Spoilers beneath.
As Roman Roy haughtily rehearses his eulogy the morning of Logan Roy’s funeral, you’ll be able to already really feel one thing goes to go awry. In spite of everything, if Succession’s previous particular events taught us something (Shiv’s marriage ceremony, Connor’s marriage ceremony, final week’s election), the larger the occasion, the larger the catastrophe. And with Roman feeling mighty on the high after a win with future President Jeryd Mencken, the one solution to go is down.
Kendall, nevertheless, is already there, betrayed by the closest individuals to him: his ex-wife Rava is taking their kids upstate somewhat than to the funeral as a result of she deems it “unsafe,” and his trusted assistant Jess thinks it’s time for her to maneuver on to a brand new place. (Good for you, Jess!) Add that to his latest discovery that Shiv has been planning to push by way of the GoJo take care of Lukas Matsson behind his again. Because the three siblings experience to the funeral collectively, Shiv reveals to her brothers that she’s pregnant (and it’s Tom’s) after they type a “funeral truce” to make good only for today—we’ll see how lengthy that lasts. In the meantime, demonstrators begin lining the streets following Mencken’s election; some even bang on the home windows of the Roys’ automotive.
Now, a funeral isn’t sufficient to cease the Roys and their cohorts from doing enterprise. Tom continues to be at work as a result of the post-election information cycle is in overdrive. Roman tries to recruit Frank for his “posse” within the occasion that Kendall steps down and lets him helm the corporate solo. Shiv, after dealing with her mom with essentially the most awkward being pregnant reveal ever, pitches Matsson an thought to avoid her brothers’ regulatory roadblock: appoint her because the U.S. CEO and hold the brand new, xenophobic President glad. And, it’s not technically enterprise, however it’s price noting that Caroline has all of Logan’s ex-lovers (herself, Kerry, Marcia, and hi there, Sally-Anne) sit collectively within the entrance row as a last F you.
Through the service, the speeches mark a turning level. Earlier than Roman could make it to the pulpit, Logan’s brother and Greg’s grandfather Ewan wedges in to say just a few phrases about his brother. It was maybe anticipated that the extra liberal sibling would air grievances about Logan (“He has wrought essentially the most horrible issues.”) however he additionally revealed telling anecdotes from their childhood that led his kids to see him in a brand new mild. The primary is that once they had been boys, aged 4 and 5 and a half years previous, touring to America by boat throughout the struggle, they had been stranded by their ship and spent three days in useless silence for concern that they’d be found by U-boats and killed. The second is that when Logan was older, he got here house sick from boarding faculty and their child sister fell unwell with polio and died. Logan blamed himself for her demise, and their aunt and uncle, who took care of them on the time, made no effort to alleviate him of that guilt.
Roman is shattered by this revelation. When it’s his flip to talk, he can barely whisper that his father “was an ideal man” earlier than he calls his siblings ahead in a panic and breaks down of their arms. In an particularly gutting second in Kieran Culkin’s efficiency, he asks, “Is he in there?” sobbing and pointing to Logan’s casket. “Can we get him out?” Shiv and Connor consolation him whereas Kendall steps as much as communicate “the opposite facet” of their father’s legacy following Ewan’s remarks.
Kendall Roy (Jeremy Sturdy) eulogizes his father, Logan.
Whereas Kendall, who has viciously tried to take down his father previously, agrees with a few of his uncle’s criticisms, he additionally takes this second to glorify his “brute” of a father and the empire he constructed. “He made life occur,” he says, and later provides: “If we will’t match his vim, then God is aware of the long run will probably be sluggish and grey.” Cue the applause.
Shiv comes subsequent along with her personal speech, exhibiting one more facet of her father—one which terrified her and her siblings once they had been kids, additionally saying he was “laborious on girls.” (Right here, the digicam pans to Gerri and Karolina, after which to Kendall, who was harsh to Rava and Jess earlier that morning.) One can’t assist however suppose that Shiv can also be campaigning for that CEO place with this transferring public handle; she so desperately desires it she instructed Matsson she’d solely take 36 hours of maternity go away and neglect her firstborn for the gig. Sarah Snook captures Shiv’s ache and complexity as she says goodbye to her “pricey, pricey world of a father.”
