Recap / Riverdale - Chapter 27: The Hills Have Eyes

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13

Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 | Chapter 23 | Chapter 24 | Chapter 25 | Chapter 26 | Chapter 27 | Chapter 28 | Chapter 29 | Chapter 30 | Chapter 31 | Chapter 32 | Chapter 33 | Chapter 34 | Chapter 35

Chapter 36 | Chapter 37 | Chapter 38 | Chapter 39 | Chapter 40 | Chapter 41 | Chapter 42 | Chapter 43 | Chapter 44 | Chapter 45 | Chapter 46 | Chapter 47 | Chapter 48 | Chapter 49 | Chapter 50 | Chapter 51 | Chapter 52 | Chapter 53 | Chapter 54 | Chapter 55 | Chapter 56 | Chapter 57

Chapter 58 | Chapter 59 | Chapter 60 | Chapter 61 | Chapter 62 | Chapter 63 | Chapter 64 | Chapter 65 | Chapter 66 | Chapter 67 | Chapter 68 | Chapter 69 | Chapter 70 | Chapter 71 | Chapter 72 | Chapter 73 | Chapter 74 | Chapter 75 | Chapter 76

Chapter 77 | Chapter 78 | Chapter 79 | Chapter 80 | Chapter 81 | Chapter 82 | Chapter 83 | Chapter 84 | Chapter 85 | Chapter 86 | Chapter 87 | Chapter 88 | Chapter 89 | Chapter 90 | Chapter 91 | Chapter 92 | Chapter 93 | Chapter 94 | Chapter 95

Chapter 96 | Chapter 97 | Chapter 98 | Chapter 99 | Chapter 100 | Chapter 101 | Chapter 102 | Chapter 103 | Chapter 104 | Chapter 105 | Chapter 106 | Chapter 107 | Chapter 108 | Chapter 109 | Chapter 110 | Chapter 111 | Chapter 112 | Chapter 113 | Chapter 114 | Chapter 115 | Chapter 116 | Chapter 117

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Title From: The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Veronica brings Archie, Betty, and Jughead to her family's cabin for the weekend. Josie continues to struggle with her mother’s affair and reveals it to Kevin. Toni becomes her wealthy enemy, Cheryl's, support.

Tropes

• Anguished Declaration of Love: Cheryl describing someone she loved that she lost to Toni.
  Cheryl: I loved someone who loved me. And my mother destroyed it. No, not Jay-Jay. Her name...was Heather. She was my best friend in Junior High. She used to sleep over every weekend. Until one night, when my mother caught us in the same bed. She said I was deviant.
• Armoured Closet Gay: Cheryl is revealed to be one in this episode. Toni picks up on this and tries to help Cheryl come to terms with her sexuality but Cheryl rejects her. She later opens up to Toni on how her mother abuses her for being a lesbian and forces her to be closeted.

Cheryl Blossom: Feel free to tremble.
Toni Topaz: I have a better idea. Why don't you tell me what's bothering you. Because clearly, you're in a lot of pain.
Cheryl Blossom: Get your sapphic Serpent hands off my body! (walks away)
Toni Topaz: (smiles)

