Scandal Just Ended On A Mindblowing Cliffhanger

Major spoilers below for tonight’s episode of Scandal. Shit got real, guys, so don’t wait to watch it on DVR in a few days.

Good things are never meant to last on TV shows, and while we’re not exactly saying that Olivia Pope and President Fitz Grant going full-on public with their relationship is a good thing, it fits into this, in that it didn’t last very long. That’s right, Olitz is no more, and neither is the child growing inside Olivia’s stomach. This Scandal episode was goddamned bonkers, and the fact that it’s the Season 5 midseason finale means we’re not even going to get a follow-up until February 11, 2016. ABC is evil, I tell you!

As not to beat around the bush: Scandal was definitely not into trying to prove to audiences that Olivia was a run of the mill First Lady, or that she even wanted to be. Still, we expected her time as FLOTUS to last a little longer than this, but it wasn’t meant to be. How did things come to their intensely vicious end?

First, Olivia knew that having a kid with Fitz wouldn’t fit into her life plan, so she went off and had an abortion instead of sticking with Fitz for First Lady duties. Upon returning to the White House, Olivia hit up some booze that Mellie tucked away, but easing her nerves just wasn’t in the cards, as she and Fitz soon got into a verbal free-for-all of epic proportions. Think back to the worst go-for-blood argument you’ve had with a friend or significant other, and then imagine one of you is the President of the United States.

Olivia killed it with the following summation of where things currently stand between the couple. Or former couple. I guess it’s not too soon for that.

There is no us. There is no Vermont. There is no jam. There is no future, not anymore.

Kaboom! I was mildly surprised that she didn’t have a jetpack on her back at the time, so that she could exit the argument by just blasting out through the White House roof. That would have been slightly less insane. But in the end, Olivia ended up going back to her apartment, where she relaxed on a new couch with a glass of wine. It’s an image that Scandal fans know well, but not necessarily one that anyone expected to see wrapping up the episode that caps off Season 5’s first chunk of episodes.

As it was stated earlier with much disdain, Scandal won’t return to ABC until its midseason premiere on Thursday, February 11, 2016. We’re pouring ourselves an entire swimming pool of wine while waiting. Let us know what you think about the couple's split below.

This poll is no longer available.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.