Characters in Scandal have rarely stayed on one side of the good or evil spectrum for long. Mellie was a character so easy to hate upon first meeting her, yet it is hard to not feel sorry for her now; with James' death, Cyrus had a moment when he was humanized, before turning back into a demon; Maya maybe a ruthless terrorist, yet seems to have a soft spot for Liv; and Rowan also has his moments where his pragmatic ways soften for his daughter. But, as much as everyone has their moments where their humanity shows, it has rarely stopped them from committing acts which sometimes lead to the death of others.
Topic 1: Poppa Pope
With Jake letting Liv pull one over on him, and endangering the Republic, Fitz and Cyrus agree to call in Rowan who, as a service to his daughter, decides to take control of the situation. This is at the cost of Jake who is so insulted by Rowan being brought on this task, he walks away, though brings himself to David's office and has him slave away on some new facial recognition software to find Maya.
Anyway, with Jake gone, but Rowan not given his old authority, it seems B613 is currently in limbo, but not without its solders still available as resources. For one, Charlie and Quinn get called in and are tasked with Huck to find a man named Dominic, an asset Rowan believes could help them find Maya, and the bomb. With Quinn's return though comes quite a bit of drama, mostly between Huck and Charlie. But, in the end, Huck comes out on top for he not only is the one to find Dominic, but after Quinn finally gets him to admit he wants her, they have a passionate love scene.
But, going back to Dominic, with this capture Rowan tries to draw Maya out and get the information he desires, but the ever cold Maya rather let her lover of 20+ years die than not complete a job. This allows Rowan to exact a much desired revenge. You see, Maya was with Dominic before, during, and after her relationship with Rowan. In fact, Dominic was the one who suggested to Maya to marry Rowan for whatever intel she could get.
Topic 2: What about the Children?
So, in one gun shot, Rowan almost loses whatever progress he made with Olivia in the past few episodes. And Jake warned her that Rowan hasn't changed and is simply wearing a mask to fool her, and with Dominic being murdered, within Olivia's office at that, it seems like Jake was right. But, Rowan tries to quickly bounce back in her favor by revealing a plot he had, with Leo, Sally's Campaign manager, to smear Fitz by saying Mellie had an affair and Fitz's son Jerry isn't his. With this information, Liv races to the White House and confronts Mellie, who's drinking to the point she, at first, would want this to come out to destroy Fitz, but then rescinds this likely due to remembering what this could do to her son. So, being Olivia is a fixer, she handles the situation, but also gets Mellie the true paternity test, leading us to question if she perhaps did have an affair before the Andrew one of this season.
Topic 3: Who Doesn't Destroy Lives?
As mentioned, Quinn returns and causes some friction within the offices of OPA, and it got me to thinking that, in many ways, Olivia is very much like her parents for, as Quinn notes, OPA destroys lives. Yes, unlike her parents, she may not have murdered anyone, but look at all the lives she has destroyed, or threatened to, in order to serve a client? She may wear the White Hat, but she has horns just as much as Cyrus, her parents, Fitz and Mellie. It is just she at least tries to fight against these instincts. But, there still lies the issue of being loved, and loving in return, for seemingly that is what humanizes everyone.
As of now, all Liv has to come home to is a glass of wine for Fitz is always unavailable, except when it is on his terms; Rowan is a loose cannon, who may love her, but is hard to love; her mom is seemingly more in love with her work than any human being in existence; and everyone else is far too dependent on her to be more than they currently are. Leaving us with a Liv who seemingly has taken on a task which gives very little back, and is becoming increasingly taxing in her fight against her darker side.
Topic 4: Mamma Pope
Leaving us with the topic of the bomb. Despite Liv's thinking that Maya doesn't give a damn about her, she finds herself testing this by sticking to Fitz's side as he defiantly, against Liv's request, campaigns despite a threat against his life. And with this threat of her daughter in danger, Maya meets with Rowan and demands her baby returned home. But, before you go thinking she has a soft spot, this maybe part of her plan. I say this because as Harrison investigates, he discovers where the bomb is, and Adnan finds him before he can tell anyone. Then, almost on cue, Jake and David find out about the bomb and tell Cyrus. This leads Cyrus to showing us that he is back to his old ways, for where this bomb is placed is within a church. One in which both Fitz and Sally are scheduled to attend and with Sally ahead 4 points, her death would mean an easy victory for Fitz. So, almost as if the meeting with Adnan, earlier in the season, was building to this, he delays the president in hopes Sally will die in the attack alone.
