Scandal: A Shocking and Wrongful Incident Season 2 Episode 20 A Woman Scorned

Olivia Pope and her team are back in the 20th episode of Scandal's second season "A Woman Scorned." This episode picks up right where the previous one ended with the viewing audience getting to see more of Olivia and Edison's past relationship during their college days. Meanwhile, current day Olivia is trying to settle Mellie down who revealed to her that Fitz's father had raped her. Mellie wants revenge and wants to use Olivia's help to get it. However, as Olivia works to find a way to help Mellie without ruining Fitz's presidency, she finds herself caught in the middle of a love triangle between Edison and Jake.

As the episode starts, we see Olivia and Edison in college, laughing and enjoying each other's company. But as the scene changes to current day, we see the awkwardness that now exists between the two as they haven't seen each other since Olivia broke his heart years ago. However, Mellie's confession about her rape has brought the duo close together once again.

It becomes clear that Mellie is looking for vengeance, and she wants Olivia's help to get it. But Olivia is hesitant, knowing that Mellie's revenge would not only hurt Fitz but also jeopardize his presidency. Olivia understands Mellie's pain and anger but is unwilling to compromise her own beliefs for it. As the two women argue, Mellie tells Olivia that she will not be able to understand her pain unless she too has been raped. This insults Olivia and she leaves Mellie alone to deal with her own emotions.

As Olivia deals with the fallout from her conversation with Mellie, Jake shows up at her doorstep. The two share a moment of passion, but things quickly turn serious, and Jake tells Olivia that he thinks she still has feelings for Edison. Although Olivia denies this, Jake continues to push and tells her that he doesn't think she has completely moved on from Edison.

Olivia's issues with Mellie continue to escalate, and she eventually reaches out to Edison for help. Together, they come up with a plan to help Mellie get her revenge without implicating Fitz. As they work on the plan, their chemistry reignites, and they share a kiss. But as they separate, Olivia realizes that she is still in love with Fitz and cannot continue down this path with Edison.

This episode is a perfect example of why Scandal was so popular during its run. The audience is given a glimpse into the past while seeing the damage that is being done in the present. The relationships between the characters are complicated, and the tension between them is palpable. Each character is struggling with their own inner demons while trying to keep up with the fast-paced world of politics.

The storyline of Mellie's rape is a poignant and powerful one. The audience is given a glimpse into the pain and suffering sexual assault survivors go through. The episode handles the topic delicately, providing an accurate representation of the topic that aims to bring awareness rather than sensationalize.

Overall, "A Woman Scorned" is a phenomenal episode of Scandal that hits all the right notes. The storyline is gripping, the acting is superb, and the chemistry between the characters is electric. Scandal fans will not be disappointed with this episode, and those new to the series will be engrossed from beginning to end.