Shiv's last-minute change alters Waystar Royco's future in 'Succession' finale

Succession has ended with its finale addressing the question everyone wants to know the answer to; who will inherit Waystar Royco.

In a dramatic boardroom vote, Shiv has a change of heart and GoJo now controls the media company. Lukas Matsson, the CEO of GoJo, appoints Tom Wambsgans as the American CEO of Waystar Royco.

While the practical implications of the deal may involve unpleasant tasks with little influence, Tom is thrilled to assume the role.

According to Jesse Armstrong, the Succession's creator, this outcome was a natural choice, he told Variety.

“The idea of Tom being the eventual successor, that had been something that I thought was the right ending for quite a while now,” Armstrong said.

“Even though he’s not exactly the most powerful monarch you’ll ever meet — his power comes from Matsson. Those figures that drift upwards and make themselves amenable to powerful people are around.”

Armstrong also discussed the future of the central siblings. He mentioned that their stories will continue, but the show loses interest in them after they fail to achieve their desired success, which their father held as a prize.

“Shiv is still in play, I’d say, in a rather terrifying, frozen emotionally barren place,” Armstrong said.

“But she has got this kind of non-victory, non-defeat. I mean, there’s gonna be some movement there. There’s still a lot of that game to play out, but that’s where we leave it. And it feels like it’s going to be hard to progress for them, emotionally, given the things they’ve said about each other.

“For Kendall, this will never stop being the central event of his life, the central days of his life, central couple of years of his life,” Armstrong continued.

“Maybe he could go on and start a company, or do a thing. But the chances of him achieving the sort of corporate status that his dad achieved are very low. And I think that will mark his whole life.”