then asks where are they, to which Betty explains Dilton’s bunker. The only people who know about it are in the room and it is the safest place in Riverdale. Veronica then notices the branding on Archie’s side, courtesy of Warden Norton. Jughead, Betty, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Toni and Cheryl seem particularly intrigued by the brand. Veronica then calls for everyone’s attention. Since her father saw her, she has to do some damage control on the home front. But, someone needs to stay with Archie at all times. Betty and Jughead volunteer to take the first shift. Equally important, Veronica announces that everyone in the room, herself, Betty, Jughead, Cheryl, Toni, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Josie, Reggie and Kevin, are all part of a pact. From this moment on, no one is to know where the bunker is. No one was involved with the breakout and no one knows where Archie is. They are all expected to take this to the grave.

As planned, Betty and Jughead take the first watch. They note that Archie’s brand looks a lot like a runic symbol from Gryphons and Gargoyles. Betty also recalls the Warden calling Archie a Red Paladin. This means he too was playing G&G. They begin to suspect that maybe Warden Norton is the Gargoyle King. Before jumping back in, Betty suggests that Jughead go home and get some sleep. Before leaving, he tells Archie to sleep well as his troubles are likely only beginning.

In Dilton’s bunker, Betty watches over a sleeping Archie, wondering what the runic symbol branded on his rib cage could possibly mean. Before long, Jughead returns to inform her of his run-in with Gargoyle King. Jughead followed it through a clearing only to learn that the Gargoyle King is not alone. He was accompanied by ten of his disciples around a bonfire. They were all wearing mask, and Jughead describes them as being a gang of gargoyles. Betty wants to go after them, but Jughead would rather not take the chance. When they begin to wonder who the disciples might be, Archie utters Joaquin's name. He recalls Kevin telling him that Joaquin spoke of joining a new gang. Given what they now know about Warden Norton playing G&G and Joaquin doing his bidding, this only further confirms Betty and Jughead’s suspicion that Warden Norton might be the Gargoyle King.

Betty returns home after a long night out only to be immediately confronted by her mother. Alice informs Betty of the manhunt currently underway to find Archie. When Alice asks of Betty’s involvement, Betty denies any connection to Archie’s breakout. Alice then reveals that Warden Norton killed himself last night and that he was found with blue lips. Given this revelation, Betty asks her mother if she knew Warden Norton because he had ties to Hiram Lodge, who is also a member of the Midnight Club, much like her mother. Alice claims to have no knowledge of the Warden.

Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, Josie, Kevin, Reggie, Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Evelyn sit as Sheriff Minetta confronts them with his suspicion that Archie had help in escaping Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center. Sheriff Minetta informs them that hiding a convict and information from the law is a felony offense. So, whoever aided and abetted Archie is just as much a criminal as he is. A few students in particular catches the sheriff's attention. When he asks where Josie was during the time of the breakout, she struggles to come up with an alibi, eventually settling with her being alone in the music room. Sheriff Minetta will be looking into all their alibis. As he continues to antagonize Josie, she suddenly has a seizure. Cheryl rushes to her aid, catching Josie and telling the sheriff to back off.

Betty convenes with Jughead in the Blue and Gold, where she informs him of Josie’s seizure. First Betty, then Ethel, and now Josie. They wonder what the connection could be. Just as Jughead was ready to write off Warden Norton’s connection to the Midnight Club and the Gargoyle King, Betty makes a discovery. Warden Norton was the RROTC instructor of Riverdale High twenty five years ago. This proves that their parents have only continued to lie to them. Featherhead was the first blue lip death on record. Somehow, Betty has to figure out how to force their parents into telling the truth, though this will involve Veronica’s speakeasy. In the meantime, Jughead will rally the Serpents as they have to find Joaquin. He was the Warden’s accomplice, making him their best chance at figuring out what was going on in the Warden's mind.

Betty gets a call from Kevin, who informs her that Archie's wound is getting worse. So, she directs him to Dr. Curdle Jr. She insist that Kevin bring small bills. Betty then heads down into the speakeasy, where the Midnight Club, that being Alice, FP, Hiram, Hermione, Penelope, Fred, Tom, Sierra, and Marty are awaiting her arrival. She had sent them all invitations. However, they were under the impression that the invites were from the Gargoyle King. Betty wants to get all the secrets out, and she sees this as her only option.

Hermione reminds Alice of their pact, how they promised that they would never talk about the Midnight Club again. Alice reasons that she told Betty in order to protect her from playing the game, which she isn’t. However, Betty's friends are playing, leaving Betty to question if any of them actually care, to which Sierra replies that she should be with Josie, who just had a seizure earlier that morning, instead of rehashing their past which she seems to be irrelevant, at least to her. Betty argues that their past is very much relevant as Josie is by playing G&G, along with Kevin, Cheryl and Reggie. Betty then makes everyone aware of just how abusive Marty Mantle is towards Reggie, such as giving him a black eye. Fred remarks that it was bound to get out at some time, their secret that is, so he’d much rather address it so that their kids at least know the truth. Betty wants to start with Warden Norton, who was also the RROTC instructor at Riverdale High twenty five years ago. Given that Tom was a cadet back then, Betty asks if the two ever played the game together, but they didn’t. Hiram had business dealings with Warden Norton leading up to his death. Betty wants to know the specifics of those dealings and whether not not Hiram knew that he was playing G&G. While Hiram refuses to inform Betty of his business dealings, he does tell her that he had no clue Norton was playing.

Betty then asks about ascension night, wondering if Norton was present. FP explains that they have no way of knowing as they were high, hallucinating gargoyles. Hermione decides to indulge Betty. Betty wants to know who poisoned the chalice. Hermione informs her that given the fact that the Game Master is responsible for setting up the game, her instinct is telling her that the culprit is Penelope. Hermione suspects that she grew the poison in her greenhouse. However, Penelope reveals that Darryl Doiley poisoned the chalices. He was secretly in love with her and wanted the two of them to ascend together. But, Penelope said no. She assumed the chalices were emptied afterward but clearly they were not. Years later, Darryl came to Penelope, riddled with guilt and seeking comfort. Penelope refused him again, and so Darryl left. The next day, he was found dead in his garage, with the engine to his car running and windows up. Betty isn’t buying Penelope’s story. Even if this is true, that doesn’t explain who the current Gargoyle King is. Betty and Jughead saw it in Fox Forest and they’ve been trying to track him down ever since, which is why Jughead began playing the game. All this is news to FP, who grows increasingly aggravated. He then leaves to deal with Jughead, with everyone else following him out. Before leaving, Alice asks Betty if she’s satisfied, but she’s not. Not even close.

Betty enters the trailer to find Jughead handcuffed to the refrigerator. Fortunately, she has a bobby-pin and is able to free him. Jughead informs Betty that his father did it as he doesn’t like Jughead playing G&G, which Betty takes fault for as she unintentionally revealed this to FP during their sit down. Speaking of which, Jughead wonders how that went. Betty informs him that Penelope Blossom claims Darryl Doiley poisoned the chalices, which is pretty convenient given that he’s dead. Neither Jughead nor Betty are buying this story, which is why Betty has already contacted Dr. Curdle Jr to ask if he can pull Darryl Doiley’s autopsy report. Betty will have to handle this on her own as Jughead is off to meet with Sweet Pea and Fangs.

Betty discovers that Darryl Doiley’s autopsy report shows no mention of carbon monoxide poisoning after meeting with Dr. Curdle Jr, who reveals that carbon monoxide was not the cause of death. While Darryl Doiley was indeed found in his car with the windows up, there was no traces of carbon monoxide in his system, meaning he was dead beforehand. It turns out that Darryl Doiley was actually poisoned with Oleander. Dr. Curdle Jr. thinks that Doiley’s death was a murder disguised as a suicide. Betty then asks who was the active sheriff at the time of the murder as she wants to question the person who closed the case. Dr. Curdle Jr. informs Betty that Tom Keller was the current sheriff.

Betty arranges a meeting with Tom at Pop’s. She address the fact that Darryl Doiley’s case was ruled a suicide despite the fact that no carbon monoxide was found in his lungs. Tom realizes that this is nothing more than another one of Betty’s ambushes. However, he states that the didn’t kill anyone. However, Betty believes that he’s at least complicit in a cover-up and wants to know who he’s protecting. Tom is protecting the Midnight Club, he claims. Even still, someone murdered Darryl Doiley and whoever was pulling the strings back then could be responsible for the recent deaths. Tom tells Betty that it could’ve been any member of the Midnight Club, but only Penelope grows Oleander in her greenhouse. He knows this because he saw it when he was investigating Jason Blossom’s murder. Tom then gets a call from Fred and exits abruptly.

Betty arranges another meeting, but this time with Penelope Blossom, who requests that Betty call her auntie. Given that Darryl Doiley actually died of Oleander poisoning rather than carbon monoxide poisoning as initially reported, Betty asks if Penelope grows that in her greenhouse. Even if Penelope wanted to poison Darryl Doiley, she claims that she wouldn’t use Oleander as it leaves traces. She came to see Betty out of the kindness of her heart, but since Betty’s looking for someone to accuse, Penelope points her in the direction of her mother, Alice, who wrote the article reporting Darryl Doiley’s suicide.

Betty confronts her mother about covering up Darryl Doiley’s murder. Someone staged his death to look like a suicide and thanks to Sheriff Keller, there wasn’t a murder investigation. They all have a hand in the cover-up. So, Betty wants to know who her mother is protecting. Before Alice can reply, the lights go out. Someone is banging at the front door. She opens the front door only to see that no one is out there. As they shut the door, the Gargoyle King is standing behind them. Someone then tries to force their way in through the front door, but Alice manages to lock it. Terrified, the two of them run upstairs into Betty’s room, where they find a skull and Darryl Doiley’s headstone laying on Betty’s bed. Darryl’s name has been crossed out and Betty and Alice’s name has been spray painted on it. FP then comes climbing through Betty’s window. He was looking for Jughead, but Alice slammed the door in his face. Alice then reveals that the Gargoyle King is in the house with them.

They’re no longer safe and Alice believes that attack was only the beginning. It’s become apparent that Betty has on intentions on stopping her investigation no matter the consequences. With the house no longer being safe, Alice is moving to the Farm with Polly and the twins. However, Betty refuses to go, which Alice knew would happen. So, Betty, unfortunately is being taken to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Sister Woodhouse enters the Cooper house with two orderlies, who take Betty away. Alice feels as if she has no other choice. As Betty is taken out, her phone rings. It’s Jughead. Alice presses decline.

After getting situated at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, Sister Woodhouse sees Betty to art class. In route, she speaks of her and Betty’s past issues, in which Betty hasn’t always agreed with their practices. Regardless, she assure Betty that they will make her well and that she’s safe with them. Once in art class, Betty immediately realizes that everyone there is painting pictures of the Gargoyle King.

At the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, Betty is administered the Rorschach test by Sister Woodhouse. She answers in a manner that’ll make her seem sane by telling the sisters what she believes they want to hear. The first inkblot reminds her of the Shady Man though she claims to see a teddy bear with a bow tie. The second one looks like the Black Hood, but she says monarch butterfly instead. The final inkblot resembles the Gargoyle King, but Betty says it reminds her of the old jungle-gym at Riverdale Elementary. She used to play on it every recess.

Betty is now in line to receive her candy. Sister Woodhouse informs her that every patient receives Fizzle Rocks for good behavior. However, Betty’s very much aware that they are laced with drugs, leaving her to wonder why the Sisters are dosing them up with the same drug the Midnight Club was on the night of Principal Featherhead’s murder. Betty smiles and takes the candy with her so not to arouse suspicion.

Betty throws her Fizzle Rocks in the trash immediately after entering her room. Ethel then enters the room as she is Betty’s new roommate. Sister Woodhouse thought Betty might benefit from having a roommate who is familiar with the system around there. Ethel hangs her warrior board on the wall. It’s a collage. A visual collection of her destiny. It also helps her manifest her goals. As soon as Betty finds what she needs, she secretly plans on finding the door marked "X" in the basement that Veronica and Toni used when they broke Cheryl out.

Ever since Ethel arrived at the Sisters, she claims to have been having conversations with the Gargoyle King. Betty wants Ethel to introduce her to the Gargoyle King, but Ethel can’t as that’s Sister Woodhouse’s job. The Sisters take patients into the Gargoyle King’s chamber when they misbehave. The other girls are scared of him, but Ethel isn’t. Betty asks for the location of the chamber, but that too is Sister Woodhouse’s job. Betty remarks that Ethel would tell Jughead. Speaking of Jughead, Ethel reveals that she and Jughead shared a kiss, which Betty is already aware of as Jughead told her how Ethel blackmailed him into kissing her. Ethel becomes upset, accusing Betty of always acting as if she’s better than her. As well as her "shallow friends" acting as such. Ethel states that the Sisters isn’t like being at Riverdale High. The rules are different and Ethel is the queen bee. If Betty wants to get better, she has to change her attitude and be honest with herself and others. Ethel wants to start with the fact that Betty threw her Fizzle Rocks in the trash. Betty apologizes. She says that she wants to be Ethel’s friend and asks that Ethel keep this between the two of them. Ethel agrees.

While trimming the hedges outside the facility, Betty notices Claudius Blossom pull up in the Blossom Maple Farms truck. This is odd as the Sisters don’t serve maple syrup in the cafeteria. She then spots Hiram Lodge pull into the facility, leaving her to wonder what kind of business he could possibly have with Sister Woodhouse and how the Blossoms are connected to it. Betty asks one of the other patients if she knew who Hiram was. The patient replies that they call him the Man in Black. He’s an angel donor who helps the Sisters with anything they may need. Betty then recalls her mom telling her that Hiram was the one who brought the Fizzle Rocks to ascension night.

Betty is now wondering what Hiram gave the Sisters and what Woodhouse gave him in return. In search of answers, Betty goes door-to-door, looking for the records room, hoping that she can find her answers in the patient files. At the end of the hallway is a door with a glowing cross above the frame. She concludes this must be the Gargoyle King’s chamber, as previously mentioned by Ethel. Betty can hear a girl’s scream from just inside the door. Betty is frightened. So, she hides in a nearby room as Sister Woodhouse exits the chamber with a deeply terrified patient. Once the coast is clear, Betty approaches the chamber door once more. However, Ethel catches her before she can enter. Betty comes up with a excuse, claiming that she was looking for the medical archives. The lie goes that Sister Agnes sent her to fetch some files and she got lost. Ethel tells Betty that only the infirm are allowed in the infirmary. She and Ethel then return to their room.

Betty begins looking for a pen, a bobby pin that hasn’t been dulled down or a paper clip. She steals one that she finds attached to a batch of papers. As she attempts to leave with the paper clip, Ethel invites her over to play G&G with the other patients. Betty then provokes an altercation with Ethel in order to gain access to the infirmary. She addresses how Ethel is a fake friend for kissing Jughead. Ethel replies that she only kissed Jughead because the Gargoyle King wants them together. She states that Betty is jealous that both she and Jughead are worthy while Betty will never be. Furthermore, she’s never going to meet the Gargoyle King. Betty then fakes have a seizure. Gaining the attention of the Sisters. Sister Woodhouse comes to Betty’s aid, calling for a nurse to take Betty to the infirmary.

Betty fake sleeps in the infirmary while Sister Woodhouse speaks to the nurse. She wants to re-evaluate Betty’s dosage as soon as possible. Once she is alone, Betty gets out of bed and begins searching for the patient files. She picks open the file cabinet and finds her file. Inside, she finds her evaluation report, which reads the following; two doses of Bullio Lapis, mornings only. Sporadic seizures. Patient seems to be responding well to testing. Per H.L, increase dosage after first week. Betty deduces that Hiram Lodge is using patients at the Sisters’ as lab rats and that Bullio Lapis is Fizzle Rocks. Now that she has her proof, Betty plans her escape.

Betty heads into the basement to find the door marked with the "X". She finds the door, however, it has since been bricked up, preventing Betty from escaping. She is then cornered by Ethel, Sister Woodhouse and two orderlies. Betty is held down as as Sister Woodhouse force feeds her Fizzle Rocks. As this occurs, Ethel recites a phrase. "My King. My savior. Guide me through the night. Bless me with your darkness, gift me with your flight." Sister Woodhouse then takes a barely functional Betty to see the Gargoyle King. Betty is pushed inside the chamber and the doors shut behind her. She screams out in fear. Afterward, she and Sister Woodhouse engage in another session of Rorschach test. This time around she is truthful about what the inkblots appear to be. The first inkblot appears to Betty as a dead body. The second one as the Black Hood. And the final one as the Gargoyle King, who stands behind Sister Woodhouse as the test is conducted.

At the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, Ethel leads a quest in a game of G&G. Betty joins her. Sister Agnes then comes over to give them their daily ration of Fizzle Rocks, which Betty consumes whilst in the Sisters’ presence, but immediately rushes to the bathroom, where she pukes it up.

Betty receives a brief visit from her mother after Alice got a call from the school board telling her that they’re having an emergency meeting regarding a mass seizure at the school, similar to Betty’s. Whatever caused Betty’s seizure spread to the Vixens. Much to Betty’s dismay, Veronica was one of the fallen. Alice is just glad that Betty’s safe with the Sisters and wasn't at the school for the incident.

Betty convenes with the other patients, and shares with them just how close she had come to the Gargoyle King. Betty claims that he tells her all his secrets and gives her personal quests. When Ethel overhears Betty’s conversation with the others, she confronts her, though Betty persist with her claims of having gotten to know the Gargoyle King, which only angers Ethel. Just to get under Ethel’s skin, Betty lies and says that the Gargoyle King called her his favorite. Ethel calls Betty out, under the suspicion that Betty’s lying, just to make fun of her. Betty denies doing anything of the such. She then baits Ethel into unlocking the Gargoyle King’s chamber. Once Ethel unlocks the door, Betty pushes her inside and locks her in. Her reason for doing so is to convert Ethel. Betty explains that the Gargoyle King isn’t real and that the Fizzle Rocks given to them by the Sisters are causing them to hallucinate. Once the drug wears off in a few hours, Betty is certain Ethel will see the truth. Until then, Ethel will remain locked up. Inside the chamber, Ethel sees what she believes to be the Gargoyle King, and screams out in fear.

Betty returns to the chamber hours later to check in on Ethel. Now that Ethel has come down from her high, she realizes the Gargoyle King she thought she saw was really just a gargoyle statue. Betty explains that the Sisters feed them drugs to make them susceptible to visions that they suggest. They let the patients play the game and use their delusions to scare them into submission. Ethel still has doubts, but Betty assures her this is all true. The Sisters are in league with Hiram Lodge as well. Betty thinks that he’s paying the Sisters to test his drugs on patients. Even if this is true, Ethel recalls seeing the Gargoyle King in real life, before being admitted into the Sisters. She saw him in her hospital room. Betty admits that she saw him too. Or at the very least someone dressed as him. At any rate, it doesn’t change the fact that in there, it’s just a statue. Betty now needs Ethel help to learn all that Sister Woodhouse knows about G&G. If they know more, they can prevent more deaths like Ben and Dilton’s from happening again.

Betty calls Veronica from the Sisters. Veronica’s surprised as she hadn’t heard from Betty in days, under the impression that Betty was at the Farm. Betty doesn't have much time to talk, but she does have a plan that’ll require Veronica’s help.

While Ethel distracts Sister Agnes, Betty sneaks up behind Sister Woodhouse with a sharpened stick and holds it to her neck, threatening to hurt her unless she complies.

