In terms of season finales, Scandal Season 4 Episode 22 is ranking up there with some of the most difficult to process right about now. If we hadn't known Scandal would be returning for a fifth season, I'd say that the writers created this episode to serve as either a series or season finale.

It's all jumbled up in my head now regarding when this was filmed and when the announcement was made that the show would be coming back that maybe that was the writer's intention all along.

One thing's for sure, Olitz fans are over the moon right now.

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We'll get to Olitz in a minute. First we need to discuss the take down of Rowan Pope. Which wasn't really a take down so much as it was leaving him alive to ruin another day.

Rowan Pope MURDERED 17 (or more) innocent people, simply because they heard too much information. Just...slaughtered them in broad daylight on a bus. Or had Huck do it, as it were. (HUCK!) This is in addition to the countless other innocent lives he's taken in order to "protect the Republic."

Anyone who doesn't see Rowan Pope as a bloodthirsty, power-hungry, over-important A-hole isn't watching the same show I'm watching. Even when he called Olivia to tell her that she had effectively taken down Rowan Pope because he killed anyone who could identify him and destroyed the paper trail, he was gloating about it. I wanted to kick him in his smug mouth.

There was simply no way that he wouldn't revive B613 with new spies. He knew that. Olivia knew that. Everyone knew that.

I'm utterly disappointed that for all the overstepping he's done he gets to go to jail as Eli Pope for embezzling money from the Smithsonian. I don't even care if the felony charges are so serious he would have to spend the rest of his life behind bars. There's just no way that character deserved to live.

Joe Morton is AMAZING in the role, don't get me wrong. But the character is completely irredeemable and has ventured into the territory of cartoon villain who can't be stopped. Stories involving him just aren't fun to watch anymore. Scenes, yes, but the actual plots involving Rowan Pope? Nope.

I'm not even interested in the fact that Maya Pope is out of jail, and I'm not even sure why releasing her was a condition of anything. (Okay, maybe I'm a little interested.)

I'm sure one of you will fill me in on that and I welcome it. Truly. I just saw David Rosen telling her she had to sign a paper swearing she'd never heard of B613 and she was quick to jump at the chance. Which, hey, who wouldn't be in her position, right?

Poor David Rosen. He's tried so hard and for so long to wear the White Hat and be the good guy, and in this, even in his own way, he was still being good. All he wanted to do was protect Abby. 

As much as I like Abby and Leo together, after everything Cyrus just pulled with David, I really hope Abby and David find their way back to one another.

Kind of like Olivia and Fitz did. 

I'm hoping that when the series returns in the fall we get a little more insight into Fitz' frame of mind in kicking Mellie out of the White House. I understand that what she did in handing over the list of names directly resulted in the murder of 16 people, but in her defense, she WAS protecting Fitz and their team. 

(Also, Cyrus' being fired? I'm surprised that hasn't happened a dozen times or more and I'm really, really suspicious about whether or not Liz North orchestrated this entire thing to get herself into the White House.)

If it turns out that Fitz kicked Mellie out because she showed little to no remorse for her actions, I'm good with that.  In fact, I like it. Actions need to have consequences. I think we probably didn't get to see enough of her in those moments to know how remorseful she felt, but she's Mellie, so there's a good chance the answer is none.

If, however, he kicked her out because she handed over a list of names to a campaign donor when she thought she was protecting him (Fitz), that's not really anything he wouldn't have done himself at some point or another. 

He started an entire war to rescue the woman he loved, for crying out loud, killing way more than 16 people in the process. Doing terrible things in the name of saving those they love is something Fitz and Mellie have in common and she didn't even have any way of knowing that handing over those names would lead to so much bloodshed. 

Anyway.

Jake is out of the picture now, and I actually loved the way he said goodbye to Olivia. His mission is complete. It's time for him to go because as much as he loves her, she's always going to love someone else more. She's always going to be in love with someone else, which is an important distinction.

She loves Jake. Sure. But she's not in love with Jake. That spot's reserved for Fitz. 

I won't get into how crazy it seemed that she was able to just...talk her way into the private residence of the President of the United States while he was not in the White House so she could surprise him on the balcony overlooking the National Mall, but okay. They're back together now. 

I'm really, truly hoping that Shonda and Co. find a way to keep these two together because pulling them apart repeatedly is getting old and making me weary.

Yes, TV relationships need a little drama. Yes, he's still technically married (and has just helped get his wife elected on the campaign of "we're such a team!" and presented their marriage as strong instead of doing what Abby suggested when Mellie's campaign first hit the skids.)

Now let's get them over some of those hurdles so their biggest obstacle can be whether they make raspberry or strawberry jam today.

What did you think of "You Can't Take Command"? Is this the last we'll see of Rowan Pope? How do you feel about Jake's exit and the Olitz reunion? Don't forget you can watch Scandal online!

Miranda Wicker was a Staff Writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in 2017. Follow her on Twitter.