Monison

Monison is the friendship/rivalry pairing between Mona Vanderwaal and Alison DiLaurentis. Both girls spent a portion of their lives torturing the other, Alison as a bully in High School, and Mona as the infamous stalker, A.

Relationship
The relationship between Mona and Alison started off antagonistic, as Alison bullied and treated Mona poorly in their first few years in High School. Mona, desperate to fit in, often hung around Alison and her friends, only to be rejected a number of times. Alison even nicknamed her, Loser Mona and turned the school against her. One night, Mona was out for a walk when she saw whom she believed was Alison, and was overcome with rage and anger towards the girl who had made her life a living hell. She hit the girl over the head with a shovel, although this wasn't really Alison but Bethany Young. Mona later helped Alison disappear, and became A to torture The Liars and later Alison for what they did to her. After Alison returned, their relationship worsened with Mona even framing Alison for her death, and Alison was sentenced to prison for it before eventually being released. While they no longer have an antagonistic relationship, they still don't trust one another as they both know what the other is really capable of.

Series
Pilot In a flashback, Alison and Aria are walking down the street, eating ice cream and giggling to themselves. Mona walks behind them and spots them, yelling out to them repeatedly to the point where they could definetly hear her. Alison asks if Aria hears Mona, and ARia thinks they should wait, but their pace only quickens. Alison asks Aria if she's ever going to a get clue, and calls Mona a loser. Mona continues waving and shouting in an attempt to get their attention. Alison takes Aria's hand and the two go around the corner and start running, laughing about how they managed to ditch "Loser Mona". Mona watches them run away with a sad expression on her face. She crosses her arms over her chest and turns, walking in the other direction looking sad and disappointed.
 * -|Season 1=

There's No Place Like Homecoming

Hanna mentions that Mona is the way she is because she wants people to forget about the geek she used to be, the one that Alison turned her into. Later, Mona continues to call Lucas Gottesman by the nickname that Alison gave him, Hermie. She is also determined to remain on the top of the social-ladder, not wanting to fall back down to where she was as Loser Mona. The First Secret
 * -|Season 2=

"The First Secret" is an episode that takes place prior to Pilot, specifically Halloween 2008, during the height of Alison's reign and Mona's social inexistence.

At lunch, Mona excitedly walks up to the Liars' table with a lunch tray, greeting them happily. Alison cruelly states that if they ignore it then it will go away, degrading Mona down from a person to a thing. Mona is hurt by this and walks away to sit at another table where Lucas Gottesman, another one of Alison's victims, happens to be sitting. After school, the same scene from the pilot plays, in which Mona attempts to get Alison and Aria's attention and they rudely ditch her. At school the next day, Lucas Gottesman runs into her, spilling his juice down her white pants and on her new shoes. He apologizes and tries to wipe it up, but she snaps at him not to touch her. She starts degrading him, calling him a "hermie" and picking on him about the rumors that go around about him being transgender. All the while, Mona watches awkwardly at the other side of the hall. Lucas looks at Mona who gives him an awkward smile, and he assures her that one day, Alison will get what's coming to her.

At a Halloween party that night, Mona is dressed as cat-woman while Alison is dressed as Lady Gaga. Mona walks up to her and gives a, "meow", which makes Alison smirk. She asks if she knows her, but Mona says that she doesn't - but she will, before walking off. Alison watches her go with a smirk, before returning to dancing. A little while later, Jenna Marshall, who is dressed as Lady Gaga as well, walks away from Alison where the two had just argued. Mona meets up with Jenna shortly after, and tells her that she's the best Gaga there, with Jenna telling her not to tell Alison that. Mona claims that Alison doesn't scare her, and the two make introductions, seemingly forming a friendship and possible future alliance.