Betty and Ethel tie Sister Woodhouse to a chair inside the chamber. Enraged by her entrapment, she threatens to strap them to their beds and electroshock the sin out of them. Betty’s seen real darkness, so monsters don’t scare her and neither does Woodhouse, Which is why she couldn’t break Betty. Betty reveals that she knows all about the Sisters’ scam and alignment with Hiram Lodge, how they’re using the patients as test subjects for his new drugs. Sister Woodhouse reveals that Hiram is a generous donor and believer in their mission. Ethel questions if by mission, if Woodhouse is referring to G&G and how they use it and the Gargoyle King to scare the girls and torture children.

According to Sister Woodhouse, the children that come in are broken and it is her duty to mix them using whatever tool necessary, including Gryphons and Gargoyles, which they created in a way. Misbehaving children have been brought down to the chamber since the asylum opened. That gargoyle statue scared them into submission. Some of the more disturbed patients created a fantasy world to cope with the fear of the one they named the Gargoyle King. The Sisters simply embraced it as a therapeutic tool. If that’s true, Betty wonders how the game got out into the real world. Sister Woodhouse claims it was never meant to leave the asylum as it is too powerful. A game made of madness that the Sisters helped nurture, Ethel remarks. Betty insists that Woodhouse tell the police what she told them about G&G as well as Hiram Lodge’s donations. However, Sister Woodhouse only answers to one authority. With Sister Woodhouse’s keys, Betty and Ethel plan to escape and take the other patients with them. Sister Woodhouse however doubts they’ll leave of their own free will. She then proceeds to scream out for help as Betty and Ethel lock her inside the chamber alone.

Much to Betty and Ethel’s surprise, the patients don’t want to leave. They feel safe there. They play G&G and the Sisters give them candy. Sister Woodhouse was right. They’re all brainwashed just as Ethel was, forcing her and Betty to reassess the situation. Betty refuses to leave them behind, not to mention all the kids in the gay conversion wing. Betty devises a plan to use the game, turning their escape into a quest. The Gargoyle King inspires fear and Betty wants to give them the opposite, that being the Gryphon Queen. The patients gather around Ethel as she starts the quest. She tells them that their goal is to escape from the Gargoyle King’s fortress. And to help them do so is a Queen to lead them into the light, that Queen being Betty, who while dressed up as the Gryphon Queen, tosses on the floor the head of the gargoyle statue, stating that the King is dead. As planned, the patients play along, escaping the asylum with Betty and Ethel leading the charge.

Betty and Ethel, while guiding the patients to freedom, have not the slightest idea what they’ll do with them now that they’re free. Alice pulls up. With all hell breaking loose, she had come to get Betty out of the Sisters. While Alice is just in time, it’s not just Betty she’ll be taking with her as the patients needs somewhere to go as well.

At the Cooper house, Betty and Jughead awake to the sound of panicked screaming. It’s Hannah, one of the girls Betty rescued from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Betty wakes Hannah up from her nightmare to comfort her, reminding her that the Gargoyle King is dead. Tyler, another patient, reminds Hannah that Betty, the Gryphon Queen, saved them. Hannah then asks Betty if they can play a game of Gryphons and Gargoyles, to which she hesitantly agrees. However, under the game board box, Betty discovers a bag of Fizzle Rocks. Hannah reveals that it belongs to Tyler. Betty questions where Tyler got Fizzle Rocks, to which he reveals that his dealer is an unnamed Serpent.

Betty relays this info to Jughead, who blames himself for the Serpents dealing Hiram Lodge’s drugs as he was gone too long. He left both Betty and the Serpents without a leader even though his reason for doing so was to protect Archie. Fizzle Rocks are now everywhere because Jughead wasn’t in Riverdale to stop Hiram when he made his play. On top of all that, they still don’t have a sheriff. Jughead and Betty question the reason behind the quarantine. Betty recalls that Hiram was paying the Sisters to test his drugs on the patients. So, she doesn’t see him getting away with that. However, she and attorney McCoy must first convince Sister Woodhouse and the rest of the nuns to turn on Hiram. In doing so, Archie could finally come back, Betty says.

Betty is forced to make a tough decision as her mother informs her that they don’t have the room or resources to house all the kids. But the Farm does, Alice remarks. Though, Betty is very much against sending them to the Farm, asking if this can wait until after the trial. They only left the Sisters because Betty convinced them to trust her. Alice concedes, but not before telling Betty that the kids are her responsibility alone.

Betty goes to meet with attorney McCoy at the Five Seasons. Unfortunately, the meeting doesn’t go well. Regardless of the fact that the Sisters abused children and tested Hiram’s drugs on them, which is why they’re in jail, awaiting trial, the Sisters' lawyer doesn’t want Betty or Sierra harassing them. Furthermore, Sierra told Sowerberry that they’d give the Sisters immunity if they agreed to testify against Hiram, but he informed attorney McCoy that the nuns have taken a vow of silence. To make matters worse, Betty has already admitted that they were all on drugs while at the asylum, drugs that are known to cause hallucinations. Nonetheless, Betty knows what she saw. While Sierra believes her, a jury won’t.

Betty and FP stands at Jughead's side as he calls a meeting of the Serpents at Sunnyside Trailer Park after it came to his attention that at least one of them has been selling Fizzle Rocks, which is not what Serpents do. Cheryl, Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs are in attendance, among others. Starting that moment, there will be no selling or doing of drugs. And no crime of any kind will be tolerated. Anyone that breaks the Serpent code will be exiled permanently. Cheryl, for one, is outraged. She calls into question Jughead's latest decision. He vanished for a month, only to return to lecture them about responsibilities. Also unreleased by Jughead’s decree is Fangs. With no money coming in, he wonders what they’re supposed to do to survive. FP replies that they’ll figure it out, but in the mean time, he recites Serpent law #6 — "In unity there is strength."

Betty returns home to find Polly and Evelyn attempting to recruit the kids from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy to the Farm. Polly explains that the Farm helped her. There, everyone’s equal, Evelyn says. Polly informs Betty that she was called in by their mom, who perceived Betty to be in over her head. Betty then takes back the Farm t-shirts that Evelyn is passing out, explaining that this is their attempt to bribe them. Polly denies doing anything of the sort. When she fled from her the Sisters, the Farm became her salvation and family. As their Gryphon Queen, Betty promises to protect them. The Farm is not safe. Polly calls into question just how safe they are by asking if Betty revealed to them how the Gargoyle King broke into the house and terrorized them, which she hadn't. Evelyn then asks about the Fizzle Rocks she and Polly found at the house. Betty replies that she doesn’t know where they are getting the drugs from. Polly explains that’s because she’s a Serpent, so the kids didn't want to tell her, but they revealed to Polly and Evelyn that Fangs Fogarty is the unnamed Serpent dealing Fizzle Rocks. Betty then relays this info to Jughead.

Betty’s called Jughead’s former case worked Ms. Weiss over to ask if there was any luck in finding the kids a home. However, but it’s going to be hard to find one given that people are concerned about the emotional trauma the patients have suffered. And they have still yet to convince the Sisters to turn on Hiram. They’ve taken a vow of silence. It’s part of their religion. Ms. Weiss has had dealings with the Sisters over the years and there’s something she thinks Betty should know about their relationship with the church.

Betty’s learned Sister Woodhouse’s secret from Ms. Weiss, and so she and attorney McCoy confront that Sisters at the station. The church disbanded the Sisters of Quiet Mercy during the Vatican II over allegations of cruel and inhumane practices. The Sisters haven’t been nuns for over sixty years, which means their vow of silence won’t hold up in court. Should Sister Woodhouse agree to testify again Hiram, she’ll be granted immunity. Sister Woodhouse reluctantly agrees. Her immunity will be granted only if she swears in court that Hiram gave them money and drugs for testing.

Betty comes home to find Tyler badly beaten. He accuses Betty of lying to them about the Gargoyle King’s death. Tyler saw him in Fox Forest, where the Gargoyle gang beat him up. Tyler begins to question if Betty also lied about them being safe at her house. Betty insists that they’ll all be safe after the Sisters testify against the Man in Black. Hannah asks where they will be safe. A question Betty doesn’t have the answer to.

Betty, along with Jughead and Veronica briefly appear in Archie's dream/hallucination. Betty asks if he’s been working on any new songs. However, Archie isn’t that person anymore, he says while teary-eyed. Archie doesn’t want to play, but it’s his only way back to Eldervair, Riverdale and innocence. They then guide him through his finale quest.

Betty has call Fred, Cheryl, Nana Rose and Sierra over to the Five Seasons to discuss with them the patients from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, who have been orphaned. While Betty has been housing them, that has become untenable. So, she’s called them over to ask for shelter just until the Sisters testify against Hiram. Fred agrees to take in some of the boys since he has the room now that Archie is gone. Rose also agrees. She’s saved many children from there before and will gladly do so again. With that, Nana Rose and Cheryl will board some of the girls at Thistlehouse. While all Sierra has to offer is a pullout couch, she agrees to take in a couple too.

Betty arrives home to find that Hannah, Tyler, and the others are gone. After Tyler was attacked, Alice called Edgar for advice and he came to take them to the Farm.

Betty gets a call from attorney McCoy, who from the sheriff station, informs her that the Sisters are gone. An anonymous donor posted their bail, that being Hiram of course. But they left a message on the cell wall. "We go to join thee." Sierra has no idea what this could mean, but Betty does. She rushes to the chamber within the Sisters’ asylum only to find all of them dead from cyanide poisoning, evident by their blue lips.

Betty and Jughead meet with Veronica and Archie at Pop's after his surprise return to Riverdale. Jughead notes the dramatic changes with Archie both inside and out. As for what he missed while he was gone, Veronica informs him of the town quarantine orchestrated by her father, which resulted in Pop’s being shut down and just recently re-opening. Hiram’s also been attacking shipments to the speakeasy, but thankfully, Veronica’s hired the Serpents as her full-time protection. And that service extends to Archie. Jughead assures Archie he has no need to worry about Hiram as he has the Serpents looking out for Archie 24/7. Also, Jughead has a possible lead that may bring an end to it all. He had Fangs go undercover in the Gargoyle Gang. While he hasn’t met the Gargoyle King yet, when he does, they are going to take the him down. Jughead is certain that Hiram is the man under the mask, which would come as no surprise to Veronica. Betty then mentions the SATs, which has completely slipped Archie’s mind, and they are coming up Saturday. Betty assures Archie that they will all help him study. Pop Tate then returns to their table to inform Betty that her card has been declined, and so Veronica steps in to take care of the bill.

Betty returns home and confronts her mother after learning from the Bank of Riverdale that all of her accounts, including her college fund has been completely drained of assets. Alice explains that her funds were transferred. Most of it was blood money that Betty inherited from the Blossoms anyways. Alice tells Betty that it was wired to the Farm as a tax-deductible donation. To help support the children that Betty freed from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Betty is distraught that her mother just gave away her tuition money, to which Alice replies that Betty can always study at the Farm for free. However, Betty refuses to be cornered into joining the Farm.

Betty visits attorney McCoy at the Five Seasons in search of counsel. She's wondering if her mother transferring her funds to the Farm can be reversed. Sierra explains that Alice can do this so long as both of Betty’s parents sign off to release her funds, and according to the documents, it looks like her father signed, however, that would be impossible as Alice never goes to see Hal. She must’ve forged his signature. In that case, Betty’s needs to get her father to sign an affidavit, attesting to the fact that he never agreed to liquidate Betty’s funds.

Betty and Jughead help Archie study for the SATs as promised. Unfortunately, Archie performed terribly on the practice test, scoring in the bottom ten percentile. Jughead then gets a message from Fangs, warranting his immediate attention, and so Archie and Betty stay behind to finish studying. However, Archie is starting to feel hopeless. But Betty reminds him that he said the same thing in the 2nd grade when he couldn’t read, and eventually Betty got him caught up. Archie contemplates on whether Weatherbee was right and that he has changed too much. In one respect, that may be true, but Betty knows that the Archie she knew still exists.

Betty has convinced Archie to wash out the dark colored dye from his hair, restoring it to its natural fiery color. She then takes him to La Bonne Nuit, where a welcome home party awaits him. In attendance is Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Kevin, and many others. Archie, Betty, and Jughead take a seat as Veronica sings on stage for Archie. Not far away, Reggie sits visibly annoyed, though this goes unnoticed by all. As Veronica continues to sing, Archie seems to become overwhelmed by all his grief and suffering, taking off right in the middle of Veronica’s performance.

Betty visits her father in prison for the first time. She shows him the documents with his forged signature on it, explaining that her mother stole her college funds and so now Betty needs Hal to sign an affidavit that says the signature is a forgery. In reading the papers recently, Hal’s found himself compelled by the Gargoyle King, whose claimed 14 souls, which Hal states as being remarkable. He knows that it greatly angers Betty that she hasn’t caught him yet and even offers to help her. However, Betty’s only interested in her funds being returned. Hal tells Betty to bring him the Gryphons and Gargoyles manual that he’s heard so much about and then he’ll be more than willing to sign the affidavit.

As requested, Betty brings Hal a manual for G&G, and as promised, Hal signs the affidavit. Betty takes the document and attempts to leave without so much as a goodbye, though Hal reels her back in with the mention of ascension night. He claims he was there for it even though he wasn’t a member of the Midnight Club. He was aware of them and claims that he sent out the invitations for ascension night, dressed up as the Gargoyle King, and poisoned the chalices. Hal’s plan was to kill as many members of the Midnight Club as possible as they were all sinners, but Principal Featherhead crashed the party and drank from the chalice. This is why Hal believes he can solve the mystery of who the present Gargoyle King is. It’s because he was the Gargoyle King of the past. As Betty signs out, the guard informs her that she and her mother keep missing each other. However, as far as Betty knew, her mother hadn’t come to see her father in months. Though, the guard tells Betty that Alice comes by to visit Hal every Monday.

Betty returns home to find her mother all dressed up, asking if this is what she wears when she goes to see Hal. However, Alice has no idea what she’s talking about. Alice is prepping for an interview with RIVW, the local broadcast news. It has always been Alice’s dream to work for it. Betty reveals that she went to see her father after her mother forged his signature, but it was during that time that he revealed that he murdered Principal Featherhead. Alice states this as being impossible as Hal wasn’t there. However, he knew details about ascension night, which means he was either there or someone told him. Alice swears that in 25 years of marriage, she never mentioned ascension night to Hal. Furthermore, she hadn’t gone to see Hal since before G&G resurfaced.

Betty calls the prison to find out more about whose been visiting her father since it wasn’t actually her mother. Betty asks for a description of the woman claiming to be her mother and visiting Hal. Betty discovers that Penelope Blossom has been assuming her mother’s identity and so she calls Penelope to meet her at Pop’s. Betty asks if she’s one of those sickos who fantasize about serial killers. As a young woman, Penelope admits to having wrote letters to Jeffrey Dahmer. Betty now wants to know why Penelope has been posing as her mother, to which Penelope answers that it’s the only way for conjugal visits. Betty then asks if Penelope’s ever told her father about ascension night, which she has. As for why he told the lie, claiming that he was there for it, Penelope believes it’s as simple as self-aggrandizement.

Betty confronts her father with the information she’s gathered, that he wasn’t at ascension night and that he only knows what he knows because Penelope told him. But still, Betty wonders why he would lie about killing Featherhead. Then, Betty realizes that he did it to keep her coming back to her. Hal claims to have missed Betty and their talks, though Betty has no desire to talk to him any further.

Saturday has finally arrived and the gang must now take their SATs, this includes Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, Reggie, and Kevin. Archie immediately begins to struggle with his test, so much so that he ups and leaves class without so much as a word. Veronica attempts to go check on him, but if she does, it’s an automatic zero. Archie rushes into the bathroom, hoping to regain a sense of reality. However, the more he thinks about all Hiram put him through, the angrier he becomes, to the point where Archie shatters the bathroom mirror with a single punch.

Betty enters the dining room to find her mother hosting some sort of get-together with several members of the Farm, Evelyn included. They’re celebrating. With a little help from Edgar’s connections, Alice got the job at the broadcasting station. Also, the Farm has found and bought its new headquarters. The Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Evelyn thanks Betty as it was her "donation" that paid for it.

Despite being so adamant against seeing her father again, Betty does just that, by going down to the prison to vent. No one else understands what her mother is capable of except her father. She gave all Betty’s money away as if her education meant nothing. Hal is sorry as her education means everything, but the good news is that Betty will have colleges lining up to give her scholarships. He recalls that the SATs has just passed, asking how Betty did. She thinks she did well.

After discovering that Claudius Blossom has died while in his cell, Betty became infuriated, taking her anger and concern to her father. The Lodge Ledger is calling Claudius’ death a suicide, but Betty believes he was murdered, and suspects that Penelope Blossom was the culprit. Hal remarks that poison does in fact suit Penelope. But he can’t help but wonder why Betty is asking questions to begin with when no one else is. Betty explains that it’s wrong and that Penelope’s been getting away with murder for years. Darryl Doiley was poisoned with Oleander. Featherhead and the Sisters of Quiet Mercy were poisoned as well. Betty’s already found the pattern of murders disguised as suicides, so now Hal asks who else close to Penelope has died by suicide. Betty realizes that the only other person was Clifford Blossom, who hung himself. Hal wonders if that’s the entire story. Aside from Penelope, Cheryl was also there. So if there’s a witness then it’s not a perfect murder and Betty has a chance at proving her suspicions.

Betty attends Claudius’ funeral at Thistlehouse. There, she joins Cheryl, Toni, Penelope, and Nana Rose. At the podium, Penelope states that Claudius was never welcomed to Riverdale and that this is likely why he killed himself. Betty takes a seat next to Nana Rose, who is unconvinced by Penelope’s supposed grief. Afterward, Cheryl confronts Betty as she is well aware that Betty has ulterior motives for attending. Betty admits that she came to talk to Cheryl because people connected to her mother keep dying by poison or strange suicide, including her father. However, Cheryl has no interest in entertaining Betty, stating that her father’s death was nothing more than a suicide. Toni then approaches Betty, telling her to back off as Cheryl’s been through enough.

Together, Betty and Jughead pick up the trail on Hiram’s mysterious blonde mistress. Starting at the Five Seasons. She may have wanted revenge after Hiram broke it off with her. Betty’s investigation into Claudius’ death is on hold until she hears back from Dr. Curdle Jr. Turns out there wasn’t an autopsy on Claudius. Penelope had him cremated, but Betty is hopeful that there’s something of use in Clifford’s autopsy report. The two of them come cross a room with a glowing red emblem on the door. They knock, and when no one answers, they decide to let themselves in. They seem to have stumbled onto some kind of sex club. They meet a young lady named Laura. She explains they’ve entered what is know as the Maple Club. Jughead shows her a picture of Hiram’s mistress, and while initially reluctant, after Jughead bribes her with money, Laura reveals that she’s seen the woman before, telling them to try room 311. As they’re on their way out, Betty and Jughead bump into Penelope, who demands that they both leave. Betty and Jughead confront Penelope over her brothel, threatening to inform his dad should she not cooperate. In hopes of keeping Betty and Jughead quiet, Penelope agrees to answer their questions.

When Betty accuses Penelope of exploiting women, Penelope retorts that the women whom she chooses to employ aren’t victims. At the Maple Club, it is the men who suffer, as they specialize in domination. The ladies are making enough money to start new lives. While this may be true, Betty accuses Penelope of only helping herself, which she doesn’t deny. No one else has, Penelope explains. When she was eight years old, she was plucked from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy by the Blossom family. Jughead wonders if this could be motive and if Penelope killed the Sisters, though she claims to have done no such thing. Furthermore, it was the Monsignor who sold her, not the Sisters. As for Claudius, all Penelope knows is that he committed suicide. Even if it was murder, she maintains that it wasn’t her doing as she was right there at the Maple Club.

Afterward, as Betty and Jughead leave the hotel room, Betty is still very much suspicious of Penelope. Just as Jughead asks her to join him as he goes to check out room 311, Betty gets a message from Dr. Curdle. Jr., calling for her immediate attention, so the two part ways.

