Desperation is Contagious in the Succession Season 3 Trailer, But Which Waystar Royco Employee Has the Most to Lose?
Let’s play a game. No, not “Boar on the Floor,” though this one may be just as demeaning. This morning, HBO released the trailer for the upcoming third season of Succession and, as expected, things have come to a head within the Waystar Royco family. Following Kendall’s bombshell at the end of season two, Logan is forced to “go full fucking beast” and secure allies as a full-on civil war begins to brew within his family. Everyone is desperate. Cousin Greg is desperate to not go to jail (or become a causality of the war), Kendall is desperate to take down his father while not implicating himself or damaging the company, and Shiv, is probably still desperate for the top spot, despite being burned by her father before. But who among this cast of despicably wealthy elites is the most desperate? Who will proverbially oink for their sausage? Well, that’s where the game comes in. Let’s take a look at the starring players of Succession season three.
The Returning Players:
Kendall Roy
Everyone is watching Kendall after he double-crossed his dad at the end of season two, opting to lay the blame for Waystar Royco’s dark past on his father as opposed to taking it on himself. Of course, Kendall’s work is far from done and it seemingly won’t be until his dad is dead in the water. This could prove difficult, though, considering how closely tied he is to a lot of his father’s own shady dealings.
Logan Roy
Following Kendall’s betrayal, Logan must batten down the hatch. “I need to know where everyone is and what everyone is thinking,” he yells in...you guessed it, desperation. He’s taken to stalking the shareholder meetings and trying to bring Shiv back into the fold after previously screwing her out of the top position. And, through all of that, Logan must contend with the fact that he is an 80-year-old man who has already suffered from one fairly serious stroke. So, most likely, he is also just desperate to survive.
Shiv Roy
Shiv seems to be desperate to remain relevant in the ongoing family war. Stuck in the middle of the two sides, she must decide to place her support with the “deranged” brother or her similarly deranged father. Meanwhile, she has a sham of a marriage to attend to and a new wardrobe of pantsuits and turtlenecks to pick up from the cleaners.
Roman Roy
As always, Roman is desperate to prove to daddy that he can play with the big boys, bounce back from being held captive by terrorists, and maybe even be the son to Logan that Kendall could never quite be.
Tom Wambsgans
Tom is always desperate, but considering his lack of appearances in the season three trailer, right now he may just be pining for more screen time. The moments we do see, however, are classic Tom—messing with Greg and comforting a less-than-enthused Shiv.
Greg Hirsch
Greg makes his desires quite clear in the trailer. “I’m focused on not going to jail,” he tells Tom, which is, honestly, fair. Of course, everyone’s favorite awkward cousin must also contend with the ultimatum his grandfather gave him in season two: quit his job at Waystar Royco or miss out on his $250 million inheritance.
The New Kids:
Lukas Matsson
The season three trailer introduced two new (yet highly recognizable) faces to the already all-star cast. Alexander Skarsgård will come into play as “a confrontational CEO and tech founder,” according to IndieWire, one who seems pretty desperate for Logan to die already (join the club).
Josh Aaronson
Adrian Brody, meanwhile, will play Josh Aaronson, “a billionaire activist investor who becomes locked in a pivotal battle for the ownership of Waystar.” Again, join the club.
