Aria Montgomery: That's So Aria

[Cranberry]

Up until recently, she may as well have been on a separate show from the rest of the girls. While she and her teacher boyfriend secretly canoodled and ate cake, her friends were being murdered over and over. Aria finally became a target this year, at which point she had a brilliantly over-the-top breakdown and smashed some things.

 

I quite like Lucy Hale, and I love Aria when she's away from Ezra/not talking about Ezra. I wish she had more to do.

[AmandaPanda]

I so want Aria to be evil. At this point, I feel like that's the only way her character would end up being interesting to me. 

[superman1204]

I so want Aria to be evil. At this point, I feel like that's the only way her character would end up being interesting to me.

Personally, I am just hoping she doesn't end up with Ezra.  This show has taught me to not get my hopes up. 

I must admit though, the idea of Aria on the A team is interesting.  They actually did a good job with Aria's whole meltdown, excluding Lucy Hale's cry face, and it would be cool to see her character in a darker place than she has been most of the series.  Also A team Spencer was basically a fake out, so AriA would be a way to make up for that.

Edited March 31, 2014 by Cranberry
Don't bold an entire post, please!

[DigitalCount]

I go back and forth on AriA. On the one hand, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence for the theory, but on the other hand...since when was explaining discrepancies a strong point on this show? Do we even know what it was that MAYA KNEW yet? I definitely can't even remember, especially since Aria seemingly just happened to forget the message that contained her own name by the time they returned to HQ.

 

But then again, this is the girl who didn't notice she was holding hands with a statue until it was staring her in the face.

Edited August 4, 2014 by DigitalCount

[lorikauai]

I kind of feel the same way about Aria as I do Ezra. Either she's an idiot or an evil genius. I can't decide.

[DigitalCount]

From the 6.06 thread on Aria hallucinating and losing time. I'll look these up for specific episodes once I go home, but the hallucinations occur at least three times: one when she sees A in the bathroom, one when she sees Shana rise from her coffin, and one where she sees and hears Holbrook asking her about the lies, the cover-ups and the murders.

The missing time is from the pilot, when she tells Mike she'll pick him up at a certain time after getting something to eat, and if I remember correctly the camera takes note of the time. By the time she's ordering (not getting, ordering) her burger, it's something like 45 minutes later IIRC. While it might have been a long drive, the amount of time it would take her to get back makes it unlikely that she'd have chosen a grill so far away that she'd miss her appointment with Mike.

There's also been a suggestion that her not knowing about the photography competition was an example of it, but I'd have to rewatch the episode to be sure Clark didn't just forget to tell her. When he asks her, he seems to have the impression that they spoke of it before.

Also, Aria's intake form being typed is a big deal regarding her possible psychosis. When the Liars were all being psychologically evaluated, Spencer/Emily/Hanna had written names on a generic form. Aria's was typed and printed, implying that it was a specialized form, and not the first of its kind.

Edited July 21, 2015 by DigitalCount

[Jenniferbug]

I definitely don't remember any of those hallucinations so thank you for clarifying! That all seems rather odd.

That's also really odd about her killing so much time. I wonder if that was intentional or producer error. The photography thing did come across like he thought they had spoken about it before. If I ever get around to doing a rewatch I'll have to look for these things.

[itainttippithebird]

I'd also add the repeated shots of her looking in the mirror as a kind of visual DID reference, especially the recent one where she frowns at her disorted, funhouse reflection, right before she finds the knife-in-eye doll...

[DigitalCount]

I'd also add the repeated shots of her looking in the mirror as a kind of visual DID reference, especially the recent one where she frowns at her disorted, funhouse reflection, right before she finds the knife-in-eye doll...

I definitely think that the mirror thing is a great symbolic representation of her disorder if they go in this direction. The reason I hadn't included stuff like that is because it doesn't demand an explanation in the same way that Aria losing time does. One can deny the significance of Aria being reflected in a mirror. It's a bit harder to argue against actions than representations.