Betty arrives at the coroner’s office, where she meets with Curdle, who informs her that Penelope Blossom requested that there be no autopsy on Clifford. But Dr. Curdle Jr. ‘s father did one regardless out of sheer curiosity. While there was bruising around the esophagus, consistent with that of a hanging victim, tetrodotoxin, pufferfish venom, was also found in his bloodstream, meaning Clifford Blossom was already dead when he hung himself.

Betty returns to the Maple Club to confront Penelope for murdering Clifford and Claudius. Betty knows everything, how she faked Clifford’s hanging and lied to the police. Betty presents Penelope with the proof; Clifford’s autopsy, which states that he was poisoned by pufferfish venom. While Betty may think she knows what Penelope has done, Penelope wonders if Betty has ever questioned why. Betty surmises that it’s simply because Penelope’s a serial killer who poison people. Penelope corrects Betty in saying that she poisons men. She’s not admitting anything but they are the true poison. Clifford killed her son. Darryl was a Judas. And Claudius was a terrible man. He was responsible for all the seizures. Claudius was running a Fizzle Rocks operation from the Blossoms maple factory and dumping the runoff in Sweetwater River. The runoff from the manufacturing of the drug caused all the seizures, not the drug itself. As for why it only affected girls, not even Penelope had the answer to that. However, tests of Sweetwater Reservoir were ordered and faked. But Claudius had every intention on continuing to poison the town with drugs. Just because someone’s a horrible person, doesn’t give her the right to kill them, Betty says. However, Penelope disagrees. Moreover, Betty did just that by handing Chic over to the Black Hood. So, if Betty insists of turning Penelope in, she’ll gladly do the same to Betty.

Betty’s encounter with Penelope has shaken her world view and there was only one person she could talk to about it, that being her father. Betty reveals to Hal that she found proof of Penelope killing Clifford. Hal is impressed, asking what Betty plans to do next. But, not even she knows. She thought that she would turn Penelope in, but hearing her talk, seeing how she’s living her life and how she’s been twisted, Betty almost feels pity for her. Hal explains that he and Penelope are products of their environment. Raised by those who taught them a twisted sense of right from wrong. Hal asks if Betty still believes that Penelope’s a monster who deserve to be in jail. However, Betty isn’t sure. Maybe not every murderer is guilty and maybe not every victim is innocent, Betty says. She starts to interpret the world in shades of grey rather than black and white. Hal wonders if one day Betty will ever manage to see him in that same compassionate light.

Betty, Jughead, Archie, and Veronica sit in a booth at Pop’s, enjoying their meal and having conversation. Later, as Betty and Jughead are in the middle of having sex, they both get calls from their parents, asking where are they.

Betty becomes concerned when she learns that her moher is getting baptized by the Farm. Edgar says that Alice is finally ready, so all the women of the Farm are gathering together at the new facility.

While on their way to class, Betty informs Jughead of her mother’s upcoming baptism with the Farm. Usually, she would be rubbing the Farm in Betty’s face, but now it is as if her mother is shutting her out, which terrifies Betty even more. Betty failed in her attempt of digging up dirt on the Farm. She couldn’t even find a single photograph of Edgar Evernever. Jughead suggests that Betty pretend to embrace the baptism as it may allow for her to keep a closer eye on her mother. He and Betty then enter the class for a meeting of the Swords and Serpents only to find that their numbers have greatly depleted. Sweet Pea and Fangs inform Jughead that they’re down another eight members. All girls. They’ve all deceived to join Toni and Cheryl’s gang, the Pretty Poisons. Jughead orders everyone to fallback as it is his duty to make things right considering that this is only happening because he exiled Cheryl and Toni. Jughead believes that if he can talk to Toni and get her back into the Serpent fold, then the others will follow.

Betty watches from the couch as her mother prepares for the baptism with Evelyn and Polly, extending her support or at least pretending to, unbeknownst to the others. Betty then discovers the release forms that her mother signed that exculpates the Farm in case of bodily harm or death during the baptism. Alice snatches the form away from Betty, claiming that it’s standard. Evelyn explains to Betty that Alice is on the verge of discovering something that some people spend their whole life looking for and never find, so Betty shouldn’t stand in the way of that. Polly then adds that Betty is behaving just as Edgar said she would as she is a detractor.

Betty approaches Kevin in the student lounge to ask for his help. The Farm is a cult and no one else but Betty seems to be worried about it. The only way to get dirt on a cult is to find an escapee. While researching online, Betty found dozens of articles of stories of people who have escaped the Farm. Betty has in her possession a list of over thirty people who have escaped. Betty needs Kevin’s help in calling them, but he refuses. After Moose left town, Evelyn began helping Kevin and said that she would introduce him to some cute gay Farmies. Betty can’t believe that Kevin is considering joining the Farm, and so he tells Betty to stop seeing the worst in people.

From the Blue and Gold offices, Betty begins to call the list of escapees from the Farm, but most aren’t so willing to talk. Betty then gets a call back from one of the escapees, who doesn’t want to talk over the phone as the Farm may be listening, but is willing to meet with Betty in person.

Betty convenes with Martha, the escapee from the Farm, in the bunker. She recalls that the Farm had locations similar to the bunker. Martha left the Farm six years ago. She and her sister Marigold joined at the same time. Martha ran away after she died. It happened during one of their ceremonies. The Farm believes that if you can get close enough to death, you’ll see the truth. They claim that you have to survive an extreme ordeal to achieve ascension. Martha continues to explain that the promise of the Farm and the first step towards it is the baptism. Martha’s sister Marigold, drowned during hers. Realizing that her mother may be next, Betty rushes off to stop the baptism. Betty races down to the Farm’s new facility to stop the baptism. She calls but her mother doesn’t answer.

Betty, having ran across town, finally makes it to the facility, barging into the chamber and demanding that the baptism be stopped. Betty pulls her mother from the tub and performs CPR. Fortunately, she manages to revive her.

After getting her mother home, Betty calls Martha, but she does not answer. She wanted Martha to tell Alice about just how dangerous the Farm is. Betty takes a seat next to her mother and carefully explains how Polly held her under water and tried to kill her. However, by Alice’s account, she was reborn. She saw it all. Her purpose and destiny, just as Edgar said. And now that she’s been baptized, Alice can purge the last thing in her life holding her back, that being the house. Alice wants to sell the house so that they can all be together at the Farm, herself, Betty, Polly, Juniper, Dagwood, Evelyn, Edgar and all the other Farmies.

Much to Betty's disdain, she and her mother move forward with the plans to sell the house. Alice shows off her home of three bedrooms and four baths to a couple of potential buyers. In an effort to block the selling of the house, Betty informs their guests that the room they’re currently standing in is where her father, the Black Hood not only showed them creepy snuff films but also where her mother knocked him out with a shovel. Betty insists that she’s telling the truth and encourages the potential buyers to google it under "Alice Cooper" instead of "Alice Smith". They can also find this under "Murder house on Elm Street".

In the student lounge, Betty and Veronica play catch up, during which time Betty tells Veronica that her mother still intends to sell the house and Betty’s still trying to sabotage her, but it’s only a matter of time until she finds someone who wants to live in a death house. Betty then waves at Kevin as he passes with Evelyn and the Farmies, but he does not wave back. When Archie asks about Kevin’s odd behavior, Betty explains to the gang that the Farm got Kevin and soon enough her house. Jughead reminds her that his offer still stands. While his trailer is cramped, she’s more than welcome to stay. Veronica and Archie extend the same welcoming to their respective homes. Archie then tells them about Ricky, the homeless kid in his garage, who ran away from a group home and was squatting in the gym. Jughead remarks that this sounds an awful lot like him during sophomore year. Archie then informs them of the branding on Ricky’s arm. The same one Warden Norton gave him. Archie isn’t sure if he’s playing G&G, but he left him at Pop’s for the day. Betty recommends that he call Ms. Weiss, whose helped both Betty and Jughead in the past.

Betty finds Kevin at his locker and confronts him on joining the Farm. She doesn’t want to see him disappear like her mother did. Kevin tells Betty to back off as she is a detractor.

As Betty is leaving the Blue and Gold, she passes by the Chemistry class, where the Farm is having their meeting. She takes a peak through the glass window. From there, she sees Evelyn watching as Kevin and the Farmies burn themselves by holding their hands over Bunsen burners.

Betty and Archie meet up with Ms. Weiss at Pop’s to discuss a possible home for Ricky. Ms. Weiss explains that with runaways, they typically end up hitchhiking to Centerville and joining gangs. Often it’s because they’ve rejected the state's efforts to help. However, Betty and Archie inform Ms. Weiss that Ricky ran away from Santa Lucia Shelter, which she is familiar with. They’re one of the better homes in town. Although, Ricky claims that the people there had hurt him by branding a symbol on his arm. Ms. Weiss has been seeing that quite often as of late. G&G may not be in the news anymore, but it’s everywhere else. Ms. Weiss is accompanied by a sketch artist who draws a fairly accurate picture of Ricky to show around. If they can find a match in the database, they’ll be able to track him down. Before leaving, Archie asks if he can make copies of the drawing.

Betty asks Josie if she has noticed that Kevin has gotten very involved with the Farm at an alarming rate as Betty has become concerned. And last night, when Betty was leaving school, she saw him and a bunch of the other Farmies holding their hands over a Bunsen burner. Betty explains that cults like the Farm prey on emotionally vulnerable people like Kevin. Josie hasn't told her mother or Kevin's father, but she admits that over the last week, she had heard Kevin sneaking out at night. She assumed that he was going back to Fox Forest, but now she thinks that he’s been going to meet them.

Betty follows Kevin from his house to the woods, where he has met up with Evelyn and the rest of the Farmies. Betty watches from afar, cloaked in the bushes as a ritual is about to commence. It would seem that Kevin has to cross a bed of hot coal without shoes. Evelyn tells Kevin that once he crosses the threshold, he can’t stop. He must believe that he’ll be protected and forged. Only through the fire can they be cleansed and leave their past behind. Conquer their fears, expiate their sins, and exorcise their demons. Betty jumps out the bushes telling Kevin not to go through with the ritual, but he does so regardless, seemingly without any pain or injury.

Betty is confronted by Evelyn and Kevin while writing her Blue and Gold article detailing her encounter last night in the woods. Evelyn tells Betty that she shouldn’t have ran off afterwards. Betty asks if they’re there to go on record about what she saw. Kevin tells Betty that last night was scary, fun, and euphoric. It felt like nothing he’s ever felt. Evelyn and Kevin then tell Betty that she won’t be publishing that article because they will tell everyone about the shady man that her mother killed in the kitchen, how Betty and Jughead dumped his car in Swedlow Swamp, and how FP dissolved the body with lye in the woods. Thanks to Betty’s mom, everyone at the Farm knows her secrets.

Betty returns home to find her mother packing. They’ve apparently sold the house to, in typical Riverdale fashion, an anonymous buyer. Her mother tells her to start packing.

Betty sits in her room, and though she is supposed to be packing, she seems more interested in the candle that sits in front of her. Just as Betty is about to try the fire test that she saw Kevin and the other Farmies doing in the Chemistry class, her mother enters the room. She’s about to go out for more bubble wraps and will expect more progress in packing by the time she returns. Betty comes downstairs with the candle, looking around at her home as packed boxes fill the room.

Betty arrives at the Gargoyles' lair, which Jughead intends to turn into the Serpents' new HQ. Archie and Jughead discuss Archie's fate and hois next move. Jughead suggests that maybe it’s time that Archie make this thing come to a head. This Gryphons and Gargoyles game that Archie’s still apparently playing. Jughead even agrees to help Archie play. As does Betty. Jughead comments that Betty’s looking cheery and gives her a kiss. Betty claims that she just feels a lot better about things.

With moving boxes in hand, Betty exits the house with her mother to find Jughead just outside, along with FP, Gladys, and Jellybean. They head inside, where FP inquires about the scorch marks, which Alice claims to be the result of a minor mishap with a candle. Betty questions how her mother could sell the house to the Jones, but it was solely Gladys who made the purchase. She made an all-cash offer online. Both Jughead and FP are hesitant with moving in given that it is the Cooper house. FP wants to walk away from this, but Alice doesn’t think it’s necessary. The house is her past and she wants to be done with it.

Betty and Jughead take a seat on the front steps, where they further discuss their current dilemma. Jughead doesn’t think that they’ll actually move in, but Betty believes otherwise. Her mom wants to sell it and his wants to buy it. If that is the case, Jughead tells Betty that the one good thing that comes from this is that she gets to stay in her room and live with them. However, Betty is unsure about living with Jughead’s family as she barely knows his mother. So instead, she’ll crash at the Pembrooke with Veronica.

Betty and Jughead then meet with Archie at Pop’s. Jughead checked with his dad, he pulled up all the files on Warden Norton after he committed suicide, and Jughead cleared out his office and found a "Kill the Red Paladin" Quest Card. This card from Warden Norton’s office is identical to the one Ricky had. This indicates that someone printed out multiple cards and put them out into the world. And now it’s their job to find out who.

Betty, Archie, and Jughead meet up in the bunker, where Archie reveals that Hiram made 12 of the Red Paladin Quest Cards. That means there could be as many as 10 cards in play. So, they have to figure out how to track them and whoever’s holding them. Hiram, fortunately, gave Archie a list of where G&G players like to congregate, such as Sudd Laundromat, Innuendo, and the comic book shop, where Betty would like to start at to see if they can tap into Riverdale’s gaming network.

Betty, Archie, and Jughead head down to MLJ comics, where they interrupt a game of G&G. They ask if the players recognize the Quest Card. Not only do they recognize the card, they recognize Archie as the Red Paladin. Betty asks who gave them the card, to which the Game Master reveals that it was given to them by one of the King's disciples i.e. the Gargoyles. They delivered the card for him. As for what the disciple were actually delivering, Jughead presumes Fizzle Rocks. Archie asks who has the card now, but none of them in the room have it. Jughead wonders why the card handlers haven’t made a play against Archie yet. The Game Master reveals that the Red Paladin is an advanced quest. It takes time to adequately prepare for it. But they’ll act on it sooner or later.

As planned, Betty stays over at Veronica’s. Veronica asks how Betty’s relationship with Jughead’s been since his mother has returned. Betty reveals that all is good, but he told her that she could stay in the house with them, in her old room, which is too weird for Betty, though it would give her the chance to get to know Jellybean and Gladys better. Veronica only asks because there’s something she has to tell Betty about Jughead’s mom. Veronica can’t risk Betty getting caught up in this and so she reveals that Gladys is taking over the drug trade in Riverdale. Fizzle Rocks is getting ready for a comeback with Gladys leading the charge. Betty wants to know everything so that she can in return share this with Jughead.

Betty, Archie, and Jughead regroup in the bunker. Spread across the table are photos of both victims and symbols related to the game. Archie is still taking in the fact that there are stranger out there who want to kill him. Betty explains that the game makes people crazy. Jughead adds on, stating that the hardcore gamers are so obsessive that they take any message they receive from the Gargoyle King as gospel. He wants to harness that. They know the only way to complete Hiram’s quest is to kill the Red Paladin. But, no one said that the Gargoyle King can’t add on to his own quest and offer a different outcome. Jughead asks if they remember when the three of them were in elementary school and it was snowing, and they played the game "King of the Mountain". Archie remembers, but Betty does not. Archie won every time, so Jughead wants to play to his strengths. He’ll write an addendum to the quest that says the Red Paladin will defend his mountaintop for 12 hours, dusk til dawn. Anyone that has the "Kill the Red Paladin" card can try and take Archie down, but if they don’t by the time the challenge ends, the mark of the sacrifice is lifted. Archie agrees to do it. He also agrees to Betty’s terms of no weapons, hand-to-hand combat only, and one challenger at a time. With that being said, they’re going to need a space. A mountaintop that’ll increase Archie’s chances of winning. Archie knows of someone who can help provide that. He tells Jughead to get to writing and that he’ll call him when everything’s in place. Once Archie is gone, Betty reveals to Jughead, without giving up her source, that Fizzle Rocks may be coming back to Riverdale. Jughead bets its Hiram, but Betty’s source says that it’s Jughead’s mom stepping in. While Betty can’t give up her source, she insists that they’re trustworthy. Jughead takes this in and decides that he’ll look into it alone.

Betty, Archie, and Jughead wait at the gym for Archie’s challengers to arrive. Just as they start to question if maybe they didn’t give it enough time for word to get around, Archie’s opponents arrive. Jughead welcomes all challengers to the Iron Mountain. He instructs them to approach the hallowed battleground, submit their Quest Card, and bring the Red Paladin to his knees in three minutes to win the quest. However, should they run out of time or fall to the Paladin’s hand, then their quest is over. The first fighter enters the ring after passing Betty his Quest Card. Archie ends the first fight with a single punch. Dropping his the challenger. However, the fights that follow are not so easily won. Jughead and Betty watch as Archie goes blow for blow with each challenger.

Archie has somehow miraculously survived 9 fights. In total, including Ricky’s card and Warden Norton’s card, Betty has a count of 11, meaning one is missing. The final fighter arrives. Captain Golightly. A guard at Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center. Beaten, cut, and bruised, Archie accepts the final fight as he wants the sacrifice mark off him. Golightly enters the ring and he and Archie immediately go at it. However, in his weakened state, Archie is barely able to defend himself. He gets Archie on the ropes and as he goes in for the final blow, Archie hits him with a surprise uppercut, knocking Golightly unconscious. Betty and Jughead cheer Archie on, joining him in the ring after having ended the quest.

As planned, FP’s 50th birthday party is held at La Bonne Nuit. Betty and Jughead, respectively, wishes him a happy birthday and gives him a hug. Gladys gets on stage to thank everyone for coming out as Betty, Jughead, FP and Jellybean sit at a table together, with Archie, Veronica, Fred, and Tom just behind them. Once, FP was a great king. But by Gladys’ account, the greatest role that he’s ever held is that of a father. She then invites Jughead to say a few words. Before he goes up, Betty asks if he even has an idea of what he’s going to say, to which he replies that he doesn’t. Afterward, Betty and Jughead discuss his speech, only most of which was true. They then look over to Jughead’s mother, father, and sister, and wonder what his next move will be. Jughead’s plan is to save Jellybean, protect his dad, and run his mom out of town. And he enlists in Betty’s help.

At the Jones house, formerly known as the Cooper house, Jughead shares with Betty that he had a dream of him searching for a needle in a haystack. Betty assures Jughead that his plan is a good one. His mom can’t start dealing drugs without a lab to make them in. So, all he has to do is find the lab and shut it down to stop her from getting a toehold. Betty and Jughead then start singing.

At school, Betty and Veronica stand aside Cheryl and join her in song. Cheryl was distraught after her break up with Toni, but then she gave herself the role of HBIC. Veronica and Betty are playing the other Heathers, Heather McNamara and Heather Duke. Cheryl, Veronica, and Betty resume their act, that is until Toni, Peaches 'N Cream, and the Pretty Poisons arrive at school. Reggie, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Archie, Josie, Peaches, and Evelyn then come down the hall to join in and make their way to the auditorium. Betty, Kevin, Cheryl, Veronica, Reggie, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Archie, Josie, Peaches, and Evelyn get on stage, where they conclude their performance.

Afterward, Kevin announces that there’s been a slight change to their creative team. While Evelyn has been helping him produce the musical, he’s recently asked her to step up and be his co-director, much to Betty’s disdain, as she points out that Kevin has always directed the musical alone. Which Kevin reveals has always been incredibly stressful, especially after last year’s incident, with Midge being killed by the Black Hood.

