“ Haven't you all felt it? She was never really gone. ” — Carla Grunwald [to the girls, about Alison]





Now You See Me, Now You Don't Season 4, Episode 12 Air Date August 27, 2013 Written by I. Marlene King and Bryan Holdman Directed by Norman Buckley Episode Guide Previous:

Bring Down the Hoe Next:

Grave New World

Now You See Me, Now You Don't is the twelfth episode of the fourth season and it marks the summer finale of Season 4 of Pretty Little Liars. This episode aired on August 27, 2013. The episode is referred to as "#WorldWarA" by ABC Family in its promos.

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Summary

News of Travis’s testimony spreads through Rosewood and is seen by Aria, Emily, Spencer and Hanna in Spencer’s kitchen. It is revealed that the cops want Ashley to be in a lineup for Travis, and Hanna is worried about it.

A package addressed to the four girls is delivered to the house. Inside are Magic 8 balls for each of them, which spell out the phrase: “If she goes free, you’ll hear from me. Kisses —A”. They worry that if Hanna’s mom goes free, CeCe will come after them. Emily says to let her, but Spencer notes that she might have just declared “World War A”.

At the police station, Travis watches the lineup of women. At school, Ezra thanks Aria for stopping by the previous night. Aria says she is glad to be there for him as a friend, leaving Ezra looking disappointed. In the hall, Aria calls Jake and asks him if he wants to go to a poetry reading, but settles on a movie at her house instead.

After school, Hanna and Caleb go to the police station. Caleb sits with Ashley and she thanks Caleb for being there for Hanna. Caleb says that Hanna is a strong girl, and she gets it from Ashley. The district attorney arrives and breaks the news that they are clearing all charges against Ashley, and while Hanna and Ashley hug, Caleb nods a thank you to Travis.

Paige and Emily sit outside of the school. Paige says she is thrilled for Hanna and her mom, but is worried about Emily. Emily replies that A is a terrorist and it’s working on them. She says that they now know to look out for CeCe. Paige offers for Emily to stay with her at night, and Emily happily agrees.

At Hanna's house, Spencer worries about Toby, who has not been seen or heard from and has not been returning

her messages or calls. Ashley goes out to celebrate with Ted. Soon after, the girls receive another package.

They open it and find a small white coffin, and inside is a doll that represents Mona. They get a text from A, which threatens that if they don’t find Mona, the cops will think that they killed her. Hanna calls Radley to see if Mona is

still there, but in the meantime, Caleb stops by and they watch the news. A sketch of a blonde woman resembling CeCe is shown and wanted for questioning about the murder of Wilden. They are now all convinced that CeCe did, in fact, kill Wilden. Caleb notes that someone has to recognize her, and Emily says that they have to find Mona fast.

Off the phone with Radley, Hanna says that Mona is no longer a patient there and it is privileged information on whether she was released or moved elsewhere. Hanna, Paige and Emily go off to look for Mona while Spencer decides to ask Wren.

At Wren’s apartment, Spencer knocks but no one answers. It looks desertd inside. As she leaves, she sees Jenna’s old car, and looks back through the window, where someone has hastily stepped aside. It is Shana.

At school, Paige and Emily enter the French club and meet Jackie, a fellow student. Jackie says that Mona called the club and said that she would be there. She is surprised that Mona hasn’t shown up, since it was her welcome back party.

At The Brew, Toby cries while looking over memorabilia of him and his mother. He ignores another message from Spencer and comes across Shana, who gathers some papers and walks away. She drops a paper and he picks it up. It suggests that Melissa and Wren are moving in together despte being together before.

He goes to Spencer’s house and shows her the paper, while on the news, CeCe is identified and wanted for

Wilden's murder. Spencer tells Toby that she's angry that he didn't try to contact her and that he can't just disappear without a word, not after what happened the last time when she found who she thought was Toby dead in the woods. Toby apologizes and says that he stayed in Rosewood for her, and that breaking into Palmer’s car is the closest he wants to get to A, no longer wanting A's version of the truth.

