Warning: *spoilers ahead*
Jughead starts the episode as he often does, with an angsty forewarning of what lies beneath the surface of Riverdale. As the town prepares to honor their founding father, General Augustus Pickens, the Serpents struggle assimilating to their new school and the Lodges scheme to take control of Riverdale. Archie continues to work with the federal agent against Hiram Lodge while the Coopers attempt to get to know Chic, Betty’s long-lost brother. You know, an ordinary day in the neighborhood.
Archie is encouraged to find some common ground with Hiram, which he discovers in wrestling. Yes, you heard that right… we all get to bask in the glory of Archie Andrews in a wrestling singlet. Andrews can’t seem to hold his ground, however, and is quickly taken down by Kevin multiple times with Hiram watching. As Kevin puts it, “Archie, you may have the physique of a 1970’s porn star, but that doesn’t mean you can wrestle.” Hiram uses this opportunity to knock Archie down a peg, telling him that wrestling takes a “certain kind of man” that Andrews simply is not. The next thing you know, Archie Andrews and Hiram Lodge are literally wrestling on the floor. Not even kidding. As Mr. Lodge puts Archie into a chokehold, he whispers “get the message, I always win.”
Later, Archie goes to speak to Hiram at the Lodge residence. Hiram admits that he has so much disdain for his daughter’s boyfriend because Fred (Archie’s father) is a cheater and he worries that Archie will turn out the same way. In a fit of fury, Archie tells Hiram that he took better care of Veronica than Mr. Lodge ever could when he was in prison. The two are caught in a standoff by Veronica, who angrily splits up the two men before it goes any further.
At the wrestling match, coach makes a last-minute change (seemingly requested by Hiram) to pit Archie against Chuck. In a complete underdog moment, Andrews turns the tables and actually wins the match with Chuck in a chokehold. He makes eye contact with Hiram as if to mirror his own words, “get the message, I always win.”
In the final few minutes of the episode, Archie meets Hiram at the Lodge residence for a meeting of sorts. Mr. Lodge offers a “criminal apprenticeship” (as described by the omnipresent Jughead) to Andrews. As the chapter ends, Jughead alludes to the beginning of a civil war in Riverdale—not only between Andrews and Lodge, but also between the Northside and Southside. As we wait for next week’s episode, I am left with so many questions.
Until next week,
Yours Truly