Betty, Archie, Veronica, Cheryl, Toni, Josie, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Reggie, and Peaches lay on their backs in the student lounge as Evelyn tells them that everything in their lives matter. There are universal truths within each of their experiences. In rehearsal, they’re going to explore their own personal traumas and experiences and exercise them through their art. Kevin interrupts to inform Cheryl, Veronica, and Betty that "Candy Store" set and costumes are ready.

Once in the auditorium, Kevin explains to Cheryl, Veronica, and Betty that this number is about the Heathers undeniable power that each of them can get at any given time. Toni, Peaches, and the Poisons are also on stage. Toni, as choreographer, wants to start with some simple steps, but Cheryl, still upset over their breakup, doesn’t want to hear it, telling both Toni and Kevin that she, Betty, and Veronica have already worked out their own choreography. Toni’s attempt at being professional is undermined by Cheryl, who along with Betty and Veronica, begin their musical number. Toni, Peaches, and the Poisons join in on the number, which upsets Cheryl, leading to a showdown between the two, who go back and forth on stage.

Betty confronts Evelyn on her suspicions of Evelyn’s less than pure motives with joining Kevin in directing the musical. Betty suspects that Evelyn’s using the musical as a recruitment drive for the Farm, who are sponsoring the play. Betty came to this conclusion after Evelyn strong-armed her way into directing the musical. Also, her warm-up sermons and exercising trauma through art screams cult recruitment to Betty. Evelyn wants to dissect Betty’s trust issues. Evelyn claims that the Farm is producing and she’s co-directing the musical for one simply reason. To have big fun. In fact, Evelyn makes an announcement, inviting everyone to a cast party at the former Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Also, while it may seem weird, Evelyn tells everyone to come in costume.

The cast meets up at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy compound as planned. Betty continues her investigation of Evelyn. She wonders what Evelyn’s father would say about all this. Evelyn replies that there is no need to wonder as her father’s approving of their get together. She, Reggie, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Kevin, Cheryl, Veronica, Josie, and Archie then start to sing and dance. With the exception of Betty, who watches from afar, everyone comes back together to finish the musical number.

Betty, Archie, Jughead, Veronica, Cheryl, Toni, Josie, Sweet Pea, Fangs, Reggie, Peaches, Evelyn, and Kevin meet back up in the auditorium the following day. They’re each going to share something they’ve never told anyone before. Betty looks to Archie for answers after discovering that he and Josie have been hanging out. Under the suspicion that he may have been nothing more than a rebound, Reggie asks Veronica if she knew of Archie and Josie’s relationship. Veronica had no idea, she claims. Evelyn then asks if Veronica has anything to share. She tells the group that her parents are separating. Admittedly, her family is unconventional, but she always thought no matter what that they’d stay together. Hearing this, Betty goes over to comfort Veronica.

With Sweet Pea and Fangs on musical detail, Jughead calls in the rest of the Serpents to the bunker, where he has put them in groups and tasked them with finding his old family trailer. If he’s right, the trailer is being used for a drug lab, and they need to shut it down. As the Serpents head out, Jughead asks Betty if she wants to go hunting with him, but she can’t as Evelyn’s called a closed rehearsal for select cast members in the Gargoyle Chamber, and Betty wants to investigate, asking Jughead to borrow his camera.

Betty sneaks into the Sisters of Quiet Mercy compound. She peaks through the doors of the chamber to the sight of Evelyn standing before Kevin and Fangs, who are down on their knees singing. Betty takes photos of the rehearsal as Kevin and Fangs rise to their feet and kiss, and Evelyn leads the rehearsal.

Betty goes to Weatherbee with the photos she took from the Gargoyle Chamber of Evelyn, Kevin, and Fangs surrounded by members of the Farm. Betty claims that the musical is being used to indoctrinate students into a cult. From Weatherbee’s perspective, it looks like they’re simply rehearsing. Betty insists that the photos capture some kind of ritualistic ceremony. However, Weatherbee would beg to differ. The Farm is a fully sanctioned club, approved by Weatherbee after he read Edgar’s doctrine. Which Weatherbee found to be fascinating. After being dismissed by Weatherbee, Betty calls Jughead as she suspects that he’s a part of the Farm. Jughead has news as well and asks Betty to meet him at Junkyard Steve’s.

Jughead gets word from one of the Serpents that they’ve found his trailer, and so he and Betty decide to investigate. As Jughead suspected, inside the trailer they find all the makings of a drug lab. Jughead is distraught as his own mother destroyed his childhood home. He looks around the trailer in disgust at what it’s become. He wonders at what point did their lives get so crazy to the point where they have to worry about drug lord mothers and serial killer fathers. Jughead is stressing out as he has no idea what his next move will be. Betty starts to sing "Seventeen", suggesting that they just be normal, like seeing bad movies, sneaking beers, and watching TV. She comforts a wallowing Jughead, offering nothing but to bring him happiness. The two then proceed to dance and kiss in the trailer.

Betty and Jughead head to Pop’s to discuss their next course of action. Jughead wants to steal the trailer back while everyone’s at the play. He can get the keys from Archie’s dad’s truck and move it to get it out of his mom’s hands. Betty points out how this idea is more emotional than practical. She would rather Jughead just let it go.

Betty hangs out with Jughead at his house along with his mioither and sister. FP returns home from an incident at work. He’s bleeding from being scratched and asks Jellybean to get him a clean shirt. FP reveals that some tweaked-out Fizzle-head was playing Gryphons and Gargoyles in the middle of the road. The candy store is definitely back open and FP intends to find whoever is cooking the Fizzle Rocks. As Gladys cleans FP’s wounds, Betty and Jughead get ready to leave. He claims that they need to make a quick stop before heading to the play. A little pre-show tradition.

Betty and Jughead later arrive at the play just before opening with dirt all on their face, just short of opening. Kevin and Evelyn instructs them to get to make up and to make sure that Jughead knows his line and choreography for the finale. Jughead questions when he received a line as he isn’t part of the cast. Betty explains that it’s kind of a big statement song that Kevin wants everyone in on. She assures Tells Jughead to follow her lead as it’s basically just a costume change.

The musical ends with Betty, Jughead, Archie, Sweet Pea, Toni, Reggie, Josie, Veronica, Cheryl, Kevin, Evelyn, and Fangs on stage singing "Seventeen". Betty takes an uneasy Jughead’s hand. As it turns out, when the two of them left the house for their pre-show transition, they actually burned down his childhood home. As the trailer goes up in flames, Betty asks Jughead if he’s okay. He replies that he’s surviving, because Betty’s there with him. The two of them proceed to make out in the car as the trailer burns. As the musical concludes, Edgar Evernever rises from the audience, clapping slowly and very dramatic-like. He is joined by over a dozen members of the Farm, who are all wearing white and join in on the slow clap. From the stage, Evelyn states that she knew her dad would like it. Weatherbee and Mrs. Klump appear to be one with the Farm as they too are wearing white and applaud the performance.

At Pop’s, Betty asks Veronica if there’s any way she can see her parents’ divorce as a good thing. Veronica has tried, but her parents have raised her to believe that family is the most important thing. Evelyn enters the diner with fliers for the Farm's upcoming open house. They’re opening their doors to visitors. Everyone is welcome to tour their renovated premises, meet with Farm elders and learn about their values and practices.

Betty and Veronica attend the Farm’s open house. Kevin is their tour guide. At the Farm, they like to nurture everyone’s unique talents. Betty makes a snide remark in regards to the Gargoyle chamber before asking about a particular room labeled 317, to which Kevin claims is just the janitor's closet. As Kevin prepares to take the group to the garden, Betty crosses paths with her mother, who in typical Farm fashion, is wearing an all white outfit. Alice didn’t think Betty would come, to which Betty replies that everyone is welcome. With that being said, Alice tells Betty to enjoy the rest of her tour. However, they haven’t spoke in a while and yet her mother doesn’t seem too happy to see her. Betty questions why. Alice explains that Betty forsook her, not the other way around. Betty then decides to participate in the Farm’s interviewing process. As she enters the chamber, Evelyn informs her that these interviews are reserved for those actually interested in joining the Farm. Betty claims that she is before asking about Evelyn's father, Edgar, who Evelyn says is around. The interview begins. Evelyn asks for name and occupation. She then asks if Betty ever bites her fingernails or feels stressed. Betty replies yes to both. Lastly, she asks if Betty would consider herself a cold person. Betty says no. And on that note, Evelyn concludes the interview.

Betty and Cheryl convene at Pop’s, where they discuss Cheryl’s willingness or perhaps lack thereof to help Betty. Betty wants Cheryl’s help with infiltrating the Farm. Betty already tried to do it herself, but Evelyn doesn’t trust her. However, Betty did notice that she was trying to recruit Cheryl during the musical. Cheryl questions Betty’s obsession with the Farm. Betty explains that they’re a cult. Plus, it’s not just her friends and family they’ve targeted. Juniper and Dagwood, Cheryl’s niece and nephew, are being raised as toddler Farmies. Although, by Cheryl’s account, they looked perfectly happy and healthy the last time she saw them. Betty reminds Cheryl of Jason, and how he and Polly had plans to run away to the Farm together. Cheryl must want to know why, Betty presumes. And so, Cheryl reluctantly agrees.

At the Blue and Gold, as Betty hides a tiny microphone within Cheryl’s broach, Cheryl questions just where Betty acquired all her detective equipment, to which Betty replies that she got it from when her mother worked at the Riverdale Register. Betty then sends Cheryl in as she listens from the Blue and Gold. Evelyn starts the interview off by asking Cheryl’s favorite color. Of course which is red, specifically Pantone’s "Flame Scarlet." Evelyn then asks if she ever bites her fingernails or cuticles when stressed. Cheryl does not. Edgar then enters to take over the interview. Edgar asks if she’s ever lost someone. Cheryl admits that she has. Her brother Jason. Although, she doesn’t remember much of what followed his passing. She was in a dark place. Jason was her twin and when she lost him, she lost a piece of herself. She wanted so desperately to reunite with him that she found herself on the frozen bed of Sweetwater River. When Cheryl fell through the ice, she saw him and was changed. It was like her spirit had finally returned to her body. So much so that she burned down her childhood home. Hearing Cheryl’s story, Edgar realizes that Cheryl’s already been baptized and been reborn in fire. But yet the memory of her brother still hurts. While memories are often painful, Edgar doesn’t believe they have to be. He believes they can be a path to revival and that the Farm can help Cheryl see that.

Betty and Cheryl reconvene in the girls restroom, where they discuss Cheryl’s interview with Edgar. He’s younger than Cheryl thought he’d be. She also finds him to be very attractive and a good listener. Now that Cheryl’s in with Edgar, Betty needs her to ask him a few questions, like why he decided to move to Riverdale now, and how many members does he plan on recruiting. And most importantly, Betty needs to find out where Edgar stores the tapes from the recorded interviews. If Betty can get her hands on her mom’s and Polly’s, then the Farm won’t have any leverage over Betty’s family.

Betty listens from the Blue and Gold as Cheryl has another meeting with Edgar. Cheryl asks why he records their sessions. Edgar explains that many of their members like to refer back to them occasionally, to track their growth. Cheryl then asks where they’re stored. Edgar only will say that they’re in a secure location, though he questions Cheryl’s suspicious concern in them. Cheryl claims that she’s just curious. Edgar wants to get back to the interview, but first he wants to show Cheryl something that he thinks she’ll find illuminating. He takes Cheryl to see their files. He then goes on to explain that tomorrow night they’re having a get together for new members and asks Cheryl to join them, to which she agrees. Cheryl and Edgar then seem to enter a room, which appears to cut off Betty’s connection.

Betty approaches Cheryl at her locker the following day. Betty wants to know what was in the room that Edgar took her to. Cheryl tells Betty that it’s none of her business. Furthermore, she’s done being Betty’s mole. It’s disrespectful and illegal. Betty was going to suggest the same as she doesn’t want Edgar to catch onto Cheryl. However, Cheryl still intends to going to the Farm, she’s just done working for Betty.

As Betty and Jughead lay in bed, Betty tells him that she thinks she can get to the tapes that Edgar has on her mother and Polly. Jughead asks just how dangerous this mission is. Betty informs him of the open house the Farm is having, so it’s not nearly as dangerous as him and Archie raiding a building full of Gargoyles.

Betty sneaks in during the Farm’s open house and breaks into the alleged janitors closet, which In actuality is the storage room for all of the recorded interviews. Over the intercom, Edgar welcomes all in attendance, especially their newest initiate, Cheryl, who then gets on the intercom and says "May the one become many, and the many one." All the while listening to this, Betty searches through the files in search of her mother’s and sister’s incriminating interviews. Edgar continues to say that they’ve all come together under great scrutiny and judgement from their friends and neighbors, and possibly ever their own family. But only through great sacrifice will their lives be full. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the bounty, Edgar says. He advises them to plant their seed in the earth and watch it grow. Betty then leaves after recovering her mother’s, sister’s, and Cheryl’s interview recordings.

Betty meets with Cheryl at Thistlehouse to give her the tapes of her recorded sessions with Edgar. They now have nothing on Cheryl, so she doesn’t have to go back. However, Cheryl wants to go back. She reveals to Betty that Edgar let her see Jason. He took her to a room, closed the door, and inside she saw Jason. While it sounds crazy, Cheryl insists that she saw and talked to him.

Having learned from Cheryl that she was seeing a dead loved one, Betty arranges a meeting with her mother at Pop’s to ask if she joined the Farm because they let her talk to Charles. Alice admits this is true. She sees him and it’s like she never lost him. Betty would also love him. Alice says he’s the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen. Being with him is unlike anything she’s ever imagined. And it’s all because of Edgar. Betty asks to meet Edgar, and Alice agrees.

Betty is taken to the Farm to meet with Edgar in the Gargoyle chamber. They’ve both long awaited this meeting. He knows that Betty stole the recording of Polly and Alice's interviews. He could however always ask them to give their testimony again. There’s also the possibility that he already has copies. Edgar then asks Betty what she wants to know. Betty wants to know everything, starting from the beginning.

At the Farm’s compound, Betty continues to question Edgar and his motives. She claims that there’s no record of his existence, to which Edgar explains that he was a different man many years ago. His life was in shambles and so he left it behind and walked into the desert to die, until he stumbled onto a tree, on a hillside of a farm. Edgar knocked on the farm’s door and when he woke, he was being tended to in a white room by a kind, elderly farmer. Edgar repaid the woman by lending a hand around the farm. He watched the field grow into something beautiful and in the process, felt reborn. Thus Edgar made it his sacred duty to open his own Farm, where he could welcome lost souls. While this may be true, it doesn’t explain how Edgar has convinced Alice that she can see her dead son. Edgar claims that at the Farm they strive to create a safe place, where wounded people can heal and become the best versions of themselves. Though, this doesn’t answer Betty’s question, so she asks again how Edgar has convinced her mother that she’s seeing Charles. Betty suspects that maybe he has someone dress up like Charles.

Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead gather in the student lounge, where they discuss the upcoming boxing tournament. Archie hopes that Veronica can help get his crew into the tournament by talking to Elio. Betty has explained to the others that the reason her mother and Cheryl have joined the Farm is because they are allowed to talk to Charles and Jason. Jughead tells Betty to prove to her mother that Charles is dead since she’s lost touch with reality. The best way to snap her out of her delusions may be a harsh dose of reality.

Betty takes to Jughead’s suggestions and begins making calls from the Blue and Gold office, thought she doesn’t have much luck. Toni enters the Blue and Gold as she holds Betty personally responsible for whatever the Farm has done to Cheryl. Betty explains that Edgar is a con artist who has somehow convinced everyone that they can talk to the dead. Unlike with Charles, there’s proof of Jason’s death. Betty sends Toni the video of Clifford Blossom shooting Jason. Betty’s kept a copy of it on her laptop. She hopes that showing it to Cheryl will snap her back into reality.

Betty visits her father at prison, who informs her that her mother has filed for divorce from him. However, Hal hasn’t signed yet, wondering if Alice is seeing someone. Betty suspects it may be Edgar, who her mother spends most of her time at the Farm with. Betty then informs her father how Edgar has tricked her mother into thinking that she’s seeing Charles, which Hal remarks is impossible because Charles is dead, but Betty doesn’t have any physical proof of that. Hal tells Betty that she doesn’t need a body or ashes. Just a grave.

Betty visits her mother at the Farm to ask if she’s engaged to Edgar, to which Alice replies that she and Edgar have a deep understanding of each other. Betty then extends her hand, telling her mother that she wants to show her something. Betty takes Alice to what is supposedly Charles’ grave. Betty paid someone to help her track it down, meaning Alice hasn’t been talking to him at he Farm. Charles has been dead and buried for the last five years. Betty and Alice return to the car, where Alice is still unconvinced that Charles is dead. She claims to have spoken to Charles just that morning. With no other option, Betty chloroforms her mother.

Alice wakes up in Dilton’s bunker, handcuffed to the bed. Seeing as taking her mother to Charles alleged headstone didn’t work, Betty attempts to remind her of their fond moments from the past, such as her first day at the Register. Alice counters that now she’s a reporter thanks to the Farm. Betty then shows her mother a photo taken during her 8th grade graduation. Alice states that is the past. She’s someone else now. This saddens Betty as she continues her effort to pull her mother back to reality. She reminds her of their old house and how she painted the front door red. Alice retorts that she lived with a murderer in that house. Betty replies that she also raised her and Polly in that house. Alice has endured so much pain she just wants to forget the past, but Betty won’t allow it. Alice then asks Betty to tell her the truth about Charles’ grave, which Betty admits that it wasn’t. Both Betty and Alice start to cry, hoping of nothing else to reason with the other, but to no avail. So, before leaving for school, Betty hands her mother several photo albums and tells her to remember who she is.

Betty, Jughead, Archie, and Veronica reconvene in the student lounge, where Betty informs them that she locked her mother in the bunker. Betty reasons that it’s the only place her mother will be safe from the Farm. Betty is determined to follow through with her attempt at deprogramming her mother. The four of them follow a loud, banging sound into the hallway, where they find a Vixen slamming her head repeatedly into the lockers. Foaming at the mouth from G, aka Fizzle Rocks, and blood running down her head, a couple other Vixens restrain her and take her to the infirmary.

Betty returns to the bunker to find her mother burning the family photos albums. The following day, Evelyn asks Betty if she’s seen Alice, though Betty claims to have no knowledge of her whereabouts. Considering that Alice missed bed check and the fact that Betty was seen entering Alice’s room, Evelyn suspects that Betty has something to do with her disappearance. Still, Betty maintains her innocence. As she walks off, Evelyn reminds her that they have copies of Alice’s and Polly’s tapes. Betty slams Evelyn against the locker. While the Farm may have brainwashed her mother, Betty sees right through them. She warns Evelyn to stop messing with her family and friends. Should Evelyn persist, Betty threatens to kill her.

Betty sits in the Blue and Gold listening to her mother’s tape, where Alice states that Betty is often angry and how she’s afraid of Betty. On the tape, Alice goes on to say that she thinks Betty wants to hurt her. She has the same darkness in her that Alice saw in Hal. Hearing this enrages Betty.

Betty barges into Edgar’s office demanding to know what he did to her mom and how he got her to say such horrible things about Betty on those tapes. Edgar claims that everything Alice said on those tapes were her own words. Betty refuses to allow Edgar to turn this on her, not while Edgar continues to feed her mother lies about Charles. Edgar sees Charles as a wound that needs to be healed. Alice is on a journey and she is making tremendous progress in finding her truest self, but Betty argues that her mother could’ve done that from home, without giving up Betty’s money or her childhood home and everything else. Edgar believes that Alice needs the Farm in order to heal from the pain inflicted upon her. Whether Charles is real or not, he fulfills her in a way that no one else can. So, Edgar asks why in Betty’s mind is that a bad thing. Betty does not answer, simply exiting Edgar’s office.

