Olivia Pope's journey comes to an end on Thursday night (April 19), as Scandal bows out after seven seasons.
Fans are anxious to learn the fate of Pope, and while creator Shonda Rhimes isn't giving anything away —she has revealed that this is not the ending she originally had in mind for her characters.
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Speaking with a group of reporters ahead of the finale, Rhimes said the idea she originally had for Scandal's end has "completely changed," largely due to the influence the 2016 presidential election had over season seven's direction.
"I think we did basically what I had planned to be all of season seven in the finale of last season's Scandal," she said. "So no, it's very different."
That's some pretty big news in Shondaland, considering she told NPR in 2013: "I feel like there is a finite amount of Scandal to be told.
"So I know what the end of Scandal will be, and I feel really good about that. And I can see where the end point is. And I don't think I'm going to change that."
While some viewers may be predicting a bleak end for their favourite characters, Rhimes explained that she's not so much concerned with atonement, but more "seeing what happens once that choice has been made".
She added: "We're finishing the evolution of the character, of Olivia Pope. The story is being completed.
"We've sort of put them in a fairly impossible position, and you get to find out what happens and how that gets solved and where our characters go from there."
And as an added bonus, Rhimes also revealed that she "tried really hard to bring back some familiar faces in the final episode".
Scandal's final episode will air on ABC on Thursday (April 18) at 10pm. In the UK, Scandal airs on Sky Living.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stephanie is a writer who specialises in pro wrestling, covering everything from AEW and WWE to NJPW.
After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she went on to study journalism at Birbeck University.
Outside of her journalism work Stephanie is also a YouTube content creator focusing on AEW and interviewing talent from AEW, WWE, and across the indie wrestling scene. She has also worked for Revolution Pro Wrestling as a backstage interviewer and commentator.
