‘Riverdale’ Unmasks a Second Gargoyle King

If you thought that the reveal of Tallboy hiding under the Gargoyle King’s mask during a recent Riverdale episode was the last we’d see of the king and his creepy branch wings, then you might not be too familiar with Riverdale, a show that loves a multiple reveal if there ever was one.

During this week’s episode, the Gargoyle King was unmasked yet again, though this time, there was a very different culprit hiding under the blood-covered skull.

Warning — spoilers ahead for “Bizzarodale.”

The king kicked things off this week by convincing the parents of Riverdale to resurrect the Midnight Club and complete Ascension Night, which turned out to be a ruse so he could get to Kevin and Moose who were celebrating their newly-public relationship in the ever-handy underground bunker.

A gang of masked thugs ambushed the boys and took them to the woods, where they found a sacrificial circle set up along with two telltale goblets, with the group pushing them to drink to discover their fates.

Just as Kevin is about to take a sip, Cheryl and her archery skills come blazing into the forest, followed by Toni, F.P., Tom Keller and other reinforcements who unmask the king to reveal Moose’s dad, Major Mason, along with the rest of the RROTC cadets.

Once caught, Major Mason confesses everything to F.P., insisting that he hadn’t been planning to poison either of the boys, he “was just scaring them.”

“Right,” quips F.P. “Scaring them straight.”

Major Mason then shares the backstory that led to his prejudice, which does nothing to make any of this okay. He tells F.P. that he and Tom were best friends when they were members of the RROTC at school themselves. Mason tried to kiss Tom, who didn’t reciprocate his feelings, and his parents sent him to the Sister of Quiet Mercy’s conversion therapy, where he first encountered the Gargoyle King.

Mason claimed that the Sisters “cured” him of “impure thoughts,” but when he heard his son was in a relationship with Tom Keller’s son at the same time he heard Tom and Sierra McCoy were getting married, he decided it was time to play dress up.

Because of this, Moose tells Kevin he’s leaving town to stay with his aunt in Glendale, which is completely understandable but also the worst for Kevin, who is underrated and deserves to be happy.

Obviously, Mason isn’t the actual Gargoyle King, so it’s safe to guess that there’s at least one more person to unmask before that particular mystery wraps up, though there’s no telling when that reveal will happen.

Also during this episode, Veronica and Reggie attempted to collect funds to pay Hermione’s mystery buyer, who turns out to be Gladys Jones, Cheryl outed Moose and later makes up with an angry Toni by forming her a gang of her very own, and Archie and Josie kiss, which no one asked for.

Riverdale airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

Photo Credit: The CW