Succession power rankings: Dealmaking and dealbreaking in Norway

Previous ranking: 6 (down four spots)Connor was barely in this episode, but he still makes the list (in the bottom slot) after being empowered to make the decisions when it comes to Logan’s memorial. That might not turn out to be the smartest move on Kendall and Roman’s part, but in an episode full of epic blunders, it’s a minor one. Who knows? Maybe he’ll ace it. Or maybe we’re in for another meltdown like the cold butter incident in “Sad Sack Wasp Trap.” For now, he’s got carte blanche from his brothers with a promise of “no recriminations.” Between his new marriage, his father’s death, and his shambolic presidential campaign, Connor has so much going on that he doesn’t even have the time to meet with a room of working-class whites in Cleveland. It’s not like that’s going to make much difference to his campaign, though.

Previous ranking: NoneMatsson’s head of comms—and in-house “estrogen air freshener” (eww)— lands in the power ranking this week for a couple of reasons. First, Ebba (Eili Harboe) is in an important position at GoJo, and will be at least partially responsible (along with Karolina, we presume) for shaping the corporate narrative, whether or not the sale goes through. Second, and perhaps more crucially, she has a lot of Lukas Matsson’s blood and keeps notes on everything. “When I walk, it either goes in my book or they pay me off,” she says. She clearly has some power over Matsson, and that alone makes her worthy of keeping an eye on.

Previous ranking: 10 (up two spots)Greg is making some small, very awkward, steps to get out from under Tom’s wing and assert his position as part of the “quad squad” (sorry Greg, but we don’t think that’s ever catching on). He doesn’t appreciate being used as Tom’s sacrificial punching bag whenever he needs to get himself out of an embarrassing situation. And to be fair, who would? He did prove himself useful to Kendall when he needed to plant stories of discord in the press. He also managed to dig up some pretty intimate facts about Matsson’s sex life and was the first to confirm the kill list. We also saw him dancing with Ebba (possibly his source of intel), so maybe he’s forming new connections to work his way up the chain.

Previous ranking: 9 (up two spots)Tom hasn’t known where he stands since Logan’s death. That may have only been two days ago, but things move quickly in the world of big business. He went into the retreat thinking he was safe because of the ATN carve out, even offering to be GoJo’s guide to the “mighty oaks of Waystar.” But he was the last to hear about Matsson bringing ATN back into the fold, and from his estranged wife, no less. If flinging bizarre, childish insults at each other is their way of flirting, they may not be estranged much longer. She may have actually been the one to save Tom’s job, and even gave him a promotion by pushing out. Whatever game Shiv is playing, it looks like Tom will be a part of it.

Previous ranking: Karl—2 (up two slots), Frank—7 (up one slot)We’re putting these guys together, since they’re essentially in the same boat after this episode, and that boat is a luxury yacht sailing around the Greek island that Karl will soon partially own. They seemed perfectly content sitting in their robes outside while everyone else was roasting in the sauna with the GoJo team, “hanging in the window like Peking duck.” All they want is for the deal to go through at a good price so they can safely eject themselves from the Waystar Royco plane with their golden parachutes, and they get their wish. They’re the only ones happy to hear their names on the kill list. “Let the good times roll,” Karl says, as they both sip champagne. We kind of love the image of these two riding off into the sunset together.

Previous ranking: None after , 8 after (up 3 spots)Gerri survived being fired by Logan (the timing worked out to her benefit) and just kept on doing her Gerri thing, eventually becoming one of the few Waystar Royco employees set to make it through the merger unscathed. Shiv might have had something to do with that by hinting that she might be useful in helping Matsson navigate the Ebba situation. It’s fair to say, though, that Gerri wouldn’t be there if she weren’t a valuable and capable member of the team. Unlike Frank and Karl, she’s not ready to cash out yet. She’s still got something to prove. And did she look a little proud of Roman when they heard Matsson’s big final offer?

Previous ranking: 2 (down two spots)As usual, Roman finds himself caught between Kendall’s power trip and Shiv’s ambition. He’s also woefully unprepared for Matsson’s hardcore negotiation tactics. He’s just trying to do whatever he thinks his dad would have done, but trying to navigate by “dad maps” is a game he can never win. If blowing up the deal means he gets to do what he wants anyway—which is to tell Matsson to fuck off—then he can easily convince himself it’s a Logan move. Unfortunately, it all leads to the hot-headed tactical error of revealing to Matsson exactly how to beat them, something Logan would never have done. Still, Roman’s emotional honesty in that scene on the mountaintop felt really satisfying.

Previous ranking: 1 (down two spots)At the end of the last episode, Kendall was riding high, finally, officially, in the position he’s always felt he was entitled to. What a difference a day makes. Caught in the same trap as Roman, Kendall comes up with a different answer. Instead of trying to do what he thinks his father would want him to do, he tries acting more like Logan himself. This, of course, backfires badly. Kendall will never be Logan. He didn’t want this deal from the start, and he’s tried to tank it on multiple occasions. Now that he’s finally sitting in the big chair, he has more reason than ever to hold onto the company. But his clumsy efforts to make the company look bad in Norway raise Matsson’s suspicions that he’s trying to “Scooby-Doo” him, and then Roman gives the game away. If Kendall were smart he’d have realized he was looking at a win-win scenario. Either Matsson walks and they get to keep the company, or Matsson offers a huge price and they get a nice payout. So why does it still feel like they lost?

Previous ranking: 5 (up three spots)Almost as soon as Kendall and Roman promised to keep their sister in the loop at the highest level of the company, they went back on that promise. Then came Norway. Shiv was finally in her element at the retreat, endearing herself to Matsson, getting him to open up to her, and offering him her advice. Shiv is a smooth operator, charming in a way her brothers aren’t. She’s always been more comfortable in the realm of politics than business, and a little public relations assistance is exactly what Matsson needs. He also seems to appreciate having someone he can talk to who won’t judge him (at least outwardly) for his eccentric proclivities. Shiv is willing to be whatever he needs her to be, even if it puts her at odds with her brothers. It’s their fault for sidelining and disregarding her. Guess Pinky can dance after all.