Scandal – Army of One

By starrymag | February 14, 2018

By: Nicole Dintelman

 

 

This week on “Scandal” it’s all about damage control for Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington). She is still demanding that Mellie (Bellamy Young) tell her what she’s done and why Jake (Scott Foley) is in her office. Mellie tells Olivia that she did what she had to do. Mellie says that she’s not going to believe any more of Olivia’s lies. Olivia asks about the kill folder. Mellie says that it’s not about the folder. It’s about Liv killing Rashad (Faran Tahir).

 

Olivia tries to explain that she killed Rashad for the treaty. Mellie calls her on it. She knows that Olivia didn’t kill Rashad for the treaty. She killed him because she thought Mellie was a bad President. Mellie tells Olivia she has to go. Liv begs Mellie not to let her go but Mellie has made up her mind. Mellie says that Olivia has until the end of the week to announce her resignation. If she does not, Mellie will then announce her termination.

 

The news stations are lighting up with rumors that Olivia is out as Mellie’s chief of staff. Jake is meeting with David (Joshua Malina) about his appointment as chief of staff. Jake has his wife with him. David wants to know if there’s anything they need to know about. He’s already been vetted but is there anything he may have left out. Jake tells David that he and Vanessa (Jessalyn Gilsig) have an open marriage. The look on David’s face is priceless! He definitely wasn’t expecting to hear that!

 

Vanessa also seems shocked that Jake told David their arrangement. Jake says that for the sake of transparency, he feels it necessary to disclose. David tells them that it shouldn’t be a big deal. It isn’t like Jake asked Russian hookers to pee on him. Quinn (Katie Lowes) is trying to talk Rowan (Joe Morton) into letting her take Olivia down. Quinn says it’s the perfect time because Olivia no longer has the support of the White House behind her.

 

Rowan tells Quinn that this all could be Olivia spinning the media the way she wants. They don’t know for sure that she’s out. Rowan says that Olivia will rise again. She’s just licking her wounds. Quinn tells Rowan that’s why they need to act now. Rowan is firm in telling Quinn no. Does Rowan want to protect Olivia or is he trying to keep Quinn and the baby there? Maybe it’s a little of both.

 

Charlie (George Newbern) arrives at QPA and asks Abby (Darby Stanchfield) if she saw the news. Abby says that her Olivia Pope Google alert went bonkers. She put in a call to David to see if there is any truth to the rumors but hasn’t heard back yet. QPA has a client. It’s someone from the state department. Abby tells Charlie that she knows he’s grieving but they really need the money.

 

Robert Bacall (Jonathan Silverman) tells them that he wanted to buy a hot dog but didn’t have any cash. He went to the ATM to obtain said cash and his balance showed that a 12 million dollar deposit was made into his account. He also received an email in Russian regarding the deposit. The email says that he’s now in their service and the 12 million is his signing bonus. Robert says that he likes his life the way it is. He just wants it all to go away.

 

Mellie meets with Jake in the B613 office. Jake tells Mellie that he wants them to be transparent. His tools are her tools. At that moment, all of Jake’s computers shut down. He knows it was Olivia. When he calls her she tells him that he may be able to take her chief of staff job but he can’t take command. Olivia has used phreaking. It’s an old-school technique and it’s taken down the whole infrastructure. Olivia didn’t act alone. She enlisted the help of her dad’s old friend, Hector.

 

Jake tells Mellie that Olivia is having a tantrum. Mellie says that she’s not having a tantrum. She’s like a hungry lion on the loose in a preschool. Cyrus (Jeff Perry) interrupts their meeting but not before Mellie tells Jake to shut down whatever Olivia is doing. Cyrus asks Mellie what the hell she’s thinking with Jake. He asks her what Jake has on her. He’s willing to help her. Mellie asks Cyrus why everyone assumes she’s the victim. She tells him that Jake is still there because she wants him there.

 

Cyrus tells Mellie that they should be giving Jake lethal injection, not a promotion. He reminds Mellie that Jake killed Rashad. Mellie tells him it was only at Olivia’s request. Mellie says that Liv is out and Jake is in. Cyrus can either get on board or become someone she has to deal with. She promises him that he does not want to be someone she has to deal with.

 

Rowan is talking to Quinn’s baby telling her what a large head she has. He says that means she has a very large brain. Quinn comes in and asks Rowan if the baby is why she doesn’t want him to take Olivia down. She says that the baby is making him soft. He’s losing sight of the goal. Quinn tells him that she and Robin are not his family. Rowan tells her not to push him. Especially while he’s holding the baby. She’s the one misreading the situation.

 

Quinn becomes afraid for her daughter. Rowan says that it’s the baby that’s soft. He could kill her with just a touch. Quinn asks him not to hurt Robin. Rowan asks Quinn if she feels the bile starting to rise up in her throat. He tells her that’s mother nature’s little trick. She feels compelled to protect her child. Which is exactly why he can’t allow her to take Olivia down. His biology is to protect his child.

