Succession Deep Dive: Season 4 Episode 8, ‘America Decides’
The latest episode of Succession's final season, titled "America Decides," delivers a captivating narrative filled with power plays and moral dilemmas.
[SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT]
Roman Roy embraces his inner Machiavellian, as he navigates the treacherous waters of power and deception in the explosive final season of Succession.
Roman Roy emerges as the standout power player, showing an unapologetic approach to furthering his own interests.
Meanwhile, Siobhan, who presents herself as the champion of American democracy, grapples with her own lies and personal faults. Roman's strategic moves and surprising ability to read people make him a force to be reckoned with, even if his intentions lean all the way to the dark side.
As the episode unfolds, Roman's power move disrupts the dynamics among the Roy siblings.
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In the latest episode, Roman takes center stage and suddenly rises in influence and power among the main players, after two or three episodes of being on the wrong end of the strategy plays.
Roman’s Rise
Roman has been disappointing all season, mostly catching losses whether it was abandoning Kendall before his Life+ speech, struggling in negotiations and blowing up on Matsson, and firing Gerri out of sheer insecurity, someone who could help him greatly.
@jaylealtbyk America decides #successionhbo #hbo #movietok #tvtoks ♬ original sound - jaylealtbyk
Let me clarify that my perspective is focused on his ascent to power. Morally, our main characters are all corrupt, which means the losses I mentioned earlier occur within the confines of their world. They inhabit a realm dominated by the immensely wealthy, whose singular desire is power.
Ethically speaking, they are all severely flawed.
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Roman takes a sudden turn to political savviness in this episode and gains a ton of power because of it. He emerges as the driving force behind Mencken's campaign, establishing himself as a formidable player in the political arena.
Roman Roy's transformation from a faltering figure to a cunning political force mirrors the allure and consequences of seizing power, reminiscent of the dynamics surrounding the rise of Trump in 2016.
Roman's trajectory in some ways highlights parallel dynamics between Roman and the actors involved in supporting and operating within the 2016 Trump phenomenon. There was a majority of people during that era that levitated towards Trump because he catered to those who have outcast characteristics.
Outcasts and those who felt their voice was being suppressed culminated together to seize power, despite the harm that came from irresponsible free speech and racist undertones.
Throughout this season, Roman has gradually become an outcast due to his series of misplays.
In the latest episode, he finds himself drawn to a movement of rebellious right-wing extremists, a group that, at times, shares characteristics of outcasts and misfits who are reveling in this newfound sense of community and rebellion.
Siobhan’s Fall
Shiv finds herself in a complicated position as she supports Gimenez's presidential candidacy, positioning herself as an advocate for the betterment of America. However, it becomes evident that she has been the sibling who has engaged in the most deceitful behavior.
Shiv's deceptive actions and betrayal leave her isolated and without alliances, jeopardizing her fight for power.
Despite her outward portrayal as someone working in the best interest of the nation, her personal flaws come to light. Shiv has been consistently dishonest with Kendall and Roman, secretly aiding Matsson while betraying her brothers' trust.
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Additionally, her treatment of Tom over the years, using him as a punching bag and failing to support him at a crucial moment during the election eve “tailgate party”, further showcases her questionable actions.
Although Tom is far from perfect and exhibits his own morally ambiguous behavior in this episode, Shiv's long history of lies and belittlement towards him cannot be overlooked as reasons why she has no alliances to lean into in this episode and she ultimately is alone in her fight.
Roman’s People Perception
Roman's keen perception of his siblings' true nature adds an intriguing dynamic to the storyline.
In my opinion, he sees Shiv's hypocrisy in supporting Jimenez, a candidate who embodies liberal morality and democratic ideals, while failing to uphold those same values in her personal actions.
It seems as though he may have been more inclined to negotiate with her if she would have been more authentic about certain topics, but she was constrained from revealing her true support for Jimenez because it was directly a part of her plan to help Matsson close the deal. The fate of the country was never going to be believable to Roman (maybe Kendall if she played her cards better), because Roman has a better read on people.
If Shiv had presented a strategic reason behind her desire to prevent the country from descending into chaos by electing Mencken, she could have effectively countered the unfair labels of being "unhinged" and "hysterical" that Tom and Roman often used against her in this episode.
She could have been able to use the same argument against them, as both of them had displayed unhinged and hysterical behavior on numerous occasions in the episode (Tom screaming in the media room, Roman making a racist joke in the media room, and many more examples).
However, due to a lack of sharpness in her response, she couldn't call them out on their actions. She didn't possess an argument that could match Roman's regarding Mencken's readiness to dismantle the deal and place the brothers in charge, and it left her too vulnerable to retort sharply to Roman’s quick-fire insults and statements.
Roman, despite his own flaws, stood out for his unapologetic approach. In this episode, he shamelessly defies conventional norms and disregards established rules, displaying a disregard for their consequences.
Roman's unapologetic defiance of norms and ruthless manipulation of the political landscape disrupts the balance of the Roy siblings.
