how did rachel die in house of cards

Though her death isn't seen, Doug refills the grave he dug for her and returns to Washington, telling Frank he killed her. In Season 3, they tried to make it out like Doug's fate at the end of Season 2 had been ambiguous; but there's nothing ambiguous about the image of a man lying completely immobile with his eyes open, unblinking. Rachel is intentionally isolated by Stamper, and he begins to develop an infatuation with her. Rachel Brosnahan is an American actress who appeared in the film 'Beautiful Creatures' and TV show 'House of Cards' before starring in 'The Marvelous Mrs. It is implied that he runs her over with his van. She was also a recurring character in the first, second, and third seasons of House of Cards. She left the series in 2015. Doug then threatens the boss by saying he will have him convicted of felonies for using undocumented workers if he does not hire Rachel back. "Chapter 1" Mother: Gavin initially leads Doug to believe that Rachel was murdered and presents Doug with falsified documents in order to pass Rachel's alleged murder as authentic. Date of birth: Date of death: Prior to her role on the new Amy Sherman-Palladino series, Brosnahan portrayed sex worker Rachel Posner on House of Cards. Lynchburg, VA Rachel seduces Russo the night before he is to have an important radio interview. Stamper defends Rachel against a sleazy boss who tried to approach her sexually. Last episode: There are few things more frustrating than watching one of your favorite characters get killed off in a show, but such was life for fans of Rachel Posner in the Season 3 finale of House of Cards. Birthplace: Yes, he did. This is exactly what Willimon had to say when TVLine's Ausiello confronted him with his feelings of disappointment: "If he had not killed her, then he would be reverting back to where he was in Season 2, where he was not being entirely truthful about Rachel, where he was not getting the job done." (Hey, it's probably gonna be the last season.). Can Rachel Brosnahan win the Emmy for Best Drama Guest Actress on her first (and last) nomination for "House of Cards?" She knows that Doug is a chief of staff for for Frank and enforces his command. Do those sound like the words of a man we can trust? House of Cards is an American political thriller streaming television series created by Beau Willimon.It is an adaptation of the 1990 BBC series of the same name and based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Michael Dobbs.The first 13-episode season was released on February 1, 2013, on the streaming service Netflix. Nancy consented. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Rachel Posner’s House of Cards storyline began in the very first season, when she was hired as a prostitute by Congressman Peter Russo.Russo is subsequently arrested and … First episode: Run over by Doug Stamper Name: During their drive out to the middle of nowhere, Rachel pleads with Doug to let her go and tells him that she was honestly relieved when she heard the news that he had survived her attack and that she is taking on the new identity. Rachel is absent most of Season 3, appearing only in flashbacks and photos as Doug, still infuriated that she attacked and left him for dead, goes out of his way to find her. "Chapter 39" Doug Stamper later met up with Rachel, and gave her $10,000 cash to keep quiet about Russo. However, Doug seems to change his mind minutes later and kills her. It is later revealed that this was the precursor to them asking one last favor of her: seduce Peter Russo one last time. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright may get all the accolades, but Michael Kelly—a.k.a. Profession: House of Cards is the next iteration of this TV evolution, as Netflix almost recommends you marathon the show. Rachel Brosnahan Or are the writers just trying to mislead their audience... again? Peter Russo hired Rachel for a night in early January 2013, where he was arrested for DUI with her in the passenger seat. At the beginning of Season 3, we see Doug's long recovery in process. Then, sure. Period, end of story. Rachel's murder was simply the latest in a string of shocking House Of Cards deaths, starting with Peter Russo in Season 1 and continuing with Zoe Barnes in Season 2. But what if, after he let Rachel go and started to drive away, Doug became so unbalanced by the potent combination of his obsession with Rachel, his loyalty to Frank, and his literal brain damage, that he snapped and imagined himself going back and burying the part of his life that had caused him so much pain? Stamper