'House of Cards' Still Needs Ayla Sayyad

In House of Cards, "journalist" is about as stable a profession as "lion tamer." Zoe went the way of the metro car, Lucas is probably getting water boarded right now, and Janine saw the writing on the wall... and it kind of looked like blood. But we, the people — the general viewing public with consciences, and moral compasses, and interests in the truth — still have one hope for House of Cards Season 3: Ayla Sayyad.

House of Cards can't be House of Cards with Frank getting away with (literal) murder all the time. Then it would just be House of Brick and Mortar. There has to be something keeping the politicians in line, and journalism has always been the yin to Washington DC's political yang. The people who threaten to expose Frank Underwood's behind-closed-doors scheming to the public are as crucial to his story as Frank Underwood, himself, and we've lost them one by one. If Lucas is out for good in Season 3, we (and Hardball with Chris Matthews) need the return Ayla Sayyad.

Ayla is better then Lucas in every way

Lucas is a very silly reporter; even before Zoe's death, he was driven by emotion and prone to recklessness. But after Zoe's death, he went about his journalistic investigations in a way that could only have landed him in a situation where he couldn't possibly avenge her death with the truth about Frank Underwood. Specifically, that situation was a bag over his head and a ziptie around his wrists.

Now, if I now anything about TV, should Ayla return she will have a love interest across enemy lines and a secret from her past she needs to keep hidden 10 minutes into the premiere of Season 3. But I have faith that she can still keep a level head, because...

She's a competent journalist

As a reporter, Ayla is fearless without being reckless; a skill that should serve her well in telling the truth and not dying. Real life politicians and DC elite seem eto love House of Cards because, even if it doesn't make them seem moral, it makes them seem smart; it makes them seem interesting. I can't imagine that political journalists feel the same way. With Zoe and Lucas as their only representation, they not only seem immoral, they seem clueless (looking at you on that last one, Lucas).

But Ayla proved in her limited time in Season 2, that you can use intelligence and that masters degree from Northwestern to follow your story. Hell, she busted Raymond Tusk for money laundering with nothing but a lead, a knowledge of Chinese business, and few cold calls. And she certainly didn't sleep with anybody for information. Most importantly, she didn't back down from Tusk's threats. Like Janine in a time before Zoe's death, Ayla isn't scared of uncovering the dirty truths of politics.

She still has work to do

In my head, Ayla was the hero of Season 2 because she exposed Raymond Tusk for laundering Super PAC funds. But in my head, I also still keep thinking that Frank is a good guy — and that is wrong. Ayla did good work because she exposed a bad guy in Raymond Tusk, but that happened to also get an even worse guy (probably) into the most powerful political seat in the United States: the chair in the Oval Office. Are there any good guys? Sure. Ayla is a good guy, and she's got a lot more work to do, mostly, exposing the President of the United States as a lying murderer.

Good luck, friend. I hope Frank doesn't kill you.

Images: Netflix