Kendall Is Still His Own Worst Enemy In Succession Season 4
This post contains spoilers for "Succession" season 4, episode 4.
I don't like being smug when I am proven right in a theory. It seems to be in bad taste to be self-righteous when I correctly forecast a plot turn in a TV show or movie. That being said, it would be remiss of me to not mention my prediction that the alliance between the Roy siblings in the fourth season of "Succession" was going to be short-lived. It's in their nature to stab each other in the back for their own selfish interests; after all, that is the competitiveness their father instilled in them throughout their lives. Why would that end simply because Logan (Brian Cox) himself is gone?
With their pops now dead, the Roy siblings' dynamics sure as hell aren't going anywhere anytime soon — as seen in the latest episode of "Succession." The core three Roy siblings vie for control of Waystar Royco before the GoJo deal is finalized, and even though Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) are officially interim CEOs, it's the older brother (not to be confused with the eldest son) who is now calling the shots. Unfortunately, Kendall finally being in the position of power he's always wanted merely sets the stage for his continued, self-destructive downfall.
He's just Ken
Kendall shares the same core problem as Roman and their sister Shiv (Sarah Snook): they are all egocentric and desperate for total greatness, no matter what stands in their way. However, what makes Kendall such a uniquely tragic character is that the person he sabotages most often is himself. Despite acknowledging that he's broken (a major character arc explored in the show's third-season finale) and legitimately attempting to fix himself, he just can't help but ruin his own progress for the sake of validation.
This is on full display in this latest episode, "Honeymoon States," where Kendall lets his father's previous consideration of him inheriting Waystar Royco get the best of him. After Roman shoots down the idea of an inflammatory press release announcing the brothers' roles, Kendall goes behind his back to approve it with communications executive Hugo (Fisher Stevens). It bears reiterating that this was almost immediately after he promised both Roman and Shiv that they were all going to work together with no secrets. Ugh, Kendall! This is far from the first time he's betrayed someone, but this time it stings even more because he has nobody to backstab for.
Long live the king
There is no ambiguity here: Logan Roy is dead, but that won't stop him from still living on in the minds of his children. This is especially true for Kendall, whose relationship with his father can charitably be described as complicated. From kissing his feet to testifying against him in court, Kendall has tried processing and relearning after the trauma inflicted on him throughout his life. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tries, he's stuck in a limbo between loving and hating his father — something that many victims of abuse have struggled with when mourning their abuser.
Kendall is a character who seeks to have control over everything in his life. Unfortunately, there are simply some things that are impossible to control. He'll likely be struggling with the lack of closure between him and Logan for the rest of his life, and sadly, that dooms him. Kendall's latest betrayal might not be anything new in the grand scheme of "Succession," but it perfectly encompasses what he meant when he was saying goodbye to his father: "I love you, but I can't forgive you."
New episodes of "Succession" air Sundays at 9pm on HBO and HBO Max.