'The fact that [Olivia] came up with this idea of saving Jake..., I thought was really smart. But, turns out, it's sort of what Rowan has wanted,' Scott Foley says of the twist in season 5 finale.
- May 13, 2016
AceShowbiz - "Scandal" presidential nominees' running mates were revealed in the fifth season finale that aired Thursday, May 12. In a move that no one might have predicted, [SPOILER ALERT!] Olivia convinced Mellie to pick Jake as her VP, which she did, in order to free Jake from Rowan's clutches.
But Papa Pope is always one step ahead. It turns out that it was always his plan to make Jake Mellie's choice for VP and Cyrus as Democratic hopeful Francisco Vargas' running mate. Hence, he secures his ticket for an access to the White House.
Scott Foley and Bellamy Young talk about Mellie's surprising VP choice in an interview with Variety. "You can't really cross Command so how the hell is Olivia going to save Jake without ending up dead herself? It's a crazy conundrum," Foley says. "The fact that she came up with this idea of saving Jake right in front of his face, I thought was really smart. But, turns out, it's sort of what Rowan has wanted all along - getting back into the Oval and getting the position of power, and now it looks like that's through both Olivia and Jake."
Young calls the twist "so interesting" because "I just don't think that Mellie knows that much about Jake. We haven't had many scenes together or feelings together, so I think she has no idea what she attached herself to. I think she has no idea that she just sat down in Papa Pope's lap." She adds, "At the convention when she's standing with Jake beside her, I think she's just drunk with optimism because things couldn't be going any better - she also has no idea that Cyrus is running with Frankie. She's still naive and in her happy place."
Foley believes that Jake is "a good running mate", though. "I think he is exactly what Mellie needs. I think as long as he believes that this is what Olivia wants, he is not going to ruffle any feathers," he claims. But Young doesn't think so as she could already imagine the ramifications of Mellie's choice. "Between slowly finding out the truth about Jake, I also don't think he'll do well in an ornamental, not functional position. I think there will be a lot of friction there," she explains.
But the real question is: Does Jake know about Rowan's plan? Young says the script's "intentionally murky" so she's "left wondering" about this, just like viewers are. Foley, meanwhile, thinks Jake was honest when he said he wanted to get out of Rowan's control. "I don't think that Jake wants this. He's been wrapped up in government and B613 and this subplot of intrigue and espionage for so long, that I think he jus wants out," he says, adding, "There was a Jake-centric episode a few weeks ago when we saw how Jake became Jake Ballard and how he came under Rowan's thumb, and I just think he really wants to break away. I don't think he is a part of this plan."
The way Olivia tried to save Jake, according to Foley, is also a sign that she has chosen Jake over Fitz. "It seems to be all business right now. Maybe once this is all taken care of, there will be some room for pleasure. I never say never in regards to these two. In my mind ... she has chosen Jake. She's not able to, but she has chosen Jake," he claims. He goes on supporting his claim, "In the church right before he was about to marry Vanessa, she basically broke his heart and said, 'I love Fitz,' just to save Jake's life. She sacrificed herself and her love for him. That's such a huge move. I think there's always hope [for Jake and Olivia]."
But Foley says that could change once Fitz leaves the White House. "Maybe when he's out of the White House, he will be a more viable option and a free man," he imagines. "But personally, I would like to see Olivia on her own for a bit. Just making choices that make her happy, regardless of the men in her life."
