06x14 - Chapter One Hundred and Nine: Venomous

[bunniefuu]

How many times have you wondered?

If you could have any
superpower, what would it be?

Because, of course, no one ever thinks

about the downside
to having superpowers.

The piercing headaches and blind spots.

The kisses of death.

The strange, debilitating
vulnerabilities you develop.

What the hell are you
doing now, Percival?

And Reggie, are you serious?

You do realize he's using his Jedi
mind tricks to control you, right?

I know you think I'm an idiot, Archie,

but the Mayor's taking us places.

Especially after I build my new
railroad, which will take a route

directly through this quaint
but woefully outdated diner.

You are not tearing down Pop's, okay.

You'll have to go through me first.

Classic American bravado.

Tell me, have you seen my new ring?

Pure palladium.

Don't make me b*at you
up again, Archie, I...

I doubt your body or your bruised ego

can survive another encounter with me.

Future's coming.

Best not to be a penny
on the tracks, eh?

Oh, Nana, I'm debating consulting
the spirits for guidance.

Given recent events, my
mind has turned to the past.

- Namely, my junior high sweetheart, Heather.
- Oh!

The lost love.

I stalked her on social.

She's a librarian and she lives in
Greendale, which is not that far.

I can't help but thinking
maybe our story isn't finished.

Well, if you ask me,
what's done is done.

Heather's gone. Let her be.

Oh, Sphere of Knowledge,
should I call Heather?

Fine.

In that case...

maybe an email.

That's good, right?

No presh.

Any luck with Tabitha in Albany?

Nah, she's hitting some dead ends.

It's not looking so good.

Jeez, can we not get
one win on this guy?

I mean, he stole the mayorship.

He's coming after our
friends, our family.

It's like we're...

playing constant defense.

Oh, God, if you're going to
start using sports metaphors,

then I'm going to
start using comic ones.

I didn't even know you
were that into comics.

What can I say?

I contain multitudes.

Well, what can I say,
Archie, I contain multitudes.

I asked my mom for all
these old comics from Toledo.

After that stuff with my
grandpa only writing one book,

I thought it would be good for me
to go back into creative writing,

like comics or graphic novels.

How did Superman do it?
How did he b*at Kryptonite?

Well, if I'm remembering my
Kryptonian lore correctly,

there's an old comic
where Supes just built up

an immunity to it by exposing himself.

You know, come to think of it,
Mighty Mouse did the same thing.

What was Mighty Mouse's weakness?

Limburg cheese.

I mean, it's not exactly hard
science that we're talking about here.

Well, nothing has been
scientific since that expl*si*n.

And Cheryl might still
have some palladium.

Talk to me, Doctor,
what's your diagnosis?

Your body seems to be generating
enormous amounts of toxins.

And it's not just from
the saliva on your lips.

It's in your tears,

in your blood, in your perspiration.

I'm actually not sure
how you haven't d*ed yet.

So what do we do?

I'm going to suggest a
strict regimen of dialysis

to detoxify your body.

Wait, dialysis?

But I don't even feel sick.

We need to lower the amount of
poison in your body, Miss Lodge.

And until we do, I think
that you should avoid

any and all physical contact
with any person or persons.

I need your help, Jug.

- What's up?
- Can you...

Will you read my mind?

This sounds like a trap.

Not my conscious mind,
my subconscious mind.

I need you to go deep into
memories that I may have repressed.

First off, I don't even know if
this is something I'm capable of.

No, I know.

I know. A lot of...

TBK stuff resurfaced
for me during the fog.

And then Percival's damn library books

brought up things from my
past about my dad and...

I just feel like an open wound.

A reopened wound, and I'm
trying to stitch myself...

back together, but I
need the missing pieces.

The things that my memory is suppressing

and I can't get to them on my own.

So, please, Jug.

Okay.

Yeah. Okay. I'll do some
research on deep mind reading.

'Tis only fitting, since you were
the one who dug it up from my mines.

Thank you, Cheryl.

I'll get it back to you ASAP.

No rush.

