S3 Episode 3: Kingdom of the Blind

I found this title in-apropos. The episode focused a lot on ‘faking’, that I would have rather titled it “The Bluffing Game”. I’ve decided to organize this episode’s recap based on character revelAtions.

Note on the previous Episode: Blood is the New Black: At the store, where hoodies and gloves were purchased, I noticed that the person was wearing a red coat/hoodie when shot from the back. But from the front, you can’t even see the red.

Just a warning, the notes are not in order, but grouped by person(s).

The LiArs

• At lunch, the liars talk about Toby finding Jenna’s eye drops. They think that might have been a trap (the Rx being exposed).
• Em gets her test score results. An unexpected 94, since she didn’t finish the test. They suspect A has something to do with it.
• Em tries to talk to Ella about her grade. Em mentions that she thinks someone must have messed with her test. Ella hints and says everything is alright.
• Emily tells Aria about her conversation with Ella: where Ella hinted that she might have taken care of Emily’s test. Em is angry. Aria is scared. But they can’t believe that they are not done with A still.
• The Liars decide to track down Jenna.
• Spencer tells the liars about VH representing Garrett. Hanna thinks G is the father of Mel’s baby. They mention “Medical Records”, in which G mentioned to Spencer in their last conversation.
• Aria tells her parents about her mom’s appt with the Vice Principal.
• Ezra, having no job still, talks about Emily with Aria. Aria mentions about Em’s score, and Ella being summoned by the VP.

Kingdom of JennA

• Start of the episode: Jenna continues to fake it (reading Braille in the courtyard, etc.) as the liars convince Aria to accept Jenna’s offer to practice with her.
• Aria accepts, they walk arm-in-arm and decide to meet after school. At Jenna’s, the rehearsal sounds painful. Aria sees a note and slips off the metronome. They take a break, Jenna asks about Emily, mentions Mona. Then, she conveniently leaves the room leaving the note lying around for Aria to read: H Cobb 4:15 Wed Earplugs.
• So, on Wed, the liars secretly track down Jenna. Hanna and Aria follow her first to a building in the city where she “parks” her car. She drives out thinking no one has seen her (or does she know?). When she exits the Gun Store (which I think is the same one we saw at the end of Ep. 2), the liars (now all 4) argue whether they should confront her—and Hanna decides to situate herself in front of the car and startles Jenna.
• End of the episode: Jenna and the liars are in an alleyway (I presume so that no one else would see that Jenna is no longer blind. Jenna confesses that she has been able to see since the first operation. (Does anyone remember when that was? Which season/episode?). She says that she pretends to be blind for her own protection and mentions that someone tried to burn her house. (Burning their house was The Jenna Thing. But the second time, that was Jason’s house right? Not Jenna’s). Jenna also said that she didn’t tell Toby because it would be safer for him. Then, Em asks about That Night. Jenna claims that she has been going out at night and she was driving home when she almost hit a drunk Em. She said she put her in the car around 12-12:30mn and planned to take her home hoping that she was too drunk to remember. But Em was freaking out and jumped out of the car. At the end of their conversation, she asks the liars to promise not to tell anyone. She appears really scared (yeah, right) and pleads.

Loco-LucAs

• Lucas gets in trouble and is given a note for his parents, regarding his ‘misbehavior’. The liars witness it and Hanna goes after him. In the classroom, Lucas tells her what the note entails, burns it in the trashcan, and leaves the classroom. Hanna tries to put out the fire when Caleb comes in, pours water on it, and asks her what’s going on.
• Hanna and Caleb discuss Lucas and she asks him to talk to Lucas—although Caleb asks her not to go see Mona in return. She doesn’t exactly agree or disagree.
• Caleb confronts Lucas and asks him what’s going on. They discuss Mona being A. What? Lucas says Mona being A is the tip of the iceberg. When Lucas tells Caleb he shouldn’t be around when the iceberg folds over, Caleb asks if that was a threat. Lucas says, “It’s an observation.”
• When Hanna visited Mona, she finds Lucas visiting her too. He claims that he is visiting her to make sure that she is really crazy. He says something about Mona being crazy would be more convenient for some people. (Who? Whaaa?)

