Last week, I noticed how Scandal was not-so-slyly setting up a possible Olivia Pope-Fitzgerald Grant Jr. reunion. The 100th episode, “The Decision,” brought that theory all the way home by giving viewers the Olitz wedding they never got. Although the much-dreamed-about nuptials took place in an alternate timeline where Fitz’s first election is never fixed, we’re still given concrete proof of how the rollercoaster relationship could actually work in Scandal’s universe.
In “The Decision,” Olivia chooses not to rig the ballot boxes of Defiance, Ohio, meaning Fitz loses the swing state — and the election — by just over 4,000 votes. Five months after the loss, the would-be president shows up at a natural-haired Olivia’s door, revealing he’s left wife Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young). He immediately proposes, despite the fact Olitz simply had a steamy love affair during the campaign. They’ve never gone on a real date or had a real fight, and they definitely haven’t heard the other person fart.
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Their reconciliation and wedding are both beautiful, but it’s all clearly too good to be true.
The cracks immediately begin to show when we see Olivia and Fitz are living in her apartment, one year after their wedding. Despite the fact they’re now husband and wife, Liv still refers to the space as “my place” instead of “our home,” and Fitz notices. We learn the almost-leader of the free world decided to take a gig doing cable news at 3 p.m. instead of re-entering politics in a new way or becoming an international philanthropist. Olivia could not be more unhappy about this. Again, Fitz notices.
After two years of aimless drinking on Fitz’s part and silent judging on Olivia’s, the D.C. fixer has divorce papers written up. In a rare move as of late, Abby (Darby Stanchfield) brings up a good point, hinting Fitz "disgusts" Liv because he reminds her of her own failure, and that’s why she never moved out of the apartment to create a full life with him.
This move is the mirror image of season 5’s decision to move Olivia into the White House after she and Fitz come out as a couple. At the time it seemed the problem was Olivia being dragged down by ceaseless responsibilities she was never interested in or asked for. The Gladiator was never meant to be a pseudo-First Lady with a state-sponsored cell phone. She’s Olivia Pope, professional white hat-wearing badass.
But, “The Decision” proves the real problem was Fitz trying to copy-and-paste Liv into his life, instead of making space for her and asking what kind of future she wanted. In the alternate timeline, Fitz complains he feels like “a boyfriend who keeps spending the night.” In the real Scandal timeline, Liv was treated the same way with far fancier clothing. Neither set-up can survive like that.
The end of the 100th shows how Olitz can actually prosper: by the pair starting a life together. After Fitz delivers a very dramatic apology, Olivia hands her husband an envelope. Instead of divorce papers, it holds the listing for a $1 million townhouse in Georgetown. “It’ll be ours,” she tells him.
In the real timeline, Olivia realizes the error of her actual ways, and rushes to Fitz’s favorite emo balcony. “I’m in,” she tells him. Although the statement is actually about a possibly deadly political scheme, she could just as easily be talking about their relationship. If Scandal really is plotting an Olitz reunion, I know the perfect house in Georgetown for them.