This was the last episode of ‘Succession’, the critically acclaimed HBO series about a family empire

The last episode of succession premiered this Sunday, bringing to an end the HBO series that has spent four seasons depicting the difficult dynamic between the sons of the treacherous Roy family, as they contest command of their giant corporation.

Last season came with the event that Kendall, Roman, Shiv And Connor they had feared and hoped for years: the death of their father, Logan Roy. Logan was the creator and founder of Waystar Roco and kept his company’s name alive for decades.

With the patriarch’s age, the dilemma arose as to who would play his role if he was unable to do so, giving rise to all the family conflicts of the first three seasons.

Going into the latest episode, which premiered on Sunday, all signs pointed to Kendall, who has been described as the obvious successor since the series pilot. Kendall had convinced his brothers to show a united front and be the one to run the company and prevent it from falling into the hands of strangers to the family, such as Lucas Matson.

But a betrayal by Shiv, her father’s favorite and youngest daughter, destroyed the empire.

Shiv, also facing the breakdown of her marriage to Tom, who was exposed as an ally of Matsson, changed her vote on Waystar Roco’s board of directors at the last minute, after Kendall lost her cool. Matsson took over the company together with Tom.

A succession of decisions that obeyed each brother’s nature saw to it that the ties that united the Roys to their father’s company were severed, taking each one away from what they once believed would be their destiny.

The betrayal becomes even more tragic when remembering the emotional scene Kendall, Roman and Shiv shared in that final episode in the kitchen of their mother’s house, all laughing and suggesting that there was a stronger bond between them than the trauma caused by their father.

So the series has come to a devastating end that failed to answer viewers’ concerns about what will happen to the Roy family after they lose the throne they yearned for.