Scandal – That’s My Girl

By: Jamie Steinberg

The season finale of “Scandal” starts out with a shock to the heart…Literally. We see Jake (Scott Foley) meeting with his wife’s father. Suddenly, his father-in-law clutches his heart and Jake explains that with the money his wife stands to inherit they happy couple would be better off. Clearly, Jake is behind the heart attack and only decides to call 911 once he is sure that his father-in-law has passed away.

Cyrus (Jeff Perry) is playing house now with Tom (Brian Letscher) and it’s the start of the morning. Tom wants to know what his next move will be to which he decides to “drink my coffee and pick a VP.” Interestingly, he rings up David Rosen. “What does the Dark Lord Master, Cyrus Beene, want for this?” retorts David. We’ll just have to wait and see…In the meantime, Rosen gets double lucky as the news inspires Elizabeth (Portia de Rossi) sexy side.

Edison (Norm Lewis) meets with Olivia (Kerry Washington) to pass along Jake’s message from last week about chasing the sun. Olivia knows that Jake wants away from Rowan (Joe Morton), but she’s still not so sure that this isn’t a ploy to trap her again.

Abby (Darby Stanchfield) meets with Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) to talk about his speech on behalf of Mellie (Bellamy Young). From the way he talks about his life in the White House, it sounds as though he were held hostage in a prison.

Vargas (Ricardo Chavira) meets with Cyrus to talk their strategy for VP. Cyrus suggests the idea of Jake Ballard, as he has a good reputation. Meanwhile, Olivia is busy weeding her way through VP considerations as well. They have one in mind, but it seems as a college kid he sold drugs and a fellow Washington resident knows about. She dispatches Quinn (Katie Lowes) and Huck (Guillermo Diaz) to persuade him to change his name and move to a much less well known area.

Back in the Oval Office, Fitz stumbles on Rowan’s file of leverage on Olivia. He has finally found out about her abortion and rather than explode, he’s actually taking it in stride. Who would have thought Fitz could take such huge news so calmly?

Cyrus and Olivia have a long awaited conversation. He confesses to manipulating Vargas into running for office and being behind the shooting that was the impetus for it. In fact, he compares his relationship to Olivia as master and student. He challenges her and notes he will enjoy seeing which one of them truly makes their way back into the White House.

When the speech does finally reach Mellie, she isn’t happy with how it has been crafted. She wants a rewrite. She gives a powerful speech about how she wasn’t born into money and handed opportunities. She shouts, “I’m not a white man! I’m here on my own! I got here on my own!” Mellie wants respect and she wants that to be reflected in how he speaks about her.

Olivia finally rendezvous with Jake and assures him, “I’ll save you, somehow. But you are going to have to trust me. Because we cannot go against my father divided.” It seems our Olivia has an idea, but it’s going to take some strategy to be sure they can play him perfectly.

Olivia heads over to the White House where we get a long awaited reunion with Fitz. He takes a soft approach with her, not yet letting her know that he has been clued in on the abortion secret. He sweetly says to her, “I’m sorry I didn’t listen more. I am sorry.” Well, who says you can’t be friends with an ex? Clearly, they both still love each other, but this was a nice way to heal the wounds they both have inflicted.

Back at Casa Beene, Tom and Cyrus sit on the bed. Tom sweetly offers to play papa to Cyrus’ daughter and make a go at a life together. Cyrus appreciates the offer and in a romantic (?) moment tells Tom that he loves that he finally gets to openly discuss murder and love in the same breath. We all know Cyrus only loves and only looks out for himself though as the next day at the White House when Tom shows up and offers to lend a hand and “terminating” things, Cyrus gives him the old heave-ho letting him know he’s made up with the ex-husband and he’s not needed anymore.

Moments away from announcing Jake as Mellie’s VP, he wants to back out. He wants to leave a life of politics and live somewhere peaceful and private…with Olivia by his side as wife and mother. Poor Jake. By now, he should know that our Olivia doesn’t do “normal.” She could never live a life of peace and quiet as she craves the attention, power and limelight of being a political fixer – all of which she explains to him. Realizing that he’s been played [again], Jake complains, “I’ve gone from being his bitch to your’s.”

Jake walks out on the stage as he is announced as Mellie’s VP candidate. Cyrus calls Olivia to let him know there are no hard feelings as they have picked someone else as their nominee. He has not chosen David Rosen, as that was a tactic to catch everyone off guard. Huck and Quinn head over to Olivia to let her know that Vargas has announced his running mate. Fans of the series though will never guess who ends up being selected for the position. Go ahead and spend a few minutes guessing…You’ll never guess who gets chosen. Give up? IT’S CYRUS! Cyrus Beene is now running on the Vargas ticket for VP.

A pissed off Pope is not pleased and this was just the ticket to put the fire back in her belly. “He said one of us is getting back into the White House. He’s right, me.” We’ll be looking forward to seeing Olivia and Cyrus make move after move next season to outwit and outplay one another.

As the episode ends, we see Rowan watching Cyrus and Vargas on stage. He’s smiling and seems quite pleased when he finds Jake is Mellie’s new running mate. In a moment of realization, fans understand that Rowan has played EVERY side this season. He’s clearly played the long game and now he will have both of his favorite toys in the White House…Olivia and Jake.