Talk:House of Cards (American TV series)/Old Plot Section

Secretary of State
Francis "Frank" Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is an ambitious Democratic congressman and the House Majority Whip. Underwood helped ensure the election of President Garrett Walker (Michael Gill), who promised to appoint Underwood as Secretary of State. However, before Walker is sworn in, Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez (Sakina Jaffrey) announces that the president will not honor the agreement and will instead nominate Senator Michael Kern. Furious at Walker's betrayal, Underwood and his wife Claire (Robin Wright), an environmental activist, make a pact to destroy Kern.

Underwood begins seeking out pawns in his war against Walker. When the troubled Rep. Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) is arrested for drunk driving, Underwood offers him a reprieve in exchange for his loyalty. Underwood also encounters Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), a young political reporter for the Washington Herald newspaper; the two come to an agreement where Underwood will give Barnes inside information. Using Barnes and Russo, Underwood destroys Kern's nomination by linking him to an anti-Israel editorial from his college days. Walker is forced to go with Underwood's own pick for Secretary of State, Senator Catherine Durant (Jayne Atkinson).

Education
Walker announces that his first major legislative initiative will be education reform, and has Underwood help create a passable bill within the first hundred days. Underwood manipulates a hard-left congressman into abandoning the bill, then takes over drafting it. Underwood's more conservative version of the bill outrages a teacher's union, which comes out opposing him. Underwood gains the upper hand by baiting the union's lobbyist into physically attacking him; he then blackmails the lobbyist by threatening to report the assault, forcing the union to accept Underwood's bill.

The Speaker of the House refuses to take Underwood's bill to the floor for a vote. Underwood replies by threatening a coup, gathering enough votes so that the Republicans can vote out the Speaker if he does not let the bill come to the floor. However, to get the votes for the coup attempt, Underwood is forced to save one Congressman's shipyard from closing at the expense of another shipyard in Russo's district. Russo subsequently becomes a pariah in his home district with an uncertain political future. Meanwhile, Underwood and Barnes begin an extramarital affair.

Russo confronts Underwood and forces him to repay his loyalty by helping him become Governor of Pennsylvania, a position vacated by the current Vice President, Jim Matthews (Dan Ziskie). To help repair Russo's reputation, Claire partners with him to create new eco-friendly jobs along the waterfront. Remy Danton (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), Underwood's former press secretary and a lobbyist for natural gas companies, offers a loan to Claire in exchange for killing the jobs bill. She uses her influence to force two Congressmen to vote against it, defying her husband in the process. Afterwards, Claire temporarily leaves Underwood.

Exit Matthews, Enter Underwood
Underwood and his chief of staff, Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), arrange for Russo to meet with a prostitute he frequents before an important interview, and has the prostitute get Russo drunk. The subsequent interview destroys Russo's career and leaves the Democrats with no candidate for governor. To prevent the GOP from claiming the seat and potentially gerrymandering the state in their favor, Underwood manipulates Walker into allowing Matthews to run for the governorship, with the intent of having him give up the Vice Presidency only if he wins.

Vasquez deduces Underwood's endgame: get rid of Matthews by having him give up his position and become governor again, which would allow Underwood to be appointed Vice President in his place; once in office, Underwood will run for President himself in 2020 as the heir apparent to Walker. Vasquez subsequently pledges her support to Underwood. Later, Underwood takes a drunk and repentant Russo into a parking garage, where he stages Russo's purported suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. Russo's death ensures that Matthews can enter the primary race for governor unopposed.

Before Vasquez can put forth Underwood's name, Walker instead chooses billionaire Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney) as his new Vice President. Underwood also discovers that Barnes has begun to help a fellow Herald reporter investigate the links between Russo, Underwood, and the scandals Underwood has unleashed. They ultimately locate Russo's call-girl and reach out to Russo's former lover/secretary.

While meeting with Tusk, Underwood receives evidence from Stamper linking Walker to Tusk through a long history of business dealings. When he confronts Tusk, it is revealed that Tusk was the one who convinced Walker to snub Underwood as the Secretary of State, and has harbored full knowledge of Underwood's schemes against Walker. In spite of this, Tusk believes that Underwood would be a vital ally to both men. Underwood is then given an ultimatum: agree to a favor to be named later that must be carried out, or Tusk will convince Walker to not pick Francis for Vice President.

Finale
Underwood attempts to recruit Danton and have him convince his corporate clients to stage a corporate takeover of Tusk's highly-valued nuclear power interests. However, Danton betrays Underwood and instead aids Tusk. During their next encounter, Tusk reveals his reason for having Walker betray Underwood, and offers to help Underwood for a price. Tusk is fighting a Chinese monopoly over an element necessary for the operation of Tusk's nuclear reactors, and wants Underwood and Walker's help.

Underwood reiterates that Tusk must help him secure Vice Presidency in order to win his support, albeit not necessarily in exactly the time or manner that Tusk may want. Further, Underwood asserts that time is short and Tusk has no alternative candidates who would be interested in maintaining a mutual relationship. Tusk is convinced to take Underwood's side.

As Underwood returns home and celebrates with his wife by going out for a jog with her, Stamper calls to tell him that Barnes has betrayed him and has deduced his schemes. However, the call goes unanswered as Francis has left his cell phone at home.