Jake leaves from a movie date at Aria's house. Meanwhile, Hanna and Caleb sit in their car outside Mona’s house in case Mona arrives. Caleb still doesn’t trust her, but Hanna says that she stuck her neck out for her mom. Caleb says that if Mona is in trouble, it isn’t Hanna’s fault.

Emily is at Paige’s house, looking tense. Paige tells her not to worry and that she is safe here, but Emily says

she is worried about Mona. Paige says that she understands worrying about CeCe, but not Mona. Emily replies that they made Mona how she turned out to be, but Paige says that Alison did that. Emily says that they let her.

Aria runs into Ezra at The Brew, and they strike up a conversation about one of Aria’s poems about Ali amongst other pieces of literature. Meanwhile, the other liars and their respective lovers are shown. Aria kisses Ezra on the lips but they play it off. Red Coat watches from outside.

The next day, the four girls are gathered at Spencer’s house. None of them have found Mona and they are worried. Another package arrives; an empty black wooden box. However, Spencer opens it a certain way, thanks to her

expertise with magic tricks. A saw with a message appears in the box. "Watch me make a girl disappear. Kisses,

- A"

Toby and Caleb wait outside Mona’s house, noting that her parents are out of town. Caleb goes home while Toby stays. Back at Spencer’s, Hanna studies the box while the others go online to see if there are any magic shows going on nearby. They find one that is taking place in Ravenswood that very day, and they decide that it can’t be a coincidence. They head out for Ravenswood.

Outside Mona’s house, Jenna’s car, driven by Shana, pulls out of the driveway and Toby starts his car to follow it. He calls Spencer and tells her while the four girls pull into Ravenswood. Spencer tells the girls.

The girls find a sign leading them to Charlemagne’s Magic Show, an outdoor magic show hosted by a strange mime. The mime picks Aria for a disappearing act and after much hesitation, she agrees. The trick goes well, but afterwards, they notice that Emily is missing. They get a text from A that reads “leger de main”, which means “sleight of hand”. The girls realize that while they were distracted, A kidnapped Emily.

They call Emily’s cell, and she is awoken by the ringing, in a box. She tells the girls that she has no idea where she is and she begins to panic when she hears a saw coming for her. The girls turn and see Red Coat running away from them, turning a street corner.

The girls chase her into an old warehouse, and see a wooden coffin chained up on a conveyor belt, headed for an electric wood cutting saw. The girls race to the coffin and try to open it, with Emily screaming inside. They try to cut the chains, but it seems too late until Red Coat presses a button and stops the machine. The girls turn and see her leave the building, but there is another Red Coat heading up the stairs. The girls realize that there are two Red Coats, and while Hanna opens the coffin and gets Emily out, Aria chases one Red Coat while Spencer pursues the other.

Spencer follows her Red Coat down the street and into a building, while Aria chases the Red Coat that went up the stairs. On the upper floor of the warehouse, Aria’s Red Coat becomes cornered by Aria and a small fight ensues. Aria kicks her in the face, which dislodges her Ali mask to reveal CeCe's face.

“Give it up, CeCe!” Aria screams, but CeCe kicks Aria and climbs onto a rope hanging from the ceiling, before the rope snaps. Aria tries to save her, but her coat sleeve tears and CeCe falls ot the floor.

Spencer returns to the warehouse, breathless, and Aria gets downstairs. They are unsure if CeCe is unconscious or dead. Aria feels responsible for CeCe’s fall. The girls turn away from CeCe to console Aria, who wants to call the police. However, CeCe is still alive, and when the girls turn back, she's gone.

Spencer rushes the girls out of the warehouse quickly, saying that she needs to show them something. She says that the Red Coat she chased might have been Ali, because she waited for Spencer to catch up, as if making sure Spencer followed her.

They arrive at the apartment building Red

Coat brought Spencer to. They go up to the apartment and find the entire apartment filled with blown-up pictures of Alison— portraits, candid shots and more. In one painting, a small hole is cut out, and we see that someone, who is wearing mascara, is watching them.

