Alison's entanglements with older men, at first, seem to play to her advantage: She boasts of her maturity any time she's captured the attention of an older guy, something that the Liars were envious of once upon a time. However, PLL makes it abundantly clear that these relationships are about the man taking advantage of the younger, vulnerable girl — not the other way around, as Alison herself might have once thought. While on the run, Alison brings home a pseudo "boyfriend," Cyrus (Jake Weary), to the abandoned house where she has been staying. Alison has always tried to stay in control in her romantic relationships, but no amount of snarky comments or mind games can stop Cyrus from stealing Alison's stuff, throwing her against the wall, and dragging a knife across her thigh. The attack shatters Alison's illusion of control.