History WMG / HouseOfCardsUS

Come on, he left Gavin Orsay alive. Gavin knows Rachel's real name. He's in a perfect position to blackmail Doug in exchange for silence. And I believe he even said that he had contingencies that guaranteed that his secrets would be released if he died under suspicious circumstances.

Here's a theory: some at the FBI do believe Frank killed Russo and Zoe. While they may not be able to get Frank for the actual murders, they might be able to get him on charges relating to the cover-ups of both crimes. And they are investigating Frank, it's just that the reason we don't see them is because these investigators ''know'' that as VP or POTUS, Frank is practically untouchable, and because of his position in power, these Feds can't make a move against Frank because I'm pretty sure that he would find out, and try to get them to back down by sending them death threats, or the threat of reassignment to different divisions/departments... or complete removal from their agency. If anything, these secret investigators probably have built a case against Frank, and are just waiting until Frank is out of office to indict him, so as to avoid scandal.

A casting call for people with medical knowledge and possibly working paramedics suggests that there might be a terrorist attack, an assassination attempt, or something to that effect.

My logic is the fact that Bill Clinton's birth name was 'William Jefferson Blythe III'. And like Clinton, Donald Blythe is a Democrat. He even may be a baby boomer, like Clinton is.

* I admit, I don't have anything to back this up, but I came to me in a dream and I believe it.

What I'm getting at is that I think that, besides the political subplots that happen in ''House of Cards'', the real events of Washington politics also happened, albeit slightly rewritten (we don't know what Frank's stand on gay marriage is, or his stand on gun control, among other things).

* They fought tooth and nail to defend Pennsylvania during Walker's presidential campaign, a state they haven't had serious trouble with for the past 20 years in RL. The party as a whole seems much further to the right than it is in reality, with Frank Underwood, a conservative (for a Democrat, anyway) southerner as Majority Whip, and Garrett Walker, an apparent centrist, as President who pushed through an education bill that incorporates a bunch of conservative policy proposals in education that a real life Democrat wouldn't dare to touch. If the Democrats have had to moderate their positions so much, it's a sign that the country is much more right-wing than in real life.

**** It can't be Prescott Bush. The reference to Bush Sr takes place in 1992. Prescott Bush died in 1972, and there are references to the presidencies of UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter and UsefulNotes/BillClinton.

** [[spoiler: A major plot element in Season 3 is dealing with reducing tensions between Israel and Palestine, and no massive ongoing quagmires in Iraq or Afghanistan are mentioned. Maybe just trying to [[ConservationOfDetail keep things tidy]], but might also be a sign that there is no conflict in Afghanistan or Iraq.]]

** Unlikely, as Claire is a wealthy Texas socialite, and it is even occasionally hinted that Frank married her for her family's money.

It was implied in the original ''Series/HouseOfCardsUK'' that Urquhart's assassination was coordinated by his wife and by Commander Corder, and they may have had an affair. So very likely, they could translate this to the American version pretty easily.

**** It can't be Prescott Bush. The reference to Bush Sr takes place in 1992. Prescott Bush died in 1972, and there are references to the presidencies of JimmyCarter and BillClinton.

** He would have, had the Secret Service not cut his internet.

Perhaps in the ''House of Cards'' universe, ''The Washington Herald'' that Zoe Barnes starts off the series working at is the original ''Washington Herald'' that Scott C. Bone founded in 1906. Its history is unchanged until 1954. The merger of ''The Washington Post'' and ''The Washington Times-Herald'' was instead a reverse merger (think similar to the one where US Airways was merged into America West Airlines, and while America West's management continued, the US Airways name was one that was adapted and which was used until the company was merged with American Airlines), wherein the ''Times-Herald'' and ''Post'' were consolidated, but the ''Herald'' name was the one that survived.

* Frank Underwood's constant OOC behavior throughout the season ''really'' give the impression that something's "off". Considering how part of the implication of the last several episodes is that it's up to Doug to clean up the mess--and that he's more than up to the challenge--it's interesting to speculate that Doug's dreaming about how desperately Frank "really" needs him, telling himself that without his help, Frank's nothing.

** He would have, had the secret service not cut his internet.

* They fought tooth and nail to defend Pennsylvania in a presidential election, a state they haven't had serious trouble with for the past 20 years in RL. The party as a whole seems much further to the right than it is in reality, with Frank Underwood, a conservative (for a Democrat, anyway) southerner as Majority Whip, and Garrett Walker, an apparent centrist, as President who pushed through an education bill that incorporates a bunch of conservative policy proposals in education that a real life Democrat wouldn't dare to touch. If they've had to moderate their positions so much, it's a sign that the country is much more right-wing than in real life.

**** It can't be Prescott Bush. The reference to Bush Sr takes place in 1992. Prescott Bush died in 1972.

* We know from characters' dialogue and the episode of ''Series/Jeopardy'' playing on TV that the show's political history matches up with real life at least up until January 20, 2001 and the end of the presidency of UsefulNotes/BillClinton -- but there is never any reference to the presidency of UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush or historical events directly associated with it such as the Iraq War. Furthermore, the show begins with Garrett Walker (D-CO) being a '''new Democratic president''', having been elected in '''2012''', and the Democrats in control of both houses of Congress. Therefore, the point of divergence between the ''House of Cards'' timeline and ours is UsefulNotes/AlGore winning the 2000 presidential election instead of Bush. Gore then either served one term and was followed by a two-term Republican, or served two terms and was followed by a one-term Republican. This may also account for the Democrats' much more centrist stance in the show, as Gore's victory and the absence of the Bush Administration means that the DLC faction of the Democratic Party is still dominant.

