There are spoilers to be found here, so tread attentive ly and don't fall afoul of Frank Underwood's tactics.###The endgame is coming into sight with Chapter 51, but all Aidan is concerned with is crunching the numbers live as Frank and Claire face Will Conway and General Brockhart over a debate table. It's an unwonted debate to be sure: the four candidates sitting with real-life PBS news anchor and reporter Gwen Ifill. Apparently we're in cost-saving mode in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue as America's Special Forces possess’own’nurse captured Yusuf Al Ahmadi off screen. No chance of a enormous’vast’massive’tremendous action scene in this reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue , unless it's Stamper offing someone or Claire running. We suppose the assassination attempt on Frank was the enormous’vast’massive’tremendous gest example of Cards pulling off a set piece this season. The candidates are snarking back and in/with regard to’concerning’regarding th with regards to’concerning’with respect to homeland security and their differing opinions on how to deal with ICO.###Stamper, meanwhile is meeting with someone named George Walleck (Dana Healey), who we learn little with regards to’concerning’with respect to besides having been decorated by the military and who Doug will apparently now in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ce to retire.###LeAnn is liaising with Aidan with regards to’concerning’with respect to how the reactions are looking to Team Underwood's debate perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mance so far. He's reading the data like the heroes of The Matrix, but without the cool trench coats or sunglasses.###Back to Stamper and Walleck, and it appears the latter was a Republican on the Intelligence Committee, which you might recall Conway has (through Brockhart), been tapping in/with regard to’concerning’regarding inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation with regards to’concerning’with respect to Frank's dealings with both military action and the surveillance, while also interfering in their activity. Walleck refuses to become a whistleblower, and Stamper presses him, which is what Doug does best.###Frank is doing his own pressing, trying to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure Brockhart to admit he's been interfering with the Intelligence Committee and establish ing up to a point where it almost seems as despite’in spite of’albeit he'll go full Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men.###Stamp's got Walleck bang to rights since he lied with regards to’concerning’with respect to his service record. Now he needs to reveal Conway's interference bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e the election or Doug will leak the inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation with regards to’concerning’with respect to Walleck's lies.###At the debate, Will is trying to point out Claire's relative lack of undergo , but is with regards to’concerning’with respect to to be shut down by a woman he really shouldn't possess’own’nurse tried to take on in the first place. But bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e they can acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure too into things, the debate is shut down and Frank and Claire are ushered out by security types. Seems ICO has taken hostages on American soil, as seen in a video. The hostages, James Miller (Sean Graham), his wife Caroline (Jennifer Leigh Mann) and daughter Melissa (Alie Urquhart) are in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ced to read the usual statement outlining what ICO is irritated’furious’wrathful with regards to’concerning’with respect to and what their demands are. Shockingly, they're not in/with regard to’concerning’regarding seven pints of cookie dough ice cream and free tickets to Disneyland. Specifically, they want to talk to Conway, not Frank.###As Frank heads to the situation room, Conway offers his assistance, and the President tells him he'll let him know. The FBI and other intelligence agencies possess’own’nurse identified elements of the video, and they were snatched shortly after leaving a Denny's. The fiends! Couldn't they possess’own’nurse taken them bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e they ate at Denny's?###Conway is doing what he always seems to do in response to any situation… Making a video. But Brockhart seems unsure of lying to the country on camera. After Will dismisses him from the room, he admits to his staffer that he's sick of the general. Pretty sure this lack of trust between the two might come back to bite them both.###In the Situation Room, Frank really should be listening to the various law enin/with regard to’concerning’regarding cement experts, but he's too busy talking to camera with regards to’concerning’with respect to what he claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate s the terror suspects want and why they insist on talking to Conway. And he has a plan…###Seth is briefing the press, giving them a little detail, but essentially setting up a news blackout on how the administration will be dealing with the hostage situation. But he does slip in a mention of Conway being drafted in to help talk to the kidnappers, which essentially makes it resemble he's at Frank's beck and call.###That doesn't sit so easily with Will when Frank calls, but he approve’ consent’endorse’applaud s to at least claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate with regards to’concerning’with respect to it. And then we're back in Frank-O-Vision, with Underwood explaining how this ties into Conway's enormous’vast’massive’tremendous gest flaw – he likes the spotlight too much. Thank rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent ness the writers didn't just go ahead and call him Brightlight T. Mothman.###Tom Hammerschmidt has been travelling and arrives at the home of in/with regard to’concerning’regarding mer President Walker (Michael Gill) and the nostalgia tour continues. Tom has lied his way in to see the ex-Prez and now confronts him with what he knows with regards to’concerning’with respect to Frank's dodgy dealings.###Will and Hannah arrive at the White House, where their son Charlie (Finn Douglas) straight away’in a flash’promptly’instantaneous’in a trice calls Frank a vampire. Perceptive lad! It's really just some private joke between the Conway family. Frank seems amused by it, probably because it's the mildest insult he's heard in a while.###Tom presses in on Walker, asking him to be a part of Team Takedown Frank. It appears that the regrets possess’own’nurse built up in Walker's soul and he's learning towards helping establish the case.