When news of Quinn’s death reaches QPA/OPA, the team gathers to say goodbye to their friend. Full recap of Scandal, “Robin” (first aired Thursday, January 18 at 9pm ET|PT on ABC).
“Robin” opens with Papa Pope in an abandoned lot/construction site. He’s just driven a car there and there’s someone (presumably Quinn) in the trunk. Papa Pope places a call to 911, pretending to be some innocent bystander, to notify them that there’s a fire. Of course, then Papa Pope sets pours gasoline in the trunk and sets the body on fire. As he walks away, the car explodes.
The next day, the team is at QPA and David shares that the police received an anonymous call and the body they located is confirmed to be Quinn, via dental records, blood, and hair. The cause of death is two gunshot wounds. Charlie becomes even more distraught when David confirms that the baby is dead. Charlie tells Liv that they were having a little girl, who they planned to name Robin. Liv is clearly agitated because she believes she knows the truth of the situation, that Papa Pope shot Quinn and has covered his tracks. They’re briefly interrupted when Mellie comes to express her condolences. She talks to Charlie how lovely Quinn was when working on her campaign. Mellie also gives Liv the leave to stay at QPA and make the necessary arrangements.
While at the funeral home, Charlie isn’t really liking the traditional options. He insists that Quinn should be cremated, her ashes poured into bullets, and then the shots fired… apparently this was what happened to Charlie’s old mentor and Quinn used to like that story. At first, Liv, Abby, and Marcus are opposed, but Liv eventually concedes. Let Quinn go out as a warrior. Charlie requests that Liv write the eulogy. Before Liv goes home, she has a brief conversation with Huck that quickly becomes something serious. He’s been doing some more research and, apparently, a hairpin was found with Quinn’s body. (We know that Liv gave Quinn Bess Truman’s hairpin, on loan from the Smithsonian, the night before the wedding as a gift.) Liv denies knowing anything about it…
Huck spends some time with Quinn’s body before it’s cremated and shares additional details about the beautiful wedding he had planned: “You would have loved it. It was a beautiful wedding, Quinn.” Huck then vows to get revenge for Quinn’s sake. And by that night, Huck has tracked down the hairpin to Liv. YIKES. In fact, Huck has put a lot together–that Liv is the one who killed Rashad and when Quinn found out, Liv killed her. Huck is incensed, but when he takes his speculation to Abby, she tells him to stop with the crazy ideas.
Except Huck goes to see Fitz and shares his thoughts about what Liv may have done. She’s not the same person anymore. Fitz says he sees the change too and that he has tried to reach out, to no avail. Huck thanks Fitz for confirming what he has seen. Huck isn’t crazy.
"Olivia…she's…" #Scandal pic.twitter.com/s7HbiZm5Zh
— Scandal (@ScandalABC) January 21, 2018
Huck then goes to an AA meeting, looking for clarity. Can he torture the truth out of Liv?
Liv struggles to write Quinn’s eulogy. Even a visit from Fitz doesn’t help. Liv is extremely resentful of Fitz. While she takes the wine Fitz brings, Liv slams the door in his face. Fitz isn’t good enough to be her friend… Liv makes her way to QPA, and when Huck joins her (with his gun), he can see that she’s so drunk and in a lot of pain. Liv is looking for inspiration to write Quinn’s eulogy, and finds her old white hat instead. “We were supposed to protect her. That’s what we do! It’s who we are! We’re gladiators!… stupid.” Liv hugs Huck, kisses him on the cheek, and leaves. And she will never know how close she was to Huck going B613 all over her.
Abby picks up Quinn’s ashes and brings them to QPA where she, Charlie, and Huck funnel them into bullets. We watch as Liv, Jake, David, Abby, Marcus, Huck, and Charlie, all dressed in black, drive into the woods for the ceremony. For the eulogy, Liv speaks about how there’s no making sense of Quinn’s loss, no silver lining, or hope…just awful. Starting with Charlie, they each say their goodbyes to Quinn, with flashbacks to their favorite memories, then fire the gun with Quinn-bullets.
??? #Scandal pic.twitter.com/LBeV2IVZUq
— Scandal (@ScandalABC) January 21, 2018
That night, Abby, David, Huck, and Marcus toast to Quinn with a bottle of whiskey and share their favorite memories about her favorite vegan restaurant. Huck is suspicious that Liv hasn’t joined them. Instead, Liv has gone to see Fitz. She needs comfort and, for just one night, she’ll seek it with him. (MY OLITZ FEELINGS!!!)
"What do you need."
"Just tonight." #Scandal pic.twitter.com/zsHtDVT48J— Scandal (@ScandalABC) January 19, 2018
The next day, Abby and David decide to go to the Charlie’s apartment to get rid of some of the baby gifts that had been getting. In the process of breaking down a playpen, they locate a USB drive hidden in one of the beams. WHATTTTT?
Meanwhile, Cyrus has been having a crisis of his own. Fenton Glackland is due to be back in town after taking a vacation (of sorts) after Charlie tortured him. Cyrus is concerned because he doesn’t want his relationship with Fenton to change. Cyrus makes plans to have dinner waiting for him and Fenton. That night, Fenton wants nothing to do with Cyrus and breaks up with him. Cyrus thinks that Jake might have influenced Fenton to break up with him, but Jake denies interfering. Cyrus goes to see Fenton at work and Fenton lays it all out. Fenton has investigated Charlie and knows that he used to work for Cyrus. Cyrus tries to make the cast that Fenton too has gotten his hands dirty, rigged the game to come out as a winner. After all, Fenton tried to lure Cyrus in with a painting. “The difference between us, Cyrus, is if I thought someone was trying to buy me with a painting, I never would have allowed it.” No, Fenton is done, for real.
Welps, Papa Pope got his bones back and it must be worth it, right? Interestingly, it may not be the case. Yes, Liv has lost her friend, but Rowan says that he’s lost his child. Liv is gone to him, probably forever. There are no winners here. And when Charlie comes to see him to ask for his old job back (a way to go back to being his old self without all the feelings), Rowan seems even more reticent. But then Charlie hears a baby crying… what?! He storms into the house and up the stairs and finds a little, White baby girl in a crib. Is that Robin?! Charlie pulls a gun on Rowan and demands to know who’s baby that is. They get into a physical fight and the episode ends with Charlie strangling Rowan on the bed. Oh my…
Shook. #Scandal pic.twitter.com/6oYvv63B8a
— Scandal (@ScandalABC) January 19, 2018
Plus, it looks like next week’s episode will reveal the truth of Quinn’s time with Papa Pope… honestly, I still don’t know if I think she’s dead. “Good People” (written by Shonda Rhimes, Jess Brownell and Nicholas Nardini, directed by Nzingha Stewart):
The harrowing events that transpired in Rowan’s basement are revealed, from the moment Quinn was kidnapped to the earth-shattering gunshot that rocked Olivia to her core. (via ABC)
Scandal airs Thursdays at 9p/8c on ABC.