The Remains of the "A"

The Remains of the "A" is the sixth episode of Season 3 of Pretty Little Liars. It aired on July 17, 2012.

Synopsis
The episode opens with Spencer and Hanna, at the hospital, planning to expose "A." They fake a note, asking "A" to meet them at the organ in Rosewood Chuch tonight. They decide to replace Garrett's note with the fake one and trick "A" in his/her own game. While Hanna is planting the note, Mrs. Reynolds' heart stops beating. Hanna and Spencer rush out of the hospital.

At Ezra's place, Aria gets a text from Spencer to inform her that Garrett's mother is stabilized but not dead. Ezra starts questioning about Aria's job. She wants to ditch her first day. Ezra doesn't think she should. They both have an impromptu photoshoot with the antique camera Ezra gifted Aria.

Spencer is seen searching about "April Rose" (the tip Garrett gave to "A" on the note). Toby and her share a kiss, but they are suddenly interrupted by Spencer's father. It turns out that Garrett's case maybe closed due to lack of evidence.

Hanna visits Emily at work. She explains to her what happened at the hospital then hands her a paper with an address. The address (Riverside and State St.) is the pickup location of the bag with Emily's jacket, which was delivered to the church.

Spencer and Jason have a conversation about Garrett's news. Spencer asks him about someone named April Rose. The name doesn't ring a bell for Jason. Meanwhile, Spencer's father is spying on them.

 Hanna is seen speaking to Ted, the volunteer coordinator. He invites her to a thank-you party for all the volunteers tonight at the church. Hanna is worried because it interferes with her plan: she thought it would be empty so she could expose "A".

Jason and Spencer talk about the N.A.T. Club. Spencer believes that April Rose was one of the girls filmed by Ian, Garrett and Jason. However, he denies it. Jason explains to Spencer that he always thought Ian and Garrett used to pay girls to set up their friends and that they would film these for someone else.

Meanwhile, Spencer's dad is still spying on them.

 Aria is looking for a sock while Ezra is taking a shower. She searches in Ezra's sock drawer and finds a huge stack of money. She is shocked and tells Ezra she needs to go.

Hanna, Spencer and Aria meet at The Grille. Spencer suggests that Garrett might be taking instructions from "A", and that's how he wound up behind bars. Hanna tells them that she has made some changes in her plan; Emily and her are going to hide behind the organ and see who is at the party, so that they can plan their attack. Aria asks Spencer about the reward Jason offered to whoever has information about Alison's body. She thinks that might be related to Ezra's sudden influx of cash.

Peter finds Jason and tells him to leave Spencer alone. He wishes that Spencer can put all this behind her: the trial, Jason's sister etc. and focus on her future. Jason tells him he happens to have more than one sister and walks away.

At the church, Hanna's mom picks her up and informs her that Ted is her date at the party tonight. Hanna is shocked and worried because that means her plan gets interrupted once again. Her mom offers to drive her but Hanna lies that Toby is picking her up because she wants to scare off some guy who is hitting on her.

Emily goes to the address Hanna gave her. She recognises a cafe named 'Sputnik's' from a flashback from that night.



Hanna begs Spencer to let Toby come with her. Spencer does not want Toby to get involved, but she values their friendship more, so she decides to give in. Hanna tells her that they stopped Mona before, and they can stop this new "A" together.

Emily gets another flashback from "that night": She remembers someone (was it herself?) solving a maze, with the words "I'm sorry I left you" written beside it. Somebody with an eye tattoo on his/her wrist was there with her. She leaves some money on the table and leaves.

Jason comes to Spencer's house. He found April Rose - not a person, but an antique shop. Jason drives both of them there.

Hanna and Toby arrive at the church party. Ashley and Ted greet them. Ashley makes some jokes about not getting alcohol in church, not knowing Ted is a pastor. Hanna spots Detective Wilden at the party, and pulls Toby out of his sight.

