Pretty Little Liars is returning in the spring for the second half of its seventh and final season, and the mind games have already begun. Vanessa Ray, who plays Charlotte DiLaurentis in the series, told Entertainment Weekly that she will appear in the series finale. But this isn’t another case of “is she really dead?” (Looking at you, Ali and Mona.) According to Ray, there will be flashback scenes that will provide answers about Charlotte’s death.
The big plot twist in the middle of Pretty Little Liars sixth season revealed that Charlotte DiLaurentis, also known as CeCe Drake, was "A." She was also the transgender sister/cousin of Alison DiLaurentis, whom she stalked along with her four friends because PLL loves to keep it simple. Charlotte was committed to a mental hospital and killed almost as soon as she was released. We still don’t know how she died or who killed her.
True PLL fans are used to these unanswered questions. It’s the thing I both love and hate about the show. Nothing is ever final; that's what's made the series successful. Rosewood is like a warehouse with an endless supply of "A" antagonists to keep the Liars on their feet. Flashback scenes can completely change the trajectory of a season. Viewers sometimes go through months of agony to figure out who sent a single text message. And just when we think we’ve got it figured out, I. Marlene King laughs in our faces.
PLL fans caught in this messy cycle of unanswered questions and theories find ourselves in a complicated relationship to say the least. And while we’ve faithfully dedicated our Tuesday evenings to following the poor decisions of four teenagers — now women — as they attempt to figure who is behind their torment, we’re mostly relieved that it’s almost over for good.
Some superfan has probably already nailed Charlotte's comeback story in a theory posted to Tumblr, but I’m still excited to watch it play out. The show resumes in April 2017.
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