UnmAsked

At the masquerade ball, Mona talks with Spencer who tells her that she's a great friend to Hanna. Mona is thankful for this, and mentions that because of Alison she went years without having any friends. Spencer apologizes for never standing up to Alison all those years ago, and Mona lies by saying that she stopped thinking about all that stuff a long time ago but that day, she couldn't get Alison out of her mind. Mona mentions that she took Caleb to a little store in Brookhaven, and Spencer recognizes the name. She goes on to say that it was last place she saw Alison - a week before she went missing. In a flashback to the store in Brookhaven, Mona spots Alison looking out a window and, despite her wearing the Vivian Darkbloom costume, she recognizes her. Ali mutters, "crap", under her breath and crosses her arms over her chest. Mona is excited that Alison is there, and mentions that it's almost as if they're shopping together. She notices that Alison is staring out the window and asks her name, but Ali holds up her finger and "shushes" her, which makes Mona flinch and become confused. She asks why she is dressed like that and what is going on, before excitedly asking if it's some sort of a game. Ali asks her if she can tell her a secret, which excites Mona who asks if she's for real, and Alison assures her that she is - but it's also for keeps. Mona is overjoyed that she is talking to her, and Ali admits that she's watching someone which makes Mona curious and look out the window. Alison moves her backwards a bit and tells her that it isn't a game, and tells her to pretend like she doesn't know her and take off. Mona uses this as an opportunity to finally get the upper-hand of Alison, threatening to tell if she doesn't get what she wants. Ali asks what it is she wants, and Mona admits with a slight smile that she wants to be popular which makes Alison smirk before giving her a number on the back of a post card from the Lost Woods Resort, before Mona leaves the store.

Back in present day, Mona tells Spencer that she tried to call Ali the next day but she went M.I.A. and she never heard from her again. When asked if she saw whom Ali was spying on, but Mona claims that she didn't but she figured it was some guy that she was crushing on. Spencer realizes that A wasn't watching Alison in Brookhaven, Alison was watching A, and Mona stops her saying that she doesn't understand. Spencer tells her that Alison checked into a hotel the morning before she went missing but she didn't go there to hide from A, she followed A there. Mona is surprised to hear this. Once Spencer and Mona find A's lair at the Lost Woods Resort, they discover that it is covered in pictures of Alison and articles on her disappearance. There are collages, dolls, wigs, and cut-outs of Alison all over the lair along with other pictures and information on the other Liars, although they are mainly interacting with Alison. In the lair, Spencer also finds Alison's diary which A had stolen. The lair is revealed to really be Mona's, as she is A and had been the one torturing and stalking both Alison and the Liars.

Mona kidnaps Spencer after revealing herself as A, and Spencer believes that Mona didn't see Ali in Brookhaven - Ali saw her. She believes that Mona made the story up, but Mona disregards this leaving it unknown. Spencer asks her if the whole A-thing was payback for them letting Alison treat her that way, but Mona claims that she's over Ali and that she was never Mona's friend, but Hanna was. It Happened 'That Night' While admitted to Radley Sanitarium, Mona is visited by Hanna, who has been visiting her for the last few weeks. However, due to the amount and type of medication that Mona is on, she is hallucinating Alison dressed as Red Coat. On one occasion, she smiles at Alison who is sitting in a chair in room at Radley, reading Lolita smiling back at her. Unbeknownst to her, the chair is actually empty. Cover For Me
 * -|Season 3=
 * -|Season 4=

Emily confronts Mona about her working with Ezra Fitz, and they discuss his book. Mona wanted to stop his publication of some of her illegal activities, and Emily asks if she read the book and the parts about Alison. Mona comments that if Alison were alive she would love to be the focus of his scandalous expose, but she only ever saw the parts of the book that she was in and never the full thing.

A is for Answers

Alison tearfully explains what really happened the night that she disappeared, and talks about Mona's involvement.

