Episode Grade: (9.8/10)
With the future of the company on the line, a familiar dysfunctionality plagues the Roys on their way to a decisive board meeting.
Plot (48/50)
The series finale takes plenty of twists and turns en route to its decisive conclusion. Family drama was, of course, at the center of everything. There was a sense of urgency that was appropriate given what’s at stake. Everyone from Matsson to the Roy children to Greg was making their move in hopes of securing a more advantageous position. Ultimately, the battle for Waystar came down to a single vote. And with that dramatic vote cast, the show wrapped up what has been an excellent run, having finally closed out its titular plot.
The Battle for Roman
The episode opens with Kendall and Shiv going over the state of the vote with their respective teams. Shiv’s team is actually Matsson’s team, of course. Kendall’s team consists of Hugo, Tellis, the banker, and a bunch of other corporate stooges. Noticeably absent are Roman, Jess, Frank, and Karl. Jess resigned in the previous episode to immediate effect it seems. Roman’s status is unclear, but upon learning that he’s retreated to their mother’s place in Barbados, both Kendall and Shiv fly out in hopes of securing his vote. Tom and Greg are roaming as they do, but they’re somewhat in the loop, nonetheless.
At this point, Shiv has the upper hand. Kendall has four votes locked in, including himself. He can see a path to securing a majority, but he needs three more votes to do so. If he isn’t able to secure Roman, he has no chance. Shiv knows this, so even though she’s confident in her victory, she too pursues Roman’s vote. That brings us to the man of the hour. Roman’s mentally and emotionally broken following his public breakdown at Logan’s funeral. His run-in with the protestors the previous night has left him with stiches on his head. In his current state, he’s not particularly interested in entertaining his siblings’ pitches. If anything, he favors Shiv.
Matsson Makes his Move
Meanwhile, Matsson’s offered Tom the CEO position. Tom keeps this information to himself, but a lurking Greg uses his phone to translate Matsson and Oscar talking about how Shiv won’t be Waystar’s next CEO! Greg immediately breaks the news to Kendall, who then shares the news with his siblings. Shiv denies the authenticity of the news and claims it’s a play by Kendall. However, upon investigating the matter, she quickly realizes that Kendall is, in fact, telling the truth.
This development changes everything. Matsson’s betrayal means Shiv no longer benefits from a GoJo takeover outside of the massive payout from the sale, of course. This was a great early twist in that it reset the board. Suddenly, the siblings were on the same team again. After some deliberation, Shiv and Roman agree to support Kendall’s proposal that would reject Matsson’s offer and install him as sole CEO. Their votes, alongside Stewy’s, gives Kendall the majority he needs. What’s more, Matsson is completely unaware of Shiv’s defection. And with the vote a mere hours away, he doesn’t have enough time to respond. Or so it seemed.
The Vote
The next day, Connor hosts an auction for things he doesn’t want to keep from Logan’s apartment. There, Shiv informs Tom of Matsson’s betrayal as well as her intention to vote with Kendall. He, in turn, informs her that he is Matsson’s pick for CEO. Absolutely livid, Shiv informs her siblings and brings their collective attention back to making sure they have the votes they need. However, the damage was already done. Tom almost immediately informs Matsson of Shiv’s defection. He now has a chance to react.
Fast forward to the board meeting. Kendall skips past the formalities and initiates the vote. There were a couple of minor inconsistencies with regards to the vote. Frank surprisingly sided with Matsson seemingly without much consideration for Kendall’s proposal. This was in contrast to what we saw earlier in the season. On the other hand, Kendall managed to secure Stewy’s vote without much fuss. Given his history, I thought it would take a more concerted effort than the one we saw before the meeting. Of course, they can’t show everything, but I felt like we needed to see a bit more.
Then there was the vote count. We only saw 11 people vote, but the tally accounted for all 13 board members. The missing two probably voted remotely, and it’s not that big of a deal, but the gap could’ve been bridged by a simple statement from Kendall or Frank. Anyways, everyone votes as expected, and the tally sits at 6-5 in Matsson’s favor. Roman’s vote ties it, and at this point, it should be done. However, Shiv hesitates, and despite Kendall’s desperate pleas, she turns on him once more. The GoJo deal is voted through. Matsson wins, Kendall loses. A successor is finally crowned, only it’s not a Roy, it’s Tom Wambsgans.
Closing Remarks
Wrapping up a great story is a challenge even the best of shows struggle to get right, but the writers absolutely stuck the landing for Succession. Many people, myself included, wanted to see Kendall succeed his father. It was the feel-good ending that would’ve given closure to Kendall’s arc, as well as that of his siblings and even that of his father. It would’ve meant that despite their dysfunctionality, they were able to pull together when it mattered most to secure the family business, and in turn, their father’s legacy. With that said, this ending makes more sense, so kudos to Jesse Armstrong and his team for not taking the easy way out.
