Okay Riverdale!  I’m ready!  The title tonight is folk heroes.  Of course we know Archie will be one as he is indestructible (it seems) but if the palladium comes into play, will that change the story  How will Betty’s eyesight make her a folk hero much less Jughead’s mind reading ability.  Let’s not forget super-sleuth Veronica knows Percival has no history.  Reggie looks like he has just gone to the dark side.  Is Cheryl really Cheryl or is Abigail still lurking.  Better yet.  Will we get answers tonight?

Percival is now a member of the board of four after getting Alice to get rid of Skid Row and the gangs.  Kevin (probably by now) has control of baby Anthony leaving Toni devastated.  Percival’s next target will be Veronica’s casino and Reggie will probably be the catalyst.  Percival is certainly a little busy body and has his own plans for the town (like total destruction as in Rivervale).  If he goes after Pop Tate’s, we know it is the safe place for the good people of Riverdale. Another question though is who will make that cut?

Percival Makes His Move

As the show opens, we get information about folk heroes from Jughead and the information that Percival is a supernatural creature who wants to destroy Riverdale.  Duh Jughead, tell us something we didn’t know.  Jug feels we need a present-day folk hero.  While this is being spoken, Veronica has Percival in her office wanting exclusive use of the Champagne Suite for which he’ll pay in advance.  While Veronica ignores him at first when he says he sponsors the Moulin Rouge and Sydney Opera House, she agrees.  Now why would he want that room.

Alice calls on Percival to present the Riverdale new project – Pickens Park – complete with a children’s playground.  Archie reminds Percival that General Pickens wasn’t a hero but homicidal.  (Well, there goes that hero.)  Percival presents a new sign for the town to approve and will use it with the slogan “Home of Pop’s Chocolate Shop.”  He only wants Tabitha to work with him.  The other logo would promote Veronica’s casino.  When Tabitha doesn’t bow to the mind control demands, guess which sign gets approved.  So now, Percival wants the casino as it will bring in business.

Archie the Folk Hero

Jughead sees only one way to get rid of Percival’s mind control.  They need to set up Archie as a folk hero.  They’re not sure that it will work but they need to do something.  Archie calls an old friend, Danny Kelly and arranges to fight him.  He tells the town council that the community center cannot be used for town business.  It’s back to being a teen center that will teach teens self respect, boxing, physical fitness (get the drift).  Percival isn’t happy about this, but he can’t make a move.  Jughead has already arranged press who show up and take pictures of Archie surviving extreme cold, cinder blocks broken on his chest, etc.  Think the circus side show.

At the club, Percival shows up uninvited and unannounced.  He tries to control Archie’s mind, even trying to get him to draw blood.  The knife breaks and Percival tries again.  Fortunately, for Archie, he sees Fred’s picture and concentrates of that.  Percival quickly flies off (and yes, I do mean that literally).

Later, Archie’s friend (and famous boxer) Danny Kelly arrives in town (wait isn’t it K. O.?).  Oh, well!  He’s famous and plans to fight Archie.  Unfortunately, Percival gets to Danny first and knows his skills.  I’m not sure what Percival does to Danny (we don’t see), but he ends up in the hospital.  Archie is upset when he finds out from Jughead.  They are discussing what to do when Percival calls and offers to fight Archie.  If Archie wins, Percival will step down from the Council.  If Percival wins, his ancestor’s statue goes up.  ARchie agrees to the fight.

The night of the fight starts fair.  Jabs are exchanged and suddenly, Percival lands a blow.  Later Archie will tell Jughead and Betty that he felt pain.  He also shed blood.  Somehow Percival has found out about Archie’s vulnerability.  Percival has a piece of palladium in his glove.  He makes a note in his notebook after the fight and then goes to Alice’s house.  He plants the idea in Betty’s head to use the palladium to kill Archie.  Now we all know where the palladium came from – Alice gave it to Percival.  It seems Betty had it for safe keeping and Alice either searched Betty’s room (probably) or Betty told her (unlikely).  Okay, now Archie is on Percival’s hit list.

