Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin – Chapter 7, Carnival of Souls [Recap & Review]

In this week’s episode of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Chapter 7 – Carnival of Souls we finally dive even deeper into Mouse’s story!

The episode opens with Mouse’s mom (Lea Salonga) receiving a letter inviting her to meet A in the hall of mirrors at the carnival. Next we flashback to 1999.  We see her kissing Angela. However, when they get caught by Davie she lies saying that Angela attacked her! More on this later.

Imogen and Tabitha relay the news that they learned about Rose and Angela while in Rosewood. All the girls on confused. Why is A coming after them? Why did they kill Karen if it has to do with Angela Waters from 20 years ago? Noa suggests that the Sheriff is A and then spills the beans about seeing him with the young boy during community service. 

Imogen

It’s baby simulator time for poor Imogen (Bailee Madison). She partners up with Chip to take care of the fake baby. When she gets home from school, Sydney asks her if she has any plans for her real baby – will she keep it or give it up for adoption? At this point, Imogen hasn’t thought about it and Syndey helps her make an appointment at the adoption agency, 

The next day at school, Imogen still has the baby and really not leaning on Chip. So, when she has to use the restroom she asks the secretary to watch it. However, when she returns the baby is missing and she FREAKS OUT! While frantically looking for it, she runs into Chip who reminds her it’ll start crying. When they’re quiet they hear it and find the fake baby in the janitor’s closet with a note from A – “You’re a bad mother.” Couldn’t disagree more, but go off A. 

At this moment, Chip and Imogen have a bonding moment and she tells him she’s going to the adoption agency after school. He offers to go with her to take care of the fake baby, as well as offer friend support. While there he starts acting like he’s the baby’s father which I find incredibly sketchy. Now, my creeper antenna is going off. I’m saying it now. Chip…if you are the rapist…Imma be UPSET!

When they leave the agency, Chip asks Imogen on a date to the Carnival which she accepts. However, she still clears it with Tabitha to make sure she wasn’t getting in the way of anything there. We all know Chip is super into Tabby. So…what is happening here?!

NOA AND TABITHA

Noa finally accepts the spot on the track team. However, she’s super slow and needs to catch up with the other players. She suggests she see a trainer. While there, the trainer tells her she’s got baby asthma and to start taking an inhaler that will help her get more air. She’s wildly uncomfortable with this and compares it to doping…which is…odd.

In film class, Tabitha’s latest assignment is to film a short about something that has happened in her life. I think we all know what she’s going to choose. When at work at the theater, she’s still having assault daydreams. This time she stabs Wes in the hand. She also goes back to the scene of the assault where she imagines A attacking her. Tabby is losing it. She shared her truth and now it’s haunting her. 

When talking with Imogen previously, she had suggested to Tabitha that maybe she should go to the police, but speak to the one female officer. So, Tabitha decides to follow that advice. However, while waiting she gets pulled into an office by Sheriff Beasley instead who proceeds to question her about Tyler’s disappearance. 

Faran

Faran’s mother, Corey, is okay and discharged from the hospital. So, while she has minor injuries she sure didn’t damage her mouth. Corey berates Faran; blaming her for the accident because of the new photo and the exposing biography statement. Faran confronts her mother about what she knows about the elective back surgery during all this and Corey doesn’t back down. She 100% still stands by her choice.

After the attack, Kelly has decided to leave dance altogether. This means Faran is offered all the lead roles. When Faran goes to talk to her about it Kelly blames Faran for the attack. She believes it was Henry dressed up to scare her and won’t hear anything else.

While rehearsing for her next lead role, Faran’s back pain is back. She confesses to Henry that she’s lived with chronic pain ever since the surgery 8 years ago, but she’s fine. Normally, I don’t love snitches. But in this case, Henry going to the dance teacher is the right thing to do. Her dance teacher suggests a specialist for her to go to. While there the specialist confirms that the spine surgery was absolutely a mistake. Faran needs to quit dance, wear a brace, and go to PT multiple times a week for the next 6 months!

Mouse

Mouse finally gets her time during Carnival of Souls! We learn that the reason her moms are so overprotective is because when Mouse was 5 she was almost kidnapped. A man offered her cotton candy at the carnival and she walked away from her moms. Even with this news, Mouse is determined to still live her life and go to the Carnival with Ash. 

Steve is still texting Mouse even after she told him to leave her alone. So, she finds him on Linkedin and shows up at his work. There she learns that Steve and her moms go to the same support group for missing children. So, it seems Mouse goes online to reach out to parents of missing children because she herself was almost snatched? I don’t get it, but finally, Steve agrees to go away, but does he mean it?

But that’s not where this ends. A sends Mouse a text saying, “The Man who tried to take you wasn’t a stranger”. What does A know that her parents aren’t telling her?

THE CARNIVAL OF SOULS

The Carnival is where everything goes down! Chip and Imogen have this incredibly weird conversation about dating each other or not. The Rosewood boys show up to cause a ruckus, but Noa shuts that shit down quickly!

While Mouse is at the Carnival her mother gets a text from A, “You’re not being honest. Your worst fears will come true.” A has been watching over the entire carnival and follows Mouse and Ash into the maze of mirrors. Watching this moment is like watching a Weekend music video. Mouse and Ash are lost while A is chasing them through the maze like a track star! Quick tip – look at the floor, it’ll lead you out!

Mouse and Ash eventually get out of the maze and run into her mother! This is when she finally confesses the truth about Mouse. The man from the carnival that gave her cotton candy wasn’t a stranger…it was her father. Apparently, Mouse’s mother was supposed to be a surrogate who didn’t give the couple their baby!

Mouse also confesses that she’s the one who sent that text to her mother and not A. When Mouse is sharing this newfound life information with the girls they all receive a text from A – a photo of a dead Tyler. 

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin – Chapter 7, Carnival of Souls – REVIEW

I really appreciate how this series is handling the assault storyline. The writing handles such a delicate subject matter with concern and care. The realism of Imogena and Tabby’s fears about coming forward are all too real. They also aren’t writing off the trauma that comes along with it. 

I also love seeing the girls bond more by sharing personal stories and moments like Imogen sharing her date night with Tabitha. 

I’m so glad we finally have more clarity on Mouse and WTF she’s doing with Steve. While I don’t understand it or care for the storyline, I appreciate that they’ve finally given her more to do than just being around. 

Faran continues to have the saddest story to me. She has gone from my least favorite character to one of my favorite. Now, I need Noa to take the wheel. She has incredible moments, but I want more!

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