So, for example, Aria wearing an alternating red and black dress is a great representation of her as the Black Swan, but one could claim that she just happens to be wearing red and black, or that others have done so as well. Aria not remembering a conversation or suddenly picking up with her story with a tangible space in time between events is a thing that, without explanation, is glaring. Aria receiving an email about a fence project from Harvey D. requires an explanation. Aria taking out her phone, glancing down at it surreptitiously, and pressing buttons before the Liars all receive an A text requires an explanation. Aria finding Charles' Radley file so quickly (read: a needle in a stack of needles) may need an explanation, but it's not quite as cut and dry.

I think I might make a post chronicling all of these specific events, separated into categories like "Shady Stuff She Does", "Meta Moments", "Imagery and Representation". Category 1 is specific acts that make Aria look suspicious (this includes things like the typed intake form), category 2 is stuff that either makes reference to pop culture (like the Black Swan) or hints that IMK has given (Big A), and category 3 would be things like being represented in a mirror, shushing the audience, wearing leg cuffs in promo shots, etc. I wouldn't be including stuff like the times where she looked like she was making an A with her fingers, though.

[itainttippithebird]

Oh snap! Just remembered - make sure you add to your (wonderful sounding) master post that doll that Aria gave to Mona (via Mike) in last night's ep, with its goddamned HANDS BOUND IN FRONT OF IT, that Mona glances at brielfy, then adds to her creepy doll shelf like it ain't no thang! WTF, Aria?!  WTF, Mona?!

Edited July 23, 2015 by actnormalbitch

[Giuliano Lanzilli]

Oh snap! Just remembered - make sure you add to your (wonderful sounding) master post that doll that Aria gave to Mona (via Mike) in last night's ep, with it's goddamned HANDS BOUND IN FRONT OF IT, that Mona glances at brielfy, then adds to her creepy doll shelf like it ain't no thang! WTF, Aria?!  WTF, Mona?!

 

Genius!!! LOL!!! XD

[Spencer Hastings]

Have we ever addressed the ten thousand photos Jason had of Aria in his garage? Someone mentioned in another thread that his NAT involvement makes sense because he'd want to document EVERYTHING after Charlie was suddenly imaginary. I wonder if he was documenting Aria for some reason?

[mercfan3]

I also wonder if Jason's crush on Aria is why he was nicer to Aria. We've always wondered that, if Jason was the lone family member that Charlie had positive feelings for..it might make sense that he wouldn't torture Aria as harshly. 

[Perfect Xero]

Have we ever addressed the ten thousand photos Jason had of Aria in his garage? Someone mentioned in another thread that his NAT involvement makes sense because he'd want to document EVERYTHING after Charlie was suddenly imaginary. I wonder if he was documenting Aria for some reason?

 

Jason said it was Ali who took the pictures, he'd just found them and developed them. Don't know if we should believe him but it could have been Ali investigating Aria as part of the suspicions that one of the girls was A.

 

And the new revelations open up the possibility that it was Charles who took the pictures, and he either had access to the house or Mrs. D was hiding things for him. Jason found the film, just assumed that it was Ali's, because, well, who else would hide film in their house?

[mercfan3]

That's true...

 

Maybe Charles also has a crush on Aria..and that's why he's easier on her. (although then you'd think he would have broken up Ezra and Aria..) 

[Lady Calypso]

That's true...

 

Maybe Charles also has a crush on Aria..and that's why he's easier on her. (although then you'd think he would have broken up Ezra and Aria..) 

 

.....ok, I am going to LAUGH If Charles was softer on Aria because of a crush and they somehow end up together. Ok, I know it'll never happen, but I'd die laughing.It's not exactly possible, because Charles would have tried breaking up Ezria a lot more, but still, it's funny to think about.

 

I would like an explanation as to why Aria's only just now getting targeted by A more. 

