Entertainment

This 'PLL' Theory Could Totally Be Legit

by Kaitlin Reilly

Charlotte's death has been a mystery that has plagued the Liars since their return to Rosewood in Season 6B. Though the Liars can't actually say that they were all that sad to see their former tormentor was out of their lives for good, considering they were then accused of her murder — I mean, it just isn't exactly the greatest homecoming in the world. Now that there's a new A out there, though — aka A.D., whom fans know now as Uber A — the Liars are once again constantly worried about a Big Bad set out to destroy their lives, seemingly to seek vengeance on the person who killed Charlotte, who has an awful agenda of their own. So far, we haven't found anyone with great motives for killing Charlotte, save for the Liars themselves — it's just as much a question mark as Uber A's identity. One theory, however, might clear all of that up: what if Alison was supposed to be killed on Pretty Little Liars that night, and not Charlotte?

Right now, this theory is just that: only a theory. But, I'm pretty confident this might be just the kind of bait and switch that Pretty Little Liars is known to pull on us. We know that Season 7 of Pretty Little Liars mirrors the action of Season 1 in many ways, with the Liars being hunted by a brand-new villain and trying to put together the pieces of a DiLaurentis' death. What if it's even more than that, though? What if Season 7 is borrowing from the events before the pilot episode by having a case of mistaken identity go down with Alison? Instead of someone killing Alison instead of Bethany Young, this time, the person in question went after Alison for real. However, instead of killing Alison, the person who really died was her lookalike sister, Charlotte.

There have always been people in Rosewood who wanted Alison dead, hence the whole "anti-Alison army" in Season 5. Heck, Mona took a shovel to Bethany's head because she thought it was Alison. Charlotte, however, doesn't have quite as many enemies that we know of — even the Liars were willing to "forgive and forget" her actions long enough to help her get out of the mental institution. We have yet to find someone who hated Charlotte that much, but we definitely know plenty of people who are scarred by Alison's bullying.

The series could be hinting at this in the first episode of Season 6B. While on a walk through town, Aria and Ezra see someone they, at first, think is Alison. Then they assume it's Charlotte. Later it's revealed to have really been Alison — why the change-up? It might be to put the idea in our heads that the sisters/cousins were actually interchangeable and that, in the dark, anyone could mix them up.

Right now the Liars are looking for someone with motive to kill Charlotte, but the real villain could be someone who wants Alison dead — and still does. The Liars may want to rethink their theories.

Images: Eric McCandless/Freeform; Giphy