| “ | How many times have you wondered? If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Because, of course, no one ever thinks about the downside to having superpowers. The piercing headaches and blind spots. The kisses of death. The strange, debilitating vulnerabilities you develop. | ” |
— Jughead
| ||
"Chapter One Hundred and Nine: Venomous" is the fourteenth episode of the sixth season of Riverdale and the one hundredth and ninth episode of the series overall.[2] It premiered on May 15, 2022.
Synopsis[]
TOXIC — With palladium acting as his personal kryptonite, Archie decides he must build up his tolerance if he's going to stand a chance against Percival. Betty turns to Jughead for help uncovering some repressed memories from her childhood. Meanwhile, Veronica deals with a bombshell discovery that effects how she interacts with people around her, and Cheryl debates whether she should reach out to a former childhood crush.[3]
Plot[]
Reggie and Percival confront Archie
As Jughead goes through his old comic book collection, Betty takes a trip down memory lane herself when she picks up an old family photo album, though she's finding it hard to concentrate due to the constant migraines from her powers. Meanwhile, Veronica is coming to terms with her manifesting abilities, and in doing so, she makes a wardrobe change, trading in her typically high-end attire for an all-black, head-to-toe ensemble. Elsewhere, Archie is confronted by Percival and Reggie outside of Pop's. Percival still intends to demolish the diner to make room for his new railroad. Archie retorts that Percival will have to go through him first, but Percival won't be intimidated, especially now that he has a ring made completely out of palladium. And he doubts Archie's body or bruised ego can survive another round with him.
Cheryl asks her 8-ball
Cheryl is debating consulting the spirits for guidance. Given recent events, her mind has turned to the past, namely her junior high sweetheart Heather. Cheryl stalked her on social media and discovered that she's a librarian in Greendale. Cheryl can't help but think that their story isn't finished. However, Nana Rose argues that Heather is gone and that Cheryl should let her be. Instead, Cheryl looks to her magic 8-ball for answers. The 8-ball replies, "Cannot predict now." And in that case, Cheryl decides to simply email Heather.
Archie and Jughead discuss Superman
With Tabitha still in Albany, hitting dead end after dead end. Archie is becoming frustrated with the fact that they're playing constant defense and can never get the one-up on Percival. When Jughead begins talking about his comic book collection and how he contains multitudes, Archie has déjà vu of his and Jughead's Rivervale counterparts having a similar conversation. Jughead asked his mom for all these old comics from Toledo. After being reminded how his grandpa died, having only written one novel, Jughead figured it would be good for him to get back into writing. Archie wonders how Superman beat Kryptonite. Jughead recalls he simply built an immunity by exposing himself. Archie intends to do the same with palladium and suspects that Cheryl may still have some.
Veronica goes to Dr. Curdle Jr.
Dr. Curdle Jr. informs Veronica that her body is generating enormous amounts of toxins; not from just her lips, it's in her tears, her blood, and her perspiration as well. He suggests a strict regimen of dialysis to detoxify and hopefully lower the amount of poison in her body, and until they do, Dr. Curdle tells Veronica to limit contact with everyone in the outside world, as she still presents a danger to those around her.
Betty asks for Jughead to read her mind
Betty seeks out Jughead's help and asks if he can read her subconscious mind and rummage for memories she may her repressed. Jughead doesn't know if he's capable of this, but a lot of TBK related trauma resurfaced for Betty during the fog, and then Percival's stunt with the library books brought up issues from her past with her dad. Betty feels as though she's an open wound that can't be stitched back up until she can find the missing pieces. Jughead reluctantly agrees, but first he must do some research on deep mind reading.
Archie gets palladium from Cheryl
Archie visits Cheryl at Thornhill in hopes that she still has some palladium. Fortunately for him, she does. However, she warns Archie that he's playing with forces beyond his understanding and the natural world, as he doesn't know where his powers come from or why palladium weakens him but not anyone else with powers. Cheryl isn't sure chasing immunity is worth the risk ahead, but Archie doesn't believe he has any other choice, given that Percival knows of his weakness. Luckily for him, that's where Cheryl comes in, as she does have experience with the supernatural and can divine a pathway for Archie, without it costing him his life.
Archie weighs himself at the community center before placing the palladium necklace around his neck and beginning his training regimen. However, halfway through his workout on the punching bag, his hands begin bleeding.
Veronica gets word that Mr. Shipley is refusing to push the shareholders meeting. With or without her, they intend to meet.