There are whiteboards showing a timeline of each girl’s lives since the A text

messages began, reaching all the way back to Ali’s funeral. Hanna glances at some desks and sees a diary with a lock on it. She slides it into her pocket. The girls walk around the apartment and find a large computer system with multiple screens, all monitoring the police, the streets, and the girls’ alarm systems. They now know how A has been keeping tabs on all of them.

Toby follows Shana to River Valley Bed and Breakfast, which appears to be in Ravenswood. Mona knits on a porch and Shana approaches her. Mona asks if Shana is sure “she is okay with this”, but Shana says “she” doesn’t have a choice. She hands Mona an envelope. Toby watches the two talk.

Back in A’s lair, the girls try to hack A’s computer system. They call Caleb for help, who says that he will get on the next bus to Ravenswood.

Spencer finds A’s bank account, and it seems like A has formed a corporation. According to the document, CeCe is on the payroll. The girls wonder if A paid CeCe to dress up as Red Coat to lead the girls away from Ali.

Meanwhile, the person behind the painting continues to watch them.

Hanna opens a wardrobe and sees multiple men’s suits and shoes. “I think A is a guy,” she says. Emily picks up what appears to be a large scrapbook, filled with pictures of Ali posing, and she is wearing the same outfit in each one. Hanna says she remembered buying the shirt with Ali, and she had said that she'd needed it for a date that night with an older guy. Spencer guesses that it was Wren, but Aria doesn't think so, noticing that A has been keeping tabs on Wren, too.

Spencer insists that everything has to lead back to Board Shorts, and that the name of A’s company is the same name of Ali’s favorite beach in Cape May. The girls wonder if Board Shorts took these photos, and if that is who CeCe is working for. Meanwhile, Aria wonders off to another whiteboard, and sees a complete timeline for Ali. While Aria examines it, the girls find a letter to Board Shorts that reveals that Ali met him in Rosewood and she lied about her age — she had claimed to be eighteen, and she was planning on taking him to Cape May.

Aria calls the girls over to Ali’s timeline, and says that A hasn’t only been following the girls, but also Ali, too. He has pinned Ali to the fire at the lodge and has been following her trail to Ravenswood. The girls stare at it in shock, and Emily says, “If Ali has been alive this whole time, then whose funeral did we go to?”

They see a picture on the timeline of a gas mask costume, and they also see a flier for a World War I-themed celebration of Ravenswood later that night. On the flier, written in red, is a note that says:Tonight, Alison, 11 PM.

The girls realize that Board Shorts thinks Ali is going to be at the celebration. Spencer says that they need to find Ali first.

They walk out of the building. Night has fallen, and the celebration will be starting soon. They are approached by Mrs. Grunwald, who tells them that it is dangerous for them to go chasing after Ali. Spencer says that she thought she never knew Ali, but Grunwald says that she lied to protect Ali.

According to Grunwald, Ali called Grunwald that summer to find out who was stalking her. Mrs. Grunwald believes herself to be a psychic, which is why Ali called her. The night Ali went missing, Mrs. Grunwald had a bad feeling so she drove to Ali's house. She walked into her backyard and saw Ali's hand reaching up from the ground. She pulled Ali out, who was bleeding from the head and was very confused. She put Ali into the car and drove her to the hospital. When they got there, Mrs. Grunwald ran in to get help, but while she was gone, Alison ran away.

When the girls ask for confirmation that Ali is still alive, Mrs. Grunwald says, “Haven’t you all felt it? She was never really gone.” She says she hasn’t seen Ali since that night, and says she probably won’t until she finds someone that she can trust. The girls say that Ali can trust them and she knows that, but Mrs. Grunwald says she isn’t sure about that.

When asked why she didn’t go to the police, Mrs. Grunwald says, “She doesn’t want to be found!” When asked why she is telling them this now, she says that they are all being watched and they need to leave Ravenswood. She says that he (Board Shorts/A) is hoping that they will lead him to Alison. They hear laughter — the celebration is beginning. Mrs. Grunwald walks away, saying: “He’s here.”

