After weeks of living through the looming darkness brought upon by the Frankie Vargas assassination, Scandal finally stepped into the light this week, and it was a fun ride. (Ahem.) “Head Games” worked to tie up loose ends associated with the Peus and Ponytail saga while also shifting into transition mode as the end of the Fitzgerald Grant presidency draws closer. It set the stage for what will undoubtedly carry over into next season and featured scenes between characters that had never before shared any.
And did I mention that we finally find out who was behind Peus and Ponytail? That reveal only left me with more questions, something this show loves to do when all I want is a clean conclusion that doesn’t open up a bazillion other possibilities! Dah well.
Let’s get into this episode.
Just Over a Week to Go
The episode starts off with Marcus answering a series of questions from the White House press corp, the first that we see being one related to the drones and those responsible for it. Marcus tells them that the drones have all been successfully dismantled and that he isn’t at liberty of sharing the identities of those who were behind the attack.
The next question comes from veteran reporter Carol who wants to know what the President will be doing with his final days in office now that all of the drone drama (and the Vargas assassination) is behind him. Marcus’s response, in typical Scandal fashion, has double meaning as his words (and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up”) overlay other scenes that get interspersed into this opener.
“The President will continue to be both passionate and eager, Carol, with a long list of interests that he still hopes to tackle.”
If that long list of interests is tattooed all over Olivia’s body, I’d say that the President already has a head start as we get flashed to Fitz getting it on with Olivia the presidential bed. These two are going hard in the paint as if they’re one point down with 5 secs left in Game 7 of the playoffs. My goodness, the effort that is being put into this here lovemaking is impressive.
“Passionate and eager” is an understatement. Olivia’s mind is so scrambled that she can’t seem to figure out where to put one of her hands at a given moment. Should she place it on the headboard, the nightstand or on Fitz’s head? (Not THAT head!) Girl’s body is singing like a hummingbird at the first sign of spring. She even sends a glass tumbler crashing to the floor, and all she could manage is a wry laugh before Fitz rolls her into a new position.
Inanimate objects just aren’t safe around these two when they get into it. Rest in peace, lamp (106).
Marcus continues on: “The transfer of power will be both successful and easy, not just for the President-elect, but for the country as well. Today, Americans should be feeling excited about what lies ahead, invigorated by the promises of tomorrow.”
With these words, we are flashed to Mellie and Luna as they take an official portrait together in Mellie’s Senate office, and then see Quinn and Huck in a bridal shop as Quinn is trying on gowns. Huck is serving as her “maid” of honor and he’s at a loss as to what his role is supposed to be. Quinn is looking for his opinion of the latest dress that she has selected and Huck tells her that she looks beautiful in it. (Aww…)
As Marcus speaks on, he cracks a joke about not having too many more chances to stand up in front of the press and avoid their questions before he adds that he is more optimistic about the country’s future than he has ever been. He then says the following as we get flashed back to Olivia and Fitz: “We may just have another week and a half left here, but we are not done.”
Still wrapped up in each other, Fitz says to Olivia that they have nine more days left of “this.”
In the last episode, it was established that Fitz had two more weeks in office, so simple mathematics tells us that five days have passed since Peus and Ponytail were handled. And it’s a safe bet to assume that Fitzgerald and Olivia have been going at it like jackrabbits in all of those days.
Together with Marcus’s words that precede this moment, my guess is that these two are counting down the days left until Fitz is free of the presidency and that they plan to sex it up every free moment of every day until he vacates the premises. (I’ll be hanging on to that “but we are not done” part until and unless the finale proves otherwise.)
Upon Olivia echoing Fitz’s words, they smile at each other and Fitz gets to rolling on top of her for another round. They are next seen collapsing onto the bed in exhaustion, and Olivia laughs joyously while Fitzgerald looks damn close to having an early meeting with Jesus.
Are you still breathing, Fitz? Someone better have a defibrillator close by because the last thing we need is for Olivia to be tossed in jail for killing the President with her kegel skills.
These two then look over at each other and Olivia rolls towards Fitz to give him a kiss. And I am here looking for someone to pass me a blunt because I need to get this high, too. Damn.
For obvious reasons, this opener recalls that of “Heavy is the Head” (501) where Sally Langston’s words of criticism of the President’s invitation to the royal family of some fictitious country overlaid Olivia and Fitz having quite the private party in the presidential bedroom.
We next see David Rosen come to pay Rowan a visit at his workspace. Rowan expresses surprise at his visit by remarking that David was not on the list of the people he expected to come see him off. (That list likely has only one name on it.) Rowan tells David that he is leaving because his work there is done. His dinosaur will be going to the American Museum of Natural History while he will be finding his way to white sand beaches and clear blue waters.
Rowan’s words do falter as he wonders at the reason for David’s visit. He asks if the man is there to spoil his retirement plans, and David assures him that he is not. Rowan then seeks confirmation of the closure of the Vargas case, and David tells him that the case is wrapped. David says that he is there in an unofficial capacity. He has actually come looking for information on Ponytail and he was hoping that Rowan would be able to assist him.
The name of “Grace Dennis” that she Ponytail given him in the last episode was another fictitious name, so David is once again without anything that could shed light on who this woman was. He asks Rowan if there was anything that Ponytail may have said or left behind that he could use, but Rowan tells him that he has nothing. David says that he had tossed a toothbrush that she left in his bathroom, and that had he known, he’d have kept it so that he could run her DNA through a database and try to identify her that way.
Rowan gives David the alternative option of simply moving on from the ordeal, but David cannot. As Rowan moves towards the other side of the room, David remarks that if Rowan understood what it was like to be used by somebody who pretends to love you and then uses you to attempt to torpedo democracy, Rowan would get why David can’t let this go.
And this is foreshadow #1. David has no way of knowing this, but Rowan has been in David’s position before and that was with Maya, Olivia’s mother. In that moment, Rowan sees himself in David and he stops him when David turns to leave. He tells David that he has something for him that could help, and then he goes off to retrieve that something.
Over at the Residence, Olivia and Fitz are getting ready for the day. Olivia clearly has a change of clothes (and maybe even a hot curler) there because I doubt that she’s putting on what she had wore the day before. Her clothes are mostly black with white taking up part of the sleeves.