• Conflict Killer: Varchie and Bughead have a major blowup. Then, thieves break into the cabin and hold them hostage. Only Veronica's quick thinking with the panic button ends up saving everyone from being killed.
• Downfall by Sex: Played with. All of the kids are sexually active, but Veronica has a fight with Archie and goes down to town with Betty. Then she flirts with a store clerk...and accidentally reveals the four teens are all alone and unprotected. Which is just a thematic extension of the "immorality" of having pre-marital sex.
• Easily Forgiven: Betty and Jughead's argument with Veronica over Hiram's schemes is put on hold after the break-in.
• Evil Is Not Well-Lit: The setting for the scene in which Hiram is cemented as Archie's Evil Mentor.
• Foreshadowing: Cheryl silently crying while watching "Love, Simon" (specifically the scene where Simon's mother accepts him during his coming out).
• Gayngst: Cheryl is revealed to be going through this a lot due to her mother's extreme homophobia.
  Cheryl: But when Simon's mom said he used to be such a carefree kid growing up, and then at a certain point, he stopped being that happy kid because he was hiding a secret. Everyone thinks I'm this loveless monster but it isn't true. I loved someone who loved me. And my mother destroyed it. No, not Jay-Jay. Her name was Heather. She was my best friend in Junior High. She used to sleep over every weekend. Until one night, when my mother caught us in the same bed. She said I was deviant.
• Hypocritical Humor: Cheryl’s snarky accusations that Toni is “stalking” her are this, considering Cheryl’s own Stalker with a Crush behavior towards a Josie earlier in the season.
• Internal Reveal:
  • Kevin finally learns from Josie that his father is cheating on his mother with Sierra McCoy.
  • Cheryl tells Jughead about Archie and Betty's kiss at Christmas, with Jughead realising that Betty lied to him about it before they had sex for the first time.
• Ironic Echo: When about to kiss Jughead, Veronica says the exact same thing to him that she said to Betty before kissing her. Back then it was to help Betty; now it’s to get revenge on Betty.
  Veronica: Jughead. Don't freak out. Just trust me.
• It's Personal: Betty was against Jughead's vendetta against Hiram...until the latter buys the newspaper that her parents own. Then, both she and Jughead lash out at Veronica and Archie.
• The Lost Lenore: Heather is this to Cheryl, as the two used to be close friends before her mother kicked them out.
• Love Triangle: Kevin is in one with Moose and Midge.
• Product Placement: Several of the characters see the then-upcoming film Love, Simon, and a clip from the film is shown in the episode. An ad for the film also aired during one of the commercial breaks.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Cheryl's mother gives her a brutal one.
  Penelope: What would you know about it? You’ve never known love, Cheryl, except to rip it apart. Cause you are a jealous, spite-filled, starving, emotional anorexic. Have a nice day at school, dear.
• The Reveal: Cheryl is a lesbian.
• Shout-Out:
  • The Lodge's cabin "Really is The Last House on the Left".
  • The movie Cheryl and Toni watch in the movie theater is "Love, Simon".
• Slut-Shaming: When Betty and Jughead argue with Veronica about Veronica and her family's atrocious actions, Betty lets slip her jealousy over Archie being with Veronica by shaming Veronica.
  Jughead: Boy, Archie, Veronica's got you wrapped around her little finger.
  Betty: And other parts of her body.
• Stalker with a Crush: Cheryl accuses Toni of being this when they happen to be at the same movie theater, which is hypocritical given what Cheryl did to Josie and Chuck earlier in the season.
• Status Quo Is God: Jughead finding out about Archie and Betty, and Jughead and Veronica kissing as 'revenge' changes nothing. Archie and Betty don't talk about the kiss or their feelings, and Jughead and Veronica just 'move on' despite having worried countless times about Archie and Betty's relationship.
• Sour Outside, Sad Inside: Cheryl admits to being this due to abuse from her controlling mother.
  Cheryl: Everyone thinks I'm this loveless monster but it isn't true.
• "Take That!" Kiss: Veronica and Jughead's kiss.
• Tonight, Someone Kisses: Veronica and Jughead.
• Trademark Favorite Food: Toni mentions how Cheryl's favorite drink is Cherry Cola.
  Toni: Let me guess. Some Cherry Cola for Cheryl Bombshell.
• Undying Loyalty: Archie showcases how far down with the Lodges his PTSD has gotten him, as he defends Hiram and stands by them. He also keeps quiet about Andre killing one of the thieves that broke into the cabin.
• Wham Line: Cheryl coming out to Toni about someone she loved that she lost recently. And it wasn't Jason.
  Cheryl: Her name was Heather.