Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares

Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares is the 14th episode in the 2nd Season of Pretty Little Liars. This episode marks the January premiere of Pretty Little Liars and takes place over a month after "Over My Dead Body." It aired on January 2, 2012.

Synopsis
The episode begins with little girls playing jumprope on the side walk in front of the church. They chant "Pretty Little Liars" as they play. Nearby, on the Rosewood Camp Grounds, the four girls are picking up trash for community service. Two strangers also doing time make snarky comments in front of the girls about them, and when one says they killed someone, Emily snaps at her by saying they didn't do anything. Spencer tells Emily to stop talking to them. Emily tells the other girls that Spencer's mom would sell them out in a second to save Spencer and that they should consider making a deal with "A." A fight ensues. Aria and the guards break it up, earning both Spencer and Emily two extra weeks of community service. Meanwhile, Garrett takes in the whole scene giddily from his car, where he is calmly sipping coffee.

The next morning, Hanna talks to Ashley in the kitchen. She asks why Hanna ruined her father's wedding. She said it had to be done and regrets they wound up at a Justice of the Peace to get married anyway. Hanna leaves the room when Emily enters. Ashley expresses her surprise that they are still fighting. As Ashley leaves, Emily receives a fax that puts a smile on her face.

Next, Aria is walking down Main Street with Mike, sporting a cup of coffee. Mike shares details about his psychiatrist with Aria and reveals his worries that the family regards him as pill-popper now that he is taking antidepressants. Aria reassures him just before bumping into Ezra. Ezra openly mentions to Aria that he hasn't seen her in a while, and she lets him know that she intends to return the book of poetry he loaned her. After Ezra gives her a look, Aria gives Mike her coffee cup to dump a distance away so that she can quickly explain to Ezra why she has suspended their relationship. Mike looks on in wonder before returning to Aria. They all exchange awkward goodbyes and go their separate ways.

Later at school, Spencer overhears Garrett on the phone with Jenna, learning that she won't be coming to school that day. Spencer approaches, congratulating him on going public with his secret relationship. Garret informs her it was private, not secret. Spencer grills Garrett on all of his interesting connections - namely Jason, and Ian, as if they were all in some sort of club together. He dismisses this and makes a snide comment on Jason disappearing just like Dr. Sullivan.

Emily shows the fax to the swim coach. It is from her doctor clearing her of all medical. Emily expects to be immediately welcomed back onto the team, but the coach tells her there are other considerations, such as Emily's reputation and outstanding community service. It is up to the principal to decide.

In class, Spencer hands in her extra credit assignment on Vonnegut to Mrs. Montgomery. Ella is cool toward her. Then, Emily walks into the classroom and bumps into Spencer as she is turning away from the desk. Angered, she pushes Spencer's books in retaliation onto the floor while the other girls look on. Mrs. Montgomery breaks up the fight and the two girls pick up each other's copy of "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter." Just then Emily receives a text from A asking if she wants to make a deal. Checking that no one is watching first, she picks up the chalk and circles the word "yes" on the board before finding her seat.

After class, Aria walks down the hall with Hanna recounting the awkward morning with Ezra and wishing she could have explained why she had to break up with him. Hanna reminds her she had no choice. Emily passes by and they both give her the cold shoulder. It appears Hanna and Aria are closer than ever while Emily is being freezed out. At her locker, Emily finds a note in the book she picked up arranging a meeting at 10 PM. Emily seems unfazed that the name on the inside cover reads "Spencer Hastings."

Outside, Lucas tells Hanna he found another photo of her doing community service on the internet. She debates whether she wants to see it, then decides she does. Lucas minimizes the site he was looking at to show her the photo and insists she looks pretty in it.

Later that day, Byron visits Ezra in his office. They discuss combining their classes to watch a film one day and finishing the dinner that was interrupted. Byron gets a text and mentions how he has had to deal with so many lawyers lately, referring to Aria's arrest. Ezra is sympathetic and asks how things have been. He says he knows Aria well enough to know that Aria would never hurt Ella or Byron on purpose. He agrees with Byron's notion that no one ever starts out intending to hurt anyone.

Toby waits for Spencer outside the gates of her house with his truck. He asks about her family.She tells him Melissa is having tests done in Philadelphia and her parents are with her. Toby feels bad Spencer is home all alone. He unveils the rocking chair he made for her. She says she can't accept the gift and that he should stay away from her.

That night, all 4 girls meet at the greenhouse. Emily shows them the text she got from "A" earlier. It becomes clear that all the fighting and sniping earlier had been for show. Spencer revels in the knowledge she rattled Garrett's cage. They openly discuss the details of their plan to trap "A."

Caleb returns and Hanna is very happy to see him. They kiss in her foyer while Lucas looks on awkwardly.

Emily attends the swim meet even though she is not back on the team yet. She talks to Toby and Jenna and Garrett and their strange relationship. He asks about Spencer, but Emily has nothing to say. She assures him she is not shutting him out. Garret waits for Jenna nearby and Toby buys a ticket to get inside.

