The article discusses the series finale of the Emmy-winning drama, Succession. The show’s creator, Jesse Armstrong, had the daunting task of resolving numerous character arcs and answering the question of who would succeed Logan Roy as the head of Waystar Royco. The article explores the potential outcomes for characters such as Kendall, Shiv, Tom, Roman, and Greg. Ultimately, Tom ends up as the new CEO of Waystar Royco, surprising many viewers. The article provides a summary of how the finale played out for all major characters and plot lines, but warns of major spoilers for those who have not seen the episode.
Brian Cox in ‘Succession’
Macall B. Polay/HBO
[This story contains major spoilers for the Succession series finale, “With Open Eyes.”]
Whether or not you “pre-grieved,” the time for mourning has finally arrived: Succession is over, and with it, the story of the Roys.
Heading into the 90-minute series finale, creator Jesse Armstrong’s Emmy-winning drama faced the daunting task of resolving numerous individual and interconnected character arcs, all with an eye on one major question: who will succeed Logan Roy (Brian Cox) at the head of Waystar Royco?
Entering the finale, there were numerous possible answers. Would Kendall (Jeremy Strong) embody his middle name and transform into the killer his dad always told him he’d never become? Would Shiv (Sarah Snook) become the tip of the spear for a successful GoJo deal with Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård), and where would Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) land within that?
How about Roman (Kieran Culkin), so thoroughly anguished over the death of his father that he had to walk out into an ocean of political unrest (thanks for that, Jeryd Mencken!) in order to feel something other than sheer grief? Could this story end a la Game of Thrones, with an unlikely candidate on the Iron Throne — like Greg (Nicholas Braun), as one oft-repeated theory in the Succession fandom? Which skeletons from the closet (or in Logan’s “cat food Ozymandias” tomb, as it were) would come dancing out for one last scare?
No more need to speculate on any of those questions. Ahead, here’s how the finale shook out for all the major characters and plot lines. Look away or else face down massive series-ending spoilers for “With Open Eyes,” written by Armstrong and directed by Mark Mylod.
Who Won Waystar Royco?
“Shiv, you should probably know: it’s me.”
So speaks Tom, the new presumed CEO of Waystar Royco. In a rollicking episode where the momentum passes from hand to hand more than a few times, it’s the outsider Tom Wambsgans who ends up at the head of the table.
Here’s how it happened.
The Path to the Waystar Throne
“With Open Eyes” begins the day before the board’s vote about the GoJo sale. Shiv thinks she’s…
The Succession series finale, “With Open Eyes,” has finally answered the question that has been on everyone’s minds since the beginning of the show: who will succeed Logan Roy at the head of Waystar Royco? The answer is Tom Wambsgans, played by Matthew Macfadyen.
The finale episode faced the daunting task of resolving numerous individual and interconnected character arcs. Would Kendall become the killer his father always told him he’d never become? Would Shiv become the tip of the spear for a successful GoJo deal with Lukas Matsson, and where would Tom land within that? How about Roman, who had to walk out into an ocean of political unrest to feel something other than sheer grief? Could this story end with an unlikely candidate on the Iron Throne, like Greg, as one oft-repeated theory in the Succession fandom?
The finale shook out for all the major characters and plot lines, and it was Tom who ended up at the head of the table. In a rollicking episode where the momentum passes from hand to hand more than a few times, it’s the outsider Tom who wins Waystar Royco.
The episode begins the day before the board’s vote about the GoJo sale. Shiv thinks she’s got the votes to win, but Logan has other plans. He tells her that he’s going to throw his weight behind Kendall, and she’s left reeling. Meanwhile, Kendall is spiraling out of control, and Roman is struggling to come to terms with his father’s death. Tom is the only one who seems to be keeping it together, and he’s quietly working behind the scenes to secure the votes he needs to win.
In the end, it’s Tom who comes out on top. He manages to secure the votes he needs, and he’s the one who ends up at the head of the table. It’s a surprising twist, but it’s also a fitting end to the series. Succession has always been about power, and Tom has always been an outsider looking in. Now, he’s the one with the power, and he’s the one who gets to decide what happens next.
Basically, the Succession series finale, “With Open Eyes,” has provided a satisfying end to the story of the Roys. The show has always been about power, and it’s fitting that it ends with Tom, the outsider, at the head of Waystar Royco. The show may be over, but the legacy of the Roys will live on.