later gives Posner a new lease on life, setting her up with a new apartment and job as a waitress in an upmarket Georgetown restaurant. Doug follows and Rachel ambushes him and beats him unconscious with a rock, then steals Doug's car. Not only is Doug an alcoholic struggling with his addiction (aka having a prostitute squirt shots of whiskey down his throat with a syringe), but he recently suffered severe brain damage. Lynchburg, VA, Washington, D.C., Joppa, MDSanta Fe, NM Rachel Posner Yeah. In Doug’s case, the education has been ugly, his growth malignant." But they clearly wanted to trick us until thinking he was dead; so who's to say they're not trying to trick us again? Spouse(s): She encourages him to drink alcohol into the early morning, leading to a poor performance on the radio. Escort/Prostitute,Waitress,Call Center Worker,Shelf Stacker Rachel Elizabeth Brosnahan (born July 12, 1990) is an American actress. 2021 Bustle Digital Group. Despite Stamper's efforts, Rachel develops a friendship with a woman she meets on a city bus named Lisa Williams. Maybe it wasn't Rachel at all. But in the meantime, let's consider the possibilities: There's always the chance that the writers are trying to execute a big switcheroo. Keep in mind that we never actually witness the murder; just Doug approaching Rachel in his van, and then a quick cut to him shoveling dirt over a body. Stamper finds out about the relationship and orders Rachel to end it, because he wants to be the only person Rachel needs. Played by: House of Cards' lead power couple, Frank and Claire Underwood, racked up a sizeable body count over the show's six seasons, and here's the rundown.While House of Cards might be better known at this point for the rather unceremonious way it went out, thanks to the scandal involving original star Kevin Spacey, the show still remains a landmark in streaming TV history. The fact that there had been no major characters killed off in Season 3 by the time the finale rolled around should have clued us in that something terrible was about to happen to Rachel. The boss had fired Rachel after she refused his advance. Quick recap [Spoilers ahead for Seasons 1-3]: Rachel Posner (played by the superb Rachel Brosnahan) was a former call girl who Doug hired to seduce … On the Netflix political drama, Brosnahan plays Rachel Posner, a … Russo's death eventually led to a domino effect of deaths. 'House of Cards' Season 3 Finale Pulls No Punches By Leah Marilla Thomas Feb. 27, 2015 It took a while, but finally Doug killed Rachel Posner on House of Cards in the season three finale. But it was growth nonetheless. Appears in: But all we glimpsed of the corpse was an ear and long red hair. Age: 1, 2, 3 She jumps out of the car and runs into the woods. Fate: ambiguous. 3 seasons, 16 episodes Later, Doug and Rachel met again. Even though Rachel never met Frank. Fool me once, shame on you. Images: Lewis Jacobs (3), Nathaniel Bell, David Giesbrecht/Netflix. Since we didn't see the act, there's no way to guarantee that she was actually dead when she went into the ground, short of a flashback of Doug shooting her through the head. Santa Fe, NM Rachel Posner She dropped out of Lorimer High School during her sophomore year and ran away from home after refusing to testify against her physically abusive father. In an interview with her local paper, the Chicago Tribune, … If Doug's eyes had been closed? WARNING: Major spoilers for House of Cards season 6. Cheryl Posner Doug lets her go. During this encounter he pays Rachel separately for her to sleep with him. “House of Cards” wouldn’t be Netflix’s most compulsively watchable series if it didn’t deliver narrative shocks on a regular basis, and Season 3 was no different than the first two. Rachel had hit the man in the head with a rock when she thought he was going to kill her, and left him for dead in the woods. House of Cards: Molly Parker as Jackie Sharp and Mahershala Ali as Remy Danton. subvert[ing] the typical trauma narrative, not happy about Rachel getting killed off. As shocking as Doug's act of violence was, it wasn't exactly unprecedented in the show's history. Deceased Place of death: But is it possible that Doug didn't really kill Rachel? Fool me twice, shame on me. Rachel revealed that she was having hard times, so Doug asked Nancy Kaufberger if Rachel could move in with her. As Vulture's Seitz put it, "Traumatized TV characters usually end up learning a lot about themselves and growing in the process. Rachel Brosnahan, Actress: House of Cards. To say that this plot twist was controversial is an understatement. So they