Pratik Handore
Created by Jesse Armstrong, HBO’s ‘Succession‘ is a comedy-drama series that explores the complex family dynamics between the Roys, led by patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox), the owner of Waystar RoyCo. In the show, one of the most complex relationships is between Logan’s daughter, Siobhan “Shiv” Roy, and her husband, Tom Wambsgans, an executive in her father’s company. However, in the third season finale, Tom makes a bold move that directly impacts his marriage. Consequently, it leads to Shiv and Tom seeking a divorce. Therefore, if you are looking for an explanation of Tom’s actions and his inevitable divorce from Shiv in ‘Succession’ season 4, here is everything you need to know! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Betrayal by Tom
Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen of ‘Operation Mincemeat‘) is a Waystar RoyCo executive who manages the company’s cruises and amusement park division at the show’s start. Tom is engaged to Logan Roy’s only daughter, Siobhan “Shiv” Roy (Sarah Snook of ‘Pieces of a Woman‘). However, he is not considered a part of Logan’s inner circle despite his close proximity to the Roy family. Moreover, Tom finds himself in several legally complex situations as he tries to make his way up the Waystar hierarchy. Later, Tom and Shiv get married, and Tom is eventually promoted to running ATN, the global news outlet of Waystar RoyCo. Meanwhile, Tom also laments his lack of power and influence, leading to him bullying Greg Hirsch (Nicholas Braun), Shiv’s cousin.
Tom spends most of the third season believing he will go to prison for the cover-up of sexual misconduct on the company’s cruise lines. However, in the season finale, Tom learns he will not face any charges after the Department of Justice completes its investigation. However, the DOJ slams Waystar RoyCo with a heavy fine, leading to their market capitalization plummeting. As a result, Logan considers selling the company to Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård), the CEO of GoJo, a company Logan was trying to acquire. After learning of the sale, Logan’s children, Kendall, Shiv, and Roman, revolt against their father, but their efforts are quickly squashed. In the final moments, Logan warmly greets Tom, implying he betrayed Shiv and told Logan about the revolt.
Shiv’s Infidelity and Emotional Distance Lead to Divorce
Tom and Shiv’s relationship is a complex one. Despite being engaged to Tom, Shiv does not refrain from hooking up with her ex-boyfriend. Moments before their wedding, Shiv forces Tom into having an open relationship with her. As a result, Shiv’s infidelity undermines her marriage to Tom. However, the couple seems to be on the road to recovery after Tom and Shiv both realize they want to have a kid. As a result, Tom and Shiv have sex to conceive a baby in the eighth episode of season 3, titled ‘Chiantishire.’ However, moments before sex, Shiv tells Tom she does not love him and later tries to pass it off as foreplay. Nonetheless, Tom is devastated by Shiv’s words, seemingly leading to him betraying his wife in favor of supporting Logan.
Tom’s betrayal of Shiv seemingly marks the end of his marriage. In the fourth season premiere, titled ‘The Munsters,’ Shiv openly tells Nan Pierce that she is getting divorced. In the episode’s final moments, Shiv and Tom meet when the former goes to their apartment to retrieve clothes. Tom discusses their inevitable separation and wants to determine what went wrong in their marriage. However, Shiv insists on going through with the divorce without causing any emotional drama. Hence, it seems like Tom’s betrayal deeply hurts Shiv. On the other hand, she might be using the betrayal to get out of her marriage with a man she does not love. Nonetheless, it seems like Shiv and Tom’s marriage has reached the end of its course.
Read More: What Happened to Kendall and Naomi? Did They Break Up in Succession?
