[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Succession, Season 3, Episode 9, “All the Bells Say.”]
After leaving some loose strings in the penultimate episode last week, Succession is tying things up and creating new paths in its mind-blowing Season 3 finale.
Despite the relatively somber final moments of the previous installment, this episode opens with a slightly more light-hearted scene between Logan (Brian Cox) and his grandchildren as he reads them stories and reassures them that their father Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is okay after nearly drowning in a pool.
When he receives a call, Logan yells for Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron) to join him, and we soon discover that Greg (Nicholas Braun), Shiv (Sarah Snook), Tom (Matthew Macfadyen), Connor (Alan Ruck), and Willa (Justine Lupe) are playing a game of Monopoly nearby. As they joke around for a bit, Roman brings up Connor’s proposal and pushes for Willa to say “yes.” Tom excuses himself from the conversation to take an important call, and Willa accuses Shiv of cheating at the game before Comfry (Dasha Nekrasova) arrives and announces Kendall will be joining them any moment.
(Credit: HBO)
According to the PR professional, none of Kendall’s ordeal was picked up for media attention, leaving any unwanted headlines non-existent. When Kendall finally does enter the backyard where everyone is convening, he says he doesn’t want this song and dance attention they’re gearing up to give.
Connor admits that they are concerned for Kendall, despite his disinterest in the fact. Kendall goes on to share that he doesn’t want to leave his children with Logan and isn’t sure about whether or not he’ll be attending their mother Caroline’s (Harriet Walter) wedding. In a show of resiliency, before leaving the backyard, Kendall claims he’s in talks for a Vanity Fair feature and is looking to work with new lawyers in his fight against Logan.
Meanwhile, Gerri returns to tell the table that Logan is on the phone and it turns out that Waystar will have to pay a crippling fee following legal proceedings, and that GoJo’s cap has officially overtaken Waystar. In order to make sense of the mess, Logan informs everyone he’s going to check in with Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård) in person.
(Credit: HBO)
And so Roman travels with Logan and Kerry (Zoë Winters) to Matsson’s estate via boat on which Logan asks his son if he’s scared of p***y, alluding to his revealing text in the prior episode. Logan isn’t really interested in answers, he just tells Roman to figure it out, adding, “I don’t want to know.”
Upon coming face-to-face with Matsson, Logan asks if they’re moving forward with the merger. The Swede admits he’s reluctant because Waystar is sinking like a lead balloon, but says that GoJo’s tech is exactly the thing that could salvage the company. The catch? Matsson wants Logan to pass the reigns to him.
At first, Logan says “f**k off,” but Matsson notes that the fact that he hasn’t punched him is a promising sign. Instead, Matsson suggests working over other options while snacking, but Logan wants to do this alone as he sends Roman back for Caroline’s wedding.
(Credit: HBO)
Upon his return to the wedding party, Roman sits down with Shiv and Connor for a conversation with Kendall. They tell their brother that they love him and don’t want anything bad to happen to him. When Kendall asks if this is an intervention, he gets defensive and claims each of his siblings also needs one of their own.
Kendall defends that he’s had good intentions all along when it comes to the company and that none of them knows what it feels like to be the eldest son and have your future snatched from you. This comment hits Connor the wrong way as he has a moment of his own yelling that he’s the eldest son and that none of them show respect.
He gets in Kendall’s face driving the point home before walking away. Later on, he airs his disappointments with Willa as he mentions the possibility of losing Waystar and the presidency as well as her. His gloomy mood touches Willa who goes on to say Connor is a nice guy and “f**k it,” agreeing to marry the man.
(Credit: HBO)
On the flipside, Logan begins setting up a work base in a separate location as Frank (Peter Friedman), Karl (David Rasche), and more team members arrive for his next plans. Shiv asks Roman if Logan will be joining them for the wedding, but he’s more worried about their mother’s soon-to-be husband. Greg seeks wingman services from Tom who is tasked with keeping Comfry busy as he tries to make time with the royal attendee he’s been chatting with.
Back at base Waystar, Kerry caters to Logan as Marcia (Hiam Abbass) tells him she’ll send his regards at the wedding. Kendall just barely makes it for the ceremony which is being held up for Logan, but Caroline instead asks for Peter (Pip Torrens) to be okay without having the esteemed guest present.
