Riverdale Season 3, Episode 15 recap: How will Jughead take down Gladys?

Riverdale celebrates FP’s 50th birthday, but it’s not much of a party with Choni on the fritz, Jughead out for Gladys, and Archie fighting for his life.

It’s just not an episode of Riverdale if Archie isn’t literally fighting for his life. From bear attacks to rigged boxing matches, he has faced many battles this season, but his latest turn in the ring as the Red Paladin might be his most intense yet. While Archie fends off dedicated Gryphons & Gargoyles players, Cheryl and Toni have a steamy moment followed by a tense one and Jughead learns the truth about his mother’s motives. But does he have what it takes to take her down?

Let’s dig into the four most shocking moments from the latest jaw-dropping episode of Riverdale. (Warning: It’s about to get real spoilery in here.)

1. The Red Paladin rises as the victor.

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After last week’s scare with that scary little kid, Archie devises a plan with Betty and Jughead to put an end to the “Kill the Red Paladin” card in Gryphons & Gargoyles. His truce with Hiram lends to Hiram’s confession of distributing the card and peace offering of a place to fight off the cardholders. Jughead sets the rules for the matches, and Archie fights his way to victory. However, Hiram gifts Archie the abandoned gym, which could actually come with the strings Hiram claimed it didn’t.

2. Gladys becomes Public Enemy No. 1.

Well, that was fast. Gladys’ short-lived tenure as the head boss in charge in Riverdale comes to a screeching halt when Jughead grows suspicious of his mother’s motives and Veronica shares all the dirty details to Betty. (It doesn’t help that Gladys was the anonymous buyer of the Cooper house.)

Naturally, Betty then relays the information to Jughead, though withholds the identity of her trusted source. Of course, mother and son tangle and the stakes are set. She’s Jughead’s next mission.

3. Cheryl breaks up with her girlfriend ’cause she’s bored.

In all honesty, Cheryl and Toni’s almost R-rated love scene should have been soundtracked by Ariana Grande’s “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” rather than the song that intercut along with Archie’s boxing matches. It was hot and heavy but oh so bittersweet.

Their relationship had been experiencing growing pains, and Toni’s admission that moving in together was too much too soon (all together now: duh!) seals the deal. As if right on cue, Cheryl informs Kevin that the spring musical will be Heathers. Translation: Choni’s (temporary) breakup was a plot device.

4. Veronica won’t let Reggie walk on water… or something.

Veronica and Reggie had an all but annoying side story that mirrored Cheryl and Toni’s push and pull last week. Reggie wants a bigger cut in La Bonne Nuit, tired of being her errand boy and behind-the-scenes muscle. Who can blame him since business is booming? But Veronica wisely opts not to make any new partnerships in the midst of their debts to Gladys and Hiram, citing her grandmother’s “no one walks on water in my place but me” quote. Let him know, Ronnie!

Odds & Ends:

• Josie was absent and no one mentioned her… not even Archie. Okay…?
• Hiram definitely isn’t sticking to his truce with Archie, right? What does he have up his sleeve with that abandoned boxing gym? Something bad’s going to happen, just wait.
• FP and Alice have a heartbreaking moment that effectively ends their relationship. Who knew Alice had interest in anything other than selling her house and The Farm?
• How will Jughead manage to run his mother “out of town”? She’s just as untouchable and ruthless as Hiram, if not more. Taking her down won’t be as simple as he thinks.

What did you think of the latest episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

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