But, Archie, you do realize
you are playing with forces

far beyond your understanding
or the natural world?

You don't know where
your powers come from

or why palladium specifically
weakens you and not the others.

Are you certain chasing immunity is
worth the risk this aura poses you?

Percival hasn't left me
with many options, Cheryl.

True, but unlike you, I do have
experience in the supernatural.

Perhaps I can divine a
pathway through this for you?

Without it costing you your life.

Yes, Jay?

I'm sorry to bother you, Miss Lodge,

but Mr. Shipley just left
another message saying that...

I don't care how many
prime investors call.

We're pushing the shareholders meeting.

I told Mr. Shipley that and he said
they're holding a sit down meeting,

with or without you, at the casino.

Fine. It's their funeral.

Nana, have you seen my book on Rasputin?

Oh, yes, I was reading
it the other night.

Okay. Well, can I have it back?

I'm doing some research,

and it may contain some
esoteric information

to help poor Archie.

Or is it merely to distract

yourself from the fact

that Heather hasn't
responded to your email yet?

Well, she hasn't, has she?

No, sadly.

In my experience,

people usually respond
promptly to emails...

when they care.

In your experience, people
also communicated by pigeon.

Now get my Russian tome, you Baba Yaga.

Hey, I'm gonna go meet up with Jughead.

Are you okay?

Yeah, totally.

Before you leave, could
you open this can for me?

Sure. Why... why do you need my help?

Oh, my God, Archie, were
you punching a brick wall?

You are going to break
every bone in your body.

That's just it, Betty,

it was a regular workout.

Even before I was invulnerable,

I would tear into that
bag and it was no problem.

This time I felt like
I was punching nails.

Because you're wearing that stupid rock.

Stop this crazy regimen that you're on.

I can't, Betty.

I can't be weak in the face of Percival.

Sorry I'm late, boys.

Had to make myself
presentable for such VIPs.

Veronica, is that you?

Yes, it is, Reginald.

Can't believe you're here, though,
considering I banished your ass.

As for my appearance, I was
feeling rather germophobic,

but since you all insisted on
meeting in person, well, here I am.

Good, because we, as
shareholders, and don't forget,

I'm also co-founder.

We have a lot of concerns about
what's happening at the Babylonium.

Hmm. What are these concerns?

For starters, we're questioning
your decision to remove me

from the casino's day-to-day operations.

- Oh, well, if that's your biggest worry...
- It's not.

There's also the fact
that no one in this room

sees a return on their investments

until the casino starts turning a profit

and there hasn't been one
week under your leadership

that the Babylonium's been in the black.

Is that all?

It was.

But I also have to add
you look insane right now.

Nice, Reggie.

Gentleman, clearly my former
colleague has been stirring the pot.

But need I remind you, when
we opened the Babylonium,

we all knew that the first year
would be the most difficult.

Yet every week we move
toward profitability.

Nevertheless, we found
a buyer for the casino.

If we sell now, we get our money back.

Plus a little extra.

Selling now would be a colossal mistake.

Woefully shortsighted.

Give me a few days to put
together a new company valuation,

so you can see exactly what
you'd be walking away from.

So I did a deep dive on
memory reading, meditation,

hypnotherapy, guided visualization.

They all circle the same ideas, right?

I think we can apply these
principles to my gift,

or power.

Okay, great. What do I do?

You're going to need to think of
your memories as something visual.

I recommend a, um...

a series of comic books.

Then your mind will organize

these free-floating
memories into a collection.

And your subconscious
mind will do the same

with your repressed memories,

which I can then access or read.

Okay.

Deep breaths.

Relax.

Establish physical contact.

Let's go digging.

Nurse off duty?

Holy crap.

You haven't gone full Yellow
Wallpaper on me yet, have you?

They're crazy.

My parents are crazy.

And now all I can think is,
maybe I'm crazy like they are.

Hey.

We're not our parents, Betty.

Also...

What?

Finding anything?

Uh... just surface stuff.

Let me keep digging.

Jug?

Do you think evil can be passed on?

What if it's my destiny, my birthright,

something I'll never be able
to control or understand?

