| “ | The first thing that happened after the wedding, is the living buried their dead. Among the firstborns who'd perished as a result of Percival's attack, Archie, Toni, Fangs, Dagwood, Nana Rose, and me, your humble narrator. [...] I'll let you in on a secret. We weren't quite yet worm food. This funeral, a misdirect, to lull Percival into a false sense of security. Oh, we were dead, but our bodies were currently in Dr. Curdle's deep freeze, preserved and not yet decomposing. The plan was simple. Convince Percival we were six feet under while our surviving loved ones mourned our passing, when in fact, they were biding their time until we could be resurrected. | ” |
— Jughead
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"Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: The Witches of Riverdale" is the nineteenth episode of the sixth season of Riverdale and the one hundredth and fourteenth episode of the series overall.[2]
Synopsis[]
SABRINA SPELLMAN (GUEST STAR KIERNAN SHIPKA) COMES TO TOWN — When several of their own fall prey to Percival's latest plan, Cheryl calls upon fellow witch Sabrina Spellman for help. Elsewhere, Percival gives Reggie an ultimatum.[2]
Plot[]
The funeral
Those who survived the plague, primarily Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, Tabitha, and Heather, were forced to bury their dead. Archie, Jughead, Toni, Fangs, Dagwood, and Nana Rose were among the firstborns who perished from the plague. Percival and Frank stop by the cemetery to pay their respects, but the women are grief-stricken, revealing that along with their friends, Baby Anthony also perished in the plague. However, unbeknownst to Percival, the funeral is merely a misdirect to prevent him from learning that they are actually in the middle of resurrecting the fallen.
Heather tells the gang about Sabrina
After the funeral, the gang convenes at Thornhill, where they watch the news as Alice comes up with a cover story for those who died in the plague, reporting that they were casualties as a result of the war between the Southside Serpents and Ghoulies. Tabitha suspects this is also why Percival didn't kill every firstborn in town, because it would be too difficult of a task to cover up hundreds, if not thousands of deaths. Regarding Sabrina, Heather explains that she's on her way, but she's quite a busy witch, "Cheerleader by day, Queen of hell by night." Unfortunately, they don't have much time before they miss their opportunity to bring their friends back. Heather elaborates that the resurrection ritual they're attempting must be performed within three days of a person's death, otherwise the body becomes too corrupt to animate, and two days have already passed. Fortunately, Percival suspects nothing and is unaware that Baby Anthony is alive, though they're still not sure why he's alive, or even why Kevin is still alive for that matter.
Kevin pulls Betty to the side and tells her that Percival kept him alive because he wants to punish Kevin for his betrayal, which is why Kevin intends to leave town. He's heading to New York, where Moose is waiting. He tells Betty that he's sorry and embraces her before fleeing.
Percival has arranged for Reggie to take over the casino
Reggie has returned from Rome with the Daggers of Megiddo, at Percival's behest. He explains that these blades contain immense arcane power. However, Reggie isn't interested in his blades, only the fact that he's come home to learn that his friends are dead, though Percival informs him of the silver lining. With Veronica so grief stricken, he took the liberty of calling an emergency board meeting and suggested that Reggie be installed as CEO, effective immediately.
Betty gets off the phone with Archie's mom, who had a bad feeling about Archie and has been calling him non-stop, leading Veronica to wonder what they're even going to tell people if their plan doesn't work, but Tabitha insists that it will. Veronica then questions where their friends souls are, to which Heather replies that they're in the Sweet Hereafter.
Archie's heaven
Archie's heaven consists of him being married to Betty, with whom he has two children, a girl named little Polly and a boy named little Fred. Meanwhile, a simple booth at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, where he receives an endless supply of burgers while working on his comics, is what Jughead considers heaven. Just downstairs, Toni and Fangs have their own little piece of heaven as well, where the two of them sign a peace treaty with Twyla Twyst and the Ghoulies, signifying the end of the gang war. Cheers to a more unified Riverdale, Fangs declares, especially for their son Anthony, and Twyla's son Timmy, both of whom are much older.
Kevin packs a bag and exits his room at the Babylonium in hopes of leaving town, only to be apprehended by Tom and Frank, who claim that Percival has a couple of questions to ask him.
Reggie calls his dad and invites him down to the casino to play a few hands.
Sabrina arrives at Thornhill with a broom in hand. Cheryl welcomes her at the front door and escorts her inside.