Betty returns to the bunker, where she places a blindfold over her mother’s head and takes her to Pop’s, where Evelyn awaits their arrival. Evelyn welcomes Alice with open arms and the two share a hug. Before leaving, Betty pleads with Evelyn to take care of her mother. Evelyn replies that that’s all she’s ever wanted to do.

Toni enters the Blue and Gold as Betty listens to her mother’s tapes. As it turns out, Toni is in cahoots with Betty to infiltrate the Farm. Betty asks Toni if she’s a monster. Toni says that she’s just a daughter who wants her mother back, just like Toni wants Cheryl back.

Betty visits her father once more. As Hal signs the divorce papers, he asks what caused Betty’s sudden change in heart. She finally realized that it’s time to let her mother go. She needs to heal in whatever way she chooses. Hal then asks if Betty would consider doing him a favor. He wants to come home.

Betty and Veronica meet with Hiram at La Bonne Nuit, where Betty asks Hiram for a favor. Her father is incarcerated two hours away in a windowless cell. He heard about Hiram’s facility and how some of the cells have a view of Sweetwater River. Betty explains that her father would like to be transferred there. Veronica assures her father of all the publicity that would come with it, and with that in mind, Hiram says that he’ll see what he can do.

In the Blue and Gold offices, Toni tells Betty that everyone is gearing up for the wedding between Edgar and Betty’s mom. After the big wedding, Edgar’s also planning to adopt Juniper and Dagwood.

While in line for her meningitis vaccination, Betty overhears Ms. Bell asking Evelyn if she’s had hers. However, Evelyn explains that the Farm doesn’t believe in putting foreign substances into their bodies. She tells Ms. Bell to check her file as her father has written Principal Weatherbee a letter, opting her out of all elective medical procedures.

While impersonating Ms. Bell, Betty calls Evelyn’s old schools, claiming that she’s just checking their records and asks what grade Evelyn was in while in attendance. Betty learns that Evelyn’s was enrolled in as Junior at her last five schools. Afterward, Betty contacts Ms. Weiss to inform her of her discovery. Betty discovered that Evelyn has been repeating her Junior year, enrolling in high schools, pretending to be 17 for over a decade. From what Betty has gathered, Edgar works on the parents while Evelyn is sent to recruit teens for the Farm. It’s a cover for their cult. Ms. Weiss is more than willing to help. She will make some inquiries to see what she can find out.

Betty informs her father that his transfer papers have been processed and that he’ll be moved by the end of the week. Betty then reveals Edgar’s plans to adopt the twins after he marries Alice, which Hal refuses to allow to happen. So, he sends Betty to Penelope for help, stating that she will be uniquely motivated.

Betty heads down to the Five Seasons, where she informs Penelope of the marriage and Edgar’s plans to adopt the twins, Penelope’s grandchildren. Polly, Alice, and Cheryl made their decisions, but the twins are helpless. Betty reminds Penelope that she knows what it is like to be adopted into a family that only wants to control you. Having taken this all in, Penelope agrees to help. Together, she and Betty infiltrate the Farm’s compound, where Penelope negotiated the freedom of Dagwood. She gets the boy, but the Farm will keep Juniper. Those were the only terms they would agree to despite Penelope’s threats to come after the Farm. Betty explains that they’re twins and that they shouldn’t be separated. Furthermore, Edgar isn’t their father. But, as Penelope points out, Polly is their mother, meaning it’s her decision. Penelope remarks that it was a miracle that they were even able to get one child, referring to Dagwood as Jason Jr.

After following Betty’s paper trailer, Ms. Weiss shows up at the Pembrooke to discuss with Betty what she’s discovered. Evelyn is much older than she appears. 26 to be exact. Ms. Weiss also discovered that Evelyn is Edgar’s wife, not his daughter. Betty then calls Toni to tell her that she has to get back into the Farm immediately.

With Toni’s help, Betty sneaks into the Farm’s compound to kidnap Juniper. Betty grabs the baby and together, she and Toni make a run for it. However, Betty is led straight into a trap by Toni, who has succumbed to the Farm’s allure. Edgar, Alice, Polly, Cheryl, Evelyn, Kevin, Weatherbee and the other Farmies surround Betty. When Betty asks why Toni betrayed her, she explains that she’s been in search for a family her entire life, first with the Serpents, then the Pretty Poisons, but she’s never felt such belonging, as she does at the Farm. Betty reveals to her mother that Edgar is already married to Evelyn, but Alice is well aware. There are no secrets at the Farm. They’ve all come together to get Betty to join them. Edgar explains that everyone Betty cares about is in the room, her mother, sister, best friend, cousin and sister. In unison, the Farmies recite "Join us." If only for a second, it seems that Betty begins to consider the offer, but she declines it nonetheless and takes off running, with Toni, Cheryl, Kevin, Evelyn, and the other Farmies just behind her. Betty just barely makes it to her car and pulls off.

When Betty returns to the Pembrooke, Veronica informs her that her dad and a few other inmates who were being transferred to the new prison were involved in some kind of accident that left no survivors.

Betty and Veronica arrive on scene of the prison bus crash to find charred remains lined along the road by deputies. FP is already on site, and he tells the girls to stay back. Betty informs him of the Black Hood’s return as her father was on the bus, and likely caused the crash to escape. However, FP tells her no one survived the crash. There were five inmates and one driver on the bus. Six in total, which is the number of heads they’ve found. DNA tests will confirm their identities. Betty grows concerned that her father escaped, and is now loose in Riverdale.

Betty rushes down to the Farm's compound to warn her mother of her father’s escape. However, Alice is very much aware as FP has already called, and told her there were no survivors from the bush crash. However, as Betty points out, Dr. Curdle Jr. has yet to identify the bodies. This is precisely what Alice means when she says Betty should let go of her past. She has to stop indulging in her delusions that her father is still alive. Betty then notices the tattoo of her mother’s wrist. Alice explains that Edgar asked her to get it. Alice likes to think of it as an engagement ring.

Betty, Jughead, Archie, and Veronica meet up in the student lounge, where Betty shares with the group her conclusion that she was used by her father so that he could escape from prison. Veronica was with Betty, and having seen what was left of that bus, she doubts that Betty’s father survived the crash. However, if he did, Jughead assures Betty that she has him, the Serpents, and Archie’s fight club looking out for her. Jughead also extends Betty another invitation to move back in with him considering things have calmed down since his mom left. Archie asks how Jellybean is faring during this time. Jughead is surprised by how well she has taken to everything. She’s even filled in some key blanks. Apparently, there’s a Gospel of the Gargoyle King out there somewhere. Could be important, so Jughead’s dad has been sweeping Junkyard Steve’s. Cheryl interrupts to inform them of the upcoming Fire and Ice Junior Prom. She and Toni are running for Prom Queens, and Cheryl would appreciate their vote. This, however, is the first that the gang is hearing about Prom. Betty asks Jughead to go to Prom with her, to which he agrees.

Betty fires at a target at the gun range. She then gets a call from Dr. Curdle Jr., who tells her that while the corpses where charred beyond recognition, he was able to work with one semi-intact hand, which matches that of her father, DNA and fingerprints. Betty goes through a whirlwind of emotions after hearing that her father is dead.

At the Serpents den, Jughead informs Betty of all his mythological readings from the Gospel as she looks upon their suspect board. He reads to her a story of the Gargoyles and the Gryphon Queens. Betty states that while all this lore builds the Gargoyle King up to be a supernatural creature, in reality they’re facing a serial killer. The Gargoyle King is flesh and blood, which means that he can die. Jughead tells Betty that it would be okay if she took a couple days off, but she refuses. Jughead then gets a message from Dr. Curdle Jr., who has results from Kurtz’ autopsy.

Betty and Jughead arrive at the coroner’s lab, where Dr. Curdle Jr. informs them of Kurtz’ tattoos, which he surmises are no more than a month old. The same runic symbols that were carved into Ben, Dilton, and Baby Teeth. Jughead read in the Gospel that those markings are needed in order to ascend to the Kingdom. Whoever gave Kurtz the tattoos could be their next lead.

Betty and Jughead enter the local tattoo parlor with a $20 bribe and a photo of Kurtz’ tattoos. The tattoo artist recognizes the symbols. He claims Kurtz came in asking for them a few weeks ago. He showed the artist the design and payed cash, just like the first guy, the tattoo artist says. Jughead asks about the "first guy". The tattoo artist explains that he gave that same tattoo to someone about a year ago. Same symbols. Also on his back. Betty asks did he get the guy’s name, but he didn’t. Normally, the artist likes to take photos of his finished work, but this guy wouldn’t allow it. Betty asks for a description. The tattoo artist describes the guy as having blonde hair, blue eyes, and being weirdly magnetic.

Betty and Jughead head back to the Serpents den, where they discuss all the information they’ve gathered. The tattoo artist said that a guy with blonde hair and blue eyes got a Gargoyle King tattoo about a year ago, which is around the same time the Farm came to town and right before G & G resurfaced. Add the fact that her mother just got a tattoo per Edgar’s request. But if the Gargoyle King is Edgar, Jughead wonders how that explains her mom seeing it during ascension night, nearly two decades before Edgar came to town. Betty has come to the conclusion that it isn’t the same Gargoyle King. Her mother gave testimony about the Midnight Club to the Farm. Maybe Edgar took on that persona. Betty is confident that he is the King. Edgar bought the Sisters, where the game originated. Both he and the Gargoyle King preach ascension, both also have followers who they manipulate, and both are really creepy by Betty’s account.

Betty and Jughead interrupt one of the Farm’s meetings and accuse Edgar of being the Gargoyle King. He invites Betty to join them so that they can unpack her obsession with the Gargoyle King. Betty instead tells Edgar to take off his shirt so that she can see his tattoos. Edgar claims that he only has one tattoo. An infinity symbol on his wrist, like many members of the Farm. Betty's talking about the runic symbols she believe are on his back. With nothing to hide, Edgar takes off his shirt, revealing a bare back with no tattoos, asking if Betty is satisfied.

In the Blue and Gold offices, having ruled Edgar out, Betty and Jughead continue their investigation into the Gargoyle King. Their only chance of catching him is on his own terms. Jughead wants to use a ritual from it to invoke him. Jughead reads one ritual that sounds similar to Prom. In this scenario, Betty is the Gryphon Queen, and they have to ensure that she’s crowned Prom Queen. They also have to switch the theme to something G & G related. They then go to Cheryl, chair of the prom committee, for approval of their G & G themed prom proposal. While the theme of Fire and Ice was decided months ago, Betty and Jughead attempt to persuade Cheryl to specify the theme with something more medieval. With zero resistance, Cheryl agrees. They can change the theme to whatever they like. She no longer cares since she can’t be Queen.

Betty and Jughead has called a meeting between the Serpents and Pretty Poisons, with whom he has a proposition for. Peaches 'N Cream states that they don’t take orders from Jughead, though Betty pleads with her to make a prom night truce so that they can all work together to catch the Gargoyle King. During prom, groups of them will be stationed at every entrance. Once the announcement for Prom Queen begins, they’re going to keep everyone from exiting the gym. The Gargoyle King will be there, and this is their one chance at getting him, though they don’t know if he’ll be in costume or not. At the minimum, he will have some kind of kingly signifier, like a crown or antlers. He’s going to make his move after Betty is crowned Prom Queen. The Serpents and Poisons then come together as one.

Prom has finally arrived. Betty and Jughead arrive not long after. Peaches N’ Cream asks if they want to run for Prom court. Betty has been running unopposed. As an extra measure, Betty has cooked up dozens of fake votes, which Peaches proceeds to add to the count. With the Serpent and Poisons in place, Betty and Jughead now have to wait for him to make his move. They decide to dance while they look for him.

While getting some punch, Betty is given a letter for the Gryphon Queen, from a masked court jester. Betty’s been summoned to the place ascension night was held. She is told to come alone or else everyone else at the Prom will pay the price. Looking to prevent anyone else from getting hurt, Betty abides by the Gargoyle King’s rules, and sneaks out the gym. Jughead, Archie, Veronica, Kevin, Fangs, Evelyn, Cheryl, Toni, and Peaches stand in the crowd as Betty is announced as the Prom Queen, though no one seems to know where she is. Jughead asks Archie and Veronica, but they are unaware.

Betty makes her way through the dark halls of Riverdale High alone. She enters the girl’s restroom, where she finds finds the walls riddled with runic symbols and writing, instructing her to flip for her fate. On the sink sits two chalices and a coin. The scenario is strikingly similar to that of ascension night when Alice found herself in the same position. Much like her mother, Betty decides not to play and exits the restroom. Standing in the hallway, Betty finds the Gargoyle King. She did as it asked. Came alone. But now she wants to know what it wants. Betty then pulls a gun from her purse, demanding to know who is under the mask. However, she is ambushed and knocked to the ground by the Black Hood. He stands before her with a hook in hand. Just a few feet behind him stands the Gargoyle King, who watches as this unfolds.

The Black Hood lunges at Betty, but she avoids his attack, and makes a run for safety. She enters the Blue and Gold, and shuts the door behind her. Inside, on the floor, lays the body of a female classmate. Just outside, the Black Hood bangs on the door, attempting the gain access. Betty pleads with the Black Hood, whom she assumes is her father, to stop but he continues to pursue her, forcing his way in, and grabbing Betty. Betty does however fight back. She stuns the Black Hood long enough for her to get out the Blue and Gold, though the exit is chained lock, and so Betty is forced to find another way out, running through the halls, calling out for help, with the Black Hood not far behind her, dragging his hook along the lockers as he stalks Betty.

Betty runs into the boy’s locker room, where she finds another dead classmate inside the showers. As the Black Hood enters, Betty attacks him from behind with the hockey stick and makes her way out the locker room. She then hides in the storage closet under the steps. Inside that closet, Betty finds yet another body but this one is headless. Betty screams, which alerts the killer of her location. He attempts to fight his way in but Betty manages to keep him out. He eventually leaves, and not long after, Jughead arrives. Betty rushes out the closet, into Jughead’s arms. She tells him how the Black Hood is back and that he attacked her.

After the attack, Jughead calls his dad and the three of them sit down to recount the attack. Betty informs Jughead and FP that it was a set up from the beginning. The Gospel that they found, it was all to get Betty alone with her dad again. Now they have two serial killers in town, possibly working together.

Betty rushes to the Farm’s compound to inform her mother of her father's return. He survived the crash and attacked her at Prom. Alice tries arguing against Betty, but she has to deal with this. The Black Hood is back, and Betty suspects that the Farm may be his next target because Betty told him about her mother’s engagement to Edgar, and how he plans to adopt Juniper and Dagwood after the marriage. Alice questions why Betty was even talking to her father, to which Betty admits that she was fooled, and now she has no idea what they’re going to do. Edgar, having listened in on their discussion, tells Betty to stay at the Farm. Their walls are strong and their members are stronger. He wishes to protect both Betty and Alice. With very few options, Betty agrees to stay at the Farm.

Betty has become situated at the Farm. As she walks down the hallway, she passes Evelyn’s room, noticing that Evelyn is hooked up so some kind of medical machine.

Betty, Polly, and Alice have been brought together by Edgar as they have something to tell Betty. Alice reveals that when Betty was 8 years old, she spent some time in the hospital after falling of her bike and getting a concussion. While she was there, the doctors ran test and discovered that Betty has what is commonly referred to as the serial killer gene. They tested the rest of the family, though Betty was the only one who had it. She has a predisposition to violence. But now that she knows, Edgar can help her heal. Edgar wants to start by talking. And so, he and Betty adjourn in his office for a private session. Edgar explains to Betty that the gene she was born with doesn't have to define her. Edgar then proceeds to hypnotize Betty with Newton’s Cradle. Destiny, by his account, is a false notion. Betty can either give into her proclivities or fight it. He wants to know her fears. Betty, solely focused on the clanking magnetic balls, reveals that she’s always felt like there’s another person inside of her. A person capable of doing dark, terrible things. And Betty doesn’t know how to get rid of her. Edgar tells Betty that the first step in ridding herself of this darker version is confrontation.

Betty now finds herself in a dark, bare room, though she is not alone. Betty sits in a chair, and just a few feet ahead of her stands her darker self. She’s all the dark deeds that they did in their youth, like what they did to their old cat. Caramel ran away, Betty recalls, though her darker self claims they drowned the cat. Betty denies this, along with having ever pushed Polly down the stairs, as her darker self claims they did. Dark Betty explains that she is not apart of Betty, but that it’s the other way around and that Betty is apart of her, stating that Betty is the illusion. Betty is visibly in pain as she continues having an actual conversation with her darker self. She then finds herself back in Edgar’s office. He tells her that it’s normal to feel disoriented during the first few sessions. He wonders what else she feels. Betty tells him about the stabbing pain she feels in her forehead. Edgar says that this means her body has located her trauma. He takes her hand and tells her that together, they can heal and discharge Betty’s pain.

After her session with Edgar, Betty calls Jughead to share with him her discoveries. She still can’t wrap her head around what happened in her session with Edgar. Jughead, while working from a booth at Pop’s, reminds Betty to keep her head clear of all that Farmie nonsense. Betty recalls the magnetic balls on Edgar’s desk that clacked when they hit one another. Jughead suspects that Edgar is using sound to influence Betty. He asks if Betty needs rescuing, but she would rather stay, as she has an idea for her next session with Edgar. It’s time she figure out what the Farm is about. Meanwhile, Jughead will continue his efforts to find the connection between the Gargoyle King and the Black Hood. Betty has a thought about that. The reason she walked off alone during Prom was because someone dressed as a jester gave her a letter from the Gargoyle King.

Betty joins Cheryl, Toni, Kevin, and Fangs at the table. Fangs in noticeably in pain. He reveals that he had a minor procedure done, which left him soar. Betty inquires further about the procedure. Cheryl states that it’s a purging of the pain that’s crushing them. She further elaborate that this is part of Edgar’s methods. He transforms their emotional pain into physical pain so that it’s easier to treat and banish. Toni is next in line for the procedure, followed by Cheryl. Kevin has already gotten his. The tenderness in his back lasted for a few days, but he thinks it was worth it. Betty lifts up Kevin’s shirt to see a large scar going up the left side of his rib cage. Betty notes that the scar looks far more major than Kevin is leading on. He is upset with Betty, telling her not to ever do it again, before leaving, with Fangs not far behind. While Cheryl and Toni remain at the table, they simply turn their backs to Betty.

Polly expresses how proud she is that Betty is taking care of her demons. She then asks if Betty’s darker half mentioned how she pushed Polly down the stairs so many years ago, which Polly has since forgiven Betty for.

During Betty’s second session with Edgar, she uses ear plugs made out of candles wax to block the sound of the clanking magnetic balls. Edgar asks why Betty has returned. She tells him that she wants to see her other half again, to gain a better understanding of what she wants. This time around, Betty is much more conscious as Edgar escorts her to the dark, bare room and sits her down in the chair. Betty’s darker self appears, and tells her that soon she will be her truest self. Having bypassed Edgar’s hypnosis, Betty’s mind is clearer, and she is able to see her darker self for who it actually is, that being Polly, who is dressed in Betty’s clothes, pretending to be her. She then calls Betty a killer, just like their dad.

Betty has called Kevin, Fangs, Cheryl, and Toni together to share with them what she’s found, that Edgar is hypnotizing them. Cheryl doesn’t care, reasoning that hypnotherapy is a standard practice that most people have to pay good money for. Kevin and Fangs add that whatever Edgar is doing works as he’s taken their pain away. Toni can’t wait for her procedure so that Edgar can take her pain away. Betty suspects that Edgar is purposefully inflicting pain on them during hypnosis. She believes he’s doing it so that he has more power over them. However, Cheryl, Toni, Kevin, and Fangs are faithful followers of the Farm and refuse to believe that Edgar has done anything wrong without proof, which Betty does not have.

