Absence: the non-existence or lack of something. By this definition, we know that darkness is the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat. However, winners are not the absence of losers – but the presence of them. It is something that every game, no matter if it’s one of luck or skill, complies with: in order to crown a champion, you must defeat an opponent; and that, it seems, is one of the hidden objectives of Liar’s Lament™.
Episode 13, “Hold Your Piece,” all but confirms a critical part of the gameplay: the Liars are not playing against A.D., they’re playing against themselves.
It makes sense, why would our gamemaker subject him or herself to playtime? The Liars aren’t actually meant to be a team to defeat A.D., but rather pieces on the board competing against each other. If that wasn’t clear enough with the game’s ominous initial declaration of winner take all, it’s clear now as Spencer and Emily find that despite not feeling like winners, they are by virtue of Hanna being a loser.
It’s a hard pill to swallow–for all of them.
Especially for Hanna, who misses out on a possible career-defining meeting – which A.D. had sent her to bomb via an offensive dress. Missing out on embarrassing herself at the meeting does nothing to soften the blow of losing her round for Hanna, because while she may not care for missing out on her puzzle piece, she does care about the fact that Caleb gets hurt trying to literally crack open the game.
Caleb’s attempts at trying to figure out how the boardgame works were less of an attempted hack, and more of an attempted dissection, which is fitting, as the game sends Hanna out to perform a game of OPERATION on a mannequin doll bearing her likeness. All of which ties neatly into the fact that A.D. was out performing some surgery of his or her own, as the Rosewood P.D. finds themselves in possession of, presumably, Archer Dunhill’s finger. So, an autopsy, if you will.
So the question now is: How far will each of the Liars go in order to win? A.D. is banking on them turning on each other for the glory and now -A has shown them what they have to lose. We now know what happens when one of the girl loses her round: they still get a piece – it just happens to be a human one instead.
Yikes.
SCORE CARD:
ROUND 3
Ship Watch:
Spencer: Finally dating the detective. Also, Toby married Yvonne for about 13 minutes of screentime.
Hanna: While Caleb is finally in the know, an M.I.A. Mona is not. Tensions are sure to rise when she finds out that she’s been left out of the loop–again.
Aria: Ezra is also M.I.A. But you know who isn’t anymore? Nicole. Nicole, who showed up inside Ezra’s apartment in Rosewood. Um…. maybe it’s time to change the locks?
Emily: All of her love interests were M.I.A. this week as well.. According to Aria though, Sabrina quit her job at the Brew because she got a new job in Atlanta. You go, gurl.
Absurdity
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Spencer Hastings, Dickensian foundling.
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“Alison Rollins sounds like mouthful of muffin.”
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On that note, what was Alison up to Out of Town™? Also, crying baby (!)
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According to Emily, Caleb snores. Which means all three of them are now living at Lucas’s loft? Which means Emily continues to be a third wheel no matter which couple it’s with. #GetEmilyHerOwnApartment
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Lots of material for your Aria is -A theories you guys…. if you’re into that sort of thing.
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In other theory speculations, Spencer spent the entire episode playing a game and winning at it, all the while ignoring Aria and Emily’s phone calls for help. Hmm.
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“A note, a clue, a pipe bomb.”
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That Hanna-doll was legitimately discomforting.
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That Spencer/Caleb scene was actually really lovely and I’m glad those two have found a way to be friends again.
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Of Late I Think of Rosewood: The show remembered Toby and Emily’s friendship :’) Also, Lucas is back! So is Sydney What’s-her-face, who is apparently another A.D. pawn. Whether she’s fully aware of what it all entails or not is unclear. Also, Sydney lives in Fish Town.
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Emily and Aria made for an actually formidable team this episode. Their intimidation of Sydney deserves to be seen:
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That brief twist on the usual -A tag, of having it actually be the cops, was brilliant.
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When Keegan Allen fell to his knees my heart broke. What a scene, you guys.
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HOWEVER, Yvonne died at the altar of Spoby Worship, which makes her the third black woman to die on PLL and the fourth overall black characters to die on this show. To say that it leaves a bad taste in my mouth would be an understatement.
Line of the night
(gif source: plldaily)