| “ | How does a fire start? Sometimes with a kindly teacher encouraging an eager student to pursue his love of poetry. Or perhaps it sparks with a chance encounter in an elevator. Or in Betty Cooper's bedroom with a suddenly missing typewriter... and telephone. Or maybe the inferno that would soon consume Riverdale High begins... in a classroom. | ” |
— Jughead
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"Chapter One Hundred and Thirty: The Crucible" is the thirteenth episode of the seventh season of Riverdale and the one hundredth and thirtieth episode of the series overall. It premiered on June 28, 2023.
Synopsis[]
HIRAM LODGE (MARK CONSUELOS) ARRIVES IN RIVERDALE / MÄDCHEN AMICK DIRECTS — Panic ensues after Archie and the gang learn that Mrs. Thornton is accused of being a communist. Cheryl's father Clifford forces her to out gay students at Riverdale High or risk losing power over the Vixens. Meanwhile, Hiram's surprise arrival to town is quickly met with suspicion by Veronica, and Jughead devises a plan to get around a boycott of comic books.[2]
Plot[]
Mrs. Thornton commends Betty and Kevin for their theatrical performance in class. Unfortunately, her class is then interrupted by Principal Featherhead, accompanied by Sheriff Keller and Clifford Blossom. Featherhead and Keller escort Mrs. Thornton out whilst Clifford explains that she has been relieved of her duties and that until they can find a permanent replacement, Penelope will fill her role. Mrs. Thornton represents a present danger to the American way, leaving her under suspicion of being a communist. Clifford urges them to remain vigilant and to say something if they see something.
Given that Archie has been spending time with Mrs. Thornton after school, his friends wonder if he noticed anything strange about her, but Archie insists that she's not a communist and that she's been helping him with his poetry. Cheryl believes that there must be some validity to their claims, as she is doubtful that her father could get a teacher fired without evidence, but Veronica argues otherwise, informing them of the widespread panic in Hollywood, in which Senator McCarthy launched a crusade against Russians spies who he claims were using TV and movies to brainwash the American public. However, he made it up and used fearmongering to amass power. Kevin takes this time to reminds them that they're in America and that they have nothing to worry about if they're innocent, but Veronica has seen the exact opposite.
Jughead and Ethel go to a local newsstand and asks for two copies of the latest issue of Pit of the Perverse, for which they wrote and drew the main story. However, the clerk explains that he sent the comics back because he doesn't sell such un-American smut.
Cheryl is confronted by her parents after allegations are made in regard to her kiss with Toni on Halloween night. Cheryl claims not to have any knowledge of such a thing, though Penelope explains that Cheryl isn't in trouble and that she's just at the mercy of her condition. Fortunately, Clifford was able to work out a deal that will save her from being ruined by the accusation, providing she cooperates with the ongoing operation at Riverdale High. Cheryl refuses to give names, but Clifford already has a list of students strongly suspected of unnatural proclivities. He simply needs Cheryl to corroborate them. However, with her friends on the list, Cheryl is reluctant to agree to their terms. However, if she refuses to cooperate, they will take away the Vixens.
Veronica returns to the Pembrooke to discover that her father has arrived in town. Hiram felt it was time to come see her, but Veronica accuses her father of always having an ulterior motive, which he claims was to simply give Veronica a Glamourge egg in person. In truth, Hiram is in the doghouse with Hermione due to his flirtatious behavior, so he thought it best to give her some space. But more than that, he wanted to see Veronica and what her life is like in Riverdale. Despite her skepticism, Veronica embraces her father.
Veronica introduces her father to the gang. Hiram reveals that his show is on hiatus, which they're all fans of, though Cheryl remarks it went down hill after the first season. Veronica explains that her father wants to see what simple small town life is like, so he'll be sitting in on their English class, where he will also be a guest lecturer. There, Hiram critiques Julian's lackluster monologue. He tells Julian to speak from his guts and to actually believe what he's saying.
Principal Featherhead reveals to Betty that he's shutting down the Blue and Gold, as they no longer have the funds to support it. While Betty may have something important to say someday, that day isn't today. Upset, Betty barges into the Blue and Gold offices, stealing the typewriter to take home.
