Along with people's revelation of their true nature, Sally took over the proceedings of a debate while Alex joined forces with Olivia in "Scandal" season 5 episode 15.

"Scandal" season 5 episode 15 is entitled "Pencil's Down." According to Spoilers Guide, people showed their real colors as the election got nearer. Episode 15 also saw Mellie make a public "faux pas," which led Olivia to choose how far she would go to reverse it. The episode also showed the Gladiators learn vital details on Jake's new love interest, along with David trying to search for an advice on his love triangle involving Liz North and Susan Ross.

"Pencil's Down" also saw Sally make an announcement that she would moderate the first GOP debate, according to Vulture. As per the publication, Sally was one level higher than TMZ for the time being and while she was "messy as hell" and always promised a big scoop, it had only blown up in her face.

It has been indicated that Sally's news reporting was comparable to someone's Facebook status. According to the publication, Sally was the "physical embodiment" of Facebook's most inconsequential elements.

Alex also reportedly teamed up with Olivia due to certain dynamics in "Scandal" season 5 episode 15. In his interview with Variety, Danny Pino, who plays Alex in the series, said that Olivia was such a complex character that her fame proceeded her, adding that when Alex knew her was dealing with her, he knew that it was probably not at face value, but there were always "several layers" to that relationship.

Meanwhile, a successful political campaign is set to be run on a "dirt trail" in "Scandal" season 5 episode 16, entitled "The Miseducation of Susan Ross." According to Spoilers Guide, Olivia is shown with perilous details about an enemy and enlists the Gladiators to confirm its genuineness. Also, the episode will see David deal with fallout from his dating life while Cyrus pushes his efforts on his political endeavor.

"Scandal" season 5 episode 15, "Pencil's Down," aired on Mar. 24 while episode 16, "The Miseducation of Susan Ross" airs on Mar. 31.