In a thrilling 90-minute finale, Succession crowned Matthew Macfadyen’s Tom Wambsgans as the new CEO of Waystar Royco, dethroning the Roy siblings from their perceived birthright. Tom’s ascension to the top was thanks to his estranged wife, Sarah Snook’s Shiv, who made a last-minute decision to vote against her brother, Kendall, played by Jeremy Strong.
The series finale saw a desperate Kendall trying to secure enough votes to win back the company he believes is his by birth. With a wavering Roman (Kieran Culkin) and a returning Arian Moayed’s Stewy by his side, it seemed Kendall might just pull it off. However, upon discovering that Alexander Skarsgard’s Lukas Matsson was only using her and planning to name Tom as Waystar’s American CEO after the Gojo deal, Shiv had a change of heart.
In a dramatic turn of events, Shiv walked out of the climactic board meeting just before casting her crucial vote. When she returned, she made it clear that she could not support Kendall, citing his involvement in a fatal accident as her reason. Her revelation was a reference to Kendall’s season one Chappaquiddick moment, which he had confessed to his siblings at the end of season three.
Kendall’s attempt to save himself by claiming he lied about the waiter’s death backfired, convincing Roman and Shiv that he could not be trusted. Despite Kendall’s desperate pleas, Shiv sided with Tom, effectively sealing Kendall’s fate.
As the series concluded, the characters were left contemplating their misery. Roman sat alone nursing a drink, Shiv and Tom held hands while looking in opposite directions, and Kendall, a tragic figure, stood at the edge of Battery Park, his future uncertain.
The finale served as a reminder that no matter the outcome, the characters in Succession are seemingly destined for misery. The new sheriff in town, Tom Wambsgans, may have outmaneuvered the Roy siblings, but whether his reign will bring any happiness remains to be seen.
