| “ | HEY EM -- YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS. xoxo | ” |
— A
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The Perfect Storm is the ninth episode in Season 1 of Pretty Little Liars. It aired on August 3, 2010, and is the ninth episode overall.
Synopsis[]
Emily coming home dirty in the storm
There was a storm brewing in Rosewood last night, and not just one of the weather variety. The beginning of the episode starts with Hanna, Spencer, and Aria studying for the SATs. Spencer wants to study hard, but Hanna tries to convince Aria to date Noel Kahn. They ask about Alex, and Spencer is now also distracted. Then Veronica walks in and asks where Emily is. Emily is noticeably absent, and she arrives home muddy and super distressed. She gets an ominous text from "A": "THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN BURY, EMILY. YOU'RE NOT DONE WITH ME YET.-A".
The next morning, Veronica escorts the girls into Rosewood High, leery of why the test is going to be administered as planned, with a hurricane brewing outside. There, she has a strange run-in with Spencer's new beau Alex, and the two share a familiar glance that alludes to a previous encounter. Spencer senses tension from Alex, and he seems to start avoiding her. Detective Wilden arrives and notifies the girls that Alison's memorial bench has been destroyed. Then he talks to Emily alone and takes note of her muddy shoes.
The girls don't know why they have to cover for Emily.
In the library, the three girls are discussing recent events. Hanna believes that A has vandalized Ali's memorial, while Spencer still suspects that A could be Toby. As they continue their conversation, Emily walks in. She lies to the girls, claiming that the reason she didn't come to Spencer's house to study was that she went to bed early after a long practice the night before.
Aria gets a surprise of her own when she spots Ella, there as a volunteer proctor for the exam. Ella explains that she is going to teach at the high school because she needs the job. A tense moment is shared as both are still resentful of Ella's sudden move out of the house. Aria has been avoiding visiting Ella's new place, not wanting to validate her mother's decision to separate from Byron.
Byron calls Ashley when the power goes out on his side of the street. Ashley, who had been reviewing her finances, lies and says she was ordering something from a catalog. She invites him over to use her fax machine.
Mona making fun of Lucas
Hanna and Lucas grow closer as Lucas continues to score Hanna big bucks by selling her used accessories on the internet. But Mona is not enthusiastic about this new relationship development and mercilessly taunts Lucas, calling him "hermie" and "shim," names that had Alison made up.
The girls are studying in the library when Emily receives a text from "A". "HEY EM -- YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Check it out. xoxo --A". Then, Detective Wilden questions the girls about their whereabouts last night. Emily says they were all studying at Spencer's, and the other girls covered for Emily without knowing why. They lie and claim that she was studying with them, although they are weirded out by Emily's secretiveness about what she was really doing, when even they don't know the truth. They question Emily and she reacts defensive that she said she was home last night, but why can't she say that to Darren? Emily gets up and says she goes to the restroom, but instead she heads to the stacks to find a copy of Great Expectations, a hint she got in the text from "A". Inside the book, she sees the letter she sent Alison shortly before her death. After this, Spencer receives a text from "A": "DEFINE DESERTION." SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO LOSE EMILY. WHO'S NEXT? --A". Warning her about losing Emily, she shows it to Aria and Hanna.
Spencer sees Alex and attempts to discuss the strange situation involving her mother, but he insists that it's not his place to speak on the matter. Meanwhile, Mona continues to tease Lucas until Hanna reveals that she knows Mona's new handbag was bought on eBay. In response, Mona pretends that she was aware of this all along and claims to have purchased Hanna's bag as a joke.
After it has become clear that the SAT is being postponed and they are stuck in the school, Noel convinces Aria to sneak out from the crowd and join him in an empty classroom.
Back at the Marin household, Byron attempts to send the fax when the power goes out there, too. They commiserate about being single parents, and Ashley assures him she won't take sides if he and Ella wind up divorcing.
