Scandal (2012–2018): Season 7, Episode 10 - The People v. Olivia Pope - full transcript

Hi.

Hi.

You want to go to Vermont?

What?

We could have more
than just a night, Liv.

We could have a weekend.

A long weekend.

Huck, wwhy are you here?

We know, Liv.

"We"?

Have a seat.



Charlie, stop!

He's protecting me!

- What?
- Shh.

Shh.

Charlie. Please.

Say something.

Look, I know it's a lot to take in.

But just... Talk to me.

You're... You're alive.

I...

You're actually alive.

Yes. See, I'm fine.

Look. I'm right here.

- Why the hell didn't you call me?!
- I told you, we...



Do you have any idea how
many people I almost killed,

thinking you were dead?

Cyrus' boyfriend?

ThThe whole staff of
the Bashrani Embassy?

I went to your funeral!

- And you couldn't pick up the damn phone?!
- Charlie!

Do you have any idea
what I've been through?

You were dead. I was alone.

- I had...
- Yes, but it's over now.

Isn't it?

Come on, Charlie.

Come and meet our daughter.

You're going to have to say that again.

Olivia killed Rashad.

Is there proof?

I think Quinn Perkins had some.

Quinn Perkins?

You're saying Liv is
responsible for Quinn?

Madam President, I'm saying...

Liv's responsible for all of it.

Rachel, I need to see Olivia Pope.

She's not in yet.

Find her.

Did you kill Quinn?

- Answer the question.
- We're not doing this.

No one's looking to punish you.

- Not if we don't have to.
- We're trying to help you.

Help me. Really.

So this is what?

An intervention?

Think of this as a second chance, Liv.

Leave the White House.

Give up B613.

And David won't prosecute.

I don't believe this.

Quinn recorded you that night.

Abby and David found the tape.

You killed Quinn.

Admit it.

Quinn's death wasn't on me.

How can you say that?

How can I say that?

B613 was handling a situation.

Quinn should have trusted that B613,

that I was only doing what
was absolutely necessary.

You people really need to
stop looking at me like that.

Like what?

The monster that you really are?

Liv... you got to know

that what you're saying, it's not right.

What I know

is that there is not a person in here

who hasn't had to get their
hands a little bit dirty

at one point or another.

Isn't that right, Abby?

What I know is that Huck, of all people,

isn't actually the one

who's calling me a monster right now.

Because that would just be...

I can't even begin to...

What I know is that after
everything Fitz has done,

after everything that has
been done in his name...

He's not honestly

going to get up on his
soapbox and judge me. Is he?

You can try to justify your
actions as much as you want.

This ridiculous house that
you built for the two of us

should have been made from glass, Fitz,

because from where I'm standing...

Your cheap shots and low
blows aren't gonna work, Liv.

- You're not getting it.
- Neither are you.

You don't have any power here!

I've instructed my Secret Service

to keep you from leaving.

You will stay here for
however long it takes.

This is insane.

Give us what we're asking for.

Your phone's also been disabled.

Emails, texts, calls...

None of it'll work.

I'll start the process
of filing charges.

Don't do this.

Then give us what we're asking for.

Isn't this just a little
old hat by now, Fitz?

Making me your prisoner?

You sure you wanna do that again?

So long as you continue
to pose a threat to others?

To yourself, to the
country? Yes. I'm sure.

You all need to wake up.

You all need to realize
that this isn't...

Why am I wasting my breath?

Hi. You've reached Olivia Pope.

Please leave a message.

Hey. Just callin' to see
if you're coming in today.

Give me a call.

How did you get in here?

Same way you did,
Jake. Through the door.

Ha. Funny.

But you shouldn't be in here.

Why?

Because I'm not supposed
to know about this place?

I'm the President of the
United States of America.

The White House is my house.

Or is it because I'm not supposed
to know what you people do in here?

I can't be implicated
in Rashad's assassination

if I'm unaware that my own
Chief of Staff ordered it.

Rashad? You're kidding.

Madam President, I assure
you, we had nothing...

Enough.

I want to know why Rashad had to die.

I don't know what you want me to say.

Like I said...

I'm not asking you for an answer.

Why would I? You're her dog.

This is me, pinning
a note to your collar

and sending you back to your master.

You tell her I want her back here,

standing in front of me,
looking me in the eye.

