/scott-foley-scandal-b2c48f2f723842669aaf79ef0da5112b.jpg)
Scott Foley was already a TV darling before he stepped onto the Scandal set. We knew him as the sweet Noel Crane from Felicity or the tragic Henry Burton from Grey’s Anatomy. But when he showed up as Jake Ballard in Season 2, everything changed. He wasn't just another guy in Olivia Pope's orbit; he became the ultimate disruptor. Honestly, you've probably spent more time than you'd like to admit arguing with friends about whether he was a hero or a straight-up villain.
Basically, the Scott Foley Scandal character—Captain Jake Ballard—was designed to be the "third point" in the show's most volatile love triangle. He was the spy who loved her, the soldier who watched her through cameras, and the man who eventually took the fall for everyone. But behind those "puppy dog eyes," as fans often call them, was a character arc that shifted the entire tone of the series from political fixing to dark, high-stakes espionage.
Who Was Jake Ballard, Really?
When we first met Jake, he was a guy at a hot dog stand. Simple, right? Wrong. He was actually a high-level Naval Intelligence officer and a member of B613, the shadow government organization that "didn't exist." President Fitz Grant—Olivia's primary love interest—hired Jake to spy on her.
Talk about a rocky start.
The complexity of Jake comes from his grooming by Rowan "Eli" Pope, Olivia's father. Jake wasn't just a soldier; he was Rowan's "son" in a twisted, professional way. This created a de facto sibling dynamic between Jake and Olivia that made their romantic scenes feel... complicated. To say the least. While Fitz represented a dream of "jam in Vermont," Jake represented the reality of the sun. He was the one who could actually understand Olivia’s darkness because he lived in it every day.
💡 You might also like: Not the Nine O'Clock News: Why the Satirical Giant Still Matters
The Moment the "White Hat" Fell Off
For a while, fans really wanted to believe Jake was the "good" alternative to the toxic, power-hungry Fitz. Then came the James Novak incident.
In Season 3, Jake did the unthinkable. To protect the secrets of B613 and "the Republic," he shot and killed James Novak, the husband of Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene. It was a cold, calculated execution. This wasn't a mistake or a moment of passion; it was a job. Scott Foley himself has noted in interviews that fans were rightfully distraught. He told TV Guide that "the Jake haters now have something to point at," and he wasn't wrong.
That murder was the turning point. It proved that no matter how much he loved Olivia, Jake was a weapon first. He was a man who had been broken by his upbringing—a history of abuse that led him to the military—and then completely rebuilt by Rowan Pope into a killing machine.
The Scandalous Love Triangle: Fitz vs. Jake
The debate between "Team Fitz" and "Team Jake" defined the middle years of the show. It wasn't just about who Olivia liked more; it was about what kind of life she wanted.
📖 Related: New Movies in Theatre: What Most People Get Wrong About This Month's Picks
- Fitzgerald Grant: Represented the public eye, the presidency, and a sort of idealized, albeit adulterous, romance.
- Jake Ballard: Represented the shadows, the freedom of an island (remember the "standing in the sun" era?), and a partner who didn't need Olivia to be a "fixer."
There was a genuine sense of freedom when Jake and Olivia escaped to that remote island at the start of Season 4. But as Scandal fans know, you can never truly leave D.C. behind. Jake’s tragedy was that he was always the "other guy." Even when he was the one there for her, even when he was the one she was sleeping with, he knew her heart was across town at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The Job Title That Kept Changing
What did Jake actually do? It became a bit of a running joke among viewers. One minute he’s a Navy Captain, the next he’s the Director of the NSA, then he’s Command of B613, and for a while, he was just... hanging out in Olivia's apartment.
The fluidity of his roles mirrored the show’s shift. As Scandal moved away from "case of the week" stories and into the deep lore of B613, Jake became the primary vessel for that narrative. Some fans felt this "spy stuff" dragged the show down, while others thought it gave the series its edge. Either way, Scott Foley played the transition from "charming boyfriend" to "ruthless NSA Director" with a chilling stillness that made you forget he was ever that nice guy from Felicity.
That Ending: Why Jake Ballard Took the Fall
The series finale, "Over a Cliff," left a lot of people feeling salty. While Olivia and Fitz got to walk away into their ambiguous future, Jake Ballard ended up in a prison cell.
👉 See also: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
It felt unfair. Throughout seven seasons, everyone on that show committed crimes. Everyone lied, everyone covered up murders, and most of them pulled a trigger at some point. Yet, Jake was the one who ended up behind bars. He took the blame for the existence of B613, effectively becoming the sacrificial lamb so the others could live their lives.
But if you look closely at the final shots, Jake has a small, knowing smile in his cell. Many fans interpret this as his first moment of actual peace. For his entire adult life, he was someone’s soldier. He was Rowan’s soldier, then Fitz’s soldier, then Olivia’s. In prison, nobody could use him anymore. He was finally free from the "Command" of others, even if he was behind bars.
Actionable Insights for Scandal Rewatchers
If you're heading back into a Scandal binge, keep these things in mind to better understand Jake’s journey:
- Watch the eyes, not the words: Scott Foley often plays Jake with a "mask." When he's being the most charming, look for the moments where his expression goes blank—that's the B613 training kicking in.
- The Father-Son Dynamic: Pay attention to his scenes with Rowan Pope (Joe Morton). Their relationship is the most honest one in the show because they both know exactly what monsters they are.
- The "Sun" Imagery: Notice how the lighting changes when Olivia is with Jake versus Fitz. The "standing in the sun" motif isn't just dialogue; it’s a visual cue for the freedom Jake wants but can never quite keep.
- Moral Ambiguity: Don't try to label him a "good guy." He isn't. But in the world of Shonda Rhimes, the "bad guys" are often the ones who are the most loyal.
Jake Ballard remains one of the most polarizing figures in modern television. He was a character born out of necessity to keep a romance fresh, but he grew into a complex study of what happens when a person is stripped of their identity and turned into a tool of the state. Whether you loved him or hated him, Scandal wouldn't have been the same without the quiet intensity of Scott Foley.