Scandal show creator Shonda Rhimes received a lot of heat after last week's episode when Jake Ballard was presumably killed off the show, but new spoilers suggest that the beloved character may not be dead after all.

Will More Beloved Characters Die During New Episode Of 'Scandal?'

As previously reported, Olivia Pope's dangerous father returns and he's ready to hire her to handle his problem and when she refuses, Rowen has Jake Ballard killed.

While the new sneak peek suggests that Liv's boyfriend no. 2 was stabbed to death, new spoiler photos suggest that Ballard is still alive. New leeked photos published online from the upcoming episode A Few Good Women, show Ballard lying in bed with bandages over his wounds.

Fans Tweet Their Reactions To Shonda Rhimes After A Shocking Episode Of 'Scandal'

The images can be seen here.

On Wednesday the Scandal official Twitter page sparked a serious discussion when they shared a video clip from Thursday night's new episode asking if Jake was really dead.

Based on the responses, it's clear that a lot of fans still have hope that their beloved Jake is still alive, but if he isn't, there will be lots of disappointed fans.

Based on the sneak peek for the this week's new episode, the craziness will pick up exactly where it left off, and if Liv fails to obey her father's orders, he will kill everyone around her.

Scandal airs every Thursday night at 9 p.m. on ABC.

Tags: scandal ABC television