Scandal: Season 4, Episode 11 Recap

BY: GURU JAY

Photo By: Wikimedia Commons

Despite cruel circumstances, Olivia Pope manages to preserve her brainpower. The crisis manager gets inside the kidnapper’s mind by autosuggesting ideas and manipulating his thought process. Like a true gladiator, Pope is still in power and ready to rumble.

In Episode 11, Olivia convinces her captor to abolish plans and take action on his own accord. Pope plants in his head that exploiting her will help him control the president. And by virtue of controlling the president, the hostage taker will have the world in his palms. Apparently, the captor fell asleep in civics class, because there are three branches of government and a balance of power.

During the ending, they show Olivia flying on a private plane with her hostage taker. Pope’s predicament is literally and figuratively up in the air. Contacting President Fitzgerald lets Huck and fellow gladiators know she’s alive and active on the grid.

Kerry Washington’s character calculates like a Texas Instrument graphing calculator. Pope requests a glass of water to create a reflection revealing the kidnappers’ operations. Thinking ten steps ahead, Olivia has placed her captors in mental bondage.

Vice President Andrew Nichols is the puppeteer pulling President Fitzgerald’s strings. Luckily, Nichols drops his guard allowing the First Lady to steal his cell phones. Soon the Second Lady delivers the goods to the Scandal team. They now have enough information to connect the dots and indirectly communicate. 

They came so close to rescuing Pope. Still, who can say if the raid would have been successful? Olivia could have died during the seizure.

It might sound crazy but I’m happy they didn’t save Olivia Pope. Olivia’s trying to save herself by taking matters in her own hands. Scandal’s message is simply about self-reliance. Instead of waiting for someone else to rescue you, save yourself.

I am Guru Jay launching off into orbit in 5-4-3-2-1!