Scandal Scoop: Is Billy Chambers Really Dead?

Is Billy Chambers really dead?

Scandalfans have been asking that question since the Season 1 finale, when the vice president's chief of staff got on an elevator with assassin Charlie (George Newbern)... never to be seen or mentioned again.

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Sure, most fans actually hope that Billy (Matt Letscher) is dead. After all, he did try to blackmail the president (Tony Goldwyn) for having an affair with White House staffer Amanda Tanner (Liza Weil) in retaliation for Vice President Sally Langston (Kate Burton) not getting the Republican nomination. But Billy — who also went on to kill poor Gideon (Brendan Hines) after the reporter discovered that Billy was actually the father of Amanda's love child — is one slippery man, so it would come as no surprise if he was able to talk Charlie out of killing him.

With Letscher playing papa over at The CW's Carrie Diaries, it does seem unlikely that Billy is still with the living... or does it? "They did try and get me back to do an episode this season," Letscher tells TVGuide.com, noting that it ultimately didn't work out. Whether that means Billy would've been seen in a flashback or alive and well remains unclear. "I can neither confirm nor deny that Billy Chambers is dead. I assume he is; they gave every indication of that. Knowing Shonda [Rhimes] and the way she writes, I wouldn't be surprised if someday, somehow he were to come back," Letscher says.

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Naturally, after we were so sure that Billy was involved in Huck's (Guillermo Diaz) frame job, we just had to ask Rhimes whether there's a possibility that Billy could ever return. "I can't say anything about that yet," she says. But before you exclaim that her "yet" confirms that Billy will be back, Rhimes clarifies. "I didn't say that."

So, Gladiators, what do you think? Is Billy Chambers still alive? Do you hope Letscher returns? Hit the comments with your thoughts!

Scandal airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.