Lucy Hale's Pretty Little Liars character, Aria Montgomery, is that cool, artistic girl that everyone wants to be — or at least be best friends with. Her seemingly ordinary high school life is complicated when her friend Ali (Sacha Pieterse) goes missing, and after falling for Ezra Fitz (Ian Harding) and getting stalked by a figure named "A," Aria's world is suddenly very full, confusing, and dramatic.
Many fans thought that Aria would end up being "A" but even though that didn't happen, Aria still changed a ton over the show's seven seasons. It's fascinating to compare her life in the pilot to what happens to her in the series finale.
Aria Meets Older Ezra In A Bar, Beginning Their Love Story
Ezra Fitz has some rough character development and fans will recall that in the pilot, he and Aria meet in a bar. It seems like Aria has found a great guy... but then she learns that he's her English teacher.
This moment is the beginning of Aria and Ezra's love story and also when Aria starts to change. She's no longer a naïve, innocent teenage girl but someone who is having an affair with an older guy, something that could get them both into hot water.
In Season 2, Aria's Dad Finds Out About Ezra And Things Get Complicated
In the second season, Aria's dad Bryon (Chad Lowe) finds out that she has been dating Ezra, and things in Aria's life become a lot more complicated.
Needless to say, her father doesn't love that his daughter is dating a much older man, and no one can blame him for that. This is a turning point for the character as Aria realizes that her love story isn't necessarily a fairy tale, at least not in everyone's eyes.
Aria Discovers Ezra's Son And Starts To Become More Independent
By the third season, Aria is in a super serious relationship with Ezra, but she still doesn't know everything about him. She spends some time with his brother Wesley (Gregg Sulkin) and discovers that Ezra actually has a kid. Aria also kisses Wesley, which could be considered one of the biggest mistakes she's made.
Finding out that Ezra's high school girlfriend got pregnant and kept the baby is tough for Aria, and this revelation is a big deal for her. She starts to become more independent at this point in the story, realizing that she can't rely solely on Ezra for her happiness.
In Season 4, Aria Is Single Again And Devastated That Ezra Could Be A
The mystery figure "A" isn't always well-crafted, but it's definitely a huge moment when the liars find out that Ezra could be "A" or is at least on the "A Team."
Aria is totally devastated by this, and to make matters worse, she's been single for a while now as she and Ezra are totally over (at least for the time being).
Ali Comes Back, Rocking Aria's World
While Aria never seemed as obsessed with Ali as the others did, since she wasn't trying to be more like her and she doesn't seem to care about being popular, she was still ruined by Ali's disappearance.
Now, Ali comes back, and Aria is totally rocked by this big event. She has to figure out how to navigate this new normal, learning to be Ali's friend again while figuring out what happened to her. It's a huge adjustment.
The Dollhouse Is A Big Moment For All Of The Liars
At the end of the fifth season, the liars are kidnapped and taken to the dollhouse, which is one of the most terrifying scenes in the show's history.
Aria definitely has a tough time because although they make it out alive, she can't help but remember everything that went down, and she's understandably in rough shape. She has to learn how to be a survivor and move on while acknowledging that she has been through major trauma.
Aria Tries To Forget Ezra And Rosewood And Dates Liam
In the sixth season, Aria thinks that she can forget Ezra, Rosewood, and everything that has happened to her.
She dates Liam (Roberto Aguire) and works at a publishing house, trying to make her literary dreams come true. This is a huge deal as she definitely never thought that she could move on from Ezra, and it seems like she can... at least for a little while. Of course, fans always guessed that they would end up together.
In Season 7, Aria Goes Rogue By Assisting A.D.
Sydney (Chloe Bridges) is A.D., and once Aria learns this, Sydney asks her to assist her.
Aria says yes, which is shocking and dramatic, but also a moment of change for the character. She is doing something that she probably never thought that she would and proving that she's stronger than she thought. What is Aria's motivation? She wants to help Ezra, and this cements their bond and the fact that they're meant to be together.
Aria Deals With Ezra Loving Nicole, Who Disappears And Is Then Found Alive
In the seventh season, Nicole (Nafessa Williams) turns out to be alive, and this is tough for Aria to deal with.
She already has to come to terms with Ezra falling in love with someone else, and now she has to wonder if Ezra is going to want to be with Nicole forever. Of course, it's not like she wanted Nicole to die, but she has been scared about what this means for her own life and future.
Aria And Ezra Get Married And Live Happily Ever After
Aria and Ezra are a beloved pair and it made sense that they would get married by the end of the series.
This just might be Aria's biggest transformation yet. She becomes Ezra's wife but before they walk down the aisle, she finds out that she can't have biological children. She imagines a life without Ezra as she figures that news would be too much for him and he would bail. She turns out to be wrong and the couple is closer than ever before. They've also found success with their literary career as their book is going to be adapted. Aria is the calm, cool and collected person that she always wanted to be, living happily ever after as a professional writer with her one true love by her side.