ABC Scandal Season 3 Episode 12 Review

Jake keeps his role as Olivia's pretend boyfriend, but it isn't exactly defined if he is merely pretend.  Surely, Olivia is looking forward to when Fitz's presidency is over and the two of them can go live in the cabin/mansion he built for them.  But is Olivia completely done with the Jake Ballard?  He can protect her, defend her, and let's all just admit it: he's better looking than Fitz.  Reluctantly, Jake sits outside while Olivia and Fitz have a screaming match.

On the other side of the White House, Mellie confronts Andrew by asking if she was the only reason he joined Fitz's campaign.  He slyly responded in the positive, however she obviously was not the only reason for him signing up for the Vice President slot.

Flashbacks throughout this episode show Mellie after Fitz's dad attacks and rapes her.  She wants little intimacy with Fitz, understandably, and fears that their son is actually the result of the rape.  She attempts suicide, but Andrew finds her and saves her.  It becomes their secret and he has kept it all these years, all while pining away for her love.

Harrison and Adnan Salif have established that they have a history together, not just a working history, and she wants to recruit him to do her dealings some more.  This time, it seems like she wants him to donate campaign money to Fitz's reelection.

Abby tells Daivd she loves him and he then gets distracted by James' call.  James is panicked, fearing for his life because he thinks Cyrus has found out HE is Publius.  This comes after Cyrus gives the journalist James was leaking information to an interview with the President.

Jake, at the helm of B6-13, is given the United States' version of Pandora's Box.  Everything and anything involving everyone and every country the United States is involved with, all in one, neat briefcase.

Sally meets with Hollis Doyle, hoping to secure some campaign money.  Unfortunately Sally is having PTSD flashbacks of her murder.  A terrible distraction, Hollis tries to secure his selections for presidential advisors and appointees in case she is elected.  I'm going to take a long shot and say: Fat chance.

Huck is trying his hardest to get back into Olivia's good graces by bringing her coffee.  Though she doesn't drink coffee, he believes this gesture will do some sort of good.  If he knew anything about Olivia, he would have been bringing her gallon-sized cups of wine.

It's unfortunate he tortured Quinn and licked her face in the process.  Olivia knows she has a traumatized, homicidal man on her hands, but she's kind of used to that type by now, right?

Speaking of homicidal maniacs, Jake decides to set down the law with Olivia and ends his job as her errand boy.  She's taken aback, but when he takes off his shirt in front of her before he takes a shower it is obvious there's still something there between them.

In a White House First Lady Portrait room, Andrew admires a painting of Jackie Kennedy.  "We do not touch the first ladies," Mellie says as she saunters into the room.  Before she leaves the room, he not only touches the first lady, he also touches the Jackie Kennedy painting.

Shocking closure this week: 

 Adnan Salif has been working with Olivia's mom!