Frank Underwood

Frank Underwood

Machiavellian / Power

· President
machiavellianfictional

228 dilemmas faced

Francis "Frank" Underwood is the ruthlessly ambitious politician at the center of Netflix's House of Cards. A South Carolina congressman who schemes his way to the presidency, he views power as the only worthwhile pursuit and treats people as instruments to be used and discarded. He breaks the fourth wall to let the audience see exactly how cold his calculations are.

What they might say about themselves

Democracy is so overrated. The road to power is paved with hypocrisy and casualties — and I have never lost a wink of sleep over either one. You shouldn't either.

On morality

Power is a lot like real estate — it's all about location, location, location. The closer you are to the source, the higher your property value. Everything else is noise.

Frank Underwood's Defining Axis

This unlabeled dimension says the most about how Frank Underwood approaches dilemmas. Tap characters to see who lands nearby and who's far away — what do they have in common?

Key scenarios on this axis

The Primate ProtocolThe Copied AlgorithmThe Militia's Pliers
* representative sample

Moral Neighborhood

Coming soon

We're still refining this view.

Moral Allies

Characters whose choices most closely mirror Frank Underwood's.

Niccolò Machiavelli

Niccolò Machiavelli

Statecraft / Stability

A0

Early signs point to Niccolò Machiavelli as a close moral match. Keep going to sharpen your profile.

Early top 1% match · agreed on 173 shared scenarios

Cersei Lannister

Cersei Lannister

Machiavellian / Family

A0

Early signs point to Cersei Lannister as a close moral match. Keep going to sharpen your profile.

Early top 1% match · agreed on 164 shared scenarios

Tywin Lannister

Tywin Lannister

Authority / Legacy

A0

Early signs point to Tywin Lannister as a close moral match. Keep going to sharpen your profile.

Early top 2% match · agreed on 159 shared scenarios

Moral Rivals

Characters who see the world most differently from Frank Underwood.

Immanuel Kant

Immanuel Kant

Duty / Reason

A0

Early signs suggest Immanuel Kant sees things very differently from you.

Early top 1% rival · disagreed on 163 shared scenarios

On "Bones Beneath the Boulevard"

Frank Underwood chose:

Talk to Reverend Cora first

Immanuel Kant chose:

File the full incident report now

·

On "The Crack in Column 7"

Frank Underwood chose:

Pull Greta aside now

Immanuel Kant chose:

Stop work and flag Column 7

·

On "Curtain and Accusation"

Frank Underwood chose:

Replace Theo now

Immanuel Kant chose:

Cancel tonight’s performance

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Duty / Reason

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi

Truth / Nonviolence

A0

Early signs suggest Mahatma Gandhi sees things very differently from you.

Early top 1% rival · disagreed on 164 shared scenarios

On "The Crack in Column 7"

Frank Underwood chose:

Pull Greta aside now

Mahatma Gandhi chose:

Stop work and flag Column 7

·

On "Layoffs or Pay Cuts"

Frank Underwood chose:

Lay off 30 people now

Mahatma Gandhi chose:

Cut everyone’s pay by 20%

·

On "One Shot to Stop It"

Frank Underwood chose:

Authorize the covert operation

Mahatma Gandhi chose:

Share with the host government anyway

·

Truth / Nonviolence

Simone Weil

Simone Weil

Attention / Affliction

A0

Early signs suggest Simone Weil sees things very differently from you.

Early top 1% rival · disagreed on 161 shared scenarios

On "The Crack in Column 7"

Frank Underwood chose:

Pull Greta aside now

Simone Weil chose:

Stop work and flag Column 7

·

On "Layoffs or Pay Cuts"

Frank Underwood chose:

Lay off 30 people now

Simone Weil chose:

Cut everyone’s pay by 20%

·

On "The Dawn Sweep"

Frank Underwood chose:

Order the full sweep now

Simone Weil chose:

Refuse the sweep and take the hit

·

Attention / Affliction

The Full Moral Landscape

Coming soon

We're still refining this view.

Signature Choices

The choices that most set Frank Underwood apart — picks that few other characters made.

The Informant at the Gate

Chose: Bring Tariq’s family inside

Only 0% of characters made this choice

·
The Bulkhead Lever

Chose: Seal the bulkhead now

Only 0% of characters made this choice

·
Last Rites, Wrong Faith

Chose: Perform a simplified baptism now

Only 0% of characters made this choice

·
The Summit Grade

Chose: Authorize Tom to crest the summit

Only 0% of characters made this choice

·
The Study That Ends Tonight

Chose: File the risk report now

Only 0% of characters made this choice

·

All Dilemmas

Every dilemma Frank Underwood has faced and the choices they made.

The Maestro's Dressing Room

Symphony Director

Chose: Send Clara home, let Julian perform

·
The Frozen Pass

Freight Dispatcher

Chose: Tell Elias to use the fake logs and push through

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The Militia's Pliers

Special Forces Captain

Chose: Look away as Tariq tortures

·
The Cashier's Check

Commercial Lender

Chose: Process the check, say nothing

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The Unpayable Bill

Transplant Coordinator

Chose: Press Monique for an emergency waiver

·
The Flood Map and the Offer

Real Estate Agent

Chose: Add a flood-insurance contingency

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The Informant on the Stand

Prosecutor

Chose: Confront Darnell and recall him

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The Spillway Decision

Dam Operations Manager

Chose: Stage one gate open, activate sirens

·
The Siren Switch

Emergency Management Director

Chose: Send only a ‘prepare to evacuate’ text

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The Zero-Day and the Shelter

Penetration Tester

Chose: Tell Priya and push escalation

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The Tarmac Assessment

Repatriation Flight Medic

Chose: Clear Mateo for the flight

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The Last Jet Ventilator

NICU Attending

Chose: Declare futility and move the jet ventilator

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The Governor's Text

Parole Commissioner

Chose: Postpone the decision for 1 year

·
The Summit Grade

Rail Network Controller

Chose: Authorize Tom to crest the summit

·
The Ride-Along Informant

Strike Cell Director

Chose: Fire on the truck — eliminate the commander

·
The Decrypted Warning

Intelligence Station Chief

Chose: Bury the transcript

·
The Hunger Strike Order

Prison Medical Director

Chose: Restrain and tube Eli now

·
The Vacant Unit

Apartment Complex Owner

Chose: Rent 4B to the retired couple

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The Permit That Poisons

City Planning Commissioner

Chose: Approve as submitted

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The Father on the Record

Podcast Host

Chose: Include Dmitri’s confession

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