Scandal series finale: Seven of Olivia Pope's most jaw-dropping scenes

Grab your goblets of red wine and bowls of popcorn: the reign of Olivia Pope is sadly coming to an end with tonight’s series finale of Scandal. Throughout the past seven years, we’ve seen Kerry Washington’s Olivia take down the most powerful people in the US and become the most powerful person in the states. The snarky monologues, romantic moments with Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) and her white hat will be sorely missed.

Ahead of tonight’s conclusion, here are eight of Olivia's most jaw dropping scenes.

The fixed presidency

Finding out that Fitz’s presidency was rigged was teased early on, but discovering Olivia was involved was even more shocking. During season two, a flashback features an unlikely group of foes coming together to get Fitz elected: Fitz’s wife at the time, Mellie (Bellamy Young), his cunning campaign manager Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry), the Trump-like Hollis Doyle (Gregg Henry) and the eventual Supreme Court Justice Verna Thornton (Debra Mooney). Pope helped fix the election in an Ohio county to help Fitz win, which surprised audiences who thought she held her white hat high back then.

The big reveal

For two whole seasons Rowan and Olivia were separate entities. But at the end of season 2, we finally found out the truth: that Rowan was in fact Olivia’s father. The irony is that they have drastically different ideas of what justice means. Their relationship is a dysfunctional one full of lies, deceit and attempted murder. Maybe even more shocking than the audience finding out Rowan is Olivia’s father is when Fitz discovers the head of B613 is also the parent of his mistress.

Finding out her mother is a terrorist

Olivia didn’t have the easiest upbringing: with her father Rowan (Joe Morton) running secret CIA-like agency B613 and believing her mother died in a plane crash years before. But things got even tougher during season 3 when Olivia’s mother Maya (Khandi Alexander) escaped from prison after 22 year, finds her daughter and tells her she was put away for trying to expose her father. It would have been so much more boring if that was actually the truth. Instead, Olivia ends up helping Maya escape the US to avoid Rowan’s grips only after she finds out her mom is actually a terrorist who played a part in a plane crash that killed a ton of people.

Becoming “Command”

The last position anyone ever expected the white hat-wearing Olivia to take was command. But in season 6, that’s exactly what she did. For years, Olivia worked to take down B613 - she even had Fitz cease its reinstatement. But after Mellie was inaugurated as president, everything changed. In her role as White House chief of staff, she had Mellie sign an executive order to fund the organisation without realising what it was. Not only did Olivia restart B613, but she made herself its head honcho: Command.

The kidnapping

One of the most nail-biting episodes is when we watch Olivia be held captive in soundstage that looks like it’s a prison abroad. As she tries 50 different ways to escape, it’s difficult to endure watching her covered in dirt and hallucinating about her dream to live in Vermont with Fitz. The most shocking part comes after Olivia is put up for auction: we find out that Vice President Andrew Nichols was actually the one who kidnapped her to begin with. The seemingly nice VP wanted all of the power. Of course, Olivia won in the end.

The kiss

Olivia shocks everyone (including Fitz) when she runs onto the White House lawn in the season finale of season 6 and gives Fitz a romantic, mind-blowing kiss goodbye as he leaves the White House for the last time as president. It’s a rare, uplifting shock for the audience (and the White House press) as the star-crossed lovers say goodbye and enter a new D.C. reign.

Giving the kill order

This year’s mid-season finale revealed how far Olivia had gone to the dark side. Right before her wedding, Quinn is kidnapped by Rowan who wants his freedom (and dinosaur bones) from Olivia (i.e. Command). To “protect the republic”, Olivia won’t give in, despite the fact that Rowan is threatening to kill her best friend Quinn. As she sits in his living room, Olivia pretends not to care if he kills Quinn. When Rowan leaves, a gunshot is heard and Quinn is presumed dead by Olivia. The audience is left to wonder: did Olivia kill her best friend?