SCANDAL Recap: Full Circle

This episode can be summed up in four simple words: Olivia’s really in trouble.

We start with Abby figuring out something is wrong with Olivia. She immediately heads to OP&A. Quinn and Huck freeze her out, “You’re not a Gladiator anymore.”

Cyrus has Fitz sign a number of Executive Orders – one to fire his whole Secret Service staff (the shady traitors), another to replace them with Navy SEALS and the last is Andrew’s resignation. I don’t see this being so simple.

Ian sets up the dark net auction to purchase Olivia and Fitz has all of his advisors working on an in. They are going to bid for Olivia. When Andrew finds out what Ian did he actually has the audacity to be upset/surprised. Why do people never see the double cross by the money hungry mercenary coming?

Jake lets Quinn and Huck know what is going on and they decide the White House is going to mess it all up. Only thing for them to do is bid on Olivia themselves. Jake has a not too shabby $2 million in an off shore account but Huck; well Huck has the algorithm that B613 uses to syphon money for their budget. That equals $2 billion and change. That’s probably closer to what they’ll need.

The bidding is about to start and Ian suggests Olivia is going to be worth around $500 million. “$500 million dollars? I’m a little insulted…I’ll go for not a dollar under a billion, maybe a billion five.” It’s good to know your worth, I suppose. Oh and Ian, he’s just so sweet, he offers to let her pick who gets her when it gets down to the last few bidders. Such a doll that kidnapping murderer is. Only there is a problem, a serious one, Gus. Do you remember Gus? He was the guard Olivia hit in the face with a pipe when she was attempting to make her escape. He shoots Ian and takes over the auction. Like I said, Olivia’s really in trouble.

Cyrus brings Andrew his letter of resignation, Andrew isn’t having it. In fact he refuses to sign it and when threatened he threatens right back with exposing Fitz for going to war over his “side piece”.

At OP&A Quinn, Jake and Huck realize they won’t be able to get into the auction without an introduction by someone the kidnappers would consider an all-star terrorist. Next scene they are paying a visit to Mamma Pope, because that always ends well. After some negotiations Mamma Pope gives them their in. Here’s where the violent advisory that flashed across the screen at the beginning of the episode comes into play – Huck goes to meet with Mamma Pope’s associate only to find out he has to kill the three guys in order to actually meet the associate. When Jake goes to check on Huck who has been gone a little too long he finds a very gruesome scene. Huck is covered in blood and I’m pretty sure he needs to go to an AA meeting.

Cyrus brings the unfortunate news that Andrew isn’t resigning to Fitz. Fitz comes up with another idea, maybe if they can prove Andrew knew about the attack, the attack which Fitz used as his reason to go to war. Of course Andrew finds out about this and again there are threats. This time Andrew threatens to tell the world about his little affair with Mellie. “The First Lady and the traitor.”

Poor Abbey finds out what happened to Olivia from Fitz. She immediately goes to yell at David for not telling her. If I’m not mistaken she is sleeping with Leo and David doesn’t really owe her anything. That man is constantly being used for what the Gladiator’s deem to be good. “I didn’t even get a chance to be her Gladiator.” Poor Abbey.

Out on the balcony Fitz finds Mellie drinking moonshine. He tells her the CIA is confident they will have Olivia back soon. “We sleep better when she is lying between us.” Mellie didn’t even say it maliciously. She lets Fitz know Andrew will spill about the affair she had with him unless he gets away with this plot of his. She can’t be ruined, because the one thing she wants more than anything in the world is to someday be President. Mellie has plans and she can’t get them if Andrew ruins her. “So Andrew walks.” It’s nice when Mellie and Fitz get along.

The next morning Huck finally gets into the auction only to see it close down, there is no more bidding. They are too late. Cyrus rushes Fitz to the situation room to be briefed while our dear friend and kidnapper Gus informs Olivia what is going on. He got an offer of cash, so he suspended the auction and accepted. She is being sold to Iran.

“We have to get Olivia back. Not just because I love her, not just because having her out there is a threat to National security. There are soldiers that are never coming home because I tried to get her back.” This is just the start of a great speech by Fitz. “Their sacrifice has to mean something.”

Olivia meanwhile is walked out to a deserted spot where Gus is set to transfer her to a waiting SUV.

Bets on who bought Olivia? Her Dad maybe?

Scandal airs 9/8c on ABC