WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Succession’s series finale!Succession’s series finale gives brutal endings to each of the Roy siblings, with the deeper meanings of Kendall, Roman, and Shiv’s final scenes brilliantly concluding their story arcs. After spending four seasons showcasing the backstabbing, betrayals, and often-changing loyalties of the Roy family in the battle to become Logan’s successor at Waystar Royco, Succession’s series finale ends with unexpected fates for its main characters. Not only do the Roy siblings Kendall, Roman, and Shiv lose the fight for Waystar Royco’s CEO, but they also shatter their relationships beyond repair and give up any control over their father’s company in Succession’s final moments.
After Shiv votes ‘yes’ on the GoJo deal, Succession’s series ends with Lukas Matsson taking control of Waystar, Shiv’s husband Tom Wambsgans becoming CEO, and Shiv, Kendall, and Roman walking away richer than they could ever imagine but without any stake in their family company. In their defeated final Succession scenes, Kendall solemnly walks to the riverside with his bodyguard in tow, Roman orders Gerri’s signature drink and softly smiles to himself, and Shiv unhappily places her hand in Tom’s as they drive away together. Whether Succession’s series finale actually had any “winners” is up to interpretation, but Kendall, Roman, and Shiv’s last scenes represent how their brutal pursuit of power and entitlement have left them irrevocably damaged – and all for nothing.
Kendall’s Final Scene In Succession Shows How Powerless He Is Now
Water imagery has long been tied to Kendall Roy’s character in Succession, so it was fitting that his story would conclude as he stares out over the river, assessing his defeat and wondering what happens next. Actually immersing himself in the water has been a source of power, serving as a location where Kendall often feels more assured and at peace. For better or worse, the water is where Kendall is reborn in Succession, whether it be covering up the waiter’s death in season 1, nearly drowning in a pool in season 3, or happily floating face-up in the ocean in Succession season 4, episode 6’s ending. Even just moments before losing his life’s dream of succeeding his father, Kendall is pouring water for the other members of the board.
A rail and his bodyguard keep Kendall from reaching the river in his final scene, symbolizing the barriers that keep him from obtaining his power and “winning” in Succession. Just as Kendall is unable to reach the water, his final scene in Succession represents how powerless he is after losing the CEO title and any control over Waystar. Barriers will continue to stand in the way of that power, and now Jeremy Strong’s Kendall Roy is forever stuck on the outside looking in, longing for the title he’ll never have as he loses to Logan yet another time. Considering how many times Kendall nearly lost his life in the symbolic and literal water, losing the company may have actually been what saved him in Succession‘s ending.
Roman’s Final Scene Shows How He Got A Happy Ending In Succession
Compared to his siblings, Kieran Culkin’s Roman Roy has a relatively happy ending in Succession. Roman is essentially back to where he started in Succession’s pilot, but he no longer has to pretend he’s interested in climbing the corporate ladder or attaining a position of ultimate power to impress his father or other influential figures like Gerri. Roman no longer has to grapple with the pain and sense of failure that he’s not competent enough to be the CEO of Waystar, even though he wishes he could be for the sake of his father’s pride and his own ego. Ultimately, Succession‘s four seasons were just a wild chapter in Roman’s life, not the devastating end of his life’s dream or a brutal loss of power and dignity like Kendall and Shiv.
Roman was at his happiest when he was able to mess around without facing consequences, please his father when needed, and embody the reputation of a careless billionaire. If Succession season 5 happened, it would have shown that Roman was finally back to where he truly wanted to be, albeit without Logan. He never wanted to become CEO in Succession’s ending, and by giving up control of Logan’s company, he no longer has to pretend. Roman’s bittersweet final scene of ordering Gerri’s martini while wearing the scar on his face symbolizes that he has come around full circle, but has a few more bruises than before after his father’s death and his siblings’ unsalvageable relationship. In the end, Roman celebrates his freedom while thinking of Gerri, who has had the greatest impact on his story over the past four seasons next to Logan.
Shiv’s Final Succession Scene Flips Her & Tom’s Entire Marriage
Shiv’s final scene in Succession can be interpreted in many different ways, some of which indicate that she still “won” while others assess that she’s resigning herself to become her mother – the unhappy wife of a CEO. Rather than having the power herself, Shiv is unhappily standing behind Tom while holding on to a morsel of power and influence she may have as his wife and the mother of his child. Tom becoming CEO certainly doesn’t mean he wins in Succession, as he still kneels to Waystar’s new owner as Matsson’s “pain sponge.” But, he does have a say in how the company is run and the illusion of power, which is enough for Shiv to maintain slight influence.
Shiv and Tom are not an unbreakable team in the end, as indicated by Succession’s final shot of the characters. While Shiv places her hand on Tom’s, there’s no sense of affection or unity as their fingers fail to interlock. Rather, they’re back where they started in a loveless marriage but a flipped power dynamic. Shiv always maintained the upper hand through her name, money, and power as Logan Roy’s only daughter, whereas Tom had been scraping his way through the company and using Shiv’s name to hoist him up higher. Now, after Shiv loses control of Waystar in Succession’s finale, Tom is the one with the upper hand who Shiv must keep around to hold onto any power in this realm.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