(Is the wardrobe choice with this bit of white indicative of a shift within Olivia? Is the white hat peeking through with the possibility of a full emergence? Is this a reflection of light reentering her sphere via Fitzgerald?)
Olivia spies some documents sitting on the coffee table as she is snapping her Movado onto her wrist, and she asks Fitz if the documents are pardon petitions. He confirms that they are and says that he has to decide which convicted prisoners to pardon by week’s end. Olivia points out to him that he has dozens of people who can go through these for him, and Fitz says that he’d rather go through them himself and be “hands on” with the process. On this last point, Fitz pulls Olivia to him and places a kiss at the side of her head. Olivia lets out a little laugh of contentment at the affection, but she isn’t distracted from the subject at hand. She tells Fitz that he’s being irresponsible in trying to handle this himself because he is afraid of trusting Abby. Fitz counters by saying that he merely wants the pardons to be handled properly, but Olivia doesn’t buy this excuse.
As Fitz makes his way over to the mirror to handle his tie, Olivia tells him that he’s going to have to talk to Abby and make a decision as to whether he is going to let Abby back in from the doghouse or if he’s going to let her go for good. Instead of responding directly to what Olivia has just said, Fitz asks, “Don’t you have another President to challenge and annoy?”
Olivia doesn’t take offense to this as she turns towards where he’s gone to pick up his suit jacket and affirms with a grin that she does indeed have another to pester. Now dressed in his jacket, Fitz returns to her and gives her a kiss before heading out the door. (I swear, I got 221 vibes from this moment.)
Once he is gone, Olivia turns her attention back to the numerous petitions on the desk and makes a decision. She grabs them all, stuffing some of them in her purse and carrying the rest in the crook of her arm before she, too, departs.
Now in the Oval, Fitz is getting a run down of his schedule from Abby, but he is barely giving her audience. She is explaining that he has a meeting with Marcus, who will prep him for the interview that he is going to have later with the BNC. She continues to the next meeting, which is with someone named Ackerman who is looking to influence the President on which pardons to pursue. At this point, Fitz sets the schedule aside and turns his attention to something else.
Abby notices and pushes forward anyway, offering to stay and give Fitz her recommendations of which pardons to go with. Fitz speaks then to say that the pardons are being taken care of, and that Abby should work from home for the rest of the day. (Work from home, Fitzgerald?? She’s your freaking Chief of Staff!)
Abby starts to turn away, but then she stops herself to broach the elephant in the room. She wants to know when she’s ever worked from home or done anything other than serve him and the country. Fitz asks if she really wants him to answer that question, and Abby tells him that she came to him and confessed all that she had because he promised to be a friend when she needed one. Now he’s holding her actions against her, even after he had encouraged Olivia to forgive her for the very same things.
When Abby asks him why it is that he can’t find it within himself to offer her the same forgiveness, Fitz doesn’t have a ready answer, and so Abby complies with his directive and leaves for home.
Why is Fitz being so stubborn with this when he was the one who advocated for Olivia to offer forgiveness? Is this a matter of him not being able to get over the fact that Abby chose self over country? Is it that her actions put his family at risk? What gives here?
Over at OPA, Quinn and Charlie come into the conference room from the kitchenette, and Charlie is going on about their honeymoon options. Since they can’t settle on one place, he suggests that he and Quinn visit several islands. Huck is already at the conference table with a beverage in hand as Quinn tells Charlie that she won’t be able to stay away from the office for the time that they’ll need to visit all of the islands that he’s ticked off. Charlie counters by pointing out that the election is over, Mellie is being sworn in and that OPA hasn’t had a case in forever.
When Charlie tacks on that Olivia already has one foot out the door, both Quinn and Huck look at him in surprise. Huck is particularly caught off guard, and Quinn is quick to assure him that Olivia isn’t going anywhere since there can be no OPA without Olivia Pope. Charlie says that this is exactly his point and adds that as soon as Olivia steps foot in the White House, OPA is dead. Quinn argues that there is no way that Olivia would shut down OPA since the firm is her legacy, but Huck isn’t as convinced and he continues to listen to Charlie who is now saying that the writing’s on the wall.
As Charlie relays some story about the time some B613 mission got shut down after months of fun and political assassinations, Olivia comes strolling in and drops the pile of documents she was carrying onto the table. Quinn inquires as to what they are and is told that they are petitions for a presidential pardon. Charlie asks if his petition made the cut, but Olivia ignores him as she goes on to explain that the White House is looking for a high-profile pardon that that’ll be clean and have little blowback. She instructs them to find a case that’ll reflect well on the President.
Dropping the rest of the petitions that she’s pulled out of her purse onto the table, Olivia retreats into her office. Quinn then smiles at Charlie in vindication and tells him that he was wrong about Olivia abandoning OPA. (The day is still young, Quinn.)
Elsewhere in DC, David has shown up at Abby’s apartment. When she opens the door to him, he is standing there looking sick with a box in his hands. Abby asks him what’s wrong with him and David instead asks to come in. Without waiting for her response, David maneuvers his way into her apartment and gives Abby a wide berth as if trying to shield her from what he has in the box. He is jittery as he explains his need to put the box in a freezer or a fridge. He says that he would have placed it in his own, but that he doesn’t have the space, and so he thought to bring it over to Abby’s because he recalled that he has a big refrigerator and freezer that she doesn’t use. David then goes into full freak out mode as he rambles on about how Abby never has anything in her fridge, even though he knows that he eats. (LOL...seems like Abby and Olivia have empty refrigerators in common.)
Abby is finally able to get David to shut up long enough for her to ask him what is going on. David once again states that he needs to put the box somewhere cold. Abby now wants to know what’s in the box, and David doesn’t want to say. He takes several steps back as Abby approaches, and he tries his best to hold on to the box, but Abby succeeds in wresting it from him. She then orders him to sit down and he reluctantly complies.