Hey, look at me.

I know you.

You're a good person, Betty.

You might have some darkness.

But you're not evil.

Still just shared memories?

Yeah, so far.

I think you're gonna need
to go even deeper, Jug.

Daddy, did I do a bad thing?

No, sweetie. No, it was
Caramel who did a bad thing

by trying to run away.

That's why she was hit by that car.

She was a sinner, Betty,

and sinners need to be punished.

Tell me...

how did it feel when you
brought that rock down on her?

Bad.

But was there also, maybe...

some excitement?

Oh, my God.

He was grooming me.

My dad was grooming me to be a k*ller.

It's no wonder you repressed
that memory. I would have too.

You have to keep sifting
through my mind, Jug.

I've lived with darkness my whole life,

but where did it start?

Okay.

But first we take a break. Both of us.

Merciful Gaea, you look like
death warmed over, Archie.

It's the palladium.

I knew something like
this was going to happen.

You're an amateur
trafficking the arcane arts.

- I have to...
- Build up an immunity to it, yes,

and you will, the right way.

With some of my yummy palladium soup.

The raw ore is too intense for you.

You have to titrate
your exposure, Archie.

Like the Russian mystic Rasputin did.

He ingested small amounts
of diluted poison over time

to build up a resistance to it.

And it worked for this Russian guy?

Absolutely, he became
almost impossible to k*ll.

They had to drown him in the end.

Reggie, what the hell was that ambush?

Oh, seems we could
ask you the same thing.

There really should be rules.

Feel free to move out
anytime you want, Percival.

But back to you, Reggie.

I had a feeling you might be
in cahoots with this charlatan.

Did he put you up to
this whole misguided play?

There you go again.

You can't imagine me doing something,

anything for myself, can you?

But guess what?

This is all me.

I called the meeting.

I rallied the shareholders
and I lined up the buyer.

Why?

Because we broke up?

What is the matter with you?

How low is your self-esteem, seriously?

You're a ' , -pound jellyfish.

I sincerely, legitimately, truly believe

you should have your head
X-rayed because I guarantee you,

there is Swiss cheese where
your brain is supposed to be.

You ignorant, insecure, petty...

Oh, my God.

What the hell was that?

I don't think the dialysis
is working, Dr. Curdle.

I'm giving people nosebleeds.

Indeed.

Your latest toxicology panel reveals

the toxins in your body have increased,

not decreased.

Okay, so what are my other options?

The barbarians are at the gate,

and the last thing I need
is to start showing signs

of weakness or sickness.

To be honest, Miss Lodge...

I don't see how this
ends other than with you

succumbing to the very
toxins your body is producing.

I see.

Sounds an awful lot like a
death sentence, Dr. Curdle.

I'm deeply sorry.

Oh, trusted oracle, still
no email from Heather.

Should I call her?

Screw it.

Greendale Public Library,
this is Heather speaking.

How may I assist you?

One thirty-five.

I haven't weighed since junior high.

Ready for round two of

"So my dad's a serial k*ller
and tried to make me one too?"

I honestly have no idea what the
criteria is for "ready" here, so...

I don't understand.

These tests you made us get, it
says I have an MAOA gene mutation?

What does that even mean?

That means you're special,
Alice, you're strong.

The MAOA is the warrior gene.

The serial k*ller gene.

What?

No, no, honey, that
is a wonderful thing.

That means that maybe
one of the kids has it.

Betty.

I'll bet Betty has it.

And you're excited about this?

Oh, my God, Jug, my mom
is worse than my dad.

'Cause she's been lying to me for
my entire life to cover up what?

That she has the gene?

God! What if that's not
even the worst of it?

Hey. Hi, Vee.

Hey, Bee.

I got some rough news
today and I was wondering

if you were around
for a drink or several?

Same. Yeah, I can meet you

at the Whyte Wyrm in, like, ?

You're an angel.

Hey, Betty, what's up?

Yeah, I'm down.

Remember in high school when
I sponsored that kissing booth?

- Mmm.
- Well, now I'm cursed with the kiss of death.

