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Season 2 Recap and Spoilers
Season Two of Succession delves deeper into the power struggles, personal betrayals and family dynamics within the dysfunctional Roy family.
The season begins with Kendall leaving rehab in Iceland just 48 hours into his stay, so that he can give a public statement about his decision to walk away from his part in the takeover of Waystar Royco.
During a family trip to the Hamptons, Logan consults his children over whether he should sell the company before privately asking Shiv to join the family business and be the next chief executive. When quizzed by Tom on how the meeting went, rather than telling him the truth she instead, tells him she has been promoted to ATN’s Chair of Global Broadcast News.
Having made his decision, Logan informs everyone that he wants Waystar Royco to be the ‘last man standing’ and the number one media conglomerate in the world. Decision being made, Logan and Kendall leave to meet Stewy and Sandy with Kendall being left to deliver the message that his father intends to fight - and he’s prepared to make it ugly.
Elsewhere, Tom, who is feeling righteous thanks to a new job at news channel ATN, brings Greg with him to work at the station. Connor decides to run for president and Shiv quits her job with Senator Eavis.
Despite his family advising him against it, Logan wants to buy another media company and does everything in his power to make sure it happens, including meeting with the current owners at their home. During the meeting Logan refuses to confirm who will take over as the next CEO, which leads a frustrated Shiv to reveal it is her. The head of PGM, Nan Pierce, agrees to sell the company to Logan if he confirms Shiv as CEO on the day of the merger. Despite refusing to do so, the Pierce’s agree to sell.
At an international summit, the Roy’s learn that the New York Magazine is aware of a scandal to do with Lester McClintok, who had sexually assaulted staff on the cruise line they own. With none of the siblings agreeing on how to resolve the issue, the sale of PGM falls through and Nan fires her employee Rhea for siding with Logan.
Logan and Rhea share a night together, and Rhea tries to persuade Shiv to become head of PGM. Suspicious of Rhea’s intent, Shiv tries to rally the others to help oust her, but after learning that the cruise scandal is about to be revealed by a whistleblower, she stands down and lets Rhea take the job as CEO. The whistleblower implicates Tom, Kendall and Gerri in the cover-up of the cruise scandal and they are all called to give evidence in front of Shiv’s former boss, Eavis.
Logan knows that someone will have to take the blame for the scandal, so a family summit is called, where they all come together on a yacht to decide who will take the fall. It isn’t long before chaos ensues and they all start to blame each other, with Shiv even offering up her own husband as the scapegoat. In the end, Kendall is chosen to take the fall.
Having accepted his fate, Kendall agrees to a press conference where he will take responsibility for the scandal and step down as COO. But, instead of delivering the pre-agreed message he goes rogue and tells the media that his father is a bully who was aware of the scandal the whole time.
The series ends with Logan watching the scene unfold on television, with a faint smirk on his face.
What was the scandal in Season 2 of Succession?
The biggest scandal in season two, was the public unveiling of the cruise scandal which Tom discovered in season one. After an article alleged that cruise executive Lester McClintock had pressured female staff into having sex to renew their contracts, which led to the sale of PGM falling through, a whistleblower came forward to reveal the full details of a culture of sexual exploitation.
This revelation led to a congressional hearing, where records and files were subpoenaed which revealed years of cover-ups, financial bribery and deleted logs. The scandal led to Logan assembling his family on a yacht to decide who would take the fall for the scandal. After much deliberation, Logan settled on Kendall as the best choice and prepped him to admit responsibility in a press conference.
But this move backfired as Kendall, wanting to prove to his father that he can be ruthless in business, tells the media that his father was aware of the cover-up all along.
What happened to Kendall Roy?
Season two saw Kendall fighting to earn back respect from his father, whilst simultaneously being verbally attacked by his own siblings who are unaware of the agreement Logan and Kendall made to cover up the car accident and death of the waiter at Shiv’s wedding.
After the cruise scandal is exposed to the public, Logan quickly realises that someone is going to have to take the blame. Refusing to be the one to step down, Logan invites everyone to a summit on the family yacht so they can determine who will be the face of the scandal.
With multiple contenders being considered, ultimately it is Kendall who is chosen by his father to take the fall and publicly accept responsibility for the scandal. Whilst being prepped for a press conference, Logan tells Kendall that he’s ‘not a killer’ – a dagger to Kendall’s heart, who has spent years trying to prove to his father that he is ruthless enough to succeed in the industry.
At the press conference, where he is set to admit to wrongdoing in order to save his father and the family business, Kendall changes his mind. Live on camera, with his family watching from the yacht, Kendall condemns his father and reveals he was involved in the cruise scandal from the beginning.
Why did Logan smile at the end?
The season two finale of Succession, sees Logan smiling after Kendall has publicly condemned his father and revealed he was aware of the cruise scandal. Jessie Armstrong, Succession showrunner and creator, revealed that the smile was in fact scripted.
After years of trying to win his father’s respect, Kendall’s move of condemning his father publicly was a moment of pride for Logan as it showed that Kendall had finally found his killer instinct. The smile reflected the moment Logan realised that Kendall might have the skills and characteristics necessary for that of the heir to the Roy dynasty.