Abby shakes her head at him as she follows close behind him and sets the box upon a table in her living area. She then pulls the flaps aside and looks within. She believes that she’s looking at some gag and she reaches in to pick it up, but something tells her that this is no gag. She slowly turns towards David then to ask if what she’s holding is a human head, and when David says that it is, Abby freaks out, drops the head and quickly shuts the box! The head within is that of Ponytail!! Eek!
Abby wants to know where David got the head and he explains that it was given to him as a gift from Rowan. David tells her that he wanted to know who “Samantha” was, so he went to Rowan because he thought that he might know something that would help him figure out her identity. Abby is incredulous over Rowan giving David the woman’s head, and David says in his own defense that Rowan terrifies him and that he wasn’t about to argue with him over the head thing, so he took the gift and left. (LOL!)
David then stands and picks up the box as he asks Abby again if he is to put the head in the fridge or the freezer. Abby is reluctant to help and David is quick to tell her that he has already called Jake about it, and that Jake will come and collect DNA to try to figure out who Ponytail identity. It could be the key to figuring out what it is that she and Peus wanted. David says that they’ll finally have answers and all of this will be over. Abby is still unconvinced until David adds that Ponytail told him that she wanted to have his kids. (Damn.) Abby finally cracks and says that he can put the head in the fridge.
Challenges, Challenges
Back over at the White House, Fitz is having his meeting with Marcus. Marcus explains that Noah Baker was chosen for the President’s final interview because the journalist is interested in Fitz’s legacy. It would be the last time that Fitz would get to speak to the American people as President. Marcus runs through what Fitz’s last two predecessors had opted to speak about during their last interviews, and Fitz recalls that both men had likened themselves to Thomas Jefferson. Marcus advises Fitz to skip the Jefferson reference for himself and Fitz agrees before he shares that he’d rather go with Lincoln.
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” -- Fitzgerald Grant quoting Abraham Lincoln (allegedly)
Marcus finds the quote to be strong and remarks that he likes the approach, adding that Fitz should go with being compassionate and unafraid to discuss his flaws. This last bit catches Fitz off guard and he makes clear to Marcus that discussing his flaws isn’t at all what he has in mind. He then goes on to explain that he wants to talk about Clarence Parker (414) and how the power he has had in the Oval is thanks to the American people and how their stories and tragedies have fueled such legislation like the Brandon Bill.
Marcus remarks then that all of this will sound good to everyone but those in the community where the tragedy that led to the Brandon Bill took place. Fitz asks why and Marcus states that the people in that community were “starving for a meal” and all Fitz did was “give them a thin slice of stale bread because the whole world was watching”. (Basically, Marcus is saying that Fitz addressed one symptom of a larger problem and did nothing more once the cameras had gone away.)
On the defensive, Fitz rattles off that unemployment is at the lowest it has been in a decade and that people in Rosemeade are better off than they had been. Marcus challenges the President on him using numbers alone to judge success of his policies, and when Fitz asks if there is anything else that he ought to be basing his conclusions on, Marcus asks if he has ever been to Rosemeade. He asks if Fitz during his eight years in office has ever visited struggling areas such as North Philadelphia, Chicago’s south side, or the “D.”
Marcus lost Fitz on that last reference, and I hollered. (The “D” by the way is Detroit.) I don’t even know why Marcus used such colloquialism with Fitzgerald, but then again, maybe I do. In that moment, Marcus shifted into the Marcus Walker who had dared to question Olivia Pope’s blackness (414) complete with side eye and sarcasm. Did y’all peep the look he gave Fitz?
The sheer audacity. LMAO!
Fitz points out to Marcus that Clarence Parker isn’t a number, and when Marcus returns that Clarence isn’t representative of every black person in America, Fitz has to remind Marcus of who exactly it is that he is addressing. He isn’t harsh, bt his message is received nonetheless. Marcus stands then and says that if Fitz feels that he is on the right track, then he is free to say whatever he wants during the interview. It is his speech after all.
This effectively ends the meeting and Fitz is left to ponder the encounter.
Over at OPA, the gladiators have chosen one pardon in particular that they believe is worth looking further into. Quinn is putting details of the case on the wall as she introduces the group to Robert Edward “Bobby” Barnes, a white supremacist. Charlie is taken aback by Quinn selecting a case that requires the President to pardon a church bomber, but Quinn clarifies that the person that requires the pardon is the one accused of killing the racist, Shaun Campbell.
Bobby is believed to have planted a bomb under the pew within a black church (I presume), and when the bomb went off, it killed eight people, including children. Quinn goes on to state that despite all the evidence against him, Bobby was acquitted “by an all white jury of his peers”. Standing off to the side, Huck sarcastically says, “This is my surprised face” while wearing a blank, unsurprised expression. (LOL!)
Charlie recalls that this case was talked about on some podcast. As all of this is going on, Olivia is engrossed in whatever it is that she is doing on her phone. She isn’t even paying attention.
During a visit to the prison, Quinn learns from Shaun that the cops and Bobby knew that the community was hungry for justice over what happened. Bobby especially made sure to rub their faces in the fact that he was walking about free after having killed 8 people. His “white power posse” gave him a hero’s welcome upon his release from jail, and they were soon running about town causing a ruckus. Bobby and his crew came upon Shaun in a bar where he was having a drink, and Shaun maintains that when he saw that he wasn’t welcome in the establishment, he left. The podcast claimed that Shaun and Bobby had gotten into a fight, which Shaun disputes. The morning after this encounter, “Bobby the Bigot” was found hanging from a tree.
It is at this detail that Olivia’s attention is finally pulled away from her phone. She’s like, “what...wait? The racist was lynched??” And Huck’s response is simple: karma. LMAOOOO!!!
Huck isn’t here for the bullshit.
Quinn states that the only word that the cops had was that of the drunks at the bar and one of Bobby’s pals, Donnie Logan, who also happened to be the bartender at said bar. Donnie had claimed to have seen Shaun close to where Bobby’s body was found. Charlie asks if this conviction was solely based on Donnie’s word alone and no physical evidence, and Quinn says that the prosecution didn’t need evidence. Shaun was black and that was enough.