- Mmm.
- Welcome to the sad superhero club, Ronnie.

Thank you for risking cocktail
hour with the Spider Woman.

Of course, Vee, and we're
not in any danger from you.

You would have...

an aura.

Still...

Sounds like we're all
having a time of it.

Yeah, I mean, that's why
I stopped micro-dosing

Cheryl's palladium soup.

I was losing strength, density.

All this means is that we have to
find another way to b*at Percival.

And I suppose we have Pickens
the Perverse to thank for our...

respective afflictions.

We're not sure, Vee, because
our powers started manifesting

before he got to town.

We think the expl*si*n in my
bedroom triggered our powers.

Not that it matters much.

The bottom line is I'm screwed.

I mean, I'm literally toxic.

If I touch someone or spit
on them or cry on them,

they die.

And to add insult to injury, I'm
facing a hostile takeover at work

while dealing with this
acute health crisis.

And the worst part of all of this
is that my last non-lethal kiss

before Heraldo's death was
with backstabbing Reggie Mantle,

and now, for as long as I live,

that's going to be my last
meaningful human contact.

How sad and awful is that?

Enough wallowing, though,
let's have another round.

- On me.
- Ronnie, I'm...

I'm good. I'm definitely feeling it.

Same. I... How are you not tipsier, Vee?

You've had more sh*ts than
both of us put together.

Actually, now that you mention it...

I don't feel the alcohol at all.

Your palladium is k*lling
me. My hair is falling out.

I'm losing a ton of weight,

Dr. Curdle said my symptoms
suggest acute anemia.

Anemia?

That's interesting.

A diagnosis of anemia
means the level of metals

in your blood is
practically nonexistent,

which would account for
your plummeting weight.

It's feasible the
palladium has neutralized

the other metals in your
body, compromising you.

I'm not wearing the
palladium pendant anymore.

I dumped the rest of your soup,
so why am I still weakening?

It could be at this point that...

you've poisoned your body
and it's simply breaking down.

So what can I do, Cheryl?

Replenish your iron-depleted system.

Rebalance your humors, whilst
I consult my medical texts.

Hey, did you have a fun night?

What the hell were you thinking

lying about the serial k*ller gene, Mom?

What? No, I did not,

and watch your tone with me, young lady.

At the farm, you and Polly said

that I was the only member of
our family who had the gene,

but back in the day,
Dad made you get tested

and you have it too.

That... that is absurd.

How about the fact that Dad
was grooming me to be a m*rder*r

just like him? Did you know?

No, absolutely not.

That didn't happen, Betty.
Where is this coming from?

Is this your...

your persecution complex again?

Oh, my God.

Whatever. I promise you, I
will get to the truth, Mom.

Raven-haired goddess.

Thank God you exist, Cheryl.
You're the only person I know

who grows poisonous
plants in their greenhouse.

As requested, I prepared
an assortment for you.

Hemlock, night shade, snake root,
rosary peas and white oleander.

These are perfect.

I want to test a hunch, that
the toxins my body is producing

are making me immune to other poisons.

Just remember, there's no shame
in having your stomach pumped.

I will have a private
ambulance on standby.

Also...

you wouldn't happen to have any
books about spiders, would you?

But of course. How many would you like?

Okay, now that we've banged
around in my subconscious,

it's time to excavate my mom's
to find out what she knows

about my core wound, that I don't.

Uh...

I don't know if I feel
super comfortable with that.

You have my permission.

This is like the equivalent of her
reading my diary in high school.

She's hiding something big,
Jug. I mean, what if she saw

proof that my dad was grooming me?

What if she knew that
he was the Black Hood?

I will do all the work and prompt her.

You just have to stand close enough
to hear whatever shakes loose.

Excuse me! You can't just
barge in here like this.

We're about to go live.

What are you hiding about Dad?

I know it's something big,
so why don't you just...

Why don't you just tell me?

What is the worst thing that
has happened in our house

that you've kept hidden from me?

I am not hiding anything.

You know everything.

You know everything about him.

You need to leave.

- You need to leave now, before I call security.
- Come on.

