Successfully airing for seven seasons, Pretty Little Liars won over their fanbase early on with two mystery questions: What really happened to Alison? and Who’s “A?” Over seven seasons, the show slowly explained who had been there the night Alison disappeared and what had actually occurred. While the night is revealed to the main characters from various points of view, eventually, enough of the pieces connect to make a rough picture as to what had happened.
When it comes to “A,” many characters took the role of the infamous villain from an independent person to the “A-Team.” While the show had a strong following over its run, that did not prevent fans from still having questions at the end. In each season, one episode, in particular, stands out as the best, according to IMDb.
SEASON 1: FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (8.6)
Knowing that Ian had taken videos of the girls as well as Jenna and Toby, the Liars come up with a plan to confront him. After sending him a message from a blocked number asking for money, the Liars prepare to meet with Ian.
However, their plan is derailed when Ian sends a messenger in his place and confronts Spencer at a Church. Determined to get his thumb drive back, Ian dives after it after Spencer throws it away to escape Ian. Yet, Ian does not give up and nearly kills Spencer to get away with his actions. But, he does not succeed. A person in a black hoodie saves Spencer’s life and pushes Ian into ropes to let him hang.
SEASON 2: UNMASKED (9.0)
After two seasons of wondering, the truth is finally revealed. Mona Vanderwaal is “A.” After finding the Lost Woods Resort, where Alison had traced down “A,” the Liars are hot on “A’s” trail, even if they aren’t sure of the identity of their mysterious stalker.
Mona reveals that she had revived her alter ego out of revenge that Aria, Spencer, and Emily had returned to take Hanna away from Mona. While the girls are shocked that Mona was behind the game, Mona is still plotting against them from Radley Sanitarium.
SEASON 3: THIS IS A DARK RIDE (9.1)
The Halloween ghost train is horrifying for more reasons than its holiday theme. With the knowledge that Toby has teamed up with Mona and that Mona can freely sneak out of Radley whenever she wants, things are bound to get much more horrifying, even if the Liars don’t know it. Of everything that occurs on the train, what happens to Aria may be the most horrific of all.
Taken and placed inside a box, Aria must await her fate beside a now dead, Garrett Reynolds. Just before the crate that Aria is locked in goes over the edge of the train, her friends pull the crate firmly back onto the train, shut the door, and let Aria out.
SEASON 4: NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON’T (9.0)
It’s all one big magic trick in Ravenswood. A trip to watch a magic show becomes much more of a life or death situation when “A” grabs Emily and places her in a box on a conveyer belt leading to a saw. Rushing to help her, Spencer, Hanna, and Aria follow a blonde in a red coat into the sawmill.
However, there is not just one Red Coat, but two. While Aria follows one, who turns out to be Cece, Spencer races after the other. After reuniting, Spencer brings the girls up to the room the Red Coat she believed to be Alison had lead her to, a new “A” lair complete with pictures and timelines of them. In the end, the owner of the room turns out to be Ezra.
SEASON 5: WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE (9.2)
The season five finale follows Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily after they are kidnapped by “A.” Taking terror and imagination up a notch, the girls wake up in identical copies of their bedrooms, only to realize that they are in an underground bunker and being held captive.
However, that is not the only surprise in store. Mona, who they had thought to be dead, had been taken and was impersonating Alison for “A’s” sake. With sirens, video cameras, and other terrifying aspects of the bunker, they are not safe as they attempt to escape. Meanwhile, Caleb, Ezra, and Toby try to find them.
SEASON 6: GAME ON, CHARLES (9.2)
Starting where “Welcome To The Dollhouse” left off, the girls are locked outside the bunker surrounded by an electric fence for days at least until Charles, or “A,” finally lets them back inside.
Yet, being inside is not any better than being stuck on the outside. Three weeks later, they are still being held hostage with Mona being moved down to “the hole,” a large pit separated from the rest of the girls. Finally, they escape by taking advantage of Charles’ vault and burning everything significant to him. Knowing that he has lost, Charles pulls the fire alarm and allows the five girls to escape the bunker.
SEASON 7: THE DARKEST KNIGHT (8.4)
Hanna’s decision to go rogue impacts her friends when Noel Kahn escapes captivity with Hanna’s videocamera. Given a chance to swap Noel’s thumb drive for Hanna’s camera, they take the opportunity only for it to go wrong. What the girls were hoping would be a quick swap turns into a game of life or death when Noel and Jenna walk around the house prepared to kill them. Yet, that is not how things end up. Rather than killing any of the girls, Noel ends up dead. Bouncing off the wall, Noel lands on an ax as his head rolls away from his body.
Unfortunately, the Liars don’t get out completely unscathed. Spencer is shot in the process by Jenna. Rather than ending the episode there, “The Darkest Knight” still one more plot twist up its sleeve. Mary Drake, leaning over Spencer, admits that she is Spencer’s mother.
