The ‘Succession’ Finale

How Succession perfected its arc.

The best show ever made has devastatingly come to an end. I was so anxious about how it would land, even having such great faith in Jesse Armstrong and the writers. All I wanted was a successor to be named and whoever it was, for it to make sense and serve the tragedy. So, that meant Greg was never a contender. Thank God.  

Tom Wambsgans becomes US CEO after Gojo officially acquires Waystar. The position was originally set for Shiv Roy to assume, however was appointed to Tom at the eleventh hour due to Lukas Mattson (Gojo’s founder/CEO) having issues with Shiv’s hands on approach. Put simply, his male ego got in the way. Tom’s destiny to surpass the three children and become successor was determined from day one. his surname “Wambsgans” is a very rare German name, alluding to Bill Wambsganss, a 20th century American baseballer. He is known for completing the only unassisted triple play in World Series history (the finale of baseball), taking out three players simultaneously to earn victory. This Tik Tok breaks it down perfectly.

It also follows the character arc of Albany from King Lear, an outsider who married one of the King’s daughters and eventually ruled the kingdom.

Tom Wambsgans posing with Lukas Mattson and The Board as Gojo’s US CEO
Credit: HBO

And this is exactly how it goes in the Succession finale. Tom is essentially on his own: Logan is dead, the board is indifferent (or hates him i.e., Karl and Frank), Kendall and Roman loathe him after what he did in the Season 3 finale, and Shiv is telling everyone he will be fired once Gojo acquires Waystar. Yet somehow, whether it be his impressive work ethic during the election, to the point where he misses Logan’s funeral, or his submissive and people-pleasing nature, he manages to impress Lukas and stick the landing as US CEO.

So, where does that leave the rest of them?

Kendall Roy is one of television’s most tragic and depressing characters, and the end to his story is no exception. He obliterates the final chance he has of having a relationship with his siblings and assuming the throne by denying he killed the young waiter in Season 1. He says he “made it up”. There was no coming back from that.

Kendall was born into his regal lifestyle and was promised at 7 years old that he’d be given the company. This is a deadly combo - not being worldly enough and being ultra-privileged and entitled your whole life, failing to realise you are only in the room because of nepotism. That, and your father is a textbook narcissist, abuser and pathological liar. Put together, you have an incredibly false idea of yourself and your abilities, while equally doubting every move, thought and instinct, as the person you love most never showed love. Each season, he attempts to manoeuvre and twist his way into becoming CEO, and is so close but always just painfully misses out. As much as he wants it to be so, he is not his father. He doesn’t know how to cope when things go awry, he thinks he’s smarter than he is, and he has never developed the skills that someone, like his father, not born into a position of immense wealth and privilege, would have. Marcia said it best: Logan made them a whole playground and they think it’s the whole world. Kendall’s sad little face in the finale scene, staring at the sun with his dad’s former body guard, Colin, sums it up so well: he makes one last attempt to be his father with Colin tailing him, but his surrendering to the water and the sunset demonstrates an understanding. It’s over for him, and his self-appointed prophecy of succeeding his father goes down with the sunset.

Kendall Roy looking at the water and sunset in the closing scene, with Colin standing closely by.
Credit: HBO

Shiv Roy wanted to be her father, but ultimately ended up being her mother. A woman who has been so manipulated and neglected by both her parents, that she schemes and self-sabotages to obtain a false sense of control. “The poison drips through,” as Kendall says in Season 4 Episode 8.

At the end, she couldn’t stomach seeing her older brother becoming successor. This could be rooted in sibling rivalry, hunger for power as she wanted the role for herself or a sincere realisation that Kendall is incapable. But Shiv’s season-long instinct that her brothers would push her out of ever becoming CEO served her correctly, therefore she goes with the next safest option: Tom.

The final scene of them together with in the car is brilliant. Tom holding out his hand for Shiv to hold, but she only gently half holds it on top. This can mean two things: she is unsure if she wants to commit (what’s new?), and that she has the upper hand. However, Tom’s hand, while underneath, is facing up. Who’s got the power now? It tells us everything and nothing.

Shiv and Tom sit quietly in the car after Tom’s appointment.
Credit: HBO

And finally, we have Roman: the broken puppy that keeps yearning for his master’s affection. Roman, from the beginning, was never fit to be successor. He is outrageously crude and inappropriate, takes nothing seriously, and has severe mummy and daddy issues. This is a man who replies with “is it mine?” when his sister announces she’s pregnant. This is not CEO material. The jokes wear off, however, when he has a meltdown at Logan’s televised funeral, and we see how quickly his facade of clownery and humour crumbles, along with any chance of becoming CEO. He is nothing more than a little boy who wants his father’s love, a love in the form of physical violence and abuse. After the funeral, he is so distraught that he goes right into the thick of the post-election protests, and gets beaten up to the point of needing stitches. This is how much he misses his father.

One of the most unsettling scenes of the entire series was when right before the board meeting to appoint Kendall as CEO, Roman wonders why he isn’t he successor. Why is it Kendall? Kendall brings Roman in to what seemingly is a hug and kissing his forehead, but presses Roman’s head into his shoulder so hard that it pops his stitches. It felt as though Roman wanted this. Was it Kendall’s way of attempting to be his father by conflating love with violence? A signal to Roman that he can relinquish control of his long-held pipe dream of becoming the boss? Roman especially is too tortured and stunted to become CEO and in brutal corporate business generally, and is there simply for no other reason than that he was born into it. How we see Roman end is bittersweet - he is pouring his true love Gerri’s favourite drink, a martini, in a bar alone. He smiles tentatively, quickly followed by a sobering look. He experiences the first taste of freedom of his whole life - he is freed from the doom of his father’s cycle of abuse and his company. But at what cost? He is alone, estranged from his siblings and has burned every bridge. Is he free or abandoned? Alone or lonely? Calm or unnerved?

Roman sits in a bar alone after the board meeting, drinking a martini.
Credit: HBO

After the several years of subservience and unhappiness, Tom Wambsgans, with the help of his sidekick Greg, comes out on top. As much as I am a Shiv apologist, I’m happy with this outcome. Tom played his cards right and is sitting at the head of the table. However, what makes Succession so tragic and satisfying, is that no one wins. Not even tom. He is ultimately Mattson’s puppet. The Roy siblings are, for now, estranged and on their own. The cycle of abuse undoubtedly remains. But Succession was never about happy endings, which ironically makes me happy about this ending. It has been an absolutely pleasure and privilege to watch Succession. So, goodbye to this dear, dear world of a show.

Kendall, Shiv and Roman in the Bahamas in the season finale.
Credit: HBO