Come on. I got what we need.

It's underneath the table.

Under the floorboards
in the dining room.

That's where the truth is.

Whatever your mom is hiding.

Then that's where we'll dig.

Um, it's Archie. Do you mind if I...

Yeah, of course.

Hey, Arch, are you okay?

Okay, um, I'll be right there.

Looks like the past is going to
have to wait a little bit longer.

- Is he all right?
- Cheryl wants to talk to both of us

about her new-new plan.

Well, hopefully, it's
better than palladium soup.

As promised, I continued to
do some research on my archives

and came across an ancient spell
of transmutation in an alchemy book.

And before you roll your eyes, cousin,

ancient alchemists
failed to create a formula

that could turn basic metals
like lead or iron into gold,

but they did devise a spell
that could turn gold into iron.

Not particularly useful...

until now.

Because after all, what is
palladium but white gold?

How is this going to help me?

If the spell was used on
you, it could potentially

neutralize the palladium that has seeped

into your body by
transmitting it into iron,

the very iron your body
so desperately craves.

Moreover, if I apply a certain
amount of heat to your body,

the way the ancient
alchemists did to metal,

you could be forged.

"Forged"? Meaning?

Strengthened, made impervious.

Perhaps even to palladium.

Well, then, let's...

let's do it.

- Forge me, now.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.

Are there side effects to this spell?

Yes. Since you are
currently in a weakened state

the heat needed for
forging might k*ll you.

That's a pretty significant
side effect, Cheryl.

The palladium is already k*lling me.

- True.
- I'll do it.

But before we do, can Betty
and I have one more night?

Of course.

I understand.

Are you sure about this?

There's only one way to find out, right?

And how are we feeling today?

Same as when I k*lled
that bottle of tequila.

No hangover, no ill effects.

So it's as you suspected,
you are immune to poison.

How marvelous.

Also...

according to this book you lent me,

however venomous spiders may be,

they don't ever poison themselves.

And most spiders can control
the amount of venom they secrete

- at their own
volition. - A-ha.

Meaning, mayhap, you can modulate

the poison you secrete as well.

I think when I'm in
the throes of passion,

anger, lust, fear, despair,

and when my body is producing more
endorphins, adrenaline rushing,

that's when I'm at my most dangerous.

So as long as you control your emotions,

you should be able to
move throughout the world

without indiscriminately
poisoning people?

What about kissing,
even dispassionately?

No, that's still very much a third rail.

Alas.

Here, this belongs to you now.

You may be venomous, Veronica,

but you are also resilient.

Remember that.

Hey, Mom.

I think it's time you tell me the truth.

You, your sister and I

had just gotten back from apple picking.

Your father sent you girls
upstairs to watch cartoons,

said he needed help with something.

And that was the something.

A deputy that had come around

to investigate your father's
suspicious activities

and wound up dead for his trouble.

Your father threatened
to blame the m*rder on me

if I didn't help him,
and I was terrified.

I didn't want to lose
you and your sister.

I didn't want our family to implode.

So I helped him.

I want to ask you again, Mom,

did you know that Dad was grooming me?

Oh, honey...

You have to understand, you...

you were your dad's favorite.

The two of you, you had this connection,

and I knew that he had
darkness inside of him

and I guess deep down I...

feared that he might try
to cultivate that in you.

So you just wrote me off?

No, I... I knew that if the time
came that I could control it.

That I could control whatever
impulses he was trying to...

manifest in you.

That I could undo his influence,

that I could save you.

I could keep him from nurturing
whatever was inside of you.

What did you think that was, Mom?

Evil?

No.

We would just have to
get past the crisis point

and then I could... I could fix it.

Wow.

Wow. I finally understand why
you were so... controlling.

Or tried to be.

You were obsessed with me being perfect.

The perfect daughter.

But with evil cultivating inside me.

No, honey, don't say that...

- Don't touch me.
- Betty...

No, because... because
you know what? Your...

Your plan...

It didn't work.

Because that evil...

it's still there.

Okay, sure. How are we going to do this?

