'Riverdale' Recap With Spoilers: "Outbreak"

Cheryl, Toni, Veronica, and the other River Vixens walk down the hallway.

Moose and Kevin make out in a classroom. Moose tries to give Kevin Fizzle Rocks, but he declines them.

Suddenly, Cheryl screams as all of the River Vixens are having seizures on the ground.

In the asylum, Ethel plays a G&G game for Betty and the other girls. They’re all forced to take Fizzle Rocks, which Betty immediately throws up in the bathroom.

Jughead and Archie arrive at his mom, Gladys’, junkyard. Jughead’s sister, Jellybean, recognizes her brother and hugs him.

Cheryl tucks Toni into her bed at Thistle House, offering to help her recover from the seizure. Cheryl suggests that Toni move in with her permanently, and Toni agrees.

Veronica wakes up from her seizure at home, to hear Hiram and Hermione arguing in the living room. They tell her that they’re shipping her away to New York so she won’t be as stressed, but Veronica refuses.

At Pop’s, Veronica talks to Reggie about her parents trying to banish her. Moose, Kevin, and the ROTC boys rambunctiously arrive, which prompts Reggie to tell her about Fizzle Rocks. She asks him to investigate that for her, and he agrees.

Gladys embraces Jughead and Archie. She initially thinks they’re a couple, which they deny. She then reveals that she got her GED, turning her life around and opening the junkyard.

Alice meets with Betty in the asylum, telling her about the mass seizures. Betty sees Ethel’s collage on the wall, and decides to pretend that she’s developed a close connection with the Gargoyle King to make Ethel jealous. She convinces Ethel to go to the Gargoyle King’s chambers, and locks her in there in hopes that the Fizzle Rocks will eventually wear off.

Betty returns to Ethel, who starts crying about the fact that she can’t see the Gargoyle King anymore. Betty explains what she knows about the situation, and Ethel insists that she saw the Gargoyle King for real. Betty ultimately convinces Ethel to help her investigate.

Weatherbee makes an announcement over the PA that he’s closing down the student lounge. Veronica asks Cheryl if, as student body president, she knows why. She reveals that she thinks Weatherbee is shutting down the school, with Hiram and Hermione’s help, and that there will be a school board meeting about it that night. Weatherbee then storms down the hallways with a group of people in Hazmat suits.

Reggie meets with Veronica, and reveals that Fizzle Rocks are being given away to people for free as a way to get them addicted. He also reveals that the drugs are coming out of Hiram’s prison on the south side. She calls Cheryl to ask if the school board meeting is happening.

At the meeting, Hermione declares that she’s signing an executive order to shut down Riverdale High. Veronica arrives, confronting Hiram about the CDC not actually showing up in Riverdale. Hiram reveals that the CDC were private contractors. Veronica then confronts Hiram about the Fizzle Rocks, and he accuses her of being delusional. Cheryl then asks what happened to the other Vixens who had seizures, but gets no answer. Penelope gets up, only to have a seizure.

Jughead and Archie tell Gladys and Jellybean about Archie’s situation with Hiram. Gladys asks if Archie has had any contact with Fred, but he says no. Archie gets up to go get food, and Gladys asks Jughead about G&G. She wonders if Hiram is behind it, and then says that she’s unhappy Jughead is part of the Serpent game. Jughead confronts Gladys about the intentions of her junkyard, and she admits to stealing car parts here and there to make ends meet.

Archie walks through the junkyard, only to be attacked by Penny Peabody. She threatens to kill Archie, but Jellybean arrives and shoots her with a slingshot.

Gladys ties up Penny, and asks her about her deal with Hiram. Penny says that Hiram won’t stop until he gets Archie. Gladys then confronts Penny about her cutting off Jughead’s tattoo, pulling out a knife and threatening to do the same. Jughead suggests she ask Penny about Hiram’s role with G&G.

Hiram compliments Veronica for her passion at the school board meeting. He also hints that the next phase of his plan is going to get even bigger, and he offers for Veronica to have a role in it. She refuses.

Jughead and Archie ask Gladys about what Penny said. She says that Hiram drove them out of town as a way to make his plans easier. She says they’re safe with her until they figure out what’s next.

Betty calls Veronica from the asylum, revealing what Hiram and Claudius are doing with Fizzle Rocks. Veronica relays the information to Cheryl, who agrees to talk to Penelope about what’s going on.

Ethel creates a distraction while Betty puts Sister Woodhouse in a chokehold.

Gladys wakes Jughead up in the middle of the night, revealing that the bounty on Archie also applies to Jughead as well. Archie listens from around the corner. Jughead refuses to ditch Archie, but he says that it’s fine if he goes the rest of the journey alone. Gladys offers to help Archie get to the border, and Jughead agrees to go back to Riverdale to confront Hiram afterwards.

Betty and Ethel tie up Woodhouse in front of the Gargoyle statue. They confront her about the Fizzle Rocks and G&G. She reveals that G&G was started by patients in the asylum, as a way to process the fact that they’re being scared by the gargoyle statue. She says that the game wasn’t supposed to get out of the asylum. Betty and Ethel leave with Woodhouse’s keys, locking her inside and escaping.

Veronica and Cheryl torture Penelope for information, pouring maple syrup over her head until she agrees to talk. She says that she and Claudius made the deal with Hiram as a way to be able to run their own drug and sex work agencies.

Betty and Ethel ask the other girls at the asylum if they want to escape, but they refuse. Betty and Ethel ultimately agree to turn the escape into a G&G quest involving the Griphon Queen, as a way to motivate the group.

Fred arrives at Gladys’ junkyard and hugs Archie. Gladys and Jellybean meet with FP, but Jellybean accuses FP of not being there for her. Jughead comes outside, and FP gives him his Serpent jacket. FP remarks about Penny showing up there, and Gladys says that they won’t need to worry about Penny anytime soon. FP then hugs Gladys and she kisses him on the cheek.

Veronica and Cheryl confront Kevin and the ROTC kids, saying that they’re “going to war”.

Ethel tells the girls at the asylum about the new quest. Betty arrives in a costume, pretending to be the Gryphon Queen, and shows the girls the head of the Gargoyle King statue. They agree to escape.

In a bathroom, Archie dyes his hair black. Fred meets him outside, and suggests that they both go out of the country and hide in a cabin together. Archie says that can’t happen, and asks for Fred to give him his blessing. Fred hugs him and begins to cry. He then lets Vegas out of the truck, handing his leash over to Archie. Archie and Vegas head towards the bus stop.

Hermione sits at her desk, upset. Veronica, Cheryl, and the ROTC kids barge in, and tell Hermione she’s free of her mayoral duties and she can’t close the school. Hermione reveals that it’s too late, because she called and closed the school ten minutes ago. Sirens begin to wail overhead.

As Betty and the other kids leave the asylum, Alice arrives in her car to pick up Betty.

Everyone listens to the sirens — Veronica with the ROTC boys at Pop’s, Cheryl and Toni in bed.

Archie and Vegas travel through the woods.


FP and Jughead arrive in Riverdale, only to see the town’s entrance barricaded off. A sign says that the town is officially under quarantine. FP and Jughead try to enter, but a group of guards threaten them.

Hiram is on the phone with the governor, who offers to keep the town’s quarantine secret. Hiram praises the Gargoyle King, who is in the room with him.