Cheryl informs Toni, Kevin, and Clay that they're all named on a list of students at Riverdale High with unnatural proclivities. And if Cheryl doesn't corroborate them, they're going to take the Vixens from her. If Cheryl's to outmaneuver the powers that be, she has to figure out whose behind the list. When Toni asks who stands to gain from Cheryl getting stripped of the Vixens, leading Cheryl to Evelyn, who she confronts for compiling the list of students currently under suspicion in order to usurp Cheryl and claim the Vixens for herself. While she wasn't necessarily at the Babylonium during the kiss between Cheryl and Toni, she did hear about it, and she also saw Cheryl and Toni Getting handsy at the diner.
It's come to Principal Featherhead's and Dr. Werthers' attention that Mrs. Thornton showed a particular interest in Archie, who she may have been trying to indoctrinate, but Archie insists she was only helping him with poetry, however, they're not convinced and refuses to allow civil unrest t unfold in Riverdale.
Veronica gives her dad a tour of the Babylonium and makes plans to pick up dinner from Pop's afterward. As he heads to his seat, Veronica is approached by Agent Scot, who asks how well does she knows Hiram, to which Veronica replies they he's her father.
Mr. Fieldstone informs Jughead and Ethel that all over the country, their comics are being prohibited for being immoral. Jughead questions what's their next move, to which Al replies that they're going to weather the storm while he calls other comic book publishers to see how they're fairing. Before leaving, Ethel asks if she can have a few copies of her first printed issue for her personal collection. He agrees and then leaves the room, at which point, Jughead and Ethel grab a large stack of comics before running out.
With the typewriter she stole from the Blue and Gold, Betty, known under the alias of the Teenager, she created a newsletter named The Teenage Mystique and forum for silenced teens such as herself.
Archie scrambles to hide his poetry when Uncle Frank finds him writing in the garage. After speaking with the school, Frank urges Archie against becoming too invested in poetry, as people might get the wrong idea about him.
Veronica asks her father why the FBI is investigating him. Hiram explains they're investigating him as a possible communist, as they're claiming that he met with dissidents and revolutionaries while in Cuba, though he claims he was simply buying cigars. This is in fact why've he's come to Riverdale — to hide out. He also needs Veronica to testify that they were in Cuba together as part of a father/daughter trip, and that he didn't meet with any revolutionaries. While Veronica wants to help her father, lying to the government scares her. And so, Hiram tells Veronica to take her time and that he's meeting with a lawyer tomorrow in New York, and hopefully he can make it all go away, but if he can't, Hiram is sure Veronica will do the right thing and give her sworn testimony.
Agent Scot follows Veronica to school in hopes of showing her proof of her father's corruption. Intrigued, Veronica skips school to learn the truth about her father, who was in Cuba with Vidal Maestro, the revolutionary who has plans of taking over Cuba and the free world. Agent Scot provides photo evidence in which Hiram can also be seen with a blonde haired woman.
Archie finds Mrs. Thornton at her apartment and discovers that she's moving to Greendale, where they're less judgmental and there's a volunteer job waiting for her at the public library. Archie wishes he knew how to make sense of everything that's happening, and so Mrs. Thornton gifts him a play titled The Crucible by Arthur Miller. The timing couldn't be more perfect, as he needs to present a dramatic scene for class this week. Mrs. Thornton reminds Archie that words have power and tells him to use his to make it a better place. He then hugs Mrs. Thornton before parting ways.
Jughead and Ethel have set up their secret comic sales shop from a booth at Pop's.
Cheryl reconvenes at the Dark Room with Toni, Kevin, and Clay after confirming that it was in fact Evelyn who created the list. Fortunately, they have a plan to short circuit the witch hunt, at least for the moment. They'll play pretend; Cheryl will date Kevin, and Toni will date Clay. Hiding her true self and pretending to be something she's not goes against everything Toni believes, but for all their sake, she's willing to do it.
Veronica sits awake for her father to return from New York. When he does, he reveals that his trip wasn't as productive as he hoped and that he will soon be named, meaning he needs Veronica to cover for him. However, she confronts him with the information she learned from Agent Scot, that he went to a party at the Tropicana with Vidal Maestro and his blonde mistress, who Hiram reveals is named Kelly. He can't Simply tell the FBI he was in Cuba for an affair because he signed a morality clause with the studio, and if Veronica doesn't corroborate his story, they'll lose everything. However, Veronica has already lost everything, recalling how he banished her to Riverdale, where she knew no one and had nothing. Veronica accuses her father of only ever caring about his show and says that he should be asking her for mercy, rather than a favor.
Cheryl walks into school, arm and arm with Kevin, with Toni and Clay in tow, flaunting their relationship to the school, which doesn't go unnoticed by Evelyn.