Otherwise, I will fill in this pool.

With cement. And you will be in it.

Yeah, I think there's
something's wrong with her.

Maybe we should get her to a doctor.

For crying?

Charlie, babies cry.
That's why we do this...

Okay.

It's not Stevie.

But it works.

The things we do...

- Aww.
- Aww.

For our children.

Yes.

Yes, it's okay.

Liv? It's Abby.

Can you please open the door?

Please, Liv.

I know you think you had no choice.

That you made the best decision
under the worst circumstances.

But that's not what happened.

What happened was that you
did whatever you needed to

to hold on to your power.

And I get it.

I really, really get it.

I know you, Liv.

I know you can't feel right
about what happened to Quinn

because you don't destroy
things, you fix them.

You've saved us all from something.

Now it's our turn.

Let us save you.

Hannah?

Yes, where the hell
has she gotten off to?

She stepped away.

I don't recall us having a meeting.

Yet you still don't seem
all that surprised to see me.

No.

I thought we had an
understanding, Cyrus.

Bad things happen

to people who don't
leave well enough alone.

That's the thing, isn't it?

That phrase "well enough."

That would indicate
that everything was fine,

but that wouldn't be
the truth, would it?

You need to go back to Mellie.
You need to shut this down.

You don't give me orders.
Get out of my office.

You will go back to Mellie.

You will shut this down.

Otherwise, your assistant
will come back from lunch

to discover that you borrowed
the scissors she keeps in her desk

and used them to cut your own throat.

Sure, slitting your wrists
might be a more plausible cover,

but this way is so much more fun for me.

Why would I?

Despair over the loss of a boyfriend?

Guilt over the murder of a husband?

That's just off the top of my head.

After the life you've
lived, the career you've had,

the list of reasons must be endless.

Fine.

Kill me.

What about me would
possibly make you think

that I'm bluffing?

This isn't my first game of chicken.

You said it yourself,

I've been doing this a long time.

And I've dealt with
people far worse than you.

I've beaten people far worse than you.

You're not scary. You're a baby.

And by the way?
Glackland didn't dump me.

He ran away because he got close to me.

He saw what was inside of
me, and it terrified him.

So you need to think about

whether you really want to push me.

Whether you really want
to see what Glackland saw.

I'm back, Mr. Vice President.

- Do you need anything?
- No.

Yes.

A BandAid, please.

Doesn't look like Abby's
words did the trick.

So how about a few numbers?

Like Title 18 Section 371:

Conspiracy against the United States.

I didn't have to look that one up.

That's kind of a biggie.

But let's not forget Section 1116:

Murder of internationally
protected persons.

You've got a couple of counts
of that coming your way, too.

And there's Section 953:

Private correspondence
with foreign agents.

Whatever deal you
struck with the Bashranis

surely fell into that category.

Of course, none of those covers
the obstruction of justice.

For that, we'll have to add
Sections 1510, 1512, 1513...

Shall I go on?

The United States federal government

hasn't executed anyone
in nearly two decades.

You're going to put me
in the history books, Liv.

So thanks?

I guess.

Hey.

I'm sorry.

I didn't believe you.

About Olivia.

I just...

I know.

It was Quinn.

I just never thought she
could do anything to hurt...

I know.

I miss the old Liv.

Me, too.

I want her back.

The audacity of that man.
Threatening to kill me.

Spineless punk!

You should get that looked at.

I'm fine.

We should drop them on Gitmo.

Leave them there to rot.

No one's doing anything
until I talk to Liv.

The time for talking is over.

You realize that, yes?

Ballard may have stopped
short of killing me,

but I promise you...

He will not go quietly into the night.

Neither will Olivia.

You understand that, yes?

If Olivia did this,
she did it for a reason.

I need to know what that is before
I can decide how to handle it.

What?

Why are you looking at me like that?

Cyrus.

You're scared.

Scared?

Of what?

Of doing this job without her.

You want to talk to her. So
she can cast her spell on you.

Convince you she's innocent.

Or that she did it to help you.

She's really messed with
your head, hasn't she?

I am looking for answers.

You're looking for a
way out. What did she do?

Pump your ears full of words
like "sisterhood" and "trust"?

Us girls, we need to stick
together? Is that how she put it?

