| “ | I think everything that I've been feeling lately distills down to this. I fear that whatever was inside my dad, whatever drove him to hurt people, including your dad... that it's inside me, too. I'm afraid that one day I might not be able to... resist it. And that you'll be a victim to that darkness. Or, at least fearful of it. I'm afraid that you'll look at me one day and... decide you won't wanna be with me because of who I am. Who I've always been. | ” |
"Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: American Psychos" is the seventeenth episode of the sixth season of Riverdale and the one hundredth and twelfth episode of the series overall.[2] It premiered on June 12, 2022.
Synopsis[]
THE CAST PERFORM MUSICAL NUMBERS FROM AMERICAN PSYCHO THE MUSICAL - In order to catch the Trash Bag Killer once and for all, Betty devises a plan to hold a serial killer convention in Riverdale. Elsewhere, Cheryl receives some news about Toni and Fangs that sends her spiraling, while Archie and Tabitha try to loosen the grip Percival has over his workers.[3]
Plot[]
Betty and Veronica have planned Slaughter-Con
Archie, Betty, Veronica, Agent Drake, and Charles gather at the kitchen table in the Cooper house to discuss Betty's serial killer convention at the Babylonium, hosted by Veronica, who explains that the idea of a serial killer fan convention in Riverdale is too good for fans to pass up and that they're nearly sold out. Betty fears the crowd may keep TBK from coming, but Charles claims that so long as Betty and TBK are the centerpieces, he will appear, as most serial killers are narcissists. Regarding the safety of those that do attend the convention, Charles further explains that serial killers have an unwritten rule to not kill where they eat. Not to mention that they love their fans and would never want to harm them. That still leaves Betty vulnerable, but she doubts that TBK means her any harm, as he sees them as kindred spirits. But to be cautious, they'll have an agent stationed outside the house to ensure Charles and their mother's safety. Archie and Drake will also be close by. Hopefully, if TBK does appear, Betty will be able to see his aura. With their convention schedule finalized, Veronica reveals that for the main event, Betty will have a one-on-one sit down and that Kevin will be presenting a few musical numbers from American Psycho.
Percival is preparing for Bailey's Comet
Percival is on a tight schedule, and the strike orchestrated by Archie has brought him to a halt. In one month's time, Bailey's Comet will pass over Riverdale, and they must have the railroad built by then. Otherwise, they'll have to wait another 65 years for its return. When Percival explains that the comet possesses celestial energies that will benefit his plan, Frank suggests that he simply mind control the strikers.
Archie asks Tabitha about Jughead
Archie and Tabitha rally Fangs, Carlos, and the other workers after hearing back from the union delegate and informs them that a relief fund is being set up to cover living expenses. But until the work fund is activated, Tabitha announces that all of them and their families can eat at the diner for free. After the crew leaves, Archie and Tabitha transition to another pressing matter, that being Jughead's well-being. He's still held up in the bunker and trying to quiet the voices he's hearing, though Archie is certain that Jughead will pull through.
Cheryl introduces Heather to Toni
Toni stops by Thornhill to personally deliver the news to Cheryl of her and Fangs' engagement. They are joined by Heather, who Toni recalls Cheryl previously mentioning. Toni seems a bit taken back but insists that she's happy for Cheryl, and invites both Cheryl and Heather to her bachelorette party at the Babylonium, where they intend to crash the serial killer convention.
Heather asks if Cheryl wants to talk about the bombshell that Toni just dropped on her, but Cheryl becomes defensive, insisting that she's fine and accusing Heather of creating false narratives about her feelings towards the upcoming wedding.
Betty meets a super fan
Veronica welcomes all those in attendance to Slaughter-Con. To kick things off, she welcomes Kevin to the stage to perform Not a Common Man. As Kevin performs, Archie and Betty survey the crowd for TBK, at which point, Betty notices a man walking towards dressed as the Black Hood with his knife drawn. She disarms the man whilst Archie restrains him and takes him up to the office, where the interrogation begins. He claims that he bought the knife online and that it belonged to Betty's father. He simply wanted Betty to sign the knife and would be honored to be her first official kill.
