Roman Roy may get his chance to rise to the top of his family's empire in HBO's critically acclaimed drama series, it seems as if the youngest Roy sibling will soon be getting his biggest chance yet to take over Waystar RoyCo when the third season airs on October 17th. This means that the narrative direction might very well shift over to Roman in a commanding lead, just as his brother and sister were each the focus of their own seasons.
Succession's pattern of seasonally placing a different character as the next in line to head the Waystar RoyCo business conglomerate is a theory that has intermittently popped up on social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit since season 2 ended. Kieran Culkin, who plays Roman, has even discussed this idea in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, explaining that:
“...if you look in the first season, [it seemed] that Kendall was going to be his guy, and then he wasn’t. Then this year, it seems like Shiv is going to be the guy and now it’s starting to look like she’s not... “So, maybe next year is Roman’s turn.”
Culkin and these Internet speculators may be on to something, too. Season 1 of Succession opens with the complex character Kendall positioned to be the heir apparent to the RoyCo dynasty, but ends with the pitiful, strung-out Roy brother crying into his abusive father's arms, his planned hostile takeover crushed to bits. Then comes Shiv's turn to nearly take the mantle in season 2, with her presence taking over more of the opening title sequence. However, Logan teases his daughter with the position before wresting it away amidst Shiv's sloppy handling of the Waystar Cruise sexual assault scandal.
Roman has always had trouble following in the steps of his older siblings. His constant jokes are a way to make up for his obvious insecurities, and his acts of aggression can often seem less calculated but just as calloused as his familial competitors,' perhaps even crueler. However, Roman comes back from Turkey a seemingly more confident man after striking a multi-billion dollar business deal during a hostage crisis, and his continuing relationship with Waystar RoyCo General Counsel Gerri Kellman places him in a strategic position. At the moment, it seems as if he's being set up to be a more competent and formidable successor than ever before.
Of course, this is Succession we're talking about, so Roman might fall even harder than he rose. After the bombshell ending of season 2 in which Kendall vengefully targets his father for the handling of the cruise scandal, it's unclear if Roman is going to aid his brother's plans or side with his father, hoping to win Logan's good graces and try to snatch the position of CEO. Even the posters for Succession season 3 switch character positions around to make this fate ambiguous. That question of loyalty could spell both fortune and disaster for Roman, depending on how he plays this bloody game. In any case, the youngest son is positioned to be an influential player in what is now outright war within the Roy family, and Team Roman might have his own independent and conniving plans of his own.