###Frank and Conway talk in the Oval office, and Will demands to possess’own’nurse more input into how they talk to the terrorists. If merely’barely he knew that he was being manipulated by Frank the whole time…###Aidan isn't too happy either right now, as the NSA and other intelligence agencies are descending on him so they can use his data wizard abilities to help with the kidnapper manhunt. Seems MacAllen doesn't play all that well with others, but we guess that's just because he likes to dance around his office topless.###At a press conference, Frank and Conway take turns talking up their next steps, and how the kidnappers can acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure in touch. It's the weirdest way we've ever heard – dialing the hostage family's social security numbers into any phone or internet voice service and they'll be connected straight to the White House. What, no 1-800-GIVE-UP-NOW? Conway insists both their hearts are with the Millers at this tough’challenging’demanding’awkward time, which will be absolutely no comin/with regard to’concerning’regarding t because we're fairly certain neither Frank nor Will has functioning hearts.###Jackie and Remy are meeting to discuss the fact that Tom has been reaching out to them as part of his investigation. Remy's stand up to withstand ant but Jackie wants to speak up. She's even come clean with regards to’concerning’with respect to their affair to her husband, who apparently has been kind and approve’ consent’endorse’applaud d to hold off the divorce until after the election. Boy, to be a fly on the wall in/with regard to’concerning’regarding that chat… Jackie says she wants to go on the record and help to take down Frank.###In the Situation Room, the CIA has identified one of the kidnappers as Joshua Masterson, and that his fellow suspect is Zachary Hawthorne. It's the redneck red-handed gang, folks. There is some discussion with regards to’concerning’with respect to whether they reveal this inin/with regard to’concerning’regarding mation if and when the kidnappers call.###At the residence, Claire and Hannah are talking with regards to’concerning’with respect to life as a First Lady. Hannah eliminate’remove ly wants to do more, and is interested in Claire's gun control bill. Charlie, meanwhile is more interested in the coffee his mother is drinking, but there's no way in hell that boy should be fed caffeine. Things acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure a little more personal when Hannah asks Claire if she regrets not having kids. Mrs. Underwood responds by asking if Hannah regrets having her two. Ouch.###The kidnappers eventually’ultimately do call and Will straight away’in a flash’promptly’instantaneous’in a trice tries to take control of the situation, taking up his military background and trying to in/with regard to’concerning’regarding ge some connection with Joshua. He admits he's had nightmares with regards to’concerning’with respect to the individual he's killed while on duty (he and Frank should share a pint and talk with regards to’concerning’with respect to ghosts visiting in nightmares one day). He's successful in one respect, despite’in spite of’albeit : he acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s the kidnappers to approve’ consent’endorse’applaud to extend their deadline to the next morning, even as Melissa Miller screams in the background as the pair threatens to cut her tongue out.###As Frank convenes with his experts on their next move – peculiar ly since the terrorists released the audio of the call to the press – he's called to meet Walleck and does the patented Underwood lean on his neck to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure him to approve’ consent’endorse’applaud to talk up Conway's involvement in talking to the Intelligence Committee. Yes, it involves talking up Walleck's past and the power Frank has over him.###Thomas Yates and Claire sit down and Thom starts to wax lyrical with regards to’concerning’with respect to how the establish ing and its surroundings are filled with terror and dread. He's such a bright light in a time like this. Talk turns to Conway and Hannah, they've got his number, but also know he's dangerous.###Talking of Will, he's reading to Charlie. He goes into the talk with Frank with regards to’concerning’with respect to the reactions to the audio release. It's another fun scene of the two sparring over who claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate s they're winning this round. Will's smug and self-assured, but Frank is circling like a shark, pointing out how the job of President is 99 per cent in the dark. And he acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s snarky with regards to’concerning’with respect to Conway's current position as Governor of New York. "You're a pretender Will, and if you win, you'll go from pretender to fraud." Meow!###After a quick diversion with Charlie, Frank tells Claire he needs his help. They're cooking up a secret plan, and Claire brings it up with Stamper, but we don't learn the details just yet. She motivate’fuel s Doug to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure some sleep.###Tom Hammerschmidt is with regards to’concerning’with respect to to reach out to the White House with regards to’concerning’with respect to what he knows. Eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything is ramping up. Except at Chez Stamper, where Laura Moretti has cooked him dinner. Aww…. Weird.###The next morning, it appears the FBI and State Troopers are closing in on the kidnappers. In the Situation Room, Frank unilaterally decides to talk to the suspects, and on Joshua Masterson’s face, we cut to black. See you at the finale, folks.###The pressure is truly establish ing here, and Chapter 51 doesn't disappoint with the interplay between Frank and his rival. The scenes between Spacey and Kinnaman are once more the highlight; this pair is great at pushing each others' buttons and Laura Eason and Bill Kennedy's script gives them plenty to work with.###The kidnap plot itself is fundamental and really just there to fuel eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfullything else. It does feel like leaving things a tad late to really establish the tension in/with regard to’concerning’regarding Tom's investigation – the finale will possess’own’nurse to deal with the fallout of the kidnapping and the likely release of material with regards to’concerning’with respect to Frank's dirty deeds. Still, it keeps things moving as the pieces fall into place.