Riverdale Recap: Everything You Missed in "Graduation"

Before Graduation

Now that Jellybean has been unmasked as the Auteur, FP decides that the only way to move forward is for the two of them to move back to Ohio, where they can reunite with Gladys.

Everyone has conflicted feelings about graduation -- Jughead feels remorse about how the events of the past four years have impacted Jellybean's generation, Archie has nightmares about Fred's death, Cheryl misses Jason, and Veronica feels remorse about how Hiram has influenced the town.

Cheryl and Toni open up a time capsule from Riverdale High's class of 1945. One of the items -- a photo of a bunch of young men preparing to enter the Army -- captures Archie's attention. This, coupled with the fact that an Army recruitment booth is at the school during graduation week, makes him begin to rethink his future.

Mr. Weatherbee tells Archie that he'll have to repeat his senior year, but that he'll be able to walk alongside his classmates, and even record the graduation song at the ceremony -- a cover of Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)."

Veronica returns Archie's various possessions back to him, and they both agree to spend the night together one last time.

Graduation

Graduation Day arrives, and everyone celebrates with their respective families. Archie is sad that Fred isn't there, but Mary argues that his spirit can be felt. Toni tells her grandma that Cheryl is her girlfriend, and she begins to accept it.

Betty gives her Valedictorian speech, hoping for the town to return to being as innocent as possible for the sake of the younger graduation.

Everyone walks at graduation -- including Archie, who fixates on the men from the Army recruitment in the audience.

After the ceremony, Penelope approaches Cheryl and reveals that she's going to turn herself in to the authorities. She wishes Cheryl well at college, but Cheryl suggests that that might not end up happening.

FP says his goodbyes to Jughead and Alice.

Archie decides to enlist into the military, and leaves for basic training the day after graduation.

After Graduation

Veronica signs ownership of Pop's back to Pop Tate.

The gang buries a new time capsule, which features various mementos from their high school years -- including Jughead's beanie. Afterwards, Archie asks Jughead, Veronica, and Betty to swear that they'll meet up again at Pop's exactly one year later -- and every year after that. Archie tells them about his plans to enlist, which Veronica gets upset about it. Later, Jughead wonders how Veronica didn't know about Archie's plan to enlist, and Betty comes clean about her and Archie's kiss.

Meanwhile, Cheryl tells Toni she's not going to college, and is deciding to stay behind and fix the town and the Blossom family reputation. She and Nana Rose go back to live on the grounds on the Blossom family mansion.

The next day, Jughead picks up Archie to drop him off at the bus stop for basic training. Meanwhile, Betty visits Veronica and apologizes about the kiss, but Veronica forgives her because she's so upset about Archie leaving, and wishes they could properly say goodbye. At the bus stop, Archie brings it up to Jughead, but Jughead tells him he forgives him and they'll always be close. Veronica and Betty drive the Jalopy to say goodbye to Archie one last time, and they chase down his bus and are able to have one final goodbye.

A New Chapter

After Archie's exit, Veronica leaves Riverdale a week later, deciding to spend some time with Hermione and Andy Cohen prior to college.

Betty and Jughead's relationship also strains after Archie leaves, but they agree that they'll always love each other. After Betty leaves for college early, Jughead decides to squat in Archie's old house, which Mary decided to sell after Archie left. Once that falls through, Jughead moves into the bunker, and lives there until he has to go off to college.

One year later, Jughead is the only one who honors the promise and shows up at Pop's. As Jughead explains, he wouldn't see his friends again for another six years.

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