Is that how she tricked
you into becoming

completely and utterly dependent on her?

Might I remind you to
whom you are speaking.

- Yes, please, remind me because...
- You can go.

You may be okay with
Olivia making a fool of you.

Did you hear me?

But she won't make a fool of me.

Leave!

Excuse me. Hold up.

You guys are on Olivia
Pope's detail, right?

- Yes, sir.
- I've been trying to track her down

to discuss today's
intelligence briefing.

Real important. National
security never sleeps.

Do your country a solid?
Tell me where I can find her.

I'm afraid we can't say, sir.

Can't say or won't say?

Have a good evening, sir.

I can't believe how small these are.

You also won't believe

how quickly she'll grow out of them.

- I owe you an apology, for the beating.
- You don't.

If I'd been in your shoes, I'd
have done the same or worse.

This has all been a lot to process.

I think I'm still trying.

But I didn't think I'd ever get a chance

to do laundry like this,

let alone watch her grow out of it,

so thank you.

Believe me. The pleasure has been mine.

Right.

So, I don't want you to worry.

I've just about got my
bearings. I'm ready to take over.

- Take over?
- Yeah.

We can be out of your
hair by tomorrow morning.

I don't think that's going to happen.

Well, I'm sure there's
a lot more baby gear

- to pack up than I realize, but...
- Son, you misunderstand.

I'm telling you that those
two are not leaving this house.

They are safer here.

I can take care of my own family.

- You're doing a poor job, so far.
- Excuse me?

The world needs to believe
that Quinn Perkins is dead.

Every minute that you stay in
this house risks ruining that.

How long is it going to be

before your friends
start looking for you?

You want to leave? Go.

You'd be doing a favor for all of us.

But those two stay here with me.

My God. You're jealous.

What?

You lost your family and
now you want to take mine.

I'm a threat to you.

I assure you. You
are no threat to me.

Thanks.

How'd you do in there?

Drink that first, then I'll tell you.

So, not well.

Honestly, who knows?

It'd be one thing if
we could see her face.

Can't read much of a
reaction off a closed door.

Yeah.

I forgot how quiet it is here.

Yeah.

It's creepy.

I picked this spot for the quiet.

Liv and I had this thing.

When the world got to be too much,

when it was all moving
too fast, too loud...

we'd stop.

For one minute.

Sit in the silence. Just us.

That's what this porch was for.

These chairs.

I thought that one day,

she and I would come out here

and be able to just sit.

And it wouldn't have
to end after a minute.

It wouldn't ever have to end at all.

- Food for you.
- Huck!

Huck, are you there?

I know you're angry.

You have every right to be angry.

What happened is horrible.

I...

Huck.

I need you.

Huck.

Huck, I need you now
more than ever before.

So I'm asking you to do something for me

that I've done for you so many times.

Whenever you've lost your way,

I've always been there for you.

Forgiving you. Pulling you back.

Reminding you who you really are.

You're more than just
a coworker, a friend.

You're my gladiator, Huck.

"Gladiator."

I only started saying
that because of you.

I need you to get me out of this house.

Leave with me.

Fight with me.

Come run B613 with me.

- I can't.
- You can.

You can get us out of here.

Huck, I did one terrible thing,

and you can't forgive me?

- We are not the same.
- Huck.

- You killed one of our own.
- Shh, shh, shh.

Quinn was family.

- You're not hearing...
- No!

No.

What you did was unforgivable.

I'm not going anywhere with you.

I am done serving you.

I'm not your gladiator anymore.

The nerve of that guy.

He learns one pop song and suddenly,

he knows what's better
for my family than I do?

- He's right.
- He's what?!

- He's right. You need to go.
- You're not serious.

Our friends need to think I'm dead.

Olivia needs to think I'm dead.

Do not worry about Olivia Pope.

If she's the reason you
feel like you need to hide,

I will go out there right now
and I will kill her myself.

No, you won't. She's Olivia Pope.

You just don't go running at Olivia Pope

with a switchblade and a bad attitude.

You take your time.

I am not an idiot, Quinn.
I know how to kill someone.

I used to do it for a living.

We're not killing Olivia.

We're better than that.

I don't want her dead. I want justice.

I want her in prison.

I want her to spend the rest of her life

paying for what she did to me.

What she did to us.