[Eneya]

Ali was investigating Aria, so she took pictures of her face while sleeping.

Suuuuure.

[DigitalCount]

Lol, what if Ali had a thing for Aria? That'd be interesting.

[Eneya]

That's be So Aria... :)

[Crim]

Charles would have tried breaking up Ezria a lot more

A lot more than... not at all? The early difficulties were Mona's work, and their drama after that was their own non-A mess.

 

The photos Jason had of Aria in his garage are part of a plot line that was dropped. Even if we get a resolution for the NAT Club (and I hope we do), the chances of all details adding up are nil. Aria wasn't targeted because she was the tween fandom favorite and the tweens watched the show for the romance and the drama; or maybe I am biased after all the jokes on TwoP that the tweens were basically watching a different show than we did.

[lion10]

I wish the show would expand on Aria's and Alison's freindship. I feel like compared to the other Liars I know very little about their rapport and how Alison commonly dealt with her.

[SadieT]

I wish the show would expand on Aria's and Alison's freindship. I feel like compared to the other Liars I know very little about their rapport and how Alison commonly dealt with her.

 

That would be interesting to see. I feel like Ali's dynamic with each of the other girls has always been clear, but never with Aria. Emily was in love with her, Spencer challenged her, and Hanna was someone who looked up to her and who she could push around. Not sure what Aria was to her.

 

And when Mona tries to convince the liars that Ali is an evil sociopath who's manipulating them all, she tells them that they each had a particular trait that Ali was drawn to. Spencer's (smart), Emily's (loyal), and Hanna's (admiring) all make sense in terms of how Ali interacted them, but not really Aria's. Even Aria wonders why Alison picked her and Mona tells her it was because she feels so much. But so she's compassionate? We never really saw Ali exploiting her feelings or preying on her compassion, well no more than she did to everyone else. All she really did to Aria was blackmail her sleaze of a father.   

[lion10]

Yeah, Aria doesn't come across as compassionate to me. Not anymore than the other girls really. Even six seasons in, and she's still largely a cypher to me.

[Preity]

She's way to self involved to be compassionate.

[mercfan3]

I think "passionate" is a good description of Aria. And I honestly think that's what the writers meant, because Mona said "When you feel nothing, you want to have someone around who feels everything." Just look at Aria's outbursts. The girl is run by her emotions. 

 

The interesting thing with Ali/Aria, is she's the one liar that, to me, Ali always treated like a friend. She blackmailed Aria's father, sure. (I mean, it's Ali.) But you never saw her manipulating Aria. They were often arm linked and giggling. She would "help" Aria in her Ali ways..like helping her tear up her father's office, or helping her get Noel Kahn's attention. Aria was the only liar I've ever seen say "no" to Ali in the flashbacks, like it wasn't a big deal. (And then Ali blackmailed her.) Hannah and Emily would never say no, and for Spencer it was a big deal and an act of challenging, but Aria...she didn't want to do something Ali said, she said "no" like it was no big deal. 

 

And then when Ali came back, she apologized to Aria. Of all the liars, Aria..

 

So, Aria's relationship with Ali might simply be as simple as..Ali genuinely liked Aria as a friend. 

[cuddlingcrowley]

I remember there been some sort of confusion between Aria being described as compassionate or passionate back when the episode aired. I myself thought heard "compassionate" but I agree "passionate" makes a lot more sense, so I'm not so sure anymore of what I heard.

 

I agree Alison seemed to genuinely like Aria and have fun with her. The observation that Aria was the only one who said "no" to Alison without it being a big deal is interesting and a thing I noticed as well. Because Aria always struck me as the girl who Alison exerted the least amount of power over... but why that is? 

 

Warning: babbling.

 

The show has played with similarities between Alison and Aria over the years: the Lolita thing (liking older guys) and donning the red coat (vivian darkbloom and Aria wearing the coat look ridiculously alike and now we're about to learn the identity of Red Coat...), for example.

