There's someone like Spencer Hastings in every tight-knit group of friends. To call her a perfectionist is an understatement, as she's organized, smart, and also very tough on herself. This main character on Pretty Little Liars is such a fan favorite because she seems real. While there is a lot about this show that is out there and would never actually happen, Spencer's story mirrors that of many teenage girls who put pressure on themselves.

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Spencer has a tragic life in many ways but she also proves that hope is possible, as she ends up in a happy place in the series finale. Between the first season of PLL and the finale, Spencer became a different woman, although she kept some of her best qualities.

Changed: Learned Mary Drake Is Her Birth Mom

mary drake on pretty little liars

The introduction of Mary Drake was a huge moment on Pretty Little Liars. Spencer experienced a big change when she learned that Veronica Hastings wasn't actually her birth mom.

Spencer found out that Mary Drake had given birth to her, and in the finale, she realized she was a twin, too. Learning about being adopted is definitely enough to shake up anyone's world, and Spencer's vision of her so-called perfect family unit kept shifting.

The Same: Always Determined To Locate "A"

spencer hastings on pretty little liars

In every episode of Pretty Little Liars, it seemed like "A" was sending terrible texts to the girls, and they were forced to look over their shoulders everywhere that they went.

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Spencer stayed the same because she was always determined and passionate about locating "A." Sure, this often meant putting herself in dangerous situations or going rogue and ignoring what her friends wanted her to do, but she was okay with that.

Changed: The Town Thought She Killed Bethany Young

Spencer looking distressed in Pretty Little Liars

Season 5 was a difficult one for Spencer. The whole town thought that she killed Bethany Young, the girl who was buried alive instead of Alison, and she was even arrested.

This was a big change for the character, as in the first season, Spencer was a "good girl" who, everyone loved and looked up to. She was considered a great role model, but by season 5, she was a major suspect in a murder, and public perception changed.

The Same: Took Care Of Her Friends

Hanna Emily Aria Spencer staring at a cell phone on Pretty Little Liars

Spencer was always a solid friend to Hanna, Emily, Aria, and Ali. She helped them when she could and she was loyal throughout the whole show.

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Whether this meant going after a clue or not telling them something that would upset them, Spencer always had her friends' best interests at heart, and she had a lot of compassion for them.

Changed: Had To Take Better Care Of Herself

spencer hastings on pretty little liars

Even though PLL is a juicy teen drama, with plot twists, scandalous secrets, and dramatic love stories, the show does become serious at times. One of the most important storylines is Spencer's mental health journey.

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In season 1, Spencer figured that she was strong and could get through anything as long as she studied a lot and worked hard. But she learned that she had to take better care of herself by the series finale. From insomnia to taking pills and depression, Spencer has been through a lot, and ignoring her health wasn't going to work anymore.

The Same: Always Had Passionate Flings That Burnt Out Fast

spencer wren pretty little liars

It's fun to ship potential couples on PLL and in Spencer's case, she actually had crushes on quite a few people throughout the teen drama's seven seasons.

Spencer always had brief, passionate flings that ended just as fast as they started. She fell for Wren Kingston, who was engaged to her sister Melissa at the time (and who ended up being in a relationship with her evil twin Alex Drake). Spencer also kissed Melissa's partner Ian Thomas, dated Alex Santiago, and later on, started seeing Marco Furey.

Changed: Moved Far From Home And Joined The Political World

Spencer looking surprised on Pretty Little Liars

When all of the liars moved away from Rosewood, Spencer headed for Washington. She joined the world of political lobbying and it seemed like a good fit.

By leaving her hometown, Spencer went through a big change. She started growing up and finding her footing in the adult world. Instead of being a kid who let her parents make all the major decisions in her life, she tried something new.

The Same: Always Loved Toby

toby spencer pretty little liars

Fans ship many PLL pairs and that includes lovebirds Toby and Spencer. She never stopped loving him.

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It's comforting that despite the turns in the liars' lives, they all felt the same way about their major love interests, and everyone ended the show together. Spencer couldn't forget Toby, even when he married Yvonne or drifted away from her.

Changed: Fell In Love Unexpectedly

Caleb and Spencer standing on opposite sides of a door and crying on Pretty Little Liars

It's easy to be critical of Spencer's character arc as there were a lot of misses. But it was a big (and exciting) twist when she started seeing Hanna's ex-boyfriend Caleb Rivers. The fact that Spencer fell in love unexpectedly was a huge change in her world.

She never thought she would be with anyone except for Toby, so this was a really different experience for her. While Caleb and Spencer might have seemed like an odd pair, they worked in some ways, and they're both more sensitive and emotional than they think they are.

The Same: Had Different Opinions Than Her Friends (Like About The Board Game)

The board game on Pretty Little Liars

Spencer was never one to follow the crowd or do what other people told her to do, and this was most obvious with the board game "Liar's Lament" that "A" created.

The girls got mad at Spencer, who was the inaugural player for the game, as they said that they would ignore it and she went ahead and took her turn. Spencer always felt differently from her friends about some things, and she kept that up, even as everything around her changed.

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