‘Scandal’s’ Olivia Pope Wasn’t a Perfect Hero — and That’s a Good Thing

Brian Campbell
TV
TV

After seven jaw-dropping, edge-of-your-seat seasons, Scandal has ended. The political drama has forever transformed the TV landscape, due largely to the series’ main protagonist, Olivia Pope.

Olivia is not your typical hero. Some heroes live by a strict code and only bend the rules as necessary for the common good, such as Shondaland’s Meredith Grey or the Star Trek captains. Others further blur the lines between right and wrong, but their principles keep them in check like lawyer Matthew Murdock and his heroic alter ego, Daredevil.

In a similar way to characters Walter White from Breaking Bad and Dexter Morgan of Dexter, Olivia Pope joins a growing list of TV characters who challenge what we typically look for in a show’s hero. However, Olivia’s unique journey over the course of Scandal’s run is one of the most prolific examples. Her desperate search for morality — which finds her oscillating between good and evil — changes what it means to be a hero.

Morally Ambiguous

From the outset, Olivia is morally ambiguous. At times, you root for her heroism while other times you question her morality. Olivia often claims to wear the proverbial “white hat” to justify her actions, but it’s not clear that she’s the best moral authority. In fact, it’s Olivia’s quest to keep wearing the “white hat” that sends her down a dark path.

Olivia and the Gladiators at work

Together with her Gladiators, she uses her role as “fixer” to make Olivia Pope & Associates a force for good. She helps a woman who was raped by the son of an influential CEO and takes a powerful South American dictator to task after he threatens to unjustly take away his children from their mother. Olivia excels at fighting for justice.

Olivia and Fitz in the White House

Alas, Olivia’s good gal façade has its cracks. She gains her influence in D.C. thanks to her close relationship with President Fitzgerald Grant, the result of a recurring affair. An important aspect of Olivia’s job is handling the improprieties of Washington’s political elite to protect their reputations. In performing this duty, Olivia and her team resort to unsavory methods. Sometimes, it’s as if Olivia has little-to-no scruples.

When Morality Turns Evil

The shadowy government organization, B613, fuels Olivia’s crusade to fight the good fight. Headed by her father Eli, Olivia undertakes a mission to expose the organization, but this proves insurmountable. Following Eli’s “retirement,” Olivia decides that if she can’t beat her father, she should become him. Without her father’s depravity, Olivia now feels the organization could become a force for good.

Olivia prepares to interrogate her mother during the episode "Tick Tock"

In an unexpected turn of events, the ex-wife of former President Fitzgerald, Mellie Grant, becomes President and names Olivia her Chief of Staff. Olivia has Mellie sign an executive order that, unbeknownst to the new president, sets aside government funds for B613. Olivia becomes Command and now wears a more powerful “white hat.”

Instead of using the organization as a force for good, however, Olivia implements her own brand of moral authority. She coerces Luna Vargas into suicide in revenge for masterminding the assassination of her husband, Frankie, and attempting the same with Mellie. Olivia feels she’s doing the right thing by neutralizing a threat. However, her belief that her version of “the right thing” is all that matters only escalates as Olivia spirals toward becoming villainous.

Olivia's friends stage an intervention in "The People v. Olivia Pope"

Olivia even orders the bombing of President Rashad’s plane, convinced that a peace treaty with Bashran trumps all. An intervention to get Olivia back on the path of good only further alienates her from those who care about her most. Any redeeming qualities vanish as Olivia crosses over to the dark side.

The Turning Point

Eli confronts Olivia in the episode "Good People".

Olivia punishes her father by taking something of his. Eli retaliates by kidnapping her associate Quinn. When Olivia refuses to relent, Eli retreats to his basement and fires a gunshot making Olivia believe Quinn is dead. This “death” jars Olivia, forcing her to take a metaphorical look in the mirror. She realizes she’s become the kind of person she used to abhor.

Olivia detests the vicious acts her father has committed and his justification of these acts through his repeated catchphrase of “protecting the Republic.” In the execution of her own brand of justice, Olivia realizes that she has become Eli’s mirror image. If she wished to become a truly good person, she would need to make some major life changes.

Better Than the Old Liv

The second half of the final season sees Olivia working to turn over a permanent new leaf. She steps down as Chief of Staff and divorces herself from B613. Olivia decides it’s time to become a better version of herself.

Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating walk the halls of the Supreme Court in the How to Get Away with Murder episode "Lahey v. Commonwelath of Pennslyvania"

So, Olivia teams up with fellow Shondaland colleague Annalise Keating to successfully fast-track a class-action lawsuit to the Supreme Court regarding Philadelphia’s prison system. The Supreme Court rules in their favor, and it is a major victory for both women and for prison reformation across America. With this win, symbolic of OPA’s past victories, Olivia reaffirms her commitment to fighting for justice.

Olivia confronts Cyrus in the episode "People Like Me"

In an elaborate scheme to become President, Cyrus Beene uses B613 to hijack Air Force II. Olivia wants to thwart his plan so she turns to her former Gladiators for help. Although she admits that she no longer knows right from wrong, her long-time confidante, Huck, tells her that it’s what she does next that matters.

So, Olivia decides to take Cyrus down by committing her most selfless act: testifying before Congress about B613. Olivia and her colleagues agree it’s worth risking prison. Following their corroborating testimony, Cyrus resigns as Vice President and Olivia takes a major step forward in her journey toward becoming heroic.

Not Your Average Protagonist

A couple of girls admire Olivia's portrait at the National Gallery of Art in the final scene of the series

A typical hero starts and ends on the right side of the spectrum of good and evil. Olivia’s moral conflict sees her operating in a unique position in the middle of this spectrum from the start, oscillating between each end. It takes Olivia becoming villainous for her to understand how to become a truly good person.

However, the question of whether Olivia Pope is a hero or not isn’t an easy one to answer. As well-written characters should be, her true nature and motives are open to interpretation. Shonda Rhimes gave us such a rich character. Olivia breaks the standard hero mold, and the world of television is a lot better for it.

Brian Campbell
Mild-mannered working professional by day, epic purveyor of pop culture by night! I have a wide array of interests across several fandoms, including film, television, music, and literature. I look to offer my unique perspective on any topic in an entertaining and insightful fashion.