“Pretty Little Liars” returns for Season 5 on Tuesday, and with it resumes the search for the identity of the elusive “A,” who has been terrorizing the Liars for four seasons.
When we last left the PLLs, Alison had returned and finally explained what happened the night she disappeared — in the process crossing several suspects off the list (for now), including Jenna, Toby and all four of her best friends.
In the final minutes of the season four finale, the girls were chased onto the roof by A, in a mask and with a gun. Ezra showed up and struggled with A but got shot, and A leapt to another rooftop and ran off.
A’s agility leads Hanna to say to Alison, “There is no way that’s your mom.” And it can’t be, because we next see Allison’s mother, Mrs. D, being dragged to a grave and buried.
So with several names (seemingly) off the list, who is still a suspect? In the Season 5 promos, Ezra (who we see lives) says he knows. Given the events of the finale, here’s a look at five theories of who A could still be.
Jason DiLaurentis
The masked figure’s build and athleticism has led many fans to speculate that A is a man. Jason is Alison’s half-brother, which would explain why Mrs. D is trying to protect him. And his father is Mr. H, so if he is A then Mrs. D’s comment to Alison that “you can never turn your back on a Hastings” makes sense.
He has admitted he can’t remember what he was doing the night Alison disappeared. And all the other Hastingses — Mr. and Mrs., plus Melissa — have alibis as they were at the police station when Ezra was shot.
Noel Kahn
It appears that Noel has been helping Alison hide, and he was the one who brought the girls to New York City to meet her and took their cellphones so they couldn’t be tracked (or call for help).
Once Alison showed up, he slipped away and wasn’t accounted for when they were chased on the roof. He dated Mona (a former A) in Season 2, and has beef with Ezra from finding out Aria was dating both of them at the same time. He’s been largely absent for Seasons 3 and 4, only to reappear the night of the shooting.
Wes Fitzgerald
We know Ezra’s younger brother has a bad-boy streak from prep school, and he once briefly shared a kiss with Aria. His family is also willing to go to lengths to cover up their secrets — like when Ezra thought he got Maggie pregnant and his mom paid her to go away.
If Alison had dirt on Ezra, Wes could be trying to protect his brother (and accidentally shot him during the fight). Or it could explain how Ezra has found out who A is, if it’s his kin. Wes has only been in several episodes, but who’s to say A can’t be someone seemingly random?
Mike Montgomery
Aria’s younger brother has a history of depression (for which he is medicated) and violent episodes following his parents’ divorce, and often fights with his sister. In Season 4, his friend Connor spread rumors that he hooked up with Aria, and Mike promises to make it up to his sister — and Connor’s car ends up smashed.
He also once dated Mona, who was A for a time, and associated with other suspect characters like Jason. While his relationship with Aria seems to have improved, perhaps it’s an act to cover up his true identity.
The twin sister
The twin theory is rampant because in the “Pretty Little Liars” books, A turns out to be Alison’s twin sister, who was locked up in a psych ward. We doubt the series would be so obvious to go the exact same route, but twin imagery is so strong on the series, many believe it will come up in some way.
One “PLL” fan suggests a theory that Jason has a twin sister, who escaped Radley Sanitarium the night Alison was “murdered.” Jason’s twin would be a Hastings, and since Mona said the game was stolen from her when she was at Radley, the twin could have found out Alison was still alive and taken over as A.