 

They also both were involved with frigging Ezra and boy if you didn't think that Ezra wanting to write a book featuring Alison and not Aria as the main subject wasn't the worst blow to Aria's ego in the story of ever...especially because I think that was the draw of Alison to Aria. Aria wanted to be/wanted to believe she was like her: older, wiser, sophisticated and experienced beyond her years -- or at least that's what Alison came off to the girls, anyway. That's Aria's whole shtick, imo.

 

By season 1, Aria had that persona down: long dark wavy hair without the childish pink highlights, layers and more layers of coats, the writing, drinking coffee, being "travelled" and dating a teacher in secret. She probably believed, on some level, she had surpassed Alison. Then we reach the end season 4 and it's like, nope: your teacher-boyfriend who made you feel so cool and edgy and brought you all that cool drama has been with you all this time in order to write a book about fucking Alison. Hahahahaha...

 

So, my point is that the reason Alison probably liked Aria was because she felt Aria was the closest thing she got to a kindred spirit. While Hanna superficially wanted to be like Alison, the thin, beautiful, queen-Bee. Aria and Alison were actually striving toward the same thing: the "cooler than you" image and, more importantly, the drama filled existence. Those two thrive on drama like Hanna never did.

 

I believe the show will adress why exactly Alison picked Aria, otherwise they wouldn't have lampshaded it like they did that one time. And I think Vivian Darkbloom, Aria and Red Coat are intrinsically conected. 

Edited August 1, 2015 by cuddlingcrowley

[mercfan3]

That's the thing though, was it a blow to Aria? I don't remember us seeing her be upset about him being with Ali, but rather being upset that he filmed and used her for a book. (Which, she should have been) and you know..gross violation of her love and trust. 

 

Aria's really the only one who didn't have some sort of issue with Ali returning. 

 

Like, I just think Aria and Ali were simply friends. Ali wasn't the best person in the world..which..I think..is the only holdup Aria has about her. Because we've seen Aria - more than any liar - feel guilty about the Jenna thing. And I totally agree about kindred spirits. I just think Aria might have been the one person that Ali wasn't using..

 

Why? Like you said, kindred spirits is a possibility. Perhaps Aria is simply the type of person that Ali is drawn too. (Which wouldn't be too surprising, similar interests..) Or maybe there's another reason..or maybe Aria is really just Ali's normal tie to the group, and the one person that she may have a real friendship with that could grow to the bond that the other girls have with each other. (It was even mentioned that Ali was expected to go to Aria's gallery..which would be the first social thing Ali had done with the girls in a while.) 

[SadieT]

I always assumed Ali just found Aria a little boring, like she was no fun to play with so why bother? But I do think if Alison was to get close to one of the girls post time jump, I think it would be interesting if it was Aria because there's considerably less damage to repair between the two of them so it might be easier for them both to move on as friends than it would be for Ali with the other girls, where things are much more complicated.

[raytch]

I remember there been some sort of confusion between Aria being described as compassionate or passionate back when the episode aired. I myself thought heard "compassionate" but I agree "passionate" makes a lot more sense, so I'm not so sure anymore of what I heard.

I agree Alison seemed to genuinely like Aria and have fun with her. The observation that Aria was the only one who said "no" to Alison without it being a big deal is interesting and a thing I noticed as well. Because Aria always struck me as the girl who Alison exerted the least amount of power over... but why that is?

Warning: babbling.

The show has played with similarities between Alison and Aria over the years: the Lolita thing (liking older guys) and donning the red coat (vivian darkbloom and Aria wearing the coat look ridiculously alike and now we're about to learn the identity of Red Coat...), for example.

They also both were involved with frigging Ezra and boy if you didn't think that Ezra wanting to write a book featuring Alison and not Aria as the main subject wasn't the worst blow to Aria's ego in the story of ever...especially because I think that was the draw of Alison to Aria. Aria wanted to be/wanted to believe she was like her: older, wiser, sophisticated and experienced beyond her years -- or at least that's what Alison came off to the girls, anyway. That's Aria's whole shtick, imo.

