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Succession Series Finale Cut Small But Pivotal Scene From The Final Episode-TGN

Summary

  • The Succession series finale cut a small but pivotal scene showing Shiv voting against Kendall, which would have been illuminating.

  • Shiv’s decision to vote against Kendall was depressingly easy for her, and she felt confident in her choice, according to actor Sarah Snook.

  • Kendall’s actions and behavior, including isolating Shiv and showing favoritism, contributed to Shiv’s vote against him.

According to Shiv Roy actor Sarah Snook, Succession‘s series finale cut a small but pivotal scene. After four seasons, the show’s final episode sealed the fate of the Waystar Royco empire, as the board members, including the Roy siblings, cast their final vote on the Gojo deal. Despite Shiv, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), and Roman (Kieran Culkin) having genuinely experienced growth and putting aside their differences, Succession ended in an unexpected twist when Shiv altered her vote, which became the deciding factor in Gojo acquiring the company and ruined Kendall’s bid to become CEO.

In an interview with Variety, which was conducted before the current SAG-AFTRA strike, Snook reveals that the Succession series finale cut a moment that would have actually shown Shiv voting against Kendall. As Snook tells it, the scene is a quick but illuminating one. Snook also sheds some light on the process of filming those crucial scenes. Read what she said below:

Yeah, we did that twice. The way that Mark Mylod runs the scenes, he will let it run. I left the aquarium of the boys fighting on the floor, and it was so much fun to just saunter, basically, over to the boardroom, stick my head in and go, “No,” and then walk off. It wasn’t like a big scene or anything like that.

It was really depressingly easy for Shiv at that moment to just go, “Yeah. Absolutely not. No. And I feel confident with that decision.” And then the fallout after that of realizing that Tom is CEO, and where do I stand and all of that — I guess that processing comes as it’s been signed in the other boardroom scene with Matsson, and in the car.

Why Did Shiv Vote Against Kendall?

Based on what happened in the Succession finale, it could be argued that Kendall digs his own grave. Shiv leaves the voting room uncertain, saying more than once that she needs to think and gather herself before deciding the company and her family’s fate. Kendall and Roman don’t provide her much space and personal time, following and pestering her immediately. Had the brothers given her ample time to ruminate, it could be possible that the situation would have ended differently, perhaps even in Kendall’s favor, and kept the siblings’ relationship intact.

Shiv was also likely frustrated by how Kendall was already isolating her, showing favoritism to Stewy (Arian Moayed), and acting like CEO before the vote had even taken place. Kendall doesn’t help his case, openly panicking and acting erratically entitled at the mere thought of losing his vote. As a result, he essentially proves his sister’s suspicions right.

Related: The Real Meaning Of Kendall, Roman & Shiv’s Final Scenes In Succession

As far as taking cues from the actors, Snook says in the same interview that Shiv’s actions in the Succession series finale were pure instinct rather than a calculated vote to align herself with her estranged husband, Tom (Matthew Macfadyen). Snook even points to the way Kendall puts his feet on the late father’s desk, already acting too comfortable. This was just one of the few red flags spotted by Shiv to change her mind, so while the finale did not show the moment she said no, the openness and relative ambiguity adds to the scene’s power.

Source: Variety