House of Cards season 6 isn’t just bringing us the first woman president, they’re bringing us the first pregnant woman president. In a plot twist no one saw coming, *Madam* President Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) revealed that she has a bun baking in the oven, while sacking her entire male cabinet and replacing them with women. We’re surprised we didn’t hear “Bodak Yellow” playing in the background when she fired everyone. But President Underwood’s pregnancy isn’t the most shocking baby-related plot in season 6. In true House of Cards style, the drama is always right around the West Wing corner.
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That drama, it turns out, revolves around Claire’s three abortions. Abortion is a common medical procedure among people with uteruses, but it still heavily stigmatized, and very difficult to obtain some parts of the United States. And, in the backstabbing D.C. universe of House of Cards, it would incredibly damaging to Claire’s presidency if her abortions were to become public knowledge. Kind of like the real world!
There is someone who has a lot to benefit from Claire’s downfall. Annette Shepherd (Diane Lane) knows about Claire’s reproductive history, and schemes to use it as leverage. Shepherd allows news of the abortions to leak to the press, but Claire, still two steps ahead, uses it to her advantage in an address to the nation by explaining it was an unviable fetus. After that, the country loves the thought of their pregnant commander in chief.
Finally: the most shocking thing about Claire getting pregnant? It’s her late husband Francis Underwood’s (Kevin Spacey) baby, meaning they actually had sex at least four times. Yes, the frosty Underwoods, a couple that hated each other more than they love power, actually did the horizontal tango to completion. Frankly, abortions and backstabbing aren't nearly as unbelievable as the thought of Claire and Frank getting their freak on with each other amid revenge plots and affairs.
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