came up with the "ambiguous" cliffhanger instead: "I had a realization, which was we can have our cake and eat it too." Remember when Rachel hit him in the head several times with a jagged, heavy rock? But there are other ways Rachel could still be alive other than Doug having let her live. Religion: He believes if he can only find Rachel and take care of her once and for all, things will be back on an even keel with him and the President. The grave that Doug was digging didn't look that deep; if Rachel did survive, she could have crawled out, found help, and gone back into hiding, ready to bring Frank and Doug down once and for all in Season 4. House of Cards (TV Series 2013–2018) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. She also begins attending Lisa's church, the Fellowship. This causes Russo's chances of being governor to end, and he spirals out of control until he is eventually killed by Frank Underwood. He could have killed anyone with red hair and put them in the grave in case Frank sent someone else poking around to make sure Doug had finished the job. In House Of Cards season 5 alone, he casually pushed Cathy Durant (Jayne Atkinson) down the stairs in a deeply bungled murder attempt. Cause of death: Some viewers enjoyed Doug's storyline, including Vulture's Matt Zoller Seitz, who lauded the show for "subvert[ing] the typical trauma narrative": But just as many — if not more — viewers decried Doug's assassination of Rachel as frustrating, upsetting, or both, including TVLine's Michael Ausiello, who "was not happy about Rachel getting killed off": Regardless of which side of the debate you come down on, the question has to be asked: Did Doug really kill Rachel? Doug Stamper—has become the best thing about House of Cards . Good. This one's admittedly the biggest stretch, but bear with me. Peter Russo hired Rachel for a night in early January 2013, where he Having started a new life in New Mexico, Rachel, now going by the name of Lisa, works odd jobs and keeps a relatively low profile. They start having an intimate relationship when they discover they trust and care deeply for each other. Ex-lover:Doug StamperEx-girlfriend:Lisa Williams It is implied that he hit her with his van and after that, we see him burying her. August 21, 1990 However, we did see Rachel going about her day from her own perspective, so we have to accept that at least some of it was real. It's not like this would be the first time, either. Zoe Barnes was investigating Russo's death — linking it to Frank — when Frank shoved her … The last episode of Season 2 shows Rachel jumping out of the car, Doug following, then Rachel nearly beating him to death with a rock. We may not like the fact that Doug killed Rachel, but it was admittedly the logical conclusion to his Season 3 character arc. Whether he hit her with his car, strangled her, or whacked her with his shovel, it's possible that she survived the attack. He then gets her from bed in the middle of the night and drives her out to nowhere, not saying anything. Maisel.' President Claire Hale Underwood Fact: Claire murdered the last guy she slept with. She breaks up with Lisa for her safety. Let's take a look back, for starters: The third season premiere of Netflix's political drama shocked viewers by revealing that Doug Stamper, President Underwood's Chief of Staff, was alive and, if not well, then at least on the road to recovery, after having seemingly perished at the end of Season 2. 25 (at death) Seasons: Yes, she’s still a morally bankrupt, … So how could Doug have not killed Rachel, given what we saw? January 18, 2016 Rachel Maddow in the opening segment of House of Cards, Season 5, ep. Later, wanting his friend freed of the FBI's grasp and having fled himself, Gavin tells Doug that Rachel is in fact still alive and that he has found her but the only way he will give Doug her location is if he clears his friend of the charges against him. Nationality: You may be looking for a list of deaths of House of Cards cast and crew.This is a list of deaths confirmed to have happened during the events covered by each season of House of Cards, as well as the time period covered by expanded universe projects. Status: Photograph: David Giesbrecht/Netflix The lonesome grave. According to commentary in Season 1, they did not initially expect to have her role expanded beyond the first episode and did not have a proper name for her character, hence why they gave her the same first name as her actress. Rachel is moved by Doug Stamper out of Washington DC, to an apartment in Joppa, Maryland, a significant enough distance from