Cheryl asks Nana Rose for her book
Cheryl asks Nana Rose if she's seen her book on Rasputin. Nana Rose admits that she has, and Cheryl asks for it back, as it may contain important information to help her save Archie. Nana Rose suspects that Cheryl's merely trying to distract herself from the fact that Heather hasn't responded to her email yet, sarcastically remarking that in her experience, people tended to respond to emails rather quickly. "In your experience, people also communicated by pigeon. Now get my Russian tome, you Baba Yaga," Cheryl replies.
Betty scolds Archie
Archie hides his bruised hands in his jacket when Betty comes down to join him in the kitchen. But with her growing suspicious after he asks her to open a can for him, Archie displays his bruised hands. She scolds Archie and fears that he's going to hurt himself, though Archie is quite concerned as well, as it was just a regular work out, yet it took a toll on him. Before he developed his powers, he could tear into a punching bag with ease, but this time around, it felt like he was punching nails. Betty explains that it's because of the palladium around his neck and tells him to take it off, but Archie refuses, as he can't be weak in the face of Percival.
Veronica at the shareholders meeting
Veronica arrives at her shareholders meeting, dressed in all black, topped with a black funeral veil, much to Reggie's amusement. Veronica claims she was feeling germophobic, but since they've forced her hand, she's decided to attend the meeting, where Reggie reminds her that he's a co-founder of the Babylonium and that he and the shareholders have a lot of concerns. For starters, they're questioning her decision to remove him from day-to-day operations. There's also the fact that no one has seen a return on their investments. Lastly, he remarks that Veronica looks insane. Veronica reminds the shareholders that they all knew the first year would be the most difficult, and every week, they move towards profitability. Nevertheless, they found a buyer for the casino, but Veronica warns them against selling now and asks for a few days to put together a new company evaluation.
Jughead goes into Betty's memory
Jughead convenes with Betty after doing a deep dive on memory reading. Betty simply has to think of her memories as something visual, like a series of comic books. In her mind, they'll organize these memories into a collection, which Jughead can then access and read. Betty takes a deep breath as Jughead grabs her hands to establish physical contact and begins searching through her memories. He finds himself sitting at a desk with a collection of comic book, each containing a memory. The first comic he picks up is of Jughead climbing through Betty's window sophomore year and kissing her for the first time. The next memory he looks through is from junior year, when they were taking care of the twins and Betty expressed her concern that she possibly inherited her father's evil ways. Jughead goes a bit deeper and finds the memory of Betty at Pop's with her dad after he forced her to kill her cat with a rock. Jughead watches as Hal asks young Betty how it felt to kill Caramel and if she felt excitement. Jughead shares this discovery with Betty, realizing that her dad was grooming her to be a killer. Betty wants Jughead to continue. She's lived with darkness her whole life, but she needs to know where it started.
Cheryl finds Archie on his deathbed from the palladium around his neck; he's sweating and extremely pale. Cheryl snatches the necklace from around his neck and reveals that she's whipped up some palladium soup. The raw ore is too intense for him. He has to titrate his exposure.
Veronica poisons Reggie
Veronica confronts Reggie about the ambush at the shareholders meeting. She accuses him of being in cahoots with Percival and suspects that the entire play to sell the casino was Percival's idea. Reggie is insulted that Veronica doesn't think he is capable of making his own moves. Despite what she may think of him, he called the meeting himself, he rallied the shareholders, and he lined up the buyer. Veronica suspects that his bitterness stems from their breakup and goes in on Reggie, insulting his intelligence and integrity. However, the more angry she becomes, the more venom she releases, causing Reggie to have a nose bleed and forcing her to flee.
Archie collapses
Archie is working out at the community center after drinking Cheryl's palladium soup. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for the palladium to take effect, and Archie collapses.
Veronica heads to the coroner's office to inform Dr. Curdle Jr. that the dialysis isn't working, as she gave Reggie a nose bleed. Dr. Curdle confirms this further when he reveals that her latest toxicology report revealed that the toxins in her body have increased. Dr. Curdle Jr. doesn't see how this ends other than Veronica succumbing to the very same toxins that her body is producing.
Cheryl calls Heather
Cheryl shakes her magic 8-ball to ask if she should call Heather after she's failed to respond to Cheryl's email. The 8-ball replies, "Ask again later." And so, Cheryl decides to call the library where Heather works instead. However, when Heather answers, Cheryl panics and hangs up the phone without saying a word.
Archie awakens after having fainted and learns that he weighs 135 lbs. Alarmingly, he hasn't weighed that low since junior high.