Archie performs a scene from Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. It's about a town that's ripped apart by lies and accusations, which resonates with many of Archie's classmates, including Veronica, Cheryl, and Toni.
Following Archie's performance, Cheryl goes to the principal's office, where her father awaits with Featherhead and Werthers, hopeful that Cheryl is willing to cooperate with their investigation, but she refuses to be party to it and renounces her stewardship of the River Vixens before leaving for a date with Kevin, Toni, and Clay, who are grateful for Cheryl's sacrifice. She does take some comfort in knowing that she can continue living her truth with the three of them. Toni then jokes that hopefully Evelyn will fall off the top of the pyramid and break her neck.
Veronica salutes Archie for his performance in class and says that his scene gave her a lot to think about. She then kisses Archie on the cheek before kissing him again on the lips.
Jughead and Ethel make another sale, but this time to an Adventure Scout. Unfortunately, it is a sting operation spearheaded by Sheriff Keller, who confiscates their remaining comics. Jughead and Ethel return to his train car, where he asks Ethel how it feels to be a published artist, to which Ethel replies that she's proud of herself.
The following day at school, Archie is approached by Geraldine Grundy, who will be taking over for Mrs. Thornton class, as she was Geraldine's mentor at Mount Holyoke. She said that Archie was very special, and so Geraldine is willing to help Archie continue working on his poetry, which he'd very much like, but they have to keep it quiet, as a lot of people, including his uncle, don't like the idea of him writing. Geraldine understands and asks if Archie has ever met a real poet, which he hasn't. While most live in New York, Geraldine's husband is a poet, and he lives in Riverdale. She offers to bring Archie a collection of his poetry to read.
Dr. Werthers declares that they have failed in their crusade against comic books. That said, the days of half measures are over.
Veronica performs a monologue from the King Lear play by William Shakespeare, which parallels her own life and gives Veronica an idea. She offers to give her father a signed affidavit, saying that she did in fact go to Cuba with her father on a cigar-buying trip, however, in exchange, Hiram has to tell Hermione about his affair, as her mother deserves better. He also has to sign the Pembrooke over to Veronica. She needs to know that she'll always have a home, even if it's not in Los Angeles or with her father. Desperate, he agrees to her terms.
Betty goes to the mail office, where she discovers that she's received a large amount of letters in response to her forum.
Veronica welcomes her mother to Riverdale. They return to the Pembrooke, where Hermione reveals that when she gets back to Los Angeles, she and Hiram will announce that the upcoming season of their show will be its last. What they are not going to announce, at least not until after the final episode airs, is that she and Hiram are getting a divorce. Hermione isn't sure what will follow, but for the first time in a very long time, she's excited for the future. And one thing she was thinking was having an East Coast Christmas in New York with just the two of them.
Jughead arrives at school to find a long line of students outside the office. He approaches Dilton, who reveals that Principal Featherhead is buying comics off of them. Reasonably so, Jughead is skeptical. That dark truth behind his actions are revealed later that night when he and many others burn a huge fire pit of comics just outside the school.
Cast[]
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Trivia[]
- The title of the episode comes from The Crucible, a 1953 play by Arthur Miller about the Salem witch trials as allegory for moral panic and McCarthyism. The play was the school's production in tie-in comics Riverdale #10, and the title of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Volume 1.
- Mrs. Thornton gifts Archie a copy of the play. Veronica mentions McCarthyism. Penelope Blossom says the Red Scare arrived to Riverdale.
- For English class, the students have to present dramatic scenes.
- Kevin and Betty do a scene from Tennessee Williams's The Cat on the Hot Tin Roof.
- Julian chose the famous 'To Be or Not to Be' soliloquy from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.
- Archie was going to do Biff's monologue from Death of a Salesman but eventually chose John Proctor's monologue from Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
- Veronica picks Cordelia's monologue from William Shakespeare's King Lear.
- Sarah Habel reprises her role as Geraldine Grundy. Press release avoided revealing her return by focusing the attention on Mark Consuelos and Marisol Nichols returning as special guest star.
- The frame of Riverdale Boy Scouts burning Pep Comics is a reference to Nazi book burnings.
- Hiram Lodge is said to have met with Videl Maestro in Cuba, a play on Cuban ex-president Fidel Castro.
- Hiram Lodge's mistress name is a nod to Consuelos' wife and Riverdale co-star, Kelly Ripa.
- During Hermione and Veronica's talk, Hermione says the show's fictional television show called Oh, Mijia! will be it's seventh and final season. This is a reference to Riverdale's end.
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