What Succession Teaches Us About Power

You're My Pal thank you you're my best pal thank you after meeting thousands of people in an 82-year life accumulating vast wealth and rising to one of the world's most powerful positions Logan Roy decides that Colin a mostly one-dimensional yes man is his best and most likely only friend waystar CEO a position that is prized and worshiped by nearly every character in the show seems like a life sentence of loneliness so why do they all want it I mean what are people right what are people like their economic units I'm 100 feet tall these people are pigments with these words it becomes clear why Logan is so lonely he looks at people in terms of their strategic value everyone from presidents of the United States to his own children are but pawns that can be bought blackmailed and manipulated into doing what he wants this has worked very well for him and he has been able to cling onto his position at the top for an unprecedentedly long time fighting off countless attempts to Dethrone him but what is there to show for it the man has thrown away every chance of having a truly loving relationship do you think there's anything afterwards afterwards I don't know I don't think so for a brief moment he seems to feel the utter emptiness of the realization that despite everything he has achieved he is so alone at the end of his life that his closest relationship is with his own Bodyguard the only person that doesn't want anything from him each character from Senior Management to Logan's own children can see how miserable Logan's situation is it's a [ __ ] horrible job that clearly kills you so you'd think that they would put all their efforts into selling waystar and leaving behind all the toxicity and stress of managing a debt-ridden multinational conglomerates but the prospect of a golden parachute just doesn't excite them instead they remain inexplicably intent on getting that top job replacing Logan as leader of one of the world's largest companies [Music] through Logan we see that power is a poison chalice isolating him from meaningful relationships and leaving him utterly alone at the end of his life maybe this was the plan all along a sacrifice in pursuit of the greater good maybe he wanted what was best for his family and was selflessly dedicated to a lonely yet noble cause a cause that would see his bloodline inherit a vast fortune and a thriving business effectively guaranteeing a lifetime of stability for his children and his children's children you'll get enough to do whatever you want I do ATM you do peers be a fresh start for others we'll make things better the same love and support is on occasion shared by shiv Roman and Kendall suggesting that they too want what's best for each other whilst it's clear that they struggle to express their feelings and words it may be that the only way they can truly show their Love Is by protecting their siblings within the shroud of the family business the ultimate expression of which would be through the powerful position of CEO we see them rally around this shared Vision in the wake of their dad's death by putting up a united front against the Old Guard of Senior Management to help preserve family control of waystar we move ahead us three piercedien everything this is just one of the many heartwarming moments of Brotherly and sister you love that we Glimpse throughout the series but however cozy this sense of camaraderie may be it quickly falls down in the face of personal ambition only a few hours after the kids come together to prevent a hostile takeover the scheming is in full swing Kendall immediately goes behind his brother's back and secretly requests an anonymous smear campaign targeted at their dad while shiv breaks the truce and aligns herself with Madison in the hope of getting the top job once he buys the company over and over again we see each sibling put the pursuit of power before their own family interests this is especially Stark on Election night when it becomes clear that Kendall values blocking the Madison deal Above All Else he knows that his wife and daughter feel threatened by Jared menken's brand of dog whistle politics and that this is having a very real effect on their safety in this situation you would expect any self expecting father to do everything they could to take their family out of Harm's Way But Kendall Roy isn't any old father he is a man obsessed with becoming CEO who sees Menken as a valuable asset with the power to give him full control of waystar by making the decision to call the election early in favor of Menken he quite literally puts ambition before his own family's safety so if the job at waystar doesn't lead to personal fulfillment or the advancements of common family interests why is it so desirable one explanation is that each character wants to use the position to advance their own distinct editorial Vision shiv wants ATN to swing left Roman wants it to swing right Connor wants favorable coverage of his own presidential campaign and Kendall well Kendall definitely has a lot to say when it comes to the future of waystar we can become omninational and reposition because actually we are not tied culturally or physically so so we are actually in a great position to LeapFrog Tech he uses streams of quote for jargon to sell his notion that his father is out of touch and that the company is in desperate need of a youthful makeover it's hard to tell if kandor is genuinely passionate about all of this but one thing is certain he feels like the only way to achieve this change is from the powerful position of CEO this insistence on a revolution from the top down is worth digging into because it doesn't have to be this way far from Logan's notion that life is afraid for a knife mud and that to be a CEO one must be a killer it is possible to achieve change through a system of healthy relationships and alliances where people are willing and able to cooperate in the spirit of achieving the same goal shiv Roman and Kendall have all held very prominent positions in waystar from which they could have easily built powerful packs and relationships aimed at changing the Status Quo but the siblings seldom show any desire for mutually beneficial cooperation this is because alliances are risky for one to be successful you either have to trust that the other person is willing and able to cooperate or you need to use external controls to forcibly influence their motivation and behavior without the power to Levy those external controls alliances are entirely reliant on trust this is a dad promise on yesterday yeah on yesterday on yesterday throughout succession it becomes clear that almost all characters have no appetite for the risks associated with this trust-based approach the fear of being betrayed is so pronounced that it extends far beyond the realm of waystar and into their most intimate relationships as exemplified by the marriage of shiv and Tom you're marrying a man fan of them is beneath you because you don't want to risk being betrayed you're a [ __ ] coward putting aside