Where In The World Is Olivia Pope?

No one would ever say that Olivia Pope had it easy, but the head of the Gladiators had a particularly brutal go of it in the (absolutely bananas) Season 3 finale of Scandal. Liv's season-long fight to get the controversy-ridden President Fitz reelected paid off — but it did at a heavy price. During Fitz' final campaign speech, his son Jerry collapses. When they get to the hospital they learn that Jerry has died of a particular strain of bacterial meningitis — one that, according to Rowan Pope, Liv's mother stole from a lab. Fitz wins the reelection, but Liv is heartbroken over her connection to Jerry's death. She's now the scandal that needs fixing, and begs her father to remove her from Washington, not knowing that this was Rowan's sinister plan all along. When we last see Liv, she's on a plane, snuggling up with Jake and ready to start a life outside of Pope and Associates. But where is that plane headed?

According to showrunner Shonda Rhimes' interview with The Hollywood Reporter, we'll see Liv in a "different place" when Season 4 premieres on Sept. 25. Liv has officially ditched DC, and while I doubt that it will be for very long (just try to keep Liv from trying to fix the daily drama of US government) that plane did take Liv somewhere — the only question now is where? I've got a few theories:

Vermont

Vermont was the place where Fitz and Liv were planning on spending their lives after Fitz finished up that whole "being the President" thing, so we already know that it's Liv's happy place. Jake probably won't be too happy about spending time in the state with such strong ties to Fitz, but it is a safe zone — and the place where Fitz could find Olivia if he needed to. Liv may have ignored Fitz' calls in the Season 3 finale, but there's no way that she quit on the President for good.

London

Liv already has a slew of coats perfect for the chilly London air, and it's the perfect place to relaunch a political career. We assumed that Liv was getting out of the fixing game for good, but what if she simply shifted continents?

The Middle East

Could there be potential for a Homeland crossover? Carrie certainly could use Liv's straight talk.

The Caribbean

If my dad gave me access to anywhere via private plane, my first stop would be sunny beach in the Caribbean. Liv could trade her red wine in for pina coladas and stare at Jake's beach body all day. Sure, her days wouldn't be as exciting as the drama she witnesses back in the nation's capitol, but if she wants adventure she can always sign up for a snorkeling tour.

That being said, I'd be sad to see Liv outside of the District of Columbia for longer than she needs to be. The Gladiators need her, Fitz needs her, and hell, the nation needs her. (Dramatic phrasing inserted because hey, this is a Shonda Rhimes show we're discussing, right?) Fly back to us soon, Ms. Pope.

Images: ABC (5)