Em and Ali
Noel showcases his musical talent to Aria by playing the guitar while she begins to sing. Meanwhile, Emily sits alone in the library. As she glances at a book, a memory is triggered, taking her back to a time when Alison had been reading the same novel in the library. Emily had joined Alison on the floor, where Alison affectionately stroked Emily's hair. During that moment, Emily shared her dream that Jenna could regain her sight. Alison responded, saying something along the lines of, "That's why I love you, Emily." She then read a passage about Pip's intense love for Stella, explaining how he loved her despite all reason, even though she often played hard to get and offered him little hope for a future, aside from her teasing. Fittingly, Emily leaned in to kiss Alison, similarly expressing her own deep feelings. To Emily's delight, Alison smiled in return.
Aria displays musical talent of her own, singing along to Noel's playing. They share some kind words of understanding and grow closer. A moment of attraction brings them to almost kiss, but the elusive Ezra walks in on them, interrupting their moment. A possibly suspicious Noel leaves, but Aria stays behind for an explanation from Mr. Fitz. He explains he went to New York to deal with family issues, then admits they were his "issues," and had time to think about the consequences of their relationship. He says things need to change. Aria says they already have and walks out, holding back tears. Byron invites Ashley to join him at a faculty dinner at a Moroccan restaurant since Ella won't be attending.
The students had to walk into the locker room due to a tornado warning. Mona talked to Hanna and kept mocking Lucas. Fed up, Hanna pulled Mona aside and called her a hypocrite for treating someone of lesser social status so heartlessly, especially considering they used to be in the same position themselves. Meanwhile, Spencer spoke to Alex in the locker room, asking if they would be okay. She also inquired about what had happened between him and her mother. Alex explained that he couldn't provide details; it was up to Veronica to share that information.
Steamy flashback
While reading the love letter, Emily remembers when she had been in the locker room with Alison alone. Alison had been changing; she had removed her towel and stood there topless while mentioning how she bought her bra in a French catalog, forcing Emily's already attentive eyes to stare. She had asked Emily to hook it, and after doing so, Emily had kissed her neck. Alison immediately turned on her, (feigning shock) and cruelly let Emily know that their kiss meant nothing more to her than practice for "the real thing." Abashed, Emily had turned, poised to leave, but Alison wouldn't let her escape the moment, reminding Emily that she was supposed to be giving her a ride home. Defeated and humiliated, Emily nevertheless remained, showcasing Alison's control over her friends.
Back in real time, Emily hears some mysterious noises that spook her. She dodges books as they fall from the stacks, and when she returns to the aisle where she had been, she realizes that her bag and the letter are missing. Meanwhile, Ella walks in on Mr. Fitz in a storage closet searching for supplies and introduces herself. She commends him for his dedication to driving from New York in this weather. Ella mentions her separation from her husband and asks Ezra if he has noticed any changes in Aria lately. He replies that he hasn't and tells her that Aria is a very engaged student. She expresses her relief that Aria has an adult in her life whom she can admire.
Wilden confronting Em
Emily finally arrives in the locker room, and Hanna immediately asks where she has been this whole time. Emily reacts that she was looking for her purse. Hanna says Emily can tell Aria and Spencer that she was with Maya last night, and they will accept her. Then Detective Wilden secretly confiscates Emily's belongings and corners her in the locker room, where the students are supposed to be congregated for safety reasons; he forces her to report to a classroom for questioning. Although uninvited, the other girls follow, suspicious of the detective's shadiness.
There, he accuses Emily of trashing Alison's memorial and even casts aspersions as to whether she murdered Alison. He pulls out the detached pieces of Alison's memorial and exposes Emily's letter to her friends. Flustered and pushed by Wilden, Emily confesses that she loved Alison more than a friend, but never intended any harm towards her. She felt bad about the mean things she wrote in that letter and went to Alison's memorial seeking closure and forgiveness. By the time she arrived, it had already been vandalized, and she took the figurines from the statue in her bag because they were the only pieces of the memorial that weren't broken. Just then, Veronica walks in, outraged that the girls' safety has been compromised when they should be in the locker room during this storm. She gives Detective Wilden a piece of her mind and blasts him for trying to interrogate minors without an adult present; doesn't he know anything they say would not be admissible in a court of law? The girls are quick to chime in and exclaim the absurdity of accusing sweet Emily of murdering Alison, never mind stealing her bag without a search warrant. It seems that Detective Wilden will be off the case.
