[This post contains spoilers for the Succession series finale, obviously]
It’s too early to say where Succession will rank among TV’s best series finales, but it will belong in the conversation. (In other words, it’s more Six Feet Under and The Sopranos than Game of Thrones.) “With Open Eyes” is a fantastic final episode of a fantastic show, with a twist ending that few, if anyone, saw coming.
The episode began with Kendall wanting the GoJo deal to go through and Shiv hoping to kill it. The pair come together with a fragile Roman, however, when Greg informs Kendall that Lukas still wants an American CEO — but not Shiv. “Motherf*cker,” we hear her yell off-screen. The trio band together — over a disgusting Meal for a King (Peter is going to be pissed about his cheese) — and the board vote is set to go their way… until, in a shocking twist, Shiv decides to vote against her brothers. GoJo owns Waystar Royco with Tom as CEO.
Tom ate everyone’s chicken, so to speak.
The last time we see the siblings, Roman is signing over the company to Lukas; Shiv is resting her hand in Tom’s palm, but not holding it (mazel tov to the happy couple!); and Kendall is staring at out the river. He finally had a happy memory in the water earlier in the episode, and now… this.
I’ll miss these goons.
The reactions to the finale are rolling in from Succession fans.
Shiv said if it wasn’t her it couldn’t be her brothers. That’s generational hate
— kyle (@knicks_tape99) May 29, 2023
shiv simultaneously saving kendall from himself and damning him to a life lacking in purpose. is this going to spare him or kill him? we won’t know pic.twitter.com/zncCXzjCAk
— grace (@amandayoungdyke) May 29, 2023
Kendall was about to fully crystallize into a Logan-sized monster and Shiv saw that and killed it, what a finale
— Wendell (@RhodeToLove) May 29, 2023