Riverdale Season 4 Episode 12 Review: Men of Honor
Justin Carreiro
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Katy Keene has arrived on the scene for her big Riverdale debut on Riverdale Season 4 Episode 12.
Before she captivates CW audiences with her series premiere (premiering on Thursday, February 6th), we learned more about this fashion-loving socialite and her connection to Veronica. The new locations, mention of future characters, and an enriched backstory teased the upcoming spinoff.
"Chapter Sixty-Nine: Men of Honor" isn't a backdoor pilot, but from its few short scenes involving Katy, it served its purpose as such.
Veronica and Katy have a nice stable friendship filled with history and fashion. Their shopping montage brought back many nostalgic memories of The Carrie Diaries and its love of clothing and style. (Ugh! I miss that show.)
Their chemistry needs a bit of work, though. Since this was the first time they interacted together on-screen, it felt a bit bumpy for them to match the energy of their long-standing friendship.
Veronica: Well, well, well! If it isn’t Katy Keene!
[They hug]
Katy: Hi!
Veronica: It’s so good to see you. It’s been way too long, girl.
Katy: I know something that is going to make you even happier. I hear that the new Pruenz’s Schooler Collection on the fourth floor is to die for!
Veronica: Can’t wait! I need to ooze collegiate cuteness at this interview tomorrow.
Katy: Well, I have already scoped out Barnard-ready options.
Veronica: Well, good thing I’m armed with my mother’s Lacy’s card.
Katy: Well, if that’s the case, I know exactly where to start. Come on!
[They run to the elevator]
However, they're starting from a good place, so there is potential to get better.
Hopefully, we'll get more scenes in the future of Katy and Veronica hanging around New York. There are two series now, and since Veronica will be heading to Barnard, this gives the perfect opportunity to connect both worlds seamlessly.
When Hiram and Hermione had said they were going to New York for a visit too, did you think they were trying to prevent Veronica's acceptance into a university?
That would've been an evil move and something right up Hiram's alley.
This news about his worsening health, on the other hand, has me even more skeptical. Could this all be a ploy to fool Veronica and gain back her trust/love?
Just like sabotaging Veronica's school, lying about his health is a move right up his alley. Hiram has done a lot worse to hurt people for the tiniest of petty reasons. And, he wants Veronica's forgiveness, so this would be the perfect way to get it.
We can't trust anything Hiram and Hermione say until the truth is proven and out in the open. Even then, we'd still be skeptical about these two.
It's facts or nothing at this stage in our trust level.
Riverdale Season 4 Episode 12 loved its fair share of deja vu.
The reappearance of Nick St. Clair was a surprising return that no one asked for. He answered our dreams by not showing his face since the days of Riverdale Season 2, but here he was again to disgrace our maple-scented doorsteps.
Time and a brutal beating from Archie didn't change him. Nick is still the same smug evil monster who tried to rape Cheryl on Riverdale Season 2 Episode 5.
Nick: You better not show that to anyone, you b****! Or I’ll…
Toni: Or you’ll what?! Exactly! Now listen up, you worm, because I’m only going to say this once. You don’t know me, but I know you. And I know exactly what you did to my girlfriend Cheryl Blossom, and what you’ve probably done to a lot of innocent young women. You will never step foot in Riverdale again. You will not so much as even think about Cheryl Blossom, and you will never assault another woman. Because if you do, I will let the whole world see what was done to you. I WILL RUIN YOU!
The only positive for having him return was him getting another heaping round of justice served on his privileged behind.
Also, all the extra cute "Choni" scenes to melt the hearts of shippers. They were so adorable! Toni standing up to Nick with burning rage and staring daggers that could kill is a total mood.
Cheryl had her friends to help her before, but now she has Toni to slay the monster and get her revenge.
Nick should be afraid of Toni because she won't hesitate to release that tickle video and destroy his life if he doesn't follow orders. You don't mess with Toni and the woman she loves!
Hopefully, this victory will give Cheryl the peace she needs to move on from the trauma of Nick and experience a happy future.
Continuing the trend of their reconciliation, I loved that Betty and Alice teamed up for their latest investigation of Stonewall Prep/Brett. Betty is truly putting the past behind her and giving her mother a chance, who is also supporting her back as an equal.
Alice gave Betty a lot of room to lead the investigation, which is a far cry from Riverdale Season 1. The old Alice would've stopped Betty at every turn and prevented her from digging into the story.
Alice: What’s this?
Betty: My latest murder board.
Alice: Who got murdered?
Betty: Mr. Chipping. Maybe. We let the case get cold, but we know Brett’s a total sociopath. So, let’s find out if he’s a killer too.
Their relationship had to change. It's a great development that Riverdale is sticking with this positive move.
Now, we're blessed with fun scenes of mother and daughter breaking into dorm rooms and sneaking into secret society lairs. And of course, their expressive reactions!
Alice hearing that Brett might have a sex tape of Jughead and Betty needs to become a GIF ASAP.