While at the Blossom’s

Britta asks about being adopted.  Cheryl promises her that she’ll always have a place at Blossom’s home.  Later, Cheryl sits reading in the room where Abigail is housed and feels her presence.  Cheryl’s temperature starts rising and reaches 103.  Nana takes care of Cheryl and  watches over doll Abigail with a caregiver for Cheryl.  The bodyguard/caregiver though breaks into flames.  Cheryl finds Betty, Betty goes to the morgue and learns that the caregiver died by spontaneous combustion.  Cheryl’s afraid that she’ll die that way but Betty promises to keep watch.

That night, Cheryl’s temperature rises and Betty quickly gets her into an ice bath that brings the temperature down.  Cheryl is afraid she will combust and Betty will call the FBI agency to get the people down who deal with that type of dolls.

So now, Cheryl has a power – pyrokinesis.  Wonder if Percival knows about this one?  It seems Cheryl has a form of pyrokinesis.  The FBI agent tells Betty there are ways to deal with it.  That night, Cheryl’s temp keeps rising to 303 degrees.  Cheryl throws Penelope’s picture into the fire and tells Cheryl to focus on that.  Cheryl does and her body heat goes away (she also faints).  We’re getting Stephen King’s “Fire Starter” now folks.  What a lovely salute.  Does Cheryl continue to use this newfound energy?  At the end of the episode, she’s sitting in the library reading and lights the candles with her a swipe of her hand.  Will she be a force for good or bad?  I’m thinking good and she calls Sabrina for help.

Dueling Casinos?

Tabitha now knows that Percival wants Pop’s gone.  The revenue is already going down, so she goes to Toni and they decide to give Babylonia some competition.  Percival, of course, knows this is coming.  Having already secured the use of the Champagne Suite, he uses all he knows on Ronnie. 

He tells Ronnie he has a proposition.  He wants to move in and become Ronnie’s lover.  Why?  Babylonia feels like home.  When Ronnie points out she has a partner, Percival sends her to the car lot where she finds a mini casino operating with slot machines from Babylonia.  Reggie says this isn’t competition because the slot machines are “on loan.”  Both are benefiting from the arrangement.  Ronnie bars Reggie from the casino and her bed.

Later, Percival tells Ronnie about the competing casino in the basement of Pop’s.  She dons her blonde wig and she and Percival arrive to a performance by Tabitha and Toni.  Of course, Ronnie is upset.  Besides, Percival has additional plans for closing Pop’s.  Pop sees someone urinating on the wall (health code violation).  Plus Fangs has been sprung for jail and is upset with what Toni ‘s pole dancing. 

The next day, Percival presents his plan.  They will firebomb Pop’s and burn it to the ground.   Meanwhile Pop doesn’t like liquor being sold in the family restaurant.  Instead, Percival spell over Ronnie is broken. She calls Toni and Tabitha for a meeting.  Later when Percival comes back to see Ronnie, she’s out from under his spell.  She wants him out and not only of her bed but the Champagne Room.  Ronnie tells him not to worry about the other casino.  She’s worked out a deal with Toni and will send slot machines there.  The White Wyrm will give Ronnie 10% of the profit.  Meanwhile, Tabitha will open a mini-Pop Tate’s in the lobby so the casino will be more family friendly.  Oh, and Reggie is back with Veronica.  All is forgiven.

So Where Are We Now?

Percival knows both Jughead and Archie’s power.  He plans to use Betty to get rid of Archie.  I told you the cult was back.  Alice is helping Percival with the plan.  I guarantee she’s under mind-control and gave him the palladium.

Cheryl has learned to control her power as she swipes her hand and lights candles in front of Abigail’s doll.  Or is Abigail back.  We’ll have to wait for that resolution. 

Tom lets Percival know that the statue is up to General Pickens.  LIghts come on around said statue. More evil has started.   

Next Week:

Tabitha finds out she has a power as a gun wielding assassin appears (either sent by Percival or is Percival).  She flashes back in time and learns she is a time traveler.  And we have “Discovery of Witches” folks.  Wonder if Percival knows about that power.

So to recap powers:  Archie is invulnerable except to palladium.    Betty sees villains/evil energy.  Jughead can read thoughts.  Cheryl can control fire.  Toni is Lady Llorna.  Veronica can see a scam.  Have I missed any?