Scandal Season 7 Episode 11 Review: Army of One

This Scandal review contains spoilers. 

Scandal Season 7 Episode 11

One-time political female besties reach an impasse in the aftermath of the strategic assassination. In real life and on television, most journeys are personal and individual. No one believes in your cause more than you do. Friends and allies want you to remain in a comfortable and familiar place even though you’re ready to move on to the next step on your desired path.

Olivia’s no different from the rest of us and her former gladiators. The challenge with outsized personalities like Olivia is that they can get too big for their britches. Their singular focus, while admirable, doesn’t always factor in consequences and collateral damage to those near and far. Despite the episode title, Olivia isn’t and wasn’t an army of one. If anything she remained a general in command of foot soldiers who do her bidding.

Rowan stood in the way, or so he thought, of Quinn’s seeking vengeance against Olivia. The best intentions don’t always turn out the way we plan. I was baffled by Quinn’s decision to include her newborn daughter in her revenge scheme. She had to have known or suspected that B613 or Rowan would’ve come to Olivia’s rescue. She didn’t think her plan through with at least a few outcomes and could’ve ended up dead for real this time.

There’s no fair play on Scandal. Most of the characters are power-hungry or in some way unhinged, and Olivia is the spin-doctor pulling the strings from a cell phone, underneath bridges, and standing behind a podium at a press conference. Washington D.C. is Olivia’s world, and the rest of population are just along for the ride and entertainment.

Tonight’s episode gave the impression the show’s returning to its original premise, or something close to it. No charges will be brought against Ms. Pope for Rashad and his niece’s murder because it’d expose B613 and the president’s knowledge of the shadow agency. Olivia’s out of the White House, yet will still remain a powerful ally if and when called into action. On Scandal, stripping Olivia of her role as chief of staff is a fitting punishment. I wonder, though, is keeping Mellie in the White House another one of her power plays?