Betty and Alice's instincts are on-point, and we've suspected many of the same things too.
Mr. Chipping's supposed affair with Donna came from left-field and had no real evidence. Bett had to be keeping his recordings somewhere nearby in school, beyond what Moose already knew (talk about another familiar return!). And that Donna could potentially be the evilest apple in the Literary Salon bunch.
These are all deductions that we've waited for the others to pick up on. Now, Betty and Alice have to connect the dots on their mystery board to see if it's all connected or could be deduced.
Firstly, Brett should be worried if anyone discovers his tapes. He filmed a lot of underaged people hooking up without their consent. No amount of money or his father's connections will get him out of trouble.
That is one discovery he can't buy his way out from. If it's connected to Quill & Skull, that could be one way the organization is toppled
And when it comes to Donna, do you think she has a grand plan in the works?
It has to be something separate from the secret society; they have a tape of her making up the same lie of the fictitious Mr. Cotter. Why would she be lying to Quill & Skull if they knew it's a lie?
Donna is pulling the strings for a game ... but for what?
Jughead's duel against Brett was more grounded than I had previously guessed.
This is Riverdale, after all. Did anyone else think they were going to use guns/weapons for their duel? (Anything is a possibility at this point. I wouldn't have put it past the show to try it.)
A fencing match, a boxing match, and a chess match were three simple enough challenges that gave Brett and Jughead an equal shot to win. From the three, the fencing match was the most exciting that kept us at the edge of our seats.
Jughead has fought someone before with his fists and he's cunning enough to win a chess game, so those elements were up his alley. A fencing match is something new that he didn't have experience in.
The inclusion was a nice surprise because it's different and it kept the outcome up in the air.
In the battle of wits and wagers, Jughead could easily beat Brett. He has more determination, drive, and intelligence than his devious frenemy. Plus, he's not the one with the inferiority complex against his roommate.
Jughead conceding the duel provided much-needed growth for his character since his therapy session on Riverdale Season 4 Episode 8.
Sure, the match started about honor and taking down Brett, but it's also been about being victorious and earning his respect at Stonewall Prep/fame. Jughead was never going to get that from the fickle fiends of his prep school. They turned on him because he beat Brett in one match; they were always going to side with Brett and the rich kids.
Jughead choosing his happiness and respect makes it a greater person than any victory he could've had.
Plus, Brett lost out on the satisfaction of "beating" Jughead. That victory will always be tainted with the ambiguity of Jughead throwing the match.
Jughead is, and will always be, the real winner.
Even though "Chapter Sixty-Nine: Men of Honor" kept itself somewhat realistic with the mysteries and plights of its other stories, the mercenary plot pulled me right out. How did Frank's storyline turn this big a turn so fast?!
Was anyone else expecting the storyline to focus on Andrews Construction and embezzlement? Riverdale had been teasing that progression as much before Ted arrived in town.
In a matter of minutes, the storyline morphed into an assassination plot about mercenaries. (Yep, the same guy who stole petty cash and gambled it was also a secret mercenary for hire.)
Toni: Fangs, tell me you’re not selling drugs again?
Fangs: Toni, Kevin and I started this little … side-hustle, and don’t worry, it’s nothing illegal, per se.
Toni: What kind of side-hustle? It looks lucrative as hell. Is this something I can get in on?
Looking back at Frank's three-episode arc, this chapter doesn't connect to the other two.
His suspicious behavior and past in Riverdale were being confronted so that Archie could have another father-figure in his life. But, all of a sudden, someone's out to kill him and he has to leave town.
This might be the most abrupt farewell a character has received on Riverdale yet. Let's hope Frank stays gone and doesn't bring more drama back into Archie's life.
Speaking of Archie, he got a terrible beating for something that's not his fault. He fought a bear, but this attack is the most painful one yet.
Ted tore through that school to get his revenge against Frank and his loved ones; each new attack was more uncomfortable than the last. Archie may have done reckless and questionable things in the past, but he didn't deserve this.
If this was how Riverdale wanted to strike some sets permanently, they did a good job here. The Riverdale High bathroom and student lounge will need a lot of repairs. (More so the bathroom!)
Last Thoughts From Sweetwater River:
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Archie needs to stop inviting people to stay over at his place. He barely knew Ted.
- Cheryl and Toni not batting an eyelash about Fangs and Kevin's tickle porn is pretty troubling. Someone needs to say something.
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The murder board has been missed!
- Mr. Honey came down hard on Betty for an accusation that he doesn't have proof about. Regardless of Alice owning up to her involvement, he's blaming Betty for circumstantial evidence. Mr. Honey is back on the hated list.
Now, over to you, Riverdale fans!
What did you think of "Chapter Sixty-Nine: Men of Honor"?
Where could Betty and Jughead's tape be hiding? Will Archie ever see Frank again? Is Hiram's sickness real?
If you missed the latest episode of Riverdale, you can watch Riverdale online via TV Fanatic. Come back here and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
