Chapter Seventy-Six: Killing Mr. Honey

Chapter Seventy-Six: Killing Mr. Honey
Season: 4
Episode: 19
Information
Airdate	May 6, 2020
Written by	James DeWille & Ted Sullivan
Directed by	Mädchen Amick
Ratings	0.64
Chronology
← Previous	"Chapter Seventy-Five: Lynchian"
Next →	"Chapter Seventy-Seven: Climax"

“	Dear Headmaster Koontz, Greetings from Riverdale High. I wanted to follow up on our conversation with a short note. Though Jughead Jones has had a incredibly difficult year, as you know, and I've only interacted with him a scant few times, he is a special kid, and a superb writer. But he needs a break. He needs good teachers and a healthy environment, which I know the University of Iowa can provide. I don't say this lightly, but I do believe Jughead Jones will be an important voice of his generation. If you'd like to discuss him further, please call me at any time. All my best to you and Edith. Sincerely, Holden Honey.	”
	— Holden Honey

"Chapter Seventy-Six: Killing Mr. Honey" is the nineteenth and final episode of the fourth season of Riverdale, and the seventy-sixth episode of the series overall. It premiered on May 6, 2020.

Synopsis

MADCHEN AMICK DIRECTS THE EPISODE — After receiving a letter from the University of Iowa asking him to submit a story, Jughead works on a twisted tale about the gang’s revenge fantasy against Principal Honey for all the ways he’s ruined their senior year.

Plot

SPOILERS AHEAD

Charles, Jughead, and Betty watch Jason's snuff film

Betty, Jughead, and Charles simultaneously review the snuff film of Jason Blossom’s murder as well as the re-enactment. Jughead believes that the Voyeur is trying to recreate himself into an auteur. He’s trying to recreate their deaths and blur the line between fact and fiction. Betty worries it could be a rehearsal for an actual murder. Until they get another tape, all that’s left now is for them to review the tapes from the Scarlet Suite, which Betty lets Jughead and Charles take over, as she has to finish proofing the yearbook.

Betty presents Mr. Honey with the yearbook, however, he declines it and tells her that she missed the deadline by two days. Despite her effort, he refuses to change his mind.

Reggie, Cheryl, Betty, Jughead, Veronica, and Archie kidnap Honey

Jughead gets a call from the admissions coordinator at the University of Iowa, which has one of the best writing programs in the country. Jughead applied for spring, but they can take him as early as fall. His acceptance is conditional upon additional material. They’ve asked that he submit another story. He shares the good news with Betty, Archie, Veronica, Cheryl, Kevin, and Reggie. Betty suggests that he write a monster story about Mr. Honey, who is refusing to publish the yearbook. She recalls how Honey accosted them on the first day of school and how now, with the exception of Archie and Jughead, they’re all banned from Senior Prom. The group shares Betty’s outrage and plots against Honey. Betty remarks that the one thing that would stop Mr. Honey is if they killed him or at least scared him enough to leave town. Mr. Honey works late on Tuesdays. He usually leaves around 9 o’clock pm. Betty proposes that the seven of them kidnap him while wearing bunny masks and Stonewall Prep jackets. They could then tie him up and stuff him in Reggie’s trunk. Veronica offers to take him to her family’s cabin in Fox Forest, where they could make him think he’s going to die. Cheryl proposes they maple board him like she did to her mother. They tell him to either leave town or die. Reggie instead suggests a classic senior prank.

Mr. Honey takes a seat in his office and is glued to his chair. He tries to get up but the phone rings. He answers only for the phone to be covered in glue as well. He shouts for Ms. Bell to assist him. Mr. Honey is wheeled out his office by firemen as Archie, Betty, Jughead, and Veronica look on.

Reggie, Jughead, and Archie restrain Honey

Betty wakes up to find Jughead writing his new story for Iowa University, titled Killing Mr. Honey. He credits Betty with the idea. He printed some pages out for her to read. The story depicts Archie, Jughead, and Reggie in bunny masks and Stonewall jackets as they restrain Mr. Honey to a chair in the Lodge cabin. They notice that his glasses are missing and begin to panic. Mr. Honey calls the three of them out by name, surmising that they’ve also partnered up with Betty, Veronica, and Cheryl. Reggie rips off his mask out of anger, blowing their cover. Mr. Honey proceeds to laugh. Reggie grows angry and punches Mr. Honey, who then asks Reggie if that’s what his father does to him. Archie, Jughead, and Reggie then leave.

Betty is entertained with the dark tone of Jughead's story. She then gets a text from Charles, asking for both her and Jughead to meet him at the field office, but Jughead asks Betty to take point so that he can finish his story.

