**Disclaimer: This article contains major SPOILERS**
If you are still recovering from the Thursday night’s episode of “Scandal,” take heart, as I am going to try to sort out the mess that was the season finale.
So much happened. The episode started out with the bomb going off at the church and, of course, Vice President Sally Langston used it as a photo opportunity to “be Jesus.” I don’t know whether to hate her for her manipulative tactics or love her for her brilliance (Let’s agree to hate her). Also, let’s not forget that Cyrus was going to let the bomb go off and kill hundreds of people just to let President Fitzgerald Grant win the presidential election. I’m starting to believe there is no one good left on this show.
Fast forward from that catastrophe to the next big event to happen: Fitz found out about Mellie’s rape. I have been praying, begging, waiting for this to happen. I have to say: Props to Shonda because I honestly could never have seen Mellie actually telling Fitz that Big Jerry raped her. I thought it was written delicately, which is important because it is such a touchy storyline that could go bad very quickly. The way Fitz comforted Mellie and when said she fought him broke my heart all over again. When it was revealed that Mellie was raped, I could practically hear all of America’s hearts breaking for her. I know mine did. And that was the day I became a Mellie fan.
Going back to the finale, that brings us to the shocking death of Fitz and Mellie’s son: Little Jerry. Can we all agree on how awful that scene was? You know “Scandal” is a ruthless show when they start killing innocent children. I mean, are there no boundaries, Shonda Rhimes?!
The show really began to take off after Jerry’s death. Fitz immediately requested that Mama Pope would be killed by none other than Papa Pope, and of course he was happy to do it and ensure his reinstatement as Command of B613. And obviously because he lost his son, Fitz is going to win the election and I haven’t decided if I, like Olivia, am a bad person for being happy about that. This is also the point in the episode where I became very skeptical of people’s intentions. Suddenly everything was unfolding: Olivia quit O.P.A. and was leaving with Jake Ballard, Mama Pope was “dead” and oh, let’s not forget that Huck went to talk to his real family. I don’t know about you, but this left me rocking in the fetal position and having a mental breakdown.
Just when I thought I was getting my bearings and coming to peace with Olivia’s “extended vacation,” Scandal stabbed me in the heart one last time. It was Papa Pope — it was him all along! While the montages played on screen, Slowly all of America was putting the pieces together. Papa Pope killed Little Jerry. He successfully put Olivia on the plane and resumed his position as Command. He got everything he wanted and captured Mama Pope, to presumably torture and kill her. This leaves viewers with their jaws on the ground as Olivia and Jake fly into the sunset, Fitz and Mellie sit alone on the floor of the Oval Office and O.P.A. is left to be run…by the associates.
The Scandal season finale ended and nothing was as it should be. Olivia announced that “she was the scandal,” deciding that she was the problem. Papa Pope is back as Command and Fitz was heartbreakingly asking for Olivia once again. The only hope I have is that Huck can be reunited with his family and David can bring down B613 for good. The episode left me having no idea what to expect for season 4. All I can hope is that Fitz starts treating Mellie better, Huck finds some happiness, David brings the evil workings of B613 to light and of course, Olivia and Jake come home with white hats intact. Because if Olivia Pope isn’t around to fight with her gladiators — then who is going to save the United States of America?