MelissA and GArrett

• Melissa’s home! And, not pregnant! They show her burning something in the fireplace and sweeping up ashes. (What?) Spencer tries to make conversation but Melissa is being elusive.
• VH informs Mel and Spence that she is representing Garrett. Spence is miffed, but VH is determined. She doesn’t admit to his innocence or guilt. (I bet VH knows a secret, and it has probably have something to do with Melissa)
• Mel is drinking. Spence asks more about how Mel feels about Garrett. Then, Spence brings up the video (of the night of Ali’s disappearance). Melissa uses the “I’m the one who lost everything” card. (Faking!)
• Eventually, Spencer tracks down more information about Mel’s whereabouts if when she lost the baby. She finds out that Melissa has been faking it for quite some time.
• Spencer talks to VH about Garrett while her mom is reviewing case notes. Then, she tells her mom about her own “investigation” (Mel). VH asks if Mel was the one who told her. Then, VH tells her that she didn’t know until she saw Mel, but she had her suspicions. Spence asks when Mel lost her baby. VH says to ask Melissa.

MentAl MonA

• Hanna vists a livelier Mona, who claims that her meds changed, which helped. Yeah, right. She also says that her parents have been visiting. (Where are Mona’s parents anyway?) Then, she tries to be nice to Hanna, obviously has a plan in mind. But, it’s not working. Hanna wants answers and asks how Mona knows. Mona cryptically replies that they can’t trust anyone. Not even family. And, she knows about Ali’s missing body.
• On her way out, Hanna sees Lucas visit Mona. (See Lucas’ section)
• Caleb is outside waiting for Hanna, annoyed that she is still visiting Mona. They see Lucas who tells them he thinks Mona has been faking crazy.
• Caleb comes back for a visit. Mona is playing cards while they see who’s going to be the bigger threat. Caleb warns her about hurting Hanna. Then, tells her how she might be laughing at everyone else, she is still the bigger joke because she’s locked up in Radley. Obviously, she goes mental, and starts screaming (and faking again). Caleb leaves abruptly.

EllA and EzrA

• Ezra runs into Ella at the café and they talk about Emily. Ezra also mentions that Aria told him about Ella being called in by the VP. Ella says that her “grading practices” are being questioned.
• When Ella was about to see the VP, Emily approaches her saying that she needs to talk to VP so that Ella won’t get into trouble. They run into the VP and Ezra – who has conveniently given Ella and excuse. She is off the hook. He says that he pressured Ella into grading Em’s paper because he was tutoring her. (Welcome to the Liars Club Ezra!)
• Later, Ella is a bit angry at Ezra for helping her. She asks why he did it. He simply explains that he knows why Ella did what she did. (And, uhm…did they have a moment?)
• In the café, “poor” Em angrily approaches Ezra who was actually prepared for a confrontation. Poor Em does not want people to feel sorry for her. Ezra explains, then hands her a test paper. Obviously, a chance to redeem herself, which makes her feel better.

A’s Antics

• The episode closes in a room where gloved hand pours vodka into a clear glass. Gloved hand is a leftee. Gloved hand proceeds to seal the bottle and place the vodka in the freezer. The same freezer where a body bag is stored. Yuck.

My Thoughts

• Did Jenna leave the note intentionally for Aria to see?
• When Jenna was startled at seeing Hanna, do you think she was faking being surprised? If so, why would she leave her note lying around for Aria to see?
• My New A-Team Theory: Jenna, Lucas, Melissa, Mona are definitely a part of it. The reasons behind their involvement, imo, are different to what I first suspected. I think there is a main A who torments these people who hate the liars, subjecting them to blackmail (and maybe torture) so that main A can get stuff done for him/her.
• Lucas’ new sketchy persona shouldn’t have him looking scruffy. He doesn’t do well with scruffy. He looks like he needs to take a shower, a really long one.
• Jenna + Ear Plugs + Gun Store = Target Shooting
• Was Lucas really checking if Mona was faking? Or was he there for something else? Remember from Unmasked, he was actually talking to Jenna?
• So it seems like Caleb really isn’t part of the A-Team. Will he be the next sacrificial lamb?
• Was Toby being set up by Jenna – when she left out her eye drops? Or does Toby know more than we think?
• They are showing an awful lot of scenes with Ezra and Ella somehow having some sort of chemistry. So, will Ella be dating Ezra’s brother?