"Emison" May Not Be Built To Last

Is there a power couple in Rosewood? Not so fast. The 100th episode of Pretty Little Liars was full of surprises, but perhaps no development was more surprising than Alison and Emily's sleepover hookup. As we've known from day one, Ali was Emily's first real love — and the first girl that Emily fell for. Before Ali ran away, she loved toying with Emily's feelings for her, even making mean jokes about Emily's sexuality while continuing to flirt with her friend. Now that Ali is back in Rosewood, Emily's crush on Ali is stronger than ever — especially now that Ali has admitted that she did have "real feelings" for her friend all along. In Tuesday's episode, Emily and Ali's tension finally come to a head, and the two finally get their first serious makeout session. It's the moment that Emison shippers have been waiting for — but is this hookup for real? I'm not so sure.

When it comes to Ali, it's always hard to pinpoint whether she's being genuine or just playing you really, really well. Her feelings for Emily are particular tricky to decipher. Is Ali really in love with her friend Emily? There's enough evidence to make the case for both sides.

YES: Ali's always had a special place in her heart for Emily.

Ali knew Emily was in love with her probably before even Emily did. Though Ali would often make snarky remarks to Emily regarding her sexual orientation, that didn't stop Ali from always calling Emily her "favorite" and giving her special treatment from the rest of the girls. Emily was always the person that Ali held the closest to her heart, and there's evidence that it was more than simply platonic. When Ali pulled Emily out of the carbon monoxide-filled barn, she kissed Emily, despite knowing that Emily might not remember their encounter. Though we'll never be able to get inside Ali's head, that moment definitely appeared genuine.

NOPE: Ali's a master manipulator... and needs Emily more than ever.

Ali kept her power by manipulating people, and Emily wasn't exempt from Ali's manipulative ways. Ali toyed with Emily's heart for years, knowing that, no matter what, Emily would still come running if Ali ever needed her. Ali saw Emily's loyalty to Ali wavering after her return to Rosewood, which could be the real reason Ali made a move on Emily. Ali might not be able to keep all of her friends if her bad behavior escalated, but having romantic ties to Emily would keep her loyal... even in Ali's heart wasn't in the right place.

YES: Ali loving Emily explains her hatred of Paige.

Ali has always had it out for Paige, and knew about Paige's crush on Emily long before either of them came out. Ali could have made a preemptively strike on Paige in order to stop Emily and Paige from ever dating — which would have broken her heart.

NOPE: Ali's not capable of real love.

Ali dated a lot of guys before leaving Rosewood — Ian, Ezra, and that random kid with the plane were all with Ali at roughly the same time. Ali may have feigned affection for each of them, but ultimately, it was to get something that she wanted. Ali likes the thrill of the chase, but when it comes to being open and vulnerable, she's far more comfortable telling lies.

YES: Emily's the only person Ali can open up to.

Ali may not have had genuine feelings for the guys she was with in high school, but that doesn't necessarily mean her romantic interest in Emily is also faked. In fact, Ali always appeared the most vulnerable when she was with Emily. Perhaps that's a sign that Emily is the one person she really can trust and therefore the one person with whom a real romantic relationship would work.

There's evidence to be made for both sides of the argument, but I'm still skeptical about whether or not the world's best liar is being honest about her feelings.

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