I think when you really boil down the story of "Succession" into its essence, it's actually a show about trauma, and about the consequences of growing up with a father who inflicted so much trauma on you, who you still love, because he is your Dad, and who, despite the trauma he inflicted, still loves you, because you are his child. Logan is blind to the hurt he is inflicting, and the children are mostly too, but I think they become progressively more aware of how it impacts them and their behavior as the show progresses, and in that way, there is a little bit of change because a little more self-awareness peaks through. I think the lack of awareness of the impacts of that trauma, and the way failing to deal with it effectively plays out, is one of the main themes of the show, and each character responds to it in different ways using dysfunctional mechanisms to cope (drugs, bad relationships choices, the pursuit of power for its own sake rather than because of a reasonable end goal, trying in vain to win the love of someone who is not capable of providing it to you by continuing to strive for greater levels of achievement, the pursuit of money/status, and its symbols, rather than healthy relationships and true fulfillment, etc).
I think the children, in this last season, are beginning to realize how they've been impacted by that trauma, and that now that their Dad is gone, they are all grappling with the essential questions of, what does my life look like now? When the person I've spent my whole life trying to impress and win the attention and affection of is no longer there anymore, how do I go on? What does that mean for the company that he built? If this pursuit for love and affection from Dad is likely futile, both because Logan was never capable of it, and because he is now dead, so it is quite literally too late to ever receive it, should I continue with the company, and spiritually try to win my father's love from the grave (Kendall/Roman), or should I use this as a point of finality and start charting my own life course and accomplishing my own goals at another company, while honoring what I learned from Dad? (Shiv). And, who is the true heir that can carry on Dad's legacy? Will they ever be as good as Dad, and does that person actually want the job? Will that be soul destroying, or a way to in some way recover from the trauma by staying with the company, but maybe doing it a bit differently than dear old Dad did? Or, is it best to sell the company and let someone else take over and free myself from the chains I've been shackled to and bound by my entire life? Beginning to slowly realize how much trauma they suffered at the hands of their Dad also causes them to be ambivalent about him after he passes, you did ok Dad, but not really? I deserved better, but I can't quite bring myself to say that or admit it to myself or others yet.
How does this impact their future relationships, and are those relationships healthy to maintain (Connor chose an emotionally mostly unavailable woman to marry in Willa, who is using him for his money, at least in part, because he had a similarly emotionally unavailable Dad, while Shiv married a weak man who she could control in Tom, since she was rebelling against being controlled and manipulated by her Dad, but neither of them realize that yet). The children are all likely asking themselves, should I be making different choices now, as I gain more awareness that the patterns that I learned in childhood, and the coping mechanisms I employed, may no longer be serving me, both in business, and in life, and what does that mean for what I choose to do in the future, both personally and professionally? Or, am I unable to break out of these patterns because this is what I know and this is the cross I will need to continue to bear? This is what "Succession" is about at a deeper level, and it will be intriguing to learn what vestiges of answers emerge in the final 90 minutes of the show, or if the answers continue to remain elusive, both for the characters, as well as the audience.
I think the children, in this last season, are beginning to realize how they've been impacted by that trauma, and that now that their Dad is gone, they are all grappling with the essential questions of, what does my life look like now? When the person I've spent my whole life trying to impress and win the attention and affection of is no longer there anymore, how do I go on? What does that mean for the company that he built? If this pursuit for love and affection from Dad is likely futile, both because Logan was never capable of it, and because he is now dead, so it is quite literally too late to ever receive it, should I continue with the company, and spiritually try to win my father's love from the grave (Kendall/Roman), or should I use this as a point of finality and start charting my own life course and accomplishing my own goals at another company, while honoring what I learned from Dad? (Shiv). And, who is the true heir that can carry on Dad's legacy? Will they ever be as good as Dad, and does that person actually want the job? Will that be soul destroying, or a way to in some way recover from the trauma by staying with the company, but maybe doing it a bit differently than dear old Dad did? Or, is it best to sell the company and let someone else take over and free myself from the chains I've been shackled to and bound by my entire life? Beginning to slowly realize how much trauma they suffered at the hands of their Dad also causes them to be ambivalent about him after he passes, you did ok Dad, but not really? I deserved better, but I can't quite bring myself to say that or admit it to myself or others yet.
How does this impact their future relationships, and are those relationships healthy to maintain (Connor chose an emotionally mostly unavailable woman to marry in Willa, who is using him for his money, at least in part, because he had a similarly emotionally unavailable Dad, while Shiv married a weak man who she could control in Tom, since she was rebelling against being controlled and manipulated by her Dad, but neither of them realize that yet). The children are all likely asking themselves, should I be making different choices now, as I gain more awareness that the patterns that I learned in childhood, and the coping mechanisms I employed, may no longer be serving me, both in business, and in life, and what does that mean for what I choose to do in the future, both personally and professionally? Or, am I unable to break out of these patterns because this is what I know and this is the cross I will need to continue to bear? This is what "Succession" is about at a deeper level, and it will be intriguing to learn what vestiges of answers emerge in the final 90 minutes of the show, or if the answers continue to remain elusive, both for the characters, as well as the audience.
Last edited by AKA23; 05-23-23 at 08:20 PM.