The A-Team

The "A-Team" is a secret group of people who use the pseudonym "A" to threaten Alison DiLaurentis, Aria Montgomery, Hanna Marin, Spencer Hastings, Emily Fields. Mona is a member of the "A-Team," as revealed in "UnmAsked;" Toby Cavanaugh is a member of the "A-Team," as revealed in "The Lady Killer."

When Mona Vanderwaal was revealed to be "A," she tried to convince Spencer Hastings to join, what she referred to as the "A-Team." She also alludes to it when she says "You had to earn it, the right to be a part of it." After, Spencer asks her what she's going to do now, because doesn't "A" always have a plan? Mona replies with "Yes, she does." After Mona was admitted into the Radley Sanitarium, we hear in her mind that everything is going exactly as they planned. A mysterious person in a red jacket visited her and Mona told her that she did everything she told her to do.

When Toby Cavanaugh was revealed to be the next "A," there were plans alluded that referred to a mysterious phone call, that never got to be made. Also it was mentioned that if he and Mona knew that Nathan was going to Garrett Reynolds "off the hook" for Maya's murder then they would have done things differently. Toby's motives for being involved in the "A-Team" are currently unknown. However, Toby's involvement could possibly be the reason that Mona asked Spencer to join in Season 2, at his request. This could also be reason "A" saved Spencer from Ian in Season 1.

Season 1
In "Keep Your Friends Close," the summer season finale of season one, the climax is reached when Hanna seems to figure out who "A" is, while spying in the forest. But before she can reveal the identity of "A," she is run down by a car while running to the other liars, and loses consciousness. Just then, the girls receive a text from "A" claiming responsibility for the hit-and-run.

Later in the hospital, in "Moments Later," Hanna tells the girls that Noel Kahn wrote the message on the back of Ezra's car, and he is presumed to be "A." (However, this is proved untrue when "A" plants the answers to three midterms in Noel Kahn's locker, because he was going to tell the principal that Aria and Ezra were dating.) "A" also leaves a message for Hanna on her cast, meaning that they had paid Hanna a secret visit in her hospital room.

In "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "A" saves Spencer from being murdered by Ian. "A" kills Ian in the process by hanging him. "A" takes Ian's body with him/her.

Season 2
In "UnmAsked," Mona attends the Rosewood Masquerade Ball with the other girls and later goes with Spencer to the Lost Woods hotel, after Spencer deduces that "A" had rented the room next to the one Alison was staying in. In the room, they find sketches of a Black Swan costume and conclude that "A" must be wearing it at the ball. Mona offers Spencer a stick of gum, but Spencer turns her down. While going through A's belongings, Spencer locates a gum wrapper from the same brand of gum Mona just offered her. She tells Mona that she changed her mind and that she'd like a stick of gum after all. Mona agrees, but says she doesn't have any more on her, but that she can go get some out of her car while she goes to call Hanna. She leaves the hotel room while Spencer continues to search. A few minutes later, Mona returns to the room and angrily says "I found the gum!" Spencer looks up from the book and says "You didn't call Hanna...because you're "A." Spencer turns around and we see Mona wearing a black hoodie. Mona admits she's "A" and congratulates Spencer on figuring it out, right before knocking her out with a flashlight.



Spencer wakes up in a car with Mona driving recklessly towards Lookout Point. Mona says that she wants Spencer to join the A-team. Spencer asks if the reason Mona became "A" was her anger at them for letting Alison bully her. Mona laughs and says that she got over that a long time ago. Mona reveals that she became "A" because she hated them for stealing Hanna's friendship from her. Spencer pleads with Mona to stop, encouraging her that Hanna is still her friend. As they drive, Spencer is secretly recording their conversation on her phone and sending the video to Aria's phone. Aria, Hanna, and Emily leave the ball immediately and drive to Lookout Point. When they show up, Spencer and Mona struggle, resulting in Mona falling off the edge. Spencer reaches out, trying to save her, but fails.