Percival arrives at Pop's, where he commands his crew to resume their work on the railroad. When Fangs resists, Percival confronts him directly. He uses his mind control abilities to first force Fangs to return to work, before turning to Carlos and the rest of the crew, commanding them to return to work as well. And while this proves effective, it takes a toll on Percival, whose nose begins to bleed.
Agent Drake's presentation
Agent Drake does a presentation at Slaughter-Con on the subject of "hybristophilia," which is the term for when someone is attracted to a murderer or criminal. While it may sound abnormal, she explains that some people have an innate attraction to the dark and more taboo side of life. While Archie doesn't wish to judge anyone, he confides in Betty that it is a bit weird. Archie then gets a call from Tabitha, who informs that the crew members left the diner and went back to work for Percival.
Cheryl arrives at Kevin's suit at the Five Seasons in a cloak and with the Malleus Maleficarum in hand. Assuming that he's heard of the wedding announcement as well, Cheryl asks if he'd like to join her in cursing their unholy union.
Archie, Toni, and Tabitha discuss Percival
Archie meets with Tabitha and Toni after stopping by Percival's work site, where the guys wouldn't even acknowledge him. They suspect that Percival is mind controlling his men, but Toni wonders why he waited so long to do so. Tabitha suspects that it's difficult for Percival to control larger groups of people at the same time, which means they may be able to break his hold on the crew. They come up with the idea to remind the crew what they're striking for through song, as music has always been a big part of the labor movement, used to create solidarity amongst the workers.
Cheryl and Kevin cast a wedge spell
With guidance from the Malleus Maleficarum, Cheryl intends to cast a wedge spell, the opposite of a love spell, meant to drive a wedge between lovers. And so, she and Kevin begin to recite the spell and hope for the best.
Archie, Tabitha, and Toni arrive at the work site with the family and friends of Percival's work crew in order to break Percival's spell and remind them that they should be fighting for better lives for their families. As Archie plays the guitar, Tabitha and Toni start signing Bread and Roses, which appears to break Percival's spell, first on Fangs, and then Carlos, followed by the rest of the crew, enraging Frank, who declares that they're all fired.
Agent Drake confesses her feelings for Betty
Day one of Slaughter-Con has come to an end, and unfortunately, there's not been a single sighting of TBK, but Agent Drake reminds Betty that there's still time for him to make an appearance. She then asks about Archie, who she only seems to refer to as "the boyfriend," wondering if the serial killer convention may have been more than he could handle, which Betty admits is true. Drake then expresses her feelings for Betty, who is flattered, but reminds Drake that she's with Archie. Still, Drake urges Betty to at least consider the possibility of the two of them together, pointing out that Betty and Archie are different whilst they have many similarities. Additionally, she's been picking up on vibes between her and Betty, asking if she's mistaken, though already certain that she's not.
Betty awakens from a dream in which she is joined in bed by Agent Drake. Betty gets dressed and heads downstairs, where she and Archie discuss day two of Slaughter-Con, and she assures him that she'll be fine without him, as some of the conversations make him uncomfortable.
Cheryl learns Baby Anthony is sick
Cheryl stops by Toni and Fangs' apartment to deliver some muffins. Upon her arrival, she learns that Baby Anthony has been crying non-stop and that he has colic. It started around yesterday afternoon, and now Toni fears they may have to cancel the bachelorette party.
Cheryl retreats to Thornhill, where she reveals to Kevin that Baby Anthony is sick and that he's the metaphorical wedge they cast in the spell. Kevin blames Cheryl and asks if there's someone they can call for help.
Veronica gives Betty advice
Betty reveals to Veronica how Agent Drake professed her love. As unprofessional as it was, it got Betty thinking. She compartmentalizes with Archie; she doesn't talk about work or her dark thoughts, but with Drake, she doesn't feel the need to censor herself. However, Veronica explains that everyone compartmentalizes and that it's not a big deal. And while Betty insists that she's not attracted to Drake, she admits that they're compatible and to having a dream about her. Veronica advises Betty not to go there with Drake and to simply talk to Archie. Many of her relationships ended because they didn't have the conversations they needed to have.