Caleb heads for Ravenswood while the others resolve to find Ali before A does. Aria isn't sure she believes

Grunwald, but the rest do, so they buy costumes for the celebration to see if Alison is alive or not.

A figure dressed in black watches the girls from the shadows. He walks to A’s apartment and walks inside, and when he sees that someone was in there, he angrily slams his wardrobe shut. It is revealed to be A, Ezra Fitz.

In the final shot, a man dresses in the gas mask costume, apparently getting

ready for the celebration in Ravenswood.

















Continuity

Alison is revealed to be alive meaning each of her visits to the liars were real:

In Moments Later where she visted Hanna in the hospital and said she had to see her despite the risk at when Hanna woke up she saw lipstick smudge on her glass.

Spencer in If These Dolls Could Talk where she talked to Ali during the night. Ali took prescription pills for the road and left the door open to indicate she was actually there.

indicate she was actually there. Emily in Over My Dead Body when she's saved from carbon monoxide poisoning in the barn, where Ali tells her she cannot tell her who A is "Because two can only keep a secret if one of them is dead." Ali kissed Emily and when Emily woke up and has been found by the Liars, she told them that Ali was alive for the kiss Alison and Emily shared felt real.

Aria in Misery Loves Company where Aria was sick with the flu and drugged by Meredith to find Ali's blackmailing diary pages. Aria woke up to Ali trying to find them and she attempts to ask who A really is, but Ali wouldn't disclose that to Aria, only saying that she sees A everywhere she is. When Aria woke up to reality, she saw the doll being placed on the table.

Title and Background

Aria falls victim to a "vanishing" magic trick while in Ravenswood. During this trick, Emily is kidnapped and knocked out by "A".

The title might refer to Red Coat, A, The Black Widow or Alison DiLaurentis. Alison often appears in the Liars' hallucinations and disappears without a trace. Red Coat and A often show up around the Liars and/or attack them, and quickly get away.

The title also might refer to the two Red Coats.

Main Cast

Guest Cast

Music

"This Isn't Control" by MS MR (Aria and Ezra at the brew talking, Emily and Paige watching a movie, Spencer and Toby cuddling, and Hanna resting on Caleb in his car)

(Aria and Ezra at the brew talking, Emily and Paige watching a movie, Spencer and Toby cuddling, and Hanna resting on Caleb in his car) "Shelter" by The Strange Familiar (Paige and Emily talking about Mona in her room)

(Paige and Emily talking about Mona in her room) "Yes It Do" by Chris Arena (Toby's looking through a box of thing from his mom)

RevelAtions

There are two Red Coats. One of the two are revealed in the finale. The first Red Coat is revealed to be CeCe Drake. The second Red Coat helps the Liars by leading Spencer to A's new lair and by saving Emily's life. Red Coat #2 will possibly be revealed in Grave New World.

Carla Grunwald is revealed to be a psychic and she pulled Alison out of her grave the night she was buried.

It is revealed/implied that Ezra Fitz is A and Board Shorts.

Inside A's lair are monitors so s/he can watch the Liars' every move as well as their alarm systems. A is also watching the police.

The Liars received three packages this episode from A: one having four Magic 8 Balls, the other a mini-coffin with a Mona doll in it. The third was a delicate black box with a saw inside of it, carrying the message "Watch me make a girl disappear. Kisses, - A".

The ending of this episode indicates that the Liars are still in Ravenswood since the Halloween episode will show the party that they are planning to "crash".

Ashley's charges are dropped as a result of Travis's confession claiming Ashley was not there when Wilden was shot.

Memorable Quotes

Hanna: That bitch has nine lives.

Ezra: Miss Montgomery, can I have a minute of your time?

Spencer: Or did she just declare World War 'A'?

A: If she goes free, you'll hear from me. Kisses, -A

Aria: Really, I - I just don't do boxes. Here, take her [points to Spencer], she loves magic.

Mrs. Grunwald: Haven't you all felt it? She was never really gone.

Hanna: I think A is a guy.

Aria: Give it up, Cece!

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