Is there any better way to spend one's time than by tumbling down a Pretty Little Liars fan theory rabbit hole? That was a trick question, of course, since the answer is obviously no. No, there is not. And while I've seen quite a few very impressive claims thrown into the mix, one theory in particular that's really caught my eye as of late is the idea that Toby is Charles' brother on PLL . Sure, it may seem like a bit of a stretch to those who are convinced that Jason and Charles are twins, however, a good rule of thumb to have regarding this show is that absolutely nothing is out of the realm of possibility. In fact, sometimes the more outrageous the claim, the more likely it is to come true.
But in reference to this specific fan speculation, Charles and Toby being brothers seems like a logical assumption when you stop and think about it. Not to mention, it would be a great way to tie in Toby's mother, Marion, more centrally into the storyline with the rest of the ensemble. Up until now, all we really know about her is that she became a patient at Radley and was killed either from jumping or being pushed off the roof. That leaves quite a few plot holes wide open. Like what was her connection to Jessica DiLaurentis, who — let's not forget — was a board member at Radley. Some viewers have speculated that they're actually sisters, given how much they look alike, while others simply think they were close friends. Either way, that bond could be what set this whole thing in motion.
OK, let's picture it. Marion gives birth to not one, but two sons (whether they're twins or not): Toby and Charles. However, perhaps there's something a little off about Charles or his existence needs to be kept a secret from Toby's father for one reason or another. (Maybe because he isn't actually the father.) Regardless, though, Marion needs someone else to look after her other son, which is where Jessica comes in. She could've even been the one to suggest keeping Charles at the Campbell Farm and offered to occasionally bring Toby to see him when his mom couldn't do so herself. And you know what that means…
This image above isn't actually of Jason and Charles like many of us had originally thought, but rather that of Charles and Toby. So what does that make the identity of the baby girl, you may ask? Jessica tells one of the boys to kiss his sister, thus making it look as though they were young versions of Jason and Alison. But what if their sister is actually Bethany instead of Alison? That's precisely what thebajanvibe Tumblr seems to think, and I can't help but agree.
At the very least they could all be half siblings, with Toby and Charles being full-blown brothers and Bethany being their half-sister — depending upon who her actual mother is, Jessica or Marion. (Is your brain hurting yet because mine sure is!)
The point is, though, that things are almost never what they seem on PLL. So if it looks like the children are obviously Alison, Charles, and Jason, then chances are that it's actually none of them. This series loves nothing more than to throw us for constant loops. So we have to be extra cautious about jumping to conclusions. Throwing three completely different kids into the mix would be something no one would expect — a prospect that is basically Rosewood's bread and butter. And considering how much Jessica came to visit Radley, we know it stems much more beyond that of being a good samaritan.
Still not completely impressed? Well, what if I added an extra twist to this already complex tale by saying that the real Toby is dead and his twin brother Charlie has been impersonating him for quite some time now? As Kate Greener on Facebook, so astutely pointed out, Spencer once thought she had seen Toby's dead body in the woods right before getting shipped off to Radley herself. If you recall, she even saw his trademark tattoo "901 Free at Last," but got distracted before she was able to remove the guy's helmet. So what if that really was him? What if Charles killed Toby (jealous of the life he was leading) and decided to assume his identity?
It would certainly explain why Toby's been acting so weird and different lately, what with his decision to become a cop and the growing distance between him and Spencer. Because it wasn't actually Toby anymore, and hadn't been for quite some time. Pretty crazy stuff, right? And yet, not crazy enough to make it seem impossible. But just in case you needed one more hint in regards to a Toby and Charles connection…
Notice the C. Cavanaugh signature in the Radley Patient Sign-In form. Could this be Charles' pseudo name that he uses instead of DiLaurentis when he's out doing A-like things. Maybe it's even supposed to be a nod in reference to what inspired all of this scheming in the first place. So regardless of whether they're brothers, twins, cousins, or what have you, rest assured there's more to this unlikely duo than meets the eye. I just hope Toby himself doesn't knowingly have a hand in it all. Otherwise, I fear Spoby would never be able to recover… that is, if Toby's even still alive, which is no guarantee at this point.
Images: Eric McCandless/ABC Family (3); Wifflegif; prettylittleliars/Tumblr (2); karevsprincess/Tumblr; sass-0ver-class/Tumblr
