Season 4, Episode 7: Chapter 46

We begin with a major development: Heather Dunbar has withdrawn from the race after the fallout from her interview about Lucas Goodwin. This allows us to get to know Frank Underwood’s new main competitor, Republican Will Conway, a bit better. Conway (played by the dreamy Joel Kinnaman) celebrates Dunbar’s exit by shagging his beautiful British wife against the bathroom sink. They’re interrupted by one of their precious moppets and spend the rest of the morning making adorable home videos.

Claire and Frank, not so much. She eyeballs Frank taking his many pills. He addresses the tension between them while cutting apple slices for his breakfast. He needs Claire to “find her steel.” Maybe he’s forgotten that it wasn’t so long ago that he was hallucinating about her stabbing him in the gut?

Now that Russia is under control, there’s a new issue Frank needs to handle. ICO (a fictional version of Isis) is occupying Syrian land and recruiting American citizens. The military, lead by General Brockhart (Colm Feore) want strikes, unaware that Frank already has a lawyer getting a surveillance order on the case.

Claire has found a new pet cause: background checks on guns. She plans to introduce a bill with a coalition of senators. Meanwhile, Frank is popping the big question to Blythe during a photo op at Meechum’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery. He asks Blythe to run as his vice president, but Blythe says his heart’s not in it. Frank pretends to be disappointed. Later, in a meeting with Bob Birch and the Democratic leadership, he fails to mention Blythe’s refusal. They’re not into Blythe at all and offer to send other VP ideas over.

Conway’s preaching small government, less taxes, and more freedom at a campaign rally in his home state of New York. He accuses the White House of ignoring the threat of ICO’s Muslim extremists and touts his own military background, having enlisted the day after 9/11. Only, one thing goes wrong: An unidentified reporter asks him about the Pollyhop search engine and the clip goes viral.

Leann, of course, is ready to pounce. She’s pushing Frank and Stamper to allow her polling guy, Aidan MacAllan, to conduct their domestic data surveillance. As Frank explains in a duel metaphor, that data would allow him to “rig this election” by allowing him to “tap into every single home in America.” It’s risky, so he’d rather focus on exposing Conway’s connection to Pollyhop first.

Nonetheless, MacAllan is dropped off at a strange, deserted warehouse at night to meet with Leann and a very reluctant Stamper. MacAllan himself is resistant, given the scope of the project, but eventually comes on board.

Pollyhop is all anyone can talk about at a Conway fundraiser. The governor calls Frank and accuses him of planting the reporter at his rally. He warns the president against getting the Department of Justice to intervene. His threat to tell everyone Frank is corrupt doesn’t even raise Frank’s blood pressure. FYI, it’s 110 over 80.

Frank then finds Claire in her office, prepping for the next day’s meetings on gun control. His advice to be “tougher and stronger” comes through, and results in her telling an NRA representative that she’ll die in hospice care feeling ashamed about supporting gun rights. Harsh.

Conway is now trying to get General Brockhart on his team, once again milking that military connection. Brockhart tries to give Frank his resignation, but Frank won’t accept it. Brockhart protests that ICO is a serious threat and Frank needs to do more about it. Frank responds by accusing the general of leaking information to Conway. Brockhart denies it, but Frank knows enough liars to spot one. Still, he keeps the general on board by allowing him to move in on ICO.

Now, it’s Leann who’s not happy. She would rather push the court order and surveillance plan than have a military strike. Frank orders the strike anyway.

Claire and Frank rehearse yet another meeting. This time, they’re playing “bad cop and worse cop” against the Democratic leadership in a discussion over running mates. All of the leadership’s suggestions are supportive of gun rights, which conflicts with Claire’s bill. They manage to finagle a deal in which Frank accepts a gun supporter on his ticket in exchange for the leadership supporting Claire’s bill. He ups the ante by insisting upon nominating a new Supreme Court justice who is against guns. A new justice in an election year?! Everyone looks shocked. Don’t sweat it, Obama.

That nagging feeling about Lucas Goodwin’s death has prompted Tom Hammerschmidt to seek out his former colleague, Janine (Constance Zimmer). Once an ambitious and acerbic journalist, she’s now a weepy, Xanax-popping college student thanks to the Underwood trauma. She confirms that Lucas’ claims were all true, but can’t help with the investigation as she signed an affidavit.

Now that he’s got his strike orders, General Brockhart isn’t inclined to help Conway. The social media-savvy candidate decides to come clean about his relationship with Pollyhop by posting a live webcast featuring his wife and their two cute kids from his Albany house. He and Benjamin Grant, the founder of Pollyhop, admit that they are working together, but deny that they are tracking individual activity. In exchange, he offers up access to his emails, texts, videos, and photos (he’s got to have another phone, right?). It’s a big hit for both him and Pollyhop.

Team Underwood isn’t sure how to respond. Ultimately, Claire encourages Frank to pursue the data surveillance. Conway may have the adorable kids, but the Underwoods are “willing to go one step farther.” That’s putting it mildly.

Thus, Frank cancels the military strike order, much to Brockhart and Stamper’s dismay. He and Claire retire to their separate beds, where they chat on the phone and watch an old Conway video dating back to December 31, 2012.

Walker is president-elect, Frank and Conway meet for the first time and are mutually charmed, and he and Claire seem genuinely happy. Frank hangs up and walks into Claire’s bedroom.

“We’re going to destroy them.”

“Yes, we are.”