Succession has always been about shifting loyalties and betrayals, but in its fourth and final season, that element has been stretched to its absolute limit. After Logan left his children out to dry in Italy, the family was torn in two. On one side is Logan, Tom, Greg, and the ATN crew. On the other lies Kendall, Shiv, and Roman.
So far, the Roy siblings (or, as Connor aptly put it, the Rebel Alliance) have established their own new media brand, then promptly abandoned it when they saw a chance to buy out Pierce’s empire. But in Season 4 Episode 2, the foundations of every relationship are shaken, leading to a huge betrayal that could rewrite what we thought we knew.
After Connor’s rehearsal dinner, the sibs take him for a uniquely Connor night on the town, from a bar where people “sweat from their hands and have blood in their hair,” to Leonard Cohen crooning at a karaoke bar. Connor is the perfect liaison between the two factions. He’s been about unity from the start, even hosting the disastrous family therapy session back in Season 1.
Kendall leads the charge against his father, bringing up every piece of dirty laundry he can get his hands on, but Logan leaves them disappointed, calling him “not serious.” It looks like this scrap is all we’re going to get for a family reunion, but Roman drops by his dad’s place later, where Logan lays out a plan. He’s revitalizing ATN, and he needs someone ruthless to rule it. Roman could be that person.
It’s the ultimate conclusion to the unrest that’s been bubbling up since the get-go. Roman isn’t valued by his siblings, and Logan is offering him a high-profile job where he can do what he wants without having to negotiate with people who will eternally see him as the youngest sibling.
But is Roman going to go for it? The answer may lie in a previous exchange. While chatting at the bar, a frustrated Roman says, “Stop ganging up on me like you’re Lennon and McCartney, and I’m George. I’m John.” He will never be John among his siblings, but Logan is offering him the opportunity to be his own person, just as Kendall attempted in Season 3.
So what’s next for him? At this point, Cyd is out, ATN is changing, and Roman needs to get a foot in the door somewhere. This job would put him under his dad yet again, but that looks like a price he’s willing to pay. It could be a move that destroys the sibling alliance as we know it, or it could just be another power play.
One thing is for sure. If Roman takes this deal, we’ll probably get more scenes between him and Gerri. If Succession has to end, it at least needs to reunite its weirdest couple first.
