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Celebrating 1,000 NCIS-franchise episodes

The A Squad: Tracking Which "A" Is Which and What They Did When/Where

Chairperson Meow

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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

I'm rewatching the entire series on Netflix and I'm like.... which "A" is which. So I made this thread to keep track of the A Squad/Team, whatever and see if we can all get together to note which behoodied A minion did what to whom.

I think Toby was A who massaged Emily. Spencer was the A who kidnapped NotEzra's kid. Lucas was a Greenhouse A who went after the box and fought with Emily. I think Mona or Lucas ran over Hanna.

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raytch

raytch

(edited)

Alright. Let's start the breakdown!

 

I'm gonna go with the chronological order of the events instead of the seasons.

 

Halloween 2008 (Season 2)

Mona: Dying to know who I am, the rag doll, etc...

At that point her texts were not signed, just a blocked number.

Charles/ Big A: attacked Ali instead of Noel at the haunted house. Left her a note on a squashed pumpkin "Next time it'll be your face not this pumpkin -A"

 

Labor Day 2009 aka The Night of Many Yellow Tops aka the night Ali was "killed"

I am very confused about this. It feels like Big A but it also seems very unlikely for Mona to be wandering around town waiting for a dirt covered Ali to show up so she can make her disappear.

I'm guessing Mona was plotting revenge on Ali for being a bully, then Big A practically offered her Ali on a silver plate. I don't know. They could be in on this together, or it was all Big A and Mona's ride around the block was a coincidence.

 

Now for the show timeline.

Season 1 and season 2:

Supposedly this was all Mona, except for Lucas giving Emily that massage.

I guess it could have been Lucas in the greenhouse but one thing for sure he was working for Mona. Also, Melissa was Black Swan, she was being blackmailed by Mona.

The things that were not Mona: Ian being pushed off the bell tower (later revealed to be Alison), the texts to Melissa from Big A as Ian. Ian's death and his fake suicide note which was all made of messages Mona had sent to the girls.

I guess we can say Ian is Big A's first victim?

 

NOTES:

- Season 2x25 when Mona is caught, the voice over as she checks into Radley is recited by 2 different people. Mona and I guess Red Coat?

- Someone cleared all of Mona's lair in the Lost Woods Resort the same night she was caught. Do you think she had Lucas do this?

Or was it Big A?

I always thought it was weird that Ezra ended up having most of this stuff (the diary, the blown up Ali photos etc...) in his Ravenswood lair.

If he was already doing his "research", which he totally was, then he probably knew about Mona and took the opportunity to find out everything she knows about Ali and the liars.

 

Season 3

I'm guessing Big A was communicating with Mona while she was at Radley through Red Coat.

Red Coat was giving the orders but it was still Mona sending the texts doing things etc...

Toby and Spencer both join the A team. Toby joins after that fight he has with Spencer, when he storms off telling her he's going to find his answers because she's not telling him everything.

Breakdown of who does what:

Spencer:

1. kidnaps Malcom.

2. Spies on Jenna and sends her a text to be at the lodge the night of the fire.

3. Sends a picture of her and Ali to Hannah's phone so they know she's A team.

 

Toby:

1. Runs over Lucas.

2. Sneaks in and out of Radley to see Mona.

3. I'm guessing it was him who took the pills from Mona to the Halloween train.

4. Locks Spencer inside her sauna room and writes "steamy with Wren. Steamy with me. - A"

5. Attacks Hannah at the fashion boutique where she goes for a job interview. That's when he drops his keys which leads to Spencer finding out about him.

6. Moves the lair from the storage unit after Spencer finds out about him.

7. Lies dead in the woods? This one confuses me because I swear the body we saw there had the same wound as Jason, but Toby said Mona made him do this and he didn't realize what it was really about until it was too late.

 

Big A/ Red Coat/ Mona:

- Digs up Ali's grave an steals the body.

