[SPOILER ALERT!!]
What on earth did I just watch? I’m so confused. I’m going to have to watch this another four times just to make heads and tails of what I saw. I guess here’s the working theory: Spencer and TobAy were both just on the A-Team to save each other (barf); Shana and Jenna are boning and also on the A-Team along with Wilden and Melissa; Ali is Red Coat, Ali’s twin who is the girl Ali and her friends know is the one who keeps saving the girls; no one died the Night Ali Died And Blackmailed Everyone. Or something. I’m lost here.
Instead of making everyone wait until I can form a cohesive thought I guess I’d better just open up the floor for comments. Did you totally see this coming? Were you blown away surprised? What are we going to call Jenna and Shana? Shanenna? Jenana? There’s so much to discuss!
WERE YOU CONFUSED? GET READY FOR THIS SHIT.
What the fuck did I just watch?
I also think that Jenna and Shana are boning. My sister thinks I’m crazy. Also I had forgotten that Jenna existed until today so I don’t know how important she is to the A-team.
The police car reappearing at the end seemed very disjointed and I don’t know what to make of that.
I knew Ali was alive and/or has a twin!
WHERE THE FUCK IS PAIGE. I know she’s “out of town” but doesn’t she legally have to attend school? Come back, Paige, I miss you.
Jenna and Shana are clearly boning. I’m glad for the confirmation that Shana is Up To No Good.
Ok, that shit was crazy. I would have to rewatch it to see if any of what I’m about to say is actually possible but my brain might explode if I do that, so for now:
I was really stuck on the number that Spencer (I think) was getting off the phone at the beginning–we have seen that number before in the season two finale–in a Mona flashback, she sees Ali/Red Coat(THE BRITISH ARE COMING)/Vivian/Lolita/Whoever and Ali etc shares a secret that she’s watching someone and Mona can’t tell anyone. Mona asks what’s in it for her; Ali asks what she wants; Mona responds to be popular. Then Ali hands her a sheet with that number (the other side is a postcard from that initial motel/A lair; it took me forevz to get the screenshot but it’s on my tumblr if anyone wants the link). Alison was presumably being stalked by A already, right? So is the number Red Coat’s? Toby’s? Melissa’s? Shauna’s? Ali’s private line so she can host BSC meetings? That blond who dresses like Nicole Ritchie? Or what? ALSO we have seen that scene at the end with the hand popping out of the grave before (end of Halloween episode/the Night Ali Died)–except this time we see some other hand pulling her out (that’s what she said). WITH ALL OF THAT IN MIND:
I think that Spencer got the number off of Mona’s phone at the beginning (she said Mona left her alone in the lair/food truck, that was how she knew to go to Toby)–still don’t know who the number belongs to, but I think Spencer figured out who it did belong to and I think she is now working with whoever that is (Shauna, Melissa?)–I don’t believe Spencer’s loyalty is with the Liars. She left the building and Toby at precisely the right moments. ALSO she and Shauna exchanged knowing looks when they met, maybe because everyone on this show who isn’t gay yet is going to get recruited, but also maybe because she and Spencer were already on the same team (lolol) via that #…
TL;DR: Spencer is on the evil side, everyone is a lesbian, all the lesbians are evil
alternatively, missy franklin is red coat
k wait that whole weird stuff about alison masks at the end–shauna works in a costume shop–we know shauna through paige–maybe the red coat team is the lesbian mafia
it was really weird, after telling us nothing for like three seasons, that they just told us a whole bunch of stuff all at the same time
Did they really? I feel like I have more questions now than I did before. Like I don’t even know what to say about this episode I am so confused.
I just wanna know where Paige went.
Am I horrible if I say that we’re on the same Paige about that? ;)
is no one going to talk about the dead coming to life at the end or
i’m sort of pretending in my head like that didn’t happen because i don’t feel like there’s any way to explain that unless the show is going supernatural, oh god what if the show is going supernatural, that might explain why they live in a perpetual spring of an endless school year with erratic sports seasons and daily schedules
That was a flashback to the Night Ali “Died”; the pentagram was the Gazebo. Ali wasn’t dead and someone puller her from the grave. Who went into that grave is now anybody’s guess.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
is this legit? because holy shit!!!
omg IT ALL MAKES SENSE
OK, my theory is that Ali really did die that night – and she was killed by her crazy twin (who maybe was locked away in Radley which is why nobody knew about her). And she’s the one who was taunting Alison before she died, and who hit her in the face the night Spencer’s mum found her scared and bleeding.
OR I guess it could be the other way around – Ali killed her twin.
Either way, there have been so many hints about the twin theory – particularly in this season’s Halloween episode. The story Ali tells about the psycho little girl who kills her sister. The ‘ghost’ twin who visits Ashley. The photo of ‘two Allisons’ in her bedroom. They have to go there. They just have to.
But yeah, totally confused about how Shana, Jenna, Melissa, Wilden etc etc fit in. And, like, is Mona their ally now?? Is Toby really a double agent or is he lying? Spencer was way too quick to forgive him imo.