the foreshadowing of this comments Tom does eventually betray shiv let's take a moment to understand Logan's cutting observation shiv willingly entered a relationship that she knew was going to be unhealthy just so she could have full control it is a pretty damning indictment of your psyche if you would rather have a coercive relationship than a loving one to understand why shiv is so scared of being betrayed look no further than her relationship with her dad Logan has brutally deceived coerced and manipulated his daughters to the point that she cannot forgive him even as he lies on his deathbed take the time he promised her the position of CEO what I've decided I'd like to do is to formally ask you to come in and be the next chief executive of this company in that moment she chose to believe her father and feel the warmth of their bond only for him to rip it away in front of the entire family it's been discussed but I don't think we're quite at the point where no not anytime soon we've uh we've discussed the transition and some arrangements we won't bore you other than Logan being his manipulative self there is a deeper explanation for his actions it is possible that he genuinely wanted to install Shiva CEO just as there were many indications that he also wanted to Crown Kendall or Roman at various points throughout the series but there is always something that stops him finalizing the decision on the one hand this indecisive strategy allows him to play the kids off against each other but it also reflects the same deep-seated fear of betrayal that we see time and time again throughout the show when Jerry temporarily takes over as interim CEO Logan is terrified that she will go behind his back and employs shivers waystar's new president just to keep an eye on her my eyes and ears shift at the heart of everything through this [ __ ] storm but wearing a full and chemical and biological suit going by the name of Jerry Kellman this overriding need to always be in control probably stems from Logan's childhoods we know that he was physically abused by his uncle and that there were many moments in his early life where he had to surrender control to outside sources Ewan captures this sense of utter helplessness as he recounts how he and Logan were once hunted by U-boats after being left behind by a civilian Convoy they told us children that if we spoke or coughed or moved an inch that the U-boats would catch the vibrations through the hull and we would die in the drink right there in the hole oh this trauma manifests into a tragic heirloom that is passed on to his kids as they grow up to share the same fears as their dad whilst Logan's reneging on the promise of CEO to shiv presents an insight into the damage he can inflict it is just a taste of what he's capable of sometimes the mere threat of betrayal is enough to spell Terror in his children's Minds in Kendall's lowest moment right after he crashes his car into the lake it shift's wedding and kills one of the waiters Logan chooses to take advantage of the new leverage he has over his son comforting words and emotional warmth are only offered if Kendall backs down from his leadership bid a rich kid kills a boy you've never been in the house or you know it could be what it should be nothing at all though indirect this threat is enough to make Ken realize that no matter what his father has complete control [Music] this realization explains Kendall's Relentless quests to become CEO the grand speech is about wanting to revolutionize waystar are just window dressing for his true motivation a motivation that leads every character to seek power at all costs fear the only way to fully escape the fear of betrayal is by controlling everyone that might be a threat as Kendall slowly comes the power through the final season we see him take on more and more of his father's coercive strategies in the spirit of achieving this goal such as blackmailing Hugo into doing his dirty work and even showing strategic sympathy to his struggling younger brother in one of his lowest moments holding Roman just as Logan held him at the end of season one it is poetic then that the one who eventually takes over from Logan is not candle but someone who is actually honest about their motivations far from Kendall's jargon-filled corporate window dressing Tom CEO pitch to Madison is refreshing in its honesty I grind because I worry I worry all night about everything all the threats to to me into my my division and my physical body and I I have an excess of vigilance I think and I have a very very high tolerance for pain and physical discomfort he understands that Madsen just like all the billionaires he's been surrounded with for the past few years is motivated by these same anxieties and plays into them by demonstrating unconditional loyalty even if that means allowing his new boss to degrade his wife I want to [ __ ] her oh is this making you uncomfortable I'm sorry if it's weird no no we're men yeah but with great power comes great loneliness Tom might have allayed some of his fears of being betrayed by rising to a position that is more powerful than the president of the United States but he has followed Logan down the same path towards a miserable isolated existence Tom doesn't have many genuine relationships in his life but the two that come closest are those he shares with shiv and Greg when it comes to detaining the position of CEO he is more than happy to throw both of them under the bus he doesn't warn shiv about madsen's plan to sideline her and refuses Greg's wishes for a more prominent position at waystar effectively treating him like a piece of furniture in their last scenes together we see the same fear on both Greg and shiv's faces it is clear that they are only with Tom to preserve themselves not because they hold any particular affection towards him with a complete lack of trust-based relationships in his life Tom ends the show with no true friends or Allies just like Logan did on the flip side we see the opposite happen to Candle the eldest son has been impetuous in seeking the position of CEOs since the very beginning of the show yet in the last few moments we see a glimpse into a version of candle that is finally out of the game he looks out across the water as the sun sets on a toxic chapter in his life that has lasted since the age of seven the scene is a perfect juxtaposition with the repeated image of Kendall in the water head up or head down he has spent his whole life riding the waves of brutal corporate Intrigue right up until this quiet moment of release now he might finally be able to rebuild his life and the relationships that he tarnished on his doomed Journey to the top perhaps now he can become the father Logan never was [Music]

Channel: Jake Bishop

Views: 44,901

Keywords: logan roy, succession, succession explained, succession ending explained, succession power, succession themes, succession analysis, succession analysis season 2, kendall roy, succession hbo

Id: Dv0krUeK6Rg

Length: 15min 6sec (906 seconds)

Published: Sun Jun 04 2023