Mona was later put in Radley Sanitarium where she is visited by a mysterious stranger in a red jacket who seems to be the one giving "A" orders.

Season 3
In Season 3, it is confirmed that Mona isn't the only "A." While Mona is still in Radley Sanitarium, the Liars are still getting texts from "A". Also it is revealed that after the events of "UnmAsked," Spencer, Aria and Hanna returned to "A's" lair and all of "A's" possessions had been removed. Spencer also mentions several occasions where Mona was with them at the same time they received texts from "A," proving that Mona wasn't the one who sent those messages. This implies that at least one other "A" exists.

At the end of "Blood Is The New Black," the new "A" is seen buying various black sweaters and gloves while wearing a red hoodie. The cashier says, "You buying this for 'a team?'"

In The Remains Of The "A", Ezra is seen with alot of money in his drawer, which may suggest he was the one Jason Dilaurentis wrote a check to. This could possibly he is a member of the "A" team.

In "Single Fright Female", two black hoodied figures are seen together. One hands the other the room key to "Room A".

In "The Lady Killer", Nate St. Germain/Lyndon is revealed to have been Maya's killer. Mona walks with a black-hooded member of the A Team back to Radley Sanitarium. Mona talks about how she wishes they could have made "the phone call", but says that even the best laid plans can go awry. She says to the A Team member, "I'll see you soon." When they turn around, you see that the member is Toby (Spencer's boyfriend).

During "This Is A Dark Ride", a little girl appears at Ashley's house. She is very cold and quiet. She is the litle girl from the story Alison told in "The First Secret." She said, "My sister and I fight over everything. Even our dolls." In the story, the other little girl killed her sister because she took her doll after they fought over it. This could imply that Ali is A because that story had some characteristics of when Ali killed her twin sister in the books, Courtney and Ali could still be alive tormenting the girls.

A's Identities
"A" is always (so far) someone close to the Liars.
 * Hanna: Mona (First "A")
 * Spencer: Toby (Second "A")

A's Lair
A's lair is "A|A's" base of operations. It is where "A" would go to meet with the other A's, think of plans, send texts, create messages, and find ways to torture the girls. The original lair was located in Room 2 of the Lost Woods Resort. The room contains pictures, newspaper clippings, and dolls resembling the girls and Alison. There is a hole in the wall behind a picture frame so "A" could watch Alison in Room 1 next door. Spencer concludes that A was stalking Alison. This is where Spencer figures out Mona is "A," due to the gum wrapper and cashmere sweaters.

Once the original lair was discovered by Spencer, the other A's cleared out the room and began to find and rent a new room elsewhere to hold the new lair. We know the new lair is "Room A" of its building, and is basically an exact replica of the original lair. Mona was seen in the lair in "The Lady Killer" discussing plans with another 'A', presumably Toby. Abigail Querrey is a special guest coming to Pretty Little Liars in season 3-4. Careful watch you wish for A- Abigails here to rescue.

