The Scandal season 4 offered many game-changing twists and shocking events that will undoubtedly have a major impact on the fifth season. Though the series won’t return until the fall, fans have a lot of questions.

There is one question with a definite answer. Portia de Rossi, who plays Elizabeth North, has been promoted to a series regular for season 5. The former RNC chairwoman who became the president’s new chief of staff after Cyrus was fired will be a more permanent part of the series. However, since de Rossi appeared in nearly every episode from season 4, it’s not much of a change.

Scandal Season 4 Finale Recap: Olivia Gets What She Is Owed>>

As for the other cliffhangers and loose ends, fans will have to wait until the fall for Scandal season 5, but for now, here are the five biggest questions we need answered.

Will Olivia and Fitz Live Happily Ever After?

The ending of Scandal season 4 gave Olivia and Fitz their happily ever after moment as they finally got together, for real, after he kicked Mellie out and Jake stepped aside. Olivia’s choice has been made, but that’s just the beginning of the story. Will Fitz get a divorce from Mellie? Will he start publically and openly dating Olivia Pope?

And will Elizabeth North immediately regret becoming chief of staff if she has to deal with selling the American public on Fitz dumping his newly-elected Senator wife to shack up with the African-American woman the Republican president has been frequently accused of having an affair with? I doubt he’ll just resign and move to Vermont so Liv can make jam, so the decision for Olivia and Fitz to really be together isn’t as sweet and easy as it looked when they were making out on the White House balcony.

Did Quinn Kill Huck?

The only real cliffhanger of season 4, Quinn discovered that Huck was still working for Papa Pope (to protect his family) and that he was responsible for murdering the bus full of grand jurors. She pulled a gun on him and threatened to kill her friend and frequent lover. It’s the same set-up that Harrison faced in the season 3 finale, but last year we knew Columbus Short wasn’t coming back, so it was pretty obvious he was dead. I can’t imagine Scandal without Huck, but how can he get out of it, what will Quinn do, and how will Olivia react?

Will Cyrus and Jake Be Back?

There’s no way Scandal would get rid of the brilliant Jeff Perry or Scott Foley. But by the end of season 4, Cyrus got fired and Jake completed his mission, leaving neither of them with any clear role on the series. Will they come back, and if so, how? There’s no way someone as power hungry as Cyrus will leave politics (maybe he’ll worm his way onto Senator Mellie’s team). And as for Jake, the love triangle he had with Olivia and Fitz may be resolved, but he has more to offer than a warm body for Liv to run to every time she’s mad at the president.

Will Mama and Papa Pope Return?

In a reversal of fortune for Olivia’s parents, Maya Pope was set free in the season 4 finale while Papa Pope wound up behind bars. For Eli, it probably wasn’t such a smart idea to kill everyone who knew he was Command because now the simple paleontologist doesn’t have any friends to help get him out of an embezzlement charge, though I highly doubt we’ve seen the last of him. As for Mama Pope, letting that deadly sociopath loose in the world can’t be a good idea. Will she simply disappear, or will she be back with a new master plan?

Will Abby Get Back with David?

David Rosen sacrificed his principles when Cyrus threatened to have Abby killed, proving that he’s still in love with her even though she’s with Leo Bergen. Will Abby learn about what he did and get back with the adorkable Attorney General, or will she get more serious with Leo? More importantly, will anyone tell Abby about what’s been going on with the plot to take down B613 and Olivia’s personal life? The last time we checked, she still thought her best friend was with Russell, so someone should probably tell her that he stabbed Jake repeatedly.

Scandal returns Thursdays at 9pm in Fall 2015 for season 5.

(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.