Whew, chile. These writers have taken the history of white terrorism in this country and brought it to the fore once again with this case of wrongful conviction. The racist is freed despite a mountain of evidence proving that he was responsible for the crime, while the black man is convicted based off of one witness and zero physical evidence. It isn’t lost on me that Fitz’s signature legislation, the Brandon Bill, was mentioned prior to us learning the details of this potential pardon, especially given that both fall within the same vein of malfeasance on the part of the judicial system in causing harm against black bodies.
Huck shares further that because of the lynching, Shaun was convicted of a hate crime, which is considered a federal offense. He then says that Shaun has lost two appeals and that the Supreme Court has refused to hear the case. The presidential pardon is literally Shaun’s last shot at freedom.
Quinn jumps in then to say to Olivia that the case is high profile, is a gross miscarriage of justice and that she is sure that they will find something that’ll prove Shaun’s innocence. Olivia, however, is back to being engrossed in her phone and doesn’t hear a word Quinn says. Quinn tells Olivia that the case checks off all the right boxes, and Olivia looks up distractedly to say that the case sounds promising. Sure that she now had Olivia’s attention, Quinn asks what their next move is, but Olivia is back to whatever she is doing on her phone.
When Quinn calls for Olivia’s attention again, Olivia says that she has to vet Mellie’s Cabinet picks and that she is sure that they can handle the case on their own. She then grabs her coat and leaves the office. Stunned, Quinn wonders aloud at what just happened and Charlie goes, “Like I said, we don’t have to go home, Robin, but we can’t stay here.”
Returning to Abby’s apartment, Jake is seen using a swab to collect a sample from Ponytail’s mouth. The man is digging in there as if he’s searching for gold when all he really needs to do is swab one inner cheek. It’s not like the DNA from her gums are going to differ from the one collected from the back of her throat.
Anyway, once he’s got his sample, Jake says that the head should be put back in the refrigerator in case dental impressions need to be taken. (I’d ask why it is that he didn’t think to have the DNA and dental impressions taken at the same time, but…) Abby is totally against having the head returned to her fridge and she states that she is the Chief of Staff to the President, and Jake replies by pointing out that he’s the Director of the NSA and that David is the Attorney General of the United States before asking Abby what her point is. Abby’s objection is the fact that it is a human head that she is being asked to put back in her refrigerator.
Jake basically waves off this concern and tells her to not answer her door until he comes back for the head the next day. Abby says that holding onto this head is wrong, and Jake turns to her then to say that Abby shouldn’t be attempting to dictate what is right or wrong to anybody.
Oh, so Jake is mad at Abby, too? Really?!
No comment.
Over at Mellie’s Senate Office, Olivia is going through a list of potential candidates for Mellie’s Cabinet on a white board. While Olivia is writing on the board, Mellie asks about the position of Communications Director. Olivia wonders why she wants to talk about that when that isn’t a Cabinet level position, and Mellie states that it may not be Cabinet, but that it is still important. She then hesitates before she says outright that she was wondering if Marcus would be interested in the job. After all, it would be a step up from his present one of press secretary.
Olivia’s reaction to this is hilarious. Marcus as Communications Director, ey? This is the same position that Olivia held when she was having her clandestine affair with Fitzgerald, and when Olivia turns around to look at Mellie, the other woman is quick to catch on to what Olivia believes Mellie may be thinking in offering the job to Marcus.
Mellie dismisses her suspicion and says that the ship as sailed on her and Marcus. Olivia asks if Mellie is sure about that, and Mellie is like duh, and points out that she can’t because she is set to be President. Olivia tells her that it may not happen now, but things will be different in four or eight years. When Mellie doesn’t offer a response, Olivia goes on to say that Mellie and Marcus don’t have to be over. Mellie sighs dramatically then and directs Olivia’s attention back to the white board. She’s not willing to have this conversation about Marcus.
Soooo…Olivia was basically saying to Mellie that she should hold out hope that all is not lost with Marcus, and that after her first or second term, Mellie would be free to be with him? That’s cold comfort, but given how Olivia is getting her back blown out on the eve of the end of Fitzgerald’s presidency, she must feel like the delay was worth the wait. (We’re just going to pretend as if those two hadn’t tried on three separate occasions to be together during these past eight years.)
We are sent back over at OPA and it is now evening time. The gladiators are still working the case and are coming up short. They are in desperate need of help, but Olivia hasn’t been answering her phone, so they are on their own with this one. Charlie points out that the woman behind the podcast wasn’t able to get far either, and it was then that Quinn realizes that the star and only witness of the prosecution hadn’t been interviewed for the podcast. Huck asks Quinn if she believes Donnie had lied, and Quinn says that if they can prove that he did, then they would be able to sell Olivia on this being the pardon to give to the President.
Huck finds the address to the bar and then the three of them decide to go on a road trip.
Soon Huck and Quinn are seen entering the bar and Donnie is the bartender. Behind the bar (and fittingly so) is a campaign poster of Hollis Doyle. Quinn approaches Donnie and starts to question him about the murder of Bobby the Bigot. She asks if he was the witness that helped put Shaun Campbell away, and Donnie is unapologetic as he confirms that he is. Looking for details as to what happened that night, Quinn gets Donnie to explain what transpired.
Donnie refers to Shaun as a “boy” who walks into the bar and starts trouble with Bobby and then the next thing he knows, Bobby is hanging from a rope. Quinn replies that the story she heard is that Shaun was already in the bar when Donnie and Bobby walked in with some friends. Donnie scoffs at this and tells Quinn to look around before asking her if the bar looked like some place where Shaun belonged. “If he had known his place, there wouldn’t have been trouble,” Donnie says and I want to kick him in the gatdamn throat.
If Shaun had known his place?
Donnie then wants to know who Quinn is and says that he doesn’t have to answer her questions. Quinn points out that he isn’t answering her questions and she shares her suspicion that he is lying while an innocent man rots in prison. Donnie scoffs at this and says, “An innocent black fella, huh? Ain’t no such thing.”
Huck, who has been observing the conversation this whole time, finally speaks up to vocalize his realization that it was Donnie who killed Bobby. Huck theorizes that it was Donnie who planted the bomb and Bobby who took the credit. It was all well and good when it looked like Bobby was going to jail for the crime, but Bobby ended up getting off and being turned into a hero. Quinn then chimes in to say that Donnie then in turn put Bobby in his place.