The actions of the Roy children leading up to the election have undoubtedly had detrimental effects on the nation, and while the outcome of Mencken becoming president may amplify these consequences, Roman's perspective offers a striking dose of realism.
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His unconventional approach and ability to manipulate the situation may even earn a sense of pride from their late father, as he seemingly dismantles the existing political landscape and orchestrates Mencken's rise to power. It’s the type of disruption Logan Roy summons in his earlier speech on the ATN floor in an earlier episode.
He wanted “spicy” from the ATN broadcast, and Roman ended up being the one who delivered it.
A Historic Roman and Kendall Conversation
Roman presents his compelling case to Kendall in a pivotal scene where Kendall finally halts Roman's relentless push to support Mencken. Throughout the episode, Roman's actions appear erratic and unhinged, leading the audience to perceive him as the antagonistic figure.
However, despite Mencken's fascist inclinations and the clear negative implications for the country, Roman strategically maneuvers his way through the situation. There is a genuine possibility that Mencken could have achieved victory in the race even without their intervention.
In one particular scene, Roman demonstrates a well-thought-out plan, devoid of desperate attempts to showcase some type of influence or immature “tantrum” motivations that may have been assumed.
Kendall's conversation with Jimenez reveals that if he assumes the presidency, he will not prioritize negotiations or assistance to ATN. On the other hand, Mencken would essentially become a puppet in their hands. I believe that Logan would have been on Roman’s side of this argument. Roman embodies the spirit of Logan in this episode, executing maneuvers that I think would reflect his father's approach.
On the other hand, Kendall finds himself torn and indecisive, adopting a more cautious approach.
Roman executes a clear plan while Kendall grapples with personal dilemmas, highlighting their contrasting approaches in the face of Mencken's potential presidency.
Here's where Roman makes his vision clear:
Roman says “If we don’t call it early and he wins anyway, which is perfectly possible, but without us tonight? Think about that.”
Later in the convo Kendal says, “I don’t know, dude. My kids. The whole thing.”
Roman replies mockingly, “Oh, America! Oh.”
Kendal replies, “Well, I mean, it is kind of a nice idea, you know? All the different people together.”
Roman laughs in his face. “What? All right. What– what would Dad do?”
Kendal says, “I don’t know. I don’t actually know.”
“Yes, you fucking do, man!” says Roman. “The guy in the pocket. The guy that’s gonna answer our calls. The fucking guy printing US dollars. This is all upside”
“Apart from the matter of him smashing the country to pieces?” replies Kendal.
“Oh, god, don’t be such a fuckin prissy… Okay, maybe we could deal with a dose of that, right? Like a nice little dose of the frighteners? Wind shit back 20?”
“You know one of those fucking guys pushed my daughter.”
In a surprising display of concern, Roman exhibits a touch of worry for Kendall's daughter, showcasing a rare glimpse of his humanity. Despite being deemed the most despicable among the siblings in this episode, he stands out as the only one who attempts to embrace his family members when they receive the news of Logan's passing.
Additionally, Roman steps forward to comfort Kerry as she sheds tears at Logan's wake. While he remains deeply flawed, Roman possesses a remarkable ability to sense when others are vulnerable.
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Remarkably, in this episode, Roman demonstrates an acute understanding of what resonates with the American people, constructing a robust and politically astute narrative, albeit on the side of evil. He outshines Shiv in her own field of expertise, surpassing her as the political strategist.
When Kendall expresses his concern about his daughter, Roman momentarily reveals a flicker of genuine worry, asking, "Uh, she's okay?"
This moment suggests that there might be a slight chance of Roman reconsidering his entire plan if something significant were to happen to Kendall's daughter. However, Kendall hastily interrupts, preventing Roman’s thought from delving further.
“If we do this, people are gonna say shit.” He says.
“Yeah, and we’ll be in the West Wing. Nothing matters, Ken. Nothing fuckin matters. Dad’s dead and the countries just a big pussy waiting to get fucked. Fuckin… action… we can pay for any damages. Let’s just jam our heads in the bosom of history and…” Roman gobbles as though he's motor boating.
While Roman possesses a keen sense of understanding people and can display sympathy, this episode also reveals his capacity for sheer brutality.
He adeptly employs his skills to expose Shiv's web of lies, unleashing a barrage of cutting insults and harsh truths that effectively dismantle her façade. Roman emerges as the sibling who mercilessly exposes Shiv's deception, leaving her vulnerable in the face of his relentless verbal assault.
Shiv says, “This is about the future of the country”.
In a final devastating blow, Roman mercilessly targets Shiv's feeble attempts to justify her actions based on principles and standing up for her beliefs. Mocking her argument, he coldly retorts, "No. I think it's because you broke up with your boyfriend."
With this cutting remark, Roman cuts through the facade of righteousness she tries to present, exposing her true motivations and vulnerabilities. His words strike deep, highlighting the personal turmoil within Shiv and revealing that she is really deep in the water.
I give this episode 8.9 out of 10. I need some time to let recency bias fade away, so I will return and update this at some point.
Anyways, what do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments and subscribe to my email list.
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