- "Mona played with dolls. I play with body parts. Game on, bitches - A." Best text ever.

- Blackmails half the town to do his biddings. (Wilden? Melissa? Shana? Jenna?)

- Leads Spencer and Jason to find Ali's bracelet. Proves Garett is innocent. Kills Garett. Locks him in a box with Aria.

- Plants the stolen body in the drinks cooler on the Halloween train.

- Leaves Aria the IT'S A BOY balloons.

- Records Ashley and Wilden talking and her running him over, and Shana and Jenna coming to his rescue. I always thought it was weird that Big A recorded this from Wilden's car. Wilden knew that there was that laptop in the front seat. Maybe that's why he wanted his car back?

- Gives an invite to Melissa for the fake lodge party.

- Gets Spencer to offer the liars in exchange for seeing Toby again.

- Gets the liars out of the fire at the lodge?

- Mona gets Wilden's car and parks it in the Marin garage. Hannah and Aria dump it down the lake. Big A/ Red Coat retrieve it and plant it in the town square with the videos of Ashly hitting Wilden on repeat.

 

Shana:

- Knows about A from Ali and works her way into Jenna's life as a spy. Then she falls in love with her.

- Starts the fire at the lodge trying to kill the liars for what they did to Jenna.

Melissa said it was Wilden but my guess is that Wilden was blackmailed by Shana into this one, after she picked him up off the side of the road.

 

I don't know. Season 3 is one large spaghetti bowl of As. Would love it if someone can help breaking this season down

Edited by raytch
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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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I'm on Season 3 now. I can see the seeds of Ezra on the A team being planted.

Ezra hints:

- A tag with the large amount of cash being counted. (This is also the season where it's actually commented that A drops a lot of money on their spy goods/lair/A gear, and we learn Ezra comes from a wealthy family.)

- Ezra "disappears " during the episode with the truth or dare episode at Noel Khan's party and Aria has to get Wes to pick her up. (He's retrieving the family Jag he sold.)

Then there's stuff that Wren could be doing :

- Wren convinces Hanna to keep visiting Mona

-Gets Hanna to convince the board to not transfer Mona (why did Mona give the Liars Mya's website?)

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raytch

raytch

(edited)

I'm on Season 3 now. I can see the seeds of Ezra on the A team being planted.

Ezra hints:

- A tag with the large amount of cash being counted. (This is also the season where it's actually commented that A drops a lot of money on their spy goods/lair/A gear, and we learn Ezra comes from a wealthy family.)

- Ezra "disappears " during the episode with the truth or dare episode at Noel Khan's party and Aria has to get Wes to pick her up. (He's retrieving the family Jag he sold.)

Then there's stuff that Wren could be doing :

- Wren convinces Hanna to keep visiting Mona

-Gets Hanna to convince the board to not transfer Mona (why did Mona give the Liars Mya's website?)

 

It's so hard to keep track on all these things because not all these things were A.

 

Ezra was a red herring but I still think he knows more than he's letting on.

 

Also, his lair in Ravenswood makes no sense. It looks so A like. Why would he need all these obsessive shrines if he was only writing a book? Also, why did he have a Batman closet full of suits? He's really not the kind who dresses that formally...

 

Do you think Wren was involved since season 3 because his sketchy factor was only fully blown up in season 4 with the red coat coloring scene and the whole "I took care of my part you take care of yours". 

Something to keep in mind, Ezra sends or receives a text saying something like "there's been a setback regarding Alison". Could he be talking to Cece or Wren?

 

One of the things that confuse me the most, especially with the deleted scene from season 5 where Ali dreams about her mom, is that the family in vault and in the picture frame in Aria's room, seems like Aria's family not Ali's: an older girl and younger boy (Aria and Mike), not to mention it goes perfectly well with Wren's drawing, as the woman has dark hair like Ella.