In a flashback, Alison escapes from Carla Grunwald's care after the latter pulled her out of a grave that Jessica DiLaurentis had buried her in. She is walking down the street in somewhat of a trance, when Mona, who is driving by, notices her. She calls out to Alison worriedly, and Ali looks at her. She is covered in dirt with her head bleeding, causing Mona to ask if she's okay, and Alison to look at her tearfully. Mona gives Alison a ride back to the Lost Woods Resort, where she runs a rag under water. She then presses it against Alison's head-wound and helps her clean it. Mona is still shocked that someone tried to kill Alison, who is worried that someone followed them since no one can know that she's there, but Mona assures her that they are alone. She registered using the name Vivian Darkbloom just as she had said too, and reveals that she's scared for her. Alison admits that she's scared for herself as well. Mona coyly asks that if A had enough courage to try to bash her head in, then nothing is stopping them from trying again, which Alison fearfully agrees to. Mona eerily suggests that maybe she should die, which frightens Alison. She then clarifies saying that she should let A think she's dead by disappearing, before telling her to rest and laying her back on the bed. She strokes her face and tells her that things will work out the way they're supposed to, and she'll take care of her before giving her a kiss on the forehead. In the room next door, Mona hums while brushing her Alison dolls hair before placing it in a dollhouse. The next morning, Alison is getting dressed as Vivian Darkbloom, preparing for her disappearance from Rosewood. Mona asks if she got everything she needed while admiring her clothing, and Ali tells her that she saved her life, and doesn't know how she can thank her. Mona tells her to thank her by staying gone and safe, which makes Alison smile and tell her to come over to the mirror. She makes her look at herself, and tells her key things to get rid of that will make her prettier and more popular. Things such as getting rid of her glasses and knee-socks, seeing the right people at the right places, and tells her that she doesn't have to be a loser anymore. Mona thanks her and smiles. She then notices that the Alison bracelet is on the counter, which she later steals. Later in the same morning, Mona watches as Alison packs her bags into the car and drives away from the Resort. EscApe From New York
 * -|Season 5=

Mona stands in The Brew watching a television that is delivering news about Alison's disappearance, and the fact that the police believes that Alison is in New York with The Liars. Mona puts her jacket on and looks at an unknown person, stating that Alison's return changes everything. Mona tells them a group that while they may not know each other, they all have one thing in common - they were all targeted Alison DiLaurentis. She explains her story, saying that while Alison was here she wasn't Mona - she was Loser Mona. This leads to everyone in the room admits their nicknames, with Paige chiming in that it's in the past and she isn't afraid of Alison anymore. Mona tells her that maybe she should be, considering the fact that she's not even back yet and she's already managed to breakup her and Emily, saying that there is no way Ali's going to let them be a couple. Paige asks what it is that she wants them to do, with Mona saying that she wants them to stick together, since the bigger they are the harder Alison will fall. Paige wants to leave, and Mona warns her that she can't protect her if she's not with them, before Melissa Hastings enters telling Mona that they don't have much time.

Whirly Girlie

Mona has heard about Alison and talks to Mike about it, and reveals that she bought whistles for all the girls at the school. She is also going to ask all the principal to let them all download an app on their phone. She later tells Aria that she's surprised that considering what happened to Alison, she shouldn't be walking alone and offers her one of her whistles. Aria then tells Mona that she knows exactly what happened the night that Alison disappeared, and that she knew that Alison was alive the whole time and helped her disappear. Alison visits her grave in the mausoleum, with a rose in one of her hands. She hears a noise behind her and is surprised to see Mona, and asks if she followed her. She admits that she isn't supposed to be out of her house, but she had to come and see the grave. She assures Mona that the girl that they made the grave for really is gone and she isn't that person anymore. She opens up to Mona about how she understands that Mona hated her and wanted her to go to hell - and going was easy, but coming back is hard. She tells her that she needs her, but Mona responds by quoting a text that she had sent to Alison about New York. She tells he that she did send the text, and should have signed it since she doesn't have to hide anymore - but Alison does. She warns her that she's going to wish she stayed dead.

