'Riverdale' Season 2, Episode 9 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' Fall Finale Recap: A Christmas Miracle [SPOILERS]

We now know who the Black Hood is. Consider it an early Christmas present because everyone in “Riverdale” is getting into the Christmas spirit. Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Archie (KJ Apa) notices that someone replaced their regular janitor, Mr. Svenson. It leads them to believe the Black Hood captured him. Meanwhile, Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and Veronica (Camila Mendes) are dealing with more family issues. It’s the season to be jolly, but the ominous town prefers to keep things as dark and miserable as their characters.

‘Riverdale’ Blackhood is finally gone

Betty received a finger from the Black Hood. He tells her it’s the finger of the suddenly absent Janitor, Mr. Svenson. She recruits Archie to help her save Mr. Svenson and end the Black Hood’s reign of terror once and for all. But they have to find the place where the first Riverdale sin was committed. Last week, Archie and Veronica find out Mr. Svenson was the surviving son of the Riverdale Reaper massacre. Svenson then changed his name and stayed with the Sisters of Quiet Mercy before being adopted.

Following their first clue, they went to meet with the nuns who took care of Mr. Svenson as a child. They found out he looking for a blind pursuit of justice with those who killed the wrong man they accused as the Riverdale Reaper. The nun described one of them as having white hair and a red streak. It leads them to Grandma Blossom, who tells Betty and Archie that Betty’s grandparents buried a man alive under the Devil’s hand. Grandma Blossom referred to a willow tree which looks like the Devil’s hand. They rushed to the scene, hoping to save Mr. Svenson from the Black Hood. But instead of finding Mr. Svenson, the Black Hood forced Betty to bury Archie alive.
Luckily, the police sirens went off. They engage in a chase sequence, and before the Black Hood could make a jump for it, Sheriff Keller shoots him. After numerous fan theories suggesting the Black Hood is Clifford Blossom, Betty’s long lost brother Chip, and a Southside Serpent, we finally get an answer—it was Janitor Svenson all along! In case you thought he was a sketchy looking character, then you were right.
But does it mean the reaping of sinners is over?

Veronica finally joins the Family Business

Amidst all the Black Hood drama, there is the Lodge Family drama. Hermione (Marisol Nichols) and Hiram (Mark Consuelos) Lodge are under the radar as of the moment. Even though they promised to keep Veronica in the loop about their deals, they still hold a few secrets. But after finding Fred Andrews is buried in hospital bills, Veronica decides to help him out because the Andrews selling Christmas trees won’t help them raise $86,000. She asks her parents if they are willing to help them. But Hiram tells her that the money is just too much to give. Hiram and Veronica then get into an argument about how Fred is a kindly man and a good father compared to Hiram.

As a way of disobeying her father for not extending a helping hand, she snoops through his things to find Christmas presents. She did find a few gifts, like Hermione’s expensive egg, but she noticed something else too—paperwork regarding the ownership of Pop’s diner. If you may recall, Pop’s was having a hard time, and some mystery dealer bought the place. Angry at her parents for using her name for sketchy business deals, she gets her mother’s credit card to make a purchase. Unlike her family, she does it for the greater good. She calls the hospital to make an angel donation for Fred under Hermione’s name.
Hiram and Hermione were not happy once they heard from the bank about the donation. Veronica confronts her parents about being kept in the loop. Hermione admits that they should tell Veronica the truth. They make a deal promising Veronica that the donation will not be pulled out and she wouldn’t have to do anything illegal. Hermione also reassures her that there’s nothing illegal about the Lodge Family business.

Jughead takes a step too far

FP Jones (Skeet Ulrich) warned Jughead not make a deal with Penny Peabody (a.k.a The Snake Charmer) because there’s always a price. Now, FP is dealing with that amount in Jughead’s behalf. It leads to tension between the father and son. Jughead badly wants to help his father with what Peabody is making him do. But FP doesn’t want his son involved in any more Serpent business.

Guilty for what he has put his dad through, Jughead gets reinforcements to help him out. He recruits the younger generation of Serpents to help him take Penny down. She is leading the Serpents to their death with all of her favors. Reluctant at first, many of the younger serpents are afraid of the repercussions. Toni then steps in reminding everyone about the first law of the Serpents: No Serpent stands alone. Later that night they punish Penny for her crimes against her serpents. Taking a dark turn in his character, Jughead was the one who cut off Penny’s serpent tattoo. Despite his good intentions, FP wasn’t happy with the way Jughead handled it.
With the Blackhood dead, it looks like “Riverdale” will be living in peace once again. Leaving its many characters to sulk in their self-made misery. “Riverdale” has a lot in store after the Winter break, because it looks like there’s a new mystery lurking.
“Riverdale” returns Wednesday, January 17, 2018, with “The Blackboard Jungle,” at 8/7c on The CW.