Cheryl watches over Honey

Once Mr. Honey is secured at the cabin, they take turns on watch. Cheryl is first. Mr. Honey asks if anyone has found his glasses. He then tells Cheryl that it’s not too late to make things right and let him go. She believes they are making it right, stating that Betty and Jughead have a plan. Mr. Honey has given them something they’ve never had before, that being a common enemy. He banned her and the Vixens from the prom. Honey reminds Cheryl that she locked Ms. Appleyard in her office. She had a panic attack and quit. Cheryl agrees to let Mr. Honey go only if he promises to make a video allowing them to go to prom and that he won’t punish them for kidnapping him. He counters her offer. He tells her to release him and call the police, explaining that it was a school prank gone awry. Cheryl declines his offer.

Charles and Betty watch the latest tape

Betty arrives at the field office to find Charles watching a new tape. Mrs. Klump was sent a video re-enactment of Midge’s death. Betty and Charles watch it side by side with the actual footage of Midge’s death, which was confiscated from Blue Velvet Video.

Jughead continues to write his story. Next, it is Archie and Veronica’s turn to check on their captive to see if he had a change of heart. They enter the cabin to find him unconscious on the floor. Veronica checks his pulse and discovers that he’s dead.

The gang plots against Honey

Cheryl enters the student lounge and informs Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie and Kevin that she just saw Honey headed towards his office. Mr. Honey gets on the intercom to announce that Senior Prom is canceled until the person responsible comes forward for the prank. Cheryl demands that Reggie turn himself in, but he refuses, explaining that he did it on all of their behalf, and he did not do it alone. Archie and Kevin assisted. Cheryl was planning on crashing the prom, and now even that is ruined. Archie reminds Cheryl that Reggie isn’t the enemy and looks to Betty for a strategic battle plan. Betty suggests they research their enemy and determine if there’s any skeletons in his closet they can exploit. In the meantime, she asks that no one panic.

Cheryl, Veronica, and Archie plan to bury Honey

Jughead's story resumes. Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, and Reggie stand over Mr. Honey’s body, panicked and frightened. Cheryl was the first on watch but insists that he was alive and well when she left. Betty refuses to allow this accident to ruin their lives and future. They all have plans of moving forward. Cheryl’s going to Highsmith College. Veronica to Barnard. Betty to Yale. Archie to the Naval Academy. Jughead to Iowa University. And Reggie possibly to Riverdale Community College. Veronica asks who has experience with getting rid of a dead body. All of them raise their hand save for Reggie.

Betty approaches Jughead as he writes his story in the student lounge. She reveals that Mr. Honey has a history of canceling Prom. He’s done so at every school he’s ever worked at. They intend to use this information to attack Honey.

Veronica tells her parents about prom being canceled

Archie returns home and informs Mary that Mr. Honey canceled Prom. Veronica does the same, informing Hiram and Hermione of Principal Honey’s tyranny. Kevin and Tom go to Pop’s, where Kevin tells him as well about the cancellation of prom. Cheryl does the same from Thistlehouse, telling Nana Rose of her troubles. Betty and Jughead also tell FP and Alice, claiming that he’s doing it out of spite. Betty explains that it’s a personal vendetta that Mr. Honey has against them and asks for their help.

Mary, Alice, and Hermione confront Mr. Honey

Mary, Alice, and Hermione lead the charge into Riverdale High looking to confront Mr. Honey. Veronica, Betty, Archie, Jughead, Cheryl, Nana Rose, Hiram, FP, Kevin, and Tom follow closely behind. They demand that he reinstate prom and re-invite the students he barred from attending. Mr. Honey refuses, explaining that it’s his job to prepare the students to be upstanding students of the world and their behavior needs to reflect that. Mary informs Mr. Honey of a case that took place against the Greendale school district. A principal canceled prom and the parents sued him and won for psychological damage. Hiram reminds Honey that as Mayor of Riverdale, he has a direct line to governor Dooley, who could revoke his credentials. Alice adds that the news station has been looking for a gripping new story that would make nationwide headlines. FP and Tom add that they’re just the muscle. As President of the PTA, Alice demands a vote on the matter.

In the Blue and Gold, Betty reads the next chapter of Jughead’s story, where Archie, Jughead, and Reggie dig a grave in the woods for Mr. Honey. Cheryl interrupts and tells them that she has an announcement to make.

Cheryl announces prom is back on

Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, Kevin, Reggie, Mary, Hermione, Hiram, Alice, FP, Tom, Nana Rose and Pop Tate meet at the diner, where Cheryl reveals that prom is back on. She proposes a toast to generations united. Together, they’ve proven victorious. Alice expresses how proud they are of them all. Mary notes that the kids have been through a lot, much more than they had when they were in high school. Hermione and Hiram add that the kids mean the world to them and that they always want what’s best for them. Tom agrees that they’ve earned the right to celebrate. Lastly, FP exclaims that Jughead’s going to be the first Jones to go to college.

