The most important scene in Succession’s finale was also its most relatable

Patrick McCarry

From zero to 60 in no time.

“Can I have a moment, please? Just f*** off, I just need a… moment.” If only Kendall Roy had listened to his sister, Shiv.

Watching the Succession finale – and there are spoilers below if you have not yet watched it – was so relatable for me, and many, many other viewers. Anyone that has ever sparred with their siblings will have seen where this could end up.

Saying that, many of my fights with my siblings [I have four great sisters] over the years did not involve denying a hefty role in a waiter’s death, the “bloodline” of children being questioned, multi billion dollar deals or someone looking to gouge out the other’s eyes. Still, those of us lucky to grow up with brothers and sisters will recognise how Kendall blew his big chance to take over Waystar Royco.

The most important scene in the Succession finale, With Open Eyes, arrives in the boardroom for a crucial vote on the future of the company. Lukas Matsson, it turns out, is not playing a sly, genius game. He is simply looking for an American lackey and trying to push through the buy-out before everyone realises a second India has not emerged from the Bay of Bengal overnight.

By this stage, late in the piece, Shiv, Roman and Kendall Roy are back batting for the same team. They are confident they have the votes to block the Matsson takeover but Shiv balks at the last moment. She is simply unable to watch her big brother win another big one, again.

Shiv Roy pictured during the boardroom scene. (Credit: HBO)

From ‘Meal fit for a King’ to stealing the throne

Just the night before, a hop, skip and private jet haul away in the Caribbean, the Roy sibs had looked to set their differences aside for the umpteenth time.

Sure, there was talk of killing Kendall to save everyone the hassle and half-baked brainwaves, but everyone was merry on rum punch. If you watched Succession long enough, you just knew that scene of the Roy kids having a great time as Kendall was made a ‘meal fit for a king’ would be followed soon after by a rusty knife plunged into an unsuspecting back.

Kendall was within touching distance of going from interim CEO to the big bossman of Waystar but Shiv looked upon the scene and yanked out the plug.

So followed that office scene where Kendall needed his top, Living + form to pull this one out of the fire. He stalked into the room with Roman on his side. All he needed to do was remain calm and try talk his sister back in. He was the man to lead the way, Kendall was convinced, but he tanked it when it really mattered.

Anyone that has got into a slanging match with a brother or sister will recognise how it can quickly go south. In fairness to Kendall, he gives it the old college try for 30 seconds before getting rebuffed and resorting to:

“But, Shiv, it’s so f**king crazy not to just let me try, now. It’s stupid.”

Crazy and stupid. Once those words were uttered, the gloves were off and Shiv came back swinging, twice telling Kendall he does not have what it takes. That prompts a tirade from Kendall but Roman is still on his side. “Can you just go in that room, Shiv? Can you just vote.”

Backed into a corner, Shiv counters with, “You can’t be CEO because you killed someone.”

Kendall confessed to his role in the accidental death of a waiter at Shiv’s wedding, back at the end of season three. It was a moment a pure, unfiltered sharing and anguish – Kendall at his lowest.

Rather than own it again, his rash decision to deny it is classic Logan Roy – No Real Person Involved. That turns Roman against him and the scene deteriorates at a rate of queasy knots.

Siblings can cut close to the bone and say the nastiest of things in the most flippant of manners. Then go turn the kettle on and make that same brother or sister a cup of tea. It’s bonkers but it is also so many families we grew up in.

Kendall Roy lets it all sink in. (Credit: HBO)

Will Kendall Roy and his siblings reconcile?

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong did not dole out many happy endings in this tale that leaned upon a few central, Shakespearian pillars of tragedy. The show takes the exit ramp with no character having any true sense of closure of realisation. Everyone carries on as life carries on around them.

For Armstrong, the passing of Kendall’s father and his failed grasp for power ‘will never stop being the central event of his life’.

“Maybe he could go on and start a company, or do a thing,” Armstrong mused, “but the chances of him achieving the sort of corporate status that his dad achieved are very low. And I think that will mark his whole life.”

The GoJo takeover of Waystar Royco is complete and Lukas Matsson has the servile Tom Wambsgans as his American CEO. Shiv is still part of a huge power couple but Tom has won his own personal race to the top. He can order as much deep-fried songbird as he likes.

The Roy siblings will all get a massive chunk of cash from Matsson move but will the Roy siblings ever be reconciled?

For Connor Roy, life breezes on by and he is probably hoping to steer clear over as US Ambassador to Slovenia for a while. Kendall and Roman will be back together soon, incredulous as Shiv and Tom try to deal with Matsson tearing their dad’s company to shreds and selling it for parts. Roman said some horrible stuff about Sophie and Iverson, Kendall’s children, but he can put that down to post-grieving grief.

Kendall and Shiv? In time they too will be back throwing barbs at each other and slagging the other siblings behind their backs. Brothers and sisters are resilient when in each other’s company. It is a coping mechanism.