Donnie basically substantiates their suspicions and asks them if it even matters. Bobby is dead, the black “boy” is in jail, and Donnie himself is free just as “God meant it.” He goes on to say that the “colored boy would’ve ended up behind bars eventually anyway”.
Quinn recoils from the man’s blatant racism, but Huck is as cool as they come. Not a reaction to be seen. Donnie calls out to his boys to handle their visitors and Huck and Quinn turn around to face them. As they do, Quinn asks Huck how he figured out that Donnie had killed Bobby, and Huck confesses that he didn’t know, that he learned the trick from Olivia. (Okay now!)
Donnie tells Quinn that she ought to leave and that she should take “Nacho” with her. When Huck reacts to that reference, Donnie goes, “I knew it. I could smell the wet on your back.”
I know this shit is fictional, but I am thoroughly pissed off! I want to fight somebody!!
And here I thought Scandal made me mad with “The Lawn Chair” (414) and “Dog Whistle Politics” (504).
Donnie pulls out a double barrel shotgun and his friends pull out guns of their own. Huck and Quinn just as quickly draw their own weapons. Huck makes quick work of taking the gun of the man closest to him and then Charlie finally stands up from where he is sitting at the bar and grabs Donnie’s gun before the other man could get a hold of it.
Why is Charlie wearing a hat that says, “Dare to be Great Again”? (LOL!) It so happens to be Hollis’s campaign slogan (and a clear nod to you know who).
Charlie says to Donnie that his fiancee invited him to come along in case there was trouble and that he was really hoping to be trouble. (LMAOOO!!! I. Love. Charlie!!)
The three of them manage to get the other men to back down and away from them. Quinn collects their guns and she is making her way towards the door when she turns back to call for Huck to come along, but Huck has some unfinished business. He signals for Donnie to come closer to him, and like an idiot, the man does. When he is within reach, Huck slams Donnie’s head onto the bar and gives the man a bloody nose.
Charlie tosses the hat he was wearing onto the bar, and before Quinn follows the guys out, she accuses everyone in the establishment of being racists. (LMAOOO!!)
Distinguishing Oneself
Back in DC, Olivia is having dinner with her father at a fancy restaurant. Olivia attempts to guess at Rowan’s plans for retirement and wonders if he’ll maybe get a boat and start deep sea fishing charters, and Rowan replies that something like that would require him to deal with “stupid human beings”. Olivia concludes then that for the sake of himself and others, that Rowan fishing alone would be best.
The two of them share a laugh at this before Rowan tells her that he plans to do a bit of fishing, traveling and reading. Olivia says that his plans sound wonderful. Rowan in turn remarks that Olivia seems happy to see him go (hell, I’m happy!) and Olivia tells him that it isn’t like this is goodbye forever. She predicts that her father won’t last more than three weeks on vacation. Rowan, however, tells her that this is really goodbye and Olivia laughs because she doesn’t believe him.
Rowan goes on to say that now that Olivia is on the brink of power, she cannot afford to have him hanging around. He says that his departure is what she needs. He then asks her what the one rule is in order to maintain one’s position of power and he reminds her that it is to have no family. (What, is Olivia entering B613 by becoming Chief of Staff?)
Olivia’s mood shifts to one of exasperation as she asks Rowan to please keep from being dramatic in public, and he replies that he wouldn’t have to resort to drama if she would just listen to him. As Rowan is set to speak further, Olivia sighs, “Here we go.” In this moment, Olivia is me.
Rowan goes on to tell her that from where she will be standing, there will be no place for others or even love. Matter of fact, let me just quote his words:
“From where you’ll be standing, there is no place for others, for love. It’s easy to say before you have power, but then you have it. And your head begins to expand, telling you that you can do anything, that you deserve everything, that you have earned the right to happiness, to love, to family; that you may now break the one golden rule. And that’s when you know you’ve failed. That’s why I must go away, because otherwise, you will end up risking your place at the pinnacle of power for me.” -- Eli “Rowan” Pope
So wait a second. Despite everything that Rowan just went through with the mystery people, he’s STILL preaching to Olivia about giving up love and happiness and family for power? Why in the world would anyone want such a thing for themselves, let alone for their child?
Olivia listen to him indulgently, but she doesn’t look at all convinced by what her father is saying to her.
At this point, a waiter comes over to offer them some coffee and Rowan abruptly tells the man to “remove” himself, but Olivia is quick to stay the waiter by saying that she will have some. (Since when does Olivia drink coffee?!)
Once the beverage is poured, Olivia thanks the waiter and then returns to the conversation. Now it’s her turn to speak. Olivia tells her father that she is not him, and that he tends to think of her as an extension of him. (Yes!!!) Rowan interrupts to say that Olivia is an extension of him, his own flesh and blood, and Olivia counters by pointing out the following:
“Environment, experience, nurture over nature -- I have not done the things that you’ve done, seen the things you’ve seen.” -- Olivia Pope
She goes on to say that she doesn’t blame him for Sandra or for her mother, and Rowan cuts in to refer to both women as being “mistakes” and “lapses in judgement.” (Wow.) Olivia is mildly surprised by this and says to him that if her mother was a mistake, then she herself is a mistake, too. She then adds that she knows that Rowan doesn’t believe her to be that.
(Oh and foreshadow #2.)
Rowan chuckles over how well she presented her argument, and he tells her that she is smarter than him and then adds that he is proud of her. Of course, this pride is largely tied in with the fact that she is now about to occupy the White House as he has always dreamed that she would. He confirms this much when he remarks that she will be in the Oval this time and not as First Lady. (Recall the criticism he had of her willing to be Fitz’s First Lady instead of using her sexual wiles to better advantage in 301.)
The man truly is beaming with pride over this and I’m still stuck on the fact that Olivia is only in this position because he assassinated the man who should rightfully be next in line for the White House. Water under the bridge, I guess…
Olivia speaks up then to tell him to take a break, and then she says that when he returns, they can reconstitute Sunday dinners and chew on the issues of the day. Rowan interrupts her to say that Olivia may be smarter, but he is wiser, and he again tells her that this is truly goodbye. It is in this moment that Olivia realizes that he means to leave for good. He places a kiss on the inside of her palm and then stands up. Before he can go far, she grabs his hand and offers him an emotional goodbye in return.