Reggie feels guilty

Jughead picks back up with his story. Honey is dead and buried. They have gotten away with it and are free to go back to talking about prom. Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, and Reggie gather in the student lounge, where they discuss possible prom themes. Reggie is struggling to come to terms with Honey's death. Kevin arrives and informs them that Ms. Bell is talking to the police. Apparently, some adventure scouts were camping in the woods and found a pair of glasses that might belong to Mr. Honey. They’re canceling class and starting a search party. Kevin wonders if they should sign up. Reggie storms out in a hurry. Betty tells Jughead that this is a great complication to add to his story. Kevin interrupts to informs them that Mr. Honey wants to see them.

Mr. Honey cancels prom

Betty and Jughead enter Mr. Honey’s office to find him standing with Charles. Supposedly, a videotape was delivered to the school. Honey called Charles, who revealed that Betty and Jughead are helping him with the case. The tape goes on for hours. It covers every inch of the school. Mr. Honey worries that it could be a threat. He feels that he has no other choice but to put the school on high alert and cancel prom. He asks Betty and Jughead to let their friends know while he alerts their parents.

Betty and Jughead suspect that the video is a hoax

Betty, Jughead, and Charles convene in the Blue and Gold office. They agree that something is off. The auteur has moved on from simple recordings and onto recreations. Jughead and Betty suspect that it could be a hoax since the general public isn’t aware that the voyeur/auteur has moved onto recreation videos. With Honey wanting to cancel prom, Betty believes that the tape was forged by Honey in order to give him a reason to cancel prom. However, they don’t have any proof. And so, Betty agrees to go through every second of the tape.

Archie tells Reggie to shut up

Jughead proceeds to write his story. Their plan begins to unfold due to a guilt-ridden Reggie. In the locker room, a couple of the Bulldogs talk about Honey’s disappearance. Reggie can hold it in no longer and confronts them, asking if Honey deserved to die. They suspect that he ran off after getting caught hooking up with a student, but Reggie informs them otherwise. Archie tells him to stop but Reggie continues. Before he can say too much, Archie slams him against a locker and tells him to shut up.

While reviewing the tape supposedly sent to Riverdale High by the voyeur/auteur, Betty and Charles catch a glimpse of Mr. Honey in the reflection of a window.

Jughead and Betty confront Honey

Betty, Jughead, and Charles confront Mr. Honey with a screenshot of him making the aforementioned video that he claims was sent by the Voyeur, but in actuality, was sent by himself in order to have a reason to cancel prom. Mr. Honey denies having any type of feud or vendetta against them, claiming that he was only trying to prepare them for a life outside of Riverdale. However, Betty and Jughead are unconvinced and they have already reported Honey to the school board.

Betty and Jughead wonder what caused Honey to hate them so much, suspecting that maybe he was bullied in high school. Betty adds that maybe he should have scheduled a meeting with Mrs. Burble like the rest of them. At least now, Jughead can continue to write his story without interruption. Jughead’s close to finishing. In his story, Reggie just died.

The gang mourns Reggie's death

Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, and Kevin stand in front of the shrine at Reggie’s locker following his sudden death. Cheryl runs off distraught and full of tears. Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead follow her into the music room and warn her to get ahold of herself. Reggie was drinking and spiraling. In fear that he was going to reveal what happened to Mr. Honey, they cut Reggie breaks. While Archie, Betty, and Jughead are just looking to move past it all, Veronica and Cheryl are having second thoughts. Veronica questions when Archie became such a monster. Admittedly, they’re all monsters, Jughead says. They always have been. The only question is if they are going to be monsters in college or jail.

Betty reads the next chapter of Jughead’s story, surprised by the sudden revelation that they are, in fact, the monsters. Jughead assures her that he’s going to change their names before submitting it to Iowa. Betty wonders what happens next in his story, but Jughead isn’t sure. Kevin then reveals to them that Honey has been fired.

The gang watches as Honey leaves

Mr. Honey exits what was once his office with a box of his belongings. He passes Ms. Bell, who takes his portrait down off the wall. He is approached in the hallway by Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, Kevin, and Reggie. He stands by everything he’s done, including the videotape. He insists that it was all to assure the school’s safety because the murder, mayhem, and depravity of Riverdale is not normal. Betty retorts that it’s normal to them, which is why they had to stop him. Mr. Honey scoffs, revealing that he saw this coming days ago and so he lined up his next position. He is now Stonewall Prep’s new headmaster. They were in need of new leadership. Furthermore, his salary is triple of what he makes at Riverdale High.

