#PLL 2x23

[forbescaroline]

TOP 5/10 CHARACTERS PER SHOW (as voted by my followers) ↳ pretty little liars edition #2. Hanna Marin portrayed by Ashley Benson

[jaggedwolf]

pll rewatch 2x23

The one where Aria flies a plane. Other things happen too, but you know, it’s the episode where Aria flies a plane.

Aria decides to pursue the Duncan lead, over the other’s objections that she doesn’t have to and that any of them could’ve put on that red coat

Jenna emerges from a car with a bandaged eye, Toby leading her out, and all the liars are perturbed, especially Spencer

Thus kickstarting an episode of it being very unclear whether the liars think that Toby is....dating Jenna....or is...committing an unfathomable sin against them by accompanying his blind step-sister around...

But back to Aria for a second. In wearing the red coat, Aria becomes the third liar to “become” Alison. If not to us, then at least to another character. Hanna evokes a visual comparison, given their separate terms as The Popular Blonde Girl of the school, and a drunk Emily compares her to Ali when A blackmails Hanna into dancing with Lucas. Spencer evokes a comparison on the basis of intensity, of needing to win and dominate, and inhabits the Ali-as-top-dog role to the greatest degree when the liars are pretending to fight with Emily. 

You can make a strong case for Flashback!Hanna and Flashback!Spencer wanting to be Ali, but I don’t think that’s an as accurate description of Flashback!Aria. It’s fitting that it’s only once we’re in the realm of Vivian Darkbloom that it’s Aria’s turn to try out being Ali, a realm in which Ali was desperately trying to not be herself. It’s almost like that’s what it takes for the idea of being Ali to have an appeal to Aria.  

And I just remembered, Jonah the phone repair guy concludes Aria is “Vivian’s friend Alison” when she meets with him. 

Emily has yet to “become” Alison this way. I’d argue she never does. That simply isn’t how she orients herself around Alison – she had and has and will have all sorts of feelings about Ali, but envy isn’t one of those feelings.

Ashley and Hanna argue in the house about Hanna wanting a new phone after trashing her own and Emily is so damn uncomfortable to be witnessing this argument.

Chin up, Emily. Could be worse. You could’ve experienced the horrors of the Montgomery marriage or the Hastings taking turns to visit and be mysteriously terrible to Spencer

Emily gets a text from an unknown number, the message saying it’s Maya...

Toby and Spencer argue in school about him hanging out with Jenna, with Hanna lingering around a corner to eavesdrop. I guess Hanna’s here for her stuff with Jenna

Both of them are being confusing, but we’ll focus on Spencer - my dude, you had Emily break up with him saying you were ditching him for Wren, why are you surprised that he’s not running into your arms.

Duncan says “You’re the one who kept the journals. The writer.” and I wonder how Ali described all the girls to him, and whether it differs from later descriptions of Ali’s we’ll learn about

Duncan claims Ali spent a lot of time with him that summer. I know I’ve talked about Labor Day scheduling before, but do remember that Ali’s schedule that summer grows more packed as the seasons go on. Who didn’t she spend time with that summer.

Hanna’s new phone doesn’t appear to get the next A message

I really enjoy every Jenna-Toby scene we get this episode, because it makes you go what the fuck is going on here every time.

Emily finds Spencer lurking in the school courtyard. This courtyard has very convenient little alcoves for brooding, a key design feature. They commiserate over Toby hanging out with Jenna, Wayne going to Afghanistan, and Maya’s runaway status. 

Please note Emily’s non-involvement in whatever is happening with Toby, custody once transferred is final. An individual friendship outside of Spoby, hahahaha no.

Ella pretends to do some parenting by visiting, saying she is not an ally of this adult/minor relationship when she 100% is, and when Ezra says yeah there might’ve been someone who’d want to hurt Aria because of Ezra but not anymore, Ella does not ask any further questions! She simply walks away! Ella! 

Mona and Hanna do a little tricksy trick to get Toby to talk to Hanna, and honestly Hanna is quite annoying here. 

Like yeah, Toby hanging out with his step-sister who raped him and continues to be creepy to him isn’t the best life choice ever, but Hanna isn’t yelling about it because she’s concerned for him, but because it makes Spencer sad + the liars are worried he’ll spill about the Jenna thing

To be clear, Toby’s eventual explanation for what’s happening here is very stupid and makes zero sense, but he does get to hang out with whoever he wants to without getting accosted by his ex’s friends lmao

Veronica has a whisper-argument with Spencer about Jason while Emily is five feet away. Do you think after experiencing Marin drama this morning Emily saw the look on Veronica’s face and decided to pop out to the backyard so she wouldn’t have to deal with the second-hand embarrassment again? That would be completely understandable. 

Aria gets in a plane with a guy. To be clear, she meets the guy at an airfield. She could’ve googled the address, but no, that would not jibe with the way she’s following her whims. She gets in a plane when he asks, without even texting the other liars what she’s doing!

In the words of my friend, “Aria is so easy to kidnap”. 

Who is the hardest liar to kidnap? Emily is also very easy to kidnap, given that she facilitated her own carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Duncan claims that Ali figured something out the day he flew her back to the Philly area from Georgia, and makes Aria fly the plane to interrogate/stress the fuck out of her

Byron and Ezra have a little dick-measuring contest and I wish they were both in Jason’s house when it exploded and we’d never have to see them again. They don’t even mention Aria.

Who, by the way, is flying a plane somewhere above Philly!