P.S. Did we really need that whole love scene?? When have Emily/any of her girlfriends ever gotten a scene like that, show? I was SO annoyed Paige wasn’t in the finale, but Aria and Ezra got two basically identical scenes. They keep breaking up and I’m like, but you already did that last episode? And again five minutes ago? GO AWAY, MAN.
I thought Aria and Ezra breaking up was really sad/sweet, but Toby and Spencer’s sex scene was totally unnecessary. They already established they were in the motel, and then they cut back to them about to bang for no reason other than terrible mood music.
Spencer/Toby in general was really unnecessary. We don’t even know yet if these two are on the good side or not, and in such an important episode (season finale for christ’s sake) there was no need to waste 7 minutes in lovey dovey stuff between them.
Oh yeah and WHAT THE FUCK re the hand coming out of the dirt. Like. What. No. That’s not a thing that happens.
Is it bad that when I saw that scene all I could think of was the episode of TLW when Jenny dreams about that dog she adopted to get back at Stacey Merkin and its paw erupting from the grave to scratch her a la Carrie?
Just me?
Mona doesn’t know who Red Coat is, WTF.
The Toby is alive reveal was kind of spoiled for me because of the body at the end of the last episode, where the Toby tattoo was clearly fake. But interesting that the waitress in the diner called HIM pretty eyes, I previously assumed in that season 2 episode that she was referring to Mona. So that gives us a sense of how long Toby’s been working with her.
WHERE IS PAIGE that is all
Actually, that’s not all. Other thoughts:
– I know I’m a sap but I’m happy that Spencer and Toby are together again.
– For whatever reason I kind of like that Mona is now a pal of the liars, I hope that lasts.
– I’m genuinely annoyed at the lack of effort put into Emily’s relationships in the past few episodes. Even accounting for my “I just want everything to be gay all the time” attitude, it’s just actually been so blatant and frustrating, the amount of time that’s put into the relationships of basically everybody on this show except Emily. (Although there was no Caleb in this episode, I must admit.)
– Jenna Shauna whaaaaaaaaa?!
I haven’t even watched it yet and even after reading all of this, nothing seems to be spoiled because none of these comments made sense. I can’t wait to watch it.
My main takeaway from this is that I’m the gay Hanna in that lesbians hit on my straight lady friends but not me. WAH
yeah that line was funny
she was genuinely salty about it
I am really upset about this episode right now and also about me caring about this episode so much.
aaand I gotta say that even with all the BS going on in this that I hated it the most when they brought up hannas ‘fat past’. oh yeah right she totally looks like she had a box full of cookies w/ peanut butter and frosting every night in all these pretty pastel flashbacks
Okay, here’s what I think happened:
Jenna/Shauna/Melissa/Wilden are team N.A.T. This club is unrelated to the A-Team and have the main goal of getting back those creepy-ass tapes of the Liars. Ali was blackmailing them in varying ways, but none of them are directly responsible for all A’s induced terror. Shauna set the fire at the request/plotting of Jenna and Melissa and tried to frame Toby for it.
I don’t trust Toby and still think he’s a terrible actor.
The Aria/Ezra breakup completely paralleled their getting together in the first place. The kiss in the stairwell and him writing on the chalkboard are almost the exact same. So, I’m thinking a foreshadowing that they aren’t done yet and we have suffer through more of that weirdness.
I’m jumping on the “Ali Twin” train, think one of them is really really dead, and hate that Mona is now a “Liar”. Like they’re all just going to kiss and make up and try to fight against A together now? Boo. We need at least one for certain villain with a face.
@Ranger, I’m with you. I think this not-A-team is definitely working together and were probably the ones sending Alison threats while she was “alive”, perhaps even using “-A” as their sign-off which she has then taken on and turned it around on them.
What I’m still trying to figure out is when Spencer (as A) was lurking outside Jenna’s door and sent that text about meeting to what seemed to have been Jenna, was it really to Toby? Why did Jenna look at her phone and know someone was outside then? And we know it was Spencer at her door because she has those pictures of Jenna from the doorway…
Also, if Alison is in fact A/red-coat, hasn’t she tried to kill them numerous times? Like what about when the A-team (Mona and Lucas?Toby?) tried to throw Aria and dead Garrett off the train inside that wooden crate? It just seems weird that A would save their lives in a fire but want them dead via awful texts…
Ummm.. I haven’t watched the episode yet, but I’m just wondering if its the exact same as the books? As I’ve read them all so kinda feel sneaky and smug watching, but don’t know if I should be?
Wait.
Is Toby a lesbian?
I really just want to get a spreadsheet and go through every episode making notes. Either this is a really amazing puzzle, or one of the worst continuities of any television program ever.
So I don’t watch PLL but love these recaps. I’d thought that reading all the comments on this thread would totally explain the show to me but in fact, I feel totally non-spoiled for anything, because this show is 100% bananas. Nothing makes any sense at all, but I’m super enjoying all of your comments!
I’m with Ranger (and a few others.) There are two groups at work here, the old N.A.T. club and the A Team. Pretty sure Ali has a twin (like in the books) but not entirely sure which Ali is which.
