‘House of Cards’ Season 4 Finale, Season 5 Release Date: Did Season 4 Finale Really Show a Legit Easter Egg?

Apr 26, 2016 02:54 PM EDT

The last episode of the fourth season of "House of Cards" may have just featured an Easter egg to pay tribute to an award-winning American film. But then again, given the nature of the episode, this may have just been a coincidence.

Movie Pilot pointed out that the Easter egg in the finale could be a nod to the 2014 film "American Sniper," which is a biographical war movie that told the story of the late Chris Kyle, who is known as the deadliest marksman in the history of the U.S. military.

According to the news site, the episode featured a military sniper lying on the ground while aiming his rifle. And, just like Bradley Cooper's portrayal of Kyle in "American Sniper," the sniper in the "House of Cards" wore a baseball cap backward.

But, despite the similarities, it can't be confirmed that this scene in the episode is a direct reference to "American Sniper." After all, many military snipers, especially those in special forces, tend to look this way. Also, as instructed during their training, they are taught to aim and shoot while in prone position to increase their accuracy and minimize their visibility.

Also, it's not that surprising that a sniper was featured in "House of Cards" since that particular episode dealt with a hostage scenario. In other words, this may have just been a coincidence and not an actual easter egg.

But, the sniper in the last episode is not the only aspect worth analyzing in the season finale. Aside from the other events that took place in Chapter 52, that moment that probably deserves special attention is the scene where Claire Underwood, played by Robin Wright, broke the fourth wall by looking directly into the camera along with her husband Frank.

This may seem normal in the show since Frank does this frequently but this is the first time that Claire acknowledged the viewers. According to Romper, Tumblr user Nizshiy theorized that this could mean that Claire will rise to power in Season 5. She could either be given the same protagonist treatment as Frank or even be given a bigger role in the upcoming installment.