We can all breathe a sigh of relief, Scandal Fanatics. Jake Ballard is alive.

But then we're all sucking in our breath again because Papa Pope is very much NOT dead, despite Olivia's attempts to have him assassinated.

Join TV Fanatic Round Table panel members Christine Orlando, Jim Garner, and Miranda Wicker as they break down Scandal Season 4 Episode 20!

Jake is ALIVE! React:

Christine: Thank goodness! My Scandal viewing experience would be lacking without the hotness of Scott Foley. 

Jim: YEAH!!!!! I'm not sure I can express how happy I am that Jake survived. Though I will say to Scott Foley, "well played on twitter sir" as his tweet last week had me believing he was dead.  

Miranda: Man, I'm so glad he's not dead. Thanks, Charlie, for coming through with the doctor. And thanks, Russell, for being so terrible at your job.

Will Jake STAY alive through the end of Scandal Season 4?

Christine:  Well, if multiple stab wounds didn’t kill him I certainly hope he can survive the rest of the season. And is Russell the most inept assassin ever. It seemed like he had quite a while to get the job done right and he was more than willing to leave a mess. This is really morbid but if he wanted to make sure Jake was dead he should have slit his throat. If Huck was sent to kill Jake, Jake would be dead.

Jim: I hope so! If they kill him "for real" now, I'm pretty sure I will hang up my white hat and move on to another show.  

Miranda: As much as I want him to be, I'm thinking he might die saving Olivia from Rowan. I can see it now. Rowan's coming after Olivia, Jake jumps in front of a bullet, shooting Rowan in the process, and dies in Olivia's arms. Then we have a nice conflict set up for Scandal Season 5 as Olivia deals with the aftermath of losing a lover and friend to her father.

Is the takedown of B613 really over?

Christine: I doubt it, especially now that Olivia has a gun to the head of Rowan’s inside man. The plan may have to be back burnered for a while but the goal of taking down Papa Pope and B-613 will live on.

Jim: I don't think so, given that Olivia figured out that Russell worked for her father, I'm hoping the speech was for his benefit so he would tell Rowan it was over.  

Miranda: Can we please put a fork in this story already? I'm so, so done with B613.

Should Cyrus run for office or have his own talk show?

Christine: Cyrus should definitely run for office. He’s upset with Mellie because he feels like she’s taken his place. Hopefully he just bides his time and waits his turn. I have to believe that his loyalty will eventually be rewarded.

Jim: Cyrus would make for an interesting talk show host and I fully support it. Though now that Sally has planted the bug, I'm curious if Fitz is going to have another person to support for office.

Miranda: I am 100% Team Talk Show. OMG! Can you imagine the way he would eviscerate his guests?  It would be amazing! But Cyrus wants power more than fame, or infamy, but I think he lacks confidence to run on his own. He's the shadow man making the calls behind the scenes.

What is Foxtail?

Christine:  Well, a foxtail is a kind of grass-like weed. It looks harmless but it has barbed seeds that can burrow into the skin. They’re hard to get out and can cause infection or even death in some cases if they aren’t removed and treated. My guess is that Rowan has a mole deep inside Olivia’s organization so he can take it apart from the inside. Hopefully I’m wrong about that.

Jim: I have no idea. That being said I did find it interesting that ABC threw up the "#whatisfoxtail" hashtag exactly as Rowan said it. ABC certainly knows how to embrace social media!   

Miranda: The thing I don't understand about Rowan vs. Olivia is why does he care that she's a DC fixer? Clearly people have crises and they need help. Is he really that disturbed by the fact that she's in love with the President? I just don't understand where all this vitriol he has for her comes from. My money's on Foxtail being a political assassination attempt. Again.

What was your favorite quote or scene from "First Lady Sings the Blues?"

Christine: I loved how Fitz and Mellie remained loyal to one another even as the pressure mounted and turning on each other seemed like the best option. These two have been through a lot together and they make one hell of a team. 

Jim: Christine picked one of my favorites! The other I really enjoyed was Rondi Reed as Mary Peterson aka Black Sable. I'm so use to seeing her in the comedic role on Mike & Molly, seeing her in a more dramatic role was refreshing.  

Miranda: I loved David on the phone with the media when Quinn and Charlie walked in and Charlie just shouted "BLOOD!" Oh, David Rosen.

What, if anything, disappointed you about the episode?

Christine: Nothing, really. It was a roller coaster ride from the moment Quinn walked in and saw Jake (and damn that girl looked badass with that gun) to the end when Olivia ended up on top, literally. 

Jim: I'm really, really, really, getting tired of Rowan being "all knowing" and "all powerful". Between killing the butcher and stuffing him into Liv's trunk and killing Mary Peterson and her grandchildren, I'm really hoping that Rowan is stopped very soon! 

Miranda: Everything about Rowan, especially murdering Mary Peterson and her grandchildren and how did he know where Olivia was to stuff that body in her trunk? Did he do that in broad daylight while she was in the woman's driveway? How is this even remotely plausible that he gets away with all this crap? GAH! I hate him.

Scandal Season 4 Episode 21 airs Thursday, May 7 at 9:00. Remember you can watch Scandal online to get your fix!

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