Scandal Winter Premiere Recap: Quinn's Fate Revealed!

Thursday’s Scandal winter premiere — the last premiere we’re ever getting from this show, so soak it in, folks! — wasted no time getting to the bottom of the fall finale’s big mystery: Is Quinn Perkins dead or alive?

Much to this skeptic recapper’s surprise, the answer was… dead. Quinn’s murder, confirmed by David Rosen, was apparently the result of two gunshots to the head. And the fate of her and Charlie’s baby was no more hopeful.

With Quinn’s fate now sealed, it was time to start pointing fingers: Jake blamed Rowan (“I hope it was worth it!”), Rowan blamed Olivia (“She didn’t take me seriously!”), and Olivia blamed Fitz (“If you hadn’t gone running to Mellie! If I had the time to solve things, rather than being tattled on by a child!”). It was a lot.

But s–t didn’t get really real until Huck became a player in the Blame Game

. When Abby refused to listen to his rants about Olivia being behind Rashad and Quinn’s deaths, he went to Fitz — the man Liv considers “not good enough” to be her friend — with his suspicions. Needless to say, Fitz did little to quell his concerns.

As you might expect from Scandal, Quinn’s funeral was anything but traditional. Her ashes were poured into bullets, which each member of the QPA team — and a few groupies — fired into the ground while they reflected on their earliest memories of the fallen Gladiator.

Olivia chose to skip the afterparty and head straight to Fitz’s, where — after a really long silent pause — she finally broke down and told him what she needed: “just a night.” Cue the kissing. And the undressing. And the feels.

Elsewhere, Fenton confronted Cyrus with the knowledge that not only was Charlie a hitman, but he used to work for Cyrus. “My instinct is telling me you’re a bad guy,” Fenton said, to which Cyrus — I kid you not — replied, “You think I’m a bad guy?” (Um… Is this news to Cyrus? The man who had his own husband assassinated? Give me a break.)

Then came the episode’s darkest moment yet: Charlie showed up on Rowan’s doorstep, but rather than seeking revenge for Quinn’s death, he asked for a job. And just as he was about to walk away, he heard a baby crying — was it his baby? Honestly, he didn’t even bother getting confirmation before choking out Rowan.

Were you surprised by Quinn’s tragic end? (And do you really believe she’s gone for good?) Grade the winter premiere below, then drop a comment with your thoughts below.

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