 

Huck (Guillermo Diaz) is tracing the Russian email but is only going in circles. He tells Charlie that it’s really impressive. Charlie tells Robert that there has to be something he’s leaving out. Robert says that there’s not. His cover is blown when Abby comes in with hotel receipts. Dozens of mid-day meetings that he seemed to forget. Robert says that it’s nothing. Abby tells him he’s up to something. Robert admits that he’s having an affair. He’s sleeping with a married woman.

 

They’re trying to get the woman’s identity out of him when it pops up on the news. Robert’s been sleeping with Jake’s wife. Remember, Jake’s current job is head of national security. Robert is being accused of feeding information to the Russians. If he is, in fact, having an affair with the NSA directors wife, it will look really bad for Jake. This has Olivia written all over it. Olivia is watching the news while having some popcorn.

 

Jake calls Olivia and she tells him that she’s written his resignation letter for him. Jake asks Olivia why she’s attacking his wife. Olivia keeps reading the letter but Jake tells her that it needs to end and hangs up on her. Mellie meets with David and Jake. She tells them that she was promised a smooth transition and now she’s dealing with a mess. David tells Mellie that Vanessa isn’t selling state secrets. She’s only having an affair.

 

David tells Mellie that they’re launching a full investigation. Jake assures Mellie that Bob Bacall has never freelanced for the Russians. David asks Jake how the money got into Bacall’s account. Jake tells him that Olivia Pope put it there. Mellie tells them it’s enough. She says that today was supposed to be a good day. She was looking forward to today. She has an appointment to get her mammogram.

 

Mellie has been waiting to get her yearly mammogram since she moved into the White House. No one has ever had to schedule a mammogram for a sitting President. Mellie tells David that Jake is right. It was Olivia Pope. She tells David to launch his investigation and prove it. She says they better not ruin the day for her.

 

Olivia goes to visit Cyrus. She asks him if he’s drinking alone. Cyrus says that he’s celebrating. He doesn’t know if she’s heard but Mellie has let her chief of staff go. Cyrus has jokes! Olivia asks Cyrus if he’s going to offer her a drink. Cyrus says that he wishes he could but he doesn’t drink with his enemies. Olivia apologizes for what happened with Fenton. She tells Cyrus that he’s done far worse for much less.

 

Cyrus asks if the story going around about Vanessa was her doing. Olivia says there’s a coup going on in the White House and she’s made her play. He asks her if she has a secret weapon no one knows about. Olivia tells him that he’s her secret weapon. Cyrus asks why he would ever help her. Liv says because he’s human. She says that Mellie has lost. She’s listening to Jake. She tells Cyrus that Jake pushed her out and he’ll be next.

 

Vanessa is at the QPA offices sitting between her lover and her husband. Talk about awkward! Robert tries to talk to Jake to apologize. Jake gives him a look and he shuts up. Jake asks how hard it is to prove that the money in Robert’s bank account is from Olivia and not the Russians. Vanessa asks why they can’t just leak it to the press. Jake says they’d be playing right into Olivia’s hand and that’s the wrong thing to do.

 

You don’t want to go to war with Olivia Pope. The media is Olivia’s home turf. Abby says they will figure something out. Robert gets up to get a bagel and thanks Jake for including him in his concerns. Jake tells Robert to shut up and eat his melon. Jake tells Mellie that he needs more time to fix things. Cyrus once again interrupts their meeting. He says he has a way to fix it for them. Is this Cyrus’s plan or Olivia’s?

 

Vanessa goes on a news program to confess that she was not having an affair. She was, in fact, working undercover. She was trying to uncover Robert’s wrongdoings with the Russians. Vanessa says the night that she met Robert at his hotel he made a full confession to her. Olivia is watching and gets so mad she throws her remote at her TV. Robert asks QPA what he’s supposed to do now. Vanessa outed him as a Russian spy.

 

Abby gives Robert a list of attorneys and Charlie tells him there’s a flight to Budapest in an hour. It’s his choice. Cyrus stops by Olivia’s to give her a private memo between Mellie and the CIA director. The director is asking Mellie to confirm the story Vanessa Ballard told Noah Baker the night before. Cyrus says its proof of obstruction of justice. He wants Olivia to take Mellie down. Olivia says that she can’t use it.

 

Cyrus wants the Presidency and he wants to use Olivia to get it. Olivia tells Cyrus that she asked for help getting rid of Jake. She doesn’t want to take down Mellie. Cyrus says that if there’s going to be a snake in the oval it might as well be him. Liv tells him that Mellie is his friend. Cyrus says that Mellie is an amateur. Mellie didn’t even know Cyrus was setting her up. Liv says that he doesn’t need her for his plan. Cyrus tells Olivia that she’s better at the media than he is.

