As all Pretty Little Liars fans know, the cast is filled with good looking people. I’m just here to talk about the guys, and one specifically. I know there are a lot of Ezra fans out there. Everyone loves a super cute English teacher. I was also a big fan in the beginning, but now I have to say Toby Cavanaugh all the way.
It’s crazy to think Toby was killed off in the books and was supposed to leave in season 1 of the show. I. Marlene King, the show’s creator, said in the HelloGiggles interview, “We fell in love with him and decided to bring him back and redeem him. We made him less of a Boo Radley and more of an honest, moral compass to the show.”
In the beginning, Toby’s looks reminded me of that dude from The Band Perry (band that sings ‘If I Die Young’) with that weird flat bowl haircut. He was a mysterious, brooding guy, which made him seem like the most untrustworthy, sketchy person on the show. He lurked around- popping up in the backseat of Em’s car and leading Emily into a dark chem lab. Who doesn’t turn on some lights? Creepy.
Creeper Alert!
Even Spencer, who is in love with Mr. Cavanaugh, did not trust him in the beginning. She said things like, “He could seriously be dangerous” and “The devil has a name and it’s Toby!” Shouldn’t second guess yourself, Spence. Although, I think we all followed in her footsteps, at least I did.
All of a sudden there was this turning point- Spencer started to see goodness in him. I think winning Scrabble with the word ‘goofball’ may have sealed the deal for her. Oh, and possibly when he was lying in bed shirtless and the moonlight was reflecting off of his abs. Uh, who can deny that? I mean- he kind of became sexy after that.
It seems like every couple on the show has that Romeo and Juliet romance, where the parents forbid their love. Ezra and Aria- a student-teacher relationship that most parents would not agree with for obvious reasons. Hello, it’s kind of illegal, but he’s cute and perfect. Also, Ezra’s mom wanted to pay Aria to get out of the picture. Caleb and Hanna- where Hanna’s mom didn’t support the bad boy, homeless guy, but her view was changed when she realized she was once poor. Emily and Maya- Emily’s mom just didn’t accept that her daughter was gay and she helped send Maya off. (OMG- she is kind of responsible for Maya’s death!) But she totally accepts Emily for who she is now. And then of course- Toby and Spencer. Jenna, his stepsister, disapproves because she loves Toby (Ew) and Spencer’s family thinks Toby is sketchy. Well, forbidden love is sexier (obviously) and it always adds more reuniting, spinning camera kisses. Ugh, cute.
The amount of times Spencer gives Toby that ‘Holy hell I want to bang’ face when she sees his body is hilarious and truthful. As we know, she gives up her card in the summer finale. I was always jumping between everyone for who the betrAyer was going to be. I was thinking Caleb, but they made that seem way too easy in the finale. After that sex scene and their goodbye, that look Toby gave kind of confirmed it for me. I think I might have said, “Oh no, it’s him!” At the end of the episode, the six-pack Dalai Lama (as Emily called him) was revealed as part of the “A” team.
The writers have said that he’s the moral compass and have also said that he does not have good intentions. But he does seem to genuinely love Spencer as his girlfriend and Emily as his friend. He even has heart-to-hearts with Em about her drunken black-out summer. Keegan Allen, who plays Toby, has perfected acting with his eyes. (Probably learned it from watching Tyra.) One moment he can have sweet, loving eyes, and the next they could look pure evil.
Evil eyes!
Do you really think he’s fully evil? I mean he has motive to being “A” and his motive is good. The girls went along with Alison’s plan to frame him for the fire and sent him away. They led the entire town to believe that he was some kind of monster. I mean, people even cross the street when they see him coming! Talk about torturing the poor guy. So he has plenty of reason for revenge and to torture them back. Is he really evil enough to help drug Emily like 3 times? Does he really want to hurt Spencer? Did he really dig up Alison’s grave? Who else is helping him? So many questions.
Tonight is the Halloween special and it looks like it’s going to be another edge-of-your-seat episode. Someone is supposed to die…eek! I’m super excited to see it! Happy Pretty Little Halloween! Let me know your thoughts on the “A” Team and my boy- Toby Cavanaugh!
(Featured Image via Keegan’s Instagram. Other images- Car Photo, Kiss Photo, and “A” Toby.)
Loving seeing a PLL article! I wasn’t expecting Toby to be A because they made him seem so sketchy in S1 but I love it! Can’t wait to see what happens when Spencer finds out; Trion is an amazing actress so it should be brilliant!
Thanks! =) Totally agree! Troian is awesome.
I’m still holding out hope that Toby joined the A Team to help the girls in some way. Like he was the one that called Emily and told her to get out of the house before that dude tried to kill her, and she kept Mona from doing more harm that night, etc. A few episodes back he said he was going to have to find out what was going on for himself When Spencer wouldn’t come clean, so I think that’s what happened. Hopefully….I don’t want Toby to be bad. He’s too pretty to be bad.
With 3-6 A’s around, there’s no reason to think most of this stuff was by Toby’s hands. We don’t even know when Toby joined. The most logical time was after Season2 Ep07, since Marlene says that’s the first time we see him lie, and after she defined him as the show’s moral compass, and only character never to have lied (this also eliminates lying off screen.)
People also only crossed the street after he seemed to have killed Alison, not for blinding Jenna.
The Liars didn’t stick up for him? Neither did his folks? Is Toby terrorizing them, too? The whole town thought he killed Ali. Is he Aing everybody in town? Makes no sense to suddenly go after four girls because they didn’t say No, Ali blinded Jenna. Especially knowing by then nobody says no to Ali. Might as well go after someone for not holding a door open when his hands were full. At least we’ll see his journey to A-hood in 2013.
If he is “evil,” at least evil comes in a beautiful package. I’m totally on Team Toby!
This has to be my favorite entry on here in a LONG time! I thought I was the only one still reeling from the midseason finale! I refuse to believe that Toby is pure evil. I mean, they say that he truly loves Spencer, and that he’s the only honest person in the town, and other positive things. Then they say that he doesn’t have good intentions. But to who? The other people on the “A Team”? Or the PLL themselves… I refuse to believe Mr. Six Pack is all bad… But then again, ‘Ali’ was horrible to him, and they didn’t stick up for him.. So, really, who knows?
Whoa, what a compliment. I don’t think that could possibly be true, but thanks so much!