‘Scandal’ Tweet-cap: The Monster Inside

Warning: This recap for the “The Belt” episode of Scandal contains spoilers.

Cyrus Beene is a monster. And not only does he know it, now, he’s embracing it.

Time and time again, we’ve seen what Cyrus is capable of when the stakes are high — he’ll rig an election, he’ll order a hit, he’ll marry his prostitute, he’ll engineer a fake hostage situation, etc., etc. Now, the stakes are higher than ever — his very life is on the line. If he doesn’t clear his name, he’ll die, either in prison at the hands of other inmates or via the death penalty sentence that Fitz is personally ordering.

At first, Cyrus may try to use his regular means of manipulation, but when it comes down to it, he’ll do what he has to do, even if it means he gets blood on his hands.

Here’s a rundown of this week’s episode, including our live tweets:

David delivers a weary and defeated Cyrus to prison, where he is forced to meekly answer questions, give fingerprints, take photographs, and of course, strip completely. And then, he’s put into a tiny cell, where he will remain alone and shunned until his trial.

Meanwhile, in the much more luxurious surroundings of OPA, Olivia and Mellie celebrate. The latter is going to be the 45th president of the United States! The wine is flowing, the music is playing, and the future POTUS is dancing.

Over at the White House, Marcus is fielding some probing questions from reporters about Cyrus’s trial. Will he face the death penalty? What does Fitz think? Well, we know what Abby thinks: She marches to David’s office and tells him off. How could he even think about the death penalty? David reasons that people want to know that nobody is above the law.

Back in prison, Cyrus is receiving a harsh lesson in penitentiary life. For instance, he’s in maximum security and not allowed to get exercise outside. Instead, he’s forced to walk in a circle around a caged pen indoors. Then, Cyrus spots Tom through a door and yells to talk to him. The guard refuses and barks at Cyrus to shape up.

Lizzy pays a call to Abby, venting about how her short stint representing Cyrus has resulted in not getting meetings and worse, not getting reservations. Now she has to use an app, like filthy commoners! How rude! Abby offers to consider giving her a job if Lizzy visits Cyrus and tells him that the death penalty is off the table.

When Lizzy does visit Cyrus, he begs her to deliver a letter to Tom. If he can convince Tom not to testify, the case will dissolve. But Cyrus hasn’t written the letter yet, because he doesn’t even have access to pen and paper.

After spying the guard slip an item to another prisoner, Cyrus asks his cell neighbor Ralph (a cannibal who ate his mother and sister) how to acquire contraband. Ralph cynically suggests that Cyrus ask for a belt to hang himself and not bother with the pen and paper. And he mentions that the guard is delivering drugs to prisoners, because he’s under their thumb.

In more lighthearted territory, Huck is still in touch with the woman he nearly frightened to death last week — Meg, the friend of now-dead videographer Jenny. He helps her install a security system in her apartment, and then even teaches her self-defense. When she lands a punch to his nose, Huck beams. Seriously, when’s the last time we saw Huck smile?

In prison, Cyrus tries to make a deal with the guard. If he gets pen and paper, he’ll show the guard how to cut his ties with the drug gang. He tells the guard that it’s all about leverage — Cyrus used to maximize his access to the Oval Office to get what he wanted. So, the guard just has to figure out what his Oval is. Cyrus gets his pen and paper, writes the letter, and passes it off to Lizzy.

In the White House, Fitz is in bed with FBI Director Angela Webster. OK, that happened fast, but also, Fitz, can you not sleep with completely inappropriate women who work for you? Seriously? Anyway, he’s just happy to have something good in his life right now. She comforts him, then offhandedly mentions how difficult this whole situation is for him and she understands why he declined pursuing the death penalty for Cyrus. Um, what?

Fitz calls a meeting the next day, and when Abby comes in, reams her out. He berates her for stepping outside the bounds of her office. She is chief of staff, not the president. “You invoked my name without even talking to me,” he sternly says.

Back in prison, Michael visits — but only to tell Cyrus that he’s leaving him for good. Turns out Lizzy showed him the letter to Tom, and he’s just done with it all. And to make things worse, Cyrus hears on his new contraband radio that Fitz is calling for the death penalty in his case.

The guard, now sympathetic and grateful for his help, allows him some time outside in the yard to get fresh air. But actually, no — he locks the door and a bunch of general population prisoners (who all supported Frankie Vargas) start beating down on Cyrus.

When he wakes up, he’s in the hospital. Michael is there, and coos that he’s not leaving him after all. Olivia is also there, and warmly tells him that they know Tom was lying and that Cyrus isn’t getting prosecuted. Instead, the Electoral College is voting for him, if Mellie is named his vice president. And then, suddenly, he’s getting inaugurated.

Yeah, so it turns out it was all a dream. Cyrus wakes up in the yard, bloodied and battered. He places a call to Olivia, to plead that he didn’t kill Frankie. He didn’t order Tom to kill Frankie, and in fact, ordered him not to touch a hair on his head.

“I am a monster, but I am your monster,” he cries, begging for help. Olivia, shaken but still coldly resolved, tells him, “Stop being a monster, and be a man. Be a man you can be proud of.” She warns him that she won’t talk to him again.

The guard brings Cyrus his dinner, and Cyrus glumly notes that he was the guard’s Oval. Then, he asks the guard for one last favor — his belt. Is Cyrus going to commit suicide?!

Elsewhere, Huck goes to visit Meg to ask her if she’s his client or his friend. In response, she kisses him! Yay, happiness for Huck! Unfortunately, the tender moment is interrupted by a call from Quinn — they’ve got info on Tom.

Turns out Tom was not anywhere near Frankie’s location during the shooting. So, Tom didn’t do it, which means Cyrus didn’t do it.

In the meantime, Cyrus gives the guard a few goodbye letters to give to Ralph. But it was all a ruse — Ralph starts choking the guard and grabs the cell keys. Now, Cyrus tells the guard that he promised Ralph a kill, and it can be him or it can be Tom.

They march to Tom’s cell, where Cyrus demands to know the truth as Ralph chokes him. But at the last minute, Cyrus can’t let Tom die, and they both collapse on the floor. Tom gasps that he lied to see Cyrus suffer. Ralph kills the prison guard instead.

So, now we know who didn’t kill Vargas. The question remains: Who did?

Scandal airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC. Watch clips and full episodes of Scandal for free on Yahoo View.

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