Riverdale Season 3, Episode 7 recap: 5 bold midseason finale predictions

While Archie and Jughead are on the run from Riverdale, Betty faces her demons at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Will she finally meet the Gargoyle King?

Ahead of its Season 3 midseason finale, Riverdale adapts its format to tell three isolated but intertwined stories centered on Archie and Jughead, Veronica, and Betty. As luck would have it, each vignette delivered shocking new clues about the Gargoyle King that involve an incriminating jackpot for Hiram Lodge. He’s involved in Archie and Jughead’s layover in a ghost town, Veronica’s casino night scam, and Betty’s lock-up at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

Will the midseason finale reveal Hiram to be the real game master? Let’s dig into five bold predictions for next week’s midseason finale of Riverdale.

(Warning: It’s about to get real spoilery in here.)

1. Jughead will reunite with his mom and sister

Well, if you’ve seen the previews for the midseason finale and have read the spoilers roving around the internet, then you already know that we’ll be keeping up with the Joneses. File this one under “duh,” with a sub-filing under “obvious.”

A multitude of questions arise from the impending arrival of Gladys (played by Gina Gershon) and Jellybean Jones. Gladys appears to be a hard-working businesswoman, running her salvage yard with an iron fist. But as a Serpent, she’s surely sitting on years of secrets, perhaps about the Gargoyle King?

2. Veronica learns the whole truth about Hiram

We’ve been calling time’s up on this guy since he rose from the dead last season, but Hiram won’t seem to get his due. (He’d surely outlast us all in the apocalypse.) But it’s high time Veronica learned everything about her father. Just when she thinks she’s got his number, she falls one digit short.

Even though Hiram helped Veronica out for her casino night scheme to save La Bonne Nuit from going under, Pop informs her that Sheriff Minnetta’s body was found headless and handless. You could almost see the calculations running though V’s mind like that equation meme.

3. Archie returns to Riverdale

Distance makes the heart grow fonder? Let’s face it, the golden boy of the town has spent maybe three episodes at home in all of Season 3. It’s time to integrate him back into the fold.

Following his close call with Hiram Lodge lackey Laurie Lake, Archie will probably feel safe under Hiram’s nose than playing a game of cat and mouse. Also, given that FP is currently my leading suspect (leave yours in the comments), his and Jug’s rendezvous with Gladys and Jellybean could lead to clues and details the gang had been missing, leading them right back into town with Jughead’s mom in tow.

4. The Farm will come back into play

Once again, we got the slightest mention of The Farm last week as Alice announced she’ll be staying there, but it’s not paid any mind to again. Is it Riverdale or Betty that gets too caught up with one mystery to focus on another?

I don’t want to forget about The Farm, as much as the show (and Betty) seem to want us to — for now at least. But I have a suspicion that we’ll be circling back to the creepy cult either to set up the post-Gargoyle King story or make a break in the case. If not, something unforeseen will more than likely sweep us off our feet.

5. Betty and the Gargoyle King meet face to face

Since Riverdale’s first season, the series has featured the all-encompassing hellscape that is the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. But Betty’s stay might be the most harrowing rendition next to Cheryl’s conversion therapy. Betty resists the indoctrination of the Sisters and their drug-laced fizzle rocks, but thanks to squeaky wheel Ethel, who’s not only drank the Kool-Aid but doused herself in it, Betty’s stealth investigation turns into hell real fast.

The escape door has been paved over with bricks, and she’s dragged against her will to meet the Gargoyle King. After her meeting, which happens off-screen (save for a bone-chilling scream), she falls into a lethargic daze from the fizzle rocks, unable to maintain her act. When Sister Woodhouse performs a second inkblot test, she identifies the shapes by what she actually sees: A dead body, the Black Hood, the Gargoyle King.

Hmm… those are each of the seasons’ big mysteries. Could this mean that they all have something, or someone, in common?

Odds & Ends:

• Last week, we talked at length about the theory of FP being the Gargoyle King, which was precipitated by that ominous Scream homage. Let’s stoke those fires, shall we? Notice that he was absent in “The Man in Black.” Not damning, but not a good look.
• Something Ethel said offhandedly to Betty about the Gargoyle King seemed like an Easter egg of a clue. When Betty picked the fight about Jughead, Ethel said the King wants her and Jug together, to be a “ship.” Is this just fizzle rocks delirium or a hint?
• Have the Sisters of Quiet Mercy always used the Gargoyle King as a torture device, or are his services a new addition? Is anyone else also confused as to how Gryphons & Gargoyles went from unspoken town lore to suddenly the rampant norm in every corner?
• Betty uncovers evidence that incriminates Hiram Lodge and spots Claudius Blossom delivering not maple syrup to the Sisters. What’s the connection?

What did you think of the latest episode? Let us know in the comments!

Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.