If Charles is Wren, or Wren is A because of Charles (who somehow died or got sucked into oblivion or OUT OF TOWN), then it would make more sense that he is Aria's cousin not Ali, since mental illness and violent outbursts have been established on the Montgommery's side even more than the Dilaurentises. We see Aria wrecking her dad's office and Ezra's apartment, Mike has had many violent outbursts, and Byron gets violent with both Ali and Meredith.

On the Dilaurentis side, we have Jason suffering from huge memory gaps, Ali remembering things different than him, and doing crazy shit like holding her breath to get what she wants from her mom, and Mrs. D being creepy as fuck by the time Spencer and the liars thought she could be A.

 

About Maya, I think Mona wanted to show them that she was still alive by the time they thought they found her body, and that she had never left Rosewood because she was hiding out at the Kahn cabin, where the liars find a bag of her stuff. I'm sure Maya did find something in Ali's stuff by accident, and maybe somehow became aware of A?

 

Anyway, I'm re watching season 4 now and will keep adding what I come with on my end!

Edited by raytch
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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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I think Wren is sketchy and possibly A. He's the one who convinces Hanna to keep visiting Mona, which drives a huge wedge between Caleb/Hanna for a bit. It's also where we learn about Wren's family history of mental illness. There's an ongoing theme of divide and conquer throughout the show. During the episode where the Liars & Caleb think they're confronting Paige as A (we learn Toby is A team), Caleb assures Hanna "there's two of them and four of us." So clearly, A & the A Squad like to divide the Liars. That's another reason why I've always suspected Ezra too. Aria is always separated from everything because she's with Ezra.

I'm now on Spencer vs Mona on the Quiz Team. It's funny how the show actually tried to make Andrew look younger then gave up.

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raytch

raytch

Ah man that show down between Spencer and Mona was the best. I love their dynamic!

Andrew looking young was terrible. Took me a while to recognize him on rewatch. I always remembered that he looked exactly the same as he does now.

Wren is a very plausible suspect. I didn't see it at first but thought there might be something there on rewatch.

I just can't find how he fits in with the Dilaurentis background because as I said from his back story he seems like a Montgomery (him and Aria never shared a scene, although he has scenes with all the liars)

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AnJen

AnJen

I have a question I'm really dying for an answer to!

 

So in season 1, when Dr. Sullivan is kidnapped, the waitress at the diner refers to A as "Pretty eyes," and "Pretty eyes" hands Dr. Sullivan some kind of information (season 1 was so long ago, sorry my memory isn't better). Then in season 2, Toby somehow has Dr. Sullivan's number despite them never having talked onscreen before or even anything about him knowing who she was. Then in season 3, when Toby goes to the diner to meet Spencer-as-A, the waitress refers to him as "Pretty eyes."

 

Marlene and Co used to say something about how we'd eventually find out who "Pretty Eyes" was; implying that it was one person and not a weirdly specific nickname that the waitress called multiple people by.

 

This would imply that Toby was on the A team in season 1.

 

But now Marlene and Co have gone back and said Toby wasn't on the A team in season 1. But why on earth would you re-hire the same actress to call someone the same weird nickname if it wasn't the same person? 

 

Are they lying, or is it just crappy PLL writing?

 

In addition, in season 3 when Toby was on the A team, it was often hinted at because the A would be sitting in a rocking chair (since Toby was the carpenter and had made a rocking chair for Spencer)...there is at least 1 scene in season 1 or 2 where A is sitting in a rocking chair. So is that a coincidence, or is it all somehow related?

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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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I think Marlene King went back on what she had planned because I actually rewatched (without laughing) the "Ali visits Toby at juvi" flashback today. He tells Ali that he's not A, but if he knew who A was, he'd gladly offer his services because Ali and her entire posse deserve to suffer. This makes Spencer break down in their "office", the bathroom. She covers by saying she and Toby broke up, but refuses to admit he's Team A. Season 3 seems like it was rewritten a lot to be honest. There's a lot of red herrings, dropped storylines, and basically like alphabet soup. Everyone is A, then everyone isn't. Wren magically appears right after Toby/Spencer break up. Meredith is suddenly crazy. Byron saw Ali the night she went missing. Wilden knew Ali. We meet CeCe. Nate is there.

