On Thursday, September 26, ABC will release the long awaited fifth season of "Scandal." We’ve been with Pope and Associates through the major ups and downs of the political life in Washington, D.C., but for some of us, a refresher may be needed. SPOILERS INCLUDED.

Season 1:

In Season One, we are introduced to Olivia Pope, a strong-willed, empowered and somewhat intimidating lawyer who “fixes” the problems of some of the most powerful individuals in America. We also learn that Olivia Pope is having an affair with the President of the United States, Fitzgerald Grant, a young, married ambitious politician. We meet her “henchmen,” Abby, Huck, Quinn, and Harrison, all of whom have secretive and disturbing pasts. We also meet members of the White House, such as Cyrus Bean, the Chief of Staff, and Mellie Grant, First Lady. Season One focuses on the pasts of the characters, such as Olivia’s affair and her past working with the White House, Abby’s domestic violence background, and Harrison’s background as a corrupt car salesmen. We also learn that Quinn, the newest recruit, has a different real name, Lindsay Dwyer, and a warrant out for her boyfriend’s murder. Also, some questions are raised about Grant’s presidential campaign, showing that Olivia Pope may have influenced the vote.

Season 2:

Season Two starts off with a bang, showing Quinn at trial for the murder of six employees, one being her boyfriend, at her boyfriend’s company. Olivia takes Quinn’s case, but Quinn is not sure why. We also become more familiar with David Rosen, a somewhat enemy to Pope and Associates. Abby begins her romantic relationship with David, who is investigating the Grant election secretly. We then see that the company Quinn is accused of sending a bomb to, Cytron, was the company that made the rigged voting machines that Olivia and a few others used to help Fitz win the election. Olivia and the people involved with Cytron begin covering up their tracks. Then James, a journalist for the White House and husband to Cyrus (who was also involved with Cytron), begins working with David Rosen on the Cytron case, unaware of Cyrus’s involvement. Then at the President’s birthday gala, Fitz is shot. While Fitz is in the hospital, Olivia has a series of flashbacks revealing that their relationship is much deeper than we thought. They are in love. Due to Fitz’s unknown condition, Vice President Sally Langston takes over as President. We learn more about Huck’s mysterious past, seeing he is a trained assassin. His girlfriend, Becky, is revealed to be the one who shot Fitz, yet she frames Huck. Becky is then caught. Fitz tells Mellie he wants a divorce once he begins to recover. Olivia realizes she is being investigated for Cytron and the rest of the gang take extreme measures to protect themselves. Jake, Olivia’s love interest, is introduced, but we then see he is spying on Olivia. He is spying for Fitz, but develops feelings for Olivia. Jake realizes that Fitz also has feelings for Olivia. Mellie decides Fitz must choose between her and Olivia. Mellie moves out of the White House and Olivia is named as Fitz’s mistress.

Season 3:

