Riverdale Round Table: Are Veronica and Archie Endgame?

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Hiram ordered the assassination of Cassidy's friends, Alice committed Betty to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, and Betty investigated the death of Darryl Doily on Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6.

Below, TV Fanatics Kat Pettibone, Becca Newton, and Brandon Vieira debate Betty's interrogation of the parents, Joaquin's murder, and the future of "Varchie."

Betty brought all the parents together to get the truth about the game and the Gargoyle King, but it ended disastrously. Were you surprised that the parents were (yet again) unhelpful?

Kat: I definitely wasn't surprised. Almost none of the parents get along, and only half of them actually like their children. On one hand, it was kind of a pointless scene that was orchestrated just to throw all of the parents together.

On the other hand, it was kind of nice to have the adults react to Betty like she was a child. Because she is a child. And for some reason, the kids in this show get to talk to adults like they have control over them. That's always been wild to me.

Related: Riverdale Season 3 Episode 5 Review: Chapter Forty: The Great Escape

Becca: When it came to the parents, this episode might be the best Riverdale has been about continuity. There were so many callbacks to Riverdale Season 1.

Even looking back at the series as a whole, the parents' actions fit their past behavior. It doesn't make what they did any less horrible; Alice and FP were especially reprehensible.

With Hiram and Penelope, acting horribly, especially towards their children is par for the course, and I have no expectation for them to do better.

When it comes to Alice and FP, there are times when they seem to realize they were in the wrong, are remorseful, and want to do better. But, then they do something egregious and blow it. It has become too much of a cycle.

The Midnight Club (25 Years Later) - Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6

Brandon: Not really. There's a reason it's always the kids that solve the crimes in Riverdale. The parents are too busy covering up their own secrets to help Betty in any way.

I give Betty a solid A for effort, but there was no way that was going to work. She's lucky she got all the information from her own mother. Betty needs to take the small victories.

If Hiram and Penelope weren't in the room, the parents might've been a little more willing to share because no one wants to share any secrets in front of the two spawns of Satan.

Veronica discovered the evidence to clear Archie of the murder. React!

Kat: Yay? We knew something was coming that would do it; he couldn't be a convict for the rest of the series. I have to say the reveal was somewhat of a letdown. Altered videotape? Thrilling.

Obviously, the writers wanted Archie in jail so they could connect Gryphons and Gargoyles to his storyline. Once that was successfully done, they found an easy way out. The crime wasn't the important part, it's Hiram vs. Archie that's the ongoing focus.

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Becca: The idea of having Veronica discovering the exonerating evidence was solid, but I disliked how it was executed. The evidence tampering was so obvious it makes the characters who worked on Archie's case beforehand (Mary, Sierra, and Betty) look stupid for not seeing it.

While I'm glad the characters no longer have to worry about proving Archie's innocence, making characters look dumb in order to make another character look good always rubs me the wrong way.

Brandon: Too little too late it seems. While it's great Archie's in the clear and he can go on to live his life, it's understandable why he doesn't want to do it in Riverdale. As long as Hiram is around, he will never truly be free.

It's clear Hiram is way too obsessed with Archie. Hopefully, Veronica's evidence not only cleared Archie, but it will keep her father far away from him so Archie can go on and live his best life.

Regret In Red - Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6

During Betty's investigation, there were many lies and developments regarding the death of Darryl Doily. What is your theory about what happened?

Kat: What happened to Darryl could be a few different things, but on a very basic level, my guess is Darryl was trying to uncover the Gargoyle King. he probably was starting to figure it out and was killed for it. That's why the gravestone said, "Alice and Betty."

The GK knows Betty is getting closer to uncovering whose responsible, and Alice is the one who gave her most of the information. he's coming after them, just like he came after Doily.

Who the GK is? I'm still not sure, but I'd put my money on Clifford/Claudius, Edgar, or Hal's secret evil twin (because it's always a twin on this show). Maybe it's the coroner? You never know in Riverdale.

Eyeroll - Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6

Becca: My suspicions about Hermione are growing. I think she's responsible for Darryl Doily's death. There's something off-putting about how she was the only parent who seemed cooperative, and she was awfully quick to point the finger at Penelope.

Brandon: It has to be related to the Gargoyle King and the whole Gryphons and Gargoyles saga, doesn't it? My theory is that whichever Riverdale parent is behind the whole Gargoyle King thing, they convinced Darryl to keep playing the game.

He eventually ended up killing himself to ascend just like everyone else. There's no coincidence that he and his son both ended their lives the same way.

Joaquin was murdered by one of the Gargoyle King's followers. Are you sad to lose the character?

Kat: I was. I found the strange pivoting of Joaquin's characterization frustrating since it came off like a device just to move the plot forward. I understand his motive was to get out of jail, but he really couldn't have been honest with Archie?

