AceShowbiz -

"The battle begins" on "Scandal" season 3, so it's said in a new promo which shares new footage from the upcoming chapter. After it was leaked to the press that she has an affair with the President of the United States, Olivia is shocked and tells Fitz that they need to make a plan.

Something upsets Olivia more as she's is seen scolding someone towards the end of the video, "What did you do?" Mellie is also pissed, threatening to share more dirty laundry with the world. Cyrus, meanwhile, wants to "start a kill folder on Olivia Pope," but it's not clear what "a kill folder" means.

"Scandal" returns Thursday, October 3 at 10/9c on ABC. Series creator Shonda Rhimes recently said of how Mellie would handle the situation, "When we come into the season, Mellie does have things managed on the marital front," before adding, "But I think Fitz and Liv have an inexplicable attraction to one another. People may be surprised to discover what certain motives are in the situations they've been working in."

Emmy Award-winning actress and "Friends" alumna Lisa Kudrow is tapped to recur in season 3 as a politician, but no other details of her character are available as of now.