Well, you read that alchemical spell

whilst I manifest witch-fire inside you.

And pray that you survive.

Ready?

Do you feel anything yet?

No.

Archie, are you all right?

Don't stop, Cheryl.

Miss Lodge? Mr. Mantle
is here to see you.

And voilà !

My first test at keeping cool.

Send him up, Jay.

I've almost finished my
evaluation presentation on Canva,

which should quell
our shareholders fears.

Doubt it, but I'll keep
this short and sweet.

Either you sell the Babylonium

or we'll launch a hostile takeover.

You will take this casino from
me over my cold, dead body.

Look, I didn't want to go here.

We know you're sick, Ronnie.

What is it, your kidneys?

If only you knew.

Whatever. You're weak.

Physically, emotionally, mentally.

You leave us no choice
but to take you out.

It's for your own health.

And for the health of the casino.

Your concern overwhelms me, Reggie.

And go ahead and try.

It'll be a bloodbath.

Yours, not mine.

Now leave.

I have to get my presentation
ready for tonight's shindig.

Wait, why are you
wearing that thing again?

Because I want to show you something.

Archie...

Wow. Thank God.

It worked.

Cheryl's spell, her pyrokinesis.

It forged me.

Percival's palladium
won't weaken me anymore.

Good evening and welcome
to the Babylonium.

It is my distinct honor to let
you know that our casino's finances

are healthier than ever.

Our projected income
is trending upwards.

But more than that,

I want to take this
opportunity to dispel all rumors

that I have any interest
in selling this casino.

Or that I'm operating at
anything less than % of health,

of control,

of focus.

So get on board with my vision,

or get ready for a fight to the death.

I also want to give a special
shout out to my two best friends,

Archie Andrews and Betty Cooper,

who are here with me tonight.

And who, earlier today, gave me
the last little boost I needed.

Bee, Archie, is everything okay?

I'm getting ready for a
shareholder's event at the casino.

Oh, are you performing?

No, just presenting.

I'm feeling more in control,
but not particularly fab.

Well, that may change
because I have a crazy idea.

And a solution for
your last kiss dilemma.

Archie is invulnerable again, which
means he's also immune to poison,

kisses included.

You guys, I'm fine. You
don't have to do this.

No, we know, but we love
you and we want to see you

get your main-character energy back.

Besides, what are friends for?

We're in this together.

So, Archie, Betty...

this one's for you.

♪ Baby, can't you see ♪
♪ I'm calling? ♪

♪ A guy like you should wear a warning ♪

♪ It's dangerous, I'm falling ♪

♪ There's no escape ♪
♪ I can't wait ♪

♪ I need a hit ♪
♪ Baby, give me it ♪

♪ You're dangerous ♪

Well, what do you say, Ronnie?

For old time's sake?

Why the hell not?

♪ Too high, can't come down ♪

♪ Losing my head ♪
♪ Spinnin' 'round and 'round ♪

♪ Do you feel me now? ♪

♪ With a taste of your lips ♪
♪ I'm on a ride ♪

♪ You're toxic ♪
♪ I'm slippin' under ♪

♪ With a taste of a poison paradise ♪

♪ I'm addicted to you ♪

♪ Don't you know that you're toxic? ♪

♪ And I love what you do ♪

♪ Don't you know that you're toxic? ♪

Heather?

Is that really you?

You called me.

I came.

♪ You're toxic ♪
♪ I'm slippin' under ♪

♪ With a taste of a poison paradise ♪

♪ I'm addicted to you ♪

♪ Don't you know that you're toxic? ♪

♪ With a taste of your lips ♪
♪ I'm on a ride ♪

♪ You're toxic ♪
♪ I'm slippin' under ♪

♪ With a taste of a poison paradise ♪

♪ I'm addicted to you ♪

♪ Don't you know that you're toxic? ♪

♪ Intoxicate me now ♪
♪ With your lovin' now ♪

♪ I think I'm ready now ♪
♪ I think I'm ready now ♪

♪ Intoxicate me now ♪
♪ With your lovin' now ♪

♪ I think I'm ready now ♪