(Spoiler alert: Please don’t read on if you haven’t watched Thursday’s episode of “Scandal.”)
ABC’s “Scandal” went out with a bang on Thursday, wrapping the first half of its fifth season with death, a dramatic filibuster and a breakup.
With three months before “Scandal” returns with new jaw-dropping twists, TheWrap has helpfully rounded up the five most “OMG” moments from the winter finale to help tide you over:
1. Mellie Filibusters
When Mellie finds out the Senate is categorizing Planned Parenthood funding as a discretionary expense in the budget, putting it at risk of being cut in future years, the new senator goes to bat for women’s health.
Just before the bill is put to a vote, she decides to filibuster it, reading a list of the other expenses on the Senate floor.
2. Susan Ross rescues Mellie, with a little help from Olivia
Just when it seems like Mellie is on the verge of losing control of her bladder on the Senate floor, Vice President Susan Ross swoops in to help. By taking the floor to answer a lengthy question, Susan effectively takes over the burden of the filibuster from Mellie, allowing her to duck out and use the restroom.
Olivia also steps in to give Mellie a pep talk just as she’s about to give up, convincing her to keep going. “You’re the biggest bitch I know, don’t tell me you can’t do this,” Olivia said.
3. Tom is alive
In last week’s episode, it appeared that Secret Service agent/B613 operative Tom was killed by Huck when he captured Rowan, but it’s revealed in the winter finale that he’s actually alive and well, working for another former B613 operative to keep tabs on Rowan.
4. Jake reteams with Rowan
When Jake confronts the B613 operative who killed his wife, he’s presented with a choice: whether to join them in resurrecting the organization without Rowan to help stop the mysterious Lazarus One. He decides against it, but instead of saying so, he simply shoots his former friend in the head. Instead, by the end of the episode, it seems like he’s rejoined forces with Rowan.
5. Olivia goes for the hooch, her relationship explodes
Following in Mellie’s footsteps, Olivia comes home from a long day and goes straight for the jar of hooch Mellie hid in the White House closet. When Fitz confronts her about shirking her responsibilities as de facto First Lady, a shouting match erupts between them.
The fight that follows is brutal, rivaling Fitz and Mellie’s relationship troubles at their very worst. “There is no us. There is no this. There is no Vermont. There is no jam. There is no future. Not anymore,” Olivia shouts at Fitz in the scene’s dramatic climax.