The Complicated Bond of Olivia Pope and Jake Ballard: Trauma, Understanding, and Missed Redemption

At first glance, Scandal presents Olivia Pope's central romantic conflict as a choice between two men: the passionate, all-consuming love of President Fitzgerald Grant or the deep, knowing connection with Jake Ballard. But as the series progresses, it becomes clear that Olivia's relationships with these men reveal fundamental truths about her own psyche—her fear of abandonment, her addiction to chaos, and her unconscious recreation of the power dynamics she was raised in. While her relationship with Fitz is often framed as the "epic love story," her bond with Jake is arguably more authentic, more spiritually aligned, and ultimately, more tragic in its inability to fully flourish. Their connection was never about fairy tale romance, but about two damaged people who recognized each other's scars in a way no one else could.

The Trauma Bond: Why Olivia and Jake Understood Each Other

Olivia Pope and Jake Ballard's relationship was rooted in shared trauma—a factor that often creates intense, if complicated, bonds between people. Both were molded by Eli Pope (Rowan), though in different ways. Olivia was raised under his manipulative guidance, taught to see power as both a weapon and a lifeline. Jake was recruited into B613 and broken down into the perfect operative, conditioned to follow orders without question.

This shared history meant they understood each other in a way Fitz never could. When Olivia spiraled into her worst impulses, Jake didn’t shy away—he called her out, not from a place of judgment, but from firsthand knowledge of what it meant to lose oneself to darkness. Conversely, when Jake struggled with his own morality, Olivia didn’t offer empty platitudes; she knew exactly what it was like to be torn between wanting to be good and being drawn to control.

Their relationship wasn’t built on fantasy, like Olivia and Fitz’s, but on a painful, mutual recognition. This is why, whenever things with Fitz became too messy or emotionally exhausting, Olivia returned to Jake. With him, she didn’t have to perform. She could be ruthless, flawed, even cruel—and he would still see her.

Fitz vs. Jake: Security vs. Spiritual Alignment

Olivia’s ultimate return to Fitz in the series finale was not a triumph of love, but a retreat into security. Fitz’s devotion was absolute, unwavering, and—most importantly—predictable. No matter how many times she left him, he would always take her back. No matter how much she manipulated him, he would always forgive her. She knew his love for her was greater than hers for him, and that asymmetry gave her control.

Jake, on the other hand, refused to let her hide from herself. He loved her fiercely, but not blindly. When she took over B613, he was the one who confronted her: "You don’t want to shut it down. You want to run it." That kind of honesty terrified Olivia because it forced her to confront the parts of herself she wanted to ignore.

Their love was more spiritual than logical. It wasn’t about political strategy or grand gestures; it was about two people who had been shaped by the same darkness, trying—and often failing—to find light in each other. When they were together, there was a rawness, an intensity that Fitz and Olivia never achieved. Their chemistry wasn’t just physical—it was the connection of two people who had survived the same war.

Why Olivia Chose Chaos Over Peace

The tragedy of Jake and Olivia’s relationship is that they could have had peace. Off the coast of Zanzibar, they briefly found a quiet, sunlit existence—one where they weren’t scheming, lying, or fighting for survival. But Olivia couldn’t stay there. She thrived on drama, on power, on the adrenaline of fixing crises. Jake, for all his flaws, was willing to walk away from it all for her. He wanted to "stand in the sun," but Olivia kept dragging them back into the shadows.

This self-sabotage is a hallmark of trauma survivors. Olivia didn’t know how to exist without chaos because chaos was all she had ever known. Stability felt like stagnation; peace felt like a trap. Jake represented the possibility of a different life—one where she wasn’t "Olivia Pope, Fixer," but just Olivia. And that terrified her more than any enemy ever could.

The Final Heartbreak: Jake’s Unconditional Love

In the end, Jake loved Olivia enough to let her go. Even when she chose Fitz, even when she walked away from the life they could have had, he never stopped loving her. His tragedy is that he loved her more than she loved herself—enough to call her out, enough to walk away when she refused to change, but never enough to truly move on.

Their story doesn’t have a happy ending because Olivia wasn’t ready for one. But it does have truth—something her relationship with Fitz always lacked. Jake and Olivia’s love was messy, painful, and deeply human. And that, perhaps, is why it lingers long after the final credits roll.