However phrase spreads rapidly. On the finish of the service, Hugo fills Kendall in on what he simply discovered from Ebba, Matsson’s head of communications: Shiv and Matsson are planning for a U.S. CEO to convey Mencken to their facet.
Once they bury Logan at his grand mausoleum (which he gained at public sale from a “dot com pet provide man,” Connor says), Kendall tells Hugo his plans for retaliation: leak to the media that Matsson’s acquisition doesn’t have assist of key members of the family and the board is souring on the deal. He lets Hugo in on his scheme to screw the deal over and take the Waystar crown solo, which he instructed Frank about in episode 7. Hugo could be a part of his new regime, although not as a collaborator—as his canine—however he’ll nonetheless make tens of millions. “Woof, woof,” Hugo obliges. On the reception afterwards, Kendall additionally recruits Colin, his father’s fixer and safety guard.
On the reception, everybody desires a bit of Mencken. Kendall asks when the President-elect will say one thing about regulating massive international tech to dam GoJo’s Waystar acquisition, since Roman and ATN helped get him elected. However Mencken solely says he’ll “attempt to assist,” which means his settlement with Roman isn’t as sturdy because it appeared. Greg butts in to present himself and Tom credit score for calling Mencken’s victory; then Connor interrupts to debate his potential ambassadorship to Slovenia. Shiv rescues Mencken from the swarm for some face time with Matsson.
Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård) and Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook) discuss to Jeryd Mencken (Justin Kirk).
The Swede talks up the deal and throws in Shiv’s “American CEO” card to appease the President-elect. The far-right Mencken is stunned Shiv desires to work with him. “I assumed you hated me,” he tells her. She replies, “My dad was versatile. I’m versatile.” Mencken appears hooked.
It’s at this second when Tom lastly rolls up, sleep disadvantaged. He asks Shiv, who’s defiantly consuming champagne in entrance of him, why she didn’t inform him about her being pregnant sooner. “I wasn’t positive I needed to maintain it,” she says. “Then I wasn’t positive that it was okay. However it seems, by all accounts, it’s.” As for why she hid it, Shiv sighs that “it appeared so unhappy” following her and Tom’s post-separation honeymoon section. Tom apologizes for not being on the funeral, however he makes positive to say that he was the primary one to see Logan on the airplane after he died. “So I did say goodbye to him…I did,” he says, his and Shiv’s eyes watering. As he begins to cry, Shiv suggests he return to their residence to compensate for sleep, exhibiting a short second of kindness. After he leaves, Matsson calls Shiv to say Mencken is eager about their proposal, and her want to grow to be the U.S. CEO simply may come true.
Roman can sense his sister gloating from throughout the room. Kendall comes over to inform him that they’ve misplaced their leverage with Mencken “since you fucked it.” Now, they must work collectively to battle Shiv with the board of administrators. Roman, who’s already reeling from every part at this time, doesn’t have the abdomen for the finger-pointing and scheming, however Kendall barrels on. “You fucked it. However it’s alright.”
Hitting a brand new low, Roman leaves the celebration to face the protestors outdoors, alone. Ever the masochist, he hops the fence and throws himself among the many demonstrators, exchanging insults with them and getting roughed up in his go well with as they stampede away from the police.
Within the wake of his father’s demise, Roman coped by attempting to emulate him, firing individuals left and proper in a determined show of energy and aligning with the far-right for his personal self-interest. However that strategy has exploded in his face, very similar to the rocket launch he oversaw in season 1. So the place will he go from right here? Subsequent week’s finale is shaping as much as be a unstable face-off between Kendall and Shiv. What function will Roman play within the last showdown?
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Tradition Editor at ELLE.com, the place she oversees protection on TV, films, music, books, and extra. She was beforehand an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There’s a 75 % likelihood she’s listening to Lorde proper now.