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5 Shocking Roles Cece Drake Played In Pretty Little Liars: The Ultimate 'A' Retrospective

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The character of Cece Drake, also known by her birth name Charles DiLaurentis and later as Charlotte DiLaurentis, remains one of the most complex and controversial figures in the history of the hit mystery series *Pretty Little Liars* (*PLL*). Her introduction in Season 3 under the pseudonym Cece Drake was just the beginning of a years-long mystery that culminated in one of television's most shocking and debated reveals: that she was the infamous "Big A." As of December 22, 2025, fan discussions and retrospective analyses continue to dissect her motivations, her victims, and the cultural impact of her storyline, proving that the enigma of Cece Drake is far from solved. This deep dive examines the five most significant roles Cece Drake played, moving beyond the simple "who is A" question to explore the psychological depth and enduring legacy of the character, which has kept her at the center of the *PLL* universe even years after the show's finale.

The Complete Profile: Who is Cece Drake?

To fully understand the character, one must first untangle the web of aliases and family secrets that define her existence. Cece Drake is not a simple character; she is a fractured identity shaped by trauma, secrecy, and the bizarre dynamics of the DiLaurentis and Drake families.

  • Birth Name: Charles DiLaurentis. Born to Mary Drake, but raised by Jessica DiLaurentis as her nephew, believing he was her son.
  • Official Name: Charlotte DiLaurentis. She transitioned and was given this name while institutionalized.
  • Primary Alias: Cece Drake. The name she adopted upon returning to Rosewood as a young woman.
  • Other Aliases: "A," Varjak, Charlie, Freddie.
  • Family Connections: Biological daughter of Mary Drake (Jessica DiLaurentis’ twin sister) and Ted Wilson. Adoptive sibling to Alison DiLaurentis and Jason DiLaurentis.
  • Actress: Vanessa Ray. Ray won the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Villain for her performance.
  • Timeline in PLL: Introduced in Season 3. Revealed as "A" in the Season 6A finale. She was killed in the Season 6B premiere.

Cece Drake as a Friend: The Twisted Bond with Alison DiLaurentis

Cece’s first major role in Rosewood was as Alison DiLaurentis’ mysterious, older, and strikingly similar friend. Their relationship was intensely co-dependent and manipulative, mirroring the dark side of Alison’s own personality.

A Mentor and an Accomplice.

Cece was more than just a friend; she was a mentor who taught Alison the tricks of manipulation and how to maintain her Queen Bee status. They shared a similar sense of fashion and a penchant for secrets, leading the Liars (Aria Montgomery, Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, and Emily Fields) to initially mistake Cece for Alison upon their first meeting.

This "best friend" facade, however, was built on a foundation of lies. Cece was obsessed with Alison, seeing her as the perfect sister and the only person who truly accepted her. This obsession twisted into a dangerous need for control after Alison's disappearance.

The Seeds of Hatred.

The relationship eventually soured, with Cece later claiming a motive for her "A" behavior was that Alison had gotten her expelled from UPenn. While her affection for Alison remained, the line between love and resentment blurred, allowing Cece to justify torturing the Liars as a way to punish them for not caring enough about Alison.

The complexity of this friendship—a deep, sisterly bond used as a cover for years of psychological torture—is a core element of the character's enduring fascination.

Cece Drake as 'A': The Mastermind of Torture

The most infamous role Cece Drake played was that of "Big A," the primary antagonist who tormented the Liars from Season 3 through the Season 6A finale. Her tenure as "A" was marked by elaborate schemes, high-tech surveillance, and a level of cruelty that surpassed her predecessors.

The Radley Sanitarium Connection.

Cece’s entire operation was rooted in her institutionalization at Radley Sanitarium. It was there she met Mona Vanderwaal, the original "A," who was in a highly medicated state. Mona, believing Cece was Alison, shared the "A" game with her, giving Cece the blueprint and the motivation to take over.

Her motives, while controversial among fans, were presented as a twisted form of revenge and a desperate cry for attention. She felt abandoned by her family (Jessica DiLaurentis) and lashed out at the people she believed were responsible for her pain, including the Liars, whom she saw as having replaced Alison.

Key 'A' Accomplices and Entities:

  • Mona Vanderwaal: Handed the game over to Cece.
  • Sara Harvey: Served as Cece's "Red Coat" and "Black Widow" accomplice, living in the dollhouse with her.
  • Bethany Young: Cece pushed Bethany off a roof at Radley, believing she was Alison, a key event in the "A" timeline.
  • The Dollhouse: Cece's ultimate torture chamber, where she held the Liars captive and recreated her childhood playroom.

Her reveal, while providing answers to years of mysteries, also sparked intense debate over the plausibility of her backstory and the logistics of her elaborate, years-long reign of terror.

Cece Drake as a Cultural Lightning Rod: The Transgender Storyline Retrospective

Perhaps the most significant and debated aspect of Cece Drake’s character is her identity as a transgender woman, Charlotte DiLaurentis, who was born Charles. This storyline, revealed in the episode "Game Over, Charles," remains a major point of discussion in the *PLL* fandom and in broader media analysis.

The Controversy.

The core of the controversy stems from the decision to make the show's primary villain a transgender character. Critics argued that associating a trans character with mental illness (her time in Radley) and violent, manipulative behavior perpetuated harmful tropes and stereotypes about the transgender community.

Fan and Creator Perspective.

While the show’s creator, I. Marlene King, intended the reveal to be a story of acceptance and a plea for empathy, many fans and critics felt the execution was flawed, especially by linking her transition and her "A" behavior to her institutionalization. Retrospective analyses in 2024 continue to highlight this as a major plot hole and a missed opportunity for positive representation, despite the character's complexity.

The character's story forced a national conversation about transgender representation on television, making Cece Drake a figure whose legacy extends far beyond the mystery of "A."

Cece Drake as a Plot Device: Untangling the DiLaurentis Web

Beyond her personal trauma and villainous acts, Cece Drake served a crucial narrative function: she was the key to unlocking the entire, convoluted DiLaurentis family history. Her identity connected the dots between multiple previously unconnected mysteries.

Connecting the Entities.

Her existence as Charles, Charlotte, and Cece tied together the secrets of Jessica DiLaurentis, the mysterious disappearance of Bethany Young, the truth about Mary Drake (her biological mother), and the identity of the final "A" (Alex Drake, her half-sister). Without Cece, the Liars would never have fully understood the depth of the lies that had plagued Rosewood for decades.

In this sense, Cece Drake was less a person and more a narrative nexus—a living embodiment of the DiLaurentis family's darkest secrets. Her story explained why the family was so obsessed with hiding the truth and why so many people were buried (literally and figuratively) in Rosewood. Her death in Season 6B, while tragic, was the catalyst for the final mystery, proving that even in death, she remained the central force driving the plot forward.

5 Shocking Roles Cece Drake Played in Pretty Little Liars: The Ultimate 'A' Retrospective
cece drake as a
cece drake as a

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