In an effort to prevent Betty from making any haste decisions, Veronica confronts Agent Drake, advising her to keep things strictly professional between her and Betty, given that she's going through a lot right now.
Heather cures Baby Anthony
Cheryl has sought out Heather's assistance in curing Baby Anthony's "colic," much to Toni and Fangs' relief. As a registered midwife and night nurse, she has experience with crying babies. Cheryl claims Heather simply gave Anthony a calming tonic she concocted in the greenhouse, which rings eerily similar to a conversation Toni and Cheryl had in the woods in Rivervale.
Betty has a convo with TBK
For the main event of day two of Slaughter-Con, Betty has a one-on-one sit down interview with her mother in front of the entire convention, where Betty details her time spent with TBK and how she had to dismember a body to prove her loyalty. After taking questions from the audience and discussing why serial killers wear masks, they receive a call from TBK himself. He accuses Betty of wearing a human mask and claims to have seen her true face underneath when she dismembered the body at his behest. Betty welcomes him to join her on stage, but he refuses to be caught. But if she were to catch him, he asks what she would do next, perhaps live a normal, white picket fence life with Archie, he remarks sarcastically, as he personally believes that their story ends with the two of them sharing a kiss in the dark.
Cheryl and Heather have discussion about her behavior
One of the most important lessons Heather can impart to Cheryl as a witch is to never cast a spell while in an emotionally volatile state, as it always backfired. That said, Heather asks if Cheryl is now willing to talk about why she's so upset. Cheryl reveals that the wedding announcement did in fact shake her, because part of her was holding on to the idea that she and Toni were fated to reunite. Realizing otherwise sent her on a spiral, but Heather is at the center of it as well. She likes Heather, but she doesn't want to get hurt again. While Heather understands her apprehension, they're getting a second chance, which Heather wants to make the most of. Cheryl recalls Toni inviting them to the bachelorette party and decides to attend.
Toni's bachelorette party
Betty, Veronica, Tabitha, Cheryl, Heather, and Agent Drake come together to throw Toni a bachelorette party and sing You Are What You Wear. Kevin then takes the stage and performs Killing Spree whilst they dance in the crowd. However, Betty becomes alarmed when she sees TBK run on stage and place a plastic bag over Kevin's head. She intervenes and tackles him to the floor, unaware that the man behind the mask is simply Dr. Curdle Jr. filling a role and that this was all a part of Kevin's act. Just as she realizes she's made a mistake, Betty sees the actual Trash Bag Killer escape out the door.
Cheryl and Heather return from the bachelorette party to Thornhill, where Cheryl shows Heather a painting she made of the two of them as children. Cheryl reveals that she's had a lot of fun tonight and proceeds to kiss Heather, before leading her to the bedroom.
Betty and Archie talk about their future
The following morning, Archie and Betty catch up over last night's events. Betty reveals that she saw TBK and that he slipped away. As for the last day of convention, Betty intends to step in for Kevin to perform and use herself as bait in order to lure TBK in. Once she starts signing, Veronica and Drake will lock all the doors to the casino. Archie wants to tell Betty that it's too dangerous, but he suspects that she'll go through with it regardless, which she confirms, telling Archie that this is who she is and that he has to accept that. She's also been thinking about what TBK said about houses and picket fences, and the truth is, Betty doesn't know if she wants that, though she knows that Archie does. She asks if this is a dealbreaker, but Archie decides to put this off until later in the night, after she's caught TBK.
Betty tells Veronica that she and Archie had the talk
Betty tells Veronica that she and Archie had the talk she suggested, but now Betty's worried that they're too different and that she's too dark for him, a notion which Veronica finds inconceivable. By her count, she's killed more people than Betty. They're all dark in Riverdale, and Veronica believes that Archie can handle it or that it should at least be his choice to walk away from Betty if that's what he wants. They are interrupted by Drake, who informs Betty that they have a situation in the office.
