'House of Cards': The F.U. Plots That Led to a Presidency

Kevin Spacey in 'House of Cards'
Kevin Spacey in 'House of Cards'

SPOILER ALERT: Storyline and character details for Seasons 1 and 2 of House of Cards ahead.

F(rank) U(nderwood) plots, that is. When Season 2 ended, the Machiavellian politician had maneuvered himself right into the Oval Office, with two seasons' worth of lies, backstabbing, mayhem, and murder. As we prepare to binge-watch another season of Frank's scheming with the Season 3 House of Cards premiere on Feb. 27, here's a look back at his greatest hits (jobs) along his path to the presidency.

And the Plotting Begins…
House Majority Whip Francis "Frank" Underwood helps former Colorado Gov. Garrett Walker win the White House, with a deal in place that POTUS Walker will appoint Frank as his secretary of state upon taking office. It took two full seasons — much more on that follows — but woe to the man who dares to cross ol' F.U. Walker's reneging on the deal is what sets the machinations of the entire series in motion.

Truth Be (Not) Told
Never one to let a little old thing like truth get in his way, Frank decides he just can't live with Michael Kern, a senator from Colorado, getting the secretary of state position he had been promised. So he digs up an unsigned anti-Israel editorial that ran in the student newspaper Kern edited in college and creates a publicity nightmare for Kern by making sure it gets into the hands of the media. Frank knows another student actually wrote the piece, but Kern mishandles the scandal so badly that President Walker decides he's not the right man for the cabinet position. P.S.: Who does get the secretary of state gig? Catherine Durant, an F.o.F. — friend, and political ally, of Frank.

Throwing People Under the Bus…
One of the few people Frank seems to like and respect is Freddy, the proprietor of the ribs restaurant with treats so yummy Frank shows up for a rack for breakfast sometimes. But just as Freddy's hard work and tasty vittles pay off with a contract to franchise his eatery, Frank's former employee turned rival Remy reveals Freddy's criminal past, and Freddy's son, who's already on parole, gets in more legal hot water. Frank visits Freddy at his home to tell him he has to distance himself from him because... political liability. But he offers him money after the franchise deal falls through due to a morality clause. Freddy isn't having it. "You was a good customer, that's it," he tells Frank. "You ain't gotta pretend to be my friend."

… And Into a Train
Ambitious political journalist Zoe Barnes is only too happy to take Frank's news tips, even though Frank's only serving them up to further his own political agendas, including the leak of the education bill that creates a publicity nightmare for President Walker just one day after his inauguration. Zoe's career gets a boost with her scoops, too, and the two become lovers when Frank decides that will help him maintain control of their relationship. But when Zoe ends their fling and Frank ends the information gravy train, Zoe and Frank become adversaries. When she digs too deep into the death of alcoholic Pennsylvania Congressman Peter Russo — suspecting Frank was somehow involved — Frank invites her to a Metro station meeting, which ends with him pushing her into an oncoming train.

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School Daze
After stealthily leaking the draft of the education bill that creates a political headache for newbie POTUS Walker, Frank presents himself to Walker as the person who can take control of the bill and repair the damage done from the leak. Frank's role with the bill gets him involved with a teachers' union strike, and when he embarrasses himself in a televised debate with strike leader Marty Spinelli, it's time for more drastic actions. Frank invites Spinelli to a meeting at his office and prods his foe into a physical attack by revealing he hired someone to throw a brick through his own window so he could accuse Spinelli of ordering the violence. Spinelli's punch draws blood, but it's all worth it to Frank, who now has leverage: If Spinelli doesn't call off the strike, Frank will press charges against him for assaulting the House majority whip.

The Long Game
Peter Russo is arrested for DUI and soliciting a prostitute, charges which are covered up when Frank bribes the local police chief on Russo's behalf. But as much as you don't want Frank Underwood as your enemy, having him as your friend, especially one you're indebted to, is just as dangerous. Frank calls on the favor repayment several times — forcing Russo to do his dirty work — but when Russo decides to try to get his life back on track and aim his political aspirations higher, Frank encourages him to run for the governorship of Pennsylvania. But after an alcohol-filled night with hooker Rachel — arranged, of course, by Frank — Russo ruins his candidacy by drunkenly bombing his way through an important radio interview. Why does Frank encourage, then derail, Russo's campaign? Read on…