By the end of the episode, much has been revealed. Unlike other members of the Hastings family, Veronica is quite a fan of Alex. After she had cancerous cells removed from her breast, unbeknownst to her family, she got drunk and visited the club, where Alex patiently listened to her anxieties. Veronica is grateful to Alex and gives Spencer her approval of their relationship after including her in the secret. Spencer is supportive of her mother's confession and later kisses Alex in appreciation without explaining why.
At the Marin house, where Byron and Ashley are trying to fax the documents, the lights turn on again. Byron thanks Ashley and says he will drive Hanna to school all week. He also asks her to have that work dinner, but backs out of that plan immediately by saying he has a scrimmage game where he has to be. They agree to figure out something.
Lucas's dirty shoes
At school, Aria approaches Noel and tells him she wants to go on a date. She mentions that she is having dinner with her mom on Friday, but asks if he is available on Saturday. Noel agrees. Meanwhile, we see Spencer kissing Alex, and Emily places the book back on the shelf.
Hanna and Lucas have a conversation about their selling business, then he thanks Hanna for standing up to him to Mona, Hanna says he doesn't have to thank her because he is her friend. He looks like he wants to tell her something as she walks away. Then the camera focuses on Lucas' muddy shoes. Was he the one who trashed Alison's memorial?
Alison's video
The black-gloved figure anonymously sends a file to the Rosewood Police Department. The file contains footage of Alison on the day that she disappeared. A is scrawled at the top of the envelope, then the remaining letters are filled in to read Anonymous, leaving little doubt that the black-gloved figure and "A" are the same.
Trivia[]
- We find out by the back of an addressed envelope that Alison's address was 895 Holly Pl. Rosewood, PA 19387 and that Emily's address is 43 Serenity Ln. Rosewood, PA 19387.
- It is revealed that Aria can sing and Noel can play the guitar.
- The person who trashed the memorial will be revealed in further episodes.
- The first text Emily receives from A in this episode reads: ''There's so much you can bury, Emily. You're not done with me yet. --A''
- The second text Emily receives from A reads: ''Hey Em-- you weren't the only one with great expectations. Check it out. xoxo -- A''
- The text Spencer receives from A and shows to Aria and Hanna reads: ''Define 'desertion'. Seems like you're about to lose Emily. Who's next? --A''
Emily's letter:
August 29, 2009 You may not like to hear what I have to say, but I need to get something off my chest. You're not afraid of hurting me, so I wonder why I'm so afraid of hurting you. I am, but that's not enough of a reason not to tell you how I feel. So here goes... Sometimes I feel so close to you, and then something changes, a look in your eyes, and I feel so stupid. It's like you can read every thought in my head, and you find it all so hilarious. Like after we kissed, and I thought it might happen again, and you just laughed in my face. But it's not hilarious to me. Maybe you think a kiss is just a kiss, and that I'm just practice. But the way you act, it feels more like target practice. |
Title[]
- "The Perfect Storm" is also the title of a 1997 non-fiction book by Wolfgang Paterson, later adapted into a film. The book revolves around a dramatic disaster ensuing after a thunderstorm. The episode is similarly themed, though it is debatable whether the events are truly disastrous; on the one hand, Emily has a bad brush with "A" and is accused by Darren Wilden of murdering Alison. On the other hand, the girls' SATs were postponed.
- A "perfect storm" can also be defined as "A particularly bad or critical state of affairs, arising from several negative and unpredictable factors." This also describes the episode, but it is likely the title was chosen simply because the plot revolved around a bad storm.
