Throughout its four-season run, Succession has had its fair share of unprecedented speeches, but perhaps its greatest was the one that never came to pass. We are of course talking about Connor’s (Alan Ruck) mysterious eulogy. Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) funeral took place in the penultimate episode titled "Church and State," and while the most pressing questions have to do with who's going to end up on top, the writers of Succession also give us other, significantly less important plot points to ponder.
For example, what’s the deal with Matsson’s (Alexander Skarsgård) blood bricks? Why is Tom (Matthew MacFadyen) so obsessed with wine and wine-adjacent metaphors? Why have we never gotten another Kendall (Jeremy Strong) rap performance? Did Nicholas Britell simply outdo himself with that “L to the OG” masterpiece? And has Greg (Nicholas Braun) really never tried La Croix before? But this week’s less important, but still sort of very important plot point involves Connor and that massive document on his phone he calls a eulogy.
So Did Connor Think He Was Giving a Eulogy?
The scene in question involves a less-than-a-minute-long interaction between Connor, Willa (Justine Lupe), and Shiv (Sarah Snook) as people began to file in for the funeral service. We never actually get a chance to see the eulogy, and even if you were to zoom in on Connor’s phone, there’s still no chance you’d be able to make out the words. And judging by Shiv’s reaction, it seems she had the same experience firsthand. Describing it as “long and hard to follow,” Shiv is clearly perplexed by the words her brother wrote for their father. But one thing is for certain: Connor is eager to share it. He and Willa press Shiv to let him speak, but she reminds them that Roman (Kieran Culkin) is the one slated to deliver the eulogy. So, using the same negotiating skills that earned him his coveted 1% in the presidential election polls, Connor makes the vague argument, “But we said we could consider it if we wanted to.” His consistent use of "we" makes us think that he never spoke to anyone about it and is using it as a filler for a name he doesn’t have.
In fact, we'd wager it is entirely possible that Connor didn’t realize Roman was the one presenting and just happened to assume it’d be him, something Willa likely reassured him of. It is very tragic and in-character of Connor to assume a position is immediately his if he does the bare minimum (like the presidency), and this scenario is no different. And maybe, just maybe he would’ve gotten a shot at his speech… if it didn’t leave the Roys open to legal action.
Okay, What the Heck Did Connor Want To Talk About?
Now down to the nitty-gritty: what secrets does Connor’s eulogy contain? Well, let’s take a look at what we know about Connor Roy. As Conheads ourselves, we can confirm that Connor Roy has been interested in politics from a very young age. But we also know that he really did care for Logan and affectionately called him “pops.” So, it's safe to say that his eulogy takes a three-pronged approach: one part dedicated to his father and two parts spent trying to rally Conheads to the cause with the hopes of starting a mini-insurrection of sorts. It appears that Logan’s ceremony was televised and Connor likely wanted to grasp any screen time he could. If his eulogy was anything like his concession speech in the previous episode, it is no wonder Shiv was quick to veto his request.
In "America Decides," we see Shiv struggling to watch Connor’s concession on TV as he rambles on. His speech starts out with a typical concession, but the rest is him calling out his former opponents in a way quite reminiscent of real-life political candidates of recent years. His rhetoric is nonsensical, and he ends the speech by calling his Conhead fanbase to action, warning America to “be afraid.” The speech is so choppy and unprecedented that even Willa looks down in embarrassment. Our best guess is the “legal action” that has Shiv so concerned has something to do with Connor’s fan base. Noticing that the Conheads haven’t started knocking down doors, monitoring voting machines, and calling for recounts, Connor figures his concession/incitement must’ve not been clear enough, and he figures he can just give it another go after he pays his respects to his father.
This Wouldn't Be Con's First Eulogy, Either
While he might not have had a chance to share a eulogy for Logan, he has given one before, for Lester “Mo” McClintock back in Season 2. The thing is, Connor didn’t even know Lester’s real name until the funeral and genuinely thought it was "Mo," a cruel nickname (see if you can put the two and two together) used behind Lester’s back. As a result, it was a short eulogy, one that sounded closer to the contents of a Wikipedia page than a cherished remembrance, but Connor managed a solemn tone throughout. Notable lines include “Lester was a man… And when a man dies, it is sad.” Of course, we likely could expect a more fleshed-out speech for Logan, but it definitely doesn’t make the best case for his mysterious eulogy.
Connor’s speech for Lester confirms Shiv’s description of “long and hard to follow” and provides perhaps the best insight as to what his eulogy for his pops may have sounded like. We'd bet money that Connor mentions his familial relation to Logan several times over, as well as make sure to point out his rank as the eldest son. Maybe something along the lines of, “Logan was my father, and I, Connor his eldest son…” If anything, the eulogy would have enough business-adjacent lingo to fill a bingo board as well as a separate board for some jargon that Connor thinks he is using properly, but most definitely isn’t.
But surely his eulogy for Logan was better than what he wrote for Mo or his concession speech… right? Connor has a very optimistic view of the world and a specific way of speaking that is gained from his jaded perception of life as Roy kid. Everything has essentially been handed to him, so he assumes that must be how it is for everyone else. It’s likely this ideology would’ve worked its way into the tone of his eulogy perhaps through the reveal of something shocking to the public (another option for what could spark legal action) that he perceives as nonchalant, leading to a media spiral that could only spell trouble for the Roys and perhaps distort the public’s perception of Logan posthumously.
Let the Eldest Son Speak!
It’s a shame that we will never get to see the contents of Connor’s eulogy, but even sadder that Connor never got a chance to speak at his father’s funeral. It may not have been fit for public consumption but as Connor has heartbreakingly pointed out, he is the oldest of the bunch, despite being so often overlooked. The other Roy siblings gave eulogies, as well as Logan’s disgusted brother Ewan (James Cromwell), and Connor didn’t even get to say goodbye to his pops over the phone as he was dying.
Let's not forget that Connor is also the one that has done all of the leg work for Logan’s funeral. He planned the ceremony and knew about the mausoleum Logan bought for himself in an auction, something the other Roy kids were entirely unaware of. While showing his siblings around the mausoleum (which contains enough room for all of them), he shared some poignant insight that Logan didn’t like thinking about death and purchased the mausoleum for a good deal (a mere $5 million) because he didn’t want to be put in the ground.
It’s this more insightful, considerate side of Connor that shows he really loved his father and makes the best argument for why he deserved a chance to speak, even if he had to be tackled off the stand by his siblings. Sure, the speech would likely be goofy and full of countless non-sequiturs, but at least the majority would be genuine and from the heart. And if you watched the episode, you know as well as we do that Logan's dreary and aimless funeral would’ve benefited from some heart.