Season 3 begins with Olivia’s business declining after she is named the mistress. We discover that the leader of the government organization that trained Huck to be an assassin, B-613, is Olivia’s father, Rowan Eli Pope. Olivia and Fitz’s affair gets brushed under the rug when Cyrus says that his mistress was a White House correspondent, Jeannine Locke. We find out that the reason Jake and Fitz were so close is because they worked together on a top secret Naval mission: Operation Remington. Olivia’s dad takes Jake and when Olivia finds out, she asks Fitz to help. We learn B-613 is not controlled by the president. We learn Olivia knew that Huck was from B-613 and saved him from the streets after he was tortured, despite her dad’s wishes. Jake is released when Olivia agrees to meet with her father every Sunday. People begin working on Fitz’s reelection campaign. Olivia learns that Operation Remington was when Fitz shot down a commercial airline that had Olivia’s mother, Maya Pope, on it. Sally Langston announces she is running for President. We learn how horrible Fitz’s father, Big Jerry, was. He verbally abused Fitz and even raped Mellie. He forced Fitz to run for President, as well. We find out that FItz shot the plane down because there was a bomb on board. Quinn becomes a member of B-613. Olivia’s mother is alive, after all. Olivia’s mother escapes a top-security prison and visits Olivia, asking for her help. Olivia, with Fitz’s help send her out of the country, only to learn she is a terrorist named Marie Wallace. Sally calls Cyrus because she killed her husband, Daniel Douglas, after she learns that he is gay. Cyrus cleans up the murder and everyone thinks Daniel Douglas died of a heart attack. After Rowan is forced to step down as Command, Fitz appoints Jake to the job. Fitz names his friend, Andrew Nichols, as his new VP. Cyrus’ husband, James, has been working with David Rosen to uncover White House secrets. When he goes to meet up with James, James is shot and killed. Andrew and Mellie begin having an affair and when Fitz finds out, he wants to end their marriage. Mellie tells FItz that his father raped her and he stays with her. Olivia and Huck begin their attempts to shut B-613 down. Maya comes back and reveals there is a bomb at a funeral the President is supposed to attend, but he remains safe. At a political rally, Fitz’s son, Jerry, contracts bacterial meningitis and dies. Fitz hires Rowan to kill Maya Pope, believing she killed Jerry. Olivia and Jake start a new life, not knowing Olivia’s father is responsible for Jerry’s death with the help of Tom, Fitz’s most trusted Secret Service Agent, and a member of B-613. Rowan forces Tom to kill Harrison.

Season 4:

This season opens with Olivia, now on a remote island with Jake, hearing about Harrison’s death, which sends her back to D.C. Upon her arrival, she learns Quinn is the only one still at Pope and Associates. Abby now works at the White House as Press Secretary and Huck works at an electronics store. Fitz and Mellie are shown to be having a difficult time dealing with Jerry’s death. David Rosen ends his attempt to shut down B-613 when he is nominated for Attorney General. Mellie continues to struggle with Jerry’s death. A White House worker, Elizabeth, hires a prostitute to sleep with Cyrus for blackmail. Jake is arrested for Jerry’s murder, framed by Rowan. Fitz interrogates Jake but grows violent, but sends him to a different facility when he learns Olivia and Jake have feelings for each other. Jake is released and Rowan is prosecuted. The gang attempts to take down B-613. After the VP is almost assassinated, Mellie reveals her feelings for Andrew. B-613 is shut down, and after Olivia reveals her hate toward her father, he leaves for good. Olivia is then captured by workers of Elizabeth and Andrew and kidnapped so Fitz is forced to start a war with West Angola. Olivia is held prisioner and faces a difficult journey while the team and Fitz race to save her. Olivia persuades her captor to work independently from Andrew and sell her on the black market in an auction. The team works with Maya but has no results. As Olivia is being traded over to her buyer, she surprisingly learns it’s a friend of hers doing her a favor. She kills her captors and returns to D.C. Olivia continues her work. Huck decides to testify against B-613. Cyrus’ pictures with the prostitute are released and Olivia covers it up by saying they are getting married. Rowan shows back up threatening Olivia to drop the B-613 case. When she doesn’t, Jake gets stabbed. Mellie announces she is running for Senator of Virginia. Meanwhile, at the B-613 trial, all the jurors are murdered and it is revealed that Rowan is getting Mellie to help stop the case. When Olivia tries to tell the CIA about B-613, her and Jake are arrested and released when they sign a document claiming B-613 is a lie. Fitz learns Mellie and Cyrus were helping Rowan, who forces Mellie to move out of the White House and fires Cyrus. Elizabeth becomes the new Chief of Staff. It is revealed Huck killed the jurors and asks Quinn to kill him. Rowan is arrested for embezzlement. Jake tells Olivia goodbye, leading her into Fitz’s arms.

So there you have it… Literally everything that has happened in Scandal so far. If you think this is dramatic, wait and see what Season 5 entails.