Emily gets a long email from Maya. Or does she?

My memory of timeline here is quite vague, in that I don’t know what Maya is up to at this point, but it is weird that we hear Shay Mitchell’s voice reading the email and not Bianca Lawson’s.

But taking it to be Maya, she says to Emily “You know how to be still. In the middle of everything, at a swim meet with all the craziness and pressure, I look at you and you're still.” 

A great characterization note for Emily, and an interesting one for Emily/Maya...perhaps Emily’s big three love interests of the show are united by this idealization of Emily as someone who has it figured out, who is worthy of emulation. (Though for different portions of the relationship for each love interest, I’d say.)

Veronica reveals to Spencer that the PI investigating Ali’s disappearance was her idea, even if Peter paid for it. Sometimes I swear the Hastings doing their shady shit communicate more than the Montgomerys attempting to do normal parenting.

Spencer figures out the newspaper wrapping is one of Ali’s things and contains clues, thanks to Hanna recognizing Michelle Obama’s outfit from 2009 <3

Jenna gets caught in a fire at Jason’s house, Hanna pulls her out before the first floor goes kaboom, Spencer helps Hanna support Jenna’s weight but offscreen goes back for the bag and gets a cut on her hand for her troubles

Y’all, I have no memory of who tried to blow her up here. Was it A? Was it Jason? Was it Jenna herself playing 4-D chess? Did Toby try to get rid of her once and for all? Maybe Melissa was tired of having to share the role of shadowy female side-character? Who the fuck knows, not me. 

At the hospital, Emily calls Maya’s parents to let them know Maya reached out. Spencer sees her mother sit next to Jason to have a cordial conversation, and yeah, I don’t think Veronica would’ve done that if Spencer hadn’t argued with her earlier this episode. 

Oh man, I love this Jenna hospital room scene. She is so distraught, the liars are so uncomfortable, when Jenna asks a question Hanna nods before she remembers to say “yes” out loud. Classic terrorized terror moment.

Meanwhile, A plants a police badge in the wreckage of the explosion...not a great moment to be a certain officer right now....

[liarswhtpsd]

hanna and aria 2x23

©heavetuan

[themarinaalexis]

I’m so excited to finally share this new collab from 2x23!

[dailylittleliars]

best of pll: 2x23, “eye of the beholder”

[pllcloset]

Rockstar ‘Sushi Biker Jeans’ - $44.99 (eBay, screen-worn)

Worn with: POParazzi earrings 

Also worn: 2x23 ‘Eye Of The Beholder’ with POParazzi earrings

[ariasagame]

Where there’s smoke there’s payback. –A

[just-pll-obsessed]

I need explanation...

Spencer: “All this time you could see.” Aria: “From the very first operation.” Jenna: “Yes.” Emily: “How could you lie about this?” Jenna: “It was the only protection I had.” Hanna: “Protection from what?”

Jenna: “Someone tried to burn down our house with me in it, remember?

Jenna: If people think that you're blind, they get careless. You see what they don't think you can see.” Spencer: “And you never told Toby.” Jenna: “He was safer if he didn't know.”

The ‘Pretty-Little-Liars.wikia.com’ filed this scene under ‘Continuity’ and connects it to episode 2x23 – “Eye Of The Beholder”. [LINK]

In 2x23 Jenna was trapped in Jason‘s house when a fire started. She was rescued by Hanna.

Jenna was blinded from a fire-cracker prank by Alison which happened on July, 4th, 2009 in Rosewood-time shown in a few flashbacks.

[pensbridgerton]

Spoby Meme: Ten Scenes (5/10) - 2x23 EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

[thenamesdoctor]

PLL: Eye of the beholder

Okay I'm officially creeped out with this episode.

I wanna say that Spencer has one freaking messed up family and I really feel horrid for her.... I'd be scared to be part of that family because you really don't know who you can trust

Toby you have returned but you seem like suck a dick now... please go back to normal soon!

Way to go Mr Fitz for standing up to Mr Mongomery.

"That boy is my brother." Brownie points for Spencer!

What the actual fuck happened in Jason's house with Jenna??? Like seriously, big boom explosion!

Also, I'm starting to feel like these txt/emails from Maya...aren't really from Maya... like something doesn't seem right there.

OH and SO NOT COOL. Yeah Ali's little music box just mysteriously starts playing by itself at the end of the episode, while creepy 'A' just casually walks among the night. BECAUSE THAT'S SO NOT CREEPY. o__O

2 more episodes left of season 2! :D

[clueless-gay]

I love how Aria just gets into a plane for some random boy

[pllcloset]

When Alison appeared to her in 2x23 ‘Eye Of The Beholder’, Spencer wore this red Royal Rabbit sweatshirt with a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt on the back. You can get her exact screen-worn one from the seller below.

Royal Rabbit ‘Red Sweatshirt’ - $44.99 (eBay)

[pllcloset]

Would it really be an Aria outfit without some sort of giant statement earring that could rip your earlobe off? Of course not.

POParazzi ‘Fierce Earrings’ - no longer available

Worn with: Betsey Johnson top & skirt

Also worn: 2x22 ‘Father Knows Best’ & 2x23 ‘Eye Of The Beholder’

[pllcloset]

Aria wore a green one of this Tasha headband in 2x23 ‘Eye Of The Beholder’.

Tasha ‘Diamond Days Headband’ - no longer available

Worn with: Betsey Johnson dress