Betty confronts Evelyn as her curiosity has gotten the best of her. Evelyn tells Betty that the machine she is hooked up to is for her dialysis. Evelyn’s kidneys failed when she was younger. Upon a closer look, Betty discovers that Evelyn is on anti-rejection meds, which is what they give you when you have an organ transplant. From there, Betty begins to piece things together, like the scar of Kevin’s back and Fangs’ treatment. She concludes that Edgar is butchering his disciples, though Betty’s aware that this all can’t be just for Evelyn, who exclaims that Betty doesn’t know anything beyond her own unconfirmed suspicions. Seeking validation for her suspicions, Betty breaks into the lab. Inside the freezer, she finds blood bags and organs.

Betty, who makes her way through the Farm with a stolen organ from the lab, gets a call from Jughead, who reveals Jason Blossom is the Gargoyle King, at least according to Ethel. He doubts this is possible, but isn’t entirely sure. Normally, Betty would immediately say no, but there’s only one way to know with certainty, and that is to dig up Jason’s grave. After hanging up with Jughead, Betty enters Cheryl’s room and tells her the Farm is a front. Edgar took Kevin and Fangs’ kidneys. There’s a fridge filled with harvested organs. The Farm is an organ Farm. With her, Betty has a small cooler with a harvested human organ inside as proof. Betty suspects that Edgar only takes kids in to use their organs for his human chop shop. Cheryl finally believes Betty and grows even more concerned given that the nurses just took Toni to the infirmary for her procedure. Cheryl decides to go after Toni while Betty finds Kevin and Fangs.

Betty tells Kevin and Fangs that Edgar is harvesting their organs and that they’re all in danger, though they are too far gone. They believe that Edgar is simply removing the parts that are diseased. They suggests going to see Edgar to clear everything up. With Kevin and Fangs too deep under Edgar’s control, Betty attempts to leave, but they block her. Betty knees Kevin and punches Fangs, but they still manage to subdue her, dragging Betty by her feet and apprehending her with the help of a couple orderlies.

Betty wakes up in the infirmary, tied to a stretcher. Betty has caused too much trouble, leaving Edgar with no other choice. Betty saw the truth and knows that he’s harvesting organs. However, Edgar states that Betty doesn’t know what she saw. Regardless, Betty is certain that Jughead and his dad will come for her. Betty is then given an anesthesia as she is prepped for surgery, helpless to stop Edgar as she is buckled onto the stretcher, her entire body restrained.

Betty awakens in a bed unfamiliar to her. She finds a dress hanging, with a letter addressed to her, telling her to put it on and come downstairs. Betty does just that. Downstairs, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead await her at the dinner table, with Penelope seemingly as the host of the event. They’re at the Blossom hunting lodge on Thornhill grounds. Penelope explains to Betty that she bought her from Edgar just before he was about to cut her open. To Betty’s right, stands Sister Agatha Woodhouse, with a loaded gun. Apparently, she is in cahoots with Penelope. She was one of Penelope’s mentors who cared for her when she was at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. It was she who taught Penelope everything she knows about poisons. Betty pieces together that the nuns who she had previously found dead in the chamber with blue lips must’ve been Sister Woodhouse’s doing. Penelope states that the sisters were simply looses ends. Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead on the other hand are featured players. The sons and daughters of the original Midnight Club.

There are two more seats at the table that sit empty. Penelope calls in the two remaining guest, the Black Hood and the Gargoyle King. The Black Hood rips off his hood, and as suspected, it’s Hal Cooper. Before the Gargoyle King takes off his mask, Penelope gives Jughead a chance to guess his identity. Whoever is under the mask must’ve had a connection to both Hal and Penelope, but it’s not Jason because he’s dead, even though his corpse is missing. The one corpse that hasn’t been accounted for, who was last seen by the Black Hood, is Chic. The Gargoyle King unmasks, and as Jughead suspected, Chic is the Gargoyle King, though he has dyed his hair red since their last encounter. Jughead surmises he did this only after he started working with Penelope, but this was also after he got the Gargoyle symbols tattooed on his back. This is why Ethel said the Gargoyle King was Jason. Because Penelope called and dressed Chic up like Jason. Hal explains to Betty that he didn’t kill Chic because he recognized a kinship in him and spared him. He begged for mercy and pledged his life to Hal in service of his mission. But it wasn’t just Hal’s mission. He started working with Penelope, who also has a grudge against Riverdale.

Betty recalls the affair her father had with Penelope in the middle of the Black Hood attacks last year. Penelope takes credits for cultivating Hal’s murderous impulses in order to take her revenge on a town that allowed her to be sold to the Blossoms as a child bride. Their parents knew, but they did nothing but mock her. And years later, when Jason was murdered, none of them even reached out to her. Riverdale is a cruel and hideous place by Penelope’s account. She and the Black Hood were on a mission to exterminate the town’s sinners, and they were doing well until Hal was arrested. But that’s when Chic came to Penelope in search of purpose. And so, with Chic, she decided to continue her work, but instead with the Gargoyle King. Penelope introduced G&G to their parents 25 years ago and reintroduced it this year to Chic, who gave it to Ben Button, who started playing with Dilton Doiley and Ethel Muggs. From there, the game spread like a virus. This whole time, the true mastermind behind it all, the true king, Jughead says, is Penelope. Now, it’s time for one final round, with them, the Midnight Children, as she refers to them. It’s to reveal their true nature. To prove they’re as dark-hearted as the town that birthed them. If they win, they escape. If they lose, they die.

Penelope takes Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead into the woods, where she presents them with their task. They must go into the woods and survive the night. Each of them will be tested. Should they refuse her test or try to escape, her Gargoyle minions, the Gargoyle Gang, will kill them. With that, the final quest begins. Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead head deep into the woods, intent on completing this final quest and proving Penelope wrong.

The first quest is staged with a Red Paladin card. This alone is for Archie to complete. The Red Paladin must conquer the grizzled beast, i.e. a grizzly bear. However, when Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead arrive at the pit, he finds a gigantic man wearing the pelt and skull of a bear. Archie rushes the grizzled beast, though he doesn’t fare well at all, landing very few hits. Archie is greatly outmatched in size, though somehow, he manages to best the beast, hitting him with a combo of punches before finishing him of with a large bone. Archie returns to Betty, Veronica, and Jughead victorious. Veronica greets him with a hug. They now move on to the next quest.

Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead find the next quest. On a table sits six chalices. Each filled with Gargoyle blood. This quest is for Veronica, the Enchatress. She must choose her closest companion, and they will take turns spinning the bottle and drinking from the chosen chalice, though one of the chalices contain a lethal, rapid acting venom. Should they refuse, they’ll all be killed. Given the fact that she and Veronica are best friends, Betty volunteers. They both recall prom night, sophomore year, where they played a similar game at Cheryl’s party. Veronica spins first, and from there, she and Betty take turns spinning the bottle, each time taking a sip from one of the six chalices. It’s Betty’s turn when it comes down to the last chalice, which must be the lethal, rapid acting venom. Before Betty can drink from the chalice, Veronica snatches the cup from her hand and drinks it instead because she cares that deeply for Betty. Penelope appears with two armed Gargoyles at her side. She reveals that this was a character challenge. A test towards Veronica’s loyalty. However, all the chalices were poisoned, though they’re slow acting, and the only way to get the antidote is to finish the game.

As Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead search for the finale quest, they attempt to figure out how everything is connected. Penelope, Hal, and Chic have created an unholy trinity with direct links to everything bad that has ever happened in the last 3 years. It’s as if Jason’s death begat the Black Hood, which begat the Gargoyle King, which Veronica points out existed before Jason was killed. To Jughead’s point, then it’s a case of a serpent eating its own tail. A cycle of never ending madness that continues until someone breaks the chain.

Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead have reached the final quest. Betty’s quest. She and Jughead express their love for one another before starting the quest. Betty finds a black box tied with a red bow. Inside is a load gun with one bullet. The Black Hood then appears. He rips off his hood and tells Betty that this has to end. Hal tells Betty that she must kill him. It’s her destiny. He then pulls out his gun and points it at her. either she kills him and gets the antidote or he kills her and her friends. He counts down from three, leaving Betty with no other option. She fires, but rather than killing her father, she simply shoots off his fingers, as she’ll never be like him. Hal falls to the ground in pain, with his gun just a few feet away. Penelope calls an end to all of it. Hal has outlived his usefulness, and so Penelope pulls out her gun and shoots Hal in the head. Jughead and Veronica console a grief-stricken Betty as Archie claims their prize and retrieves the antidote.

Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead won. They survived the night and proved they are better than the town. Nevertheless, Penelope sentences them to death, instructing her minions, the Gargoyle gang, to kill them. And now it’s a race for their lives as Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead take off into the woods with the Gargoyles just behind them as the sun rises. Fortunately, as they near the road, the Pretty Poisons and Serpents, led by Cheryl and Toni, begin firing arrows at the Gargoyles. As they begin to retreat, the Poisons and Serpents charge forward. As for Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead, they’ve taken cover behind one of the trucks and Betty and Veronica have taken the antidote. Once they’re in the clear, the four of them have a group hug. Betty then asks Cheryl about her mom. Cheryl reveals that it was Alice who freed her and told her to find Betty as they’re planning to ascend tonight.

Betty, Archie, Veronica, Jughead, Toni, and Cheryl arrive at the Farm, where they find Kevin in the fetal position, crying in the chamber. He says they left him because someone had to stay behind to explain what happened. The worthy ascended. Betty asks about her mom and Polly. Kevin claims that they’re gone, along with everyone else from the Farm, and they’ll never be seen again.

Agent Smith with the FBI knocks on the Joneses door. He is looking for Betty, who is inside with Jughead. Betty and Jughead suspects this is about the Lodges, but in actuality, it’s about Alice. Agent Smith’s team has been investigating Edgar Evernever for quite some time. They almost had him two towns ago. When they landed in Riverdale, the FBI sent in an undercover, someone tasked with getting close to Edgar to gain intel. They were waiting on her word to take him down. That someone being Alice. She’s an FBI informant. She’s been helping them build a case against Edgar and his organ harvesting program. It’s vital that they find Alice as soon as possible, which is why they’re setting up in Riverdale. Agent Smith seems vaguely familiar to Betty, and so after talking to him for a bit, Betty finally decides to ask if they know each other. Agent Smith replies that it’s no coincidence that he and Alice found each other as he’s Charles. Betty and Jughead’s half brother, who was supposedly killed by Chic.

Betty and Jughead relay this information about Alice being an FBI informant and Charles being alive to Archie and Veronica at Pop’s. As for Veronica’s mom, she’s trying to cut a deal with the DA. But in the meantime, Smithers is her legal guardian. Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead decide to make a vow. With senior year ahead of them, they vow to be done with death cults, murder mysteries and everything of the sorts. Their senior year may be the last time they’re all together and Archie doesn’t want to let anything ruin that. To that, the four of them toast. Flash forward to Spring Break, senior year. Archie, Betty, and Veronica stand around a campfire, barely clothed and covered in blood. Betty tells Archie and Veronica that they have to burn all their clothes, including Jughead’s beanie, which Archie has in hand. They’ll wash off the blood in the swimming hole, and after tonight, they are to never speak of what transpired. Not to anyone. They finish their senior year, graduate, and then go their separate ways. It’s the only way they won’t get caught. Reluctantly, Archie throws Jughead’s beanie in the fire, though Jughead is nowhere in sight. Return to present day, back at Pop’s, the gang toasts their milkshakes and promise that they’ll be friends forever. }} {{Scroll-1|
 * -|Season 4=

Season 4
Betty reads over Jughead's writing as they both lay in bed. She’s certain he’ll win the contest.

Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica are approached by Cheryl outside of Pop’s as they paint the float. Cheryl will forever associate the 4th of July with the tragedy of losing her brother and doesn’t believe it’s a day worth celebrating. Betty explains that Riverdale hasn’t had a parade out of respect for Jason for three years, and it’s time they move on. Jughead suggests that Cheryl just stay home. Instead, Cheryl intends to protest.

The four of them head inside for breakfast, where they discuss their weekend camping trip. Betty reminds the group that this may be their last chance to do something like this as next year they’ll be preparing for college. Archie then gets a call informing him that his dad has died. He drops to the ground. Betty, Veronica, and Jughead rush to check on him.

In the backyard, Archie, Veronica, Reggie, Kevin, Jughead, and Betty share their own memories of Fred. Reggie recalls how he broke his arm while playing in the treehouse that Fred had built for him, Archie, and Jughead. Betty remembers the picnic they had in Pickens Park while she and Archie were still in grade school. There was a father-daughter potato sack race. For whatever reason, Betty’s dad couldn’t make it, but Fred offered to do it with her. For that day, he was her dad. When things started to get bad with Jughead’s dad’s drinking, his mom would call up Fred for help, and he would drive to the bar, pick up FP and lay him on the couch. Fred always stayed for a while just to talk and check in on Jughead. Kevin adds that Fred always built and donated all the sets for the musical. Archie remembers going to Sears with him just to ride the tractors. Everything Archie knows is because of his dad, from sports to mechanics. However, reminiscing brings up too many memories for Archie, and so he decides to call it a day.

Betty appears in Archie's dream. She sits at the table alongside Jason, Cheryl, Pop, Penelope, Clifford, Reggie, Hermione, Hiram, Hal, Alice, Kevin, Tom, Sierra, FP, Jellybean, Toni, Jughead, and Mary in his dining room. Archie asks where his father is, to which Arti replies that Archie was supposed to go get him.

Later that night, Betty, Jughead, Archie, and Veronica meet up outside Archie’s house, where Reggie arrives and hands Archie a set of keys to a hearse from his dad’s lot. With the keys in hand, Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead head for Cherry Creek to bring Fred home.

Archie, Veronica, Jughead, and Betty arrive at the funeral home. Archie requests to bring his dad home, however, the funeral home director won’t allow it as Archie’s underage, so he calls his mom and updates her on the last few hours. She tells Archie to put her on the phone with whomever is in charge, and within minutes, Mary arranges for Fred to be released to Archie. Archie then asks to see his father in case a mistake was made. Fred’s body lays in the other room. Archie grows nervous as he reaches the door. Instead of him identifying the body, Betty and Veronica do so. Just outside, Archie asks Jughead to write his dad’s obituary. Betty and Veronica return to assure Archie that it is in fact his dad who lays in the other room.

Archie finds his dad’s truck on the side of the road. He hesitantly enters the truck as Veronica, Jughead, and Betty watch. An unfamiliar woman pulls up from behind and leaves flowers at the site. She knows who Archi is and reveals herself as being the person that Fred pulled over to help. One of her tires blew and she was stranded. Fred was the only one to stop and help. He talked about Archie the entire time. He couldn’t believe that a man like him was blessed with such a kind and thoughtful boy. She was with Fred when he died. They were working on the tire and then a car came out of nowhere. She froze in its path, and so Fred pushed her out the way. He saved her life. While she knows there’s nothing she can do to repay him, she’d like to send him a prayer and asks Archie, Veronica, Jughead, and Betty to join her.

Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and Archie head to a nearby diner. Archie is having trouble dealing with his father’s death. While his friends believe that Fred died a hero, Archie just wishes he hadn’t stopped to help the lady on the side of the road. He then heads outside for some air.

Jughead, Veronica, and Betty catch up to Archie outside the Augustine home. Archie explains that he came looking for George Augustine but found out that it was actually his son Jeffrey who was driving the car that hit Archie’s dad. George was protecting him. The same way Fred would’ve done for Archie. Archie believes himself to be a terrible son. All he and his dad ever did was fight. And Archie lied to him constantly. Veronica reminds Archie that his dad loved him above all else and was proud of him. With that being said, they’re going to finish what they started and bring Fred home. Archie and Veronica drive the hearse with Jughead and Betty following behind in Fred’s truck.

Archie, Veronica, Jughead, and Betty are met by FP at the town’s boarder. He heard what they were up to and wanted to be apart of it, so he givex Fred a police escort the rest of the way home. As they ride through, they are met by the entire town, waving flags and holding signs in honor of Fred. Cheryl, Toni, Peaches 'N Cream, Nana Rose, Jellybean, Pop, and Reggie are amongst them. Archie, Veronica, Jughead, Betty, and FP arrive to find Mary waiting outside the house, along with Sierra, Tom, Josie, and Kevin. Mary hugs Archie and expresses how proud of Archie she is.

Fred’s funeral is held. Betty, Archie, Veronica, Jughead, Mary, FP, Cheryl, Toni, Peaches 'N Cream, Nana Rose, Pop, Josie, Kevin, Tom, Sierra, are in attendance, along with many others. Josie sings "Amazing Grace" as Archie, Jughead, Reggie, Kevin, FP, and Tom carry the casket. After the town pays their respect, Archie says a few words, ending with Fred Andrews will always be a part of Riverdale.

Betty takes a moment to visit her own father’s grave, but it’s been vandalized. "The Black Hood Burns In Hell" written on it with black spray paint.

Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Archie, Mary, Kevin, Josie, Reggie, Cheryl, and Toni are in the backyard of the Andrews house as the show begins. Archie imagines if everyone in the world was even half as good as his father was.

Two months have passed since the death of Archie's father. Betty, Jughead, and Veronica spent as much time as they could with Archie. They had dinner at Pop’s every night, and everyday they could tell Archie was getting better. Summer is now over, and the gang is headed into their senior year. Betty meets with her brother Charles, from whom she learns that her mother missed her last check-in. However, this isn’t the first time Alice has been late with her report, Charles claims. Nevertheless, Betty is concerned. Charles advises Betty to worry about her academics and he promises to update her if anything changes in the investigation.

Archie, Veronica, Jughead, and Betty spend their last night of summer vacation drinking wine at the Pembrooke. They ponder how close they are to finishing high school. Archie and Veronica then head into the back, where they have sex as Betty and Jughead do the same on the couch.

The following morning, Veronica wakes Archie, Betty, and Jughead up after accidentally sleeping in. The four rush to school, where they are confronted by the new principal, Mr. Honey for being late. He assures the gang that the school will run differently under his command and then dismisses them.

Kevin enters the Blue and Gold to sign up, but Betty has been avoiding him. Kevin has been doing a lot of work on himself since being left behind by the Farm, and he realizes that he doesn’t need them to feel whole, but he does need Betty, his former best friend, and apologizes for his actions while under the Farm’s influence, such as dragging Betty by her legs. Kevin hopes to regain Betty’s trust. She's willing to give him a chance and tells him to fill out an application form.

Betty returns to the office with takeout for her and Charles. On his desk, she finds a classified file which details the FBI’s surveillance on Kevin, which she was unaware of. Charles reveals that he’s always suspected that Kevin still had ties to the Farm. He’d been monitoring Kevin’s phone activity and it turns out he’s been texting with Fangs. Charles wants to use Kevin’s relationship with Fangs to their advantage. In the text messages, Kevin keeps pushing to meet in person, but Fangs keeps pushing him off as he can’t risk it unless Kevin has something useful to offer. Charles wants to "accidentally" let slip some kind of fake intel about their investigation in front of Kevin to lure Fangs out of hiding.

Betty joins Jughead for his tour of Stonewall Prep. They are greeted by Bret, who takes them on a tour of the school. The school’s faculty holds 132 master’s degrees and 28 doctoral degrees. Mr. Chipping interrupts to invites Jughead to join them tomorrow for discussion of the book Moby Dick. Bret extends the invite to Betty, but she’s had enough of Stonewall Prep in the little time she’s been there.

