'Succession' Season 2 finale sees Ken discover his killer instinct as he betrays Logan into becoming the blood sacrifice
Spoilers ahead for 'Succession' Season 2 Episode 10: 'This Is Not for Tears'
'Succession' Season 2 began with Kendall (Jeremy Strong) being subjugated to humiliation and vitriol because he tried to go behind his family's back to organize a coup against his father by selling Waystar Royco out. The second season ended on a high note, but only for Ken because he finally figured out what was missing in him.
With his father Logan Roy's (Brian Cox) help, Ken has finally realized that all this while, he was being too soft and so when the time was right, he pulled out his sword for one good fight. In Episode 10, the finale of 'Succession' Season 2, Logan is trying his best to figure out the right person to be sacrificed with regards to the illegal business that took place in Waystar Cruiselines.
In the previous episode, he confessed to Shiv (Sarah Snook) that a blood sacrifice was necessary to make all of this go away, but until the very end, the most plausible option was portrayed to be Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen). This conversation is especially important considering Roman's attempt at finding investment in Central Asia did not go according to plan.
The family is on a mini-vacation, on a cruise where the discussion about who would make the best sacrifice takes place. A call Logan receives from one of the shareholders, sees him being asked to be the face of all that has gone wrong with Waystar Cruiselines and to clean up everything in return for a nod from the other shareholders ahead of an upcoming meeting.
Logan also announces he may very well become the sacrificial lamb to keep the company safe, but his family and close associates disagree. When the discussion about who would be a sound option, optics-wise, everyone agrees it's Tom because of how he dealt with the congressional meeting and it is a logical option, especially if Logan has decided to give up on one of his close associates such as Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron), along with Tom.
The person who would be sacrificed would have to be on Waystar's side while they face the worst of their nightmares come true. This includes the SEC and Department of Justice among other things.
So when Logan sees Tom break under the pressure of his decision, it is clear Tom may not be the right person for the job. Shiv, who sees her marriage cracking up bit by bit as Tom is put under further pressure also requests her father to not involve Tom and that then leaves Logan with one choice - Ken.
When Logan broaches the subject with Ken about him stepping up for the sake of the company, he tries to soft-pedal it. He first confesses he loves Ken before he asks him to become the face to be publicly humiliated for a lot of things including the cover-up of malpractices at Waystar Cruiselines.
Ken is definitely shook and struggles to accept the outcome. He tried his best to help his father out; be it at the congressional meeting or even while he set up a meeting with Stewy Hosseini (Arian Moayed) to help Waystar go private.
However, none of that worked and this left Logan no choice but to plan a clean-up given the allegations the company face. Logan tells Ken that a press conference would be arranged where he would acknowledge that he was aware of everything that took place at Waystar Cruiselines.
He is also asked to confess the coverup was solely his idea. Throughout this conversation, Ken doesn't speak once. Instead, just before Logan announces to the family members about the plan, Ken asks his father if he ever had it in him to become the top man of the company.
Logan answers that Ken had been sharp and smart, but the one thing that was missing in him was the capability to kill. Which is exactly what Logan was doing figuratively to Ken, even at that moment. In hindsight, this would have been the moment Ken realized what exactly he needed to do at the press conference.
The only one who is concerned with Logan's decision to put Ken in the way of fire is Roman. Roman initially denies to accept Logan's decision but Ken's calm attitude has him rethinking.
He is shocked further when Logan tells Roman he would be the Chief Executive Officer of the company and will be singlehandedly handling everything going forward while Frank (Peter Friedman) will overlook the entire clean-up procedure.
It seems like the Roys may come out of the woods if this plan works, but Ken has a totally different plan. If you recall, Greg Hirsch (Nicholas Braun) had saved some paperwork from Waystar Cruiselines before Tom managed to destroy them all.
Ken sits for the press conference and instead of confessing, he calls his father a malignant abuser, liar and bully and puts the entire blame on Logan. He definitively says Logan's reign will end today, and as Logan watches all of this play out, he is surprised and strangely there is also a look of pride there.
It is as if the father and son could understand each other really well at that moment. Shiv and Roman, do not understand why Ken would change his stance at the last moment and that's how Ken succeeded in finally realizing his plans for a coup against his father.
How will Waystar respond to Ken's allegations? Will Logan play a part in Ken's idea, pave way for the future together and handover the throne to Ken? That is very much possible, but we will have to wait and see how things would play out in season 3 of 'Succession'.