There are so many unresolved story arcs floating around throughout Pretty Little Liars these days that it's sometimes hard to determine what it all means. For example, why is Toby's mother constantly mentioned? What greater purpose will her storyline serve? And then there's the topic of the ever-so-puzzling Bethany Young — a young girl who just happens to look like Alison. Coincidence? I think not. As someone who is obsessed with Alison to an extreme and unhealthy level, I think it's safe to assume that Charles knew Bethany very well on PLL before her untimely death. In fact, some fans are even going so far as to theorize that Charles and Bethany were dating and her death is what set this whole series in motion.
But whether or not this turns out to be the case, I have no doubt that they do know each other in at least some capacity, whether it be romantic or otherwise. Why? Because there's just no way Charles wouldn't acquaint himself with someone who looks so much like Alison aka the main object of his long-going obsession. I mean, this is someone who's made a very creepy hobby of collecting Alison lookalikes (i.e. Sara Harvey, Blonde Mona) and forcing them to wear that darn yellow top that just won't go away. There's no way he kept his distance from such a prize, especially if my prediction is correct that Charles was once locked up in Radley as well.
Charles and Bethany could've struck up a friendship while trapped in the confines of those dark and dreary halls. Perhaps initially Bethany was just a means to an end for Charles — a way to get his Ali fix without actually being near the real thing. However, it could've eventually developed into something much more. Heck, for all we know, that's why Jessica DiLaurentis bought two of those dresses in that flashback. One was for Alison, the other was for Charles' special friend at Radley.
We know that Bethany didn't exactly like Mrs. D. Perhaps that's because Bethany knows she's the one who decided to lock Charles away. Maybe she's even responsible for turning him against his own mother. And if that's the case, there's no telling what other kinds of mischief these two inmates got up to. It's possible Charles and Bethany conspired to kill Alison together that fateful night in the pilot episode. This, of course, led to Alison getting struck over the head with a rock (presumably by Charles), thus making Mrs. D. accidentally bury her own daughter alive to cover up his crime.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that he was the one responsible for Bethany's murder, or at least not intentionally. If Bethany and Ali really do look that similar, he could've accidentally killed her, thinking she was Alison, having somehow recovered from his previous attack. But when he discovered the truth, it could've made him hate Alison all the more and blame her for taking yet another person he cares about away from him. So not only do I think that Charles and Bethany knew each other, but I think it's their bond that's responsible for sending A's wrath into full throttle.
For more theories on Charles, check out Bustle's PLL podcast below:
Images: screengrab/ABC Family; itspencerhastings/Tumblr; prettylittlelibrarian/Tumblr
