Pretty Little Liars: Why Troian Bellisario Wanted Spencer to Be Killed Off

This late in the game, it's borderline impossible to imagine Rosewood, Penn. without Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario). But according to a recent interview with Bellisario, the brainy, hyper-motivated Pretty Little Liarssleuth could have been killed off years ago -- all because death at the hands of "A" was once what the actress wanted.

"I definitely tried [to get killed off]," Bellisario told W. "A) You want a death scene, and B) On our show, your character becomes infinitely more interesting when you die. I honestly felt that for this world to be truly dangerous, one of the Liars would have to die. Otherwise, 'A' is just always putting them in danger and still saving them."

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Pretty Little Liars frequently airs flashbacks and dream sequences, so this doesn't necessarily mean that Bellisario would have been written off the show entirely. But since her very capable character frequently finds ways to save the day, her premature death would have greatly altered the DNA of the series.

Lucky for fans -- and for the four other titular Liars -- PLL producers decided to keep Spencer around, and Bellisario is now finding ways to cope with the June 27 series finale just like the rest of us.

"I was 23 when we shot the pilot," said Bellisario, who is now 31. "It's longer than you go to high school for, it's longer than you go to college; the only thing that has barely outlasted it in my life is the relationship with my now-husband. This will always be my family and my home. I know it will be so different from this point on, but I don't know how I can really say goodbye to something that is so integral to me."

Pretty Little Liars continues Tuesdays at 8/7c on Freeform.