My theory: Ali’s secret twin was the one blackmailing Ali/beating her up before she died. One of the twins finally snapped and killed the other. The N.A.T club is completely separate *or* they caught the twins on one of their videos and are trying to cover it up/being blackmailed into helping the surviving twin (I’m assuming, if they’re helping her, that they helped kill whichever twin died.)
This ep seemed to suggest that messing with the girls was originally all Mona getting revenge and that Mona met redcoat (Ali?) in Radley. What Redcoat really wants out of the girls is a mystery.
The last scene is a continuation of the flashback to Ali’s “death” from the Halloween episode. Alison was buried alive when her family was putting in a new gazebo (as we know from season 1) so this was revealing that Ali tried to escape and someone grabbed her hand.
Jenna and Shana are officially a couple. (Pretty Little Liars official facebook said something along the lines of: “Were you shocked by the lesbian couple reveal?) Which is pretty much better than I even imagined. Shana gets to be evil *and* potentially hug another girl with her legs. All good, in my opinion. It doesn’t make a ton of sense. But I’m still all for it.
Don’t like Mona on the Liars’ side. I like her evil, mysterious, and secretly super powerful.
Toby is evil. Hope Spencer still is, too. Best case scenario: Spencer is seducing him to destroy him as revenge. She was just too creepy/sketch even after finding him to not be up to no good. If the truth really is she just momentarily went bad to find him, I’m officially done with that plotline (so out of character for Spencer.)
I just finished watching about 10 minutes ago so am spewing my thoughts out whilst they’re fresh, rather than waiting for them to cohere into sensible ideas.
How is Ali/evil twin Ali so rich? She can afford a private plane? Ali in the flashbacks is desperate for money.
The whole Shana/Jenna thing feels like the producers like the actress who plays Shana (because she is hot) and needed something to do with her, so threw her in with Jenna and Melissa who also needed something to do this series. I like the Not-A-Team club theory – I’m pretty sure it was Jenna or Melissa who locked them in the burning lodge (although that would mean Melissa was trying to burn her own sister alive, which is pretty low).
I’m also disappointed that we don’t know for sure that anyone really saw Ali – bored now, reveal Red Coat so we can move on (clearly this is not how the show works, but I can hope).
I feel like I’m picking holes in this episode, which is unfair, because I enjoyed watching it. I’m happy for Spencer and Toby, and I’m glad Paige wasn’t in this episode – Emily’s girlfriends don’t do well in season finales.
Also, please please stop talking about what happens in the books! The story may or may not be different to the TV show but giving away fundamental plot points (even if other people have guessed it already) feels like spoiling the fun for people who haven’t read them. It’s fun to guess, but not to be told what is likely to happen based on some people having read ahead.
I’m also glad it’s confirmed that Shauna is up to no good, and that Emily knows about it, because now Emily won’t have some weird hook up with Shauna, which is what I was afraid they were going to make happen (because I really want Paige to stick around forever.)
“Answers” from the team, if anyone is interested.
http://t.co/ygu21CzQwJ
The more I watch this show the more I’m convinced that it’s some kind of reboot of The Twilight Zone, and that the showrunners are the biggest trolls ever by not telling us.
I think Spencer pulled them out wearing an Ali mask. I don’t think there are two Ali’s. Spencer has switched teams and was wearing the mask. The private plane thing throws me off.
Also, the number at the beginning was Toby’s. I think that was Spencer hacking Toby to have him meet her at the diner?
this may be a stretch but do you guys remember that dude Duncan in season 2 who knew Ali or Vivian as he thought she was named (twin theory continued…) and was apparently the last one to see her before she “disappeared”? anyway, he had a plane and I have a feeling that all these characters are going to reappear somehow so maybe he was the one bringing Ali/Vivian/Red Coat.
also, not to throw a wrench into things, but what about Jason’s role in all of this?
Theory about Duncan is genius. I’m not sure what Jason’s role is in all of this, but I think he’s who’s in the trunk of the police car.
Hanna’s comment about not being hit on made me laugh. Shawna does make it a point to NOT engage with Hanna. I’d be pissy too lol.
This show is like an Agatha Christie novel, everything is justified and plotted backwards from whichever outcome is the most shocking. Which is OK, because I watch this show because it is some crazy unpredictable shit, not cuz it makes sense.
A. Plane. In. The. Woods. AAALLIIEEEEENNSSSSS. Or college recruiters! Who knows!
I think Shana is red coat. She’s a new character who is being introduced right in the thick of things. She owns the red coat which was revealed to be the same red coats the Oakwood swim team wears. She works at the costume shop, so it would be easy for her to acquire a blonde wig and a creepy mask. Also, she had full access to that weird carnival costume from the Halloween episode. She’s obviously involved in the bad side somehow and based on the window scene Emily witnessed, Jenna and Mellisa showing her the Hastings invitation…I think she’s the boss lady. I’m guessing they were meeting to see what her big plan would be to crash the Hastings soiree.
The only thing that throws my theory out the window is why would red coat save the liars from the fire if her ultimate goal was to destroy them? Maybe she wasn’t ready for them to die yet, because she’s a masochist? Perhaps there is more than one red coat..one good, one evil?