Betty, Veronica, and Tabitha become witches
Heather introduces Sabrina to Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, and Tabitha as a special witch who specializes in death magic. After she died a few years ago, her boyfriend, Nick Scratch, sacrificed himself to bring her back from the dead as a way to rebalance the scales. That experience of being resurrected is what made her specialize in necromancy. Unfortunately, Nick had to stay behind in the Sweet Hereafter, where Sabrina suspects that everyone else is, as well. Sabrina further explains that they'll need to move fast and that it will require a coven of at least six witches to perform the resurrection. Cheryl, Heather, and Sabrina make three. And while Betty, Veronica, and Tabitha may not be witches, they have developed powers, and according to Sabrina, all powerful, destructive women have the potential to become witches. So she seeks to make it official.
Step 1: they sign their name in a book of witchcraft, the Malleus Maleficarum in this case.
Step 2: they pledge allegiance to Hecate, the feminine ideals of maiden, mother, and crone.
Step 3: they dance. Ideally, this would be around a bond fire in the woods, but given what little time they have, they settle for an impromptu living room dance party.
Betty agrees to take Sabrina to the bodies
After completing all three steps and officially becoming witches, Cheryl, Sabrina, and Heather welcome Betty, Veronica, and Tabitha into the sisterhood of night. Sabrina decides to do a trial run and focus on a single resurrection, with Betty agreeing to take her to the bodies in the morgue. In the meantime, everyone else will need to conjure up a portal, which will act as a passageway to the Sweet Hereafter. Once they have the corpse, Sabrina, as a certified death walker, will cross over into the afterlife and coax the soul in question back into their body. Sabrina then asks Betty if she has her own broom or if she would like to ride with her.
Reggie and Marty play a few games at the Babylonium, where Marty's illness continues to weigh on him, though he insists that he's fine and assures Reggie that he's enjoying himself.
Jughead's corpse
Betty has taken Sabrina to the morgue, where she has narrowed down their test run to either Archie or Jughead. After looking over them both, she decides to start with Jughead. And so, Betty and Sabrina take Jughead's corpse back to Thornhill, where Sabrina explains that once she finds Jughead, she'll tell him what happen and allow him to decide if he wants to come back, as she can't force him to return to his body. Before she goes through the portal, Tabitha asks Sabrina to relay a message to Jughead, that she misses him. Sabrina agrees, and then Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, Tabitha, and Heather recite the ritual from the Malleus Maleficarum, allowing Sabrina to cross over.
Sabrina asks Jughead to come back
Sabrina's has entered the Sweet Hereafter, where she finds Jughead in a booth at Pop's. She explains who she is and how she is a witch who was sent to reunite him with his body. However, Jughead doesn't wish to return to the mortal realm, even as Sabrina tries to tell him that he died prematurely and that the final battle has yet to come. Jughead turns Sabrina away, reasoning that he's currently in his ideal version of Riverdale, where there are only burgers and comics, not to mention that he can hear again. While Jughead misses Tabitha, he's sure they will see each other again. Sabrina has no choice but to accept Jughead wishes, but before leaving, she asks Jughead for a favor.
Percival tries to use his powers on Kevin
Percival enters the safe at the Babylonium to find Kevin restrained inside. He attempts to use his powers to force Kevin to reveal what his friends are up to at Thornhill, but Kevin uses the memories of his friends as an anchor and resists Percival's powers of persuasion, simply telling Percival to kill him instead.
Sabrina returns from the Sweet Hereafter with who they initially suspect to be Jughead. However, Sabrina reveals that she instead brought back Nick, who is temporarily inhabiting Jughead's body.
Sabrina brings Nick back in Jughead's body
Tabitha is irate, but Sabrina reveals that Jughead refused to leave the Sweet Hereafter, explaining to the ladies that it's perfectly understandable why he wouldn't want to leave heaven. Additionally, she merely borrowed Jughead's body with his consent. Also, Nick is a necromancer, and they're going to need his help for their next attempt at bringing everyone back. However, this time, they will be going inside to get their loved ones, as they may have more success than Sabrina given their emotional ties. But since they're not necromancers, Sabrina will have to summon Charon, also known as the Ferryman, to help them crossover. Upon learning that they're all going to have to die to crossover, Cheryl volunteers to go in for Toni, Fangs, Nana Rose, and Dagwood, while Tabitha intends to go in for Jughead and Betty for Archie. However, both Sabrina and Nick notice a strange energy about Betty that might prevent her from crossing over. While no one has cursed her or damned her soul, Betty reveals that she was recently likened to the Harlot of Babylon, which Sabrina and Nick both agree would prevent her from entering heaven. And so, although reluctant, Veronica agrees to die and pull Archie back from heaven in Betty's place.
Percival calls on Reggie for a favor. He wants Reggie to execute Kevin as a message to all those who would oppose him. Reggie is reluctant, given his and Kevin's history, but Percival insists that it must be done. Should Reggie comply, his father will receive Kevin's heart.
