Succession Season 4, Episode 10: Power Rankings
Well, that was fucking haunting.
Succession has delivered one of the best finales I’ve seen in a long time. It’s kind of insane how anticlimactic the ending felt, but that’s also what made it so real.
What I particularly enjoyed about the series finale is that the main characters’ final moments onscreen echoed the patterns they’ve established throughout the show: Shiv impulsively switching sides, Roman alternating between sobbing like a child and hurling the most vicious insults known to mankind, and Ken having a mental breakdown by the nearest body of water.
#7: KENDALL
It’s not a good day for team Kendall. Although, like his siblings, he’s walking away from this deal with billions, Ken has effectively lost his life’s purpose – unlike Rome/Shiv, Ken has been working towards this goal for his entire life, professional and otherwise.
Given the number of times we saw Ken traipsing around various ominous bodies of water this episode — we know he has a mixed history with water — it’s a wonder he made it out alive! I’m sure I’m not the only one who thought he was about to get lost at sea while Shiv and Rome were (maybe) joking about killing him.
Kendall promises that, with him as CEO, his siblings will be involved. Ten seconds later, we see him with his feet up in Logan’s office completely ignoring Shiv/Rome as he chats with Stewy about a potential chair position. He pissed off Shiv, and we know an angry Shiv is an impulsive Shiv.
Incredibly disturbing scene with Kendall and Rome, as we watch Kendall use physical pain and humiliation – AKA Rome’s aphrodisiacs – to keep his baby brother in line and get him to the vote. It’s a moment where we really see the evil, manipulative Logan come out in Kendall, and that makes it clear that Kendall probably is the most reasonable successor out of the Roy kids.
It’s also ironic and sad that Kendall is pushed to do despicable things — killing someone, physically hurting his brother, betraying his family multiple times — all in the quest of getting to be king, and Tom swoops in to elegantly take it from him.
Note again that Ken does consistently take the time to greet non-rich people (“Hey Portia” to one of Caroline’s many staff members, and a nice little “how are you” to Colin”). Definitely not saying that this makes Ken a good guy, but just an example that these characters are multifaceted.
It’s funny how when you think about it, Kendall has been pushing the same narrative for 4 seasons. Him on top and his siblings doing something somewhere in the company, but most definitely very much beneath him. Yes, he has softened up towards the end and conceded that others could have been CEOs too, but he can never persuade the siblings.
The kitchen crowning scene was sad and funny. Kendall plays pretend king in the pretend world that all of them have lived in for all of their lives. But this kitchen was just a kitchen and not the real world.
This is the way the Roys have always operated. Their career goals have always been so intensely intertwined with their childhood traumas and interpersonal bullshit, that they honestly think that drinking a disgusting smoothie is akin to truly getting on the same page about the most important board meeting of their lives.
#6: ROMAN
Before the show started, Rome was out slaying the day away as a trust fund playboy type. Although he’s lost spectacularly here, I do think it’s possible that he’ll be able to write off the past few years and get back to his old life pretty soon, unlike Kendall who will probably spend the rest of his days melancholically gazing at the Hudson.
Ken’s comment to Rome about how it’s not a bad thing that he’s so emotional — “Maybe you’re well adjusted and I’m just a business psycho” — is SO insulting and such a fake compliment lmao. It’s like visiting someone who lives in Pittsburgh and saying “Wow, people are so simple and happy here!”
Especially since it’s fairly clear from Rome’s various antics (for example, burying his stitches in Kendall’s shoulder for the thrill of the pain…) that he is nowhere near well-adjusted lmao.
I’m sure Shiv will be the target of some scorn for voting for the Gojo acquisition; but note how, once it’s out in the open, Rome essentially ends up hopping on her bandwagon (with some unsavory comments about Ken’s kids, one might add). Again, it completely tracks that Rome would wait for Shiv to speak out against Kendall and then jump on her side. Spine made of GELATIN (he’s just like me fr fr).
Roman’s line about Kendall’s kids (“one is a buy-in, the other is half Rava, half some guy) was incredibly unkind, but that’s Rome. He has the MOST shit to say even though he’s the most sensitive person on the planet. Like, the finale literally begins with you running to your mother to hide from Kendall and you have the audacity to tell Kendall he has no kids? I swear…
Roman flip-flops again. In his last attempt to cling to some power, he tells Kendall that he sees no reason why he can’t be CEO. Then, ten seconds later, he is having a brilliant moment of introspection. Shiv storms out of the room, the world is collapsing around Rome and Ken, and Rome finally admits that they are all bullshit. It’s almost as if for the first time in his life he has truly shaken off the emotional shackles of the Waystar legacy. He literally doesn’t need to chase this! Nice time to call Connor for a catch-up sesh.
ncG1vNJzZmiekaCys7vToaKoZqOqr7TAwJyiZ5ufonyxe9Kumpydo6i2sLqMrJyaq5%2BjenV5xKmgrKeUmnpyfIypprCdog%3D%3D