Succession actor Jeremy Strong says Kendall's alternate ending was much darker: 'I tried to go into the water'

HBO's Succession ended on Sunday with a depressing and in many ways perfect finale. In the end, none of the Roy siblings got what they wanted. Connor is off to Slovenia, or thinks he is, as an ambassador when he wanted to be the US President. Kendall, Shiv, and Roman wanted to rule Waystar Royco, their father's media empire, but all of them were foiled by Lukas Matsson and Tom Wambsgans. While Tom is the nominal CEO, it is Mattson who wields real power. While Shiv and Roman are more or less resigned to their fates, Kendall is less so. As he said in the episode, if he doesn't become the CEO, he is nothing. “If I don’t get this, I feel like…I might die" are his exact words. 

After learning that he cannot convince, manipulate or bully his siblings to vote in his favour, he leaves the Waystar headquarters and wanders purposelessly around the Battery Park and stares out towards the Hudson river. It is not clear what he has in his mind. Many have posited that he pondered killing himself, as he has displayed suicidal tendencies before.

Also Read: Succession finale review: A dark, fitting, and unforgettable conclusion to an uncompromising show

What happens to Kendall Roy at the end?

Nothing. The scene cuts a little too soon as he gazes towards the water like a man already dead. In many ways, he might be. But we know he will be safe, and the writers make it clear as day, when we see Colin Stiles, the late Logan's bodyguard, keeping an eye out for him.

The alternate ending of Succession was much darker

While Kendall is not in a good position in the end of Succession, he is still not so bad. He did get a lot of money from the GoJo deal, after all, and can live out his days in peace and luxury. Also, it could have been worse. Jeremy Strong, the man behind the character, has said that being into his character was almost too much for him as he jumped into the river, believing Kendall wanted to die. He told Vanity Fair, “I tried to go into the water after we cut — I got up from that bench and went as fast as I could over the barrier and onto the pilings, and the actor playing Colin (Scott Nicholson) raced over."

He added, "I didn’t know I was gonna do that, and he didn’t know, but he raced over and stopped me. I don’t know whether in that moment I felt that Kendall just wanted to die — I think he did — or if he wanted to be saved by essentially a proxy of his father.”

Yikes.

Also Read: Succession's brilliant finale was not 'feel-bad'. It was a reality check

Succession finale review

Despite all that darkness and gloom, Succession's series finale was a humdinger. I wrote in its review, "It is a testament to Jesse Armstrong and other writers' talent that the show maintained its authenticity and refused to provide a simplistic resolution or redemption for its characters. Right until the end, this show remained true to itself, insightful, and thought-provoking. Succession has ensconced itself as one of the finest achievements in modern television."
 

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