What a tangled web Abby is weaving. In fact, season 6 of Scandal has been one big tangled web. In this episode, titled “A Stomach for Blood,” we get to see Abby’s perspective from the days leading up to the election, election night and beyond. And unlike Eli, Abby basically gets herself into the mess that she tries so hard to get out of.
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A Thirst for Power
About 60 days before the election, Abby meets with Fitz to discuss locations for his foundation’s library. She suggests locations in California, while he tells her he wants it to be in Vermont. She balks at the idea and heads to a lunch with possible donors.
Those donors, who introduce themselves as Mr. Payes and Miss Marjorie Ruland, are our favorite duo who has been blackmailing Eli to get Mellie into office. They say they are from the Fund for American Renewal. They offer her $300 million to be a part of her “team.” At first, she doesn’t understand, so they eventually explain that she has what it takes to become president. They want her ideas, her vision and her point of view, and call her the future. They add that there’s already an account that she’ll have access to, ready to go, if she says yes. After briefly thinking it over, she turns the offer down.
Abby goes to visit Cyrus to basically get his take on the situation without actually telling him what’s going on. He reads the writing on the wall and says that if she’s ready to leave Fitz, she should. She does have what it takes to run, but she should remember that there will always be a part of her with Fitz, he says. She takes Cyrus’ advice to heart. The next day, Fitz is going on and on about wanting the library in Vermont. He gets up on his high horse and says that he has basically given his life for his country long enough and it’s time he take a break. She hits him low and says that Olivia will never live with him in Vermont. She storms off and calls the Renewal fund people to say she’s in.
Election Night Again
We all know what happened on election night. This time, we see it from Abby’s point of view. Just as Vargas wins, Abby gets a call from “Marjorie.” She tells her that in a little bit, she’ll get another call. Marjorie warns Abby that she will be distracted, but it’s important for her to pick up the call and await instructions. After Vargas is shot, Abby realizes what is going on. She doesn’t answer the phone as she’s whisked away with Fitz back to the White House. There, alone in her office, she finally answers. Marjorie tells her that she needs to head to the hospital where Vargas was taken and lock it down. Once it’s secure, Marjorie says another associate will tell Abby what to do. Abby begs for another “assignment,” as there’s no way she can just leave. However, Marjorie tells her to figure it out — which she does.
The rest, you know. Abby gets the “order” from Fitz to shut down the hospital. Vargas dies. Abby takes Vargas’ wife’s phone. But then, Abby gets a visit from Meg. Meg gives Abby an envelope with three bullets in it. She tells Abby that she must swap the bullets with the ones that are still inside Vargas’ body. Once again, Abby insists that she can’t do this, but Meg shows her a video of her boyfriend, Leo, tied up and being beaten. Reluctantly, Abby agrees to swap the bullets.
At first, Abby asks the doctor to perform the autopsy, but the doctor won’t do it until Fitz orders it. Of course, Fitz won’t order it until he figures out how to tell the public that Vargas is dead. So Abby finds an Army doctor to perform it; she even blackmails him to do it. Then she gets another official to stop the doctor mid-autopsy so that she can be alone with the corpse, which is still open on the table. Once everyone is gone, Abby swaps the bullets, but there is one still in Vargas’ body. Abby then puts on a glove, fishes it out, plants the evidence and manages to walk out without suspicion. In the hallway, Meg is waiting for her. When Abby asks about Leo, Meg says he’ll be released if her bosses are satisfied.
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Trying to Get Out
Back at home, Leo is okay. He doesn’t remember anything from the attack, which is much to Abby’s relief. When Abby gets a phone call about Cyrus being responsible for Vargas’ death, she flips out. She calls the Renewal fund people, but they won’t stop. Eventually, as things play out and Cyrus heads to jail, Abby decides she’s going to talk to David Rosen, the Attorney General. She plans to reveal everything. However, outside his house, Marjorie shows up. They threaten each other, with Marjorie saying that the group has already thought three steps ahead of anything Abby will do. Abby assures her that David, her friend, will take her and the group down. Marjorie just laughs as David walks out, kisses Marjorie and introduces her to Abby as his girlfriend, Samantha. Yes, folks, things just got even weirder.
Abby doesn’t know what else to do at this point. But this is when Huck comes to her looking to speak to his old girlfriend in prison. When he reveals that Jennifer Fields is still alive, Abby perks up. She heads to jail and promises Cyrus that she’s going to get him out of there and prove he’s innocent. She then heads to the Renewal fund office and makes a deal: important information she has for Cyrus’ release from jail. They agree, and she tells them Jennifer is alive.
Again, you know what happens from here. Huck brings Meg to see Jennifer. Meg kills Jennifer and shoots Huck. Meg and Sara/Marjorie/Samantha meet Abby to tell her that the job is done.
What Would a Gladiator Do?
Abby is thinking like a traitor and a gladiator at this point. She made a deal with the devil, and now she’s trying to get out. But what will getting Cyrus out of prison do? Does that mean she’s going to lobby to make him president, despite this group wanting Mellie in office? And why does this group want Mellie into office so bad? We know they are bad guys who are manipulating a lot of people in Washington, but where did they come from? Why do they want to run the country so bad?
I have to wonder if Abby will eventually get Olivia involved. Abby doesn’t know that Eli is the one who killed the President-elect. She also doesn’t know that the group is even working with Eli and threatening Olivia. Abby seems in way over her head. Even when she confidently went to the Renewal people to ask for Cyrus to be released, she was shaking and nervous. Abby is usually never like that. She always tells it like it is. But this group has both her and Eli shaking. I have a feeling things are going to get even more confusing before all will be revealed later on in season 6 of Scandal, though.
What did you think of “A Stomach for Blood”? Do you think Abby should reach out to Olivia for help? Do you think Abby will be able to get out of this group? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
