The ‘Succession’ Finale Did Give Us One Reason To Be Hopeful

It’s best to take an entirely escapist approach to Succession. If you start comparing the fictional Roy family and their various exploits to the real world, you’ll simply get too upset. However, one unresolved storyline in the background of the Succ universe suggests that the Roy family may not have burned the world down in the wake of their father’s death. It’s entirely possible that Jeryd Mencken lost the election on Succession. The show never made his win definitive either way, but there were lines in the series finale to suggest that the fictional alt-right candidate may have been defeated.

In lieu of therapy, the Roy family works through their issues with corporate layoffs, silencing victims of sexual harassment, and supporting fascists. They can’t hurt you IRL, but regular people like me—and I feel confident in assuming you, as well—suffer at the expense of the lavish, silly characters in this fictional world. (Maybe not as much as, say, the peasants on Game of Thrones, but still.)

As you may recall, at the end of the ironically titled episode “America Decides,” AGN called the election for Mencken when they were not entirely right to do so. A fire at a polling place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin destroyed at least 100,000 absentee ballots. Technically, the decision is now up to the state and maybe federal Supreme Court, not AGN. But the Roy siblings act as though the election is a done deal. To them, Mencken is the next President of the United States for the remainder of the series.

In the finale, an off-hand comment about “the court case in Wisconsin” being a “minor hiccup” offers an alternative glimmer of hope. What if the courts rule that the Democratic nominee, Jimenez, is the winner? What if there’s a special election/revote in Milwaukee and Mencken loses? There are many (stressful) ways it could have gone down.

Does this change the way Succession ended?

I don’t think it would change what happens to Waystar Royco. Unfortunately for the Roy boys, the GoJo deal does go through despite Mencken’s promise to block it. The board vote happens before any candidate can take office. I doubt that, since Roman signed the paperwork and they named Tom CEO, there’s any way for Ken or Laurence Yee or anyone else to magically take charge of the company. I also don’t really care. That’s ultimately not the point.

I think it’s kind of poetic that the last two episodes’ worth of family drama hinged on AGN calling an election for a candidate that may not even win. Republicans love to say that liberal elites live in a bubble and are out of touch with the real world. What’s more out of touch, and more of a bubble than these richie riches acting like Mencken is going to be President just because they said so on their news network?

Not everyone likes when series finales leave unanswered questions (I see you, Lost haters), but I genuinely love it. A satisfying conclusion does not mean unambiguous. Now we have something to talk about! We can speculate about what happened next. You can be pessimistic and believe that world became a little darker as a result of the sibling rivalry. Or you can believe that despite their casually cruel efforts, the Roy siblings didn’t make a lick of difference. It’s sad for them, but a relief for everyone else.

I’m going to tell myself that he never actually became President

Feel free to join me. Sorry (not sorry) to Justin Kirk, but a very handsome fascist is still a fascist. I’m going to believe that Shiv won’t have to keep working with Mencken. I’m going to believe that Tom is in immediate legal trouble as CEO. (He probably gets away with it.) And I’m going to believe that Jess doesn’t have to look for a new job in that political environment.

I’m also going to believe that Roman is able to distance himself from Mencken and really enjoy a clean break. I thought his support had more to do with impressing his father and saying what Mencken wanted to hear than his own political opinions. (He probably doesn’t even have any, which is its own kind of despicable). But that’s my own wishful thinking. I am entitled to it because he is not a real person and his fictional actions do not affect me or my world.

Mencken losing would also mean that Roman was correct that “nothing happens” by AGN making the call. They just made good TV. It’s not actually up to the news. It remains, in real life and hopefully on Succession, up to the courts and the government and people casting ballots. Roman was also right in the finale: they’re bullshit. Nothing they do matters. Nothing they do is even real. Their father may have had political sway and power, but they can’t even do that right.

(featured image: HBO)