Elsewhere in DC, Abby is lying awake in bed when she hears David hovering outside of her bedroom door. She instructs him to just come in, and when he opens the door, David explains that he can’t sleep downstairs with the head in the fridge. Abby suggests that he could go home, but David said he isn’t going to leave with her alone with the head. (LOLOL!!)
After a moment, Abby invites him into bed with her. She slides over to the other side and erects a wall of pillows between them to keep them apart. David plops into bed and promptly gets to chatting about the situation that they are in. He says that he thought himself to be a good person, that he wore the white hat. He says to Abby that he was a true believer in wanting to form a more perfect Union, that he was a champion for that cause and now all of that is gone. He adds that the sad thing about it is that no one took it away from him. He instead gave it away freely.
Abby says to him then that he was lured in just as she was by Ponytail. She states that she can’t help but to wonder why it is that she was chosen, if Ponytail was able to see that she was greedy and callous enough to go as far as she had in assisting them with their plot. After a momentary pause, Abby tells David that she never considered herself to be a good person, but she never thought that she could be an evil one.
David then reaches across the pillows to give Abby a comforting kiss on her forehead, and then he proceeds to break the tension by asking if she wants to go downstairs and poke at Ponytail’s frozen head with chopsticks! Abby laughs at the outrageous suggestion, and David succeeds to taking them both out of their melancholy mood.
Back over at OPA, Quinn has been waiting for Olivia in her office. When Olivia finally shows up, she doesn’t bother with a greeting and instead comments on Quinn’s presence in her office. Quinn gets right to filling Olivia in on what they were able to learn about the case, which points to Shaun’s innocence. Olivia doesn’t seem have heard anything that Quinn just said to her as she once again asks her subordinate what it is that she is doing in her office.
Quinn is taken aback by the question and she points out that Olivia hasn’t been present and that they are running out of time to get this case to the President. Olivia asks her what exactly it is that she intends to take to the President, and Quinn says the pardon and asks if Olivia had been listening to anything she had to say. Olivia reveals that she heard all that was said, but that she didn’t hear any proof. Quinn concedes that point and says that they weren’t able to get anything concrete, but says that she is absolutely sure that Shaun is innocent. She says that she has a “feeling.”
Olivia is unimpressed by this and points out to Quinn that she is asking her to take a “racially sensitive, tinderbox of a closed case to an outgoing President with a legacy to protect because [she] had a feeling”. (Welp.) Quinn is now looking at Olivia as if she no longer recognizes her, and she asks her when it was that the legacy of the President became OPA’s concern. She then asks Olivia what it is that she thinks she is doing, and Olivia tells her that she is trying to get back to work. Quinn points out that Olivia works there at OPA and that her name is still on the front door, and since that is the case, she assumes that Olivia is still interested in helping people. Olivia tells Quinn that she should leave, but Quinn continues on by asking to know when Olivia decided to stop gladiating and wearing the white hat and forcing them all to risk everything because she had a gut feeling. She questions if any of those things matter to Olivia anymore or if Olivia is now more concerned about running around in certain circles of power.
Oh, Quinn Lindsay Dwyer Perkins did not go there. But I’m here for it. Olivia, however, is not.
Olivia tells Quinn that she isn’t going to be questioned her own damn office and that she certainly won’t be yelled at. Olivia states that she owes Quinn no explanation for anything that she does, and she adds that she is unwilling to risk OPA’s reputation without hard proof of Shaun’s innocence. Olivia then orders Quinn out of her office and tells her to shut down the case.
Did Quinn strike a nerve? I think Quinn struck a nerve. Yiiikes.
Taking Charge and Changing Course
The following day, Charlie and Quinn are at the correctional facility where Shaun is being held. Quinn is hesitant to go in because she had promised Shaun that she would be able to get him out. Charlie tries to cheer her up by saying that OPA may be over, but that there will always be other jobs. He presents himself as an example. B613 ended and he was able to land on his feet just fine. He outlines any number of things that they could do, but Quinn isn’t enthused by the choices. Charlie goes on to say that his point is that just because Olivia traded in her white hat for the White House doesn’t mean that they must also stop being gladiators.
This statement gives Quinn an idea, and the next thing we see is Quinn being escorted down a hall in the White House by Marcus. He is advising her on how to deal with being starstruck by the President, and she dismisses this by reminding him that she has met the President before. Marcus counters by saying that she hasn’t met him in the Oval and that the room tends to put a spell on people.
Stepping into the Oval Office after Marcus, Quinn immediately freezes and stares like a deer caught in the headlights at Fitz who standing by his favorite window. Marcus announces their presence and says to the President that Quinn has been looking into one of his pardon petitions and wanted to have a word with him about it.
Quinn is still staring about the room in awe when Fitz turns away from the window to come to stand by the front of the Resolute Desk. Marcus encourages her to go ahead and state her case, but Quinn can’t bring herself to speak and instead remarks about how round the room is. Fitz is amused by her reaction and he asks her how it is that she got a hold of that particular case. Quinn snaps to her senses then and replies that she got it from Olivia. She relays that they were told to find a slam dunk case and this is the one that they chose.
Fitz opens up the folder and Quinn proceeds to give him details on the case, but Fitz is already familiar with it. Quinn tells him that she believes Shaun to be innocent and that Fitz ought to pardon him. Fitz asks her what she is basing her surety on and she says her gut.
This response causes Fitz to look up from the documents in his hand to stare at Quinn. She tells him that her gut is all she has on this and that it will have to be enough for him. (Yeah, that’s real convincing, Quinn.) Fitz then wonders why it is that Quinn is the one telling him this instead of Olivia, and Quinn replies that Olivia would be telling him this if she believed that the case was a slam dunk but that she doesn’t.
