by Christine Cassis
Wait a sec. I'm a little confused... Spencer was just on the brink of death not once, but twice, and she's not hysterical? What!? Well, either way, the spring season finale of "Pretty Little Liars" was a little epic, no?
The girls confront Jenna about the videos and tell her they want the truth, which according to Jenna goes something like this: The day Alison died she paid Jenna a little visit at the hospital. She told her about the tapes she had found, calling them "home movies" that "the guy she likes" made. But Ali's peeping Tom BF wasn't the issue at hand—Jenna's love affair with Toby was. In fact, the tapes proved that Toby didn't force himself on Jenna, but instead the whole thing was a wicked sham. Jenna asked that Alison make sure the tapes never see the light of day, and in return, Jenna was to never let the cat out of the bag about the details of her "accident." So basically, poor Toby is forever the scapegoat.
When Alison left, with the deal largely in her favor, she threatened Jenna to never return to Rosewood. "I'll bury you," she said. So of course, the day Alison's body was found Jenna returned... She played the game like Ali would have, pretended the girls had become good friends, but honestly, she was just glad to be back now that Alison was gone for good.
So with this in mind, the girls decide to get a pre-paid phone. Spencer pays with cash so the number isn't traceable and they send Ian a series of texts letting him know they have "Alison's videos." They plan to meet him and hand over the tapes for some cash, but the girls invite Garrett, the young cop they believe to be on their side along for the ride. For, you know, back up... And he's packing heat. No literally, the guy's got a gun.
But Ian has other plans and pays off some kid to meet the girls instead because in a surprising twist, Jenna warned him that the girls had the tapes! (Or was it just crafty editing?) And unfortunately for the girls, it seems Garrett has some other plans too. When Jenna finds out the tapes have resurfaced she finds solace in Garrett who apparently is some sort of boyfriend figure in on Jenna's games. Garrett promises Jenna he'll do anything he can to assure the tapes are destroyed, so whose side is he really on?
But amidst all the murderer-hunting games going down, the girls still gotta keep up with the Jones'. Hanna is still wallowing at the fact that Caleb is gone, and Mona is doing everything in her power to drive him away, even screening Hanna's phone calls. But Lucas, the intuitive nerdy boy who might still be in love with Hanna, knows what's up. He confronts Mona and decides to take matters into his own hands: He picks Caleb up and brings him back to Rosewood in one of those "A Tale of Two Cities"/Sydney Carton kind of deals where he'll do anything to make his love happy, even if it means assisting in her relationship with another man. All together now: "Aww..."
Anyway, Ezra gets the job at Hollis and resigns from Rosewood. The couple is all goo-goo over the fact that they can soon start a relationship beyond the four walls of his one-bedroom. But first he's got to attend a mixer at Aria's house thrown by her dad for all of the staff at Hollis. Ezria are totally psyched about this new chapter until Jackie (the ex-fiancee) shows up, and Aria storms off. Apparently she's a teacher at Hollis too? Man, these two can't catch a break.
As for Emily, well, her mom wants to move to Texas to be with her father whose military duties have been extended by a year. Initially, Em is devastated to be apart from her friends, again, but by the end of the episode it almost seems like she's okay with it? Does that mean next season will pick up without Emily? Or will it start a year from now?
And of course there's Spencer... Ah, Spencer. Just when you think the girl's going to have a drama-free episode, napping with Toby on the couch, she's being chased through a church, running for her life (literally). Melissa calls her for a ride when Ian doesn't show up to meet her at the church. Melissa is worried, but Spencer suspects Ian has gone to meet her friends, and unbeknown to him, Garrett, with $10,000 in exchange for the videos. Spencer was just telling her sister she cares about her, despite her choice for a husband when a car comes out of nowhere and hits them. Both girls are fine but the baby could have suffered trauma—it's still too soon to tell.
So while Melissa is recuperating, Spencer heads back to the church to find Melissa's phone so that the family can get in contact with Ian, who has suddenly disappeared. The girls try to get in touch with Spencer to tell her Ian sent a messenger but they can't reach her. Ian is waiting for Spencer at the church and confronts her about the mysterious texts. The two of them go at it and start threatening one another and before you know it, Ian is chasing Spencer up the church's bell tower and is about to push her over the edge. "This would be a good place for your suicide," he tells her and as stubborn as Spencer is she won't back down, even as she's about to fall to her death.
But a pocket dial to the girls keeps them completely in the loop on the whole fiasco. They hear the entire thing and call 9-1-1 and head straight to the church. In the meantime, a mysterious hooded-figure (A?) appears and rescues Spencer by pushing Ian to his death, hanging him by one of the bell's ropes. The girls find Spencer huddled over Ian's hanging body and console her before leaving the crime scene for the cops to investigate. But just as they are about to leave, the cops come out and ask the girls if the whole thing is a joke because THERE IS NO BODY TO BE FOUND!
Did A clear the scene of the crime that quick? Is Garrett playing good cop or bad cop? What did you think of the spring finale?Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!
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