The Perfectionists (group)

"You know, it's funny. I think if maybe, if there wasn't a Nolan, we could have been friends."

- Dylan about The Perfectionists

The Perfectionists, also called The Perfs or Pretty Little Perfectionists, is a nickname for Beacon Heights University students Caitlin Park-Lewis, Ava Jalali and Dylan Walker. The group is formed by their manipulative leader, Nolan Hotchkiss. All strive for perfection and success in their endeavors until one of them is murdered, causing the remaining trio with nothing in common to come together and investigate his death. Behind each Perfectionist is a secret, a lie, and a needed alibi.

History
The group was formed by Nolan in an unknown but recent period as a means to maintain his reputation as the golden boy of Beacon Heights. Caitlin is presumably the first Perfectionist recruited, with her being the seemingly "perfect" girl. Their relationship crumbled and he blackmailed her into being his perfect girlfriend, or he would release photos of her Senator mother's infidelity that he obtained through unknown means. Both were free to see whomever they wanted in private, and Caitlin continued to date Jeremy Beckett, while Nolan began dating Ava Jalali. Ava was struggling to fit in after the fallout of her family, so Nolan made her a member of his friend circle.

Since both Ava and Nolan were busy in their extracurricular activities, Nolan blackmailed his friend Dylan into writing their papers, using the threat of telling his boyfriend Andrew about their affair. Dylan was later forced to play the role of his perfect best friend in public. All three Perfectionists were considered acquaintances, or 'fake friends' per Dylan.

Members

 * Nolan Hotchkiss (Presumed leader; before death)
 * Caitlin Park-Lewis
 * Ava Jalali
 * Dylan Walker

Allies

 * Alison DiLaurentis
 * Jeremy Beckett

Storylines

 * Ava Jalali: A stylish trendsetter with a big personality, Ava hopes to have her own clothing line someday. But she has an edge over her fellow fashionistas: a brilliant technological mind, which she uses to blog and code. Just don’t ask her why her parents recently fled the country — it’s her one big secret.
 * Caitlin Park-Lewis : The intelligent, motivated and easy-on-the-eyes daughter of two over-achieving mothers, one of whom is a United States senator, Caitlin is an expert at hiding secrets. She hopes to follow in her mother’s political footsteps — that is, if the weight of her own secrets doesn’t crush her first.
 * Dylan Walker : A prodigious cellist who used his passion for music to escape his small-minded hometown, Dylan loves his music almost as much as he loves his boyfriend, Andrew. (And even that’s up for debate.)
 * Nolan Hotchkiss : A natural born leader, Nolan is the heir to his family’s empire. Though he puts forth the image of a golden boy, Nolan is actually a manipulator who uses his friends and family to maintain his image. Not a big fan of authority figures or the word “no,” Nolan isn’t used to losing. Nolan was later murdered after being pushed off the roof of Thorne Hall and impaled by the stakes below. His murder forced the remaining Perfectionists together in order to trick the public into thinking they were all his "perfect" friends.

Series
Pilot
 * -|Season 1=

The Perfs are first seen in Alison DiLaurentis' classroom in Beacon Heights University. Caitlin Park-Lewis is introduced as the perfect, popular, athletic girlfriend of Nolan Hotchkiss, who is best-friends with cello prodigy, Dylan Walker. The trio is also best-friends with Ava Jalali. After class, Nolan makes it clear to Dylan that the arrangement they formed last year stills stand - Dylan will do English papers for Nolan and Ava. Dylan originally says that he can't this year due to him trying out for a symphony chair, which Ava congratulates him on. Nolan coldly reminds him of their agreement and Dylan changes his mind quickly, saying that he will do them after all before leaving to get started on the papers. Nolan leaves next and kisses Caitlin which causes Ava to look away, as she is secretly dating him since Caitlin is only Nolan's fake girlfriend.

Later, Nolan causes friction between the group when he crosses lines with each of them. He interferes with Dylan's relationship with Andrew, cheats on Ava with one of her vogue models, and gets into a heated public fight with Caitlin in which he grabs her arm.

The three Perfectionists meet in the woods that night after Ava gathers them. She states that she's done with Nolan and wants out of his facade, which the other two agree with. Caitlin states that Alison DiLaurentis offered to help her, and they're surprised to learn that she offered help to each of them. With a time limit on Dylan coming forward, due to Alison threatening to expel him for writing Ava and Nolan's papers, the group decides that they have to break free of Nolan within the days to come. They jokingly talk about getting rid of their manipulative leader - and how they would do it.

They return to BHU, where they stand in front of Thorne Hall to say their goodbyes. Dylan remarks that if there wasn't a Nolan maybe they could have been friends, which the girls find interesting. They bid each other goodnight and walk off in three different directions, each one pausing to look over their shoulders at the others. On the roof of Thorne Hall stand Nolan, witnessing the gathering of his group unfold beneath him.

Later in that same night, the Perfectionists hear the sounds of sirens on campus and rush to the crime scene. They arrive in front of Thorne Hall and are shocked to see Nolan impaled by the stakes below. Ava breaks down in tears, collapsing on the ground in heartbreak, while Caitlin and Dylan stand together. Dylan tells Caitlin that it's just how she imagined Nolan dying.

Sex, Lies and Alibis

While standing at Nolan's crime scene, Ava continues to sob uncontrollably while on the ground. Caitlin notices and attempts to get her up saying that they have to go, but Ava abruptly stands to hold her arm stopping the girl. She iterates that Nolan's death is exactly how Caitlin planned it, but before Caitlin can defend herself the intercom announces that all students must return their dormatories. Dylan offers to walk Ava back to her dorm while Caitlin offers to go somewhere and talk, but Ava refuses before leaving the scene.

Book Comparisons

 * In the books, there are five Perfectionists. Consisting of Caitlin Martell-Lewis, Ava Jalali, Mackenzie Wright, Julie Redding, and Parker Duvall, all five girls have nothing in common but the need to be perfect and their hatred of Nolan Hotchkiss, the golden boy of Beacon Heights whose done things to hurt each of them and are later implicated in his murder.
 * Ava and Caitlin were transitioned in the television adaption, but with different personalities and a changed surname on the latter.
 * Ava was formerly a carefree party girl who, after her mother died, decided to do better in school to prove her mother's statements that she was brighter than what meets the eye. She held no major interest in fashion or technology.
 * Caitlin was the athletic girl who yearned for a soccer scholarship but was still reeling from the suicide of her younger brother. Neither of her mothers was a Senator nor did she strive for a future in politics, though she is noted to be the athletic one of the group.
 * Dylan is a genderbent version of Mackenzie, sharing her distinct personality as a talented cellist.
 * Due to the twist in the final book, Julie and Parker were excluded from the television adaption.