Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Succession Season 4.Succession is an English major’s dream come true. Full of allegories, allusions, and heavy Shakespearean influence, the series is a comedy, tragedy, and suspenseful drama that keeps everyone guessing until the credits roll. Another popular trope utilized by the show is parallelism. It’s already been heavily featured this season with Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and the underline/crossed-out name debacle, as he contemplates his next steps in the bathroom. This time he is calm, composed, and confident as opposed to when he freaked out and trashed the same bathroom in Season 1. But in the latest episode, "Kill List," there is another Kendall parallel that could foreshadow one of the many twists the season inevitably has in store.
'Succession's Latest Episode Bears a Big Resemblance to Its First
Taking a trip down memory lane brings us to the second scene from the pilot episode of Succession. After watching a confused Logan Roy (Brian Cox) pee in his closet as he murmurs to himself about where he is (a bold opening for the show that also carries quite some foreshadowing), we meet his son, Kendall. We assume him to be the golden boy, something he seems to believe himself as he jams out to the Beastie Boys in the backseat of a car. He is hyping himself up for something, punching the headrest in front of him and slapping his knees in violent repetition. Much to the dismay of his driver, Kendall, outfitted in noise-canceling headphones, is rapping along to the song. We may as well be wearing headphones too because his singing doesn’t sound so bad when it's drowned out by the music — that is, until we cut to a rather embarrassing introduction (a common Roy family pattern) to the real Kendall as the music ceases, and we hear him rapping acapella. Any energy built up by the scene so far is immediately squelched by reality. Kendall's driver informs him that they’ve arrived, and he gets out of the car and lights a cigarette, only to take a single drag before putting it out on the ground and walking inside.
Kendall is under the impression that he is going to be handed the position of Waystar Royco CEO in the midst of his father’s retirement. Four seasons later, we all know this certainly isn’t how it shakes out, but at that moment, he believes otherwise. Kendall's confidence is boosted by the fact that he is about to secure a deal with Vaulter, a buzz-worthy tech company that he is overconfident about acquiring. However, he fails to make the deal and bashfully lies to his dad over the phone, telling him that they are still working on the numbers. Things only continue to spiral faster from there. Logan decides not to retire, pulling the CEO title clean away from Kendall, and by the end of the season, Logan blackmails Kendall into obedience after the travesty at Shiv’s (Sarah Snook) wedding. Needless to say, things do not go Kendall’s way — and as usual, his overconfidence proves to be his Achilles heel.
Kendall's Return to Waystar Feels Different in 'Succession' Season 4
Four seasons and several failed coups later, “Kill List” opens with shots of New York’s sweeping skyline before swapping to a shot of Kendall once again in the backseat of a car, being chauffeured to Waystar Royco. It is his first day as interim co-CEO alongside his brother, Roman (Kieran Culkin) in the wake of Logan’s shocking passing. It may be an interim position, but Kendall definitely views it as a permanent one, especially after the revelation of the mysterious underlined/crossed-out document with his name on it. Much like last time, Kendall is listening to music in the car but unlike in the pilot, he appears calm and collected. He’s traded the headphones for shades and instead of punching the headrest in front of him, he’s methodically tapping the back of his phone.
Kendall enters the company and is immediately briefed by Hugo as he walks past a screen featuring an in-memoriam tribute to his father. Hugo (Fisher Stevens) bounces some ideas off Kendall to announce their temporary takeover and suggests the laughable phrase “CE-Bros” as a potential headline, something that Kendall immediately discards. The confidence drains from Kendall for a moment as he stops dead in his tracks to look at what used to be Logan’s office. It’s difficult to read Kendall’s expression. Perhaps he is finally realizing what he is stepping in to do and how difficult a task it’ll be. Whatever he’s feeling, there is certainly some sorrow in his eyes.
This Clear Parallel Between Seasons Could Spell Trouble Ahead for Kendall
Despite the change in Kendall’s mannerisms, one can easily assume it isn’t going to be smooth sailing for him. The parallels both in the car and in the bathroom have so far led to changes for the better, changes that prove things are finally starting to look up for him. But this is Succession. When have things ever gone in Kendall’s favor? Even the end of Season 2, which appeared to finally turn the tables in his favor, leads to Kendall spending the entirety of Season 3 fleeing from legal trouble and covering his ass from Logan’s wrath. Who’s to say that this season will be any different? Some stories never end in true success for their protagonists, and Kendall has exhibited a pattern of self-destruction in the past. From his addiction issues to his questionable near-drowning (or suicide attempt?) in Season 3, most of the time, Kendall is his own worst enemy. And if it isn’t his vices that get to him, it’s his overconfidence.
Despite being in an amicable relationship with his siblings for maybe the first time ever, Kendall is plotting another coup. He has his sights on a permanent position as sole CEO and is making moves to make sure that happens. He’s gone behind Roman and Shiv’s backs to authorize smear campaigns against Logan and has convinced Roman to help him tank the Gojo deal. His manipulation tactics are already causing issues for everyone around him, as we saw with Roman’s harsh interaction with Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård). Not only is this emotionally difficult for Roman, but entirely caused by Kendall’s actions. Roman has to be convinced to botch the Gojo deal, but once Kendall gets his hooks in he seems to also unintentionally set something ablaze in Roman. It turns out he didn’t really "pre-grieve" after all as Roman explodes at Matsson and admits in his rage that they aren’t planning on truly selling and are simply going to “grind [him] down.” As a result of his outburst, Matsson decides to get the upper hand on the CE-Bros by making them an offer for the company they quite literally can’t refuse. Only Kendall and Roman discuss keeping Waystar for themselves so to Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron), Frank (Peter Friedman), Karl (David Rasche), and for the rest, there’d be no reason on Earth not to graciously accept it. But if Kendall had just kept his ego in check and his plan to himself, he’d have a better shot at keeping the company and cutting out his siblings later.
It has become pretty clear in Succession's latest season that Kendall wants to keep Waystar Royco and ATN all to himself. Admittedly, he has changed a lot from the guy we met in the backseat of that car in Season 1, and he has come to the realization that he needs to be a killer if he wants to succeed. But knowing and doing are two different things, and though he is taking steps to ignite his reign, are they the moves of a killer like his father, or are his ambitions going to lead to his downfall for the last time?
New episodes of Succession Season 4 premiere every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.