On Pretty Little Liars [1], there have been more twists and turns than we can count [2] — especially when it comes to "A" suspects [3]. At various points throughout its four seasons, we've thought Mona, Spencer, Toby, and Ezra were on the "A" team or even "Uber A," but time after time, the show has fooled us. However, in last night's episode, one major suspect emerged: Jessica DiLaurentis. Mrs. D has been on some theorists' radars for a while, but now Ezra — who we recently discovered has been penning a novel about Ali's disappearance [4] — claims she is the main suspect, and evidence against Mommy Dearest trickled out throughout the episode.

Don't start the manhunt just yet, though, Liars. We've been tricked by red herrings before, so we're going to dissect both sides to see if Mrs. DiLaurentis is really a black-hoodie-wearing big bad of PLL or if this is just another dead end. Keep reading to see why Ali's mom could be "A" — and why she may not be.

Why Mrs. DiLaurentis Is "A"

• She has a major Radley connection: Though the Radley business is still a mystery, we do know that Mrs. D is on the hospital's board. She was working together with Spencer's dad while Spencer and Toby researched his mom's suicide, and it would also explain how she got access to Mona.
• She has a dark side and remains obsessed with Ali: In the glimpses we've seen in flashbacks, Mrs. DiLaurentis has a dark personality and never seems to like the Liars. She now insists on keeping Ali's room together in an extreme way — much more so than a typical grief-stricken mother. Ali is scared of "A" and of coming back to Rosewood, which definitely aligns with the way her mother used to treat her [5], but it appears that Mrs. D is very prepared to have her back home. Does she know Ali is alive?
• She makes those very cryptic comments toward Spencer: In the most recent episode, Mrs. D said a "parent should never have to watch their child die" and also commented on Spencer's freshly washed sheets — ones that were previously covered in a minigrave of dirt with a threat from "A." This could mean Mrs. DiLaurentis saw Spencer's shovel incident with Ali and decided to torture all the girls after.
• She creeps into Spencer's room: At the end of the episode, the audience sees Mrs. D creep behind Spencer at night in her room, though we don't know what she had planned. Mrs. Hastings comes in before anything can happen, but it was very "A"-like and scary.
• That "A" tag features a wedding dress: Though they don't show the person's face in the "A" tag, the figure is sewing a wedding dress. Coincidentally, in the next episode, Mrs. D is hosting a bridal fundraiser. This seems like a blatant clue to connect the two. This could also have to do with the woman in black from Wilden's funeral, who was spotted wearing a black lace dress and veil and looked a lot like Mrs. D.

Why Mrs. DiLaurentis Isn't "A"

• "A" drops Jason DiLaurentis down an elevator shaft and tortures Ali before this whole mess starts: Listen, we could totally see how Mrs. D might have it out for the girls, but what does she have against her own son? It's hard to imagine why she'd put him in such grave danger. Also, we know Mrs. DiLaurentis and Ali didn't exactly get along, but "A" terrorized Ali before she even disappeared. It's hard to imagine why Mrs. D would be behind the threatening texts to Alison.
• It's too obvious: If there's one thing we've learned time and time again, it's that things on the show aren't always as they seem [6]. Just like with Ezra, Mona, and even Toby, if the show-runners want us to think she's "A," there's a good chance she's not. We came up with countless reasons for Ezra being "A," and then it turned out he wasn't. Even if there's strong evidence that Mrs. DiLaurentis is guilty, it doesn't mean she's the one.
• She's not tech-savvy enough: We're sure Mrs. DiLaurentis could master the art of anonymous texting, but what about all the other insane stuff "A" has done? Could Mrs. D figure out how to break into a car's computer and shut it down? Could she have hacked countless online flight records, encrypted data, and anonymous emails, all without leaving a single trace? Sounds like a long shot.
• She doesn't follow the "A" MO: After all this time, why would Mrs. D openly suggest to Spencer that she had something to do with the dirt in her bed? Why would she be lurking in Spencer's room without the signature black hoodie and at the great risk of being caught by Spencer or Mrs. Hastings? "A" would never be that risky. What's more, even at the end of the episode, the hooded and gloved figure working on that wedding dress still remained anonymous. If it was really Mrs. D, wouldn't they have just shown her?
• Mrs. D doesn't seem too physically fit: Sure, we've seen her as a vicious and emotionally abusive mother, but we've never seen Jessica DiLaurentis exhibit any brute strength. Let's not forget that "A" physically overpowered and killed two cops: Garrett Reynolds and Detective Wilden. "A" was strong enough to force entry through a door Emily blocked with a desk. "A" was even strong enough to brawl with Spencer and knock her unconscious. It's hard to imagine Mrs. D mustering up that much power.

— Additional reporting by Ryan Roschke

Front Page