Scandal Episode 5.07 Even the Devil Deserves a Second Chance

Fitz addresses the American people for the first time since after the impeachment hearings. He apologizes and asks for forgiveness. At the private celebration inside the White House, Cyrus lets the president know that Rowan has escaped from prison. Olivia appears shaken by the news, but the look on Abby's face indicates that she may realize this is an act.

Jake lets Olivia know that even though Rowan killed Elise, he holds her responsible. He believes that she has become her father's greatest achievement. Olivia has become the power-hungry, entitled, dangerous woman he raised her to be. Jake is ordered to leave. He does, but not before giving Olivia a gentle kiss on the lips.

Cyrus realizes that Olivia is calling the shots with the president. He's surprised to learn that the search for Rowan has been called off. Fitz has decided to go another route. He's asked Jake to hunt down his girlfriend's father and put a bullet in his head.

Abby escorts future Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Frank Holland through the White House. This man's book gave Abby the courage to ask for help to leave her husband. Back at the OPA offices, new client Hannah Taylor wants Olivia to let the president to know she was raped a couple of years ago. Her attacker: Frank Holland.

Holland claims that Hannah Taylor came to his house when she was a student of his after he had concerns she plagiarized someone else's work. The plagiarism charge is actually true, but it doesn't mean the rape didn't occur. It wasn't just with Hannah either. Holland drugged and raped many other aspiring writers.

Olivia orders her team to find some incriminating evidence against Holland. They do. Olivia realizes that he was using his wife's medication to drug the victims with her full knowledge. Mrs. Holland vows to do whatever it takes to preserve her husband's legacy. This has Olivia rounding up all the women the famed author raped. They interrupt a public reading to expose him for the true monster that he is.

Elizabeth wants a job back inside the president's inner circle or she'll do a tell-all interview with Sally Langston. Cyrus sends David Rosen in to quash this problem. That doesn't work. Olivia thinks Elizabeth should go on Sally's show. So she does. Shocker! Elizabeth is totally pro-president. That's because Fitz gave her a job as the vice president's new Chief of Staff.

Elizabeth swings by David's office to pick up her seized laptop. The two of them detail their mutual distain for each other. Then Elizabeth gets David to admit he likes her before straddling him sans underwear. Just outside the office door, Susan Ross shows up with a 4-pack of wine coolers. Thankfully, she opts to not personally deliver them.

Cyrus confronts Olivia about how she is the one who is actually running the world. Fitz does whatever she says. He isn't the president anymore. She is. This conversation has Olivia needing a stiff drink. As for Fitz, he lets her know that it looks like her father has disappeared for good. This gives Olivia pause for just a moment. Then she gets back to work telling the president exactly how he should do his job.