Plot summary
Mellie is ambushed by the questioning Senators at the hearing. Fitz and Olivia are presented with a shocking plan to get married, which will allow them to not testify against each other. Fitz proposes to Olivia on the White House balcony surrounded by candles and rose petals, but Olivia says its not what she wants because she's not ready. Elise visits Rowan in prison and he is later attacked by a guard and ends up in the hospital, Elise tells Jake she's plotting to get him killed as part of Lazarus One.
Rowan offers to make the Senate Committee go away if she gets him out of prison. Olivia proposes to Mellie that she release him through her position as Senator of Virginia so both of their problems will go away, but Mellie refuses because she knows he was the one who killed the grand jurors. Olivia tells her that Rowan was the one who killed her son. Meanwhile, the Gladiators continue to defend Olivia at the Senate Hearing (whilst working to avoid purjuring themselves). Susan Ross turns to David for advice to resign as Vice President because she doesn't want to have to be president but David tells her she won't need to but if she did have to she would be good at it.
Olivia eventually agrees to a simple ceremony where she keeps her own name. Jake tells Elise he wants to go with her and help her on her mission, but he finds her dead at the train station where they were meant to meet. Mellie finally signs the divorce papers after confronting Fitz about their lives together. Just as Olivia and Fitz were about to get married, Olivia gets a call from Mellie telling her she can help her become President. The Senators are presented with blackmail from Rowan, who Mellie has freed.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Scandal season 5. HTML formatting and reference markers removed.