Surfing the Aftershocks

Whilst getting Hanna and Aria to sign a get well soon card for Ezra Fitz, she asks them what it's going to be like when Alison comes to back to Rosewood High School. The girls look at her confused, and Mona chuckles saying that if Ali is still Ali she's going to want to come back and pick up where she started, and now she has a story to tell. She then hints about knowing that Alison made the whole thing up. In a flashback, Mona walks up to Hanna who had just finished binging and is staring at Alison's missing poster. Mona mentions that the whole Ali-thing is sad, and the two continue to converse making small talk. Mona mentions that the longer that people are missing the less likely they are to come back, and that Alison looks really pretty in the missing flyer. She then says that if Alison is really gone, someone's going to need to take her place. In a separate flashback, a now skinny, blonder, more Alison-resembling Hanna tries on one of Alison's old tops, despite her not thinking that it will fit. Mona pushes her into trying it on, and Hanna is surprised when it fits.

Later in present day, Hanna confronts Mona about knowing that Alison was alive, and Mona tells her that the point was that she was gone. Hanna angrily accuses Mona of her turning her into Alison - even making her walk, talk, and dress like her. Hanna accuses Mona of here still wanting Alison there even though she was gone, although Mona denies this.

Thrown From The Ride

Mona offers Aria and Hanna Shana Fring's old copy of The Scarlet Letter to give to Alison, since Ali will need it to catch-up since she's coming back to Rosewood High. Later, Lucas tries to convince Mona to end her army as he feels bad for Alison, as he believes that she was held capture and that the universe has punished her enough. However, Mona tells her that what they're doing isn't punishment it's just some preventive measures. When Lucas still wants to drop-out as he feels bad for Alison, Mona tells him that Alison really did make the whole abduction story up. That night, Mona confronts Paige who accuses her of becoming just like Alison.

Miss Me x 100

Alison returns to Rosewood High, where she is greeted by a number of students. Mona, joined by Lucas, watches the scene with disgust and disdain. That night, Alison is walking alone down the street when she notices that a car is following her. She hurries into the church believing that she'll be safe there. Once inside she hears a noise and heads into a smaller room, where she finds the windows clattering. When she turns around she sees Mona standing behind her. She angrily tells her that she doesn't scare her, and Mona snaps back that she's not as good of a liar as she used to be. Disgusted, Alison walks past Mona but stops when she hears Mona say that she knows that Ali and the others were in New York the night Shanna died and she can prove it. Ali turns around to face Mona, asking her what it is that she wants. Mona claims that she's wanted what she's always wanted - for Alison to leave town and stay gone. She doesn't care how she gets there or where she goes, she just wants her gone. She walks closer to Alison as she speaks, and the latter states that she isn't a threat to her anymore. Mona doesn't believe that Alison has really changed, and she may have convinced Hanna and the others of this, but she knows that her attempt to be a decent person won't last long. Ali claims that people do change, but Mona tells her that when someone shows her who they are she believes them - she doesn't need to be taught a lesson twice. Alison asks her what she's suddenly the victim of and brings up her time as A, torturing and bullying the girls. Mona claims that she feels horrible about that but she's better now - even the doctors say so, but Alison doesn't believe her. She states that if Mona could prove that they were in New York she would have done it by now, and warns her that she's back and staying so she'd better get used to it. Mona angrily yells that no one wants her here, but she knows that isn't true. She brings up Cindy and Mindy, and the fact that all she had to do was apologize to them and they were begging her to sit at their lunch table. She claims that it won't take her long to win over her army of losers, and that she made her Loser Mona once before and she can do it again. Overcome with anger, Mona slaps Alison across the face. A moment of silence passes by, before Alison slaps her back hard enough to leave a mark. Mona is shocked and looks at her with a fearful and surprised expression on her face. Another moment passes, before Alison tells her that they don't have to do this if she just leaves her alone, before leaving the church.