The Ferryman
Veronica, Cheryl, and Tabitha lay on the floor, surrounded by candles as Nick recites the Ferryman summoning ritual while Betty, Sabrina, and Heather place silver coins over their eyes as payment for Charon. Sabrina continues the ritual, and the Ferryman exits the portal to guide Betty, Veronica, and Tabitha's spirits to the Sweet Hereafter. While Betty and Heather watch over the bodies, Sabrina and Nick sneak off for a quick date.
Veronica tries to convince Archie
Veronica arrives in Archie's Sweet Hereafter, greeting him at the front door with a hug. She reveals that he's dead and that they need him back to continue the fight against Percival. However, Archie is reluctant, believing that his place is with Betty and the kids. Veronica explains that the real Betty needs him and that they're fighting for peace in the real Riverdale, but Archie insists that his heaven is the real Riverdale. Betty then arrives and invites Veronica to dinner, but she has to leave, though not before asking Archie to at least think about what she said.
Cheryl pleads with Toni
Anthony reveals to Toni and Fangs that he and Tommy Twyst are in love and that they plan to get married, which his parents are more than accepting of. Anthony is relieved by their enthusiasm, but Cheryl interrupts and reveals to Toni and Fangs that Percival killed them at their wedding and that they're in their own version of heaven. Cheryl pleads with them to return to their bodies, but Fangs isn't convinced, suspecting that this is merely a ploy by Cheryl to get in between them. Toni is a bit of a skeptic as well, claiming that they got married and went on their honeymoon to the Poconos. Cheryl insists that she didn't come to create chaos, but Fangs suspects that's exactly what she intended to do, similar to how she tried to come in between Polly and Jason when they got married, which leaves Cheryl shaken, though before she leaves, she implores Toni to at least think about what she said.
Tabitha and Raphael
Tabitha arrives at Pop's and finds Jughead in the middle of a book signing for the fans of his comics. Seeing how happy he is, Tabitha decides to allow him to enjoy his heaven for a bit longer and takes a seat at the bar, where she is joined by her guardian angel Raphael. While they wait, Raphael offers to bring Tabitha up to speed on a few things.
Polly and Jason are married
Cheryl heads over to Thornhill, where she finds Jason, Polly, Dagwood, and Nana Rose. Teary-eyed, she asks how they are doing. Polly says that the maple business is booming and in even better news, she reveals that they're pregnant with triplets. Cheryl cannot believe that Polly and Jason are in front of her and says that she misses them. Polly offers for Cheryl to stay with them, but she knows that her time in the Sweet Hereafter is only temporary.
Sabrina and Nick kick
While on their date, Sabrina and Nick discuss where they go from here. She proposes that they run away together, leaving everything behind, including Greendale, the coven, and her aunts. However, Nick knows that they have no true future together, as death would come for them, and they'd both get dragged away. Sabrina still hasn't forgiven Nick or her aunties for tricking her into this situation, but Nick explains that the realms needed Sabrina and that he made the right decision. He reminds Sabrina of an old saying from her aunt Zelda that "witches don't cry."
Marty is ready to die
Reggie and his dad celebrate him taking over the casino, but they both know Marty won't be around much longer to see it, though Reggie claims that he's got something in the works to get his father a new heart. While there's nothing he'd love more than to spend more time with Reggie, Marty is ready to face his mortality after examining his life. He was neither a good father nor husband, but he wants to make sure he faces his death with dignity and honor.
Sabrina says goodbye to Nick as the Psychopomps begin to gather. Nick tells Sabrina that he loves her from death and beyond, to which she replies that she loves him forever and always, before laying him down and kissing him goodbye, as he returns to the Sweet Hereafter.
Reggie debates his concious
Reggie is frustrated and uncertain what to do next, given that his father doesn't want the heart and that Percival is waiting for him to execute Kevin. Reggie's conscious appears to him as a doll to talk him through this dilemma. He can't kill Kevin, but Reggie fears what will happen to him if he doesn't. His conscious instructs him to get his dad and Kevin and leave town. Percival thinks that he knows what Reggie wants by offering him money and power, but what he really wants is to be the hero.
The gang regroups
Veronica, Cheryl, and Tabitha have returned to their bodies after failing to bring their friends back. Unlike Veronica and Cheryl, Tabitha simply couldn't bring herself to pull Jughead away. Clearly, they're beyond the phase of trying to gently coax their friends back to the mortal realm. Sabrina needs to forcefully bring them back before it's too late. Fortunately, she has a plan, one that heavily relies on Cheryl, who Sabrina senses an extraordinary ability within. Her pyrokinesis is only the first manifestation of a much more potent gift; Cheryl possesses the power of the Phoenix.
