In the upcoming season finale of “Scandal,” Olivia (Kerry Washington) wrestles with her new role as a first lady-type as the hunt for her father Rowan Pope (Joe Morton) goes on.

A clip from the Episode 9 of Season 5, titled "Baby, It's Cold Outside," shows Rowan bound to a chair, trying to rile his guard by playing upon his insecurities, like a maniacal King Lear.

Coming to realize that his captor is working for Olivia, Rowan starts to use the concept of parenthood to grate away at the man, whom he knows is cut off from his own son.

“I have so many sons, so many ungrateful children,” Rowan says. “There is no gratitude in parenting."

What sounds like small talk quickly escalates into insults, when Rowan starts to bring up his captor’s son.

“Do you think he misses you, or do you think he’s happier now that he knows that his insane shell of human father is out of the picture again,” Rowan asks.

The guard warns Rowan to stop talking, but he goes on.

“Can you image a father so bad that you tell your child he’s a bastard rather than tell him his farther was you," he asks.

His captor snaps and clamps his hand around Rowan’s throat, at which point Rowan praises him and seems to reveal that his captor is one of his sons as well.

“There you are, the son I know, the son I respect,” he screams in twisted glee.

As reported in People, “Scandal” creator Shonda Rhimes seems to want nothing to do with being a parent.

Speaking to Oprah Winfrey, Rhimes said telling people in her life that she did not want to be get married or have children was an act of freedom.

"I was able to finally stand up and say, 'I don't want to get married'," Rhimes said. "I said that out loud. I said it to my family. I said it to my friends. I said it to anybody who asked. It's never been a dream of mine."

Rhimes said she sees having children as something that is programmed into society.

"You're supposed to want it, and if you don't want it, what's wrong with you,” she added.

The winter finale of “Scandal” airs Thursday Nov. 19 on ABC at 9 p.m. ET. Watch the trailers below.