*For the record, the Toby/Ali flashback is hilarious because of two words- doo rag.

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raytch

raytch

The doo rag is more hilarious than that time where Ali flew a plane wearing a mask of her own face!

Season 3 is definitely confusing but I feel it's meant to be that way?

A is obviously connected to everyone in Rosewood in a much more complex way than we thought.

I'm guessing Ian was shooting those NAT video for him and even hiring otherwise people to shooter their friends.

As for Toby being on the A Team since season 1, at some point MK stated in an interview, when asked if Toby is a good person, a straight NO. But that question has now been revoqued from the article. So I'm guessing initially they wanted him to be Big A but then MK came up with something different after the Mona reveal. Probably someone else who is not a boyfriend which leaves us with Wren, Cece, and Jason.

I really wish Ezra is more involved and as creepy as insinuated. I will be very disappointed if him and Aria are end game. How is it okay for their relationship to go on but when it comes to Emison it doesn't happen because you don't always end up with your first love?

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Jack Shaftoe

Jack Shaftoe

 

So in season 1, when Dr. Sullivan is kidnapped, the waitress at the diner refers to A as "Pretty eyes," and "Pretty eyes" hands Dr. Sullivan some kind of information (season 1 was so long ago, sorry my memory isn't better).

 

That happened in season 2, not 1.

 

 

But why on earth would you re-hire the same actress to call someone the same weird nickname if it wasn't the same person?

 

Because they are making this stuff up as they go along, they have basically admitted as much. Not that they have much of choice, considering the uncertainty inherent in TV shows in regards to the total number of seasons but still they are doing it so clumsily that I am amazed there are still people who write theories in an attempt to explain the inexplicable (stupidity of the plots).

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Giuliano Lanzilli

Giuliano Lanzilli

(edited)

 It's funny how the show actually tried to make Andrew look younger then gave up.

 

Ahahahah

 

Ah man that show down between Spencer and Mona was the best. I love their dynamic!

 

I never understood how Mona's victory was supposedly be rigged! From what they showed us, Spencer was clearly leading the game, answering all the questions correctly, while Mona didn't seem to get one right! So what happened during the second round and especially the very last question (about the former Soviet Union) that turned the tables?

Edited by Giuliano Lanzilli
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Jack Shaftoe

Jack Shaftoe

(edited)

 

I never understood how Mona's victory was supposedly be rigged! From what they showed us, Spencer was clearly leading the game, answering all the questions correctly, while Mona didn't seem to get one right! So what happened during the second round and especially the very last question (about the former Soviet Union) that turned the tables?

 

Some writer thinking that the twist of Mona winning was oh, so clever, that happened. This was shaping out to be one of my favourite Spencer scenes ever (her cat-who-ate-the-canary grin was beyond awesome) and then they decided to go with the Liars being so easily defeated by A for no apparent reason. Because we hadn't seen that like 235 times already, you see.

Edited by Jack Shaftoe
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mercfan3

mercfan3

Apparently season 3 was supposed to end with Spencer still on The A team and the audience not knowing whether she was going to try and take down the girls or not. But the network got scared. 

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mercfan3

mercfan3

Apparently Varjak's number spells out Sara Harvey. (Like how 2 is A on the keypad)

 

My guess is A made her do his/her bidding..Called Sara "Varjak" (Wasn't there a creepy blonde girl who took something from the girls at one point during a season?) 

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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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I think Sara and Ali were Red Coats. CeCe too.

Didn't Bethany hate /dislike Sara? Which again leads to Radley.

And again "A" knows all and sees all. Like a bird or a wren..... just a theory. Especially since Mona flat out says A is in Spencer's face during season 3.

