I. Marlene King Gave 'Pretty Little Liars' Fans the Spoby Kiss They Wanted
The seventh and final season of "Pretty Little Liars" ended with a bang in June -- but it wasn't sealed with the kiss Spoby shippers wanted to see.
Showrunner I. Marlene King did her best to right that wrong last Friday, sharing new tweets featuring the couple. Over the course of 10 tweets, she gave fans a complete, if short, scene that focused on Spencer (Troian Bellisario) and Toby (Keegan Allen). The first began with her writing, "It begins," plus the first two sentences appearing in an attached image. King then went on to create a touching moment.
It begins. pic.twitter.com/gol7qMilMD
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
Toby was waiting for her at the center island. His work was going as expected. Over 50 units sheltering the Philly homeless.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
Spencer left the office early that day. She was earning her law degree at Hollis Colege while clerking with her mom in Rosewood.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
Toby also left early that day. There was something weighing on his mind. Something he needed to talk about with Spencer.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
When he saw her. When she saw him. It was as if they both understood why they left early.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
What Toby needed to tell Spencer didn't matter. He needed to hold her. To tell her she was his safe place to land. She soaked it in.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
Like it might be the last time she ever held him.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
There was so much they needed to talk about. But what they both understood was their need to connect.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
Toby kissed Spencer like there may never be another tomorrow.
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
Spencer kissed him back, setting aside all her turmoil. If tomorrow never happened...
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 6, 2018
The tweets, of course, culminated in a kiss, which should make Spoby fans happy. There was backlash from the faction in June after they found out Toby had unwittingly hooked up with Spencer's evil twin, Alex Drake (also played by Bellisario). The response surprised King and her fellow writers because they'd assumed fans would be pleased.
"It never occurred to any single one of us that those fans would be unhappy with the ending because I feel like there's this remarkable, wonderful moment between Spencer and Toby where he realizes she is the real Spencer," she told EW in December. "He was her knight in shining armor."
King said at the time that she still felt bad about it, so her new story looks like a way of making amends. Interestingly, she left it open-ended and may be even writing additional material. When Just Jared Jr. tweeted her to ask for more, she wrote that she was "working on it."
Working on it https://t.co/74Mz86Bq2H
— I. Marlene King (@imarleneking) January 10, 2018
We have no idea what that will be or when it will happen, but we'll keep an eye out for you, Spoby shippers.