Back at Emily's house, she recaps the events to the Liars. When asked what she did when Mona slapped her Ali lies and says that she just stared at her, and appears to be genuinely afraid. She also claims that there is no way that Mona was the person driving the car that was following her, since she couldn't have gotten into the church that fast and suggests that she had help. The Liars decide that it was an ambush, and later admits that she's scared of what Mona might know about New York. The next day at school Mona is surrounded by her Army when Alison enters the room with the Liars. Mona claims that Alison attacked her last night, and points out the scratch across her face. She then shows them an edited version of the what happened the night before. In the clip, Alison tells her that it won't take her long win over her Army of Losers and tells her that she can make her "Loser Mona" again before slapping her. The Liars are shocked as they now believe that Alison lied to them about what happened, and Alison glares at Mona before shaking her head and leaving the room, heading to the bathroom. The video makes the Liars turn against Alison, as they believe Alison to be a liar and are upset that she lied to them about what really happened when Mona "attacked" her. Alison also states that is the last time that she will ever underestimate Mona.

Bonus Scene

In a bonus scene released online, Alison is laying in her prison cell after being convicted for the murder of Mona Vanderwaal. She is looking back on her life and how she had everything, and is trying to decide what moment in her life where she was cruel to Mona she would change if she could. If changing one moment could alter history and stop Mona from ever dying or even becoming her enemy.

In a flashback, Alison is walking down the street when Mona happily runs up to her, greeting her by saying her name a few times and smiling. She compliments Alison on her hair, saying that she has been trying for weeks to get her hair to do that for a while now, but it just won't cooperate. Alison rolls her eyes and rudely states that their are cancer patients with better hair then hers, which clearly hurts Mona's feelings. She adds that if she were her - which she's happy she isn't, she would stop trying to be someone she isn't.

In present day, Alison decides that is the moment she would change. If she had a chance to do a do-over and change both of their lives, and questions whether or not she would take it. She contemplates that if she had decided to make another choice that day and actually help Mona, she would have made a friend that day instead of an enemy. And that maybe, she wouldn't have ended up in prison.

In the altered reality that Alison had envisioned, instead of mocking and bullying Mona for her hair, she offered to help her. She told her to trust her and went with her to get her hair curled properly, her makeup done, and proper clothing. As they were leaving a boutique they were seen laughing and getting along.

Trivia

 * Alison bullied Mona throughout High School, and nicknamed her, Loser Mona.
 * Mona started sending Alison threatening messages under the alias of, A.
 * Mona wanted to kill Alison the night of her disappearance, and even hit whom she believed was Alison with a shovel. However, this was really Bethany Young.
 * Mona became A to punish the Liars for being friends with Alison.
 * After Ali returned to Rosewood, Mona started a group with Ali's former victims to keep her from returning to power in the school and eventually force her out of Rosewood altogether.
 * Mona turned Hanna Marin into the "new Alison", as she still wanted Alison around despite her being gone.
 * Mona falsified a video to get the school and the Liars to turn against Alison and see herself as the victim - she succeeded in doing so.
 * Alison once vowed to never underestimate Mona ever again.
 * After Mona's death, Alison was haunted by Mona's "spirit", which was actually Alison's own guilt about her believed death.
 * Mona framed Alison for her (faked) death, and Alison was sentenced to life in prison because of it. She was later released after Mona was revealed to be alive and held captive by the new A.
 * In a deleted scene, while in prison, Alison changed a scenario in her mind where she was nice to Mona instead of cruel, and the two became friends.
 * Mona was forced to dress like Alison and pretend to be her while held captive in A's Dollhouse.
 * Mona killed Alison's adoptive sister and biological cousin, Charlotte DiLaurentis, in self-defense.
 * At the end of PLL, Mona had successfully kidnapped Alison's Aunt, Mary Drake and cousin, Alex Drake, and was holding them captive in France.