Riverdale Recap: Everything You Missed in “The Homecoming”

Riverdale has now entered a bit of uncharted territory, as the hit The CW series officially jumped seven years into the future in last week’s episode. That narrative decision was definitely expected to bring some new storytelling decisions, as the series’ ensemble now has new status quos and relationships after many of them graduated college and went into adulthood. The series’ most recent episode, tonight’s “Chapter Eighty-One: The Homecoming”, further showcased exactly what that will entail, with moments that are sure to get the fandom talking.

If you need to catch up on the most essential details and storylines from Riverdale‘s latest episode, we’re here to help. Here are the biggest reveals and Easter eggs from “Chapter Eighty-One: The Homecoming.” Obviously, spoilers for the latest episode of Riverdale, “Chapter Eighty-One: The Homecoming”, below! Only look if you want to know!

Reunion

After the meeting at Pop’s, Betty and Jughead walk home and talk about their falling out. Betty reveals that Jughead left her some sort of voicemail after his book launch, which is what caused it. Meanwhile, Archie and Veronica walk home, and the topic turns to Veronica’s marriage. Everyone returns home — Betty returns home to find Alice watching Polly’s twins, Veronica visits her family’s apartment at the Five Seasons, Archie returns to the garage, and Jughead to the bunker.

Betty

While packing up the Riverdale FBI office, Betty finds tapes that Charles made of everyone’s phone conversations. Later, Betty has nightmares about the Black Hood. Polly returns home late from her job waitressing at a nightclub, and Betty apologizes to her for how she treated her after The Farm. Later, Betty discovers that Polly has been lying about her waitressing job, and accuses her of doing criminal things with the Ghoulies.

Betty then calls Polly to check on her — just as Polly is outrunning someone driving an eighteen-wheeler.

Jughead

Jughead asks Toni if he can work at the Whyte Wyrm in order to pay off his debts. Sweet Pea, Fangs, and the rest of the Serpents are unhappy with him, after he wrote some thinly-veiled things about them in his first book. Later, Jughead approaches Tabitha Tate — Pop Tate’s granddaughter — and asks her for a job as well, but is turned down. When at Pop’s the next day, Jughead’s debt collectors show up, and he’s forced to hide. After that whole ordeal, Tabitha offers Jughead the waiter job. All the while, Archie asks Jughead to write a speech for Pop’s retirement party — and in a pinch, he sends it over to his editor, and it surprisingly wins over his publisher. Later, Jughead asks Archie if they can move in together.

Toni

Archie visits Weatherbee at Riverdale High, who reveals that the school is in danger of closing after Hiram cut their budget. Toni, Alice, Weatherbee, Kevin, and Archie meet up about it, and they decide to try to win over the school board to fund the school. Hiram visits Toni at the Whyte Wyrm, trying to bribe her with opportunities at Stonewall Prep if she stops the fight with the school board. When she refuses, he runs a hit piece about her in the Riverdale Register. One of Toni’s Serpents finds documents outlining Hiram’s secret plans for the town —  including unincorporating the town. Everyone decides to explore the idea of turning Riverdale into a private school, if they’re able to find funding and new teachers.

Archie

Archie spies on the Ghoulies squatting in his house from Betty’s house, and the two of them decide to try to fight the Ghoulies. Archie meets with Sheriff Keller, asking for his resources, and learns that Reggie is in charge of Hiram’s private security force. When Archie asks Reggie to inspect the place, he doesn’t find anything incriminating, which Archie believes is part of a cover up. As Archie leaves the house, he sees Polly hanging out with the Ghoulies. Archie relays that information to Betty, which only motivates her further to raid the Andrews house. Archie, Betty, Fangs, Sweet Pea, and Kevcin raid the house, and tussle with the Ghoulies in the process. Kevin finds a Jingle Jangle lab in the house, providing enough evidence to incriminate them. Later, Archie and Betty clean up the damage at the Andrews house, and they hook up in the shower afterwards, and agree to keep it between themselves.

Veronica

Veronica visits Hiram at his Mayor’s office, and tells him she wants back in on the family businesses. Later, Veronica suspects that Chad has been freezing their credit cards. Smithers tells Veronica that he thinks she’s being stalked, and she decides to pawn some of her possessions in order to get a gun. She also goes to Reggie and asks for him to sell her a car, but he tells her to go to Hiram instead. Veronica ultimately does ask Hiram for help in getting through to Chad, but he refuses, as revenge for when she turned him down seven years ago. Veronica later confronts Chad, and tells him to either reactivate their credit cards or deal with the consequences.

A New Chapter

At Pop’s retirement party, Archie gives Pop an honorary letterman’s jacket. Jughead gives his speech, and they all toast milkshakes in his honor.

Cheryl shows up at the party, and Toni asks her to fund Riverdale High. After some convincing, she agrees.

Archie, Betty, Jughead, and Veronica meet in the student lounge, and suggests that they all become teachers at Riverdale High, at least until Weatherbee is able to find replacements. They all agree to it.

At the school board meeting, Toni announces that Riverdale High will be going private, will be tuition-free, and will have Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead as teachers. Hiram announces the measure to unincorporate the town — and it passes.

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