Jughead in Betty's memory
Betty and Jughead reconvene for a second round of him searching through her repressed memories. This time, he finds young Betty eavesdropping on a conversation between her mother and father. Hal reveals to Alice that she has the MAOA mutation, otherwise known as the serial killer gene. Alice is reasonably alarmed, but Hal is pleased, especially with the notion that Betty may have it as well. Jughead reports his discovery to Betty, who becomes upset at her mom for lying to her. Betty fears that may not be the worst of it, but she gets a call from Veronica, who got some rough news and asks if Betty can meet her for a drink.
Veronica tells Archie and Betty about her powers
Archie heads home and dumps Cheryl's palladium soup down the sink before getting a call from Betty, who invites him to get drinks with her and Veronica. They meet at the Wyrm, where Veronica reveals she's cursed with the kiss of death. Betty isn't worried though, as Veronica doesn't have an aura, meaning they aren't in any danger from her. Still, Veronica is struggling to adapt, as is Archie, revealing that he was losing strength and density from Cheryl's soup. Veronica suspects they have Percival to thank for their powers, but Archie and Betty's powers came from the explosion in his room. Not that it matter, as Veronica is literally toxic. Even touching someone could kill them. And to add insult to injury, she's facing a hostile take over at work, and the worst part of all of this is that her last non-lethal kiss before Heraldo's death, was with Reggie. And now, for as long as she lives, that's going to be her last, meaningful human contact. When Veronica calls for another round, they realize that she's had more shots than Archie and Betty combined. Furthermore, she doesn't even feel the effects of alcohol at all.
Archie's hair is falling out
Archie awakens the following morning and discovers that his hair is falling out. He immediately rushes over to Thornhill to seek a remedy from Cheryl, as his symptoms suggest acute anemia, at least according to Dr. Curdle. Jr. This would mean the levels of metal in Archie's blood are practically non-existent, which would account for his plummeting weight. Cheryl believes the palladium he drank neutralized the other metals in his body, compromising him. He's now poisoned his body, and all he can do for the time being is replenish his iron-depleted system whilst she searches for answers.
Betty confronts Alice
Betty confronts her mother for lying to her about the serial killer gene. At the Farm, Alice and Polly claimed that Betty was the only member who had the gene, but Betty confronts Alice with the intel she learned from Jughead. She also accuses her mother of allowing her father to groom her to become a murderer. Alice insists that didn't happen and that this is merely the result of Betty's persecution complex.
Veronica asks Cheryl for an assortment of poisonous plants
Cheryl has prepared an assortment of poisonous plants for Veronica to test out a theory that the toxin her body produces is making her immune to other poisons. Cheryl remarks that there's no shame in having one's stomach pumped, to which Veronica replies that she'll have a private ambulance on standby. She also asks if Cheryl has any books on spiders, which she does.
Betty wants to confront her mom
Now that they've look around Betty's subconsciousness, it's time they do the same with her mom, in order to find out what she's hiding from Betty. Jughead isn't sure about this plan, but Betty grants Jughead her permission. She's certain that her mother is hiding something, maybe even proof that she knew Betty's dad was grooming her or that he was the Black Hood.
Jughead reads Alice's memories as Betty confronts her
Betty takes Jughead up to the news station to confront her mother about the lies she's been told her entire life. Betty asks what's the worst thing that's happened in their house that her mother has kept hidden. Alice claims that she's not hiding anything, but Jughead reads her mind and discovers that she and Hal hid something under the floorboards beneath the table. Once they have what they need, Betty and Jughead head to Pop's, where he reveals that whatever Alice is hiding, is underneath the floorboards in the dining room. Betty then gets a call from Archie, who tells her that Cheryl wants to meet with them both to discuss her new plan.
Cheryl has a solution for Archie
Archie and Betty meet with Cheryl, who came across an ancient spell of transmutation in an alchemy book. While ancient alchemist failed to create a formula that could turn basic metals into gold, they did succeed in turning gold into iron. What is palladium but white gold, Cheryl notes. If used on Archie, it could potentially neutralize the palladium that has seeped into his body by turning it into iron, which Archie's body so desperately craves. Moreover, if she applies a certain amount of heat to his body, Archie can be forged, strengthened and perhaps made impervious to palladium. Archie is eager to get the spell under way, but Betty asks of the side effects. With Archie in a weakened state, the heat needed for forging may kill him, but with the palladium already killing him, Archie agrees, though he would like one last night with Betty first.
Veronica eats poisonous berries while taking a bath and reading a book about spiders. Meanwhile, back at Archie's, he and Betty are having a night of intimacy in the living room, surrounded by candles and pillows.
