Riverdale: Top 5 Moments from ‘Chapter Twenty-Two: Silent Night, Deadly Night’ (Season 2 Episode 9)

“Silent Night, Deadly Night” is an exciting midseason finale that wraps up several dangling plot threads — or at least appears to.

Riverdale Season 2 Episode 9 focuses largely on the Betty/Archie team-up, but Veronica’s and Jughead’s stories are equally engaging.

Here are the top five most memorable moments from Riverdale Season 2 Episode 9, “Silent Night, Deadly Night.”

1. Archie and Betty unmask the Black Hood… or do they?

The reveal of the Black Hood’s identity is obviously the most important development of the midseason finale. Too bad it’s so clearly a fake-out.

After a dramatic and tense showdown at the cemetery (involving Betty being forced at gunpoint to start burying Archie, only to turn the tables on the Black Hood and save the day), the masked killer is shot dead by Sheriff Keller. When the hood is lifted, it’s Mr. Svenson — missing the one finger that was sent to Betty as her super creepy Secret Santa gift.

The show takes pains to again reiterate the fact that Archie remembers the Black Hood’s distinctive eyes from when the killer shot at Fred in Pop’s Diner. While there’s a chance that Archiekins simply has facial blindness, it’s more likely that Mr. Svenson isn’t the killer at all.

It seems plausible that Svenson (aka, Joseph Conway) was manipulated by the real Black Hood prior to his death, with the true killer cutting off Joseph’s finger and somehow forcing him to go after Archie and Betty. The fact that Svenson runs away after Betty catches him off guard is very telling. He’s not looking to kill them. During the confrontation on the bridge, he’s attempting to escape.

Instead, he loses his life.

In all, I enjoy the Archie/Betty team-up of the midseason finale — it’s for sure far more entertaining than Archie and Veronica’s rather lackluster sleuthing. I just feel that, ultimately, this will all almost definitely amount to nothing when the killings start up again.

Betty, for one, is unlikely to be surprised when that happens. The final scene finds her burning the letters the Black Hood sent while keeping the hood itself. Clearly, she doesn’t think it’s over either.

2. The Lodges finally let Veronica in on the family business.

A secondary subplot finds Veronica scheming to find a way to help her recent ex-boyfriend.

Though the two definitively broke up at the end of Riverdale Season 2 Episode 8, it’s immediately apparent that Veronica is still hung up on her Archiekins. For one, she still gives him the fancy gift she got for him pre-breakup.

For another, she commits literal credit card fraud in order to save Archie and his dad from drowning under the debt from Fred’s massive post-shooting medical bills.

As a result of Veronica’s snooping to find leverage that will force her parents to pay off Fred’s debt, she discovers that they were the anonymous buyers of Pop’s who allowed the diner to remain open. But far more interesting than Veronica playing guardian angel for Fred’s wallet is the unintended effect that comes along with it: the Lodges let Veronica in on what they’ve been up to with the family business.

Unfortunately for viewers, this particular conversation all takes place off screen. A real bummer for all of us wanting desperately to know what Hiram and Hermione’s larger, mysterious game plan is here. But the aftermath of the conversation reveals two important things.

One is that Hermione and Hiram maintain that they are doing nothing illegal (“plausible deniability,” and all that), while Veronica is decidedly less convinced that’s true. The other reveal is that, regardless of not being convinced of the family business’s legality, Veronica is full steam ahead with joining in on it.

I’ve been crossing my fingers for a darker turn for Veronica. Don’t let me down in 2018, Riverdale.

3. Archie and Betty kiss.

I’m not going to lie: the kiss is good.

Whether you love or hate Barchie, it’s hard to deny that the kiss feels organic. The two are dealing with a high-stress, life-or-death situation. Betty is reeling from Jughead forcing her out of his life (for her own good, but whatever). Meanwhile, Archie’s ego is feeling bruised from Veronica refusing to say she loves him and leaving him over it.

The fact that they kiss is the most predictable thing ever. Again, this is a show on The CW, people. It’s what they do.

That said, I do like the chemistry between KJ Apa and Lili Reinhart — not quite as much as the chemistry between Cole Sprouse and Lili, but definitely more than the KJ/Camila Mendes chemistry. There’s plenty of history there, which is hinted at during the gang’s Secret Santa sequence.

Archie gives Betty a meaningful and personal gift from their childhood. At the end of the day, these two go way back and know each other better than anyone. It’s understandable that Jug and Ronnie are a bit worried when they see the smiles Archie and Betty exchange after the gift is given.

Importantly, Betty initiates the kiss. Archie halts it from going further, but also doesn’t flat out reject her. Also important: Cheryl almost definitely sees the kiss, since it takes place right after Betty and Archie visit Nana Rose Blossom to squeeze some info out of her.

What I’m saying is: I doubt we’ve seen the last of Barchie.

4. Jughead maims Penny Peabody.

In easily the most startling moment of the finale, Jughead leads the younger Southside Serpents (including Sweet Pea and Toni) in an ambush against Penny Peabody. His only goal is to get his father out of the mess that Jug feels he put FP in, thanks to his own misguided ignorance.

Jughead going so far as to brutalize and maim Penny, cutting off her tattoo to prove she’s not a Serpent, is completely unexpected. It’s shocking and extremely dark.

Jug is going down a scary road. I also can’t imagine that Penny will let this stand. She’s maniacal. Her vengeance is certainly coming.

FP is definitely right to berate Jughead for his foolish attempt to rectify things.

5. Veronica and Archie reunite.

While I personally don’t care about this moment very much, Veronica and Archie getting back together is admittedly significant.

More importantly, Veronica tells Archie that she does love him, likely inspired by the whole “Archie almost died and the Black Hood is seemingly dead now” thing.

Unfortunately, Archie doesn’t come clean about the very brief but obviously very important Betty kiss. I’m sure that secret will rear it’s ugly head in no time.

Others thoughts:

• Over in Cheryl-land, everybody’s favorite redhead (#sorrynotsorry, Archie) contends with the news that the Blossom family is now broke. And by “contends” I mean denies it completely. Cheryl, being Cheryl, isn’t willing to go without, so she insists her mom get a job. Unfortunately, that job might be a little sketchy, given that Cheryl walked in on Penelope having sex with a mysterious Santa.
• My only Christmas wish is for Kevin Keller to get a story of his own in the New Year.
• Just kidding, I have another Christmas wish: More development on the FP/Alice front, please!
• Betty and Archie are led to the grave with an old photo of the men (and Nana Rose) who wrongfully killed the innocent man accused of the Riverdale Reaper’s Conway family murders by Mr. Svenson. Which leads me to ask… Who on earth would pose for (and then keep) a photo of the place where they committed a vigilante murder? Like it’s a keepsake? Jeez. Grandpappy Cooper was dark.
• Betty’s nightmare about the Black Hood is supposed to be scary, but honestly, it just comes off as goofy and silly.

What did you think of this episode of Riverdale? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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