A Definitive Recap of the Narcissistic Abuse in ‘Succession'; in Anticipation of Season 3

Have you viewed the show ‘Succession’ on HBO? (Spoiler alerts to follow.) The show is comedically brilliant as well as emotionally profound. Its true protagonist is Kendall, the loveable yet damaged middle child of a narcissistic abuser, the patriarch of the Roy family, Logan Roy. Logan has four children, all of whom jockey and dance for his affection, and each of whom have internalized his narcissistic abuse in different manifestations. Logan’s firstborn, Connor, is a grandiose and clueless egocentric who seeks companionship from an emotionally unavailable woman. His eldest daughter, ‘Shiv,’ chooses a devoted partner she can manipulate, having grown up with a largely absent father figure. His middle son, Kendall, turns to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of his cold and rejecting parents. And his youngest, Roman, is a chronic underachiever who uses humor to deflect massive insecurity, and is chronically single, as he can’t let himself become close to a significant other due to a myriad of neuroses and intense fear of rejection.

All of these depictions are common representations of the offspring of a narcissistic abuser. 

While this show has many prolific lines, the most prominent comes when Logan has an opportunity to pass the CEO title of his media empire to a credible and respected businesswoman, Rhea, played by Holly Hunter. Unfortunately, after getting to know Logan and his duplicitous intentions, Rhea informs Logan that while she wanted the role to work, she “can’t see to the bottom of this puddle.” In essence, she is saying what she has learned about Logan: that there are no limits to the lengths he would go to in order to preserve his self-interest; no end to what he would do to protect his fortune and reputation. This statement foreshadows Logan’s ultimate decision to use his most vulnerable child, Kendall, as a scapegoat to take the fall of years of corporate cover-ups and corruption. In a heartbreaking scene, Logan tells his son of his plans, and adds that Kendall could never succeed because he ‘is not a killer.’ It is only in this moment, when Logan shares his choice to betray his son to save himself, that Kendall becomes capable of becoming a killer after all, and publicly speaks out against his father for the first time. Metaphorically, father attempts to kill son; son must choose between killing father or self; son kills father, to himself live. 

Interestingly, and as frequently happens in actuality, the betrayal of his loyal son is what finally sets Kendall free to see his father accurately, and accept the conditionality of his love and the hopelessness of trying to please him. This moment is celebratory, as it’s what Kendall needed to come into his own as a true adult, independent of the financial and emotional chains of his family. Not only is justice being served to Logan at long last, but Kendall has found his way out of the shadows, and can have a chance at happiness and a future unmarred by his father’s puppet strings and abuse. The sacrificial lamb refused to play his part, but not before realizing the truth of who his father is, and acknowledging that whenever faced with choice, his father would sacrifice someone else, to spare himself. This characteristic of Logan is what prevents him from being a father in the true sense of the word. The natural order infers the parent sacrifices themselves to preserve their child. When pressed, Logan does the reverse. This is “the bottom of the puddle” that Rhea couldn’t find, because it was never there to begin with. 

‘Succession’ is the true story of narcissistic abuse, and how it evolves in children over the lifespan. While some forever remain ‘adult children,’ emotionally crippled and never evolving into independent selfhood, others experience clarity and radical transformation, enabling them to break free of the cycle of abuse, and either stand up to, or cut off, their oppressor. This is the case of Kendall Roy. Season 3 of Succession is anticipated later this June. I look forward to seeing Kendall coming into his own, and am rooting for as happy an ending as can be afforded to him. Such bravery and insight warrants a powerful outcome. 

Have you, or someone you know, suffered from narcissistic abuse? Read more here to tell the signs, begin to take back your power, and get help, today.