The next day, Betty and Jughead grab a couple of crowbars and begin breaking up the floorboards beneath the dining room table.
Cheryl gifts Veronica her brooch
Veronica has survived the night and feels perfectly normal, confirming her theory that she's immune to poison. Also, according to Cheryl's book, spiders don't ever poison themselves and most spiders can control the amount of venom they secrete, meaning that Veronica can learn to control her ability. She's noticed that when she's filled with passion, anger, lust, fear, or despair, and her body is producing endorphins and adrenaline, that that's when she's at her most dangerous. So, as long as she learns to control her emotions, she can go back to living normally. Cheryl then looks down to her iconic spider brooch and gifts it to Veronica, telling her that while she may be venomous, she's also resilient.
Alice is confronted with the truth
Under the floorboards beneath the dining room table, Betty has uncovered the corpse of a police officer and waits for her mother to come home to confront her. Alice and the girls had just gotten back from apple picking when Hal sent the girls upstairs and asked for Alice's help in disposing the body of a deputy who had come around asking questions about his suspicious activities. Alice initially wanted to call the police, but Hal threatened to blame the murder on her. Because she didn't want to lose the girl and didn't want their family to implode, Alice helped him. And so, Betty asks once more if her mother knew that her father was grooming her. Alice explains that Betty was Hal's favorite. And they had a connection. Alice feared that he might try to cultivate Betty's darkness. But Alice insists she didn't give up on Betty. She knew if the time came, she would be able to control and stop whatever impulses that Hal was trying to manifest in Betty, who finally understands why her mother was so controlling during her adolescence and pushed her to be the perfect daughter. Betty is upset with Alice and says that her plan didn't work because the evil is still inside of her.
Cheryl forges Archie
Archie and Cheryl meet in a tomb, where she instructs Archie to read the alchemist spell while she manifests "witch fire" inside of him. Archie begins reciting the spell and Cheryl summons the flames. Archie is clearly in pain, but he forces Cheryl to continue. And so, Cheryl begins to heat Archie's core even as the spell in his hand bursts into flames. He screams out in agony and eventually collapses to the floor.
Reggie gives Veronica an ultimatum
Veronica receives an unexpected visit from Reggie, but she uses this as her first test to control her emotions. Reggie gives her an ultimatum: either she sells the casino or he and the shareholders launch a hostile take over. They know she's sick and doubt that she's capable of running the Babylonium. Veronica refuses to give up, though she welcomes Reggie to try and overtake her, warning him that it'll be a bloodbath.
Betty enters the kitchen to find Archie with the palladium necklace back around his neck. He grabs a knife and slices his the palm of his hand, but he is unharmed, revealing to Betty that Cheryl's spell worked and that he's invulnerable.
Veronica performs
At the Babylonium, Veronica announces that the casino's finances are healthier than ever and that their projected income is trending upwards. She also dispels any rumors that she intends to sell the casino or that she's operating at anything less than 110% of health, control, and vision, looking directly at Reggie and the shareholders. She then dedicates her rendition of Britney Spears' Toxic to Archie and Betty, recalling how earlier they gave her the last boost of confidence she needed. Archie and Betty came up with an idea and solution to Veronica's last kiss dilemma. Archie was invulnerable again, thus making him immune to Veronica's venom. Betty was hoping to see Veronica get her "main character energy" back and proposed that she kiss Archie, which she did. Veronica ends her performance by blowing a kiss to Archie and Betty in the crowd.
Away from the boisterous performance at the casino, Jughead is having flashbacks of his relationship with Betty when he gets a text from Tabitha, telling him that she'll be home soon. Elsewhere, Cheryl is awestruck when she receives a surprise visit from Heather at Thornhill.
Cast[]
Starring[] |
Guest Starring[]
Co-Starring[]
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Soundtrack[]
- Clear Blue Fire - It's About to Go Down
- Scene: Archie, Betty, and Veronica grab drinks at the Whyte Wyrm.
- Kehlani - Touch
- Scene: While taking a bath, Veronica tests out her theory that she can't be poisoned. / Archie and Betty spend a romantic night together.
- Koda Kids, Lady Sway, Moana A - I Am a Survivor
- Scene: Cheryl celebrates Veronica's status as Spider Woman by gifting her a spider brooch.
- Riverdale Cast feat. Camila Mendes - ToxiC
- Scene: Veronica performs at the Babylonium.
Trivia[]
- The episode title refers to Veronica and the venomous toxins in her body.
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
Screencaps[]
Videos[]