Ms. Bell reveals all the good Mr. Honey has done for the school

Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, Kevin, and Reggie reconvene in the student lounge, soaking in their "victory", if you can call it that, over Mr. Honey. Ms. Bell comes to Mr. Honey’s defense. She has been working in the school’s office for over 50 years and in all that time, she has outlasted eight principals, and Mr. Honey was the best thus far. She reveals that this year alone, he personally arranged for six low-income students to go to college on full scholarships. Also, the school’s GPA is higher than it’s been in decades. And more seniors will be going away to college than they have since 1956. Also, no students have died under his watch. She then hands Jughead a letter written to the University of Iowa that Honey initially asked her to mail for him. She suggests that he read it in order to fully comprehend his actions.

Veronica and Archie save Honey

Betty and Jughead return home, where Jughead finally opens the letter written by Mr. Honey to the University of Iowa. Betty wonders if he was trying to screw Jughead over. However, upon reading the letter, Jughead rushes upstairs to change his story. He goes back to the beginning, where Archie and Veronica find him unconscious on the floor. Rather than burying him in the woods, Jughead’s revision tells a different story. Archie calls an ambulance while Veronica performs CPR. Betty, Jughead, Cheryl, and Reggie arrive at Riverdale General Hospital. Veronica and Archie reveal that they told the police the truth; a high school prank gone wrong. However, Betty, Jughead, Cheryl, and Reggie worry that they’ll be sent to jail. Archie and Veronica prefer that over simply allowing Mr. Honey to die.

Jughead and Betty watch the latest video

Betty reads Jughead’s revised novel and wonders what caused him to change his story so drastically. Jughead finally realized what he was saying and how he was saying it. He was reveling in the town’s sickness and enjoying the suffering of another person. Betty realizes this is because of Honey's letter and wonders what it said. Before Jughead can respond, Jellybean reveals that they received another videotape. Jughead and Betty play the videotape. It’s footage of the Lodge cabin, where Veronica’s mom killed Sheriff Minetta. Jughead suspects that it’s an invitation.

The voyeur recreates Jughead's story

Betty and Jughead arrive at the Lodge cabin, which is or at least was clearly being used as refuge as food containers are littered all along the floor. There's also a bed and blankets. They discover a projector and makeshift screen. Betty and Jughead find another tape waiting for them. The videotape in question is a re-enactment of Jughead’s story, in which, six individuals wearing masks of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, and Reggie tie someone wearing a Mr. Honey mask to a chair and stab him to death.

Cast

Starring KJ Apa as Archie Andrews Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge Casey Cott as Kevin Keller Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones Charles Melton as Reggie Mantle Mädchen Amick as Alice Smith

Guest Starring Martin Cummins as Tom Keller Wyatt Nash as Charles Smith Molly Ringwald as Mary Andrews Kerr Smith as Holden Honey Trinity Likins as Jellybean Jones Alvin Sanders as Pop Tate Barbara Wallace as Rose Blossom Co-Starring Don Ainsworth as Jimmy Emilija Baranac as Midge Fritzy-Klevans Destine as Bulldog #1 Marion Eisman as Doris Bell Joshua Guvi as Daryl Austin Miklautsch as Darius

Soundtrack

• Wolfmother feat. Chris Cester - Chase The Feeling
  • Scene: Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Cheryl, and Reggie kidnap Mr. Honey.

• Darkminds - Ready Let's Go
  • Scene: The parents march into Riverdale High School and confront Mr. Honey for cancelling prom.

• Whethan feat. STRFKR - Stay Forever
  • Scene: Cheryl announces at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe that prom is back on.

• Red Rosamond - Trigger Band Band
  • Scene: Mr. Honey leaves his office after being fired from Riverdale High.

• Klergy feat. LEXICON etc. - Everything's a Lie
  • Scene: Betty and Jughead watch the latest tape, which is an invite to the Lodge cabin, where they find another tape of Mr. Honey's enacted murder.

Trivia

• The episode title comes from Michael Angeli and Kathleen Rowell's 1997 American television film of the same name.
• This episode is the directorial debut of Mädchen Amick, who portrays Alice Smith.
• It's the first episode of Riverdale to directly mention a character by name. In this case, Mr. Honey.
• Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which in turn caused production to shut down indefinitely, this episode served as the fourth season finale.

Gallery

Promotional Images

Screencaps

Videos

Riverdale Season 4 Episode 19 Chapter Seventy-Six Killing Mr. Honey Promo The CW

Riverdale Season 4 Episode 19 Preview The Season Finale The CW