Aria stops at Ezra's empty office to return the book she mentioned earlier. She puts the book down on Ezra's desk, with a letter folded inside, then thinks better of it and removes the letter. Jackie sneaks up behind her and snatches the letter out of her hand reminding Aria about the deal they made. Aria ensures her she broke up with Ezra and was simply returning a book. Ezra walks in on them arguing, stunned.

After Jackie leaves, he finally learns from Aria why she broke up with him, remarking how dangerous their relationship had been. Jackie had been blackmailing her and after all the trouble with the cops, Aria didn't want to drag Ezra into it. Ezra regrets not telling her mother the truth in the police station. Aria is about to leave, resigned to the futility of the situation when Ezra asks if she still trusts him. She answers yes and he informs her that there is something important they have to do that afternoon.

Caleb approaches Lucas outside during the swim meet. Lucas is intolerant to chlorine and has to use eyedrops. Caleb thanks him for keeping an eye on Hanna while he was away and lets him know he plans to finish out the school year  before deciding if he'll move to California to be with his birth mom and family. Lucas says he is welcome to continue staying at his house and also warns him about hurting Hanna in the future.

Aria arrives late to the swim meet, apologizing to Spencer, saying "it's complicated." She made it just in the nick of time to put their plan into action. Emily exits the gym after the swim meet, spots the girls, and demands the box Jason gave Aria for all to hear. She declares she knows where Spencer hid the box and storms off. The other girls feign annoyance.

Ezra and Aria later tell Aria's parents that they are dating, and Aria's dad flips while her mom reacts calmer, though disturbed. Mike comes downstairs and, seeing his dad upset, punches Ezra.

Caleb returns and Hanna is very happy to see him. Lucas and Caleb have an awkward conversation about how Lucas was the one to get Caleb to return. Lucas expresses how he doesn't want Hanna to get hurt, and Caleb assures him she won't. Hanna learns that her dad, step-mom, and step-sister Kate will be moving to Rosewood and doesn't hide her displeasure and Hanna's dad makes a comment about she isn't the only one whose angry with another person, hinting at his own frustration with Hanna. Ashley tries to comfort Hanna by telling her that the reason her dad's moving back because he wants to be with her, but when she waits for Hanna's dad to agree that the reason Ashley said is true, he says nothing.

Emily is let back onto the swim team. Because no one but the four girls know that the hate for Emily is pretend to trick "A," a lot of people notice and some make comments about it such as Ashley and Toby.

The four girls plot out their plan to trick "A." The plan is that Emily will go to the greenhouse and make it seem like she is alone, but in reality, Spencer, Aria, and Hanna will all be there as well in hiding and come to aid her when the time is right. Emily arrives first out of everybody, Aria is late because she has to sneak out of Mike's bedroom window (which he shows her and tells her that's the way he gets out, he also tells her how he punched Ezra so he wouldn't punch their dad) and Hanna is late because she's having the talk with her mom and dad about her dad moving to Rosewood with his new family. Aria is late because her and Ezra decide to tell her parents that they are dating and so she is late because, like mentioned before, her brother punched him in the face so her dad wouldn't.

Emily is alone in the greenhouse when Spencer texts her that she isn't there and not to go inside yet, but Emily is already inside and can't just walk out. She takes a box out of a trunk and eventually sees "A," who is hooded and in shadows so their looks and gender can't be revealed. Emily shows "A" the "evidence" they have against who "A" is, which is nothing, which she reveals when she opens the empty box, then she says how they tricked "A." "A" attacks Emily, first trying to stab her but failing and then beginning to choke her, but Spencer and Aria arrive just in time with weapons in hand to get "A" away from Emily.

The three chase "A" outside, where "A" gets hit by a car belonging to Hanna, who has just arrived. Also as "A" hits off the bonet off Hanna car, you catch a glimpse of his/her skin color which was white. "A" however shows to suffer no major damage and continues to run away, without noticing that they dropped their phone. Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and Emily chase "A" a bit more but "A" escapes and they lose track. They go back and Spencer says how there's no proof, then they find "A's" dropped phone.

The episode ends with "A" going back to their car, then realizing they lost their phone, and freaking out a bit, such as breaking the glass on the car.

Continuity

 * In "Keep Your Friends Close," "A" took credit for hitting Hanna with the front a car. Things are full circle here, as Hanna (accidentally) hits "A" with her car, as "A" is fleeing from the greenhouse.

Main Cast
Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings {C}Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin {C}Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery {C}Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields {C}Sasha Pieterse as Alison DiLaurentis

Guest Stars
Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz {C}Keegan Allen as Toby Cavanaugh {C}Brendan Robinson as Lucas Gottesman {C}Yani Gellman as Garrett Reynolds {C}Chad Lowe as Byron Montgomery {C}Cody Allen Christian as Mike Montgomery {C}Holly Marie Combs as Ella Montgomery {C}Henree Alyse as Coach Slocomb

Memorable Quotes