Topic 1: Poppa Pope
With Jake letting Liv pull one over on him, and endangering the Republic, Fitz and Cyrus agree to call in Rowan who, as a service to his daughter, decides to take control of the situation. This is at the cost of Jake who is so insulted by Rowan being brought on this task, he walks away, though brings himself to David's office and has him slave away on some new facial recognition software to find Maya.
Anyway, with Jake gone, but Rowan not given his old authority, it seems B613 is currently in limbo, but not without its solders still available as resources. For one, Charlie and Quinn get called in and are tasked with Huck to find a man named Dominic, an asset Rowan believes could help them find Maya, and the bomb. With Quinn's return though comes quite a bit of drama, mostly between Huck and Charlie. But, in the end, Huck comes out on top for he not only is the one to find Dominic, but after Quinn finally gets him to admit he wants her, they have a passionate love scene.
But, going back to Dominic, with this capture Rowan tries to draw Maya out and get the information he desires, but the ever cold Maya rather let her lover of 20+ years die than not complete a job. This allows Rowan to exact a much desired revenge. You see, Maya was with Dominic before, during, and after her relationship with Rowan. In fact, Dominic was the one who suggested to Maya to marry Rowan for whatever intel she could get.
Topic 2: What about the Children?
So, in one gun shot, Rowan almost loses whatever progress he made with Olivia in the past few episodes. And Jake warned her that Rowan hasn't changed and is simply wearing a mask to fool her, and with Dominic being murdered, within Olivia's office at that, it seems like Jake was right. But, Rowan tries to quickly bounce back in her favor by revealing a plot he had, with Leo, Sally's Campaign manager, to smear Fitz by saying Mellie had an affair and Fitz's son Jerry isn't his. With this information, Liv races to the White House and confronts Mellie, who's drinking to the point she, at first, would want this to come out to destroy Fitz, but then rescinds this likely due to remembering what this could do to her son. So, being Olivia is a fixer, she handles the situation, but also gets Mellie the true paternity test, leading us to question if she perhaps did have an affair before the Andrew one of this season.
Topic 3: Who Doesn't Destroy Lives?
As mentioned, Quinn returns and causes some friction within the offices of OPA, and it got me to thinking that, in many ways, Olivia is very much like her parents for, as Quinn notes, OPA destroys lives. Yes, unlike her parents, she may not have murdered anyone, but look at all the lives she has destroyed, or threatened to, in order to serve a client? She may wear the White Hat, but she has horns just as much as Cyrus, her parents, Fitz and Mellie. It is just she at least tries to fight against these instincts. But, there still lies the issue of being loved, and loving in return, for seemingly that is what humanizes everyone.
As of now, all Liv has to come home to is a glass of wine for Fitz is always unavailable, except when it is on his terms; Rowan is a loose cannon, who may love her, but is hard to love; her mom is seemingly more in love with her work than any human being in existence; and everyone else is far too dependent on her to be more than they currently are. Leaving us with a Liv who seemingly has taken on a task which gives very little back, and is becoming increasingly taxing in her fight against her darker side.
Topic 4: Mamma Pope
Leaving us with the topic of the bomb. Despite Liv's thinking that Maya doesn't give a damn about her, she finds herself testing this by sticking to Fitz's side as he defiantly, against Liv's request, campaigns despite a threat against his life. And with this threat of her daughter in danger, Maya meets with Rowan and demands her baby returned home. But, before you go thinking she has a soft spot, this maybe part of her plan. I say this because as Harrison investigates, he discovers where the bomb is, and Adnan finds him before he can tell anyone. Then, almost on cue, Jake and David find out about the bomb and tell Cyrus. This leads Cyrus to showing us that he is back to his old ways, for where this bomb is placed is within a church. One in which both Fitz and Sally are scheduled to attend and with Sally ahead 4 points, her death would mean an easy victory for Fitz. So, almost as if the meeting with Adnan, earlier in the season, was building to this, he delays the president in hopes Sally will die in the attack alone.
