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Riverdale Recap: “Chapter Fifteen: Nighthawks”

By Kelly Shanaphy

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Earlier this year, Riverdale promised a darker season two and the show is definitely delivering on that front.

In, “Nighthawks,” things have begun to take a turn for a worse in the small town now that Pop’s Diner is on the verge of closing. With the entire town reeling from the shooting of Fred Andrews, the tensions between the North and South side begin to rise. Luckily, local hero Betty Cooper is trying her best to fix everything but does she make things better or worse?

Despite Fred safe at home recovering, Archie is still on the verge of a breakdown all throughout “Nighthawks”. He’s still standing guard on the first floor throughout the night, and its led to the poor boy getting zero sleep. While Veronica urges him to talk to a counselor, he ends up trying to procure some drugs through Reggie. When he learns that Ms. Grundy has been murdered, it sends Archie over the edge with his fear beginning to rule his life. While Mrs. Cooper bribes the pathologist confirms that this was a crime of passion, Archie isn’t as convinced and he takes his suspicions to Sheriff Keller. However, it turns out that Grundy’s ex-husband has an air tight alibi and poor Archie thinks that the hooded man is going after people he cares about.

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Veronica isn’t being hunted by the criminal but she’s got her own villain to deal with: her father. Throughout “Nighthawks,” Hiram attempts to reconnect with his daughter despite being rebuffed at every turn. After a heart-to-heart with Jughead, she chooses to give him a fresh start which he uses to make a charitable donation to Pop’s Diner. Unfortunately, it’s revealed that the eldest Lodge is up to his old tricks by buying the diner, buying Pop’s silence, and coercing Hermione into lying about the letter he wrote his daughter last season. Ronnie might have bought his new charitable act, but firing Smithers and replacing him with a young and attractive spy has definitely bought her attention.

With her friends dealing with so many problems, Betty decides to try to shoulder as many troubles as possible. She’s adamant in keeping Pop’s open and she immediately gets help from Veronica along with Kevin. While she organizes a “Retro Night,” Betty also tries to help Jughead keep FP out of jail despite the daunting task. When her beanie wearing boyfriend makes a deal with Penny Peabody, a sketchy lawyer for the Serpents, the two learn that a forgiving testimony from the Blossoms could keep FP from facing any jail time. Of course, Cheryl and her mother have turned over a mean new leaf which means the two are more than happy to let him rot in jail. Dark Betty resurfaces (minus the wig) in “Nighthawks” when she corners her third cousin in the locker room and blackmails her into committing perjury.

Thankfully, Cheryl’s testimony works and the mood is much happier for Retro Night at the Diner. A blissful Betty and Jughead are so happy at the turnout that they fail to notice all the dirt Alice is digging up from her booth. She points out to her daughter that Pop’s might have been saved but at what cost? The Serpents are now using it as a gathering place, Hiram Lodge is up to his old tricks, and drug deals (by Reggie) were done throughout the night.

Next: Riverdale Season Two Premiere Recap: “A Kiss Before Dying”

“Nighthawks,” doesn’t end with that revelation, instead it sets up a new tragedy. Moose and Midge take the street drug “jingle jangle” in their car before the hooded man descends on them with a barrage of bullets. Looks like Archie got that gun from Dilton just in the nick of time for a war.

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