He dropped Serpent loyalty that quick? There was so much potential with Joaquin, whether it was with the Serpents or with Kevin.

Also, I'm never a big fan of burying your gays. It's just been done too much. Killing Joaquin to find out that Hiram was manipulating the warden? Didn't we already know that?

Marty Mantle - Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6

Becca: Yes, Joaquin was always a character I wanted to know more about and wished he had more screen time. I definitely wanted him and Kevin to have more time together.

Still, I do have to give Riverdale credit for making me care about the victims this season because I also wish we had gotten more time with Ben and the Doilys too.

Brandon: I am! Especially because I thought there was potential for a Kevin and Joaquin reunion.

I always liked them together and would have definitely preferred them getting back together instead of Kevin and Moose. Obviously, that can't happen now, so my only hope is for Archie to realize he's actually in love with Kevin and the two end up together.

I know this sounds like bad fan fiction, but one can dream, can't they?

Hit The Books - Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6

Veronica and Archie had a tearful goodbye where he decided to leave town with Jughead. Do you think Archie and Veronica are "endgame"?

Kat: I have a really difficult time talking about "endgame" ships because I feel like if you're too obsessed with who ends up with whom, you miss everything else. Also, who cares?

Sure, Veronica saying the word "endgame" could be foreshadowing, but Kevin said the same thing in Riverdale Season 1 about Betty and Archie. I'd place bets that the writers don't even know who will be endgame because a story evolves and shifts from its original vision over time.

They may get back together, but for me, it was time for them to part ways. It felt organic to the narrative. Whoever is endgame is fine with me, as long as they write it well.

Related: Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6 Review: Chapter Forty-One: Manhunter

Becca: If Veronica Lodge pronounces it then it must be so. OK, more seriously, I think the writers consider Archie and Veronica "endgame," so I doubt any upcoming obstacles will be permanently derailing their relationship.

At this point, Veronica/Archie, Betty/Jughead, and Cheryl/Toni are ingrained enough that it's going to take something bigger than breakup (and something more along the lines of a behind-the-scenes contract dispute) to permanently sink those ships.

Brandon: I don't because Archie and Betty are endgame. "Bughead" shippers are going to hate me, but remember back on Riverdale Season 1 Episode 1, Kevin told Veronica that while Betty and Archie aren't together, they are endgame.

While the show's pairings have evolved, I don't think that line will be forgotten. Somehow, some way, Archie and Betty will eventually find each other. It's the romance that's been waiting to happen forever now.

Finding The Truth - Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6

The children of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy were painting images of the Gargoyle King. Share your thoughts about this cliffhanger.

Kat: The writers are trying so hard to make everything connect. Bringing in aspects that felt unfinished from previous seasons and connecting it to G&G like it was all pieces of a bigger puzzle. I commend them for the attempt, even if it doesn't really work sometimes.

Regardless, I'm sure this confirms that Edgar and The Farm are somehow connected to G&G. He was the one who told Alice to send Betty there. Or, everyone in the entire SOQM is playing G&G too, and the Gargoyle King truly has a hold on the entire town of Riverdale.

Falice - Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6

Becca: Visually, it was fantastic, and once again I want to know what happens next. However, I'm relieved this isn't the type of cliffhanger that demands we have to know what happens next in the art class.

Like, the way we had to know what happened next after Jughead encountered the Gargoyle King. The way the latter played out was disappointing.

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Brandon: I mean the Sisters of Quiet Mercy are the OG cult in Riverdale. They bring young, vulnerable kids in and try to convince them that the way they have been living is wrong.

The Gargoyle King is the new cult in town and has joined forces with the Sisters. There is no place safe in Riverdale anymore. Anywhere you go, a cult has taken over.

I just pray our poor Betty manages to get the hell out of there!

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Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.

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Riverdale Season 3 Episode 6 Quotes

Archie: Ronnie, when I first met you … you were it for me. Everything I could ever wanted. I saw our whole future.
Veronica: Because we’re endgame, Archie.
Archie: I hope you know how much I love you.
Veronica: If you loved me, you would come home.
Archie: God, Ronnie, you know in your heart that I’m right about this. It just hurts to admit it.
Veronica: Don’t you make me say goodbye, Archie Andrews, because I don’t wanna hear it back. I can’t. I can’t.
[She drops the phone, cries, and Kevin consoles her]

Joaquin: From the moment he was locked up, he was already marked.
Jughead: Marked with what?
[Jughead draws a symbol on his palm]
Jughead: This symbol? The warden branded on Archie’s hip … what does it mean?
Joaquin: No…
Jughead: Pick him up!
[Sweet Pea and Fangs lift up Joaquin to the tree]
Joaquin: Sacrifice. It means … it meant that Archie had to die. I’m sorry, Jug, I know he was your pal.
Jughead: Oh, Archie is alive, Joaquin.
Joaquin: Then it won’t be for long.