We start in a packed church, listening to Fitz give a eulogy... to Cy. Alone, in the Oval Office, while the rest of Senator Hightower's distinguished mourners wonder where he is. Cy is just starting to realize how many innocent people will die so Fitz's rivals for job and wife can disappear when Jake bursts in, and tells Fitz about Maya's bomb in the church.
Olivia has gotten her blood-covered Dad to the ER.
A welcome sight....
She is sitting in the waiting room when she sees that Fitz has ordered the church evacuated. She speeds over to the hospital while Fitz watches the church being emptied. Cy is flustered when Jake tells the room how lucky they were to catch it in time, and Fitz is worrying about looking like an idiot if Jake is wrong when there's a boom, the camera shakes, and dust flies out of the church doors. Olivia manages to get into the President's top-security workroom and tells him to get in front of a camera. Now.
It doesn't count if you don't do it in front of a camera
Which he does, but VP Sally is already on the scene. She's perfectly willing to flee until Leo fights his way through debris and security, rips her sleeve, dirties her up and tells her to go win the election. Which she does.
Vote for me! I know first aid!
She and Leo make a great team, pretending to not want the spotlight as she selflessly treats the wounded. And she proves that she can be America's Prayer-in-Chief with a rousing speech linking America to St. Francis of Assissi. "Let us Pray", Sally says, and wins the election with three words and an iconic image of shocked people in prayer.
Olivia and Abby are frantic as they try to keep the focus on a man who's just talking about evacuating the church and catching terrorists as Sally delivers, live on the scene, grit and piety. It's no contest- each news screen goes fully to Sally. When Fitz has lost all attention to his opponent, Olivia knows that Sally will win the election in two days' time. Cyrus, with Olivia in his office later, solemnly agrees. Maybe he's looking forward to being human again if Fitz loses. But Fitz and Mellie aren't so blasé. Fitz is trying to come up with a magic speech that will get him back on top, or at least on the news, and Drunk Mellie wants a refund, as if Olivia is a waitress who served them spoiled food.
Olivia, crestfallen, goes to Papa Pope, conscious in the hospital, and on the road to recovery. After Olivia stating how close he came to dying, Papa Pope is still chipper and not worried. So Olivia gives him her bad news: Fitz will lose. Olivia must accept defeat to VP Sally, to Leo Bergen. She must accept that she can't make things right for Fitz, for herself. She must accept that effort and smarts can be trumped by bad luck and someone else's cleverness on the scene. Papa Pope gives his baby girl all the comfort he can, telling her he wishes he could help, because he wants Olivia to have everything. Olivia loses it as she tells her dad that she couldn't handle seeing him a bloddy mess on the floor of her office, and Papa Pope holds her. In their own dysfunctional way, they love each other. They are all each other really has, for worse or worser.
Adnan is pointing a gun at Harrison, to kill and dispose of him, but Harrison promises her that he will keep quiet about everything he's learned, including where all the money is that will be used to pay Maya. Harrison says he'll save Adnan too, because Maya will kill Adnan to tie up all loose ends. It works, because Abby and Harrison meet as they enter Gladiator HQ, Abby complaining that they'll lose the election and Harrison saying his investment leads led nowhere. They both completely forget everything when the see Huck and Quinn putting an empty conference room to good use, with Abby screaming about her poor, abused eyes, and Harrison just too disgusted to say anything. Abby, acting as if she's a mother, shouts at them to clean up Papa Pope's blood, still in a puddle on the conference room floor.
Jake has gotten home and is trying to get a post-bomb vacation, when David shows up, angry that Cy ignored their call and was going to let the bomb go off. He doesn't stop there; he wants Jake's help to bring it all down: all of B-613's dirty deeds, all involved. Jake shuts him down. After all, that would include all of Jake's dirty deeds. And going to jail would ruin his very busy beer-drinking, football-watching schedule. Free a guy from a top-secret-murderous spy ring, and all he wants to do is watch football. Men. Hmph. David gets points for calling Cy "Voldemoort", but is Cy really the Voldemoort here? But Jake tells him to go home and accept that the bad guys run the world.
Quinn gets home to a surprise; her new roommate, Charlie, has packed and is leaving her. He's bitter, all right: he hands Quinn an envelope before he goes. It's more for Huck than her, and he presents it as something that will ruin their relationship no matter what.
Olivia drops in on Fitz, writing a speech for the next evening in which he'll tell his supporters to vote for VP Sally. It will be full of patriotism and stoic acceptance, but Fitz is much more interested in furnishing the house in Vermont. For a wife and kids, and he doesn't mean Mellie. Olivia, knowing Mellie's secret, and that it means Mellie didn't stop loving Fitz after all, just can't muster any more enthusiasm for it. Fitz starts bad-mouthing Mellie, telling Olivia that Mellie only wants power and that she's a monster, but Olivia just can't let Fitz keep talking that way. Not after what she knows Mellie has been through. So she tells him about Big Jerry raping Mellie. She tells Fitz that she believes it's true. She reminds Fitz that Big Jerry was a horrible person, and this would have been par for his course.
