Mr. Honey isn’t resistant to his dose of simply desserts. It could be wrapped in a posh state of affairs and a brief story, however his karma got here calling.
Jughead’s essay on Riverdale Season 4 Episode 19 created a enjoyable “what if?” state of affairs that felt proper at dwelling with the ’90s cult traditional. (It is a disgrace Katie Holmes or Helen Mirren did not seem in a cheeky nod to the unique film.)
The chapter was a pleasant mix of each worlds, however it might’ve been good to have had the correct Riverdale Season 4 finale deliberate. How are we going to make it via the summer season with that cliffhanger?!
Ever since Mr. Honey was launched on Riverdale Season 4 Episode 2, he was a one-note character that was simply and immediately acknowledged as a villain.
He performed the “stern authoritarian” position and brought about nothing however grief for the kids. Riverdale cherished to dive deep into that trope many instances, particularly with kicking individuals off groups or by refusing to print the yearbook.
However, “Chapter Seventy-Six: Killing Mr. Honey” tried to flip this theme on its head with a slight twist: reveal that the kids had been the villains all alongside and that Mr. Honey was simply the nice man doing his job.
It is a intelligent twist within the grand scheme of Riverdale’s historical past as a result of it each works and would not work based mostly on the attitude of the proof. (That is the place we get a bit Nancy Drew this assessment!)
As a lot as I hate agreeing with him, Mr. Honey was proper in his evaluation of the kids.
They disregard his authority on many events (like getting Ms. Appleyard to give up as a result of they did not desire a cheer coach), they usually get themselves concerned in harmful conditions. His actions, whereas rash and unfair, had been getting ready them for a life exterior of this depraved little city.
In previous critiques, we have mentioned how the Riverdale Excessive teenagers have reacted to power their manner or disregard authority. Like for example, how Cheryl and Toni thought a tune would power Mr. Honey to offer Kevin his tune again on Riverdale Season 4 Episode 17.
Cheryl: Poor Ms. Bell, you’ve fallen below the monster’s spell.
Ms. Bell: Do any of you could have any concept what that man has executed for this faculty? This yr alone, he personally organized for six low-income college students to go to high schools on full scholarships.
Jughead: Wait, actually?
Ms. Bell: Additionally, this yr’s common GPA is greater than it’s been in many years, and extra seniors might be going to school since 1956. Oh, and naturally, no college students have died below his watch.
The teenagers going to their dad and mom to get Promenade reinstated is simply one other instance of this. Although, this was a full-blown case of manipulation.
All of the dad and mom rushed into Riverdale Excessive to assist their children as a result of they thought the imply outdated principal had a vendetta in opposition to them. In fact, Mr. Honey had a vendetta, but when the dad and mom KNEW the total story of what their children had executed all year long, they in all probability would not be so fast.
It is nice to have the dad and mom defend their children and provides the touching speech within the diner. Nonetheless, it did not make the kids look good compared.
Then again, all the nice Mr. Honey did would not erase the dangerous he brought about.
Let’s not neglect he canceled homecoming, discovered any cause to cancel Promenade, tried to get individuals kicked out of faculty, punished Betty with out concrete proof, and made rash selections to spite the kids. The world is a troublesome place, however there’s a degree of compromise that’s given.
Like, canceling the yearbook as a result of he did not have time to learn Betty’s draft was a petty transfer.
Did he give her a deadline? It did not seem to be it when Betty thought she had the time to finish a whole yearbook by herself and submit a draft. Plus, she discovered an answer that many leaders could be completely satisfied to have.
For somebody claiming to “put together them for the actual world,” Mr. Honey didn’t set her up for achievement.
And the entire debacle with faking a video from the Voyeur was a sociopathic transfer!
Positive, the kids manipulated their dad and mom to get their manner, however Mr. Honey took it to a different degree simply to get the final chuckle. He did not must cancel all extracurricular actions along with the Promenade.
That one transfer proved this had nothing to do with penalties or defending the kids from the hazards in Riverdale.
Mr. Honey needs to regulate. He is proven a sample of comparable actions at different faculties, and whatever the causes, there is not any manner each faculty had executed sufficient to justify canceling the Promenade.
He could have had a job lined up at Stonewall Prep, however this was his final strategy to preserve the reins.
So, Mr. Honey is a sophisticated character.
To the kids, he is the massive dangerous wolf who stood of their manner at Riverdale Excessive. And as viewers, we witness the character via their narrative, so he is the villain who takes the whole lot away and is ruining the enjoyable.
