Sally’s BACK! It was Impeachment Week for the Liberty Report host, and she was loving it. Fitz was going to go before the senate judiciary committee, but Mellie was up first. She had it all planned out, until she didn’t. She straight up lied in front of Congress saying she had no idea about Olivia and Fitz’s affair until Olivia said something.
Olivia realized the committee was about to ambush Mellie. That’s when they brought up the affidavit from Jeanine Locke and asked Mellie to read the text proving her lie. When asked if she helped Olivia and Fitz cover up their affair, Mellie said the one thing she swore she wouldn’t: “I don’t recall.”
Well, Patty was pissed! Now she didn’t want Fitz to testify. She was all about that executive privilege. But that didn’t save Olivia. Cyrus had a plan, though. MARRIAGE! It was the only way to prevent her from testifying. Olivia thought that idea was INSANE. Cyrus didn’t think it was too big of a stretch — he’d married a whore and gotten off OK. Cyrus did not want Olivia to testify — the senate would find a way to ambush her. Olivia wanted to find another way.
She helped the Gladiators not perjure themselves in court. They just needed to listen to the questions very carefully. Quinn, Huck and Abby went before the committee. Every question they had just the right answers for, and those were the answers the senate committee didn’t want to hear. Sweet Harrison (RIP) saved them in the end — he was the one who leaked that video of Jeanine.
Nothing Is Ever Free
Meanwhile, it seemed like Elise was helping Rowan escape. But Rowan didn’t really need help — he killed a guard without breaking a sweat. Jake cornered Elise and asked why she’d been visiting Rowan. She was apparently hired by the people running Lazarus One to KILL Rowan. Well, well, well.
Olivia was going to have to testify in two days. In the midst of that, Rowan called Olivia to tell her his life was in danger. She hung up right away. Later, Olivia talked to Abby about marrying Fitz. If Olivia testified, she would lie. Because if not, Fitz would be impeached. She couldn’t do that to him. She didn’t want to get married, though. It was an easy get out of jail free card. And we all know that nothing is ever free.
After a long day, Olivia went back to the White House to find the balcony full of rose petals and candles. Fitz was wearing the hell out of a suit. Before he could propose, she stopped him. “This is not what I wanted,” Olivia said, breaking my heart. Fitz admitted that this whole engagement charade was not what he wanted either. (The engagement ring once belonged to Betsy Ross, by the way.) The only reason Fitz was doing of all it was for Olivia. “You are what I want,” Fitz said. Olivia thought they weren’t ready to get married. “You’re not ready. You never will be,” he said.
Olivia called Jake to talk about everything with Fitz, but he hung up on her. Quinn went to see Olivia after she’d gone to see Rowan. Olivia finally budged and went to see her father. He’d been faking arrhythmias to stay in the infirmary. He knew someone wanted to kill him. He offered Olivia something if she’d get him out of prison. He could make the hearings, the committee, everything go away. All she had to do was get him out. In return, he would fix everything.
All The President’s Women
She went to see Mellie to discuss what was next. Mellie didn’t think things could get worse for her, but Olivia assured her it could. If Olivia didn’t testify, everything would go away. “I despise you,” Mellie spat. Olivia shook that insult off quickly. She wanted Mellie to secure the release of a certain prisoner. Mellie didn’t know the prison was Rowan/Eli Pope. She also didn’t know he was Olivia’s dad. What Olivia didn’t know was that Rowan was responsible for the deaths of the 17 jurors. Fitz never told Olivia about that and didn’t know that was the reason he threw Mellie out.
Mellie hurled more insults Olivia’s way until Olivia revealed that her father had killed Jerry. That’s when Mellie lost it. Just when Mellie thought things couldn’t get worse — they did.
Later, Olivia lied in bed with Fitz and asked to see the ring. She put her special ring in the box and gave their marriage a go. There was to be no wedding, and she was keeping the Pope name. Olivia called Jake to talk about marrying Fitz — again. Jake didn’t want to hear any of it. He was done. He even told Elise he was going with her wherever she went. When Jake went to meet Elise, he found her dead in Union Station. Is Lazarus One deadlier than B613?
Dude, Olivia, you can’t keep stringing Jake along. The guy clearly still loves you. And you call him up to talk about marry the OTHER GUY? Cold move, Liv. Cold move.
They’re Baaaaaack
Before Fitz and Olivia could get married, Mellie and Fitz had to get divorced. Fitz handed over pretty much whatever Mellie wanted and couldn’t help but get in a last word about there being “nothing left” for Mellie to take from him. Wrong move, Fitz.
Mellie went OFF. She yelled that everything she had ever done was to protect him. Regardless of what she’d done, Fitz was always the common denominator in everything. Her entire life had been dedicated to Fitz. “I would have had something, been something, done something” if not for Fitz. She verbally slaughtered him talking about his “pathetic mediocrity.” It was brutal. Mellie walked away with the door wide open. You go, girl.
Fitz and Olivia were thisclose to tying the knot. Olivia looked absolutely perfect in an all-white suit. The minute before her life changed forever, Mellie called. Olivia walked out and had Abby give the ring back to Fitz. Mellie told Olivia that she had been wrong. “You are not my enemy. You are my freedom… You are going to make me President of the United States,” Mellie told Olivia. She had released Rowan, and he had fixed everything. Olivia owed Mellie, and Mellie was going to make her pay up.
Oh, and guess what?! TOM IS BACK, TOO! PRAISE!
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— Avery Thompson
Follow @avery__thompson