Let’s be real—when you’re thinking of House of Cards, it’s not only the political maneuvering or the infamous fourth-wall-shattering monologues that first pop into your head. Over six seasons, their road to power was littered with corpses—some surprising, some inevitable, but all indelibly remembered. Let’s take a moment to revisit the most chilling murders that made House of Cards’ dark, twisted world so unforgettable.
1. Peter Russo: The Pawn Sacrificed
Peter Russo was a morally compromised congressman struggling to fight his way back into righteousness. Frank recognized his potential—but only as a means to an end. Once he used Peter to advance himself, Frank took him out in a calculated act. He left Peter unconscious in a running car inside a locked garage, making the death look like a suicide. It was the time that established just how merciless Frank was and the tone for the series thereafter.
2. Zoe Barnes: The Reporter Who Got Too Close
Zoe Barnes was fearless, ambitious, and confident that she could manage Frank Underwood. Their professional/personal relationship blurred boundaries, but when she began investigating Peter Russo’s demise, Frank determined that she was a threat. In one of television’s most surprising moments, he pushed her in the path of an oncoming train. It was quick, brutal, and not soon forgotten—the sort of scene that made audiences openly gasp.
3. Thomas Yates: The Lover Silenced
Thomas Yates, the ghostwriter of Frank’s biography, later became romantically involved with Claire. But in House of Cards, it is never wise to get close to an Underwood. When he proved to be a liability, Claire murdered him with tainted alcohol during a private, intimate moment. It was a classic Underwood ploy—quiet, unexpected, and brutal.
4. LeAnn Harvey: The Political Power Player Taken Out Too Soon
LeAnn Harvey was intelligent, strategic, and one of Claire’s strongest supporters. But in the House of Cards universe, knowledge is perilous. LeAnn was promised a promotion and then fatally injured in what seemed to be an automobile accident. The reality was obvious: no matter how useful you are, your loyalty has an expiration date when you’re a member of the Underwoods’ inner circle.
5. Tom Hammerschmidt: The Truth-Seeker Silenced
Tom Hammerschmidt spent years in pursuit of the truth. The dogged journalist and former editor of The Washington Herald, he came closer than anyone to revealing the Underwoods’ secrets. But once Doug Stamper laid it all out for him, Claire ensured he never stood a chance to make it public. He was executed in what was made to pass for a robbery—an all-too-typical fate for anyone who dared challenge the Underwoods’ empire.
6. Doug Stamper: The Loyalist’s Tragic Demise
Doug Stamper was devoted to Frank—his enforcer, confidant, and fixer. But that devotion had a boundary. In the series’ final episode, Doug told us that he had killed Frank in order to prevent Frank from injuring Claire. In a last, tense standoff, Doug tried to kill Claire but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Claire, never shy about acting, turned the tables. She stabbed and smothered Doug, ending the tale of the man who had caused so much harm in the name of loyalty.
House of Cards may have fallen apart towards the end of its series, but it never lost its bite in terms of illustrating just how vicious the way to power can be. Frank and Claire were not merely political fixers—they were predators within a system that rewarded cruelty. And their tale is a grim reminder that in the realm of politics, absolute power corrupts, but kills as well.