Fitz is now confused and he drops the file down among the others that sit on his desk as he asks if Olivia doesn’t believe that he should pardon Shaun Campbell. Quinn hesitates before responding that Olivia believes offering a pardon in this particular case would be bad for him. Quinn then agrees that a pardon could generate blowback and be a distraction, but she says that it will also be the right thing to do.
Fitz gives Quinn a polite smile then and steps over to give her hand a shake as he thanks her for coming in. Fitz then tells Marcus to let him to know when he is ready to continue with his interview preparations. Disheartened, Quinn turns to leave, but then she looks at Marcus who silently encourages her to not give up.
Quinn then turns back towards the President and says that she isn’t leaving until Fitz agrees to sign the petition. Astonished by this statement, Fitz asks if Quinn realizes that there are men out in the hall who are willing to shoot her for taking that attitude with him, and Quinn replies that she is aware and would welcome them to do as they wish, that it wouldn’t change the fact that she is staying until he signs the petition.
Well, look at little Quinn Perkins with the ovaries of steel.
Quinn tells him that it is only one petition, and Fitz points out that it is a petition that her boss is against. Quinn counters by saying that Olivia isn’t her boss. Not the Olivia that is walking about in the world today.
“This Olivia works for the President-elect. This Olivia wants things to be safe. This Olivia needs to protect relationships and make sure the country is on her side. That’s not my Olivia.
“My Olivia works for the people. My Olivia rocks the boat because no one else will. My Olivia doesn’t give a crap about your legacy and paving the way for a smooth transition of power. My Olivia would have walked through that door and shoved that petition down your throat. That’s my Olivia!
“But she’s not here anymore. So I’m here instead. It’s me marching through that door, me shoving that petition down your throat, me demanding you sign it. So go ahead. Call in your dogs. But I’m not leaving until you pick up a damn pen and and give Shaun Campbell his due...sir.”
YASSSSS, girl! Yes!!
Baby gladiator for the win! Girl is lucky as hell that Fitzgerald Grant is who she was addressing because she’d otherwise had already been tossed out on her ass. And where is the lie in anything the she had to say about Olivia? Can you find it because I can’t.
Both Fitz and Marcus look impressed by Quinn’s gumption, and Fitz comes from around his desk to direct Quinn to take a seat. Shocked out of her mind, Quinn goes to claim one, but gets directed to the sofa for she was heading for the seat that Fitz usually sits in. As Quinn takes a seat on the sofa, she smiles over at Marcus at her accomplishment.
It’ll be interesting to see how (if at all) what Quinn said manifests in Fitz’s next interaction with Olivia. I can’t imagine that her statement failed to resonate with Fitz in some way. I imagine that what she said to Olivia back at OPA may have some latent effect, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Quinn’s words reminded me of when Olivia confronted Fitz about not running for reelection (221) and she told him that she didn’t believe he was making the “bold and brave” decision. This may be a long ass reach, but it made me wonder if Olivia choosing the White House over fighting for those who need her voice outside of it is her not making the “bold and brave” choice. Eh. We’ll see what the last two episodes reveal to us on this front.
Later, Marcus is in his office packing up his stuff. Mellie stops by and is surprised to see him already putting his things together. She then says to Marcus that she would like for him to stay on and serve as her Communications Director. Marcus is surprised by the offer and thanks her for it, but he informs her that Fitz has already offered him a position to run his foundation.
Disappointed, Mellie is momentarily stunned by the setback, but then she attempts to convince him to take her offer instead. She says that what she’s offering him is a position in the White House, and she asks him if there isn’t the place where he would rather be. Marcus looks at her directly in the eye and tells her that no, the White House is where she wants him to be. He says to her that he didn’t get into politics to gain power, but rather to make a difference.
In response to that, Mellie tells him that if he wants to make a difference, he should stay at the White House. She then reminds him that the two of them make a great team. It is this that leads Marcus to understand that there is more to what Mellie is asking, and he says to her that he isn’t Olivia Pope.
Ouch. Low-key but high key Olivia shade? Marcus wasn’t about to be the next Communications Director/plaything to the new President Grant.
Mellie is stunned by his rejection. Marcus then bids her farewell and offers her his hand as he wishes her the best. Mellie reluctantly accepts it and can’t at first bring herself to look at him, but when she does, the two of them watch each other for a long moment before Marcus takes back his hand and ends the connection. He watches as she departs from his office, and I am left feeling kinda sad for Marlie. Why can’t y’all just give Mellie some happy?
Cold world, but she did choose her path.
Unexpected Revelations
Back at Abby’s apartment, Abby and David are set to have dinner. David remarks that the President tends to forget that he himself has done a lot of awful things, and Abby adds that for a man who is giving out pardons, Fitz can be terribly unforgiving. (Welp. Fitzgerald, change your ways at the soonest.) Just then, David gets a phone call and it’s Jake. The DNA that he collected has gotten a hit, and Jake has a name and address.
Okay, I have questions. Why is it that Ponytail’s DNA is in any database? Is she former military or convict? Spy? Since she was allegedly a ghost, one would expect that the government wouldn’t have her DNA, right? Her DNA AND her address. Am I thinking too hard about this?
Anyway, David and Abby head over to the NSA and Jake is sharing with them what he has found. Jake shares that Ponytail’s actual name is Gertrude and he goes on to say to David that he’s showing him these images of Ponytail’s apartment because it seemed like David’s “little tender baby heart” needed closure.
Jake then pulls out a cell phone that he said he found hidden in a wall in the apartment. He says that everything on it had been wiped clean except for one text message. The message was a threat that instructed Ponytail to remind Peus that their work isn’t finished and that their debt not paid. The message concludes by telling Ponytail not to disappoint this person again.
The three draw the conclusion that Peus and Ponytail weren’t the ones running the whole operation, that they were merely taking orders from someone else. (No shit, Sherlocks!)
Back at the White House, Fitz is sitting down with Noah Baker for an exclusive interview and Marcus is watching from the sidelines. With Abby still on the outs with Fitz, Marcus is left to be the sole guard of this endeavor.
Fitz is speaking in generalities about government when Noah steers him towards something more specific with the Brandon Bill. Fitz tells Noah that the legislation is one that he is truly proud of, and then he makes a sudden pivot to say that he could have done more. This causes Marcus to blink in surprise.
