The Breakdown
We go back to the news on Sally announcing that she is running against Fitz for president. Mellie walks in on Olivia and Fitz kissing. Olivia is running Fitz’ campaign and the charge against Sally. Sally is staying as VP and still running for president. Fitz is drinking and losing control over the news that Sally made. Fitz wants to unseat her.
Flashback
David Rosen plays the tape of Sally admitting she killed her husband to James. James is pulling out from teaming up with Rosen to take the white house down. Harrison calls Rosen about Adnan coming back into the U.S. David says that he will look into it. Jake talks to Charlie about keeping Quinn safe and telling him that she will not be apart of B6-13. Olivia and her team are vetting Andrew Nichols for the Vice President seat under Fitz’ orders. Cyrus tells Olivia that Jake is now command. Olivia tries to talk to her dad and tells him that she is sorry for what happened. He goes off on her, while telling her that Fitz won’t make it till the end of his term and that she needs to run as far away from here as she can go.
A reporter gets a text asking why hasn’t Daniel Langston’s autopsy been made to the public. The text came from someone named “Publius”. Leo and Abby go head to head on a political talk show and Leo accuses Olivia of being Fitz’ mistress. At a press conference addressing the mistress question, James gets answered by the journalist about Daniel Langston autopsy. James never answers. Sally tells Leo that she feels that someone knows about what she did. Leo talks to Cyrus and tells him that he knows what he did for Sally. Quinn and Charlie are in a home improvement store when Charlie gets a call from Cyrus about a job. Quinn kidnaps a child and Charlie is the wheelman.
Cyrus tells James to deflect the questions about Mr. Langston to Sallie’s office. Olivia has Abby and Huck dig up information about Daniel Langston’s autopsy. They find the doctor who did the autopsy and try to make her talk. She tells them a story about him being drunk and hitting his head on the toilet. Charlie and Quinn are in the dinning room with her son. David tells Harrison that Adnan Salif is going to be able to come into the country. Rosen can’t do anything to stop it. Mellie doesn’t want Andrew as the VP and wants Cyrus to fix it. Cyrus wants Mellie to control Olivia and Fitz’ recently publicity. Mellie has lunch in public to tell Olivia to stop banging Fitz. She even gives Olivia a list of names to pick from that she can publicly date to change public perception.
Publius texts the journalist again asking if she has found anything and if she needs any help. Harrison is scared that Adnan Salif is coming to kill him. Salif has killed a few other people to send Harrison a message. Olivia feels that she should resign because of the headlines of her and Fitz, when she panics about it, Fitz kisses her. Olivia then asks why did he put Jake as the head of B6-13. Fitz tells her that he is the only person that he trusts, also that Jake will keep his secret about killing the passengers of the plane he shot down and letting go Olivia’s mom. Olivia tells Fitz that he doesn’t trust her. She tells him that she should resign again. Fitz tells her that he can’t win without her. Olivia walks out, Fitz tells her that he will not accept her resignation. Olivia tells him that she isn’t resigning.
Adnan comes and visits Harrison. He pulls out a gun, she tells him that he looks ridiculous and that she wants to work together. They being working on each other if you know what I mean. James is recording Cyrus’ office conversations and plays them for David. James tells David that he is Publius and wants to take Cyrus down for good. David tells him that if the powers that be find out about him being Publius they could kill him. Olivia is mad at Jake for taking the command job. Sally calls Leo and is freaking out because the president is about to announce his VP choice. Leo tells her that he is handling it. Leo then meets with Eli. Olivia has Mellie introduce Fitz as he announces his new Vice President, Andrew Nichols (who is happy to be near Mellie again).
The Analysis
Sometimes I wonder who is more stupid Olivia Pope on Scandal or Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union) from Being Mary Jane. When Olivia was talking to Jake she mumbles that she feels further away from Vermont. A reference that Fitz makes about him leaving the white house and Mellie to be with Olivia, move to Vermont and she can make jam. As we have seen this, like most things that married men say are never going to happen. Every time there is a problem with him or their “relationship” he proceeds to trying to get in her pants. I’m wildly surprised that this didn’t happen on this episode. In season 1 and 2 I honestly thought that Fitz loved Olivia and would (if given the chance) ditch Mellie and go with Olivia and head to Vermont. Although this wouldn’t be a viable show. This aspect of their relationship has taken Olivia from a brilliant woman and made her a typical whore.