The story behind that uncomfortable Succession stitches scene between Kendall and Roman

"It could have been you."

The final episode of Succession drew up some big parallels with previous moments throughout the series and we got to see some characters for who they really are once the final credits rolled. None more so than Kendall and Roman and the complicated relationship the siblings have with each other, and their late father. That relationship is highlighted in a particularly uncomfortable scene towards the end of the episode, right before the Roys enter the voting room to face the rest of the board. Set in Logan's office, the moment really begins right as Kendall takes his father's seat for the first time, triggering a reaction in both Shiv and Roman that their brother is really out for himself and himself only. However, it's only when Roman spots Gerri through the glass window that things really start to go south. It's in that moment that Roman turns back into the cowardly mess he's been all season.

Roman and Kendall face off

Roman is a masochist, that much is true. He always someone to keep him in line. The sight of Gerri triggers the fact that he's flailing and needs someone else to take the reins, which is why he immediately starts to focus on his stitches, presenting an opportunity for Kendall to pounce.

"I feel like people are going to be like why isn't it me? You know?"

Remember, in episode eight of this season, Tailgate Party, Gerri delivers this killer line to Roman about him abandoning her at the whim of Logan - "I could've gotten you there... but no. Nope." Seeing Gerri brings that mis-step right back to the youngest Roy sibling and he falters at the thought of being in the big room when the vote goes down. While Roman really doesn't want to be CEO and never did, he wants people to know that he could. He wants people to believe that he could, just like his father told him. But the real tragedy, as the siblings figure out eventually, is that Logan told all of them that they could be CEO. He pitted them against each other from the start. While Roman babbles over his stitches preventing him from showing his face and therefore never having the chance to become CEO, Kendall turns fully into Logan and dominates his younger brother, all the while thinking he's taking care of him. By messing up Roman's head wound even further during their hug, Kendall takes the decision out of his brother's hands and proves he's the only one with the "optics" to truly take over.

"It could have been you."

It's a savage moment, one which shows the true side of Kendall - a self-serving narcissist who is looking out for nobody but himself. It's a long way from the caring brother that defending his younger sibling from his father's abuse. The abuse Roman suffered at the hands of his Logan finally comes full circle. He doesn't fight back because he feels comfort in having someone who can hurt him and keep him in check. And that suits Kendall perfectly.

The end of the road. #Succession pic.twitter.com/4aIr41lJrg

— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 29, 2023

How that scene affected the ending

Ultimately, Kendall's transformation into Logan during the office scene was enough to scare off both Shiv and Roman into voting against him. Of course, Roman piggybacked off of Shiv's initial decision to switch her allegiances, but deep down it was what he always felt. In an earlier scene, the two younger siblings discuss murdering their brother as a joke. “If we kill him, we get to go to bed. I’m tired," says Roman to Shiv. It turns out in the end they did kill him. Not literally, of course, but they killed the CEO Kendall once and for all. Nobody really wins at the end of Succession, but it's Kendall that will suffer the most after what went down. In our view, he got exactly what he deserves.

Related articles:

• Succession Power Rankings: Open Eyes
• Succession creator reveals the fate of the Roys after the final episode
• Brian Cox says Succession plot twist came 'too early'
• HBO's The Money starring Brendan Gleeson could haven been the original Succession