Trivia

 * In the season 2 finale, UnmAsked, it was said that A was supposed to be revealed. After Mona was revealed to be A, we see a person in a red coat visiting her at the end in Radely. Mona looks up, and says: "I did everything you've asked me to do!" This tells us that Mona is in fact not the real A, but simply working for A. This seems contradictory, considering the fact that A was supposed to be revealed in the episode, and that moments after the finale, Marlene King tweeted that Mona is indeed A. It is possible that the show's writers were being cyrptic when they said: "A will be revealed" and that "Mona is indeed A". One could say that Mona (and Toby) is A at "face value" since she has physically done everything that A has done to the liars. However, she is simply a worker for the true A, and that it is the real A (the person in the red coat) who was telling Mona what to do, the one who controls the A- team and the one who calls the shots. It seems as if a new -A team member will be revealed every summer/spring finale, and that the "Big A" will be revealed in the series finale.
 * Toby has been revealed to be the second A- team member working for A.
 * Some fans suspect Aria of being A becuase she was the last person to have Vivian Darkbloom's (the alter ego of Alison DiLaurentis) red trench coat, which the leader of the A- team/Big A has been known to wear.
 * A popular theory of the members of the A team is: A- (Alison), T (Toby), E (Ezra), A (Aria) and M (Mona)= -A TEAM.
 * In "UnmAsked," Jenna, Lucas and the Black Swan are seen together. Considering the events of the Season 2 season finale, the Black Swan may be a member, which suggests that Melissa, Jenna and Lucas are also part of the "A-Team."
 * It's further speculated that Jenna Marshall is on the A-team because during "UnmAsked," she meets an unseen person in the park and hands them an unknown item with the instructions "you know what to do." Some believe this person to be the same person who visits Mona at the end. This might make sense if Mona and Jenna formed a friendship after Halloween 2008, as alluded to in "The First Secret." This would might also mean Noel is on the A-Team, since he had been helping Jenna and the whole relationship and breakup with Mona was staged.
 * The leader of the team could be the mystery person seen at the end of unmAsked wearing a red coat, just as it could be the same person seen at the end of Blood Is The New Black, while wearing a red hoodie buying black hoodies and gloves from a man, who asks whether "-A" is buying this merchandise for a "team."
 * In "Blind Dates," "A" sends Emily a box of Danby merchandise and handwritten note which reads "SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ON OUR A -TEAM!"
 * Producers revealed Mona didn't do two of the things "A" did. This is most likely Emily's massage (She was with Hanna) and killing Ian (She has no known connection to him).
 * It's possible the leader is a woman. In "UnmAsked,"  Spencer asked if "A" always has a plan. Mona answered, "Yes, she does."
 * In "The Kahn Game" we see "A" coming to Mrs. Pillsbury (who is obsessed with cats) to rent a room/apartment. Mrs. Pillsbury names "A" as 'dear' and talks to her which makes it obvious that this "A" is female.
 * It's possible that the leader wears red while the recruiters wear black. Such as the person who visited Mona in a red coat could of been the same person who wore a red hoodie and bought a pair of black gloves and black hoodies possibly for their recruiter.
 * There are at least 3 members of the "A-Team" - Mona, Toby, and the person Mona takes a phone call from during "The Lady Killer."
 * Hanna will find the key to "Room A" in Season 3B.

Season 1

 * Jenna Marshall - She meets an unseen person in the park and hands them an unknown item with the instructions "You know what to do." She was also seen associating with the Black Swan. Jenna hates the Liars for being involved in The Jenna Thing . (Again in Season 3)
 * Ian Thomas - May have started the N.A.T. Club to film people for someone other than himself, Jason, and Garrett.
 * Toby Cavanaugh - Jenna Thing.
 * Noel Kahn - He has dated both Mona and Jenna and hates Aria for cheating on him with Ezra.
 * Alison DiLaurentis- Lots of people think she is still alive and on the A-team.

Season 2

 * Jason DiLaurentis. He almost hit Ali with a hockey stick. There were also pictures of Aria in his shed.
 * Garrett Reynolds - He gave something to Jenna to hold onto. It was a page from Ali's autopsy report.
 * Melissa Hastings - She hated Ali for dating Ian at the same time as her, so she threatened her. She is also the Black Swan. (Again in Season 3)

Season 3

 * Paige McCullers - She has a violent past with Alison.
 * Lucas Gottesman - He had molyzapam pills in his camera bag. Also, Alison used to bully him and the girls made no attempts to stop her.
 * Ezra Fitz - Suspiciously hid cash after we saw Jason writing a cheque. Also seems to be having mood swings recently as well as in the Halloween special of season 3 acted suspicious when Aria saw him on the train.
 * Byron Montgomery - Garret told Spencer that he saw him with Alison the night of her death.
 * Abigail Querrey playing as Blair Potsman - Also has a violent past with Alison as her little sister, secretly holds a grudge when A- comes close.