The word “compromise” can mean settling differences but it can also mean to endanger.
Both definitions shaped the latest installment of Scandal where there was no shortage of twists, revelations and concessions. For instance, the episode opened with Jake throwing all kinds of shade at Fitz before the President swallowed his pride and eventually made nice.
“No hard feelings?” Fitz asked.
“No hard feelings,” Jake replied, lying through his perfect-even-after-a-beat-down teeth.
Meanwhile, Rowan made an attempt at compromise when he called and asked Olivia if she was okay after Vice President Andrew Nichols’ (Jon Tenney, The Closer) car blew up. The VP would’ve blown up too if he hadn’t stopped to shake the hands of the kitchen staff. See? It pays to stop and shake hands.
Anyway, back to Rowan who didn’t quite apologize for nearly pimp slapping Olivia last week. Instead, he called to check in on her and deliver another great soliloquy. This one was about family.
“You may love these boys, Olivia, and they may even love you,” Papa Pope said. “But they are not your family. These boys may go to battle for you. They perhaps might even kill for you. But after the conquest, after they enjoy the spoils, they will move on to other battles, other conquests, other spoils.”
Fans on Twitter enjoyed Rowan’s speech too, especially because one of the “boys” he was referring to is the leader of the free world:
a Black man in power calling two white men “boys”. BABYYYY. #Scandal
— Boss Lady. (@authentrovert) November 14, 2014
But Olivia had to make a few compromises of her own. She took on Elizabeth North as a client to find out who was tapping her smartphone despite not actually liking Elizabeth. Olivia also stopped haranguing Huck about having his son in the office when Huck gave her an icy response, asking Olivia if she had a “work related request.” Fans got a kick out of that, too.
All day tomorrow, I’ma be asking people if they have a work related request for me. Because that’s the new goodbye. #Scandal
— Bell/Biv/DeNO (@GabbyDabbyDoo) November 14, 2014
Alas, Huck was not above compromise. He didn’t bring his son Javi back to the office. Instead, he took him on a stakeout. Unfortunately, Javi’s perception of Huck was compromised on said stakeout when he saw Huck kill a man. Whoops! Huck should’ve sent him to the Apple store instead of ice cream. He’d still be in line.
Speaking of compromise, it looks like VP Nichols was in a forgiving mood when he got down and dirty with a red-bra-and-blouse wearing Mellie not once but twice. Near-death experiences are such an aphrodisiac. “The bomb went off and I woke up. My body woke up,” the FLOTUS said breathlessly.
Sadly, Mellie still hasn’t found her knight in shining armor because, as it turns out, good old Andrew is cavorting with Elizabeth “Lizzie Bear” North in addition to Mellie. Ugh.
I just don’t understand why Mellie can’t have ANYTHING. #Scandal
— Issa Rae (@IssaRae) November 14, 2014
Other compromises of note: Cyrus compromised his family, career and president to hook up with a man whore and Olivia compromised her better judgment and upper hand when she locked lips with Fitz again.
But the biggest compromise of all was when Rowan seemed to be ensnared in Olivia, Jake and Fitz’s trap only to have a half a dozen black op soldiers wiped out before breaking free Keyser Soze style. He even made time for one more sermon for his perfectly coifed progeny.
“You think the world is so terrible with me in it? Wait ‘til you see what it’s like without me.”
