WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for Succession's season 4 finale!Logan Roy’s death in Succession season 4 rushed a decision on his CEO successor, which was primarily a battle between his children Kendall, Roman, and Shiv Roy. At the very end of Succession’s series finale, the board of Waystar Royco is called together to vote on whether the GoJo deal goes through, which equates to either Kendall Roy or Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans becoming CEO depending on the outcome.
While Lukas Matsson’s potential buyout of Waystar Royco and CEO offer to Shiv led her to separate from Kendall and Roman throughout most of Succession season 4, the finale’s reveal that Lukas was choosing Tom instead led the three youngest Roy siblings to finally be unified on a solid front. However, as the votes are counted at the meeting with a six-to-six tie, Shiv exits the room with the deciding vote uncast. When the siblings deliberate in the ading room, their long-held resentments, secrets, and doubts are voiced, which culminates in a decision that names the new direction for Waystar Royco and the CEO in Succession’s finale.
Tom Wambsgans Is Waystar’s CEO In Succession’s Ending
After telling Kendall that she doesn't believe he would be a good CEO, especially once he denies his role in the death of a waiter from Shiv's wedding in Succession season 1, Shiv rushes into the room and votes for the GoJo deal to go through. This act officially kills Kendall's chances of becoming CEO, and makes Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans the new CEO, as he was offered the position by Lukas Matsson in lieu of Shiv herself. With Waystar Royco now being controlled by GoJo, Tom is able to make his new empire while still bowing down to the feet of Lukas.
Not all the Roys are losers in Succession's series finale, however, as the show confirms Greg is staying onboard, while one of the final shots sees Tom and Shiv driving away together hand-in-hand. Still, Lukas's plan to make Tom the CEO of Waystar Royco was always connected to his proximity to the Roy family, as Shiv being pregnant with their unborn child means that the company is still maintaining Logan's legacy without having to actually put Shiv or one of her siblings in charge. While Tom will have to take the fall for Lukas's mistakes and be the face of Waystar's good and bad decisions, his years of treachery and loyalty paid off to give him the company's throne.
Why Tom Had To Be Logan's Successor
Kendall, Roman, and Shiv each had the Roy name, but their aspirations weren't solely business-focused like Tom, which is why he was more willing to bend the knee to anyone who gave him an ounce of power. Additionally, the Roys had too much working against each of them to become the new CEO: Kendall had tried to destroy Logan and – as Shiv brings up – killed a kid without facing any consequences; as a woman in a misogynistic business landscape, Shiv was blocked by both Mencken (who didn't believe a woman should be CEO) and Lukas (who wanted to sleep with her), and lost her leverage with them once defecting to Kendall's side again; and Roman was deemed too sensitive to take on the role after crying at Logan's funeral, and truly didn't want the CEO title.
By the time the vote arrived in Succession's series finale, none of the Roy children would have been able to carry Waystar forward in their father's name. Tom, on the other hand, had been rising through Waystar's ranks for years, with Shiv herself mentioning that his cutthroat business tactics were part of what originally drew her to him. If it wasn't going to be any of the Roys, it was going to be Tom. Tom sealed his name as a successor to Logan when he betrayed Shiv in Succession's season 3 finale, proving he would stop at nothing to make sure that he rose to the top instead of being left at the bottom. Tom had long vied against the Roys and been laughed at for his top-level aspirations, but Succession's finale proved he fought dirty enough to be Logan's true successor.
Tom Being CEO Means Shiv Still Has Power In Succession
Shiv may not be the CEO in Succession's ending, but she emerges from the series with far more power over Waystar than Roman and Kendall by staying with Tom. While Tom didn't have the Roy name himself, being married to Shiv with a baby on the way enhanced the couple's claim to the Waystar throne as a continuation of Logan's bloodline. Roman himself mentions that Shiv's child would be the way to continue the Roy bloodline at Waystar, which is still accomplished with Tom as CEO. Tom needs Shiv in order to keep Logan's name close to power, and Shiv needs Tom since he has the CEO title and power at the company.
Still, Tom is able to move Waystar forward by redeg the company under Lukas's ownership, while Shiv is stuck in a place in which she must use her money and name to try to influence the men with the titles. Tom and Shiv still both need one another moving forward, confirming divorce is now effectively off the table. Despite losing the company to her husband, Shiv's baby will also likely be brought up as the face of the company's future as a next-generation Roy, thus allowing her to still have some sway over Waystar. In Succession's ending, Shiv is unquestionably the most powerful Roy, though her ending is certainly not a happy one.