the D.C. area. Sapphire,Lisa,Cassie Lockhart The Shocking Death in 'House of Cards' Season Two Reveals the Show's Biggest Flaw Warning: Includes major plot spoiler from the first episode of “House of Cards” season two. When breaking Doug's Season 2 story, he said he and the writers decided Rachel had to kill him... but they liked the character too much to part with him. (Sort of a Huntsman/Snow White situation, except grislier.) OK, we're all on the same page? My point is: the seasonal model of TV arriving at a glacial-pace is dying. Doug enlists the help of Gavin Orsay, a highly skilled computer hacker, to search for Rachel. I actually cheered for Claire this episode. Residence(s): Here's who really killed Frank Underwood in House of Cards.Kevin Spacey's character is dead. Again, since we didn't actually see him kill her, there's always the chance that she simply didn't die. Cards creator Beau Willimon even went so far as to admit his trickery in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Doug eventually finds and attacks Gavin and obtains Rachel's whereabouts, traveling to New Mexico and stalking her before kidnapping her. Who knows what kind of long-term damage that might have done to the man's brain. House of Cards Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. In the Season 3 finale, the tables were turned when Doug finally caught up to Rachel after 13 episodes of searching for the missing woman, drove her into the desert, killed her, and buried her unceremoniously in a shallow grave. All rights reserved. It is revealed that she plans on changing identities once more after she is seen purchasing a false identity with the pseudonym Cassie Lockhart. One night, after a shift, she is kidnapped by Doug. Rachel's murder was simply the latest in a string of shocking House Of Cards deaths, starting with Peter Russo in Season 1 and continuing with … She was arrested in April 2012 by the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia for loitering at the District Grand Hotel, 2460 Connecticut Avenue. Rachel Posner was a former prostitute who had a relationship with Doug Stamper. House of Cards is set in a political world, but this is a show that’s about power and I think we showed this year, more than ever, what abuse of power looks like. She Was Raised in Highland Park, Illinois. Alias(es): In AA, he admits he's addicted to her like he was to alcohol. Gallery. Lisa moves out of her home when her roommate starts smoking meth and she moves in with Rachel. The other possibility that would allow for Rachel to have survived a murder attempt would be... if it didn't actually happen at all. That much was made clear before House of Cards season 6 had even hit Netflix, but the circumstances of how the show would write out the former-President were less clear.. Netflix and the series’ producers were left with no choice but to … American Roman CatholicNon-religious (formally) [Warning: Spoilers!] Claire’s abortion reveal. Since House Of Cards was officially renewed for Season 4, we know we'll get a definitive answer one way or another next year. She left the series in 2015. Then let's talk about the controversial end to Doug's Season 3 journey; namely Doug's decision to kill Rachel Posner in cold blood. Then there's the fourth option: Doug really killed Rachel, and she's just dead. Rachel Brosnahan was born in in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1990 and is an American actress. Of course, this would still mean that Doug had killed someone, so it's not really better news for the character's moral standing, but at least Rachel would be alive. House of Cards might feel distinctly American in its Netflix incarnation, but the show was actually born across the pond back in 1990, when the end … He often stops by her apartment, making sure she develops no relationships, and asks her to read to him A Tale of Two Cities. One question, though, has been answered. So one could argue that for Doug to have not killed Rachel would have been backwards momentum and therefore bad storytelling. So while we may not like the fact that Doug was capable of murdering an innocent woman, I think we need to accept the fact that Rachel is indeed dead... barring a miraculous, have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too resurrection in Season 4. I'm gonna go ahead and warn you right now: If for some reason you haven't yet watched the entirety of House Of Cards Season 3 — and you intend to at some point — then turn away now, since we'll be discussing some extremely spoilery stuff here. 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