Aria’s decision to join the A team was complex and driven by several factors. At her core, Aria desired connection, community, and a sense of belonging. The A team seemed to offer her an opportunity to find those things after feeling like an outsider for so long. However, Aria’s choice was also influenced by grief, anger, and a desire for vengeance against those who had hurt her and her loved ones. Ultimatley, Aria’s journey to the A team symbolized her search for identity and her attempt to take control of her life’s direction.
Feeling Like an Outsider
For much of her adolescence, Aria felt like an outsider in Rosewood. She was viewed as “weird” by her peers and constantly scrutinized by adults. Even among her closest friends, Aria often felt misunderstood and alone. She struggled to share her true self with others and found herself hiding major parts of who she was.
This sense of isolation only grew after Alison DiLaurentis disappeared. As the rest of Rosewood turned against Alison’s friends, Aria lost her strongest social connections. She was cruelly bullied and harassed at school. At home, her family was fracturing under the strain of scandal and suspicion. Aria’s already tenuous links to community completely collapsed.
So when Aria returned to Rosewood after a year away, she was desperately searching for connection. She wanted to find people who would understand and accept her. The A team seemed to offer the community she craved.
Anger and Revenge
Along with isolation, Aria also harbored anger and a need for vengeance. She was furious with those who had bullied and judged her over the years. The mysterious A allowed her to finally exact revenge after feeling helpless for so long.
Joining the A team gave Aria access to resources for seeking retribution against enemies like Jenna and Mona. She could use her insider knowledge to get justice for herself and her friends. After being tormented by A’s games, the chance to turn the tables was appealing.
Additionally, Aria wanted payback against the adults like Detective Wilden who had accused her and Alison’s friends of murder. She was tired of being a victim and saw the A team as a vehicle for flipping the script. Her anger made the scheme enticing.
Grief and Loss
The apparent death of Alison DiLaurentis left Aria lost in grief. Alison had been her closest friend and confidante. After Alison’s disappearance, Aria felt as if a limb had been severed.
When Mona told Aria that Alison was actually alive, it re-opened Aria’s profound sense of loss. She realized she had spent years grieving someone who wasn’t dead. This knowledge fueled Aria’s need to find answers and reconnect with her lost friend.
By joining the A team, Aria gained access to information about Alison and what had happened to her. She hoped learning the truth about Alison would bring some closure and relief to her grief. In many ways, her unresolved mourning for Alison motivated her to join Mona.
Desire to Protect Loved Ones
Another factor in Aria’s decision was a desire to protect her loved ones. She hoped that by becoming an A insider, she could shield her family and friends from harm.
Aria knew that those closest to her were also being tormented by A. Her brother Mike was being blackmailed. Her parents’ marriage was under strain from the constant threats. And Aria’s boyfriend Ezra had become a target as well.
Joining forces with Mona offered Aria a sense of control. She could try to redirect A’s focus away from her vulnerable friends and family. Aria felt that working from within the A team could allow her to keep her loved ones safe in a way she couldn’t as a helpless target.
Manipulation by Mona
However, it is important to note that Mona deliberately manipulated Aria into joining the A team. Mona preyed upon all of Aria’s vulnerabilities in order to persuade her.
Mona used the lure of secret knowledge about Alison to exploit Aria’s grief. She capitalized on Aria’s anger and need for revenge by promising access to A’s resources. And Mona took advantage of Aria’s isolation and desire for connection by offering her acceptance into a exclusive group.
In many ways, Mona displayed classic cult recruitment tactics in drawing Aria in. She created an environment of fear and isolation, and then offered to lift Aria out of it by joining the A team. Aria’s choice was likely not entirely free or empowered due to Mona’s targeted manipulation.
Desire to Reclaim Identity and Control
On a deeper level, Aria’s decision to join the A team represented her desire to reclaim her identity and take control over her life. Ever since Alison’s disappearance, Aria felt she had lost ownership over her own story.
The constant surveillance, judgment, and threats from A left Aria feeling powerless. Joining Mona offered her a chance to regain some agency and autonomy. As a member of the A team, Aria could take an active role in uncovering the mysteries surrounding Alison’s disappearance, rather than being passively victimized.
In addition, uniting with Mona empowered Aria to reinvent her identity on her own terms. She was no longer the same naïve girl who had once been Alison’s lackey and the object of bullying and suspicion. By becoming an ally of A, Aria attempted to proactively shape her own persona and destiny.
Conclusion
Aria’s motivations for joining the A team were complex, stemming from grief, isolation, anger, and the desire to protect her loved ones. However, Mona deliberately manipulated these vulnerabilities in Aria to recruit her into the A team. At her core, Aria’s choice reflected a deep need to reconnect with missing parts of herself and take back control over her life after years of being persecuted and powerless. Her journey symbolized the difficult search for identity and meaning in the aftermath of trauma.