‘Succession’ finale: Which backstabbing Roy family member became Waystar CEO? It's not who you think.

Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY

Updated May 29, 2023 at 2:12 PM·5 min read

Spoiler alert! This story includes details of HBO's series finale of "Succession."

A new CEO king was crowned in the finale of HBO's "Succession" Sunday night.

After dearly departed patriarch Logan Roy's (Brian Cox) death in Episode 3, tonight's drama-ending episode finally answered the billion-dollar question: Which Roy sibling would succeed and take over Waystar Royco?

Through four seasons of "Succession," the possibility of Logan's successor circled around elder son Kendall (Jeremy Strong), daughter Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman (Kieran Culkin). The answer after Sunday's tense 90-minute finale was: none of them.

In the end, it was Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgard) who succeeded in taking over the company, with Minnesota-born Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen), Shiv's estranged husband, appointed to a job as a compliant American CEO. Tom made a secret deal with GoJo CEO Matsson (Alexander Skarsgard) for the Waystar Royco top spot that the Swedish billionaire had already promised Tom's estranged ? and pregnant ? wife Shiv if his purchase of the media company went through.

Among other reasons, Matsson tells Tom he needs a "pain sponge" to absorb the blows, while he pulls the company's strings out of harm's way. Tom's just the guy for that.

"Why don't I get the guy who put the baby inside of her, instead of the baby lady," Matsson says crudely to Tom.

Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook) in the "Succession" finale.

Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) sniffed out the plot and snitched that Mattsson was looking for a new CEO. The Roy siblings put down the knives they were backstabbing each other with to block the GoJo deal ? agreeing to make Kendall the sole Waystar Royco U.S. CEO.

Tom fessed up to his wife about the CEO deal with Matsson. "Shiv, you should know, it's me," he confided to a blindsided Shiv in an effort to bring her on board. This only made her more determined to block the deal and his crowning.

When it came time for casting the final, deciding vote, though, Shiv had one last change of heart.

After an explosive sidebar blowup with her brothers, Shiv voted to approve the GoJo deal ? making Tom the new CEO and crushing her siblings' bid to stay in power in the family business.

It's a stunning turn of events for Tom. Last season, he stuck the knife into Shiv and the Roy siblings by squealing secret plans to Logan. After that treachery to his wife, Tom became Logan's right hand. But when Logan died, Tom had no allies and a toxic marriage.

Yet, the final "Succession" business scenes show Tom in total control, smoothly navigating the board room with his new power. The ultimate ring-kisser, to put it politely, enjoys having his ring kissed as the new CEO.

Where does Kendall Roy end up in the 'Succession' finale?

Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) at the end of "Succession."

In heartfelt moments with his siblings at their mother’s home in the Bahamas, Kendall confesses that their manipulative father promised him the CEO job “when I was 7.” Like the media family version of Prince Charles, Kendall has lived his whole life thinking he was going to succeed Logan Roy.

He was one boardroom vote away from retaining control, but lost. Looking over the Hudson River, with his bodyguard looking on, Kendall has a final look of despair knowing his life's dream has been crushed. He'll never be that close to that power again.

Roman Roy ended up with a martini and a smile

Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) at the end of "Succession."

After battling with protestors at the end of last week's episode, Roman has the stitches on his forehead to show his continued mental instability. But the blows seem to have given him some perspective. "We're nothing," he tells Kendall as their business plans implode.

Roman retires to an upscale bar, orders a martini, takes a healthy sip and gives a trace of a smile. He was not cut out for corporate life, forever trying to please an impossible father. Now he's free from that, but still filthy rich.

What happened to Shiv Roy in the finale?

Shiv's decision to block Kendall from CEO seems to be made from the heart, because she loses with the deal. "I love you but I can't stomach you," she tells Kendall.

She will forgive Tom for his second huge betrayal for practical reasons. But Shiv will be the wife of a CEO in a frigid marriage rather than a corporate power player. Tom makes the new dynamics clear, putting his hand down in the car he ordered and waiting for Shiv to clasp it awkwardly.

But maybe Shiv is biding her time to stay in the game.

Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Greg (Nicholas Braun) in "Succession."

Never count out Cousin Greg

Tom pulls Greg into Logan Roy's bathroom to slap him for spilling the beans about the CEO job, which turns into a semi-hilarious bathroom brawl. Somehow Greg survives his betrayal when his twisted bestie Tom gets the top job. Tom anoints Greg with a sticker to the forehead saying, "I got you."

Greg can stay on board and continue to do all of Tom's dirty work. And there does seem to be a sense of warped affection for the fellow family-outsider.