By season 1, Aria had that persona down: long dark wavy hair without the childish pink highlights, layers and more layers of coats, the writing, drinking coffee, being "travelled" and dating a teacher in secret. She probably believed, on some level, she had surpassed Alison. Then we reach the end season 4 and it's like, nope: your teacher-boyfriend who made you feel so cool and edgy and brought you all that cool drama has been with you all this time in order to write a book about fucking Alison. Hahahahaha...

So, my point is that the reason Alison probably liked Aria was because she felt Aria was the closest thing she got to a kindred spirit. While Hanna superficially wanted to be like Alison, the thin, beautiful, queen-Bee. Aria and Alison were actually striving toward the same thing: the "cooler than you" image and, more importantly, the drama filled existence. Those two thrive on drama like Hanna never did.

I believe the show will adress why exactly Alison picked Aria, otherwise they wouldn't have lampshaded it like they did that one time. And I think Vivian Darkbloom, Aria and Red Coat are intrinsically conected.

Man when Aria found out about Ezra in season 4, she was full on angry. Not heart broken or sad. I thought it was interesting because we had seen her sad and heart broken, but that was something else entirely, because on top of all the lies and the surveillance Ezra did, it meant that everything Aria did to define herself as the "mature" one, was erased by the simple fact that Ali got there first.

Especially that Ezra also taught Ali how to write, or helped her write stories or whatever...

It was all very subtle, but still a nifty writing trick if you ask me.

[Giuliano Lanzilli]

I remember there been some sort of confusion between Aria being described as compassionate or passionate back when the episode aired. I myself thought heard "compassionate" but I agree "passionate" makes a lot more sense, so I'm not so sure anymore of what I heard.

 

I agree Alison seemed to genuinely like Aria and have fun with her. The observation that Aria was the only one who said "no" to Alison without it being a big deal is interesting and a thing I noticed as well. Because Aria always struck me as the girl who Alison exerted the least amount of power over... but why that is? 

 

Warning: babbling.

 

The show has played with similarities between Alison and Aria over the years: the Lolita thing (liking older guys) and donning the red coat (vivian darkbloom and Aria wearing the coat look ridiculously alike and now we're about to learn the identity of Red Coat...), for example.

 

They also both were involved with frigging Ezra and boy if you didn't think that Ezra wanting to write a book featuring Alison and not Aria as the main subject wasn't the worst blow to Aria's ego in the story of ever...especially because I think that was the draw of Alison to Aria. Aria wanted to be/wanted to believe she was like her: older, wiser, sophisticated and experienced beyond her years -- or at least that's what Alison came off to the girls, anyway. That's Aria's whole shtick, imo.

 

By season 1, Aria had that persona down: long dark wavy hair without the childish pink highlights, layers and more layers of coats, the writing, drinking coffee, being "travelled" and dating a teacher in secret. She probably believed, on some level, she had surpassed Alison. Then we reach the end season 4 and it's like, nope: your teacher-boyfriend who made you feel so cool and edgy and brought you all that cool drama has been with you all this time in order to write a book about fucking Alison. Hahahahaha...

 

So, my point is that the reason Alison probably liked Aria was because she felt Aria was the closest thing she got to a kindred spirit. While Hanna superficially wanted to be like Alison, the thin, beautiful, queen-Bee. Aria and Alison were actually striving toward the same thing: the "cooler than you" image and, more importantly, the drama filled existence. Those two thrive on drama like Hanna never did.

 

I believe the show will adress why exactly Alison picked Aria, otherwise they wouldn't have lampshaded it like they did that one time. And I think Vivian Darkbloom, Aria and Red Coat are intrinsically conected. 

 

That is just BRILLIANT!!! Bravo!!! *__*