Tonight’s episode of Scandal season 4 was one big setup for the winter finale as Rowan positioned himself as the alpha male.

Our recap of Scandal season 4, episode 8 breaks down the events of the penultimate episode before the show takes a break for a full two months (!).

Lizzie and the VP

At the start of her storyline this evening Lizzie believes her phone has been hacked so she goes to Olivia for help. As female head of the Republican National Committee, her list of enemies (i.e. suspects) is endless. Olivia Pope & Associates take on the case and run through a slew of potential suspects, but as it turns out, the person bugging the phone is right under their nose: Cyrus! Obviously. He comes clean about why he bugged the phone and asks for Olivia’s help in figuring out what she’s up to.

Olivia asks Huck (who invited his son to the office for a playdate) to dig up what dirt Lizzie has on Cyrus. She’s got lots of photos of the Chief of Staff and Michael getting it on. Upset that Michael wasn’t the man he wanted him to be, Olivia advises Cyrus to go home instead of meeting up with his lover like he planned.

Michael gets worried about his daddy’s whereabouts and goes to Cyrus to investigate. Our man invites him in with a look of determination on his face and tells him to bend over. Did anyone else assume in this moment that Cyrus was going to do something with Michael’s ass that would kill him? We were surprised that he was vertical and breathing in his next scene. Some viewers are speculating that Cyrus raped Michael, but the evidence doesn’t stack up. If anything, it looks like Cyrus was looking to get out his frustration sexually.

The following day, there’s a revelation: Michael didn’t pass any of the scandalous information over to Lizzie other than a small amount of dirt! Surprised by this, Olivia goes directly to Michael to ask why. All he reveals is that Lizzie has been juggling an affair in with her busy career, so they bug her apartment to see what’s up.

So, what the HECK is going on? Thanks to the spy cameras they learn that Lizzie and Kubiak – who Quinn has been monitoring since he killed Catelyn – have been working together. And the person Lizzie’s having an affair with? Vice President Nichols! When Lizzie and the VP get their shack on, Kubiak steps out and busts into Huck and Quinn’s surveillance truck, where the two OP&A employees have been watching all of these twists.

Thankfully Huck manages to kill Kubiak, but there’s just one problem: Javi watched this whole thing go down. He runs away in fear. Is Javi going to tell anyone or just sulk about it? We hope the latter.

Mellie and the Vice President

The Vice President got lucky with two women this episode. In addition to his surprise affair with Lizzie, Nichols rekindled his relationship with Mellie after separating from one another during the election and Jerry’s death. It looks like things are about to heat up again between these two, but we wonder if they’re only shacking up again so that Nichols can relay some info back to Lizzie? It’s important to remember he didn’t initiate this rebirth, but anything is possible on this show.

A failed takedown

Problem 1: Jake (or “Captain Ballard” to Fitz) is looking to kill Rowan, while the President is interested in keeping him alive.

Problem 2: Jake is to be kept in his cell while they try to gather evidence so that Rowan doesn’t catch on (hah). He hates this idea because it just means the President will have more time with Olivia.

Problem 3: Jake and Fitz both want Olivia.

It’s issues like these that make taking down a powerful man like Rowan seemingly impossible for the trio.

At the start of the episode Olivia, Fitz, and Jake enlist David to prosecute Rowan. He agrees. After, Fitz promises Olivia that he will whisk her off to Camp David once all of this drama is over. She’s a bit resistant to the idea – and his kisses – because of Jake. But Fitz is calm in this situation and offers her a free kiss (“free” because there is no consequence). “Kiss me, kiss me,” he says like a ten year old boy talking to a fellow preschooler.

When Jake and Fitz can’t agree whose way they’ll proceed with to take down Rowan, Olivia decides to do things her way: Dinner. The Artisan. 7:30.

Rowan takes the bait and it seems like this will be over soon, but of course this is Scandal, so there has to be some inexplicable reason for Rowan catching on.

Sure enough, dinner rolls around, but before the take down, Rowan begins to roll out a long-winded apology. Olivia, don’t fall for this after all of the bullying!

Unfortunately, Rowan slowly but surely reveals that he was onto her plan the entire time. He has his men kill all of Fitz’s men who had them surrounded.

As for prosecuting him with David? Those B613 files that were supposedly locked up and kept in a secure location were actually blank.

Damn, Rowan was on to this entire thing. “For the first time in your life, Olivia, you are on your own,” Rowan warns her after being so disappointed in his daughter’s actions.

So who would be capable of bringing Rowan down during next week’s winter finale? Will it be Mama Pope? Will it be Olivia and a stroke of luck? Or will Rowan continue to cause mayhem through the remainder of this season?

A preview for next week shows that Olivia will be working with a gun (thanks to some help from Jake):

Let’s hope Rowan manages to be killed and all of this B613 business can come to a close.

Will Rowan live or survive next week?

Hit the comments to let us know!