With regards to the episode itself, it had hallmarks of the show’s greatest qualities. It was dramatic and suspenseful from the very start. The level of intensity continued rising to its inevitable crescendo at the board meeting. The anticlimactic sequence to close out the show did well to allude to each character’s direction without explicitly defining it, which leaves room for interpretation. Ultimately, the show set out to answer a simple question: who will be Logan’s successor? It succeeded in doing so. Along the way, it delivered a fantastic story filled with tragedy, apt commentary, and important lessons.
Character Development (15/15)
The primary focus of the show has always been on the Roys’ complicated relationship with eachother, so it was appropriate that the spotlight was on them until the very end. Underneath the corporate plotting and politicking, Kendall, Shiv, and Roman are essentially living out their childhood in-fighting. Even with their father’s multi-billion-dollar company on the line, they’re simply unable to keep their dysfunctionality at bay long enough to keep hold of the company. In the end, their inability to understand their proper worth, contrasted with others’ ability to do just that, leads to their final collective defeat.
Kendall
“I am like a cog built to fit only one machine” is how Kendall describes himself to his siblings, and he’s absolutely spot on. While Shiv pursued her political career and Roman floated around somewhat aimlessly, Kendall was being groomed by Logan to eventually succeed him. That obviously didn’t come to pass, but it takes nothing away from the fact that Kendall’s entire life has been Waystar. This is what differentiates him from his siblings. He’s fighting for the company because he legitimately wants to run it, not out of spite or jealousy. He’s so invested in the company that he simply can’t imagine his life without it.
Now, to understand why Kendall ultimately failed, we must look back to Logan’s most damning assessments of his son. The first is that he’s not a “killer.” While it seemed like Kendall had developed a killer instinct at times throughout this season, he never managed to demonstrate this trait consistently. He took his siblings’ support for granted despite their treacherous nature, and that cost him dearly. He should’ve known better than to rely on Shiv and Roman’s votes. Perhaps he could’ve secured Frank or better managed Shiv had he been more calculated with the information he received from Greg.
Kendall (continued)
The second assessment is that he isn’t a “serious” person. This was prevalent in his behavior towards the board meeting once he thought he had secured the majority. He gets some credit for keeping a close eye on Roman after his betrayal in the first season. However, his overconfidence towards Shiv and, by extension, the vote was inexcusable. Logan knew that until a thing was done, there was a chance that it could fall apart. Kendall didn’t approach things with the same seriousness, and it cost him dearly.
Unfortunately, the company wasn’t all he lost. Kendall’s sense of purpose was tied to the company, so with Waystar gone, he’s left with a gaping void. Kendall wasn’t perfect, but he was resilient in pursuit of his goal. He fought for his father’s company until the bitter end. He got so close on a number of occasions, yet he never managed to secure a tangible win. Not only that, but the final hurdle was almost always his family, which is quite tragic. He will never overcome the trauma from this crushing blow. There will be no happy ending for Kendall Roy.
Roman
Roman’s ending wasn’t as bad as Kendall’s. In a sense, he’s right back where he started before this whole fiasco unfolded. He’s not necessarily in a happy place, but in truth, he never fit in any corporate setting anyways. The one big negative is that he added to the already-significant pile of unaddressed trauma. Logan was not a good father, but he was still their father. His death and the lack of closure weigh heavily on Roman. He just wants someone to take “care” of him, and for a long time, that was Logan. Retreating to his mother after his breakdown at the funeral is further evidence of this. He’s kind of like a kid in a grown man’s body.
For all of his faults, Roman was somehow the most grounded of his siblings. Granted, that’s not saying much given how detached the lot of them are from reality. Still, it’s got to be worth something. At times, he’s made the most vile comments, but at other times, he’s demonstrated compassion. At the end of the episode, when Shiv betrays Kendall, Roman hits Kendall with a brutally honest assessment of the family. To summarize, they’re all “bullshit,” and he’s not wrong. Connor’s living in an alternate reality, Kendall has some self-awareness but believes he’s the real deal, and Shiv continues to grossly overestimate herself. Only Roman sees the dark, ugly truth. That has to count for something, right?
Shiv
Time and time again, Shiv’s fate has been tied to the whims of another powerful man. And each time, she has been sacrificed as soon as her usefulness expired. There’s a deeper message here, but with regards to Shiv as a character, it demonstrates a glaring inability to accept her true value. Matsson was clearly non-committal on a number of occasions, and that was when Shiv’s value was indispensable. It was arrogant of her to be confident in her position alongside him, knowing that her leverage practically disappears the moment the acquisition goes through. Her overconfidence blinded her, and she found herself used and betrayed once again.
