Roman Roy isn’t really known for being the kindest character on HBO’s Succession, so it comes as no surprise that his collection of shady and brilliant burns is quite extensive. He is an objectively weird man, and his lines inspire both awe and utter confusion, both in the fans and his siblings.
Evolving from a spoiled manchild to a rather sad character in the course of 3 seasons, Roman has firmly established himself as one of the most savage characters on the show. His withering insults are a testimony to not only his wit but also to Roman’s inherent cynicism and distrust of others.
When Roman Has To Bring Logan Back To Reality
“Well, Kim Jong Pop, That’s Not How Things Work In This Country”
Logan’s never-ending ambitions are particularly well illustrated in season 1 by his desire to buy out the majority of the local stations and achieve complete monopoly over the news media industry. Roman, in a rare bout of rationality, uses the above iconic line as an attempt to bring his father back to reality and remind him of the consequences of his plans.
Roman spends most of seasons 1 and 2 being afraid to stand in opposition to his father, and this moment marks one of the few moments when he tries to put his foot down. It also shows Roman’s similar trait of delivering shady burns just like Logan.
When Roman Takes A Jab At Frank After Kendall’s First Coup Attempt
“Frank! It Hasn’t Been The Same Without You… It’s Been Better”
Kendall’s belief that he can run Waystar and his failed conspiracy for a vote of no confidence have pretty dire consequences on those who tried to help him, especially Frank. His part in the coup attempt paints him in a truly bad light in the eyes of the Roy family, and his return isn’t seen as an occasion for joy. Roman’s biting remarks seem to convey all of the disdain that Logan and his team feel for the “traitor.”
However, what Roman forgets (or perhaps deliberately tries to downplay) is his own involvement in the vote of no confidence plan, and it’s quite appropriate that he’s the one to attack Frank the hardest since he has the most to lose from his already disadvantaged cornered dog position.
When Roman Has To Remind Rhea Who She Works For
“Waystar Royco? We Do Rollercoasters And Hate Speech.”
Rhea is less morally corrupt than other characters on Succession, and it’s not that surprising that it took her some time to fully grasp the extent of corruption and pure maliciousness in the Roy empire. Her almost naive at times point of view on Logan made her blind to the true nature of the family and the lengths they’re willing to go to.
Roman’s timely remark about the actual priorities of Waystar is a rare gem of self-awareness, and even though it’s quite pointed, it somehow hits the bullseye on a completely different level.
When Roman Sees Kendall For The First Time Since The Fallout
“Oh, Here He Comes, The Attention W***e.”
It is no secret that Kendall’s actions in the finale of season 2 had a devastating ripple effect that lasted throughout season 3. Roman was one of the first people to point out that what his older brother did might be motivated not only by an altruistic desire for justice but also from a place of insecurity.
Roman knows Kendall quite well, and he knows which buttons to push in order to deal maximum damage. His burns towards his brother are often his most savage ones, as the Roy siblings’ worst fights are always about the company.
When Roman Is Trying To Make Sense Of Soccer
“Scottish Kicky-ball? It Looks Like Two Eunuchs Trying To F*** A Letterbox.”
In a sense, this is a burn that Roman inflicts on himself. In his strive for his father’s approval, he decides to buy Logan’s favorite soccer team and fails miserably. His utter lack of understanding when it comes to soccer as a sport shines through in his snappy line about Scottish soccer.
Roman is immature and often lashes out when he knows he’s failing at a task, so it’s not all that surprising that his snapping is at a very high level when he’s high-strung about his father liking his present (spoiler, he doesn’t).
When Roman Acknowledges How Cunning Gerri Is
“Lady Macbeth, Getting Your Little… Screwdriver In.”
Succession loves a bit of Shakespearean drama and often tries to adapt the Bard’s eternally relevant dramas, so the reference to Lady Macbeth (present for other characters like Shiv as well) is quite on point. When Gerri decides to propose stoking the old animosity between Logan and his brother Ewan in order to distract the Waystar patriarch, Roman aptly calls her Lady Macbeth.
His fascination with Gerri begins early on, and it’s obvious from his rather snappy yet admiring line here. He likes her ruthlessness, although it’s her cold-blooded nature that ends up dealing the last blow on Roman in the season 3 finale.
When Roman Makes Fun Of The Vice-President
“It’s Like He’s A Cartoon Bear And There’s Always A Picnic Hamper Nearby.”
The third season of the series didn’t miss out on some good old political satire, and Roman’s hilarious one-liners about each prospective presidential candidate were the highlight. Leaning heavily into political criticism, the show exposes the ugly sides of presidential politics, and Roman is, like always, the mouthpiece spewing mocking remarks.
Roman’s disdain for the Vice President is not a secret, and his line about him being a cartoon bear conveys that attitude quite clearly. Interestingly, he doesn’t seem to lean to any side all that severely, often playing both sides like a true Roy.
When Roman Takes A Dig At Shiv’s Dancing Skills
“Dance Of The Sugar Plumb Failure.”
In season 3, a shocked Roman (and viewers) witnessed Shiv’s cringy dance floor meltdown at Kendall’s birthday party. He isn’t the kind of guy who would sit down silently and never say a word about his sister’s disastrous dance skills, and his allusion to the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from The Nutcracker is a multi-layered burn on its own.
Roman is an objectively weird Succession character and his relationship with his sister is volatile, borderline creepy, and complicated, but at the end of season 3, he seems to be on the road to recovery as he and his siblings now share a common enemy — their own father. Perhaps next season, Roman’s shade efforts will be focused mostly on Logan.
When Roman And Kendall Are Fighting While Logan Is In Hospital
“I Think What He Meant To Say Is He Wished Mom Gave Birth To A Can Opener, Because At Least Then It Would Be Useful”
In what is possibly one of the most memorable and savage lines of the show, Roman snaps at Kendall while the siblings are all trying to make sense of the situation. Logan is in a hospital bed, unconscious, and in typical Succession fashion, the Roys are fighting for dominance of the company right next to him.
Roman and Kendall have a pretty complicated relationship, and they often attack each other verbally, but they appear to love each other nonetheless. Roman’s witty insults are almost necessary to keep his older brother’s ego in check, which is an admittedly difficult task. He isn’t a good person (none of them really are) but his burns are always some of the more entertaining and lighthearted parts of the show.