When Fitz goes to talk to Mellie about it, she is still drinking. She's been drinking for what, four straight days now? This woman is amazing. She also realizes why Fitz is there, looking at her like a dog found peeing on the carpet. Mellie tries to reassure Fitz that she fought, goddammit, and that Jerry Jr. is, in fact, Fitz's son. But that's not what he came to find out. Right now, he's just relieved that Mellie didn't fall out of love with him in the first place. It's not his fault his marriage failed, and it's not Mellie's. His own father, literally, screwed him out of his wife's affection.
The next day, the day before the election, Abby is floundering on TV while Leo is jubilant. And Leo isn't stopping. He heads into Cy's office, already mentally re-decorating it. Cy is still reeling from how awful he's become. And he just enjoys the fact that for once, their isn't a single thing he can do. He gets to do nothing. For a change. So he pours Leo a drink, and dispenses what advice he can: don't have a family, and try to hold on to your soul. Cy, knowingly, assures Leo that he won't hold on to his own soul, but he tells Leo to try.
Quinn, after telling Charlie that she's not even going to open the envelope, has obviously opened it, checked it out and done her homework. She takes Huck, in the evening, to see a new family that he can spy on (remember that craze?). It's a great family; mom is bravely raising a sweet little boy on her own, after returning to school and becoming a lawyer, and getting a home through a VA loan, secured through her assumed-deceased husband. Huck realizes who they are, and panics. Quinn tells him that she loves him, and that she's telling him how happy his wife and son are because she loves him. He still has a chance to have the life he used to watch other families have. He tells Quinn to never speak to him again.
Happy and about to be totally shocked
Fitz, the night before the election, is about to address his supporters, handing his votes to VP Sally. Olivia gives him pointers, tells him he's going to be fine, and that she's staying at the hospital to be with her dad. Olivia officially, finally, ends their affair. She tells Fitz that she can't be with a man who would leave a wife who still loves him, and who still needs him. They say they love each other, and share a silent moment on the phone.
For the big occasion, they've brought the kids, and Karen and Jerry Jr. are standing right behind Mom and Dad. Both are bummed for their dad, Karen asking if he's nervous about speaking, and Jerry trying to console the guy he wasn't going to vote for.
Total bummer, dad. Losing totes sucks.
Fitz and Jerry Jr. share a smile, with the audience realizing that they really are father and son and maybe could try repairing their relationship when his dad is mayor of some town in Vermont. But that is not to be. Because while Fitz starts his last national speech, Jerry Jr. starts coughing up blood. His eyes roll up, and Mellie has to catch Jerry and try to get Fitz's attention.
Olivia finds a visitor in her Papa Pope's hospital room: Maya. She is all motherly as she tells Olivia that she tried killing Fitz for Olivia. Because he's all wrong for her: he's a Scorpio, she's a Cancer. Olivia demands to know if they are even a family. Maya answers by telling Olivia that she could have killed Papa Pope, but didn't. The family that almost murders together stays together, I guess.
Those weren't stabs, they were love pokes
Fitz has a camera moment, carrying his son out of his speech, a look of dead fear on his face for his son, but Olivia has the sad job of telling the nation that Jerry Jr. died of bacterial meningitis. Olivia and Cy are sitting quietly in a hallway of the hospital, and they use the moment to quietly inform each other that Fitz will win now. But there's no joy in it. Fitz will win on the nation's sympathy, because every parent knows the fear that they saw in Fitz tonight. And every kid hopes their dad will carry them, like Fitz. The night's events tapped into much more primal fears than the bomb did. Olivia admits how awful she feels that that was her first thought when she found out. Not, how sad that a young person is dead of something completely preventable? Not, how does a healthy person die so quickly of a bacterial infection? Cyrus confesses his failure to Olivia. They try to figure out just how and when they became such horrible people. Cyrus thinks they always were. And we see that Cyrus isn't Voldemoort. He's Severus Snape. Tortured by what he does for the powerful, but doing it anyway.
Maybe I shouldn't care about my job right this moment
B-613's Secret Service plant gives Fitz even worse news: the strain of meningitis found in Jerry came from a U.S. military base. Maya Pope is tied to the theft yesterday. Fitz is furious, and can only find comfort when Rowan, in the same hospital, comes to offer his help in finding and killing Maya. He offers Fitz a quick and violent end to Maya without the burden of due process. Fitz accepts just as Olivia walks in, demanding to know what's going on. So Fitz tells her.
He's pretty emotionless as he tells her, and tries to tell her that he doesn't hold her responsible. The woman who got her mother out of B-613's reach, who then took down B-613 when it needed to stop Maya. Fitz is utterly not convincing, and one has to wonder if he could ever be with her now.
On Election Day, Cy is trying to get Fitz to take a nap before all the mess of Election Night, but Fitz is more worried about finding Mellie, who is spending Election Day holding on to Jerry Jr.'s clothes and beating herself up for not being close to a son she thought might not be her husband's. How close do you get to your rapist's possible child. Fitz finally takes the drink from Mellie's hand. Cyrus watches them comfort each other. It's too late for his marriage, but not for their's, at least.
