Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Succession season 4, episode 1!
The final season of Succession has finally started, and here’s what the ending of Succession season 4, episode 1 “The Munsters” actually means. After the explosive ending of Succession season 3, viewers have been eagerly awaiting the return of the Roy family, with the battle over who will control Waystar Royco becoming more heated than ever. Succession season 4, episode 1 unveiled a lot of new storylines that are sure to play a major role throughout the final season, with the Roy children finally waging an all-out war with their father, Logan Roy.
Succession season 4, episode 1 takes place sometime after the explosive Succession season 3 ending, with most of the episode exploring the fallout of the previous season’s huge cliffhanger. In the season 3 finale, Kendall, Roman, and Shiv attempted to use their supermajority to block Logan from allowing GoJo to buy out Waystar Royco. However, Shiv’s husband Tom tips Logan off about their plan, causing Logan to renegotiate with his wife to that his kids lose their supermajority. Now in season 4, GoJo’s acquisition is only 48 hours away, a massive PGM bidding war is occurring, and tensions within the Roy family are higher than ever.
Succession Season 4 Episode 1’s Final Scene Reveals Logan Can’t Win
Succession season 4 is taking a big risk with Logan Roy, who has been painted as the antagonist of the series. Episode 1 paints Logan as a more sympathetic character, with the Succession season 4 premiere revealing that, no matter what, Logan can’t win. While Logan still has a burning hatred for his kids, the episode highlights just how lonely he is, with Logan bemoaning over his lack of friendships. Logan has no joy, with everyone being so scared of him that they can’t even make a simple joke in his presence. Even if he wins the battle, Logan is destined to be miserable without his family.
Even Logan Roy’s passion for his business is falling apart. Although Logan says that he only thinks of people as economic units, he seems to be wondering if there is more to life than just money. The final scene of episode 1 is a quiet one compared to the rest of the episode. Logan is seen watching an ATN broadcast as he explains how much he hates it to Cyd Peach, a higher-up at ATN. However, Logan doesn’t realize that his lack of passion is what’s at fault, with him instead blaming its quality on Cyd. Despite what the past three seasons may suggest, nothing can truly make Logan happy.
What Succession Season 4, Episode 1’s Ending Scene Of Shiv & Tom Means
Tom betrayed Shiv in the Succession season 3 finale, which has understandably put a huge strain on their already failing marriage. At the start of Succession season 4, episode 1, Tom and Shiv have almost nothing to do with each other, with their only conversations being full of jabs at one another. Shiv and Tom are on two completely different sides, with Tom helping Logan and Waystar Royco fight against Shiv and her siblings. However, Tom does seem to still care about Shiv, telling Logan about his concerns regarding their marriage. This is reinforced even more by Shiv and Tom’s ending scene in episode 1.
The Succession season 4, episode 1 ending closes with Shiv returning home in order to get some clothes, only to see Tom coming out of the bedroom. The two initially throw insults at each other, continuing their pattern from the rest of the episode. However, the episode ends on a slightly sweet note, with Tom and Shiv laying on the bed together and holding hands. Even though they’re both competing and even though they know that their marriage will never work, they both still care about each other. Their marriage seems to finally be ending, with Tom and Shiv’s final lines both being “We gave it a go.”
Are The Roy Siblings Paying Too Much For PGM?
The main storyline in Succession season 4, episode 1 is the bidding war for PGM. Pierce Global Media is a major media conglomerate that acts as Waystar Royco’s main competitor. The company is run by a major season 2 main character named Nan Pierce, and ever since season 2, Logan has had his eyes on buying out the company. However, the three Roy siblings come in at the last second and attempt to one-up Logan’s offer, with Nan accepting their bid of $10 billion. This is an incredibly high number considering the positions of the Roy siblings, who were recently just locked out of Waystar Royco.
The Roy siblings are almost certainly paying too much for PGM, with even Roman being unsure about the siblings’ bid. The incredibly rich Logan Roy initially offered Nan $7 billion, and in episode 4 says he thinks he can get away with $6 billion, meaning that the company is probably worth around that. The Roy siblings driving that price up an extra $4 billion means that they are absolutely overpaying for the company, with them most likely deciding that the extra cost is worth it in order to stick it to their dad.
What Ken, Roman & Shiv Buying PMG Over Logan Would Mean
Ken, Roman, and Shiv buying PGM would have a pretty big effect on their standing throughout Succession season 4. It mainly would give the siblings a huge asset, helping their finances and possibly acting as a bargaining chip in future negotiations. It would also allow them to be the heads of Waystar Royco’s number one competitor, further hurting their father. On top of that, it also prevents Logan from acquiring the company that he has been working on getting since Succession season 2, meaning that the siblings are most definitely buying it out of spite.
How Succession Season 4, Episode 1 Sets Up The Show’s Endgame
Succession season 4, episode 1 sets up the show’s endgame in several big ways. The Roy siblings buying PGM gives them a powerful asset to help fight Logan, with this acquisition probably being one of season 4’s biggest storylines. The episode’s exploration of Logan’s misery also shows that they are dealing with a different person than before, which could help or hurt them. However, Logan is still not willing to talk to his kids, meaning that their rivalry will probably continue to get more heated as the season continues. PGM is the first big piece of Succession season 4’s endgame, with it surely being a factor in the season finale.
New episodes of Succession season 4 air Sundays on HBO.
