‘Succession’ S4E9 Power Rankings: Fall of the Roman Empire

Roman capitulates under pressure. Shiv makes her move to put herself in prime position heading into the finale. Kendall prepares for a last stand.

1. Siobhan Roy

And there it is. After spending so long in her brothers’ shadows, Shiv brought the fight straight to their doorstep. She managed to convince Matsson to take her advice on the GoJo numbers, and it worked. Buoyed by such a big win, she sells Matsson on the idea of a US CEO. They then take that proposal to Mencken, who is more inclined to do business with Matsson than he is with the Roy brothers. Shiv literally took her brothers’ trump card. She heads into the finale with all the momentum, but there are a couple major risks that remain. The boardroom fight is one of them, but the one that has lingered all season is Matsson’s commitment to her.

2. Lukas Matsson

I was tempted to give Matsson top spot, but I think Shiv did more to deserve it this episode. After getting the GoJo numbers out with minimal blowback and gaining Mencken’s support, Matsson is in a really strong position to complete the takeover. Shiv’s been doing all the dirty work for him, and I find it possible, if not likely, that he ditches her after she loses her leverage, much like Mencken did to her brothers. At that point, it would be too late for her to salvage any sort of position, and she would have guaranteed the same of her siblings. It’s all too easy. Kendall’s last stand is the only thing standing in his way now.

3. Kendall Roy

Kendall has tried so hard to keep hold of Waystar, but the walls are closing in. I give him credit for recognizing the shift in the playing field and quickly readjusting. With that said, there are no more plays left. He and Roman put it all on Mencken, and Mencken turned. His last chance is to somehow convince the board that he can lead them to a far more profitable future. It’s the Hail Mary play, and it’s very much do-or-die. It ends where it began for Kendall. For his sake, hopefully the outcome is different this time around.

4. Roman Roy

Roman’s breakdown came at the worst possible time. It all but eliminates his chances of winning it all himself. Furthermore, it reduces the already-slim chances of staving off the GoJo acquisition. Roman needs to throw everything behind Kendall and hope that there is an opening for him in the future. He absolutely has to be aligned with Kendall if they are to keep hold of the company. GoJo is the immediate threat that must be dealt with, otherwise there will be nothing left to fight for.