Pratik Handore
The fourth and final season of HBO’s ‘Succession‘ promises to be a fast-paced and eventful affair, with several characters still in the running to be crowned the king. However, in the eighth episode of season 4, the Roys are forced to play the kingmakers when the Presidential elections come to a close and the electoral votes are counted. Tom faces the pressure of delivering an exceptional news broadcast of the election results, with Roman and Shiv trying to secure an advantage for their candidates. Ultimately, Kendall is left to make the final call, leading to the devastating ending of ‘Succession’ season 4, episode 8! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Succession Season 4 Episode 8 Recap
The eighth episode, titled ‘America Decides,’ opens with ATN head Tom Wambsgans and his underling Greg Hirsch preparing for the election polls broadcast. Tom is feeling nervous, and a phone call from Kendall adds more pressure on his shoulders to deliver detailed coverage of the election race’s final stretch. While the newsroom staff discusses the coverage, Greg tells Tom about his night out with Matsson and his squad. However, Greg is unsure how to proceed after getting into Lukas Matsson’s good books.
Meanwhile, the exit polls reveal that Daniel Jimenez, the Democratic nominee for the presidential race, is leading the vote count. As a result, Shiv and Roman argue about Jimenez and Jeryd Mencken as they support either candidate. Later, Shiv privately speaks with Matsson and tells him Jimenez is leading the race, which favors them since he is unlikely to block GoJo’s deal to buy Waystar RoyCo. Matsson reveals he has been in contact with Greg. Shiv also remains in contact with Nate Sofrelli as she tries to push her support for Jimenez.
Kendall calls Nate and speaks with Jimenez. He tries to convince Jimenez to help him block Matsson from trying to purchase Waystar but to no avail. As a result, Kendall’s best bet is for Mencken to win the election, as the latter guarantees blocking the deal. Roman meets Mencken, and the latter insists he wants to be in business with Roman even if he fails to win the election this time around. Soon, Shiv and Roman start pulling strings to ensure their candidate receives the maximum coverage.
Elsewhere, Tom starts feeling the pressure and starts bossing Greg around. Later, he forces Greg to do cocaine with him. Polls start closing across the country, and Connor Roy realizes he is nowhere near winning the election. As a result, Connor tries to secure the ambassadorial role Mencken offers him with Roman’s help. Tom deals with a tech malfunction while voter ballots go missing in Wisconsin due to a fire. Tom’s mismanagement leads to chaos in the newsroom. Later, Shiv tries to apologize to Tom. Shiv reveals she is pregnant, but Tom believes it is another one of Shiv’s excuses for her actions.
The situation in Wisconsin causes an argument between Roman and Shiv. While Shiv believes the missing votes should be accounted for, Roman believes they should call Mencken the winner in the state. After much liberation, Roman goes behind Shiv’s back and announces Mencken’s win, giving him a slender lead in the tight election race. Meanwhile, Connor also throws his support behind Mencken, giving the latter more momentum in the race. Shiv threatens to destroy Greg if he reveals her connection to Matsson to her brothers. With Mencken in the lead, Roman tries to convince Kendall to call the final verdict on the election race or risk losing Mencken’s favor.
Succession Season 4 Episode 8 Ending: Who Does Kendall Back?
The episode features an intense election race and even more high-octane coverage from ATN. However, the news network’s reputation is at stake after they call Wisconsin a win for Mencken. Ultimately, a fine margin will decide the election race, and Kendall is under pressure to deliver the final verdict. However, he is unsure of backing Mencken due to the latter’s fascist ideology. Nonetheless, backing Jimenez does not ensure the Waystar sale to GoJo will be blocked. Hence, Kendall faces a dilemma and turns to Shiv for advice about the final call. Shiv sees it as an opportunity to ensure Kendall sides with Jimenez and convinces him it is the right thing to do.
Later, Shiv fakes a phone call with Jimenez that reassures Kendall he will block the deal. However, when Kendall calls Nate for confirmation, Shiv’s lies are exposed. Kendall confirms from Greg that Shiv has been working with Matsson to ensure the deal goes through. As a result, Kendall decides to support Mencken and calls in the final verdict, announcing Mencken as the new President of the United States. However, Kendall fears he has made a deal with the devil. Shiv hits rock bottom and conspires with Matsson to destroy her brothers.
Meanwhile, Tom is blasted for delivering a premature verdict on the election race and overall controversial coverage of the polls. The episode ends without a clear winner despite ATN’s machinations and Mencken being announced as the new President. On the surface, it seems like Kendall and Roman got what they wanted, and Shiv ends at the bottom of the pile in the aftermath of the biggest power race the country has seen. On the other hand, Kendall seems indecisive in cutting deals and will almost certainly need Roman’s help if he hopes to continue as Waystar’s CEO. The political fight has drastic implications for the Roy family’s own power struggle, and the episode ends with a clear line drawn between Roman and Kendall and Shiv and Matsson.
Read More: Succession Season 4 Episode 7 Recap and Ending, Explained