The Long Game, Part II
Dejected, Russo decides part of making his life right once and for all is to fess up to all the wrongdoing he's done on Frank's behalf, which Frank's minion Doug Stamper stomps on. Frank then drives the again soused Russo home, wipes all traces of himself from the auto, manipulates Russo's hand into turning the ignition on, and then shuts the disgraced politician in the garage, where he dies from carbon monoxide poisoning. Russo's death leaves his family and friends thinking he's committed suicide, and leaves the state of Pennsylvania sans a candidate for governor…

The Long Game, Part III
Which fits perfectly into Frank's big-picture planning. The Russo campaign saga leaves former Pennsylvania Governor Jim Matthews — now President Walker's vice president — feeling nostalgic about his home state. That leaves him ripe for some grade-A Underwoodian manipulation, as Frank plants the bug that the Keystone State could use a good man like Matthews back in charge. Walker agrees, and his veep leaves Pennsylvania Avenue for Pennsylvania. Who will take Matthews's spot as second in command? Frank purposely trots out some horrible candidates, before it's suggested to Walker that, yes, Frank would be a good choice to replace Jim Matthews.

Veep
Frank's move into Matthews's vacated office isn't a done deal, yet. President Walker sends him to St. Louis to vet wealthy businessman Raymond Tusk for the position… or so Frank initially believes. Turns out, his stay at Tusk's home is really about Tusk vetting him. Tusk's a close personal friend of the POTUS, and his recommendation carries extra weight, which is why he offers Frank a positive review if Frank will agree to an unspecified favor in the future. Frank at first refuses but later agrees to Tusk's offer, all behind the president's back.

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Framing Device
Pushing Zoe in front of that train doesn't solve all of Frank's Zoe problems right away. She had confided in friends and fellow journalists Janine and Lucas her suspicions about Frank's hand in Russo's death, and while Janine is successfully scared off the investigation by the thought of how badly her life can be imploded by Frank's power, Lucas continues to snoop. That leads him to the possession of a flash drive that he thinks will unearth major intel on Frank but instead leads him into the custody of FBI agents, who, thanks to a Frank-engineered setup, charge Lucas with cyberterrorism and cart him off to jail.

"Friends Make the Worst Enemies"
Frank's words, and he makes sure they're true in the case of President Walker and his pal Raymond Tusk. When Frank learns about Tusk's backchannel deal with a wealthy Chinese businessman, he not only ruins the deal but also brings it to Walker's attention. That puts a wedge between Tusk and the POTUS and leads to political decisions by the president that end in a trade blockade. When Frank proposes a solution that helps the president but hurts Tusk in the wallet, Tusk retaliates against his foe and his friend; he orders his power company to turn off the stadium lights just as Frank's about to toss out the first pitch at an Orioles game, and he funds Republican attack ads against Walker.

Couple Friends
As much as Frank Underwood wants that seat behind the desk in the Oval Office, Claire Underwood wants to be first lady, and she decides the current first lady can help make that happen. While Frank's trying to ingratiate himself with POTUS Walker, Claire bonds with Patricia Walker, getting the first lady to trust her enough to reveal that the first couple is having marital problems. Those problems have led the duo to therapy — something the president desperately wants to keep secret — and more therapy may be in order when Claire manipulates Patricia into worrying that POTUS aide Christina has a thing for the leader of the free world.

It Works!
Frank's war with Tusk has led to the revelation of a money-laundering scandal in which President Walker is now involved. Furthermore, as part of the investigation of the national scandal, Walker's personal life is under scrutiny, with his therapist being forced to testify and the first couple's relationship woes made public. The POTUS's precarious position is the ultimate opportunity for Frank, who, in a plot that becomes ever more complicated, rallies support to begin the impeachment process of Walker. Walker realizes what Frank has done and promises to pardon Tusk for his role in the scandal if Tusk will implicate Frank and clear Walker. Done deal, except Frank has one more play.

Encouraged by Claire, he approaches the president and pledges his allegiance, offering to take the blame for everything. Walker says he'll believe Frank if Frank can do a reversal on the impeachment run, which then leads Walker to pull his offer to pardon Tusk. Tusk retaliates and implicates the president, and with Walker's approval ratings at an all-time low, he resigns, disgraced, and with the loss of one of his best friends in Tusk, but believing that Frank, ultimately, had his back, and completely unaware his downfall was all payback for overlooking Frank for the secretary of state position in the series premiere.

The biggest questions for Season 3: Will President Frank Underwood find out all his dirty deeds were justified by his new power, or will he come to regret getting exactly what he plotted for?

House of Cards Season 3 premieres Feb. 27 at 12:01 a.m. on Netflix.