In the very first episode, Logan started to show the early signs of cognitive impairment and his kids began making plans to take over the company in the event of his demise. But over the course of the season, against his doctors’ wishes, Logan kept coming into work, held onto his power with everything he had, and refused to step down, even for the good of his own health. This set up a four-season power struggle between Logan and his own children that inevitably culminated in Logan’s death — and what followed was brilliantly foreshadowed in season 1.
Succession Season 1, Episode 2 Foreshadowed Kendall, Shiv & Roman’s Reactions To Logan’s Death
At the end of Succession’s pilot episode, Logan suffers a brain hemorrhage in his helicopter and he’s rushed to the nearest hospital. Season 1, episode 2, hilariously titled “S*** Show at the F*** Factory,” takes place entirely at the hospital. As Logan’s hemorrhage is being treated and his medical condition is extremely precarious, the Roys simultaneously process the tragedy and prepare their statements for the press. It perfectly encapsulates the underlying dysfunction of being a powerful, wealthy family in the public eye — even in their most private, vulnerable moments, they have to think about PR.
But this episode didn’t just set up the show’s devastating satire of the downside of fame and fortune; it also foreshadowed how Logan’s kids would eventually react to his death. Logan wouldn’t actually die until season 4, episode 3, “Connor’s Wedding,” but as Logan was being treated for a brain hemorrhage in season 1, episode 2, it was unclear if he’d survive the surgery. So, Kendall, Shiv, and Roman all had to prepare for the possibility that Logan wouldn’t live through the night — and, in doing so, revealed how they would react in the event of his actual death.
Kendall, Shiv, and Roman all had to prepare for the possibility that Logan wouldn’t live through the night — and, in doing so, revealed how they would react in the event of his actual death.
Kendall tries to think pragmatically through his panic; he demands the best doctors, assembles the board to put a plan in place, and keeps an eye on the stock price, all while trying to conceal the fact that he’s freaking out. Shiv regresses into childlike emotions, tearfully lamenting the potential loss of her dad, and Roman remains in deep denial, refusing to accept that Logan is gone until it’s confirmed. This is exactly how they all react when Logan actually dies in season 4.
Succession Was Building To Logan’s Death From The Very Beginning
Logan’s death was the moment that Succession had been building toward from the very beginning. It’s common for a TV show to set up an intriguing question in its pilot episode to keep audiences coming back week after week. Twin Peaks begged the question: who killed Laura Palmer? How I Met Your Mother begged the question: who would be the mother of Ted Mosby’s children? And Succession asked audiences: who would take over Waystar Royco in Logan’s absence? Since Logan made it clear he wouldn’t retire, he would have to die to relinquish control of the company.
The next four seasons of Succession focused on the Roy kids trying to put a plan in place so that they could achieve their ruthless ambitions in the event of Logan’s death. Logan’s mortality was hanging over the series the whole time. At Logan’s 80th birthday party in the pilot episode, Kendall mentioned that they didn’t know how many birthdays Logan had left. Succession’s story hinged on Logan’s impending demise, so it makes sense that it was leaving a trail of breadcrumbs from the start.