And if that's going to happen,
if I'm going to get my justice,

I have to be smart.
I have to be patient.

And I'm sorry, Charlie, but
you're going to have to go.

Olivia?

Liv, is that you?

Admiral Ballard.

Liv's not here.

I'm not here for Liv. I'm here for you.

Sit.

You've always been up front with me.

It's what I like about you.

Even when it's something
that I don't want to hear,

you always tell me the truth.

So, in the interest of
putting this behind us,

tell me.

Was this Olivia? Did she kill Rashad?

I think you already
know the answer to that.

Why?

You're gonna have to ask Liv that.

I'm asking you.

Was this a just kill?

Yes.

It was a just kill.

You're lying.

You are, I can tell.

She tried to get
Rashad his country back.

It was too late.

So she made a deal with the rebels.

- No.
- We asked for a treaty.

They asked for Rashad's head.

I don't believe you.

That's what happened.

Well, yes, but that's
not why it happened.

Liv's better than that.
Liv gets what she wants.

If Liv didn't want Rashad dead,

she would have offered
the rebels something else.

No.

Rashad died because
Olivia wanted him to die.

- Why?
- Madam President...

- Why did she do it?
- I just told you.

Answer me.

Olivia murdered a head of state!

Why?

Because you couldn't keep
your damn legs closed.

You were gonna go to war for that man.

God knows what else you
would have done for him.

Ending that threat was
the right thing to do.

Everything she's done has
been in support of you.

Stop talking.

You may not see that now,
but, Madam President, I pro...

Stop.

Talking.

Liv, it's me.

How you doing in there?

I keep thinking about the day we met.

Standing in the conference room,

informing me in front of my entire staff

that the reason I was losing the primary

was because I didn't love my wife.

I didn't even know your name,
but I knew that I hated you.

Because you were right.

You're always right.

It's my least favorite thing about you.

And the thing I value the most.

But this time...

for once in your life...

you're wrong.

B613, Quinn...

You know how wrong you are.

You're too smart and
too right all the time

to not know that.

I'm not going anywhere, Liv.

I'm gonna be right here.

So when you're ready...

open the door.

Well, kid...

take it easy.

No, no, don't...
Don't... don't do that. Don't.

Didn't you hear what I said?

Come on. Don't be like this.

I'm doing the best I can.

You, you're leaving now?

You... You could wait till morning.

Nah. There's no sense in waiting.

Either way, I suck at goodbyes.

In case you couldn't tell.

Here, why don't you take her?

II don't want her to wake up Quinn.

How did you do that?

Here. Um...

Go on.

Okay.

You have to support her back, like so,

- and her head.
- Okay.

With the back. Okay.

Okay, now pull your shoulder forward.

Okay.

Okay.

- Okay.
- Then across, yes.

Okay.

If she starts to fuss, um,

try humming a little,
deep in your chest.

See?

She recognizes your voice.

From before.

You know.

She'll never forget it.

Thank you.

I spent the night and most
of the morning writing.

Well? What do you think?

It's good. Smart.

Keeps Mellie clean.

While still praising her leadership

and touting your achievements.

You say you're proud.

I am proud.

But also...

ready to move on.

That, too.

Resigning as Chief of Staff.

I know how to do that.

As for B613...

that'll take time.

Unfortunately, it has
to happen be immediately.

Time for Jake.

So that he can dismantle it.

I won't be a part of that.

I can't be a part of that.

I'm not admitting I was wrong.

I tried.

To reason.

To listen to everything
all of you said to me,

and still, I can't seem
to admit I was wrong.

Which...

is how I know...

what I can admit
is that I have to stop.

I can't continue. Not
like this, not anymore.

I'm sorry.

I wish I could say that

to the person who needs
to hear it the most...

Quinn.

I'm... sorry.

But I can't, so...

So I'm saying it to all
of you when I still can.

I'll announce my resignation
at tonight's briefing.

After that...

I don't know what happens after that.

But II just know that it's time.

Liv.

I'm fine.

You're not.

I'm fine.

I am doing the right thing.

You always do.

I'll make the arrangements.

We'll head back to D.C. within the hour.

You set a meeting with
White House Counsel?

I did.

You don't want to do
that, Madam President.

Do you know where Olivia's
been for the last 24 hours?