Nothing makes grief better than guilt
Huck shows up at Olivia's door. He wanted to knock on that door so much, but he just couldn't, and we realize it's not Olivia's door he's talking about. He lists all the reasons his wife and kid are better off without him, that they deserve better. But Olivia can tell that Huck needs them. Just like she needs her dad. Huck wants to start fresh, be someone else, but Olivia knows that's not possible, advises him to speak to his family, and holds him as he cries in her arms.
Olivia calls Rowan, and lets him know that she knows he's looking for Maya. When Rowan tells her not to get involved, she puts up no resistance for a change, and Papa Pope asks what gives. Olivia asks if he will still fly her away from this mess, and give her a new life somewhere. Rowan looks like he can barely contain his relief and happiness. Abby isn't so happy, shouting at Olivia that she's abandoning her Gladiators, and putting herself into the hands of a monster who can't be trusted. Huck just wants to know when she's leaving. Olivia puts her keys on the table, and tells the Gladiators to go through the safe. Olivia takes one last look around, but Huck has already mentally said goodbye.
Rowan is efficient; he goes right to Harrison, who he suspects hasn't been forthcoming since leaving the office a few days ago. Harrison resists helping until Rowan shows him Adnan's bloody, sad fate. Harrison confesses that he knows where Maya will get her money.
Huck may be resigned to Olivia leaving, but needed to confide in someone anyway. He calls Jake, who rushes over to Olivia's apartment, which has been magically packed up in a matter of hours. Jake thinks that Olivia is running away because she can't take just how many tragic things have happened. Olivia is not running away from all the heartbreak of the last 24 hours; she's solving the problem. Olivia is convinced that she's the problem. She's what everything has in common with each other. She's the scandal that has to be fixed. So she's fixing it. Jake asks to go with her. Olivia says she's still in love with Fitz, but Jake doesn't care. He just wants someone to stand in the sun together with. And so does Olivia. And Fitz won't do that with her now.
Maya is swiftly caught by armed soldiers, cash in hand, and Rowan calls Fitz to tell him that Maya Pope is dead and will not be a problem again. Harrison goes back to Gladiator HQ to give Abby and Huck the good news, who give him bad news in return. Harrison goes right back to Papa Pope, telling him to bring Olivia back. Rowan is sympathetic, but won't relent. Fitz has reinstated B-613 and Rowan Pope as Command. Harrison is about to leave, when he points out that Papa Pope sure has come out ahead from this whole disaster. He says it doesn't make sense that Maya Pope killed Jerry Jr., because she made no money from it. Replays of past Rowan lines, that he wouldn't hurt Fitz, that he was the hell and the high water that would get Olivia on that plane no matter what, make one realize that this might have been his plan from the start. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" by the Temptations plays as Rowan tells Harrison just how successful he's been; he didn't harm Fitz, as he promised Olivia, but boy did he get revenge on him. Olivia has gotten what she wanted; Fitz elected, and out of this whole mess. Rowan gave his little girl her victory, then sent her away from all the messes and tragedy that ensued. Secret Service Tom appears, as we see him take a vial of something awful and stick Jerry Jr. with it. Harrison demands to know if Rowan killed Adnan, too.
Cy tells Fitz he's about to win Ohio, and the election. Fitz leaves the merrymaking behind as he slips into the Oval Office, and shakily pours himself a drink. Flashes of Big Jerry raping his wife, Olivia telling him he can't keep his promises, and Mellie slapping him bring him to his knees. He realizes that his job has come at a price, and that it might break him as a person to pay it.
Olivia arrives at her private plane and Jake, both ready to take her away. Jake's been busy before leaving it all behind. David gets a huge paper delivery from Acme Unlimited, and a note from Jake, who has literally had all the evidence delivered right to David's office. With Jake gone, can B-613 finally go down?
Huck approaches the storybook house of his wife and kid. He barely manages to whisper "Hi", to his shocked wife. Was Olivia leaving what he needed?
Mellie wants Fitz to address the nation on winning the election, but he needs Olivia. So, Mellie tries reaching her. With Olivia gone, can these two learn to comfort each other?
Screw it, I'm calling Olivia
Rowan is sympathetic, but unrelenting as he tells Harrison it sucks to waste so much talent. Harrison gets a second gun pointed at him. Will he survive this one? Rowan reveals another deception when we see Maya, alive and defiant, in The Hole. Is this Rowan's way of recruiting a new B-613 agent?
Jake waits patiently as Olivia sees the White House is calling. When she doesn't answer, Jake ask if she's sure. She says she is, as the plane takes off into he sunset, like cowboy heroes riding off at the end of the movie.
Was Olivia the problem? Is her inability to shake off her warring parents what screwed up everyone else's lives? With her gone, do other characters have to get their lives in order instead of using their work as a crutch? I feel like we're seeing a total resolution, a final resolution. I feel as if the series could end here. Why tie up so many ends? Why give everyone what they've been looking for for three seasons in one episode? I'll get the drill, somebody bring me Shonda Rhimes.
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