Betty and Kevin eat out at Pop’s. He recalls freshman year, when Betty was crushing on Archie and he was having random hookups. Betty reveals the reason she was so cold to Kevin previously is that her mother and sisterTH are still at the Farm, and her brother Charles has been working the case. Betty claims that today there was a break in the case. The FBI found a witness who’s willing to testify against the Farm.

Kevin immediately hits up Fangs to arrange a meet up in the woods, where he reveals that the FBI has a witness who is ready to come forward against Edgar. Fangs asks for the identity of the witness, but Kevin doesn’t know who it is. Fangs explains that Edgar and the rest of the Farm no longer trust Kevin, but if he found out who the witness is, they might accept him back. Once Fangs is gone, Betty confronts Kevin.

Betty has taken Kevin back to Charles, where the two of them cross examine him. He apologizes for everything, but he wasn’t thinking clearly and just wanted to see Fangs again. Charles suspects that Kevin wanted to share information in order to get back in the good graces of the Farm, but he assures Charles that is not the case. Kevin explains that Fangs is all he has left after Betty ignored him all summer. Charles pulls Betty out to speak with her privately. He wants to cut Kevin loose, though Betty thinks he may still be of use as she believes Kevin can still help, but Charles doesn’t agree.

Cheryl and Toni go through with their back-to-school party party as planned, with Peaches as the DJ. Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, Mad Dog, and Reggie are in attendance. Cheryl declares Mr. Honey as their latest enemy. She assures the student body that he’ll be taken care of by Homecoming. Betty informs Veronica how Jughead is being recruited by Stonewall Prep. Much to Jughead’s surprise, he enjoyed the salon. However, Veronica tells him that there is no school more privileged than Stonewall. Not to mention that in attending, he’d be leaving Betty behind. Although, Betty assures him they could make any situation work. Nonetheless, Veronica doesn’t believe Stonewall is a right fit for Jughead. She foresees him being miserable.

Betty finds Kevin sitting alone in Cheryl’s room. She apologizes for interrogating him, though he understands that Betty was trying to save her mom. Betty reveals to Kevin that her mother is undercover at the Farm. She’d been sending them messages all summer, but she recently stopped and now Betty’s worried that she may be in trouble. Betty’s aware of the possibility that Kevin could tell Fangs, but she’s choosing to believe that their friendship runs deeper than Edgar’s brainwashing. Kevin tells Betty it does. In that case, Betty needs Kevin to arrange another meeting with Fangs to tell him where Edgar’s hiding, but he’ll only give that up if Kevin tells him the name of the fake FBI informant. Betty proposed telling Fangs that Penelope Blossom is the informant.

Betty pulls Jughead out of class during a mind-numbing reading session and convinces him to go to Stonewall Prep. It’s the chance of a life time and she assures him they can make it work.

Betty asks Charles if he has heard from their mother, which he hasn’t. He begins to question his previous decision of cutting Kevin loose. Betty seizes the moment and tells Charles that she’s already working with Kevin. She gave him the fake name of their witness Penelope Blossom. She also told him about their mother being undercover. Charles questions how she could put their mother’s life in danger so recklessly, but Betty trusts Kevin. Kevin arrives and reveals that Betty’s plan worked. He connected with Fangs and told him about Penelope Blossom. Fangs led him to where the Farm is staying. It’s an abandoned hotel behind the maple barrens. He didn’t see Betty’s mom, but he did see Edgar, who is heavily armed. Charles realizes that Edgar is gearing up for war.

Flash forward to Spring Break, Jughead is missing. Archie, Betty, Veronica, Kevin, Cheryl, Toni, and Jellybean join FP’s police-led search party for Jughead in the dark woods.

Betty, FP, and Jellybean help Jughead move into his room at Stonewall Prep. FP and Jellybean leave Jughead and Betty alone so they can say goodbye, suggesting the two of them go look for the vending machine to buy her some Triple Bubble. Once FP and JB are gone, Betty insists that she’s fine with Jughead attending Stonewall and they kiss.

Charles has the derelict motel that the Farm is staying in under 24 hour surveillance. According to city records, it’s owned by one of Edgar’s followers, and they have photos of Evelyn answering the front door. The Farm has been getting pizza deliveries everyday at the same time. Charles has an agent in disguise about to make the delivery, which he and Betty listen in on through a wire the agent is wearing. Evelyn answers as the under cover agent knocks on the door. She immediately makes him. A scuffle can be heard before several rounds are fired off. Edgar finds the wire on the undercover agent’s body and taunts Charles.

Betty, Archie, Munroe, Reggie, Kevin, and Veronica share ideas on how they could to come up with the money to pay for the renovations for they gym. Veronica offers to front the money, but Archie doesn’t want anymore handouts. Kevin suggests a charity concert while Betty recommends a bake sale, which gives Veronica a better idea. She comes up with a car wash.

Betty gets a call from Edgar on mom’s phone. He suspected he had a pretender in his midst. When he started cutting people’s fingers off, Alice admitted it was her. As for why he's calling, Edgar has a list of demands. He needs $250,000, passports for each of his followers, food, water, and a bus for transport. He gives Betty five hours. Betty then calls Charles and tells him about Edgar’s demands.

Charles gets off the phone with Governor Dooley, who refuses to negotiate with a cult leader. Edgar calls Betty back and asks if she was able to get what he asked for. Charles coaches Betty through the call. She tells Edgar that he first has to release a hostage as a sign of good faith. In anticipation that Betty and Charles wouldn’t take his demands seriously, Edgar has already released a hostage. He hangs up, and Polly arrives moments later with a bomb strapped to her chest.

Polly’s holding a dead man’s switch, meaning if she lets go of the detonator then the bomb will explode. Betty promises Polly they’ll figure it out. There’s wires connected to the C4 on the bomb. Three are decoys that will trigger the detonator. They need to find the one that is linked to the firing circuit and battery. Betty cuts the yellow wire, which turns out to be a trip wire that causes the bomb to count down faster. Charles tells Betty that there might be a system override on the dead man’s switch. A pin connected to a chain that slides into the hole that goes underneath the trigger. However, Polly tells Betty that Edgar took the pin. With the bomb quickly counting down, Betty takes the bobby-pin out of her hair and inserts into into the switch to stop the bomb from exploding with two seconds to spare.

Betty asks for Polly’s help in stopping Edgar, though Polly states that he can’t be stopped. They just have to do what he says. And if they can’t get it from Governor Dooley, then Polly tells Betty to do it herself or else Edgar will start sacrificing his followers one by one. As for their mother, Polly has no idea if she’s still alive, but if she is, she won’t be for long unless they do what Edgar says.

Betty asks Veronica if she can come up with $250,000, but that’s a lot to come by on short notice. While Veronica doesn’t have it in cash, on the end table sits five Glamourge eggs each worth $50,000. Betty then meets with Toni at the Blue and Gold and asks if she can forge fake passports. Toni agrees despite having little information as to why Betty would require so many blank passports. After learning from Ms. Bell that the bus driver was already gone for the day, Betty steals the school bus out of the parking lot.

Having met all of Edgar’s demands in gathering the $250,000, food, water, fake passports, and a school bus, Betty meets him at the motel. She asks where her mother is, but Edgar doesn’t answer. He knew Betty wouldn’t fail him. It’s a shame she didn’t accept the simple truths he tried to instill in her because without those truths, all Betty is left with is pain. Evelyn then hits Betty in the back of the head with a gun and knocks her unconscious.

Betty awakens to the sight of her mother. She and Alice are tied up together in one of the motel rooms. Edgar has been keeping Alice there since he found out she was the mole. Alice apologizes for her actions, explaining that she only wanted to keep Betty safe and get Polly out. Alice then reveals that Edgar’s plan is to have Evelyn drive the bus full of Farmies off of a cliff as a distraction while he takes off in the rocket he built. Betty and Alice will be tied to the front of the bus as shields.

Evelyn returns to the room to retrieve Betty and Alice only to find that they’ve escaped. Betty sneaks up on Evelyn from behind and knocks her unconscious with a blunt object. Betty takes Evelyn’s gun and for some reason for beret, and she and her mother make their escape.

Betty and Alice gather the Farmies on the bus under the ruse that they’re acting under Edgar’s command. The plan is to drive the Farmies out so that Charles can move in. They are nearly expose by Fangs, but Betty punches him in the face and orders the other Farmies to load him on the bus. Alice then spots Edgar watching from the stairwell. She takes the gun and chases him down while Betty continues to load everyone on the bus. In doing so, she cross paths with Mr. Weatherbee, who had his finger cut off by Edgar in his search for the mole. Weatherbee proceeds to get everyone on the bus while Betty goes after her mother.

Betty calls Charles and tells him that she’s inside the hotel. Charles instructs her to get out as Governor Dooley is prepared to send in a group of mercenaries. Betty tells Charles to tell the mercenaries to stand down as there’s a bus load of civilians headed their way. Alice holds Edgar at gunpoint on the roof as he prepares to take off in his rocket. He reaches for the gun hidden in his back holster, but Alice shoots him before he can shoot her. Betty hears the gunfire from the stairwell and rushes to the rooftop, where Edgar’s body lays on the steps.

Jughead returns to Riverdale, more specifically his home, where he and Betty cuddle up on the couch as he shares with her how Bret exposed Moose. Jughead surmises that Bret’s reason for doing so was because he blames Jughead for him not winning the contest. He couldn’t go after Jughead, so he went after Moose. Betty advises Jughead to be careful. Jughead then asks about Betty’s mom and Polly. Alice is already working on her expose of the Farm. While Polly started a program at the Shady Grove Treatment Center to get the help she needs. As for Charles, Betty believes he can be trusted. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. Betty and Jughead open the door to find a VHS tape sitting on the doorstep.

Betty, Charles, FP, Alice, and Jughead play the VHS tape that they recovered from the doorstep. It’s six hours of the Jones house being filmed. Charles suspects that it was done to unsettle them, but Jughead wonders why a video tape specifically. FP hopes that it’s just a prank. However, over the next few weeks, more and more citizens of Riverdale received copies of similar tapes, footage of their houses being taped.

The day before Halloween, FP discovers that the Muggs’ just got a tape as well. Alice intends to get an interview with them for tonight’s broadcast. That’s the benefit of her living with the town sheriff. She gets the scoop before any of the other news reporters. Since stopping the Farm, Alice and FP seem to have rekindled their romance and the Coopers and Jones are living together. After a brief moment with Alice, FP asks Betty if Jughead’s still coming back for Halloween, which he is. She and Jughead plan to pass out candy and watch scary movies. Alice suggests that Betty invite Charles since he doesn’t know anyone else in town. Betty wonders why he hasn't left yet. He can't as he’s helping FP with a couple cases. Jellybean expresses her disdain for Jughead having left to attend Stonewall Prep. Betty can relate given that Polly’s away being deprogrammed at the Shady Grove facility.

Betty has a near panic attack at school after coming face-to-face with two students dressed as the Black Hood and Gargoyle King. However, they are stopped in their tracks by Mr. Honey who made it perfectly clear there would be no costumes on school property.

After a bothersome encounter with the Black Hood and Gargoyle King, Betty meets with Archie, Veronica, and Kevin in the student lounge. Betty admits that she’s on edge after her recent encounter and the tapes that are going around. Veronica too, especially after her father broke into the Pembrooke. Reggie joins the gang and asks if anyone wants to help him TP Mr. Honey’s office. Kevin surprisingly agrees to join Reggie after Honey have him a week’s detention for going to the bathroom without a hall pass. Munroe comes to inform Archie that Dodger and his crew are still pissed that they got beat up and they plan on terrorizing the town on Halloween night. Munroe and Archie worry that the kids in the neighborhood will get caught in the crossfire. Veronica suggests they host a Halloween party at the community center to keep the kids off the streets. As for costumes, they need not worry as one of Veronica’s friends in New York, Katy Keene, who goes to the school of the performing arts, is an amazing designer.

As Jellybean carves out a pumpkin, she wonders why Betty isn’t in a costume. Betty replies that she’s dressed as Laurie Strode from the original Halloween film. The door bell rings. Betty answers to find two trick-or-treaters. One dressed as the Black Hood and another dressed as the Gargoyle King. She gives them candy and shuts the door. Jellybean asks when Jughead will arrive, but Betty isn’t sure. And so, Jellybean heads upstairs to play Minecraft.

The phone rings at the Jones house. Betty answers, and she can only hear someone breathing on the other side. She hangs up and moments later, the phone rings again. This time the caller speaks. He claims he’s the Black Hood. Betty threatens to call the police, hangs up the phone, and locks the front door.

Betty rushes upstairs after hearing a thud from Jellybean’s room. She finds Jellybean laying on the ground bleeding. Jellybean jumps awake as it was merely a prank. The phone rings again. Betty rushes downstairs to answer it. It’s the prank caller claiming to be the Black Hood. He tells Betty that he’s calling her from inside the house. Then there’s a knock at the door. Betty grabs a poker from the fireplace before answering. She opens the door only to find Charles on the other side. He was headed home, but decided to stop by to bring Betty some pizza.

Charles offers to help Betty trace the calls of the prank caller after learning that someone had been calling the house pretending to be the Black Hood.

Charles states that he and Betty haven’t talked much since they took down the Farm, though he understands why she may be weary of him. Betty accuses him of leading their mom to Edgar. However, Charles explains to Betty that it was Alice who approached him with the idea of going undercover to help Polly and get a story. As for Charles, he always wanted to be apart of a real family, but he knows that takes time. The phone rings, and Charles begins tracing the call as Betty answers. It’s the prankster again. Betty keeps him talking as Charles traces the call. She asks him if he remembers how on Halloween the four of them used to go trick-or-treating as a family. They’d walk up and down Elm Street, and when they got home, they’d go through their bags. Her dad wouldn’t let her or Polly eat the apples because he thought there were razor blades in them. Once Charles manages to trace the number, Betty hangs up. He traces the call to Shady Grove Treatment Center, where Polly’s been staying. Betty and Charles then call the center, pretending to be Edgar as they ask for Polly. When Polly answers, Betty confronts her for prank calling the house and pretending to be their dad. Polly hangs up soon thereafter.

Given how well Betty handled herself with the Farm, Charles thinks she’d be an excellent candidate for the Junior FBI training program. They could work together to figure out who’s sending the video tapes as Betty knows the town a lot better than Charles.

Jughead returns to his room to find Moose gone with all of his belongings. He immediately calls Betty and shares the news with her, along with his overnight stay in a coffin. Betty wonders if Moose joined the Army as he was initially planning to. Jughead’s not sure, but he’s made a few calls. Regardless, he knows they chased Moose away. Maybe that’s why they locked him in the coffin, to get him out the way while they terrorized Moose and forced him into leaving. Jughead hates that they kept him from Betty, forcing her to endure the prank callings of Polly all alone. Betty reveals that she wasn’t alone. She was with Charles. She’s starting to warm up to him and is even considering joining the Junior FBI program. She thinks he might be the real deal. Unbeknownst to them, Charles has tapped Betty’s phone and is listening in on the entire conversation. Betty is still upset however that she wasn’t there for Jughead. In a sense, she was. Jughead tells Betty that thinking about her is the only thing that kept him sane. He knows that if he ever went missing that Betty would be the one to find him.

Flash forward, FP and Betty stand over a body in the coroner’s office. Dr. Curdle Jr. removes the sheet to reveal Jughead’s seemingly dead body lying on the coroner’s table.

Betty approaches Kevin by his locker and asks him to join her for the Junior FBI program. Kevin agrees to attend though only for his interest in Charles. Although, when asked about Charles sexual orientation, Betty hasn't the slightest clue, though she gives Kevin hope of meeting a gay FBI agent in training.

Betty and Kevin attends Charles first Junior FBI session. Kevin makes mention of how attractive Charles is. They start with serial killers. He shows them a slide show of a crime scene. He pulls up three mugshots from three different individuals and asks the trainees which is the killer. Betty correctly guesses it’s the third man on screen. She again correctly guesses the next slide of serial killers. She does this one last time, much to Kevin and Charles’ surprise. The murderers all had one thing in common. A specific set of genes, MAOA and CDH13, better known as the serial killer genes, which Betty also has.

Betty goes to Riverdale General, where Dr. Patel confirms that she does in fact have the serial killer gene. She exits the doctor office and lies to Kevin about not having the gene though.

Betty and Kevin attend the next session. One thing seen in a lot of serial killers are instances of animal cruelty in their youth. Betty recalls her time spent at the Farm, where Polly accused her of killing their cat Caramel. Betty feels overwhelmed and excuses herself from the session, leaving both Kevin and Charles concerned.

Betty walks up to the front door of her house. She finds a little girl in the front yard. The child is her. A much younger Betty grabs a rock and kills a cat with it. Betty then wakes from her sleep as it turns out to be a dream.

During the latest Junior FBI program session, Betty and Kevin take notes as Charles discusses how serial killers leave clues, take trophies, and keep records via journals, dairies, and letters. They see themselves as heroes of their own stories. They struggle with distinguishing fact from fantasy. By studying childhood diaries of serial killers, they gain insight into how their minds work. After the session, Betty returns home and goes through her old diaries.

Betty meets with Kevin at Pop’s, where she reveals to him that she lied about not having the serial killer gene. Also, a repressed memory of Betty’s has recently resurfaced. When she was younger, a car hit her cat. Betty found Caramel on their front yard. She was in pain and dying. Betty went to get her dad for help. He took her back outside and told her to take care of it. He handed Betty a rock and he made her kill Caramel. Kevin tries comfort Betty, reasoning that her dad made her do it, but Betty is finding little comfort in his words. Kevin recommends withdrawing from the program if it's bringing Betty such discomfort.

Betty informs Charles of her plans to quit the program because she’s like every killer from his slideshow, which is how she was able to identify them so easily. She reveals that she has the serial killer gene to Charles. He reasons that’s all the more reason for Betty to stay. To make sense of that side of her. Charles reveals to Betty that he too has the gene. It’s why he joined the FBI. To help control those impulses. Charles believes that like him, Betty can use a career in law enforcement to help harness the darkness.

At the Blue and Gold, Betty informs Kevin that they’re not withdrawing from Charles’ program as she wants to keep a close eye on him to determine if he’s a serial killer. The only places she’s seen him is Pop’s, her house, and the FBI office, leaving her to questions what exactly he does all day. She can’t help but wonder where he goes, where he lives, and why he’s still in Riverdale. Betty’s certain that he’s keeping secrets, so she follows him.

Flash forward to Biology class, Spring semester. Archie, Betty, Veronica, Kevin, Munroe, and Reggie are in class when FP and two sheriff deputies enter the classroom and place Archie, Betty, and Veronica under arrest for Jughead’s murder.

Jughead calls Betty and meets up with her at Pop’s after struggling to write his paper. He explains to Betty that Mr. Chipping assigned the class with writing their own version of a Baxter Brothers novel, but for the first time in his life, Jughead is suffering from writer’s block. Betty advises him to take a break before kissing him.

At the Blue and Gold, Betty shares with Kevin her log of Charles' day. At 7 AM, he leaves the Five Seasons, where he has a suite and goes to the FBI field office. He has all of his meals either at Pop’s or Betty’s house, and then rounding out his daily routine, he goes to the gym for a 90 minute workout, including weekends, before he returns to the Five Seasons. Kevin is unimpressed with Betty’s findings, concluding that Charles is merely a lonely gay guy.

Jughead believes there’s a real life mystery hidden within the Baxter Brothers books. He shares with Betty his conspiracy theory at Pop’s. He explains that while there’s a hoarse voice and overall tone, you can always tell when a new ghost writer takes over. They leave literary fingerprints. So, when he went back to read the first book, he discovered that it’s fingerprints are unlike any of the rest of them. It’s too raw and real. Jughead suspects that DuPont lied about witting the first Baxter Brothers books. He thinks his grandfather wrote the first book, and DuPont wrote the following four books. Jughead believes that his grandfather left him clues to find in sending him the first edition Baxter Brothers book with a message inside saying "Never let them take anything from you."

