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

Which of Logan Roy’s four sons will win his approval and take over the family’s vast media conglomerate, Waystar Royco? It’s the question that has haunted “Succession” since it debuted on HBO in 2018, and one that remains unanswered as the Emmy-winning drama series begins its fourth and, sadly, final season on Sunday night.

In the gripping Season 3 finale, “All the Bells Say,” the balance of power in the Roy family shifted dramatically. Just as Kendall, Shiv, and Roman put their disputes aside in a surprisingly moving moment of agreement and banded together to stop Logan from selling the company to GoJo, they were betrayed by their chronically self-interested mother, Caroline, and Shiv’s long-suffering husband. , Thomas. As season 4 begins, the three youngest Roys are away with their domineering father and face an uphill battle to win back the family business. Meanwhile, the eldest son, Connor, is busy flushing money down the toilet in a risky bid for the presidency.

Although it has helicopters instead of dragons, “Succession” is, like “Game of Thrones” before it, a drama about dysfunctional people willing to betray their own flesh and blood to amass power. And part of the fun of watching is coming up with elaborate theories about who will take over the Waystar Iron Throne and why, thematically, they make the most sense.

Will Shiv aka Pinkie overcome Tom’s betrayal and win the throne? Will it be Greg the Egg? Or maybe Connor, the so-called “first pancake”; Tom, Hockeytown’s corn-fed staple; or Roman, Slime Puppy Extraordinaire? It is unknown. Here, five Times staffers assess and predict who will succeed Logan and how they will maneuver their way to the top.

Whatever you do, don’t take any of this as investment advice.

ConnorRoy

The older Roy. The half brother. The underdog. Connor Roy (Alan Ruck) was interested in politics from a very young age and is now set to run his father’s company. Not only could Connor be one of the frontrunners to take over Waystar, but with his impending nuptials to underrated power player Willa, he’s also a frontrunner for the more toxic relationship, which seems to be a hallmark of Roy. . While Kendall is busy trying to get cleared of murder, Shiv prepares to murder Tom, and Roman is doing… whatever Roman does, Connor has the perfect opportunity to become Logan’s next right-hand man. My answer is biased because I’m a die-hard Day One Conhead? Yes. But is Connor also uniquely positioned as a semi-odd to be a last-minute candidate for Waystar CEO? Yes, or, maybe. Whatever, I’m ready for recognition. —Amy Wong, audience engagement editor, food

Gerry Kellman

I have unwavering faith in Gerri Kellman (J. Smith-Cameron). She is the most astute operator within the ranks of Waystar Royco and has survived attempts by others to drive her out of it. She’s been tested more than any of the Roy brothers and she prevailed by siding with the strongest person in the room. Her biggest challenge this season will be finding that person, but once she does, her politically savvy business acumen will see her cross the finish line at the top of the Roy family business. —David Viramontes, audience engagement editor, entertainment

kendall roy

As someone who has essentially had Kendall Roy’s addictive, embarrassing, and iconic “L to the OG” rap playing on loop in my head since the fall of 2019, I remain convinced that his rap talent heralds the common sense needed to get there. to the top. . he didn’t rap like that No gain! More seriously, he has been the heir all along and has been groomed to take the reins of Waystar; Furthermore, he is the only heir with “Logan” as a middle name, like Jeremy Strong, who brilliantly plays Kendall, recently confirmed. His actions throughout the series show just how desperately he longs for it. And while the conniving and ruthless Logan has decades ahead of him when it comes to outmaneuvering those who stand in his way, Kendall is his father’s son. But Logan is not a doting father and he will make Kendall win the throne. Was this the biggest test of all for Logan, after Kendall was willing to collect? What if this GoJo deal was a ruse by Logan to get Kendall back into a battle mindset and exhibit the kind of tenacious and conniving qualities that made him a formidable business titan? Or who knows? Since Strong is so completely connected to his alter ego, he could follow the full method and emerge as the successor himself. I would rap along with that too. —Yvonne Villarreal, Senior Writer

Siobhan has a lot to be upset about: looking at you, Tom. Maybe he will help her get to the top.

(Graeme Hunter)

Siobhan ‘Shiv’ Roy

Shiv (Sarah Snook) may have one of the shortest resumes when it comes to running a conglomerate like Waystar, but she doesn’t mince words and isn’t fooled. Her experience as a political operator is to her benefit: knowing how to bend laws and politicians to her will is part of the role. Besides, she’s been underestimated for so long that she won’t give up without a fight. She will have to get the company’s board of directors to back her, which means she will have to put her ego aside. But if the GoJo deal falls through and she can convince everyone that her brothers aren’t competent enough to run the company (and come on, she’s got plenty of examples to point to), the world is her oyster. I’m rooting for her. —Maira García, television editor

Tom Wambgan

It’s hard to imagine how Shiv and Tom’s marriage, already one of the most toxic relationships on HBO, which is saying a lot, can continue after last season’s betrayal. I hope that Tom (Matthew Macfadyen), freed from his onerous loyalty to Shiv, concentrates on ingratiating himself further with Logan. “Succession” is brutally realistic about political and financial power and how it accumulates. As a shameless jerk with a remarkable ability to fail upwards, Tom is on his way to conquering the world. Sure, he may be a cloying, embarrassing buffoon, but hey, have you seen who’s in the Senate lately? As for the details of how Tom pulls off this heist, I have no idea – I know less about business than he does. But I’m willing to bet that Tom will be the last roach running after the apocalypse. —Meredith Blake, senior writer