Sabrina reveals that Cheryl possesses the power of the Phoenix
Sabrina explains that the Phoenix dies in flames and is reborn from the ashes of its death. Individuals with the phoenix's powers are rare, and they have the gift of resurrection. They'll essentially be ripping their friends from the Sweet Hereafter, but Heather warns them that souls may return incomplete, or infected with some kind of malignancy. Those returned, may also resent them for the rest of their lives. Nevertheless, Sabrina will give Cheryl the necromancy incantation to tap on into her Phoenix ability while the rest of them gather the bodies into one place, where Cheryl will make things hot enough for them to combust, allowing them to rise from the ashes.
Reggie and Marty break Kevin out of the safe, but before they can escape, they're apprehended by Percival, Tom, Frank, and several deputies, all armed with guns.
Cheryl resurrects her friends
The dead have been gathered and placed on pyres in the mines, where Cheryl begins to recite the Phoenix resurrection spell. Meanwhile, in the Sweet Hereafter, Archie is preparing to return to his body after giving what Veronica said some thought when suddenly, he begins to burn up from the inside. Elsewhere, Toni and Fangs are heating up as well. They, too, are coming to the consensus that they are dead after Toni discovers that there aren't any photos beyond their wedding. At Pop's, much like his friends, Jughead begins to feel the fire as well. Back in the mortal realm, the flames around Cheryl turn blue as she calls on the Phoenix's power to resurrect her friends. And within moments, they rise from the blue flames.
Sabrina regrets not getting the chance to see Cheryl in action, though she's happy that everything worked out. However, she hopes that Cheryl doesn't get in trouble for what she did, warning her that death doesn't like to be cheated.
Jughead can hear
Tabitha apologizes to Jughead for pulling him from heaven. However, it's in talking to Tabitha that Jughead realizes that he's regained his hearing and maintained his powers of mind reading, which at least cushions the blow of his return to the mortal realm. Tabitha suspects that Cheryl's Phoenix powers reset his systems and gave him the ability to hear again. Jughead then recalls the moment before he died, when he was in the bunker and saw another Jughead.
Cheryl brought back Jason and Polly
Heather asks Cheryl about the Sweet Hereafter. She reveals that it was painful at first, especially seeing her family happy without her. She couldn't help but think, "what if they were given a second chance, too." But Heather warns her they were gone for too long. However, Cheryl replies that she had to try nonetheless, revealing to Heather that she resurrected Polly and Jason.
Archie tells Betty about his Sweet Hereafter and how they had two kids. Being married to her and having a family was literally his heaven.
Tabitha reveals that Veronica's romantic future with Archie is up for grabs
Tabitha checks in on Veronica, as everyone else is happily reunited while she's alone, dealing with the fact that Betty and Archie are endgame. Tabitha explains that while in a lot of future scenarios, Betty and Archie are endgame, in an almost equal number of scenarios, Veronica and Archie are endgame, meaning their romantic future is up for grabs.
Accompanied by Tom and Frank, Percival visits Kevin, Reggie, and Marty in the safe, where he reveals that he intends to execute the three of them. Once they're alone, Reggie reveals that before coming to bust them out, he grabbed an insurance policy from the shop, one of Percival's daggers.
Tabitha heads over to Toni and Fangs' apartment, where she reveals that she learned a few things during her visit to the Sweet Hereafter, primarily that Baby Anthony didn't die from the plague because he's immortal. Raphael also told her that she's Riverdale's guardian angel.
Cast[]
Starring[]
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Guest Starring[]
Co-Starring[]
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Soundtrack[]
- Fred Astaire - Cheek To Cheek
- Paul Anka, Bobby Darin & Duane Eddy - Diana / Splish Splash / Rebel Rouser
- DOROTHY - Touched By Fire
- Scene: Reggie and Marty at the Babylonium.
- The Everly Brothers - Wake up Little Susie
- Scene: Sabrina meets Jughead in The Sweet Hereafter
- Raun Burnham, Jerry Burnham - Guardian Angel
- Pat Boone - Don't Forbid Me
- Scene: Cheryl reunites with Jason Blossom and Polly.
- Andrew Oye - Italian Mandolin
- Scene: Sabrina and Nick have dinner.
Trivia[]
- The episode title refers to Betty, Veronica, Cheryl, Tabitha, Heather, Sabrina and their make-shift coven.
- The episode title was the draft title for the first story arc of The Occult World of Sabrina.
- Hannah Bos and Brock Brown, who portray Betty and Archie's children in the Sweet Hereafter, previously portrayed Betty and Archie younger versions.
- In the Sweet Hereafter, Jughead is working on a collection of comics, namely the Madhouse Glads series, in which Sabrina made her debut during issue #22.
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
Screencaps[]
Videos[]