I know you don't

because you were asking
Secret Service to tell you.

Well...

I've just found out.

She was in Vermont.

Fitz led with legs wide
open for eight years

and we barely made a peep.

Should we have killed Olivia?

Blown up her plane?

Would that have been
the "right thing to do"?

That man spilled his DNA
all over this White House

and all I did was...

This isn't about B613, Jake.

This is about Olivia.

She's bad for this country.

And if you can't see that,

you are as big a fool as I've been.

That's all, Admiral Ballard.

Vermont?

It wasn't what you think.

That's a relief.

Because I think Command
was rolling around

in a pile of leaves with her boyfriend

- while a coup was happening in the White House.
- I got your messages, Jake.

I'm up to speed.

Okay. So?

It's tomorrow's problem.

Meaning?

- Did I miss the fireworks?
- You're right on time.

I'm amazed it hasn't
leaked to the press yet.

Resignation of the Chief
of Staff is major news.

Tonight...

I'm about to lose

every last friend I've ever had.

Except you.

What is going on, Liv? Quiet.

No more talking.

Good evening, everyone.

I know y'all are eager to go home.

So let's make this one
quick and painless, shall we?

Where's Liv?

She could be waiting until
after the updates, but...

- But what?
- Look at Audrey.

Not one bead of sweat. Not one stutter.

She doesn't know the Chief
of Staff is about to resign.

Two hours ago, a lowpressure system

in the Gulf of Mexico

was upgraded to Tropical Depression ♪7.

The National Weather Service
is keeping a close eye on it.

Permits have been issued
for marches in D.C.

and other U.S. cities
highlighting undocumented

workers' contribution
to the U.S. economy.

- Mr. President...
- Let's give her more time.

The President will be
releasing comments in support...

Come on, Liv.

For noncitizens working
in service sector jobs.

Tomorrow morning, the President
will host a prayer breakfast

for congressional leadership
in the State Dining Room.

The nondenominational
event will be attended

by religious leaders
from Christian, Jewish,

Muslim, and Baha'i faiths.

Go.

She's not coming out, is she?

Of course not. She played us.

Like a fiddle.

Hi. You've reached Olivia Pope.

Please leave a message.

Hey.

We need to get to work.

Yeah.

You need to go to Mellie first thing,

shut this insurrection down for good.

Put a kill folder together.

Remind Mellie of her sins.

It'll get her off her high horse

and back into the reality of ruling.

Can I say a thing?

Mellie's problem is that
she's lost faith in you.

Maybe in this case,

the carrot might be more effective...

Jake.

That wasn't a suggestion.

It was an order.

We have to turn her in.

With what evidence?

We have a recording

and a doozy of a conspiracy theory.

Which means we just have a recording.

It's not enough to prosecute
Olivia for Quinn's murder.

The best we can do now

is build a circumstantial
case against her

- for the assassination of Rashad.
- That's not good enough.

If we don't have evidence
that Liv acted alone,

Mellie could go down with her.

I don't know about you guys,

but I'm not okay with burning

the first woman President
of the United States.

I can try to give Mellie cover.

You mean assuming Olivia
hasn't killed you by then.

- Thank you for that, Abby.
- Might still be worth a shot.

Prosecuting Liv means exposing B613,

telling the world that the United States

isn't a nation governed by laws

but by the whim of a single
person with unchecked power.

It won't just be the end
of Mellie's administration.

The very idea of a nation
of the people, by the people

and for the people will
be called into question.

I'm sorry, Huck.

But it's not worth it.

So what do we do now?

What's this?

- A kill folder.
- On?

You. Go ahead. Open it.

Read about every terrible
thing you've ever done.

The faked miscarriage, election rigging,

every dirty secret.

Admiral, you better tell me what
the hell you think you're doing.

It's not what I'm
doing, Madam President.

All of this? Compliments of Olivia Pope.

- She sent you to threaten me?
- She did.

But I don't think you
need to be threatened.

I think you need to be advised.

Advised.

On your survival.

You will not be able
to survive without B613.

You need B613.

You need someone watching your back.

Protecting you, protecting
this great republic.

Someone whose only agenda
is those two missions.

You need someone you can trust.

Someone who will listen
to you and give you a voice

and include you in every decision,

no matter how difficult.

What's going on?

You tell me.

What did you do?