Main Cast[]
- Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery
- Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin
- Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields
- Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings
- Sasha Pieterse as Alison DiLaurentis
Supporting Cast[]
- Diego Boneta as Alex Santiago
- Brendan Robinson as Lucas Gottesman
- Brant Daugherty as Noel Kahn
- Janel Parrish as Mona Vanderwaal
- Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz
- Lesley Fera as Veronica Hastings
- Yvette Freeman as School Administrator
- Bryce Johnson as Darren Wilden
- Chad Lowe as Byron Montgomery
- Holly Marie Combs as Ella Montgomery
- Laura Leighton as Ashley Marin
Featured Music[]
- "Never Get Enough" by Honeypie (Ashley spends time at home)
- "Quiet Hearts" by Amy Stroup (montage of Spencer w/ Alex, Aria w/ Noel, and Hanna w/ Lucas)
- "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?" by Eva Cassidy (Aria sings with Noel)
Gallery[]
 The Perfect Storm has a photo gallery. |
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Memorable Quotes[]
Hanna: Spencer, you do not need to know any more big words. You're already scary enough to anyone under 50. |
Spencer [to Alex, about her mom]: I know she can be kind of a handful. I mean, I’ve seen her send back a napkin ‘cause it had, like, a loose thread. |
Hanna [to Mona]: I think you're the one who needs a trip to Oz. See if the Wizard can find you a heart. |
Mona [to Hanna]: Hey, there, Lady H. Mona [to Lucas]: I know you also answer to that, Hermie, but I was talking to her. |
Mona [to Lucas about Hanna]: You can go now. This beauty doesn't need a beast. |
Hanna: Don't you want someone real? Someone you can scratch and sniff? |
Ella [to Ezra, about the storm]: I love this weather, as long as I don’t have to fly through it — which, if we were on a plane right now, I’d probably be in your lap. |
Aria: Where are you going? Emily: To the restroom. But if you guys don't believe me, we can all try to squeeze into one stall. |
Aria: Ugh, Han. Why are you still eating that? Hanna: Because it’s here! Spencer: Put it in the garbage. Hanna: Well, then I’d have to stand over the garbage and eat it! |
Alison [to Emily]: A kiss is a kiss. I like boys. Trust me, if I'm kissing you, it's because it's practice for the real thing. |
Emily [about Alison]: I loved her as more than a friend. |
Aria: Can't believe it was trashed... Just when you thought that "A" would give it a rest. Spencer: It's like Toby had to kill Alison all over again. Hanna: Toby? What do you mean, Toby? His motorcycle was totaled. Isn't he dead? Spencer: I hear more from Alison now than when she was alive. Hanna: You guys, I thought we decided "A" wasn't Toby. "A" was happy to have Toby out of the picture. Aria: How do we know that Toby didn't just send that text? And why are we suddenly trusting "A"? "A" made a fake bracelet to mess with us. |
Aria: Mom, what are you doing here? Ella: Oh, I tried calling you, but your phone must be turned off for the test. Aria: Why are you here? Ella: Well, they called and said they needed proctors. I'm on the sub list. Aria: You are? Since when? Ella: Well, since they cut my hours at the gallery and I'm paying rent to live above it. I filled out an application last Monday. Aria: What, to teach? Why didn't you tell me? Ella: Well, sweetie, I was going to when you came over for dinner, but then you canceled on Monday... and Tuesday, and then on Wednesday. Aria: Yeah, this week's been intense. Ella: I understand. I just, you know, I would like to see you in the flesh. But you don't really plan on ever coming over, do you? Aria: I can't. Look, if I did, it'd be like saying I'm okay with you and dad living apart. Ella: But we are. Aria: I know! Just 'cause you were ready for this doesn't mean that I am. I gotta get back to the library. |
Hanna [about Wilden]: God, he's freaking me out! Whose locker is he poking into now? Spencer: He's desperate. Ali's brother's breathing down his neck. Aria: Ours too. What if Jason told the police Alison's version of what happened after the fire? Spencer: If Jason was gonna tell them, he would've told them a year ago. He knows that story's bogus. Hanna: Well, then, why do they bring it up? Spencer: To try to drive a wedge between us. Well, he's not gonna do that. |