Riverdale is avoiding a sophomore slump by asking some tough questions about how America responds to terror.
Warning: This article contains spoilers through Riverdale Season 2, Episode 4.
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Riverdales at a crossroads.
We have work to do.
So how is the town of Riverdale doing in Season 2?
Are they doing better, per Bettys challenge?
Um… not so much.
Archie has canonically been a mainstream representation of the average American, i.e.
a straight, white man.
Archies bad choices all came to a head in this weeks episode, The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
Thus far, much of Archies behavior has been allowed to go unchecked.
For the people on the Southside who dont personally know Archie, his Red Circle video is understandably terrifying.
Even for the people whodoknow Archie, it is a cause for some fear.
When he starts a teenage vigilante mob, Principal Weatherbee initially supports it.
(Imagine if this were Jughead, or any kid from the Southside.)
In the end, Archie isnt stopped by some institutional authority, but rather by his more level-headed girlfriend.
Even Archie recognizes that, if Veronica hadnt been there, someone could have been hurt or killed.
In different ways than Jughead or Betty or Kevin, the system fails Archie, too.
It lets him get this far.
It doesnt stop him.
Along with Archie, Alice is the representation of Americas worst habits when confronted with terror.
She strikes out at the Southside.
In this case: the impoverished Southside.
You talk about the town being divided.
Alice, youre the one holding the cleaver.
The Southside is not the issue.
The issue is there is a guy out there with a gun and a hood.
And hes bringing out the worst in this town, pitting it against himself.
Without him, we may not have ever found out what happened to Jason.
And yet how do we thank him?
Which is what we do when the truth gets too ugly in Riverdale.
Or, more accurately, how its been corrupted all along.
Now, were allowed to talk about it.