Spencer and Jason get to the antique shop. Spencer recognises an anklet on a mannequin - it was Alison's, who claimed that a 'friend' gave it to her. She takes it off with her scarf to prevent smudging off any fingerprints.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">The shopkeeper says that it might have been brought there in the past few days, since he does not remember seeing it. Jason pays him $400 for the anklet. Ashley tries to ask Ted out on Sunday, but he says he is busy on Sundays. He tells her he is an associate pastor for the church. Ashley realises that she has made a terrible mistake.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Toby is suspicious of Hanna's sudden invitation. He wants to know why they are even there. Hanna admits that it is, 'in a way', related to Caleb. Toby leaves a message for Spencer, asking her to explain why she and Hanna lied to him.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Ashley talks to Hanna. She thinks that she has ruined all her chances of being together with Ted, because he is a pastor and her resumé shows that she's no angel. Hanna convinces her mom that nobody's perfect, and they might still have a chance.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Emily arrives at the party and meets Holden. He offers her a cupcake, and she sees the same eye tattoo from her flashback on his wrist. Holden shows her that it is erasable, and not a tattoo. It is for some sort of club/party. Holden tells her that he used to see Maya there. He looks uneasy, and walks away.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Ashley and Ted start to dance, but are interrupted by Wilden. He tells her that their "paths may cross again", suggesting that they have found something new regarding Alison's murder. Ashley says that she has a headache and leaves the party.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Jason and Spencer hand the anklet over to the police, telling them they got an anonymous tip. Spencer asks to see the letters that helped Jason figure out Spencer's dad is his dad. Jason tells her they'll just hurt. Spencer is surprised how different he is from Alison, because that is exactly the reason Alison would want her to see them.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Hanna meets Emily at the party. Emily tells her about Holden. Hanna rushes to the organ at the church, saying that she wants to get there before "A" does.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Hanna crouches behind the organ, and hears footsteps approaching. She looks up, and sees Detective Wilden staring at her. He produces the note she faked. He thinks that the girls are helping Garrett. He also tells her she only keeps creating more problems while her mother tries to solve them. Hanna denies his accusations and leaves.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Aria goes to Ezra's place. She confronts him about the money in the sock drawer. Ezra tells her he sold a car belonging to his grandfather. He did not want to tell Aria because he is embarrassed that he lost his job, and is now answering want-ads for webzines and reusing coffee filters. Aria feels sorry for suspecting him and asks to join him on the couch. They snuggle together, but Ezra steals a secretive glance at his sock drawer.

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">Spencer's father tells her that an important evidence in the Garrett Reynolds case was turned in last night, and he knows she turned it in. It turns out the police has been looking for the anklet for two years. Traces of blood were found on it - Alison's and someone else's. Not Garrett's. The charges against Garrett were dismissed. Spencer rushes to her room and cries into her pillow; she is upset because she has helped free Garrett of the murder charge by turning in the anklet, instead of helping the prosecution build up its case. She wants to call somebody, but receives a text message from "A". "Hey Spence, I have one more surprise for you. Garrett isn't their killer."

<p style="border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin-top:1em;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:1em;margin-left:0px;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">

In the last scene we see "A" eating a bowl of ice-cream, reading the news about the dismissal of charges in the DiLaurentis murder case. "A" then circles an ad ("Rooms for Rent") in the Classified section, and proceeds to call the number on the ad.

Title

 * The title of this episode is derived from the book title, "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro, which is about a butler who remembers his former friendship with his employer whom we slowly realize harbored a secret love for him.

Main Cast
Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings

Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin

Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery

Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields

Sasha Pieterse as Alison DiLaurentis

Guest Stars
Keegan Allen as Toby Cavanaugh

Tammin Sursok as Jenna Marshall

Laura Leighton as Ashley Marin

Drew Van Acker as Jason DiLaurentis

Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz

Nolan North as Peter Hastings

Shane Coffey as Holden Strauss

Bryce Johnson as Darren Wilden