With Mama Pope (Khandi Alexander) attempting to blow up the president (in a fly jacket of course), recently stabbed Papa Pope (Joe Morton) being re-instated in B613 after killing President Fitzgerald's only son in an eye-for-an-eye fashion, Harrison (Columbus Short) being killed off by Papa Pope because of a real life scandal, and Olivia (Kerry Washington) not answering Fitz' call (for once) to run off with Jake in the season finale, where else can Scandal take fans for season 4?

Kerry Washington Pregnant Due Date Nearing

First let's deal with the real life scandal of Short. Everyone's favorite slick-talking, sexy walking Gladiator, Harrison, will not be returning to the hit show.

"At this time, I must confirm my exit from a show I've called home for three years, with what is the most talented ensemble on television today," Short, 31, said according to The Huffington Post on April 25. "I would like to first thank Shonda Rhimes for the opportunity to work with such an amazing cast."

Short's departure comes amid two pending criminal case accusations - misdemeanor spousal battery and felony battery. Short's wife, Tuere, reported that the actor choked her while she was sleeping, chased her around the room, dragged her from a room, and threw her on the ground. Another report accuses her husband of threatening to kill her and himself after a fight on April 7. She filed for temporary restraining order and filed for divorce April 15 after nine years of marriage. She seeks legal and physical custody of the their 2-year-old daughter. If convicted, Short faces up to four years in prison. Unfortunately, this is a real-life scandal that Olivia Pope & Associates just can't fix.

"Everything must come to an end, and unfortunately the time has come for Harrison Wright to exit the canvas," Short said. "I wish nothing but the best for Shonda, Kerry and the rest of the cast, who have become like a second family to me in such a short amount of time. For this, I will forever be grateful."

As for Olivia and Fitz, a.k.a. Olitz, the season finale ended with Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn) winning the presidential election but losing his son Jerry Grant Jr. (and finding out that his father raped his wife). He falls to his knees in the oval office calling for Olivia but she's no where to be found.

Olivia believes her mother killed Fitz's son and says, "I'm the thing that needs to be fixed, I'm the thing that needs to be handled. I'm the scandal." Unaware that it was, in fact, her father who killed the boy, she takes off to go "stand in the sun" with Jake. As for Fitz, he has got to be there for Mellie (Bellamy Young) now. Tony Goldwyn told The Hollywood Reporter:

"That episode was so difficult for me as an actor because it's my worst nightmare. To have to go there as a father, the reality of losing a child is just devastating. Add to it the fact that Jerry was murdered, the only thing that is left for Fitz in this kind of a situation -- when you're gutted in this way, work can save your life."

When Fitz is on his knees and Mellie is by his side in the Oval Office he asks, "Where's Olivia?"

"[Mellie and Fitz] have to take care of each other; they're family... Olivia is the woman that Fitz needs to be with as a partner, lover and soul mate. That's never going to change and that hasn't changed, but Mellie is Fitz's family."

Still the actor does not see Fitz's feelings for Olivia "being diminished in any way" for Season 4.

And what about that look Rowan gave his ex-wife Maya when he threw her in a B613 cell? She did stab him after all. Now that Rowan's caught Queen Pope, what's he going to do with her? What's going to happen to this murderous pair?

Rowan teased in April 17th Us Weekly:

"In order to revenge in what Maya has done -- is probably to put her in the worst situation possible," he said. "I wouldn't necessarily kill her, but I might sort of torture her for awhile."

Bad Guy Cyrus Beene Leaves The Show?

As for Scandal's other favorite bad guy Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry), he lost his husband and now feels like the devil himself. Jeff Perry, founder of the famous Steppenwolf Theatre, expounded on Cyrus shift from sort-of monstrous to just plain monster.

"It is, it's a different dramatic elixir. And I think an important one to pause and acknowledge. So it was a considered and conscious moment, I found out, and when Shonda Rhimes tells Jeff Perry it's going to be okay, it's going to be okay," he told The Huffington Post on April 16.

ABC has not officially announced its renewal of Scandal for a forth season, but being one of the network's biggest hits we can probably bank on it. Also, showrunner Shonda Rhimes eased her gladiator's minds on twitter:

"Clearly, you can assume good news."

Top 10 OMG Moments From Scandal Season 3 Finale!!

Tags: scandal ABC television Gladiators Olivia Pope Maya Pope Rowan Pope