‘Riverdale’: SPOILER Dies in “A Night to Remember”

Riverdale came back tonight with its special musical episode, “A Night to Remember”, and the episode title wasn’t a lie. Not only did the episode see the students of Riverdale High take on the school’s production of Carrie: The Musical, but there was a shocking death as well.

Spoiler’s for tonight’s episode of Riverdale, “A Night to Remember”, below.

There were a number of dramatic turns in tonight’s episode. Hal and Alice got back together. Cheryl’s mom wouldn’t let her be in the musical — Midge was recast as Carrie in her stead, a move that upset Ethel who desperately wanted the role. There were even creepy ransom notes from the Black Hood. However, the biggest dramatic turn of the night came at the end. With the musical’s opening night well under way, it seemed for a moment that Riverdale might finally get one good night. Instead, Midge missed her cue during one of the songs, and it was revealed that she’s dead, her body stabbed into one of the set walls with a message from the Black Hood scrawled around her that anyone who escaped him last time is due to die.

Early this season, Midge (Emilija Baranac) survived one of the Black Hood’s early attacks. She and Moose Mason (Cody Kearsely) had been taking drugs and making out in a car in a secluded area when the killer walked up to the driver’s side and started shooting. Moose saved Midge’s life by shielding her with his own body. However, there was no one to save Midge this time around.

While there being a tragedy in conjunction with the musical isn’t a huge surprise — the cast has been teasing that something dark happens for a few weeks with Cole Sprouse even saying the episode would find a way to “slam you back down” — Midge being the victim is. After her first brush with the Black Hood, Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa told Glamour that he didn’t want to make the same mistake Stranger Things did when they killed Barb in Season One.

For those who don’t get the reference, in Stranger Things‘ first season, the show introduced Barb Holland (played by Shannon Purser, who incidentally, plays Ethel Muggs on Riverdale) only to kill her off just a few episodes later. Aguirre-Sacasa explained that killing off Midge would be sad since she was so new a character.

“I think people love finally getting to meet Midge, and people always like seeing Moose,” he said. “It would be a sad thing if we met Midge and then she ended up one of the Black Hood’s victims so quickly.”

However, despite these previous assertions, that is exactly what has happened. The character first appeared in the second season premiere and only a handful of episodes since which means it sounds like Riverdale followed in Stranger Things‘ footsteps after all. But hey, maybe Midge managed to cheat death a second time. It wouldn’t be the strangest thing to ever happen on Riverdale, after all.

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

What did you think about tonight’s episode? Let us know in the comments!