* They fought tooth and nail to defend Pennsylvania in a presidential election, a state they haven't had serious trouble with for the past 20 years in RL. The party as a whole seems much further to the right than it is in RL, with a conservative(for a Democrat, anyway) southerner as Majority Whip and an apparent centrist as President who pushed through an education bill that incorporates a bunch of conservative policy proposals in education and that a Democrat in RL wouldn't dare to touch. If they've had to moderate their positions so much, it's a sign that the country is much more right-wing than in RL.

* We know from characters' dialogue and the episode of ''Jeopardy'' playing on TV that the show's political history matches up with real life at least up until the presidency of UsefulNotes/BillClinton -- but there is never any reference to the presidency of UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush or historical events directly associated with it such as the Iraq War. Furthermore, the show begins with Garrett Walker (D-CO) being a '''new Democratic president''' having been elected in '''2012''', and the Democrats in control of both houses of Congress. Therefore, the point of divergence between the ''House of Cards'' timeline and ours is UsefulNotes/AlGore winning the 2000 presidential election instead of Bush. Gore then either served one term and was followed by a two-term Republican, or served two terms and was followed by a one-term Republican. This may also account for the Democrats' much more centrist stance in the show, as Gore's victory and the absence of the Bush Administration means that the DLC faction of the Democratic Party is still dominant.
** There is reference to Catherine Durant being "vocally anti-war" which would imply that the War on Terror exists in this universe as well, and in turn 9/11 happened too. Invading Afghanistan would have been a no-brainer after 9/11 regardless of who was President at the time, but it's hard to believe that Al Gore would invade Iraq after that.
*** At one point, the show refers to a "Bush Senior"(implying that there is a junior as well) and the Republicans control the Senate.

[[WMG: Francis's sexuality will ultimately cause, or contribute to, his downfall]]
* Francis' bisexuality is touched upon in exactly one episode per season thus far, not enough to make it a prominent character trait, but enough to remind us that it is there. I can imagine that a revelation that he has had relationships with men will cause a media frenzy and a backlash against him. After all, [[SarcasmMode being ruthless and Machiavellian is fine, making out with guys?]] ''[[SarcasmMode Unacceptable!!!]]''.

** Also appropriate in that each season takes approximately one year, and if the underwoods lose in 2016 it would coincide with the end of the fourth season.

* [[spoiler: The letter he thought he was burning, that contains his confession, is still with President Walker and will be key in Frank's downfall.]]

* We know from characters' dialogue and the episode of ''Jeopardy'' playing on TV that the show's political history matches up with real life at least up until the presidency of UsefulNotes/BillClinton -- but there is never any reference to the presidency of UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush or historical events directly associated with it such as the Iraq War. Furthermore, the show begins with a '''new Democratic president''' having been elected in '''2012''', and the Democrats in control of both houses of Congress. Therefore, the point of divergence between the ''House of Cards'' timeline and ours is UsefulNotes/AlGore winning the 2000 presidential election instead of Bush. Gore then either serves one term and is followed by a two-term Republican, or serves two terms and is followed by a one-term Republican. This may also account for the Democrats' much more centrist stance in the show, as Gore's victory and the absence of the Bush Administration means that the DLC faction of the Democratic Party is still dominant.
** There is reference to Catherine Durant being "vocally anti-war" which would imply that the War on Terror exists in this universe as well, and in turn 9/11 happened too. Invading Afghanistan would have been a no-brainer for any president after 9/11, but it's hard to believe that Al Gore would invade Iraq after that.

**** Alternatively, "Bush Senior" is PRESCOTT Bush(41's father) and the point of divergence from our own time is even further back.
**** It can't be Prescott Bush. The reference to Bush Sr takes place in 1992. Prescott Bush died twenty years earlier.

** I think the safest point of departure would be the 2008 election. The electorate weren't confident that the Democrats could get them out of the economic slump and went with McCain and the Democrats lost the House. Things went very much similarly (or perhaps worst) as they did in our timeline. Then in 2012, we have Walker elected.

** Unlikely, as CLaire is often described as a wealthy texas socialite, and it is even occasionally hinted that Frank married her for her family's money.

[[WMG: House of Cards takes place in the same universe as DarkSouls.]]

* Frank loves to manipulate people, make plays, and he wants more than anything to keep his power strong. If he's losing the presidential or primary election in Season 4, he might just try a WagTheDog, incite tensions with Russia in order to give the voting public a strong reason to keep him around... and then it backfires.

** More likey for season four, in fitting with the fact that that's the next major election cycle (2016), and at thirteen episodes per season, we get 52- the same as a set of cards

** [[spoiler: Jossed for Season 3, Walker does not appear and is barely mentioned throughout the season.]]

** [[spoiler: JSemi-Jossed for them both. Neither of them are really antagonistic, the hacktivist just trying to stay free and Rachel just trying to not get killed to protect a secret she has no interest in revealing.]]

** [[spoiler: A major plot element in Season 3 is dealing with reducing tensions between Israel and Palestine, and no massive ongoing quagmires in Iraq or Afghanistan are mentioned. Maybe just trying to [[ConservationOfDetail keep things tidy]], but might also be a sign that there is no conflict in Afghanistan or Iraq.

*** [[spoiler: A major plot element in Season 3 is dealing with reducing tensions between Israel and Palestine, and no massive ongoing quagmires in Iraq or Afghanistan are mentioned. Maybe just trying to [[ConservationOfDetail keep things tidy]], but might also be a sign that there is no conflict in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Season 3 and/or 4 will be all about Walker finally realizing that Frank played him like a fiddle and attempting to expose what he's done. The climax will be the 2016 primaries where Walker will once again run and become Frank's main rival for the nomination.