Okay, so let’s real talk real quick. Y’all remember season 2 of miraculous? Episode 3? The Prime Queen one? Kay so honestly, that episode was a masterpiece when it came to Alya’s character, because like, we knew she was good, but she’s actually: ‘Hey I was gonna watch a show about Ladybug (her favourite superhero by the way) with my family, but my best friend called me to help her babysit so imma do that instead.’ levels of good. And yes:

She was gonna watch the show with her family if Marinette hadn’t called. But Marinette did, and so now Alya is helping her babysit, but she gets to watch the show anyway so its fine. Then Marinette starts babbling: “Oh! I forgot to…uh, tell my bakery something. They’re in the parents downstairs.” 

And Alya’s confused because who wouldn’t be? It’s Marinette mixing up her words when she’s nervous. And Alya knows this. She knows Marinette’s way with words when she’s nervous, so she’s thinking: “Why is Marinette nervous?” Now let’s consider for a moment, what if Alya knew Marinette was Ladybug? or at least suspected it at this point. Ladybug isn’t on TV, needs to get on TV and Marinette is very nervously trying to leave the room as quickly as possible with a half thought out lie: “Sometimes it can take a while.”

“They don’t always understand me.”

Look at her face! This is the face she makes when Marinette is trying to create an excuse to see Adrien, but she’s not trying to see Adrien, she’s trying to leave the room! Why would leaving the room be so important if she wasn’t trying to go somewhere else? So Let’s say Alya knows Marinette is Ladybug and at this point is humouring her by pretending to believe her lie. That would make sense. If not, Alya would have probably offered to go talk to Marinette’s parents with her so that they could get back to the show quicker, but she didn’t. Instead she’s choosing to go along with this lie about her talking to her parents (which probably ends up taking HOURS in show time, considering by the time Marinette gets back its dark and Manon is asleep) so that Marinette can leave sooner. So that Ladybug can go on TV.

Plus, when Marinette starts rambling on (which I remind you, Alya knows Marinette does when she’s nervous) she TELLS her to leave: 

Marinette: “And when I explain, w-actually its not their fault they-” 

Alya: “Marinette?” 

Marinette: *nervous* “Yes?” 

Alya:“GO!”

Maybe so she can get to the TV station on time?

And then about a minute after Marinette has left, Ladybug finally arrives on screen? Alya HAS to know. She’s a good person, and not to mention a REALLY good journalist. Heck, she get’s the fox miraculous in episode 10 because she knows how to sus people out, figure out what they want and make an illusion. So to say she’d be able to do the same thing for her best friend is an understatement. She also get’s it because Ladybug trusts her. “What reason does Ladybug have to trust me?” Alya might think in confusion. Or: “What reason does Marinette have to trust me?” Alya might think in confidence.

And at the end of the episode when Marinette finally get’s back? CONVENIENTLY after the akuma attack?: “I’m so sorry Alya! I had no idea it would take so long to talk to my parents!” Alya isn’t even mad, even though Marinette left her for so long AFTER inviting her over and while Marinette was gone she got kidnapped! Personally? I’d have some harsh words along the lines of: “Why were you gone so long? What the heck!?”. Unless of course, my friend was the superhero that ended up saving me. Which Marinette is. And Alya probably knows she is. 

So bottom line is, this episode has convinced me that Alya absolutely knows Marinette is Ladybug, or at the very least suspects it. Why else would she be so insistent on letting Marinette know it would be okay if she knew in episode 10? when she tells Marinette if she was Ladybug, she’d cover for her, help her get out of class, bring her work. She knows, and she’s very subtly trying to let Marinette know that. But episode 10 taught her that Marinette thinking her identity is unknown gives her peace of mind, so she won’t try to tell Marinette anymore. Because a worried Marinette is a worried Ladybug, and that won’t do Paris any good.

So yeah, I like this episode and I couldn’t stop giggling like a little bitch through my pot noodle while I watched it because Alya is amazing and I just love her so much :3