Lots of questions hold over the heads of Succession viewers forward of Sunday night time’s collection finale, however the greatest stays the identical ever because the pilot episode first aired in 2018: who will take over the Waystar Royco throne? For 4 seasons, the Roy siblings, firm executives, and worldwide interlopers duked it out in an try and take that prime spot, and the idea is a winner will lastly be topped by the point the credit function on Sunday night time. Following the penultimate episode, it appears the competitors has whittled all the way down to Kendall and Shiv (or a minimum of that’s what the writers need us to suppose). Roman, in the meantime, was final seen within the fetal place on the streets of midtown Manhattan.

The race between the 2 is tight. Kendall is primed for battle, readying his troops, and solidifying a “take no prisoners” perspective his father would have doubtless admired. Is Shiv ready to take that on? Can she make the mandatory strikes and combat the rampant misogyny at each flip as a way to land her spot behind the doubtless fantastically crafted, mahogany CEO desk?

There are some factors in her nook. She has ins with Matsson’s operation, her household, and, now, each campaigns within the still-undecided presidential election. She stays the least tied to controversy (she by no means killed a waiter, and saved her palms clear throughout ATN’s controversial election name). Plus the phenomenon of the “Glass Cliff”—when a feminine CEO is introduced in for PR causes and tasked with trying to wash up the messes of her male counterparts—is an actual world prevalence. Nonetheless, that’s removed from an iron-clad case.

As with every formal hiring course of, let’s start with Shiv’s resume. As Matsson mentions in final week’s episode, Shiv is inexperienced. Whereas Kendall has seemingly been working for the corporate since he discovered to tie a tie (after which instantly realized he didn’t like the way it seemed with a Brioni swimsuit and ditched the accent all collectively), Shiv took another path. She might as properly have moved to Bushwick and brought to promoting home made telephone instances on Depop. Her resolution to enter liberal politics has haunted her all through the collection, and now could be no completely different. She’s going to proceed to insist her outsider nature is an asset, and her different traits make her match for the job. If anybody is definitely satisfied by this argument, nevertheless, is an entire different query.

The opposite main obstruction on Shiv’s path to the end line is six-foot-four lifeless weight tied to her ankle. For Shiv to win out because the Waystar CEO, the GoJo deal should undergo, after which Matsson has handy her the place. On the finish of episode 9, it’s revealed that Mencken received’t block the deal as he promised Kendall, which means half one among Shiv’s plan appears to be going her manner. However this entire Waystar/GoJo scenario has been extra on and off than Tom and Shiv. It’s taking place, it’s not. Oh, it’s taking place once more. By no means thoughts. Even when it lastly does come to fruition, Matsson nonetheless wants to offer the ultimate blessing and make Shiv the US CEO.

Whether or not Shiv noticed it or not, Matsson was seemingly by no means into this concept from the second Shiv proposed it. When initially discussing it on the funeral, he instantly loses curiosity, altering the topic to her being pregnant, which is, in fact, yet one more aspect working towards her. Shiv jokes all through “Church and State” that she is not going to be elevating this little one. “She’s a kind of arduous bitches, proper?” Shiv says about herself. “Who’s going to do, what, thirty-six hours of maternity go away, emailing by means of her self-importance cesarian. Poor child won’t ever see her.” However is that this joke—which, by the way in which, is clearly shrouded in reality—sufficient to persuade Matsson?

Although, the being pregnant won’t even be Matsson’s greatest sticking level. When initially pitching the concept to the Swede, Shiv jokes that she’d be his “whole puppet,” however they each know that’s not the case. It appears extra doubtless that Matsson would need an precise puppet for the job, somebody who lacks the capability to work independently in any manner. There was dialogue on the Web surrounding the concept that Matsson could be eyeing Greg for such a job, and whereas it appears foolish and past the scope of Jesse Armstrong’s story, it truthfully makes loads of sense. Over the previous few episodes, Matsson has gone from actively disliking the strolling joke of a human being to being oddly enamored by him (however nonetheless, doubtless seeing him as a joke). When Greg approaches Matsson on the funeral, the Swede’s eyes instantly mild up and he greets Greg with an inappropriately timed, “Hey horny.” Later, when talking with Shiv over the telephone from his automobile following the post-funeral lunch, Matsson says he thinks he can “make a US CEO work.” He doesn’t say something about Shiv taking up the function particularly, and plenty of consider Matsson is about to drag a quick one on Shiv, utilizing her to work Mencken, after which appoint an actual goat he can management because the CEO. Greg profitable out in the long run might be a bit too “Bran taking the Iron Throne” for some, but when achieved accurately, it might make for an equally satisfying and humorous ending, a line Succession has efficiently walked for 4 seasons.

Mainly, the percentages are stacked towards Shiv. Her lack of expertise, her brother, and perhaps even the cousin she all the time look down on are all standing in her manner, and Shiv has by no means confirmed that she’s nice at overcoming adversity (not that she’s had many possibilities to take action). If she does have one factor going for her, nevertheless, it’s that she seems to be nice in a pants swimsuit, and whereas she won’t be completely ready, her closet may be very a lot able to tackle the function of CEO.