The wedding is a quick affair as Shiv sends verbal digs towards Roman and Greg continues his new two-timing ways. After the ceremony, Shiv gives a speech about the fact that there is no one like her mother, but the Roy kids are more concerned about the actions of everyone around them. When Marcia leaves, Connor comes over to Roman and Shiv to share info about Logan’s latest obsession with nuts as a snack, claiming he’s trying to boost his virility to have a new baby.
(Credit: HBO)
This news forces Tom to bring up his and Shiv’s desire to start a family, something that Roman can’t hide his surprise over, making comments about how she’ll never go through with it. Gerri interrupts the ribbing though to reveal that Matsson’s financial team has flown in, and they also learn that Greg’s been getting calls from assistants, suggesting that something big is about to happen.
Roman interrupts Greg’s canoodling to learn more about these conversations, learning that there are some concerns from individuals about the dealmaking between GoJo and Waystar. This doesn’t sit well with Roman who watches Kerry tell Gerri something before the interim CEO bolts from the party. When Roman asks Kerry what she said to Gerri, she acts dumb. As the gaslighting continues, Roman decides to share what he knows with Shiv, saying there was mention of GoJo purchasing Waystar.
This drives Shiv into gear who finds Kendall and asks for a chat. He’s reluctant at first, but her panicked urgency is something that compels Kendall to join her and Roman for a discussion. But before any business talk begins, Kendall breaks down, he says something’s wrong with him and that he’s disconnected from his kids. He doesn’t know how it happened, but that he tried to do what was right.
(Credit: HBO)
“I’m not a good person,” he tells his siblings before revealing that he killed a kid, explaining it was the caterer at Shiv’s wedding. Roman and Shiv are shocked and surprisingly comforting towards their brother as they both try and do their best to support him in their own weird way. Kendall says he’s been so lonely and that he’s a killer, but Roman doesn’t think so. Shiv is the one to get them back on track after this breakthrough as she reveals that she’s receiving word that the deal with GoJo is as good as done.
Kendall, Roman, and Shiv make an executive decision to travel to Logan’s base and although there’s some reluctance on Roman’s end, they begin strategizing their next move. Kendall reminds them that based on their mother’s divorce agreement with Logan, they’re part of the vote on whether this deal can go through, and as an opposing majority, they can squash things.
While on the road, they begin making calls and Shiv informs Tom about the situation at hand, he asks if their actions will impact his position, and her vague response doesn’t do much to comfort him, but he wishes her luck regardless. Not long after, we see Tom approached by Greg who reveals he’s hitting it off with the royal. Tom levels with his pal that certain things are in motion and asks Greg if he wants to come with him as an attack dog. When Greg asks for additional information, Tom denies him that, but promises a higher position in the company, and says Greg will be allowed to have his own Greg.
(Credit: HBO)
The offer seems too good to be true to Greg who eagerly agrees as Tom reminds him that he’s the only one who has ever had his back. Greg agrees to make a deal with the devil because he doesn’t know what he needs with a soul anyways. The only question is, what kind of deal are they making?
Meanwhile, Shiv, Roman, and Kendall arrive at the Waystar base and confront Logan who agrees to talk but doesn’t want Kendall present. Roman and Shiv back their brother and Logan gets real honest with them. When they ask for him to refrain from making a deal, he claims that it will be good for them to learn and that Matsson will keep them on if they make it past his ranking system.
The kids aren’t under any allusions though, realizing that they’re going to be outed should things go through. Shiv brings up the supermajority condition and Logan loses his cool and says he has his kids beat, that he’s making a great deal. He goes on to ask if she’s still on the line, revealing that he’s been on the phone with Caroline reworking their divorce settlement to shut the kids out of their vote. Caroline thinks it will be good for them, but it’s clear that the final nail is in the coffin.
Roman pleads and asks why Logan would do this. It’s because it works, Logan responds, adding, “I win,” to the air of his kids’ defeat. But how was Logan tipped off? When Tom arrives right behind Kendall, Roman, and Shiv, it’s clear what deal with the devil was made during his conversation with Greg earlier in the episode. Et Tu, Tom? What will this mean moving forward? One can only guess. But it’s definitely a surprise to see Tom making the killer moves this time around.
Succession, Season 4, TBA, HBO
