SPOILERS

“Power is better than money for as long as it lasts, but it never lasts.” – Remy Danton

With Frank still in the dark with President Walker he tries his very best to weave his magic by moving all his pawns into place for the final attack.

After the previous episode made clear what we suspected for a while now, that Frank is trying to bring down the president, we see him carefully manipulating those around him to bring down Walker once and for all.

The President tells his former chief of staff Linda Vasquez to tell Tusk to indict himself and Frank and he will give him a presidential pardon.

Knowing he might do this, Frank desperately tries to get in touch with Tusk as well to make him dance to his tune (Offering up an opera ticket and a pear)

Tusk is obviously a time bomb, Frank knows this. It’s just a question of whose court he will blow up in.

Frank appeals to Tusk’s business mindset telling him to “minimize risk” and join him.

After an ambiguous answer from Tusk to his offer off joining his side as appose to Garrett’s, Frank returns home angry and frustrated.

In an attempt to appeal to the president on a more personal level, Frank uses an old type writer given to him by his father to write a letter to Garrett.

I thought this worked very well. Like many sociopaths, Frank’s success is determined by his success to convince others he has a heart. The type writer made Frank seem much more personal. Even for a second I myself was almost won over by Frank’s masterful way at spinning words.

On a technical level also, Frank writing the letter, Garrett walking through the Camp David wilderness and the story about his Father was cinematic and very impressive.

Obviously being a season Finale we needed some literal blood to be spilled and we get it. After months and months of hounding Rachel finally cracks. After attempting to hide Rachel from Gavin she runs off into the woods where she ambushes him with a rock, killing him.

I’m not sure how I felt about this. Obviously this plot needed to go somewhere but was it all building towards Rachel killing Stamper? I’m not so sure, personally I felt the writers may have panicked slightly although it will be interesting to see how this all pans out next season.

Meanwhile Claire rushes to Megan’s side after she tries to kill herself. Unlike some of the other characters on the show I definitely think Megan does have a purpose. I see her as what Claire could be if she let her guard down.

So often Claire is projected as being strong, confident, bullish and tactical. Almost like a female version of Frank. But she is quite clearly not as a strong as Frank, demonstrated when she becomes overwhelmed on the stairs. Once again Wright demonstrates what a talented actress she is here.

Could it be that she is just not as morally ambivalent as Frank.

Jackie, now firmly on board with Franks plan, attempts to convince Donald Blythe to join their plan to oust walker and impeach him.

I wish he had seen more of Donald, he’s a really likeable screen present. The same can be said of Jackie as well actually, mid-way through the season she never seemed to actually have much to do.

Frank’s plan comes together like a well coordinated chess move.

The house is whipped against Walker, Tusk indicts him by admitting he knew to the Congressional Committee hearing, and the press circle ominously circle around the President. Walker is doomed.

If there is a problem with Cards this season it’s that it has too many characters. Often these characters like Gavin, Rachel and Even Tricia walker to an extent just limber around in the background until the plot makes them necessary again.

The episode and season end on a high note with the show’s biggest success so far, Frank Underwood.

After stepping down as President, Walker introduces Frank as the new president.

He ties up a few loose ends like extraditing Xander Fang back to China, essentially sending a man off to die (but I hardly doubt that bothers Frank)

And then finally, the moment Frank and even a few of us have been waiting for. Frank walks into the Oval office having reached the peak of his accomplishments. Ending with Frank looking at the camera. BANG and its over. I had chills I’m not going to lie.

I don’t like to boast about it but for some reason I want Frank to succeed. I don’t think this is because I have a penchant for morally reprehensible psycho-paths (not to mention killer) but rather that he represents the opposite of what we have come to expect about modern politics.

Frank is a great TV creation there’s no denying it

He gets things done! Barack Obama himself said “I wish things were that ruthlessly efficient.”

One things for sure with Frank Underwood at the helm you can be sure of an explosive, dramatic and twisted third season.

It’s just a shame we have to wait over a year for the next season…

Episode Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Season Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars