If there is one thing Succession does perfectly (aside from perfectly delivering Greg pun after Greg pun), it is building the tension until you are having to pause the episode to compose yourself. The finale was the accumulation of season two's overarching issue – the cruise ship scandal going public and the ensuing fall out – and gave Logan Roy the deciding vote on which of his Waystar Royco family would be the sacrificial lamb to take to fall for the cruise cover up – so what exactly happened? Find out here…
If there is one thing Succession does perfectly, it is building the tension to the point where you just HAVE to pause the episode to compose yourself - and Monday's finale was no different. The final episode of season two was the accumulation of the fall out from the cruise ship scandal, which forced Logan Roy to decide which of his Waystar Royco family would be the sacrificial lamb to take to fall for the cover up – so what exactly happened? Find out here…
Before we begin, a little bit of context. While season one hinted at the Roy family's conglomerate covering up a number of sexual assaults and disappearances aboard their cruise ship lines, in season two the plot came into full fruition when it became public; forcing Logan to choose a "blood sacrifice" so that the major shareholders wouldn't pull out of the company and effectively destroy the Roy family's control of it.
The prospect of choosing one of the main players to take fall for the company resulted in perhaps one of the most excruciating breakfasts of all time, with candidates for the fall throwing out names while defending themselves. Also, a glimpse of Logan's own musings teased that Gerri, Cyd, Frank, Ray and Karl were all among potential contenders to take the fall. After a potentially marriage ending suggestion that Tom (along with a Greg sprinkles) takes the fall, Shiv has a frank conversation with her father where she asks him not to make Tom the scapegoat, and leaving Logan with one viable option: his number one boy, Kendall Roy.
After Kendall accepted he would have to take the downfall for the whole debacle, telling his father that he "deserves it" before asking Logan is he ever thought he'd be able to be the CEO of the company, Logan replies, telling him that he doesn't have the killer instinct. Kendall is bundled on a helicopter to go and make his statement to the press, looking very much like a dead man walking. Even Greg goes with him to make sure he doesn't "throw himself out of a window" on the way there. Or so we thought.
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In a twist that will surely go down in television history, as Kendall goes to read out his prepared statement, he instead switches the table – showing his "killer instinct" for the first time, and blames his father for everything; the pay offs, the cover ups, and being basically being an all-round terrible person. He also has proof as Greg has come through for his cousin and provided the last scraps of evidence that he managed to save from Tom attempting to burn it all. As Kendall demands his father's head on a platter, Logan looks on with something that resembles pride. Cue jaw drop.
Fans were quick to discuss the incredible finale, with one writing: "Of course Cousin Greg was going to help Kendall. Kendall was never a complete [expletive] to Greg like Shiv, Tom, and Roman. Kendall even loaned Greg his apartment to live in to help him out. Greg is the only fam Kendall trust." Another added: "Kendall and Greg?!?! Now that’s what I call a killer!! Hell to the yes BOI," while a third tweeted: "Applause and standing ovation even though I’m watching by myself. That’s how you do a season finale."
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Others pointed out that Logan must have been aware what Kendall was going to do by suggesting he needed a killer instinct, with one fan tweeting: "That was a total test! Roman and Shiv failed! Logan needed a real killer!" Another added: "Killer season finale for #SuccessionHBO Logan HAD to know Kendall was gonna do that. My take: he knew the shareholders were gonna vote him out so he had Ken make the statement, then they work together behind the scenes. Cannot WAIT for Season 3. This show is so so good."
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