Holy crap. What an episode!!! The only way to follow up a bonkers season four finale is to have an insane season five premiere. Questions were answered while other ones were posed. But once the credits rolled, I was left with really one question: good or evil?
That ladies and gents is what I believe the theme of this fifth season of Pretty Little Liars will be: who’s good and who’s evil. The entire episode laid the groundwork that most of the people in the liArs lives haven’t really had their roles truly defined.
Let’s start with Mona.
For three seasons, we were led to believe that Mona was out to get the girls only to find out last season that she was just merely a pawn in A’s elaborate chess game. She even was trying to make nice with the girls. She got Hannah’s mom out of a jam by confessing to killing Det. Wilden and she handed over some key evidence to the girls in their search for the identity of A.
However last night’s episode saw Mona amassing an army to take down Queen Alison once and for all. She enlisted the help of all the people who had been wronged by Alison over the years including Lucas (who got kinda hot) and Paige, who wanted no part of their scheme even though Alison was a direct cause of her relationship with Emily going up in flames. But Mona’s army had another key member who’s true intentions aren’t quite as clear.
Melissa Hastings.
After learning the Alison was alive, she feared for the safety of her sister. Sure Spencer’s drug problem had resurfaced, but Melissa wholeheartedly believed that everything that went wrong in Spencer’s life had everything to do with Alison. She pointed out to her mother an extremely valid fact: what kind of person pretends they’re dead and watches for two years while their loved lives were in constant danger? In those two years, Alison has been hiding and nothing had happened to her. But as for everyone else, their either dead, on the run or in constant fear of the other shoe dropping. However, there’s a secret that’s bubbling inside her that she needed to get out. It could ruin her family, but she doesn’t really seem to care if it meant keeping Spencer out of danger.
Next we have Cece Drake.
We discovered last season that she was the one that killed Wilden and the girls discovered that she was red coat. While being transported to lockup, Cece was able to escape and called on her BFF Alison for help. Along with Noel (can he be in more episode please?), Alison gave Cece he fake passport and some money to help her disappear. By why? Turns out Cece killed Wilden to save Alison and helped put Emily in the grave plot to save her life. Cece was never red coat. She only wore it at Alison’s request. Cece was on Team Alison this whole time.
What about Jenna?
While she didn’t appear in the episode, she had a HUGE part to play in the outcome of the episode. It was revealed that it was Shauna (ESCANDALO!!!) that shot Ezra on the rooftop. She did it in the name of Jenna. Alison had wronged her precious Jenna and Shauna wanted her revenge. Alison pleaded with Shauna to put the gun down, but wasn’t having any of it. What did Alison do to Jenna that would convince Shauna to want to put a bullet in her? Her mission turned impossible when Aria “Annie Oakley” Montgomery clocked Shauna with the butt of the shotgun, sending her plummeting from the stage to the orchestra pit and to her death.
Finally, there’s Alison.
Yes. Alison. Sure she’s alive, but there’s no way you cannot take into account how shifty she’s been since her return. She’s been withholding so much information from the girls. She only confided in Emily about Cece and swore her to secrecy. She claims to know who Jenna really is, but I doubt she will be divulging that information anytime soon. I’ve always believed that Alison isn’t the victim she’s positioning herself to be. Mona started a freaking “I Hate Alison” club for Pete’s sake! She’s only truthful to Emily, a girl who she knows is deeply in love with her. Is she playing on Emily’s emotions to get her firmly in her pocket or does she genuinely trust Emily the most?
Other things:
- The liArs’ body count is getting a little too high. Aria killed Shauna. Emily killed Nate. Hannah killed any hopes of a romance with Det. Holbrook.
- “I guess you don’t read Sun Tsu.” Hannah’s quips are getting better and better.
- Kinda of thought that the person in the hoodie that Mona was talking to was Roy from Arrow. Just think of the crossover amazingness.
- I still think Ezra is A. The bullet was just a diversion to win back Aria and get back in the girls good graces. Here’s to hoping Holbrook brings him to justice.
- Never let Aria near a shotgun. Girl will channel her inner Ash and show you her boomstick!