Archie hates the Andrews spring tradition, and it's fine by him when a building project prevents him and his father from fulfilling it...especially when it's followed up by another weird mystery. However, he regrets it when he unearths the cause of everything — a gigantic worm that could destroy Riverdale!
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: A gigantic worm apparently lives under Riverdale. On the first day of spring, someone has to ring the bell to simulate the sound other giant worms make, placating it for another year. If no one does, it will emerge and start attacking anything creating sound vibrations.
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Broken Aesop: The episode is about the importance of respecting your family traditions. The one year the Andrews men don't perform their tradition, a giant worm emerges and begins destroying Riverdale. The only problem is, no one knew that the tradition was intended to placate it until Archie and his friends did some research. Even Mr. Andrews couldn't offer an explanation other than "it's tradition." - Cassandra Truth: After luring the giant worm off a cliff, Veronica tells the story to Reggie. He declares that she doesn't have to worry about any giant worms with him around...and is shocked when it actually turns up.
- Draw Aggro: While hiding from the worm in the old clock tower, Archie, Jughead, and Dilton see Betty and Veronica driving towards them. They try to warn the girls away. When that fails, they create as much noise as they can to draw the worm towards them. It works, and they barely escape.
- Embarrassingly Dresslike Outfit: Archie's father wakes him up for the Andrews family tradition one day in late March. This involves them dancing in kilts, which Archie hates, considering a kilt "a skirt by any other name."
- Light Is Not Good: The gigantic worm that causes the plot is albino.
- Man in a Kilt: For some reason, the family tradition requires the Andrews men to wear kilts and perform a Scottish dance. Archie isn't too happy about being forced to wear something skirt-like in public.
- Marilyn Maneuver: While wearing a kilt, Archie walks over a grate and has to shove it down quickly.
- Running Gag: Everyone, from Archie, to Veronica, to Dilton, keeps confusing kilts and skirts.
- Shirtless Scene: Trying to warn the girls away from the clock tower, Jughead takes off his shirt and waves it.
- Shout-Out: When his father insists that a kilt isn't a skirt, Archie refers to it as "a skirt by any other name."
- Space Whale Aesop: Respect your family traditions, kids. They may be the only thing keeping a giant worm from destroying your hometown.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: Invoked by Betty. She's as weirded out as Jughead and Veronica seeing Archie and Mr. Andrews dancing in kilts. However, she's more focused on her petition and tells them to ignore it.
