‘Riverdale’ Recap With Spoilers: “Chapter Sixteen: The Watcher In The Woods”

Kevin walks through the woods late at night. He meets a boy and they begin to hook up. They hear gunshots in the distance, and follow them to find Midge, begging for help.

Veronica asks Hiram if she can invite her friends over to watch TV. He agrees.

At football practice, Reggie tells Archie what happened with Moose and Midge. He reveals that the pair are still alive.

Archie walks in on Kevin recounting his experience of the murder scene. Archie suggests that there’s a killer on the loose, but Betty doesn’t believe that the crimes are connected. Veronica changes the subject, inviting the group to her house to meet Hiram.

They accept, and Jughead leaves to meet his peer mentor at Southside High. Betty asks if Jughead can keep going to school at Riverdale High, and Jughead says he’ll be fine. They kiss.

Betty pulls Kevin aside and asks about his “night jogging.” He reveals that he was hooking up with a guy in Fox Forest, and promises to Betty that he won’t do it again. Cheryl hears the entire conversation in the background.

Archie and Reggie visit Moose in the ER. Moose confirms that the assailant had a black hood, and Midge argues that he had dead eyes.

Jughead checks in a Southside High and meets Toni Topaz, his peer mentor. She gives him a tour, and says that a lot of students are into Jingle Jangle. She reveals that she’s a Serpent, and Jughead says he wants to sit by himself. Toni says that hanging with the Serpents will help him survive at the school.

Archie tells Fred about the Black Hood attacking Moose and Midge. He suggests that they buy a gun, and Fred disagrees.

At Veronica’s house, Archie complains that no one seems to believe his theory about the Black Hood. Hiram and Hermione come in, and Veronica introduces him to her friends. Hiram reveals that he heard Archie’s conversation, and argues that Archie needs to take matters into his own hands. He invites Archie over to dinner to hear his plan.

In the Andrews shed, Archie finds his gun under a stack of Red Circle comics. He studies them.

The title card flashes on screen.

Act 2

Hermione asks Veronica not to push for Archie coming over for dinner.

Betty leaves for school, giving Alice a package that was on the front porch.

At school, Archie argues that they need to start a watch group for Riverdale High to keep it safe. He says that he doesn’t want it to be violent – just a patrol. He gives the group a name – The Red Circle.

Jughead and Toni sit in English class. After class, he approaches the teacher, asking if he can help start the school paper back up again.

Betty asks Kevin why he didn’t go to Veronica’s. Kevin argues that it’s none of her business (while Cheryl listens from nearby) and leaves. Cheryl asks Betty why she’s bothered by it, and argues that Kevin is hunting for validation.

Veronica officially invites Archie to dinner with her parents. She argues that the event is a test to see if Hiram can be a normal dad. Archie accepts.

Betty returns home to Alice and Hal. It turns out the package was a letter from The Black Hood, which he wants them to publish in the paper. Betty questions if the letter is real, but Alice reveals what else is in the package – Fred’s wallet and Grundy’s glasses.

 

Act 3

As Archie and company hand out flyers for the Red Circle, Keller reads the letter from the Black Hood. The letter argues that all of his acts are justified, because he’s targeting sinners. Alice reveals that they’re putting the letter on the front page of the paper.

Jughead’s English teacher says that he can start up the paper, as long as he doesn’t write about gangs or Jingle Jangle.

Keller confronts Archie about the Red Circle flyers. Keller asks Weatherbee about the group, and he argues that it’s a good thing.

Jughead and Toni weed through the school paper room. He asks Toni to be the photographer for the paper. A group of Serpents arrive, but Jughead refuses to hang out with them.

Polly decides to leave Riverdale for the farm that she and Jason wanted to go to. She argues that the Black Hood would easily see her as a sinner, considering the fact that she’s pregnant with Jason’s babies.

Kevin visits Moose in the hospital. He asks what Kevin was doing in the woods to begin with. Kevin tells Moose about his rendezvous in the woods, and Moose argues that it’s worth going for, just to not feel alone. Moose invites Kevin to hang out with him whenever.

Hermione argues that Veronica is playing with fire for the dinner with Archie.

Archie and Reggie head out on patrol.

Betty visits Jughead at the school paper. Jughead argues that the Ghoulies are the source of Riverdale’s drug trade. Betty says she’s worried about Jughead. They kiss, but are interrupted by Toni. Jughead awkwardly introduces them to each other.

Hiram reveals that he heard Hermione and Veronica’s conversation. He tells her not to turn Veronica against him.

Cheryl spots Kevin preparing to go for a run at Pop’s.

Ethel Muggs walks home. A car slowly follows behind her, before passing her.

Jughead finishes setting up in the Red and Black offices.

Archie gets a call. He and Reggie turn back around.

Kevin follows a group of guys into the woods.

Archie and Reggie find Ethel, who is distraught over the car following her.

Cheryl and Betty approach Kevin in the woods. He asks Betty not to be a hypocrite about what he chooses to do, and wonders if she’s really his friend.

Jughead hears a noise as he walks down Southside’s hallways. He tries to get out of the school, but only finds locked doors. He gets beaten up.

 

Act 4

Fred asks Archie about the dinner with the Lodges. He tells Archie to be careful around Hiram.

Betty cleans up Jughead’s wounds, which he says he got from a motorcycle crash. She asks Toni to keep an eye on Jughead, and leaves. Jughead tells Toni that he was beaten up by the Ghoulies, and that he’ll take his alliance with the Serpents more seriously.

Archie and the Lodges sit at dinner. Hiram asks about the Ethel attack, and then invites Archie to drink rum with him. Veronica invites herself in the room, but Hiram says no.

Betty tries to convince Polly not to leave, but she does anyway.

Hiram and Archie drink rum in his study. He asks Archie not to sneak into Veronica’s room, and not to hurt her. He then argues that Archie and the Red Circle need to strike back against the Black Hood.

Betty goes to find Kevin. Kevin approaches a car in Fox Forest, and the driver invites him to get in. Kevin does, and then gets stabbed.

Kevin then flashes back to reality, and declines getting in the car. The driver accosts him, but he runs away.

 

Act 5

Kevin returns home to find Keller waiting up for him. He reveals that Betty told him the truth, and asks him to stay safe with everything that’s going on. Keller then suggests that the two of them be more honest with each other, and they hug.

The next day, Veronica suggests that she get a more active role in Lodge Industries. Hiram agrees.

Jughead sits with Toni and the Serpents at lunch.

Betty tries to approach Kevin in the hallway, but he ignores her.

Archie and the other members of the Red Circle record a video message threatening the Black Hood. Hiram smiles as he watches the video in his study.