The Succession Finale Gave Us The Only Cousin Greg Ending Possible
This post contains spoilers for the "Succession" series finale, "With Open Eyes."
The idea that Cousin Greg Hirsch (Nicholas Braun) would be the "winner" on "Succession" has been persistent, both as an earnest theory and a joke. I can understand why it took off during season 1; he was a naive outsider to the Roys' world, so the idea he'd climb the ladder and be corrupted along the way was plausible. However, as the show went on, it became clear that this wasn't Greg's story.
Greg has never been a player, he's a parasite. His MO has always been to latch onto someone with power and money, such as Tom (Matthew Macfadyen), Logan, Ewan, Kendall, or Matsson. While Greg is definitely an empty suit in season 4, he never had much of a conscience. Even back in season 1, he destroyed the incriminating documents about the abuses at Waystar cruises and kept some in case he ever felt like blackmailing someone (spoiler alert: he did).
Greg really only has two modes: snake and obsequious. The series finale, "With Open Eyes," ended his character in a way totally consistent with both.
A worm with a spine?
During the finale, Greg is concerned he'll be sacked once GoJo takes control of Waystar Royco. So, when he app-translates Matsson and Oskar's in-Swedish conversation about reneging on their promise of leadership to Shiv, he forwards the intel to Kendall. Kendall, in turn, uses that to win Shiv over to the "no merger" bloc, with the apparent promise to keep Greg employed at Waystar with a $200,000 salary. After all, can you picture Greg making that kind of money anywhere else without nepotism on his side?
In doing so, Greg backstabs Tom, to whom Matsson has offered the U.S. CEO position. Tom has been abusive to Greg since they met, relishing that there was finally someone lower on the Roy totem pole than himself. And yet, Tom has perverse affection for Greg, who has always followed him around like a puppy. In season 1, episode 6 — "Which Side Are You On" — Tom decides to show Greg "how to be rich" and they dine on Ortolan songbirds together. In season 3, episode 4 — "Lion in the Meadow" — Tom compares them to Roman Emperor Nero and his eunuch boy toy slave, Sporus ("I'd castrate and marry you in a heartbeat").
This culminated in "All The Bells Say," when Tom recruited Greg to his scheme to backstab Shiv and earn Logan's trust. Greg rhetorically asked Tom, "What am I going to do with a soul?" Greg eventually backstabbing Tom was the natural way for this relationship to climax.
Come crawling back
In "With Open Eyes," the Roys are at Logan's townhouse, now owned by Connor, to claim items they want by placing stickers on them. That's where Tom learns about Greg's leak to Kendall. He takes Greg into a bathroom — alone — and strikes him. This has happened before; back in season 2, episode 4 — "Safe Room" — Tom got violent when he thought Greg was "breaking up" with him and Greg cowered. This time, though? Greg hits Tom back and then silently stares without a single stutter. Has Greg grown a spine? Nope. He's only as brave as his leverage allows him to be.
Due to the Roy siblings' drama, GoJo's acquisition of Waystar Royco goes through and Tom's CEO role is secured. Greg, with his head hanging low, shuffles up to Tom, not even brave enough to openly beg. Tom responds to the question Greg silently asks with one last flurry of insults, and then confirms he will be keeping him on. Tom seals the deal with a sticker on Greg's forehead as the latter grins like an idiot. The last we see of Greg is Matsson mockingly calling him Judas and Greg forcing a laugh out — even with new management, Greg remains Waystar's verbal whipping boy.
Failing upward to modest gains and earning no respect along the way — that was Greg's journey from beginning to end.
"Succession" is streaming on Max.