Note that some of this entry will refer to Pennsylvania law and other parts will refer to New York law. This depends on where the crimes of this episode take place.
The premiere of season 5 begins in New York, seconds after we left off in the finale of season 4. The girls are in hiding, especially Alison. “A” is still on the loose because the girls thrive on letting “A” escape. The police arrive at the scene of Ezra’s shooting. Noel shows up right after Ezra got shot; he tells the police that he heard a gun shot and ran up to the roof where he found Ezra already on the ground. Noel’s arrival seems quick for a person allegedly neither aware of nor involved in the chaotic events of the season 4 finale. An ambulance arrives to rush Ezra to the hospital, and the girls stop Aria from approaching Ezra, because that could subject her to a long night of police questioning.
The girls devise a brilliant plan based on Spencer and Alison’s vast, historical knowledge. They decide, once again, that it’s best to split up. It’s worked so well for them in the past, so why not? Part of the plan involves Hanna calling the police informing them that the man who was shot is Ezra Fitz and that it didn’t look like an accident. Hanna suggests that the police send someone to the hospital because Ezra might not be safe there.
At the Hastings’ house, Veronica and Melissa discuss Alison; they have differing opinions. Veronica attempts to refrain from judging too quickly; nobody knows what Alison has been through during the past few years. Melissa sympathizes with the family of the other missing girl, the one who’s dead in Alison’s grave. Melissa emphasizes that she really thought it was Alison in that grave. Her tone is odd, like she knows more than she’s letting on. Melissa strongly disapproves of Alison, the walking time bomb, playing dead to her friends and family for all of this time. Melissa starts telling her mother that there’s something she should know, but Peter Hastings gives her a “shut up” look, and the Hastings family notices police lights outside of their house. Their doorbell rings just as they notice the lights.
CeCe escapes from police custody, and Detective Holbrook pays the Hastings a house call to inform them of this. He explains that CeCe knows that Alison was alive and that he thinks CeCe knows where the other PLLs are as well. He suggests that CeCe assaulted Officer Maple in some way and stole his patrol car to escape.
