Olivia Pope has been sold. On the latest episode of Scandal, the kidnapped Olivia was auctioned off on the Dark Net to a rogue’s gallery in order to control the president of the United States. Just as the bidding surpassed one billion dollars, it was shut down.

Recap: The Auction for Olivia Pope>>

Olivia’s kidnapper, Gus, announced that he sold her independently to someone who approached him in person with cash. He said that the buyer was Iran, but is it really? The episode ended with Olivia being delivered to her anonymous buyer, and the promo for next week’s episode promised to reveal who really bought Olivia, suggesting that it’s NOT Iran.

So who is it? Here’s a look at my top three suspects:

Rowan Pope

If your mind didn’t immediately suspect that Papa Pope was involved, you haven’t been paying attention. He’s involved with almost everything nefarious and, despite abandoning his daughter after she tried to kill him, he still views her as his.

Rowan also has the connections and resources to pull something like this off. He should never be underestimated, and buying his daughter to try and repair their relationship (or weasel his way into a pardon from Fitz) is just like him.

Stephen Finch

Olivia Pope’s former senior associate played by Henry Ian Cusick seems like an unlikely buyer. He hasn’t really been mentioned since the start of season 2, when we learned he moved to Boston to be with his wife. So why would anyone suspect him of being the buyer?

Because Scandal actually mentioned his name. In the latest episode, Quinn and Jake had a short conversation, with Quinn marveling about how they were in the office that used to belong to Harrison and Stephen. That’s pretty much the first time Stephen has been referenced in more than two years. Perhaps that random, subtle reference was a bit of foreshadowing, laying the ground for his return to save the day.

Hollis Doyle

When making a list of characters who could even afford to purchase Olivia, Scandal fans might think about Hollis, the energy lobbyist from season 2 who was a part of the conspiracy to rig the presidential election for Fitz. That gives him a history with Olivia, he’s insanely wealthy, and he’s not afraid to play dirty to get what he wants.

Who do you think bought Olivia Pope? Find out on the next new episode of Scandal, “No More Blood,” airing Thursday, February 19 at 9pm on ABC.

(Image courtesy of ABC)

John Kubicek

Senior Writer, BuddyTV

John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire DiariesSupernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.