Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Pretty Little Liars S04E20 “Free Fall” Recap

“Free Fall” disappointed the “Pretty Little Liars” audience on a whole new level. After a winter hiatus left viewers with the image of Ezra freaking out in “A’s” lair after the girls had discovered it, the writers had us convinced that the painful mystery of the show was coming to a head. Yet, who were we kidding? After Mona, Toby, Jenna, Detective Wilden, Cece and more appeared to be “A,” PPL had it coming with another twist that would keep the game going. And so with heartbreak for Aria, “Free Fall” gave viewers a different reason for a crazy Ezra.

Spencer

Spencer wakes up to an empty classroom, her head resting on Ali’s diary. Ezra walks in and is surprised that Spencer has no clue how she got there. He warns her, “the path you’ve been going down is very dangerous.” She leaves immediately, though is found by Hanna and Emily in the bathroom, changing into a horrific gym outfit. Hanna and Emily are concerned for Spencer for fashion’s sake, but the conversation turns serious when Spencer says she wants to tell Aria about Ezra immediately.

Later on that day, Spencer meets Toby for lunch. She’s changed into some of Hanna’s clothes, which for Spencer isn’t a step up from the gym clothes. After the weird disappearance of Toby, it seems that the two wish to reconnect and make their relationship what it once was. However, while Toby tries to make special plans with Spencer, she’s has different priorities.

Hanna, Emily and Aria hold an unexpected intervention for Spencer because she’s a “speed freak.” Spencer pleas with Aria that her information on Spencer’s drug problems comes from Ezra with malicious intent. And then Spencer lets it slip that Ezra is “A,” which completely slides by in the conversation without another thought. Especially when Spencer accidentally dumps out the contents of her purse including a prescription pad with Wren’s information on it.

Later at Hanna’s place, Spencer is able to convince Hanna and Emily that she’s not completely crazy, and even goes as far as to turn in the rest of her pills. The three girls make a plan to prove that Ezra is “A.”

After the girls’ failed mission, Spencer comes home to her mother and Toby. They are both aware of Spencer’s amphetamine problem since the doctor’s office called her mother after Spencer tried filling another prescription. Spencer’s mother is more than concerned that another “Radley incident” will happen, while Toby makes it clear that Spencer is destroying their relationship.

Hanna and Emily

Hanna and Emily admit to each other that they have been avoiding Aria, but they cannot stay away for long when Aria shows up with a file on Spencer that Ezra gave her. Aria shows Hanna and Emily that Spencer had the same sort of issues with amphetamines two years ago.

After Spencer’s intervention, Hanna and Emily talk about Ezra at Hanna’s house. While Hanna still thinks that Ezra is “A,” Emily is having doubts. Spencer shows up to win the girls back by turning in her pills. She then shares with the two that she’s been studying the changes made by “A” in Ali’s diary. One change refers to a location that Ali and “A” used to meet at: Ambrose Reptile Pavilion, located within the Norris Town Zoo. The girls make a plan to trick “A” into thinking Ali will be there to catch Ezra skulking around.

The next day, Hanna, Emily and Spencer accomplish the plan while Emily is talking on the phone close to Ezra, mentioning Ali in whispers and the Ambrose Reptile Pavilion.

However, the scheme doesn’t go as planned when Spencer shows up late with a blonde wig to appear as Ali, while Hanna and Emily see another blonde girl sneaking around, but no Ezra.

Aria

After encountering Spencer sleeping in his classroom, Ezra catches Aria in the hall and gives Spencer’s file to her. Ezra tells Aria that Spencer is a “ticking time bomb” with her amphetamine problem.

Aria takes Ezra’s advice and confronts Spencer with Hanna and Emily. Afterwards, at Ezra’s place, she talks about what happened during the intervention. Although Aria just wants to let Spencer figure it out on her own, Ezra says that if left on her own, Spencer may end up in Radley Sanatorium again — just like when Spencer went crazy after thinking Toby was dead when she saw a tattooed man wearing a motorcycle helmet lying in the woods. However, Aria catches this as an odd comment, since Ezra shouldn’t know the details of that incident. Although Ezra says he knows this because Aria told him — Aria still thinks this is suspicious.

Aria is still suspicious so she drives to Ezra’s cabin and breaks in. She gets in with Ezra’s password, “B26,” the title of the poem Ezra wrote about Aria years ago. Viewers are pushing Aria to find the trapdoor that leads to the full-blown “A” computer lab! However, the basement is totally empty now. Why would Ezra just happen to do spring cleaning down in the “A” lair?

However, when Aria goes back up, she finds a manuscript that reads: “The first thing that Alison ever told me was a lie.” Before she can continue reading, she sees that Ezra has arrived. Outside, Ezra gets a text telling him that someone is inside the cabin, and got in with his password. By the time he gets inside, Aria and the manuscript are gone, but she’s left her keys.

As soon as Aria realizes she doesn’t have her keys, she takes off into the woods, panicked. Ezra calls out to her in close pursuit. Aria finds a getaway: a ski lift. A ski lift? You mean that really slow ride in the air that everyone can see? But Aria realizes that Ezra is sitting beside her after she locks the bar into place and the lift takes off.

Ezra confesses to Aria that he met Ali while in college and that when he heard of Ali’s death, he began to write a true crime novel about her. He then got close to Aria and her friends in order to learn more about Ali, but ended up falling in love with Aria. Aria pulls out the manuscript, threatening him that she’s going to read it all, but Ezra knocks it out of her hands and the pages fall to the ground.

Aria goes back home where Mona is ending a date with Jeremy, who wants Mona to tell him she loves him. Earlier, Mona told Ezra that she couldn’t help him anymore and looks genuinely concerned for Aria. But Aria ignores this, and goes to her room to sulk.

The last scene shows gloved hands picking up Ezra’s manuscript. Ezra? “A”? Or someone else? With these writers, who knows.

Final Thoughts

“Free Fall” really did disappoint the viewer’s invested time in Ezra’s suspicious activities. It was ridiculous in season two and much worse in season four to have the culprit be innocent, but not completely innocent. However, there’s still hope that Ezra is “A.” If not, there’s always Cece, Aria and Alison herself. It took six seasons for Chuck and Blair to find out who was GG in “Gossip Girl,” so we can’t expect too much from “Pretty Little Liars.” But we can hope.

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