Cyrus has written a speech. A really good, funny speech. He’s more than ready to say it all at the Al Smith dinner. When he goes to Mellie, she wants him to hand the speech over to Jake. Cyrus feels his potential nomination slipping from his fingers, all thanks to Jake Ballard. Instead of attending the dinner, Cyrus and David head to Lisbon on Air Force Two. When they’re in the air, the plane suddenly starts shaking. It’s not turbulence. They’ve been hacked and have no control over the plane!
Cyrus rallies the passengers, while Mellie immediately convenes to find out what’s happened. One of the Air Force Two employees reveals that the malware that led to the hack was brought onto a plane by a cell phone or laptop. Cyrus’s assistant thinks it’s coming from her laptop. It went missing and mysteriously showed back up again at his office. The plane ends up turning around and is heading straight for DC. Everyone thinks an attack is on the horizon. Cyrus believes one person and one person only is responsible: Jake Ballard. Jake wants Cyrus out of the White House, and this could be one way to get Cyrus out.
So, where is Olivia while this is all happening? She goes to see Maya on her birthday. Olivia is once again avoiding everyone.
Meanwhile, Jake wants to start planning for the worst. Okay, cynic much? Mellie doesn’t stand for any of that talk. She clears the situation room and insinuates that Jake may be responsible considering his feelings for Cyrus. Jake assures Mellie that he could have easily taken out Cyrus with easier means.
Mellie calls Olivia for help, but she can’t reach her. Olivia’s too busy getting the third degree from her mother. Then, Mellie calls Fitz, who calms her down. He’s the only other person who knows what it’s like to be president.
Cyrus is talking to David about Abby. He tells David he should be serious about Red. She’s one of a kind. They see fighter jets outside and realize things are not looking good. Cyrus gathers everyone together and makes a heartfelt speech. One of the reporter films him and manages to get it live streamed on TV. Needless to say, everyone is riveted.
When Olivia finds out what’s going on, she freaks. Maya is stunned to see Olivia acting this way. “I raised you to be better than this,” Maya says. Maya doesn’t understand why Olivia cares so much when these are the same people who pushed her out of the White House. “You went down and so will they,” she says. Instead of keeping Maya locked inside forever, Olivia gives her mom one last chance and a one-way ticket out of the country. Maya takes it and doesn’t look back.
Thankfully, the plane lands safely. David runs directly to Abby. She’s ready for David to propose. But he knows she doesn’t ultimately want to be married again. “I wouldn’t propose to you unless I wanted to lose you,” he says. Fitz and Mellie share a celebratory drink.
Suddenly, Olivia knows who’s behind the hijacking, and it’s not Jake. She shows up at Cyrus’s place and grills him on it. He plays coy and doesn’t reveal anything. Her biggest question for him is this: what are you planning to do?