Pratik Handore
As HBO’s ‘Succession‘ season 4 hurtles towards its inevitable conclusion, the eighth episode of season 4 delivers a major blow to Tom Wambsgans and his hopes of keeping his position of power within Waystar RoyCo. Moreover, with the support of Logan Roy gone from behind him, Tom might struggle to keep hold of his position at Waystar. As a result, viewers must be wondering if Tom will lose his job following the election coverage debacle in ‘Succession’ season 4. SPOILER AHEAD!
Tom’s Rise at ATN
ATN is a news network owned by the Waystar RoyCo. It is considered the cash cow of the company and a generally reliable news network. In the first season, Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) is running Waystar’s amusement park and cruise division. However, Tom is engaged to Siobhan “Shiv” Roy, the daughter of Waystar RoyCo CEO Logan Roy. Shiv gets Tom promoted to the head of ATN. Initially, Tom is delighted to run ATN as it gives him more power and proximity to the Roy family. However, Tom quickly realizes the pressures of his new job and must do everything in his power to ensure he runs ATN successfully.
In the third season finale, Logan Roy decides to sell Waystar RoyCo, except ATN, to Swedish tech billionaire Lukas Matsson. As a result, Tom tries to remain on Logan’s good side and betrays Shiv by exposing Shiv, Roman, and Kendall’s plan to revolt against their father. However, in the fourth season, Tom once again finds himself fearing for his job, especially after Kendall and Roman Roy become the co-CEOs of Waystar RoyCo following Logan’s untimely demise. Later, Kendall is forced to bundle ATN in the sale with Matsson before deciding to tank the deal. After finalizing the monetary aspects of the deal, Matsson released a list of Waystar employees who will be fired after acquiring the company. However, Tom is surprised to learn that his name is not on the list, implying he will be retained.
Tom Could Lose His Job
In the fourth season, Tom lives in fear of getting fired following Kendall and Roman’s appointment as co-CEOs of Waystar RoyCo. As a result, he is forced to play nice with Kendall and Roman and even tries to reconcile with Shiv at the memorial service for Logan. However, Tom’s approach changes after he learns that Matsson will likely retain him after purchasing Waystar. In the eighth episode, titled ‘America Decides,’ Tom is responsible for running the ATN’s coverage of the election polls. During the polls, a series of incidents led to ATN prematurely announcing Jeryd Mencken as the new President of the United States. Following the announcement, Tom is blasted by other networks for announcing the final verdict prematurely.
In the series, Tom is a people pleaser and does everything to ensure he has some power at his disposal. However, time and again, Tom is reminded of his place, and the same is evident in the fourth season, especially during the election polls coverage. Hence, it is likely that Tom will be fired for his complacency. Moreover, if ATN’s assessment of the election votes turns out to be incorrect, Tom could be an easy scapegoat for the company to pin the debacle. As a result, Tom’s chances of getting fired are pretty high. However, Tom has also proven himself capable of adapting and improvising in difficult situations. Hence, it will be interesting to see what Tom does to keep his job, as his time as the ATN Head seems to be concluding.
Read More: Does Connor Pull Out of the Elections? Will He Become the President in Succession?
