‘Succession’ Season 4 is upon us. Who will end up at the helm of Waystar Royco?

Which of Logan Roy’s 4 kids will win his approval and take over the household’s huge media conglomerate, Waystar Royco? It’s the query that has animated “Succession” because it debuted on HBO in 2018, and one that continues to be unanswered because the Emmy-winning drama collection begins its fourth and — alas — last season Sunday evening.

In Season 3’s gripping finale, “All of the Bells Say,” the steadiness of energy within the Roy household was upended in spectacular vogue. Simply as Kendall, Shiv and Roman put their squabbling apart in a surprisingly touching second of accord and teamed as much as cease Logan from promoting the corporate to GoJo, they have been betrayed by their chronically self-interested mom, Caroline, and Shiv’s long-suffering husband, Tom. As Season 4 begins, the youngest three Roys are on the outs with their domineering father and face an uphill battle in reclaiming the household enterprise. In the meantime, the eldest youngster, Connor, is busy flushing cash down the bathroom in a long-shot bid for the presidency.

Although it has helicopters as an alternative of dragons, “Succession” is, very like “Recreation of Thrones” earlier than it, a drama about dysfunctional individuals prepared to betray their very own flesh and blood so as to accrue energy. And a part of the enjoyable of watching is concocting elaborate theories about who will take over the Waystar Iron Throne and why, thematically, they take advantage of sense.

Will Shiv, a.ok.a. Pinkie, overcome Tom’s betrayal and win the throne? Will it’s Greg the Egg? Or maybe Connor, the so-called “first pancake”; Tom, the cornfed fundamental from Hockeytown; or Roman, Slime Pet extraordinaire? It’s anybody’s guess. Right here, 5 Instances staffers consider and predict who will succeed Logan and the way they’ll maneuver their approach to the highest.

No matter you do, please don’t think about any of this as funding recommendation.

Connor Roy

The eldest Roy. The half-brother. The underdog. Connor Roy (Alan Ruck) was focused on politics from a really younger age, and now he’s able to run his father’s firm. Not solely might Connor be a front-runner to take over Waystar, however together with his impending nuptials to underrated power-player Willa, he’s additionally a front-runner for many poisonous relationship, which appears to be a Roy hallmark. Whereas Kendall is busy making an attempt to get acquitted for homicide, Shiv is getting ready to homicide Tom, and Roman is doing … no matter Roman does, Connor has the right alternative to swoop in as Logan’s subsequent proper hand. Is my reply biased as a result of I’m a Day One, die-hard Conhead? Sure. However is Connor additionally uniquely positioned as a semi-outsider to be a last-minute Waystar CEO contender? Sure, or, possibly. No matter, I’m prepared for the Connaissance. —Amy Wong, viewers engagement editor, meals

Gerri Kellman

I’ve unwavering religion in Gerri Kellman (J. Smith-Cameron). She’s the craftiest operator throughout the Waystar Royco ranks and has survived makes an attempt by others to have her ousted. She’s been examined greater than any of the Roy siblings and prevailed by allying herself with the strongest particular person within the room. Her greatest problem this season shall be to search out that particular person, however as soon as she does, her politically savvy enterprise acumen will pull her throughout the end line on the prime of the Roy household enterprise. —David Viramontes, viewers engagement editor, leisure

Kendall Roy

As somebody who basically has had Kendall Roy’s addictive, cringe-worthy and iconic “L to the OG” rap enjoying on loop in my head for the reason that fall of 2019, I stay satisfied that his rap skills foreshadow the gumption wanted to return out on prime. He didn’t rap like that not to win! Extra significantly, he’s been the inheritor obvious all alongside and has been groomed to take the reins of Waystar — plus, he’s the one inheritor with “Logan” as a center title, as Jeremy Sturdy, who brilliantly portrays Kendall, confirmed lately. His actions all through the collection present how desperately he craves it. And whereas conniving and ruthless Logan has a long time on him in terms of outmaneuvering those that stand in his means, Kendall is his father’s son. However Logan isn’t a nurturing father, and he’s going to make Kendall earn the throne. Was this Logan’s greatest take a look at of all, after Kendall was prepared to money out? What if this GoJo deal was all a ruse by Logan to get Kendall again in a battle mindset and exhibit the kind of tenacious and scheming qualities that made him a formidable enterprise titan? Or, who is aware of? Since Sturdy is so utterly related to his alter ego, he would possibly go full methodology and emerge because the successor himself. I’d rap to that too. —Yvonne Villarreal, senior author

Siobhan has lots to be mad about — you, Tom. Perhaps it’s going to assist her get to the highest.

(Graeme Hunter)

Siobhan ‘Shiv’ Roy

Shiv (Sarah Snook) could have one of many shorter résumés in terms of operating a conglomerate like Waystar, however she pulls no punches and suffers no fools. Her background as a political operative is to her profit — realizing bend legal guidelines and politicians to your will is a part of the function. Plus, she’s been underestimated for therefore lengthy that she received’t go down with out a combat. She should get the corporate’s board behind her, which implies she should put her ego apart. But when the cope with GoJo goes down and she will be able to persuade everybody that her brothers aren’t competent sufficient to run the corporate (and are available on, she has loads of examples to level to), the world is her oyster. I’m rooting for her. —Maira Garcia, tv editor

Tom Wambsgans

It’s arduous to think about how Shiv and Tom’s marriage — already some of the poisonous relationships on all of HBO, which is saying one thing — can transfer ahead after final season’s betrayal. I absolutely count on that Tom (Matthew Macfadyen), free of his burdensome loyalty to Shiv, will give attention to ingratiating himself even additional to Logan. “Succession” is brutally practical about political and monetary energy and the way it’s gathered. As a shameless suck-up with a outstanding skill to fail upward, Tom is on observe to overcome the world. Certain, he could be an unctuous, embarrassing buffoon, however hey, have you ever seen who’s within the Senate currently? As for the specifics of how Tom pulls off this coup, I don’t know: I do know much less about enterprise than he does. However I’m prepared to guess that Tom would be the final cockroach scurrying round after the apocalypse. —Meredith Blake, senior author