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raytch

raytch

(edited)

We have no back story on any relationship between Sarah and Bethany.

 

I was thinking about this last night, wouldn't make sense if Ali was the one to dig up her own body because she didn't want to be found? And then when Jason offered the money she gave it back? Never mind that wouldn't make sense because she wasn't the one to send all those body parts to the liars.

 

I'm guessing it's Sarah. She makes most sense. In case it's Wren it could be Melissa too. I always thought it was interesting that after wrecking all those masks by the lake at Hector Lime's shop, Melissa just went to London and soon after that she got back together with Wren. I don't fully believe it because:

1) He not only kissed her underage sister, but he also tried to DATE her underage sister. 

2) She seemed very condescending to him in season 3 that it just doesn't seem like she'd actually go there again. 

Edited by raytch
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dwmckim

dwmckim

(edited)

I'm now on Spencer vs Mona on the Quiz Team. It's funny how the show actually tried to make Andrew look younger then gave up.

Andrew was always a clear case of Adult-Playing-Teen but i'm not sure they stopped trying but more like it seems like something happened to the actor this last year that affected his appearance - it kind of looks like to me that he got sunburned before taping his end of s5 run of episodes.

Edited by dwmckim
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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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Troian is actually older than him irl, but doesn't look it. Not even when she's in the woods or covered in black makeup.

I still don't get why the black hoodies had to be accompanied by raccoon makeup. Yet, Red Coat just lets her blonde curls fly. Maybe Red Coat was never meant to be hidden.

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raytch

raytch

(edited)

Ok, I'm on season 4 episode 9. It's the episode where Jenna is hit on the back of the head (in typical A fashion), and pushed into the lake at Emily's birthday party. Shana says Jenna is afraid of Cece Drake, and Mona checks back into Radley for a psych evaluation after confessing to the Wilden murder.

 

One thing that stood out, was the A tag. Before we see A putting the music sheets he later sends for Toby, there's a big spot of red wine (that looks like blood) on the floor and then the camera travels to the piano top and we see the bottle is spilling. This reminded me of that moment in the premiere when Ali was no longer in the room Tanner sent her to, and there was a spilled bottle of wine all over the place; which also reminded me of that time Wesley and Aria spilled a wine bottle all over Cece's carpet.

 

Something else interesting, when Ezra is talking to Maggie at his house, there's a lamp behind him in the shape of a C bigger than his head! I'd post a photo but I can't find it anywhere online.

 

No idea what this means, really. Just thought I'd share.

 

ETA, I totally love Jake. Aria was much more proactive around him and he just seemed so genuine. I'll take their interaction over Ezria any day. 

Edited by raytch
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Jack Shaftoe

Jack Shaftoe

(edited)

 

Apparently season 3 was supposed to end with Spencer still on The A team and the audience not knowing whether she was going to try and take down the girls or not. But the network got scared.

 

If that's true, thank goodness the suits put their foot down because that sounds like such a terrible idea. It's not like many would have believed Spencer wouldn't be a double agent all along.

 

 

 I always thought it was interesting that after wrecking all those masks by the lake at Hector Lime's shop, Melissa just went to London and soon after that she got back together with Wren. I don't fully believe it because:

1) He not only kissed her underage sister, but he also tried to DATE her underage sister.

2) She seemed very condescending to him in season 3 that it just doesn't seem like she'd actually go there again.

 

Sadly, that's par for the course for romantic relationships in this show. The characters can be so frustratingly forgiving of their significant others. Mind you, I like the idea of a show with teenaged protagonists where 3 out of 4 main 'ships that started in season 1 are alive and well in season 6 but the execution... Only Caleb and Hanna have an even remotely plausible reason be still together and the way Paige and Emily broke up out of the blue is in such a stark contrast to the pandering to the other three major ships. So, considering all that I can totally buy Melissa getting back together with Wren for no apparent reason.