 

Instead of announcing her resignation, he wants her to hold a press conference to get Mellie impeached. She’s supposed to say that she’s being forced out because Mellie is obstructing justice. Cyrus tells her that they’re parasites. He says that the memo is the answer. It’s the difference between having all of the power or no power at all.

 

Rowan tells Quinn that he doesn’t feel like cooking, they should order out. He says that he’s sorry and he knows how frustrating it is. Quinn tells Rowan that Jake’s wife was on TV saying that she was part of a CIA sting. Rowan asks if that’s supposed to mean something. Quinn says that she thinks it proves that Liv is still fighting. She tells him that it’s going to come down him having to choose between Olivia or her and the baby.

 

Quinn wants to make Rowan a deal. If he lets them go, she’ll leave with Charlie and the baby. Olivia will never go down for the things she did. She’ll forego her quest for justice. She says if he spares them then she will spare his daughter. Mellie is taking photos before her mammogram. Who knew having a mammogram is a photo op?

 

Mellie is waiting for her test to start when Olivia drops by. Mellie asks her if she’s made a decision. Olivia says that she has and she won’t be stepping down. Mellie says that she’s sorry to hear that. Olivia tells her that she’s scheduled a press conference for the following morning. Instead of announcing her resignation, she’ll be calling for Mellie’s. Olivia hands Mellie the file with the memo inside.

 

Olivia tells Mellie that she came there to give her advice for the best way to resign. She says that Mellie needs to take responsibility for her actions. This is funny coming from Olivia. Olivia leaves telling Mellie good luck with her exam. Charlie asks where Bobby boy is. Abby says that he’s gone, he’s going to try the legal defense.

 

Charlie asks what’s next? Abby thinks they need to have the conversation about shutting down. Charlie says no, they can’t do that. Huck says it won’t be the same without Quinn. Charlie tries to get them to hold on for just a bit but both Huck and Abby are convinced it’s time to move on. Charlie tells them that things will be exactly the same if they just wait. Abby asks what he’s talking about.

 

It almost seems like he’s going to tell them Quinn is alive but he tells them that he will be back. He goes to Rowan’s and starts throwing pebbles at her window. Rowan surprises him by holding a gun to his head. Rowan asks Charlie what he’s doing. Charlie says he’s looking for Quinn. Rowan is confused. He says that Quinn left over an hour ago with Charlie.

 

Olivia arrives home to find a baby in her living room. Then she hears Quinn’s voice. Olivia asks Quinn how she’s there. Quinn says that she wanted her to see her goddaughter. Once. Quinn pulls a gun out of her pocket. Olivia starts to plead with Quinn. Quinn tells Olivia there will be no talking this time.

 

Quinn holds the gun to Olivia’s head. She tells her that she typed her confession for her. Olivia just has to sign it and give it to David. Olivia is still trying to plead with Quinn. Quinn doesn’t want to hear it. Liv is finally able to tell her that there are B613 trained snipers with their weapons pointed at Quinn. Olivia is command. Quinn says that she’s lying and doesn’t believe her.

 

The first shot comes in and hits Olivia because she jumped in front of Quinn. Olivia tells Quinn to get the baby and get out. Mellie arranged a press conference to resign. She’s telling Jake that she’s going to admit to it and take the fall. Jake says they can still fight it. Mellie says no, she’ll leave Jake out of it but once Cyrus is President he’s on his own.

 

Rowan’s doorbell rings and it’s Olivia. She’s gone to her dad to be sutured. Olivia tells him that he lied about Quinn. Rowan tells her that she did too. She claimed she didn’t care about Quinn. Olivia said that she was bluffing. She asks her dad why he let her believe she was dead. Rowan says that he didn’t have a choice. She wouldn’t have given his bones back if she knew. Olivia tells Rowan that Quinn hates her. Rowan gives his daughter a hug and tells her that he will always protect her.

 

At the press conference the next day, Olivia is ready to throw Mellie under the bus. She’s got her power suit on and takes the podium with the file in her hand. She begins talking about how prideful she was to be named chief of staff to the first woman President. She takes a long time before finishing her next sentence. Olivia tells the press that unfortunately, her time working for the current administration has come to an end.

 

The press is stunned even though this is what they were expecting. Cyrus can’t believe that Olivia didn’t take Mellie down. While Olivia is speaking, Jake’s computers all turn back on, Abby and Huck watch in astonishment. Huck turns around and looks like he’s seen a ghost. He tells Abby to turn around. Olivia finishes her speech by saying that she will always continue to support Mellie. Mellie’s dreams are as big as America.

 

Abby sees Quinn standing with Charlie holding Robin. Quinn hands the baby to Charlie so that she can hug Abby. Quinn hands the baby to Huck as tears start falling from his eyes. Olivia thanks Mellie for the opportunity to serve and for her friendship. She leaves the press with a lot of questions. What’s next for Olivia Pope? We’ll have to wait until March 1st to find out! We’ll give you a hint: It involves a crossover with our favorite lawyer, Annalise Keating!