Fitz states that he’s been the most powerful man in America for all of these years and that all of this time, he had neglected to help those who most needed the government’s help. He goes on to say that he luckily has a few more days before he is out of office and shares his intention to kick off his final week by issuing a series of presidential pardons. He specifically mentions the case of Shaun Campbell and states that a review of the case showed probable doubt, highlighting a troubling issue with our justice system.
Noah says that the President is then giving Shaun a second chance, and Fitz says that he hopes that he himself gets a second chance as well for his review of these cases showed him just how many of the country’s young people are sitting in prison for want of a fairer trial. Fitz goes on to say that because of this, he will be launching a foundation upon his departure from office in a week that will appeal cases like Shaun’s where there is evidence of biased sentencing or an inadequate defense. He also states that the foundation will offer assistance to families experiencing financial insecurity due to a family member’s arrest or incarceration. Forgotten families, he says, in places such as Philadelphia, Chicago and….the D.
I can’t with Fitzgerald and his lame ass (LMAO!!), but y’all! This man is literally about to launch the Scandal version of the Innocence Project and he’ll be working with Marcus Walker on it!! Whoa! How can you not love Fitzgerald? He may be corny, but he does listen.
(For those unfamiliar with the Innocence Project, take a moment to look them up. Fitz’s portrayer, Tony Goldwyn, is a supporter of the organization. And yes, I know too damn much about these actors. This is a judgement free zone.)
When Noah asks the President how he would like America to talk about his legacy, Fitz tells him to ask him that question again in a decade, but in the meantime, he’d like for them to say that he is just getting started.
Back over at OPA, Quinn is again waiting for Olivia to arrive, but this time she is in the conference room. When Olivia finally shows up, Quinn is quick to defend her actions in going directly to the President and stating her case. She says that she did what was best for the client and that this one pardon won’t make or break either Grant, but that it would change the life of an innocent man who never had a fair trial. She goes on to add that as gladiators their job is to take risks and not just handle things that are considered slam dunks.
(Side note: Olivia is wearing black and white, but this time, white outweighs the black. It is the most white that she has worn in a long while.)
Olivia doesn’t immediately say anything to Quinn’s impassioned speech and she proceeds into her office. Quinn follows her and says to Olivia that she can’t just walk away from her. Olivia, meanwhile, opens up the safe and says to Quinn that the files within hold their bank accounts and the names of their high profile clients. Quinn questions why Olivia is sharing this with her, and Olivia tells her that leading OPA means going up against the White House sometimes, and in 8 days, that means Quinn will be going up against her. She then says that she needed to know if Quinn would be capable of handling that.
Shocked, Quinn realizes that this pardon business was a test that Olivia put her through. Quinn gets emotional as the meaning of all of this finally hits her, and she thanks Olivia for the opportunity. Olivia returns the thanks and says to Quinn that the office is now her. Olivia takes one last look at the space that had been hers for nearly a decade before leaving the room to Quinn.
Wait, are we being serious right now? Is Olivia leaving OPA for good?? How, what, who, where, why?? I can’t process this. Nope.
Elsewhere, Abby is helping David as he drops Ponytail’s head in a plastic bag. David intends to toss the head into the Potomac with the hope that a family of crabs will make a meal out of her. (Avoid the crab cakes in Washington for at least two months.)
Before he leaves, David tells Abby that she isn’t even close to being evil. Abby smiles in response, and their moment is interrupted by a knock on the door. It is Jake and he has been able to get more information on who was behind Peus and Ponytail. He was going through video footage of the security cameras in the building when he noticed that someone went into Ponytail’s apartment while she had been in their custody. Jake was able to get an ID on who this person was.
We next see Rowan heading for his chartered plane when an SUV pulls up and screeches to a sudden stop. An agent pops out of the passenger side to say to Rowan that he needs to come with them. Demanding to know under whose authority the request is being made, Olivia pops out of the vehicle to say that it is under hers. (Okay, badass! You aren’t even official yet and you’re already authorizing detections.)
To the bunker they go and waiting for their arrival is Fitz and Jake. Once enclosed in the room, Rowan asks to know why he was brought there and Fitz hands him a file as Olivia explains that Peus was taking orders from someone else. Rowan pulls out what’s within, and once he sees who they are up against, he says that he is not interested and reminds them all that he is now free of all of this. Jake tells Rowan that he’s the only choice to handle this and Fitz adds that Rowan is the only one who knows their target better than anyone else.
Despite their words, Rowan still wants no part of it. Olivia then steps up to remind her father of what he said to her just the night before about how she would be safer with him, with family gone out of her life. She then asks him who will protect her from “her” should Rowan go away as intended. Rowan stares at Olivia for a long moment before he sets his bag down on the floor and once again takes up the photograph.
The camera reveals to us then that the person in question is none other than Maya Pope!!! WHAAAAAT?!
After missing a season, Maya Pope a.k.a. Marie Wallace is back! What does it all mean? Is she really the big bad behind the mystery people? If so, what would she get out of such a scheme? What’s her motivation? It can’t be to ensure that Olivia’s candidate wins the election. That’s more a move that Rowan would pull. Maya doesn’t seem to be all that interested in who is in power or helping her daughter reach that goal, so what gives?
How will Maya’s emergence and involvement in the scheme to take over the presidency change things? Is she doing this on her own or is she the middle man between the mystery people and the real big bad? I’ve got too many questions.
Also, will Quinn actually walk down the aisle with Charlie? Has Olivia truly given up on OPA? Will Quinn’s question about Olivia choosing power over gladiating come back at some point, like how Marcus’s challenge of Fitzgerald caused him to consider his limitations and strive to do better? Will we ever see Marlie again? Are Dabby about to return to being a thing? How does Cyrus fit into this whole thing? Will Jake ever take a dive off of a cliff?
Okay, that last question was petty. Too many shifts in one episode as we go charging ahead towards next week’s 2-hour (actually two episode) finale! What do you think is going to happen?? Post your thoughts in the comments section below or share them with me on Twitter.
This the conclusion of the recap/review of Scandal episode 614! I thank you for reading. See you next week!
