Special PLL Spotlight: A.D. and the story behind it - Part 1

Well at last (cue the Etta James music) we know that A.D. stands for Alex Drake (and not for Avery Drake, Allison Dilaurentis, Aria Dilaurentis and so on).  Throughout the show it became clear that the Hastings Family and the DiLaurentis Family were more than just neighbors. We found out that Peter Hastings (Spencer and Melissa's father) had an affair with Jessica DiLaurentis (Allison's mother, née Jessica Drake) that resulted in the birth of Jason DiLaurentis. At that point we knew that Jason was a half brother of Allison as well as of Spencer and Melissa. You might think this is  complicated? Well hang on! We also found out that Jessica had a twin sister called Mary. After an incident resulting in the death of a child under her care (she was babysitting), Mary was committed in Radley Sanitarium.  While she was in Radley Mary gave birth to a son, Charles, which was adopted by Jessica and her husband and lived with them until he was 7 years of age. At that time Allison was just a baby. At one day Jason and Charles were playing in the garden, when they heard Allison crying. Charles went inside the house and tried to warn Jessica, but she did not hear him. Charles tried to calm Allison down himself and he decided to draw Allison a bath and put her in. Allison however started drowning in the bath, as she was just a baby.  At that point Mr. DiLaurentis stormed in, he saved Allison and blamed Charles for intentionally trying to hurt the baby. Later on we find out that Charles always felt like he was a girl and he kept on asking for dresses. After the accident Kenneth insisted on sending Charles to Radley Sanitarium. Jessica however kept on visiting Charles in Radley. While Mr. DiLaurentis never accepted Charles insistence that he was a girl, Jessica loved him for how he was and she started buying him dresses. Through an unfortunate turn of events, Charles got blamed for killing Mrs. Cavanaugh (Toby's mom). She actually was killed by Bethany Young,but no one believed Charles. Jessica however paid off the cops and they ruled it a suicide.  At one point Jessica and Charles faked Charles' death and Charles became Charlotte DiLaurentis. Jessica brought her back to Radley, eventually she got out (long story) and took the name CeCe Drake.  Eventually she turns out to be A. in season 6. Still with me? Well back to Mary.  In season 7 we find out that Mary is Spencer's mom...A few years after Charles was taken away from her, Mary got pregnant again. She posed as Jessica and had a one night stand with Peter Hastings. This results in the birth of Spencer, who is taken from her and taken in by Peter and his wife Veronica (raising her as their own). But they say twins runs in the family and in the season finale we find out that Mary did indeed give birth to a second child that night: Alex. She decides to keep this a secret and sells Alex to a wealthy British Family...Mary used the money to get out of Radley at age 28.

Well let's talk about this mysterious twin and how she turned out to be the "Big Bad". Like I said Alex was born on April 11th 1994 in Radley Sanitarium. She was born right after her twin sister Spencer was handed over to the Hastings Family and was held a secret by her birth mother Mary. She made a deal with her doctor to get enough money to get out of Radley by selling Alex to a wealthy family in the UK. When Alex was still a young girl she started to develop some problems and her family was afraid that would put a stain on the family name, so they brought Alex to an orphanage. Alex spent the rest of her childhood in orphanages and foster homes. Later in life Alex got a job as a bartender in London and then at a rainy evening Wren walked in to shelter from the rain.

Wren couldn't believe his eyes and they started talking.They fell in love and Wren told Alex everything he knew and Alex did not know about anything or her family in Rosewood. Wren introduced Alex to her half sister Charlotte/CeCe in Paris (this was when CeCe fled to France after killing Wilden). Charlotte met Archer on the flight to Paris and they fell in love. Alex and Charlotte became close very quick and according to Alex, Charlotte and Archer were very close to her and Wren ("We did everything together"). But then Charlotte went back to Rosewood, because she missed the game. Charlotte never came back. She was unmasked as A. and spent five years in Welby Sanitarium, where Allison and Dr. Rollins (Archer) take care of her. She convinced everyone she got better and gets out of Welby. Well, everyone but Mona. At the night of her release she meets Mona in the bell tower and they get into a fight. This results in Mona killing Charlotte due to an unfortunate accident. At that moment however no one knows who killed Charlotte (it was only revealed in the penultimate episode). Alex was heartbroken and she decided to take over the game, to find out who killed  and avenge her sister.  Wren doesn't like this plan, but he reluctantly let's Alex go because she promises him she will come back to him. To play the game Alex has to pose as Spencer a few times and after she shoots Spencer in the blind school, she even pushes Wren to shoot her too, so she will have the same scar as Spencer. When the Liars unmask Mona as the killer of Charlotte, the game is finished and Alex returns to Wren in London. Back in London Alex can't stop thinking about Spencer, Toby and the life in Rosewood and it drives her crazy. She wants to go back and take over Spencer's life, but Wren tries to talk her out of it. Eventually she kills him and turns his ashes into the eternity stone around her neck. Then she kidnaps Spencer on Aria's wedding day and tells her she wants to take over her life. Spencer warns her she will never be able to pull it off and Alex says she already did. 

So when did we see Alex instead of Spencer? 

1. When "Spencer" visits Hanna in her dream, while she is being held and tortured.

2. When we see "Spencer" going through the family album.

3. When "Spencer" gives Toby a book to say goodbye and kisses him on last time.

4. When Ezra runs into "Spencer" and Wren at the airport

5. When "Spencer" and Toby make love in Toby's cabin and later in the last episode.

Alex also tells Spencer it isn't just about having friends and family, but also about Toby. She fell in love with him. Alex takes over Spencer's place at the wedding and she asks if she can hold one of Allison and Emily's daughters (yes twins really do run in the family).  She bounces the baby and walks towards a mirror. When she is not in hearing distance anymore she starts talking to the baby and reveals that the baby has her daddy's eyes and that she always knew Wren would make beautiful baby's....So Wren is the father of the baby's! Spencer finds out that Ezra is locked up with her, just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Eventually Spencer escapes with Ezra and the Liars find out about Spencer's twin after a tip from Jenna (!) It all comes down to a fight between Spencer and Alex and with the help from Mona the girls find out were Alex is keeping Spencer and Ezra. When they storm in, the police (called by Mona) arrest Alex. They also arrested Mary a few blocks away, while trying to flee. All's well that ends well and Aria and Ezra get married. We say goodbye to the Liars, while they are sending Aria off on her honeymoon. Oh and we also find out that Hanna is pregnant. The End....or maybe not...suddenly we are in a toy doll shop, somewhere in France and Mona seems to be the owner. The policeman that arrested Alex walks in (?) and shares a kiss with Mona. He seems to be French and asks Mona if she will be joining him for dinner. Mona says she won't be long and she gets down to the basement, where we see a dollhouse. Oh Mona what are you up to now? We see her serve tea to two dolls in the dollhouse and then it happens. Behind the dollhouse is a glass window and in the room behind it we see Mary and Alex sitting in a similar decor as Mona's dollhouse. They are drinking tea...Mary says that Mona can't keep them there forever and Alex answers: "Of course she can, she's Mona!".  The camera pans back to Mona sipping tea. Mona wins the game....you gotta love Mona! The End!....Well not exactly, suddenly we are in a barn somewhere in Rosewood,  were some girls are having a sleepover. One of the girls wakes up and wakes the others. Then another comes back and informs them that Addison is missing! Could it be .... naaaaah!