Riverdale Season 6 Episode 18 Review: Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Biblical
Percival unleashes biblical plagues on Riverdale Season 6 Episode 18, “Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Biblical,” and it finally feels like the bigger picture is coming into focus.
After a few too many meandering plots and confusing supernatural hijinks, the endgame, as Veronica Lodge would say, is finally in sight.
There is clearly an overarching connection to Rivervale driving the story, even if it has been working behind the scenes to get us to this point. And Riverdale mysteries rarely pay off how they should, but these twists are bursting with the potential to tie the whole season together.
As the two universes continue to bleed together, and Jughead continues to essentially write the show, it feels like the writers methodically planned this season out to connect plot threads from the very beginning to the last batch of episodes.
Maybe I am giving them too much credit, but either way, it works.
Although the plot threads involve wacky scenarios, such as the appearance of La Llorona and Betty’s self-comparison to the Harlot of Babylon, we wouldn’t expect anything less from the craziest show on television.
I will be saying this until I’m blue in the face, but Riverdale is at its apex when it embraces the most unexpected, bonkers plot twists as normal occurrences. Twists that are almost always upstaged an episode later with the next cuckoo bananas, as Cheryl Blossom would say, reveal.
And speaking of bringing the unexpected to our screens, “Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Biblical” boldly ends with four major character deaths.
However, this shocking twist also makes me wonder if any of this is real. The strange coincidences, along with the signs of parallel universes, force us to debate how this fits into the larger stories of these characters.
For example, will their superpowers remain with these characters forever? Or are they simply part of whatever universe the gang is living in right now?
Don’t get me wrong, this storyline is a lot of fun. But it also proves how much easier it is to watch this show when you don’t take it seriously.
Adding to that point, Jughead is not the first-born child in his family since Charles is also his brother. Yet he reacts to the plague at the end of the episode.
This twist could be a plot hole, or it could tie into differences in the various universes if Riverdale is going that route.
Switching gears to some of the relationship drama, it’s exhausting watching the Archie, Betty, and Veronica love triangle continue on what feels like an endless cycle.
I love Veronica Lodge, and I really admire her journey of self-discovery. She’s strong and reliable, and everyone around her sees it.
I don’t want Veronica to feel unfulfilled without a relationship because she’s so much more than that. But if she’s still in love with Archie, then I want Riverdale to solve this triangle with no uncertainty on either side.
The back and forth of the feelings among these three is tired. It is time to bury it and push them into adulthood once and for all.
Nevertheless, I appreciate the show allowing these characters to feel their feelings about the relationship swapping. Veronica and Jughead should react to Betty and Archie’s relationship, so I think it’s completely valid that she’s struggling to watch their romance.
Riverdale only allows characters to show genuine reactions to the different relationships when it serves the plot, which in this case is Tabitha’s ability to see the future and know who ends up together. It makes a great twist, but this development should have happened episodes ago.
Overall, “Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Biblical” is an amusing hour that balances shock value entertainment and the promise of long-awaited answers to the mysterious incidents plaguing the town all season.
As the battle between good and evil reaches its climax, Riverdale Season 6 is ripe with the potential to deliver a season that connects the dots.
Stray Thoughts
- The twins getting lice gave me flashbacks to middle school!
- Kevin deserves actual perspective as he leaves Percival’s clutches and repairs his relationships with Toni and Fangs, but he’s unfortunately never given the material he warrants.
- The scene where the group captures Percival is shot in such a clever way. I love the Cheryl close-up.
- Cheryl officiating Toni’s wedding to Fangs is a gut punch to Choni fans. It’s an unnecessary and cruel choice, disrespecting a romance that is foundational to the series.
- Dale Jughead meeting Vale Jughead is the perfect cliffhanger.
What did you think of this episode of Riverdale? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Riverdale airs Sundays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Julia Paino
Julia is a TV and pop culture enthusiast who gets too emotionally invested in her favorite characters. She loves making people laugh and is always down for a Taylor Swift sing-along. She is firmly on Team Stefan and has been since 2009. Follow her on Twitter @juliampaino!