Speaking of which, Shiv’s own betrayal of Kendall makes it difficult to have any sort of sympathy for her. When it came down to it, she couldn’t fathom being the one to “crown” her brother. I think that if she had voted first, she would’ve voted for Kendall. It was most certainly not a calculated move, because despite her husband becoming the new CEO, their relationship is so fraught that she will not be able to wield much influence. Even if it wasn’t, Tom is a puppet anyways. This was her childishly lashing out because she didn’t get what she wanted. If she can’t have what she wants, then no one can.
Now unlike her brothers, she has a new path to follow. It might not be one she’s particularly thrilled about, but I suppose it’s better than existential purgatory. She’s going to be the wife of Waystar’s new CEO and the mother of his child. Both will require a significant mentality shift considering how anxious she was at the prospect of being seen as some powerful man’s wife and of being a mother. She will be miserable for a while, but if she makes enough of an effort, she will find herself transformed. And in that transformation, she might find closure.
Tom, Greg, and Matsson
Tom succeeds in large part because he’s the anti-Roy. Whereas Kendall is “like a cog built to fit only one machine,” Tom is an “interchangeable part” who can fit anywhere. And unlike Shiv, he understands his value and embraces it. This puts him in a position to capitalize. Matsson is looking for a puppet that will execute his directive without much fuss. Tom has practically built his entire career on being servile to a more powerful figure. It’s a perfect match. Any reservations he might’ve had about taking the position have been exterminated by Shiv’s horrible treatment. He comes out a clear winner in this game of many losers.
Another clear winner is Greg. Greg’s been in the right place at the right time all throughout the series, and that’s given him access to critical information. Ultimately, he chooses the wrong side, but it doesn’t spell the end for him because he’s built up just enough equity with Matsson’s side. He’s also proven himself useful. In some ways, Tom sees himself in Greg, so he feels inclined to help him navigate the waters. Tom sticking by Greg is the closest thing we got to a happy ending. Despite the occasional deviation, their friendship was largely built on loyalty. And in a world where backstabbing is commonplace, that’s special.
Others
Connor and Willa’s relationship has surprisingly been a bright spot among the other dysfunctional relationships. However, this episode served as a reminder that because the relationship is transactional in nature, it is capable of collapsing at any given moment. Finally, there’s the video Connor played of one of Logan’s final dinners. In it, he was seen enjoying his time with Connor, Frank, Karl, Gerri, and Kerry. There was an air of regret about him towards the absence of his children. The video moves Kendall, Shiv, and Roman, as it should. It leaves us viewers with a lasting impression and a solemn warning.
Theme/Messages (5/5)
- All the money in the world couldn’t buy you happiness if you can’t spend your time with the people you love.
- “A house divided upon itself can not stand.” When people can’t set their differences aside in critical moments, they all end up losing.
- Those closest to you know you best.
- The long game is so satisfying when it works because it is evidence that patience is rewarded.
- Rules of conduct should always be defined in battles.
- Knowing your worth is a defining skills that separates super successful people from others.
- Securing a good successor is a tall order, even for the greatest of leaders.
- Sometimes it doesn’t matter how hard you try, you can still end up losing.
- Family can be your greatest strength, or your greatest weakness.
Acting (15/15)
Jeremy Strong (Kendall) should win an Emmy for his outstanding performances throughout the season. Matthew Macfadyen (Tom), Kieran Culkin (Roman), and Sarah Snook (Shiv) would all be worthy winners as well. Culkin and Snook deserve a ton of credit for upping their game this season. I’m especially impressed by Snook, who started the series as the noticeable weak link but ends it looking totally in place among her talented peers.
Alexander Skarsgård (Matsson) deserves a ton of credit for how well he projected his character despite limited screen time. Nicholas Braun (Greg), Harriet Walter (Caroline), and Brian Cox (Logan) had their moments in this finale as well. Overall, the casting of the show has been phenomenal from the top down. A great cast of main characters can make a great show, but you need great side characters to show up to make something special. And that’s what this show’s been, special.
Cinematography (15/15)
- Caricature of Shiv holds Matsson’s strings as if he were her puppet with accompanying headlines that match that sentiment (8:28)
- Shot of Roman from the back with Kendall and Shiv looking at him from either side (21:48)
- Shot of Kendall, Shiv, and Roman by the sea as you hear the sound of waves crashing in the background (23:40)
- The video of Logan was a great addition.
- Shot of Shiv walking away from Tom in pure rage (1:02:08 onwards)
- Shots of Logan’s office as Kendall stands in it (1:10:12 onwards)
- Camera follows Kendall as he digests news of his defeat (1:22:22 onwards)
- Matsson in a crème suit, while everyone was in darker suits, with the sun shining in from the windows as he and Roman sign off on the acquisition (1:25:59)
- Closeup of Roman as he digests what just unfolded (1:27:10 onwards)
- Shot of Tom and Shiv in the car looking forwards blankly with Shiv’s hand placed on Tom’s (1:28:03)
- Shots of Kendall walking by the river, staring blankly as the show’s theme crescendos and the sun sets to close out the series