If you are a fan of HBO's hit show Succession, you might be wondering what happened in the latest episode and why it matters.
In the eighth episode of the show's final season, titled "America Decides", the Roys are faced with a crucial decision: who to support in the US presidential election. The two candidates are Jeryd Mencken, a far-right populist who has (had) the backing of Logan Roy and his network ATN, and Daniel Jimenez, a moderate Democrat who is opposed by the Roys.
The election is very close and essentially comes down to the state of Wisconsin, where a fire at a polling building delays the vote count and casts doubt on how 100,000 subsequently lost ballots would have turned out.
Roman Roy, the youngest son of Logan, who is increasingly becoming more delusional as the season continues, makes a deal with Mencken: if the Roys support him and Mencken wins the election, Mencken will block the merger between Waystar Royco and GoJo, a rival company owned by a Swedish billionaire, Lukas Matsson.
Together with his brother Kendall, Roman pressures Tom Wambsgans, the head of ATN and the husband of their sister Shiv, to call the election for Mencken before the official results are in.
This move has huge implications for the show. By calling the election early for Mencken, ATN could influence the public's perception and pressure Jimenez to concede, even if the results are not final or accurate.
It could also undermine the legitimacy of the electoral process and even the democracy of the United States portrayed in the show.
Calling the election early might also create a self-fulfilling prophecy where people accept the outcome as inevitable and do not challenge it.
It also goes without saying that it demonstrates the Roys' preparedness to sacrifice anything to get what they want, potentially even the stability of the United States.
However, calling the election early does not necessarily guarantee that Mencken will be the president, as there could be legal disputes, recounts, or protests that could change the situation. Moreover, Mencken is a controversial and dangerous figure who flirts with fascism and has radical views on immigration, climate change, and civil rights. His presidency could have disastrous consequences for both America and the world.
The episode also reveals, to Kendall, that Shiv has been secretly collaborating with Lukas Matsson, the owner of GoJo, to push the merger deal through. Her plot is discovered by Kendall, who exposes her double-dealing to both Roman and Tom.
At the end of the episode, Shiv is left isolated and angry as she watches Mencken's victory speech on ATN, vowing to fight back and stop her brothers from ruining their father's legacy.
