The penultimate episode of HBO’s acclaimed drama series Succession sees the crafty Shiv pitch a daring idea to Matsson that can help sway Mencken to hear them out regarding the GoJo deal.
Eccentric, exotic, and erratic misogynist Swede, Lukas Matsson is quite often relishing the upper hand over the Roys. And when Roman and Kendall show signs of a rebellion that can cost him the big deal, he enlists the third Roy sibling’s services for his own ends.
Shiv Roy has defected to Matsson’s side after getting abjectly sidelined by her two brothers, per usual, all while concocting a work-in-progress scheme to use the Swedish billionaire to her own advantage when the deal is a success, given it is a success, which she now works to make happen relentlessly.
Roman’s deal with Mencken
Roman is carefree after his deal with Mencken, which isn’t exactly carrying the seal of definitive assurance that he expects out of it. Anyway, it entails Mencken’s efforts at helping kill the GoJo-Waystar deal.
This also makes sense because Mencken is a right-winger who’d avert any and all foreign influx of any kind. This is an ideal deal as long as Roman helps Mencken with his ATN coverage, which he does, even if it’s something Kendall feels icky about since he doesn’t exactly subscribe to Mencken’s views.
However, they do go through with the rotten media coverage that tries to sway public opinion about the election results, declaring Mencken as the victor while the polls paint him as the loser if anything. And yet, when Roman terribly fails at the funeral eulogy, Mencken spares no time clowning on him at the memorial dinner.
Odds stacked against Shiv & Matsson
Shiv and Matsson’s collusion is a strong one but if Mencken is to win the election and become the president, their goals would be near-impossible to be met. Mencken would most likely help kill the deal.
A Swede like Matsson isn’t exactly the figure in Mencken’s ballpark of consideration, on top of which, Shiv hates Mencken and the politician is well aware of it. In fact, he brings it up while trying to tease her when she brings along Matsson to pitch their idea about reconsidering the deal.
The two know of the odds stacked against them and also the advantage the other two Roy siblings already possess. However, when Shiv comes up with a rather sound idea, projections look more hopeful for them.
The pitch & results
Shiv ideates tweaking the deal in order to let Mencken in and give him something to allow for it to go through. Her idea, which she presents to Matsson after the eulogies at the funeral, is that they offer a U.S. CEO to Mencken.
At the dinner, when Mencken gets ensnared by Greg, Connor, and Kendall, Shiv spots the opportunity and slyly swoops in, taking Mencken away from the siblings and to Matsson, who greets the could-be president.
Matsson tells him that he won’t be as involved in the company as he might think, while also pitching the idea of the American CEO, which is going to be Shiv. Matsson is surprised at first when she pitches him for this idea but accepts it.
Mencken is surprised but does like the idea it seems. Meanwhile, he says to Kendall when he asks what’s he going to do to kill the deal, “Well I’ve said I’ll try to help.”
Later on, Shiv gets a call from Matsson who tells her that it’s a yes and that he can make the U.S. CEO plan work. However, the finale holds the cards regarding that statement and if it’ll come to actually be the case or not.
Also Read: Logan‘s death in Succession explained