Edited by Jack Shaftoe
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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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I buy anyone taking Wren back because Wren is hot and .... shallow card. Yup. Went there.

Season four (just started it) is the CeCe is Bad Red Herrings Season, plus Toby's Mom (We Never Cared!)

Weird A tag I noticed was in the episode where Hanna gets busted hiding a gun at the college is A has a group pic and Mrs. Grouden is the Dorm Mother. A is drinking tea. By then Wren has told Spencer that Ali got CeCe kicked out of college.

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raytch

raytch

Yeah I the tea part seemed interesting because there was also honey and glazed pastries. It wasn't just a cup of tea it was a tea time ritual.

The Grunwald part though... It was just lame removing the piece of dust just to show us her face. It only means that thanks to Spencer he now knew about Grunwald?

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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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I just learned CeCe paid Blonde Airplane Guy to lie to Toby and Caleb about the flight plans for the night of the lodge fire. They bribed him too, so he got double pay. Good job, dude.

Ashley is in jail, the Liars broke into Wilden's apartment.

A tag has Blonde Guy pouring A coffee and apologizing. Also, Em still has the key to Wilden's. Has A taught them nothing? A car drove through the Fields house.

It's looking more and more like CeCe is a red herring and Wren is A something.

Oh look... A is sending Emily a gift card.

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Giuliano Lanzilli

Giuliano Lanzilli

(edited)

One thing that stood out, was the A tag. Before we see A putting the music sheets he later sends for Toby, there's a big spot of red wine (that looks like blood) on the floor and then the camera travels to the piano top and we see the bottle is spilling. This reminded me of that moment in the premiere when Ali was no longer in the room Tanner sent her to.

 

I didn't understand the need to show that broken bottle of wine on the floor to signify Ali had escaped, to the point I thought it had a specific meaning! Wouldn't... Gee, I don't know... NOT SHOWING Ali in there have been enough to get the point across? o.O Also why would she need to break a bottle while running away, instead of just opening the door and getting out?

Edited by Giuliano Lanzilli
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raytch

raytch

Maybe she wanted it to look like there's been a struggle of some sort? Like someone was actually inside the house and managed to take her.

Grrpants09, are you already at season 4 episode 8? Good God are you eating or sleeping? You were on season 3 yesterday!

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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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Lol. I had a few days off work, new kitten that I've been training, so I've been sleeping through the episodes I remember and eating while watching. Netflix was made for this.

My kitten now knows "lap", "sit", and "paw". For a while he um expected a treat while the theme played. My bf went out of town when this began. He's amazed it's still going.

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raytch

raytch

Lol. I had a few days off work, new kitten that I've been training, so I've been sleeping through the episodes I remember and eating while watching. Netflix was made for this.

My kitten now knows "lap", "sit", and "paw". For a while he um expected a treat while the theme played. My bf went out of town when this began. He's amazed it's still going.

 

Make sure to hydrate a lot as Chris Pratt says!

 

So.

 

I just watched episode 10, The Mirror Has 3 Faces, and good God. It just SCREAMS Wren.

So many clues here, I'm not sure what to make out of all of them.

I'm having a slow day at the office so I'm gonna try to watch a few more and come back with whatever I come up with.

I'm sure you're almost done with season 4 by now!

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Chairperson Meow

Chairperson Meow

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Lol. I actually took a break. They're talking to Grumwald now and ugh Ravenswood.

I hate that place. The only thing good it gave was Ezra's lair. Still think the gas masks are a clue.

Aria and Ezra just talked about some story Aria wrote about a cat that was lost, then found, but not found.

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raytch

raytch

Yeah that was a clue towards Ali being alive if I recall correctly?

I'm at episode 11. Just got back home and really feeling like shutting my brain down.

A possible hint in the last episode, Spencer wore a hat that had black stitching on it on the front in the shape of a C. No idea if this is relevant. Did the clues to Charles start with Charlemagne or before?

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