Much like Jughead, Betty is also following a hunch as she continues her investigation into Charles. She starts by visiting Chic at the Lodge Detention Center. Betty asks Chic about the story he previously told her about living with Charles at the Last Resort Hostel. When she went there, a neighbor told her about seeing bloody sheets in a dumpster and Charles mysteriously vanishing. Chic explains that he and Charles were in a relationship. One time, they brought a friend home and things got out of control after they got high on Jingle Jangle. Charles snapped. He grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed a guy to death.

Betty approaches with the information she gathered from Chic during her visit. While Betty doesn’t trust Charles, she also doesn’t trust Chic enough to go merely off his word. So, she wants to conduct a lie detector test on Charles.

In the student lounge, Archie asks Betty and Veronica if they have any spare arcade games. He hopes to pull the street kids away from Dodger by giving them another option. Although inspiring, not enough people know what Archie is attempting, so Betty offers to write a paper on it at the Blue and Gold. And Veronica will ask her vendors to see if they can wrestle up some arcade games.

Charles hooks himself up to the polygraph machine, and Betty begins her line of questioning. It’s true that Charles and Chic met on the streets when they both were at their lowest. It’s also true that someone was murdered in the room they shared at the hostel. Charles claims he came home one day to find a dead man in their bed. Chic was covered in his blood. Some trick that Chic brought home. Charles’ instincts took over. He dissolved the body with lye in the bathtub, threw out the sheets, and scrubbed the room with bleach as Chic watched. And that was the end of them. Charles left him and started over. Betty then asks if Charles is hiding anything. He reveals that he’s a recovering addict who attends weekly narcotics anonymous meetings at his gym.

Betty gets a call from Jughead after he pulled copies of the school’s literary magazine from the year that his grandfather and DuPont attended. In the table of contents, it lists a story written by Forsythe I, but it was torn out. It’s as if every trace of his writing at Stonewall Prep is gone. Betty asks where his grandfather went to school after Stonewall Prep. Jughead replies that he went to Riverdale High, where there was also a literary magazine. With that in mind, Jughead is on the first train out to Riverdale.

While looking through Riverdale High’s old literary magazines, Betty and Jughead discover a story written by Frosty Pajamas. He suspects it was his grandfather’s pen name. Frosty is almost an anagram for Forsythe and pajamas, also know as PJs, could be for Pendleton Jones. Upon further examination, Jughead concludes it’s the same writing as the first Baxter Brothers book, down to the character names. It was also written years before the first Baxter Brothers novel.

Alice, Charles, and FP confront Betty over visiting Chic at the prison as her visit inspired him to go to his lawyer to contact the FBI to report a murder that happened in the Black Hood’s house, which he claims was committed by Alice. Chic also claims to know the location of the shady man’s burial site. Charles takes the lead on the investigation with assistance from FP. Together, they check the burial site.

FP and Charles return. They took care of the body and ensure Betty and Alice that everything will be okay. As Charles leaves to file the report, Betty apologizes to him.

Betty gets a call from Jughead to see if she still intends to visits him over the break. She does, in spite of the ice storm approaching. Considering that Jughead and Betty will be the only ones on campus, he wants her help as he investigates Chipping’s death. Unbeknownst to Jughead, Bret has eavesdropped on his entire conversation.

Betty arrives at Stonewall Prep just as Jughead finishes up the first chapter for his Baxter Brothers novel. Betty interrupts his writing as she sits on his lap and starts kissing him.

Betty and Jughead lay in bed and discuss the suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr. Chipping’s death, such as how he died shortly after confronting DuPont about the story that Jughead’s grandfather wrote. Jughead suspects that DuPont threatened or blackmailed Chipping into killing himself. Betty questions the motive. Jughead informs her that the Baxter Brothers empire is worth $200,000,000. Certainly a compelling motive. Assuming that is the case, Betty wonders what leverage DuPont could’ve had over Chipping to make him kill himself. Jughead shows Betty two year book photos of DuPont and Chipping, which are decades apart. The single similarity between the two is that they’re both wearing the same tie pen. Apparently, it’s the mark of the "Quill and Skull". One of Stonewall’s oldest secret societies. Jughead suspects that their initiation may involve revealing one’s own deepest, darkest secret, and if this is true, DuPont could’ve used this information to coerce Chipping into suicide. Jughead wonders if any of his current classmates are part of the society. He turned up nothing on Bret’s side of the room though. Suddenly, the room starts to get colder. Jughead jokes this is the part where they freeze and starve the death. However, Betty would rather get back in bed and order Chinese food.

Unfortunately, Betty and Jughead’s plan to order out goes awry as the storm has gotten too bad. Leaving them with the vending machines as their only viable option. Betty asks for cookies, chips, soda, and candy. As he retrieves Betty’s cookies from the vending machine, Jughead is startled by a man wearing a bunny mask with an ax in hand. Jughead asks who he is and what he wants, but he doesn’t answer. Betty sneaks up from behind and knocks him unconscious with a golf club. Donna rushes over to them, also wearing a mask and carrying an ax. The man under the mask is Bret. He and Donna were simply trying to scare Jughead.

Betty stitches up the back of Bret’s head after hitting him with a golf club. Once she finishes, Bret grabs his coat, from where a letter drops out. Jughead partially reads the letter, which appears to be Mr. Chipping’s suicide notes. Bret snatches the letter from Jughead, claiming it was merely an exercise he and Donna did to capture the inner workings of Chipping’s mind. After Bret and Donna leave, Betty questions why they’re still at the academy. Whatever the reason, Jughead isn't buying their story about writing exercises. Betty wonders if maybe they're trying to either get rid of evidence or plant it. So, she devises a plan to get the truth out of them.

Betty and Jughead convene with Donna and Bret to play a game of "Never Have I Ever." Donna starts to game with never having kissed a girl, which Betty drinks to. Betty then says she’s never done drugs, which Bret drinks to. He then says he’s never been in a gang, looking to Jughead. Much to Donna’s surprise, Betty’s also part of a gang, stating that she’s not as sweet as Donna may think. The final play of night, Jughead states how he’s never been part of a secret society. He’s forced to finish off the flask when neither Bret nor Donna cop. Betty then grabs the flask and heads back to Jughead’s room to refill it, or so she claims. Instead, Betty breaks into Donna’s room, where she finds Mr. Chipping’s tie pin. She shares this with Jughead and points out how killers often take something from their victims as a souvenir or trophy.

Jughead accuses Bret and Donna of trying to cover up Chipping’s murder. They’re not as devious as they think given the evidence they left, such as Chipping’s tie pin. Between the suicide note and the tie pin, Betty and Jughead are certain that Bret and Donna are trying to cover something up about Chipping’s murder. Donna storms off, and Betty follows her. Donna tearfully explains that she and Mr. Chipping were having an affair and that he gave her his tie pin. She knew it was wrong, and she didn’t want anyone to get in trouble, so she tried to break it off with him, but he got aggressive. She told him if he didn’t stop she would go to the headmaster. Then the next day, he jumped out a window, which she blames herself for.

Jughead’s left with confused as he’s seeing things differently for the first time. This entire time he thought Bret or DuPont was the bad guy, but it was Chipping, or at least so Donna claims. However, Betty isn’t certain that Donna isn’t playing them. There’s a possibility that the story she told Betty was just to stall them from uncovering the truth. Betty recommends that Jughead speak to the headmaster about everything going on at the school. Jughead agrees. He’s hoping that the storms clears up by the morning so he and Betty can go home for the weekend. Until then, they have sex, completely unaware that there’s a hidden camera in the room recording them.

Betty has constructed a new murder board at the Blue and Gold. She crosses Chipping off, leaving Bret, Donna, Jonathan, and Joan on the board.

Betty, Jughead, Veronica Kevin, Reggie, Munroe, Cheryl, Toni, Mary, FP, and Alice join Archie at the community center as he puts up a plaque in his father’s honor.

Betty is confronted by her mother, who read her mail and discovered that she was rejected by Yale. Concerned with where Betty attention lies, Alice searched her bedroom and discovered birth control pills. Betty refuses to put up with her mother’s overbearing behavior any longer and informs her that they’re no longer on speaking terms.

Following the fall out with her mother, Betty visits Mrs. Burble to discuss her problems. Before they can start, Alice interrupts, though she claims she’s there for insight on how to talk to Betty, who points out her mother’s control complex and overreactions. Alice argues that Betty was rejected from college because she’s too preoccupied with having sex, leaving Mrs. Burble to question if shortcomings is what Alice associates with sexuality. Alice claims that it is Betty who needs an intervention for the disregard for her future. After hearing Alice and Betty go back and forth, Mrs. Burble invites Alice to sit down with them.

Betty admits to hiding things from her mother, however, she feels her mother keeps a lot more hidden from her, such as joining the Farm, not telling her about Charles being alive and working for the FBI. Alice claims that everything she’s kept hidden from Betty was done to protect her. Giving away her college fund however was not intended, though admittedly, Alice was under the Farm’s influence. Adding onto the list of things that she was lied to about, Betty mentions her having the serial killer gene and Polly being committed into the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, where Betty was also committed and force-fed drugs. Betty explains that she started taking birth control because she didn’t want to end up like her mother and sister. Pregnant at 16 and married to a psychopath. Betty fine taking care of herself when Alice abandoned her for the Farm, yet her mother continues to treat her like a child. Alice still perceives Betty as a child, and the things she has written in her diary only heightens Alice’s concern for her. Betty demands that Alice stop invading her privacy and accept that she’s an adult. Mrs. Burble concludes that Betty’s education, her relationship, and behavior, make Alice afraid that she’s growing up. Alice tearfully explains that she’s afraid of losing Betty like she lost Charles and Polly. Betty questions why she’s been the target of her mother’s overwhelming affection. Alice unintentionally reveals that it’s because she loves Betty most.

Betty returns home. Alice is in the kitchen cooking and ask for her help in setting the table. On the table sits Betty's mail, unopened, as well as a check for her college fund. She looks to her mom and tells her she loves her most.

Betty reads Jughead’s version of the Baxter Brothers novel. She’s impressed. Not only has he caught up on his work, he’s done so with college applications as well. He then shows Betty an article he found from 2002. The headline reads "Novelist Theodore Weisel Drowns In Yatching Accident." He was in the Quill and Skull literary society with Jughead’s grandfather. Jughead tracked down all the original members, and Theodore is not the only one who suffered an accident. He pulls up another article from 1978 that reads "Children’s Author Jane Dallas Brown Dies In Automobile Accident." Another one from 1994 involving a jet crash. Alleged mechanical failure. DuPont and Jughead’s grandfather are the only members of the society not dead. Which begs the question are they all horrible, suspicious accidents or murders. In fear for Jughead’s life, Betty wants him to transfer from Stonewall Prep as he may be too close to uncovering something.

Flash forward — FP brings Archie, Betty, and Veronica in for a line up. Bret and Donna identify them as the three individuals they saw kill Jughead.

Betty is woken up from her sleep by her mother, who informs her that Polly mutilated a nurse at Shady Grove. Betty, Alice, FP, and Charles meet in the dinning room, where Charles has actual footage of the attack. He shows it to Betty, who can’t even get through the entire video. Polly seemingly attacked the nurse for no reason. She says that she’ll only talk to Betty. Also, the nurse that Polly disfigured is named Betty.

Betty meets with Polly at Shady Grove. Polly is restrained to her bed. She claims to be unaware of her attack on the nurse. The last thing Polly remembers is being in the rec-room. Next thing she knew, she was being chained to a bed. Polly pleads with Betty to believe her.

Betty tells her mother that she believes Polly story of blacking out and having no memory of attacking the nurse. Betty recalls the doctors at Shady Grove saying that Polly received a phone call about an hour before the incident. Charles is trying to figure out the caller’s identity. The house phone rings. Alice answers. She hangs up the phone, grabs a large kitchen knife from the drawer, and lunges at Betty with the knife. Betty realizes that she’s been hypnotized. She snaps at her mother to wake her from the trance. Alice awakens and remembers nothing of attacking Betty.

Betty and Charles discovers that the calls came from the same place. Shankshaw Prison. Something must’ve been said on those calls that made Alice and Polly enter a trance-like state that turned them into killers. As if they were hypnotized. Betty suspects this is the Farm’s doing. While Edgar is dead, Evelyn is in Shankshaw, where the calls originated from.

Betty visits Evelyn at Shankshaw and confronts her for turning her family against her by calling them and triggering post-hypnotic suggestion. Betty questions how she’s getting them to turn. Evelyn explains that when she delivers the activation, the receiver turns into Betty. They become Betty. When triggered, they try to kill Dark Betty. It was Edgar’s idea. The trigger word is "tangerine." It has to be repeated three times in a row. Betty hangs up the phone on Evelyn before she can say it a third time in fear that it will activate her to kill herself.

Betty meets with Charles and tells him about her latest encounter with Evelyn. She interrupted her before she could say tangerine three times as Betty feared that she may be activated. There’s only one way to find out. Charles wants to activate it while he’s there’s with Betty. He says tangerine three times and nothing happens. He suspects that it may be because she’s already Betty.

Betty stops outside her doorstep. Her younger self emerges from the house and asks if Betty is there to kill her as she killed her cat, Caramel. Betty looks down to her blood covered hands as the world around her darkens. She wakes from her vision, having dug her nails so deep into the palm of her hands that she’s bleeding.

Betty describes the terrifying experience she had to Charles when she saw the red front door. She slipped into a trance. Charles suggests that it may be a combination of Betty hearing the trigger earlier and returning to a familiar setting. What Betty saw, her about to kill Caramel, she thinks that’s when Dark Betty was born. Charles believes that if Betty can go back and stop the birth of Dark Betty, then she’ll essentially be killing her shadow self before she’s even born. Charles says the trigger — tangerine three times. Betty instantly goes into a trance. She walks outside and finds her younger self holding a rock over Caramel. Betty grabs the rock and tells her younger self to go play. She then awakens from the trance.

Betty, Archie, Veronica, and Jughead assemble at Sweetwater River at Cheryl’s behest. They were all with her when she tried to take her life. It’s only fitting that they’re present as she sends Jason off. Toni is also present. Cheryl sets the funeral pyre ablaze, consuming Jason’s body with fire, and Archie and Jughead push it into Sweetwater River. Cheryl holds Toni close and says that she wishes she could’ve met Jason.

Betty gets up out of bed, looks in her mirror and says tangerine three times to trigger whatever hypnosis the Farm may have done to her. Glass shattering can be heard throughout the house. Alice rushes to Betty’s room to investigate. Betty explains that she was making sure the dark part of herself is gone, and it is. The loud glass shattering noise was Betty breaking her mirror.

Flash forward 4 weeks — Betty, Archie, and Veronica stand over Jughead’s body. Archie pronounces him dead and asks Betty what she did. He looks to Betty, who’s holding a rock with her blood soaked hands. }}

Physical Appearance
Betty is a beautiful young woman with pale skin, shoulder length blonde hair that she often wears in a tight ponytail, and soft washed out green eyes that complement her pale skin. Her sartorial taste tends toward very casual yet feminine attire, often wearing skinny jeans, fitted sweaters and pale colors of pink, white and blue. On one occasion, she wore rather revealing lingerie and a black bob cut wig, which was extremely out of character for Betty. This particular moment truly spoke to her state of mind during the incident, which was reflected in her choice of clothing.

Personality
Contrary to her appearance, that being a pretty girl with blonde hair, Betty in no way fits the stereotype of your typical "". In fact, she's a straight-A student, thus making her arguably one of the most intelligent students at Riverdale High School. Not to mention she's an overachiever. Betty strived to be the perfect student, daughter, and sister simply to please everyone around her.

Many often view her as the perfect girl next door, a phrase that she hates as it couldn't be any further from the truth. Mentally, Betty suffers from issues far worse than she lets on. She occasionally struggles with her anger and aggression, often resulting in her clenching her fist so intensely that she leaves scars on her palms. This isn't the only instance of Betty losing control. She once dressed up in dark lingerie and a black wig to force Chuck Clayton into admitting that he lied about his date with Veronica. During this incident, Betty appeared to have lost herself within the person she was becoming. Just for a moment, she believed she was Polly and that Chuck was Jason. In spite of all the darkness that surrounds Betty, she is still a loving person that people love to have at their side.

Betty also shows a great deal of strength, courage and nerve. She is constantly fighting for her friends and family and will do whatever it takes to defend her loved ones. She often is impulsive and gets herself in situations that could have been thought out. She isn't afraid to stand her ground and stand up for herself and even threaten people should the time call for it. She even drove a motorcycle at a very fast pace to mislead the police chasing Archie, undergoing a rough terrain of the woods, showing her nerve and skill on driving such vehicles.

She also is a person who likes to put the extra effort in when it comes to the people she cares about. Like when she and Archie were kids growing up, she hated the fact that the two of them would be in different grades, since Archie was doing terrible with some of his courses. So Betty worked with Archie by tutoring him until he passed the grade, just so they would be in the same grade together. She even went out of her way to give her boyfriend, Jughead, a 16th birthday party, after she was told that he never had one. This can often be bad, however, which is shown when she blackmails Cheryl with a recording of Jason Blossom's Death in order to make her testify for FP Jones

A child of two journalists, Betty has developed formidable sleuthing skills and an unyielding dedication to the truth at any cost, even personal risk. This is repeatedly shown throughout the show as she digs deeper into the mysteries that plague the town. Betty is strong and brave when it comes to telling the truth when she is determined to do so. When trying to prove FP Jones innocence when he got arrested. Despite what even after being humiliated for writing and releasing that article she wrote on FP Jones. She didn't let that stop her from speaking the truth at the 75th Anniversary Jubilee.

Relationships

 * Betty and Veronica
 * Betty and Archie
 * Betty and Jughead
 * Betty and Kevin
 * Betty and Cheryl
 * Betty and Alice
 * Betty and Hal
 * Betty and Polly
 * Betty and Chuck

Toni Topaz
The relationship between Toni and Betty is rather quite complicated at the moment. When the two first met face to face with each other at Southside High inside of The Red and Black office, they appeared to be on good terms with each other. However, the two girls had an argument, when they were by Sunnyside Trailer Park, with Kevin and Jughead, trying to decipher the cipher that was from the Black Hood. The argument first began when Toni called out Betty for thinking that the idea of the Black Hood was a Serpent, looking down on Southsiders as criminals, due to there status. Ever since that day, the two ladies weren't seen to cross paths with each other, until recently, at the Whyte Wyrm, when Betty came to Toni seeking out advice from her on how to become a Serpent to keep an eye on Jughead.

Trev Brown
Despite the two of them growing up in Riverdale, Betty and Trev's relationship didn't pick up until Ethel Muggs brought him into The Blue and Gold because Trev claimed that he had information pertaining to Chuck Clayton and the Riverdale Bulldogs. Trev informed Betty that he was on the team but he quit upon the discovery of Chuck's playbook, which Trev then revealed the location of. In addition to this, Betty and Trev had one last exchange, in which they went on a "date" at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, where Trev explained that abnormalities surrounding Jason Blossom's behavior in the weeks leading to his death. Betty and Trev have not interacted since, but they remain friends.

Trivia

 * Betty's literary hero is.
 * Betty takes Adderall (dextroamphetamine), commonly known to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.
 * Betty has an inner darkness that causes her to clench her fists that leave scars on her inner hand.
 * Like her father, Betty has not only shown an interest, but the skill to be a mechanic. This is shown when she talks to him about Polly and also when preparing for the drag race.
 * Betty is a talented singer.
 * Betty lost her virginity to Jughead in Chapter Twenty-Five: The Wicked and The Divine.