Warning: This post discusses in detail episodes 6 and 7 (Chapters 32 and 33) from House of Cards Season 3. Read with caution. You can find coverage of other episodes here, here, and here.
The sixth episode kicks off on Air Force One, where Frank is telling his biographer about his first job: packaging marijuana grown in the back woods by Uncle Henry (not his real uncle, Frank assures us, but everyone called him that). Pretty fitting, given the recent buzz, err, news in DC.
That moment of levity is the last for a while, as Frank and Claire find themselves stuck in similarly difficult negotiations once landing in Moscow, where they aim to retrieve an imprisoned American.
Frank and an already displeased President Petrov discuss the details of the Jordan Valley agreement while Claire brings Michael Corrigan what she considers good news.
Michael, in Russian prison for breaking anti-homosexuality laws in the country, will be released back to the United States. The only catch? To make it happen -- and for any agreement between Frank and Petrov to be reached -- Michael has to publicly apologize to Petrov for breaking Russian law.
To the chagrin of Twitter, Corrigan is insulted by the mere suggestion and refuses.
SO SICK OF CORRIGAN #houseofcards— יהושע (@xBlack_white_x) February 28, 2015
Michael Corrigan is annoying me SO much. #houseofcards— יהושע (@xBlack_white_x) February 28, 2015
Lol. #HouseofCardsSeason3 is turning into #OrangeIsTheNewBlack. Claire and Corrigan are gonna be jail cell roomies! #HouseOfCards— Lana Del Rwar (@Odd_Podge) February 27, 2015
Totally called that Michael Corrigan ending, especially the whole deal with Claire putting down her shawl. Nicely done though. #HouseOfCards— Joseph Mak (@foggykakki) February 27, 2015
Well, at least one person liked it…
OMG this Claire-Corrigan marriage is EVERYTHING #HouseOfCards— Wendi (@sidnew47) February 27, 2015
After an entire day of debate -- subjects ranging from the matter at hand, marriage, the meaning of selfishness and the human condition (heavy stuff!) -- Corrigan convinces Claire, who refuses to leave his cell without him, to rest her eyes.
As she drifts to sleep, he borrows her scarf to hang himself.
But the episode's real bombshell comes when Claire usurps a joint press conference between Frank and Petrov by grabbing the microphone and speaking on the recently deceased Corrigan's behalf.
"Shame on you, Mr. President," she tells Petrov -- and the world -- as she storms off, leaving Frank to salvage the burning wreckage of diplomacy.
You guys, let's take a moment to appreciate & revel in Claire Underwood's immaculate diction and speech. #HouseOfCards #HouseofCardsSeason3— Cielo Pomar (@CloudlessAakash) February 28, 2015
claire just dropped the mike on petrov— Russell Yaasbrook (@trillocano) February 28, 2015
Slow clap for Claire Underwood shaming Viktor Petrov. #HouseOfCards— Nathania Johnson (@nlj) February 28, 2015
Later, angry at Frank's displeasure with her outburst, she yells at him, "I never should have made you president."
Thus at odds, America's first couple fall into a series of petty fights. Frank scolds Claire in cabinet meetings. Claire recoils when Frank places a hand on her shoulder. Both sit silently at awkward breakfast tables. "No, it's not OK," an extremely drunk Frank tells his biographer. "We don't fight often, but this one, scabs kept coming off."
Side note: This is all a far cry from Stamper's love life. He finally finds Rachel, just as he falls into bed with his former physical therapist. I have to give it to Stamper. For a creepy dude who drinks his bourbon from syringes, he's quite the Casanova.
The fight between Frank and Claire reaches a head, and as esteem grows for America Works, the two find their way back into each other's arms.
It's just in time for Claire to change her hair color and the couple to renew their vows in Gaffney. She can't stick around -- there's an Israeli ambassador who needs to be bullied into offering support for Claire's resolution -- but once they're reunited back in D.C., the two are once again together. In fact, they share a bed for the first time all season.
Aww, how sweet. And people think House of Cards is dark.