House of Cards: all the relevant info to remember having seen half of season 4
Because not everybody has time for a rewatch
Excited for the return of House of Cards but worried you've forgotten everything that happened last season?
Fear not - having seen the first half of the Netflix series' fourth season (read our spoiler-free thoughts here), these are absolutely the things you need to remember going into your 13-episode binge.
If you've forgotten where the President (Kevin Spacey), First Lady (Robin Wright) and Stamper (Michael Kelly) ended up, read on below to find out.
1. Claire left Frank
Okay, you probably hadn't forgotten this one. Season three saw the First Lady gradually realise her ambitions were being discarded in favour of her husband's and - after being named the US Ambassador to the United Nations - a run-in with the Russian President Petrov (Lars Mikkelsen) led to her forced resignation. Consequently, this seemed to spell the end for the Underwoods.
"I'm leaving you, Francis," she utters in the season's closing moments, no longer willing to exist as a subservient to her husband.
2. Heather Dunbar is Frank's main Democratic adversary
Season three established Democratic Primary candidate Heather Dunbar (Elizabeth Marvel) as Frank's most powerful opponent yet; damaged by Stamper's infiltration to her campaign in the first half, Dunbar is leading the polls by the end. However, with Frank having just won the Iowa vote, it seems the race is still an impossible one to call.
3. Stamper's back where he belongs
After a season largely housebound recovering from wounds and tying up loose ends (aka murdering poor Rachel), Underwood's loyal aide Doug Stamper is now the President's Chief of Staff. He replaced Remy Danton (Mahershala Ali) who resigned from politics prompted by the Underwood's poor treatment of his lover - Congresswoman Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker).
4. The Jordan Valley crisis
Claire's first duty after being appointed Ambassador is the Jordan Valley crisis which sees her negotiate with Petrov over the removal of Russian troops from the border. A none-too-pleasant relationship is formed, Petrov being the one who forces Frank to strip his wife of her role in the UN.
5. Lucas Goodwin's in prison
Cast your minds back to season two; former Washington Herald reporter Lucas Goodwin (Sebastian Arcelus) spent the majority of his episode count attempting to expose Underwood's corruption, taking over from the murdered Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara). He was ultimately set up, arrested for engaging in acts of cyber-terrorism; the last we saw of Goodwin, he had signed a plea sentencing him to ten years in prison.
House of Cards season 4 is available to watch on Netflix from today
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