Betty takes the fanboy's gun
Betty follows Agent Drake upstairs and discovers that the situation, is the same fanboy from day one of Slaughter-Con, but this time, instead of a knife, he has the Black Hood's gun. Betty confiscates the gun and asks Drake to escort the man out.
Unfortunately, by the end of the third and final night of Slaughter-Con, Betty has failed to capture TBK, as he didn't even bother to come see her performance. After Veronica leaves, Drake asks if Betty's song was dedicated to Archie or TBK, but she doesn't answer. Flashback to Betty's performance on stage earlier in the night, where she sang A Girl Before.
Betty kills TBK
Betty heads back to Archie's house, where she looks out the bedroom window and discovers TBK standing in her bedroom. She grabs her gun and rushes over to find a dead agent on the floor and her mother and Charles restrained to chairs at the dinning room table with plastic bags on their head. When Betty removes the bag, Alice reveals that TBK is waiting for her in the garage, where Betty discovers that he has an entire dinner planned for the two of them. Betty doesn't intend to entertain him any further and commands him to take off his mask. Instead, he instructs Betty to put her mask on, which he constructed himself to resemble his own. He claims that they're alike, but Betty insists that they're not. TBK gives Betty two options: either she kills him with her father's gun, or she puts on the mask and they kill her mother and brother together. Betty accuses him of being deranged, though she does seem slightly enticed to put on the mask, though she resists the urge to do so and shoots TBK instead. After shooting and killing TBK, Betty sets Charles and Alice free.
Percival has admittedly underestimated Archie and Tabitha, who have proven to be formidable advisories. And now that the workers have established tethers, it will be difficult to reassert control over their minds. Frank wants to do some old school union busting, but Percival has other plans in mind. He assures Frank that the price those who stand against him will pay will be truly biblical.
Young Betty and young Archie
Betty reveals to Archie that she killed TBK with the same gun her dad used to shoot his dad. Betty fears that whatever was inside her dad that drove him to hurt people is also inside her. She's afraid that one day she may not be able to resist it and that Archie will be a victim to the darkness, or at least fearful of it. Betty doesn't want Archie to look at her one day and decide that he doesn't want to be with her because of who she is. Archie insists that will never happen. While she may not trust herself, he trusts Betty with his life, claiming that Betty's dad and TBK didn't make her a killer. Archie recalls the time when they were kids and a baby bird fell from a tree and he had no clue what to do. Betty ran into the house, grabbed a shoebox, and made a nest. They took turns watching the bird until it became strong enough to fly. All Betty sees is the darkness, but Archie sees someone who has been fighting non-stop despite everything that's happened to her. It's for that reason that he loves her. Betty tells Archie that she loves him too, and they share a kiss.
Cast[]
Starring[]
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Guest Starring[]
Co-Starring[]
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Soundtrack[]
- Riverdale Cast feat. Casey Cott - Not a Common Man
- Scene: Kevin sings on stage at the Babylonium while Archie and Betty search the crowd for TBK.
- The Paper Chain Gang - Leaving Gets You Nowhere
- Scene: Percival arrives at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe and commands his crew to return to work.
- Riverdale Cast feat. Vanessa Morgan, Erinn Westbrook, KJ Apa & Drew Ray Tanner - Bread and Roses
- Riverdale Cast feat. Vanessa Morgan, Erinn Westbrook, Camila Mendes, Lili Reinhart, Madelaine Petsch, Caroline Day & Sophia Tatum - You Are What You Wear
- Scene: Toni's bachelorette party.
- Riverdale Cast feat. Casey Cott - Killing Spree
- Scene: Kevin sings during Toni's bachelorette party, but his performance is interrupted by Betty.
- Riverdale Cast feat. Lili Reinhart - A Girl Before
- Scene: Betty sings at the Babylonium.
Trivia[]
- The episode title is a reference to the 1991 novel by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho, its year 2000 film adaptation, and the 2013 musical which happens to credit Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa as one of its writers.[4]
- Six years prior to the airing of this episode, Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Duncan Sheik worked on American Psycho: The Musical on Broadway. Coincidentally, Riverdale was shooting its pilot episode in Vancouver at the same time.[5]
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