Paloma Bennett
Spoilers Below
INTRODUCTION
Succession Season Three Episode Nine, “All the Bells Say,” directed by Mark Mylod, ends with Logan Roy (Brian Cox) “winning” but leaving his children with Lady Caroline Collingwood (Harriet Walter) in the dust. Logan begins to sell Waystar RoyCo to Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgard) for a five-billion-dollar settlement. Now Siobhan “Shiv” Roy (Sarah Snook), Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin), and Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) won’t ever be able to take control of the company. The three siblings come up with a plan to stop Logan from selling the company. Tom Wabsgans (Matthew Mcfayden) betrays Shiv to gain status. Tom officially “trades” Shiv for Greg Hirsch (Nicholas Braun).
TWO GODS & THE GOLDEN PARACHUTE
Logan has grown tired of conquering the business world but can’t bow out without a significant win. The beginning of “All the Bells Say” foretells the media giant selling Waystar RoyCo. Logan reads the storybook Goodbye Mog to preteen grandson Iverson Roy (Quentin Morales). The storybook is all about a cat named Mog who’s “dead tired” and sleeps forever. Logan also feels dead tired and no longer completely understands the media landscape. When he meets with Lukas, the GoJo Tech God mentions how Logan is too tired to lead Waystar RoyCo into the twenty-first century. Lukas leaves Logan an opening to bow out without losing face or leaving any money on the table.
The introductory talk feels like an actual meeting of equals. Both Lukas and Logan are Gods who exist on a different plane from the rest of us mortals. Lukas doesn’t comment on things with his dry sense of humor. Logan doesn’t put on the charming old man act, and he doesn’t rely on Roman to do the heavy lifting. But, on the other hand, Lukas likes how Logan jumps right into business because he gets bored quickly. The two CEOs both agree that everything bores them except for business.
Logan and Lukas walk to the outside patio furniture faster than Roman, even though his father is an eighty-year-old man with health issues. Lukas straightforwardly explains all of Waystar RoyCo’s problems, starting with the fact that Logan can’t turn it into a tech company because of his age. Logan pushes back but reveals that he does not love the American business world anymore.
When Lukas proposes taking over Waystar RoyCo, Logan doesn’t storm off. Instead, Logan questions Lukas with, “Are you fucking serious?” Lukas promises that he doesn’t want to make the other CEO “small” and proposes excellent parameters.
Lukas reads how conflicted Logan feels about the proposed buyout, including how it would rob his children of the CEO spot. Instead, Lukas promises to make Roman the center of integrating the two companies and give all Waystar RoyCo’s top brass a chance.
After Logan says no, the two gods start speaking in code. The two men stare into each other’s eyes as they plan to “switch assets.” Lukas gestures with his eyes at Roman, who’s anxiously watching the conversation. Logan orders Roman back to Caroline’s wedding. Logan wants to talk about selling Waystar RoyCo without Roman present. All he cares about is “winning,” a.k.a. piles of money that he will never be able to spend.
SIBLINGS UNITE
Kendall, Shiv, and Roman unite against their father. After Kendall confesses to drowning the young waiter accidentally, he shares an emotional moment with his siblings. Shiv and Roman awkwardly comfort their brother with pats on the back and jokes about how they have all killed people. When Shiv confirms that their father plans to sell Waystar RoyCo, giving away control of the board, she orders a car for all three of them.
Before entering their car, Shiv tells her brothers they need to stop the deal. The Roy siblings drive through the beautiful Italian countryside, hatching a plan. Roman tries to stand up for Logan because he has been working closely with him. Shiv points out that their father selling to Lukas means he doesn’t think that any of them should run Waystar RoyCo. Logan believes all his children are mentally weak and wants to leave the company to another God who’s proven his business genius.
Roman questions if they can even legally stop Logan. Kendall explains a change of board control “needs a supermajority in the holding company. Mom got that for us in the divorce.” The sale requires their approval. Roman is still on the rocks because he thinks the deal with Lukas may leave him a chance to gain some power.
Shiv and Kendall team up to explain to Roman that Logan will never back him. Logans thinks his youngest son is a pervert who will leave Waystar RoyCo vulnerable to attack. Roman reluctantly agrees to help them push their father out of the company.
Kendall and Shiv plan to use Logan’s health issues and their refusal to back the sale to blackmail him into stepping down. All three siblings will rule Waystar RoyCo equally.
FAILURE TO LAUNCH
Shiv proposes that the three of them fight for complete control of Waystar RoyCo, which both Kendall and Roman think will be fun. Even Roman admits they will make a good team. Sadly, the coup doesn’t work because Tom betrays Shiv by snitching to Logan. Logan uses the knowledge in his negotiations with his second ex-wife, a.k.a. their mother. Caroline agrees to take out the clause in their divorce settlement that gives her children veto power in exchange for the London apartment.
Tom wants to be the more dominant one in the marriage for once. Tom leaves Shiv in the cold without a parachute. However, he protects Greg by giving him a minor role at the top of the new GoJo Waystar RoyCo company.
LAST THOUGHTS
How will the Roy sibling survive without Waystar RoyCo? Let us know your thoughts on Succession Season Three below in the comments.
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