The Black Hood Was FINALLY Revealed On "Riverdale" And Honestly, It Was SO Awful
14 December 2017, 14:39 | Updated: 14 December 2017, 17:08
Literally the most unsatisfying reveal of all time.
We finally have our killer! Or do we? After weeks and weeks of high-level sleuthing and flip-flopping between Sheriff Keller, Hal Cooper and maybe one of the Lodge's, the Black Hood's identity was FINALLY revealed. In the mid-season finale of Riverdale, the mysterious figure was captured and unmasked in an intense showdown with Betty and Archie... but it was SO disappointing.
But before we begin spilling the tea, we should warn you: there WILL be spoilers beyond this point so if you haven't watched the latest episode look away now!
In the episode, Betty and Archie are sent on a twisted race against the clock to "save the life" of school janitor Joseph Svenson who has apparently been captured by the Black Hood. The BH sends Betty a 'Secret Santa' gift (Joseph's severed finger) and then calls her to tell her that if they want to save his life, they'll have to find out where he's being held captive.
They then head on over to Cheryl's house to talk to Nana Blossom (yes, she's alive and no, they didn't address the fire) who apparently has some tea on the situation with the Riverdale Reaper that happened back in the day and she hints at the location where Svenson could be.
They go there and dig up a wooden box to find no one inside. Then the Black Hood appears, with a gun, tells are Archie to get in the box and makes Betty start burying him alive. Blah blah blah, cop sirens sound out, Betty hits him over the head with the shovel, he runs and ends up getting shot by Sheriff Keller.
And then he gets unmasked...
It turns out that Svenson was the Black Hood and it was honestly the most disappointing reveal of all time. Svenson was a character that had been introduced within the last three episodes, and even in that time, he didn't really do anything of note that linked together 8 episodes worth of clues toward the BH's identity.
Needless to say, a lot of fans on the internet weren't happy with the reveal of the biggest storyline on the show either.
K that #Riverdale mid season finale was hella disappointing which sucks because this entire season has been amazing so far! I hope the black hood saga isn't really over
— Amanda Cinerari (@MandyCin26) December 14, 2017
The Black Hood reveal was SO underwhelming and so not worth the wait considering the kind of build up created for it. Disappointing mid-season finale, #Riverdale. 🙁
— Samreen (@SamreenRazzaqui) December 14, 2017
No way. I refuse to believe that he was the Black Hood. #Riverdale
— RiverTalk Podcast (@RiverTalkPod) December 14, 2017
#Riverdale this was the worst and i am so disappointed the reveal was pathetic. It makes me think that he isn't the real black hood. He is a copycat. Those eyes are not Conway's eyes. Also all this mystery just for a 3 min showdown? Super bad Black Hood reveal. Beyon disappointed
— K.A. (@karenaardaji) December 14, 2017
lmao the JANITOR is the black hood???? this is the icing on the cake of just how bad this show is, they couldn’t even give us a shocking reveal
— mol (@drumsjdm) December 14, 2017
Not only was it disappointing, but there are still so many plot holes and things that don't quite match up with Svenson being the Black Hood. Many fans believe, like Betty at the end of the episode, that this won't be the end of the Black Hood and that his real identity is still to be revealed.
The Black Hood reveal tonight was ... underwhelming? I just expected more of a shock and instead it was " oh ... okay." I really hope it turns out to be someone else and this is just a misdirect for now. #Riverdale
— Sydney Bucksbaum (@SydneyBucksbaum) December 14, 2017
Everyone: "wow the black hood was finally revealed!"
— Krystal Pearson (@tinyypearson) December 14, 2017
me: "no he wasn't."#Riverdale
Yeah, I'm convinced that the revealed Black Hood was a red herring & really isn't the actual Black Hood. #Riverdale pic.twitter.com/mVq57HYUBj
— Solomon D (@sollyman_d) December 14, 2017
plot twist: 'mr. svenson' was NOT the REAL black hood and that is why the season is not over yet... maybe he was forced to pretend to be the black hood; i mean something felt off about the whole thing... #riverdale pic.twitter.com/XrChM0FDhl
— mel (@mxlanixe) December 14, 2017
I BET YOU THE JANITOR ISNT EVEN REALLY THE BLACK HOOD #Riverdale
— ••• (@TotallyGrisel) December 14, 2017
But while we're all in denial about it, show-runner Roberto Aguiree-Sacasa spoke to TV Line about THAT reveal and um... that's literally it. Svenson was the Black Hood. That's the end of that. Storyline over.
He said: “I think the Black Hood saga, as we’ve been playing it, is over. There’s still going to be a lot of fallout from the Black Hood, though, to play.”
It sounds like we'll be learning more about Svenson's backstory and his connections to the man who killed his family, the Riverdale Reaper. “Just when you think you’ve hit the bottom of the crazy, you realize there’s a whole other level of crazy.”
Lili Reinhart on the other hand? She doesn't believe the reveal either. "I do think that Svenson wasn’t really the Black Hood, and that the situation is not really over. I think there’s much more to it, whatever it may be. I don’t think the Black Hood mystery is completely solved just yet," she told Glamour.
Riverdale doesn't return until January 2018 so don't start deleting your theories just yet... there many be another twist in our tale.