However for somebody like Ms. Bell, he is the hero making an attempt to do his job amidst all of the chaos and evil on the town. His resume stats at Riverdale Excessive had been spectacular, and his suggestion letter for Jughead was a shocking transfer that feels out-of-character for him.
I am glad he is gone, nevertheless it’s not the sweety victory that was anticipated.
Jughead’s brief story was a campy and darkish narrative that suited his character’s model. Each time he writes one thing, it tends to mix wordiness with the self-sabotaging actions of his characters.
Very paying homage to our much-loved Riverdale teenagers, proper?
The tone suited Riverdale completely because the story felt like a slightly-darker actuality of how the characters would sometimes react. Jughead has a expertise for drawing on real-life experiences as a result of he channeled his mates to a T.
The one factor that will cease Mr. Honey is that if we killed him. [Awkward silence] Or, scared him sufficient to go away city. I imply, it might be really easy.
Betty
Betty, along with her darkish and chilly sense of management, Jughead standing by in his justification, Cheryl rationalizing her motives, Archie going into reckless survival mode, and Veronica having a change of coronary heart. It is not that far off from the way it might’ve gone.
Reggie’s response was essentially the most intriguing as a result of he hasn’t been in a state of affairs that concerned a lifeless physique but. I am glad Jughead acknowledged this and gave his story character a plausible sense of grief and remorse.
Reggie would not have been in a position to rationalize one thing like that so rapidly.
Jughead’s change of coronary heart for his brief story’s plot, whereas an important studying lesson that benefitted his character growth, wasn’t nice for his college submission.
Do not get me unsuitable, studying to not bask within the struggling of others is a crucial trait. Jughead should not fall sufferer to Riverdale’s intoxicating evil; that darkness has lured loads of individuals to their deaths and darkish sides.
Archie: Is he okay? Is he alive?
Veronica: No, he’s not. He’s lifeless.
Jughead: R.I.P. Mr. Honey.
The difficulty, alternatively, was that it abruptly ended his story and hindered its circulation.
The spiraling story of a gaggle unintentionally killing Mr. Honey, then Reggie, after which turning on one another is way more interesting than a brief story of teenagers getting fortunate after a prank goes unsuitable. The unique had extra character growth, narrative development, and depth.
Hopefully, Jughead can therapeutic massage the story and make it into an fascinating plot as a result of the abrupt finish did not seem to be it impressed Betty both.
Did you like that VHS cliffhanger? My jaw was on the ground!
Whoever is creating these tapes needs to be somebody with a detailed connection to the primary group. The moments captured with the masks (Jughead/Betty within the woods, Clifford killing Jason, Midge lifeless on stage) are all pivotal moments that formed the group a technique or one other.
Somebody is utilizing these reminiscences and photographs from the Scarlett Suite to ship a robust message. Although, what that may very well be within the greatest thriller but.
Archie: Is he okay? Is he alive?
Veronica: No, he’s not. He’s lifeless.
Jughead: R.I.P. Mr. Honey.
We will take away Mr. Honey from the checklist as the primary perpetrator resulting from his pink herring reveal. Nonetheless, due to the newest tape, the culprits may very well be anybody! It needs to be a big group of individuals concerned.
The dad and mom? Remnants of previous Riverdale villains (The Farm, the Gargoyles, Stonewall Prep)? Charles and Stylish?!
Although, a giant clue is within the video itself. How did they learn about Jughead’s murderous brief story? He hadn’t submitted it but to the college, so somebody has to know the small print of it to make that tape in time.
The plot thickens. (Ugh, can or not it’s fall already?!)
Final Ideas From Sweetwater River:
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The moms strolling into Riverdale Excessive is a significant boss temper.
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Did Reggie not hear again from Riverdale group school but? He ought to’ve gotten his letter by now because it’s late within the faculty yr.
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The pinnacle tilt of all of the individuals carrying the masks creeped me out. I really like Halloween and scary motion pictures, however that second obtained me.
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Reggie’s senior prank is a traditional.
- How did nobody point out Betty’s first intuition as revenge in opposition to Mr. Honey was killing him? Not one single individual had an issue with it.
Now, over to you, Riverdale followers!
What did you consider “Chapter Seventy-Six: Killing Mr. Honey”?
Who’re the individuals behind the masks? Has your opinion of Mr. Honey modified now that he is now not at Riverdale Excessive? Will Jughead get accepted into the College of Iowa?
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Justin Carreiro is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Observe him on Twitter.