Scandal: Did they really kill [Spoiler] in season 7?

SCANDAL Photo: Richard Cartwright/ABC via ABC Press Site

Scandal‘s Season 7 midseason finale brought with it all the drama you expect from an episode that’s going to leave us wanting more all the way through the darkest and coldest parts of the winter. No amount of wine could prepare us for the insanity that was Episode 7!

More from ABC

• Dancing with the Stars season 32 week 9 scorecard: Who went home on DWTS?
• Roger Howarth is leaving General Hospital (Cast exit explained)
• Taylor Swift won’t appear in special Dancing with the Stars episode
• ABC will start rolling out its midseason schedule January 2024 (Release dates and airtimes)
• Grey’s Anatomy season 20 officially has a premiere date (Everything to know)

Maybe it’s partially because this is the last midseason finale ever or maybe it’s because Shonda wants to make sure the last season is unmatched in every way possible but this episode in the overall context of the series was both the best and worst to watch. In some ways the show fell back on its worst habits and weeks later I still find myself exhilarated, heartbroken and not all entirely sure exactly how we got here. I’m trying not to question it too much because as we head toward the Season 7 midseason premiere there’s really only one thing we’re all wondering Team Olitz or Team Olake? WTF? Is Quinn really dead?

There’s all kinds of ways we could speculate on what’s to come. But the intent here isn’t to be speculative. Here are the facts! In the Scandal Season 7 midseason finale Quinn Perkins (Katie Lowes) went missing hours before her wedding. The search to find her initially started and ended with Olivia (Kerry Washington) who was threatened by Quinn – who vowed to stop her – in the previous episode. For Olivia’s part she seemed to believe Quinn was on her way to out her latest misdeed and wanted to find her first. Footage of Quinn’s last moments revealed that she was kidnapped, putting an entirely different kind of urgency on the situation and reuniting the members of QPA like never before.

https://ggp-95.tumblr.com/post/156419475364/quinn-perkins-appreciation-post

The promo for this episode wanted us to believe the possibility that Quinn might be dead. So is that what happened? So do the Gladiators find Quinn alive?

Watch your favorite shows on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!

Unfortunately, the answer to that question isn’t as easy as it should be, a hallmark of the many reasons we love this show and why hiatuses are actually the worst! It’s just not an easy question to answer because there’s a lot of feelings surrounding the whole situation. But I’m here to help. We’ll survive the next few weeks (sobbing) together.

The facts will have us believe that indeed Quinn is dead. Post-episode Shonda Rhimes and Katie Lowes took to Twitter to say their goodbyes. Shonda in particular offered the reality of the situation:

I realize that it makes sense that they probably killed Quinn off because she was going on maternity leave but she deserved so much better. Considering we were ushered into the series through her, Quinn has been integral to the story from the moment the show started. And while the final season probably couldn’t account for her need to take time off before the baby, it’s still a lot to process. Considering the idea that Papa Pope (Joe Morton) did it in the hopes of pulling Olivia back from the brink makes it even worse. Quinn is not a tool or a pawn or some kind of narrative device. She’s a fully fledged character who deserved her moment in the sun.

SUBSCRIBE TO HULU NOW: Live + Streaming. It’s TV Come True.

I want to point out that this isn’t because it’s not fair (I mean it’s not). It’s a copout and the execution leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t like the idea of a show, that has thrived on its women and their achievements killing off the pregnant character. The reasons don’t really matter because there were better writing choices here. Quinn isn’t a prop, she’s not a tool and killing her off-screen was a complete disservice to the character and the actress. After everything we’ve seen her overcome! Worse, unfortunately her death will be used to push Olivia back to who she really is as well as sink all of Charlie’s (George Newbern) character development.

http://ihyuni.tumblr.com/post/115354120292/its-been-an-honor-truly-do-me-a-favor-stay

Admittedly I’m having a hard time with the idea that this isn’t some kind of ruse. Perhaps it’s denial, perhaps it’s the insistence that in Season 7 they’re going to break some hearts because not everyone can have a happy ending. But then the emotional whiplash I’ve come to know and love from Scandal is hard to ignore. For all intents and purposes Quinn is dead. And yet I’m already prepared to shout about how I knew they wouldn’t kill her! We’ll just have to wait and see because if there’s anything I’m sure of what’s happening is bigger than Quinn and bigger than Olivia! I’m sure the midseason premiere will give us more questions before it offers any kind of answers as the story begins to wrap up for good.

Related Story: Grey’s Anatomy season 14: Did Riggs leave the show?

The only thing we know for sure is that if there was ever any truth to the promise to go over a cliff for each other, now is the time. And we can take some comfort in the news that the midseason premiere is title “Robin.”

The Final season of Scandal returns Thursday, Jan. 18 at 9/8c on ABC.