After Succession Season 4 Episode 6, Kendall May Be On Top, But Lukas' Presence Looms
This post contains spoilers for "Succession" season 4, episode 6, "Living+."
The latest episode of "Succession" centered on Waystar Royco's "Investor Day" — potentially the company's last, given its impending acquisition by GoJo owner Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård). During the episode, Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is preparing to give a presentation on Waystar's newest project, "Living+" (also the title of the episode). What is it? It's essentially a search for immortality — one that didn't come in time for Logan (Brian Cox). Logan seemed (rightfully) concerned about his mortality during season 4, so his backing research into "Living+" makes sense.
It's just as in character for Kendall to pursue such a foolhardy goal and brand it as though eternal life would just be another piece of Waystar's premium content. Worse for him, no one else seems convinced by the pitch — least of all Matsson. The previous episode, "Kill List," firmly set Kendall and Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Matsson as enemies. While the Roy brothers try unsuccessfully to poison the deal by implying to Waystar senior staff that Matsson is unstable, the GoJo CEO is trying to leverage his new connection with Shiv (Sarah Snook).
If you'll permit me to vent: I really hate Matsson. He seems loosely inspired by Elon Musk and is no less contemptible than his real-world counterpart. His vacant eyes belay a vicious streak and Skarsgård's usual charm is purposefully absent. That's why Roman's verbal evisceration of him in "Kill List" was so satisfying. In "Living+," it's Kendall's turn to get one up on Matsson. It takes a special kind of evil to make me root for the Roy siblings — so far, only Logan and Matsson qualify.
Doderick Macht Frei
Kendall is manic and overpreparing for the Living+ presentation for most of the episode. We've seen Kendall in this mode before, and it's always portended him crashing and burning. Just before the presentation, though, Roman backs out of presenting with Kendall. This leaves the latter sobered — and that's exactly what he needed.
Backed up by a recording of Logan, Kendall gives the presentation with quiet confidence. He sticks to the script instead of taking big swings (no "L to the OG" this time). He even adds a touch of emotion; when describing the value of "Living+," Kendall notes that just one more year with Logan — to "say the unsaid" — would be "priceless." Even Roman and Shiv seem surprised, if not outright impressed, by Kendall's performance. Then Matsson, watching the presentation, live-tweets, "Doderick macht frei."
What does this mean? "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Will Set You Free") was the message over the gates of Nazi concentration camps. As for Doderick, that refers to Doderick the Dog, Waystar's Mickey Mouse-esque mascot. In the "Succession" Pilot, Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) has a job as a costumed Doderick mascot at a Waystar amusement park. "Living+" also includes a brief shot of a "Doderick and Friends" poster to subliminally prepare viewers for Matsson's tweet.
Making light of the Holocaust is exactly the sort of thing a nihilist tech bro like Matsson would do. How does Kendall respond?
Everything's coming up Kendall?
The first reporter called on for the Q&A asks Kendall about the Matsson tweet. Amazingly, Kendall escapes the frying pan; he brushes it off ("I'm not gonna fave it!") and then attributes it to Matsson's "European" humor.
After Kendall exits the stage he's met with congratulations. Hugo (Fisher Stevens) declares, "The king is dead; long live the king, and king, and queen," which is probably the first true vote of confidence the Roy siblings have gotten from the Waystar old guard. Roman also notes that Matsson deleted his tweet — the surest sign of a sore loser. If you look at Hugo's phone, Matsson's tweet was also sandwiched between a timeline of other tweets praising Kendall; it's clear who won the day.
"Living+" ends with Kendall walking a beach alone, diving into the water, and floating face-up. It's a reversal of his lowest moment so far; in the season 3 episode "Chiantishire," Kendall nearly drowned himself by lying face down in a pool. Is this a sign his fortune is on the upswing?
That said, Matsson isn't down for the count. The GoJo acquisition is still set to go through even though Kendall wants the chance to sit on his father's throne. The ending of "Kill List" was pyrrhic victories for both sides: Kendall and Roman got a huge payday lined up at Matsson's expense but he wouldn't let them call off the deal to get one over on him. With four episodes left to go, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Roy siblings wind up on the wrong end of Matsson's vindictive streak.
New episodes of "Succession" air on HBO and stream on HBO Max every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.