Succession had its own “Red Wedding” episode this week, bidding goodbye to Waystar Royco titan Logan Roy in the most unceremonious (and, frankly, unbelievable until about 40 minutes in) way possible.
The Roy family patriarch died as he lived, estranged from his closest family members and in pursuit of another billion-dollar business deal that would engrave his name in the highest echelons of media magnates. But what caused his seemingly untimely demise and how the show has been building to it since its first season, is worth a closer look.
How Did Logan Roy Die In Succession Season 4, Episode 3?
At the beginning of the episode, Logan eschews attending his son Connor’s wedding in favor of meeting with GoJo CEO Lukas Matsson. Their acquisition deal is in jeopardy thanks to the kids scheming and Logan wants to smooth things over in person — while asking for a bit more cash to sweeten the pot. We see him directing Tom and Roman to fire Gerri while brushing off concerns about bailing on the nuptials. (He sent a gift, people!) After witnessing him board the plane, the next update we get on the Waystar Royco tyrant comes from 30,000 feet in the air, when Tom, who’s been trying to get in touch with Shiv, ends up connecting with Roman over the phone. He tells Roman and Kendall that their dad is “very sick,” revealing he collapsed in the onboard toilet and the cabin service staff gave him chest compressions. Shiv, Roman, and Kendall all have a chance to speak to him — well, they speak while Tom puts the phone to his ear — but it’s clear that his heart and breathing have stopped.
Logan likely died from a heart attack, perhaps brought on by the added stress of trying to push the GoJo deal through and his recent falling out with Shiv, Roman, and Kendall. But we’re not placing all of the blame on them.
How Succession Hinted At Logan Roy’s Death In Season 4
Despite seeming to be this invincible force wielding absolute control over his media kingdom, Logan Roy has been flirting with death from the beginning. We first met him as he stumbled around in his penthouse bedroom, looking for a corner to piss in. By the end of that episode, he’d had a stroke and a brain hemorrhage, forcing Kendall to take the reigns of the company. When he fought his way back to the top-dog seat, Logan still suffered from medical issues — heat exhaustion, a nasty UTI that put the company’s future in question, a medicinal regimen that needed to be overseen by his son and his executive assistant. Logan Roy was not a picture of health by any means, but this season saw him finally confronting that fact.
At his birthday party in the season four premiere, Logan skips out on the festivities to take a lonely walk in the park before hitting up a diner with his security guard to muse about death and the afterlife. He’s depressed his children aren’t celebrating with him and worried about what comes next. When the GoJo deal seems to be all but confirmed, Logan has a moment of panic, refusing to contemplate retirement and instead, prowling the ground floor at ATN, promising a reinvention of the news network with him at the helm.
Logan Roy has been in the throes of an end-of-life crisis since the opening credits of this show, so while deposing of him early on in its final season was a shock to the system for fans, it fits with the grander theme of this story. Who can follow in a man like Logan Roy’s footsteps? We’re about to find out.