Why I think Tom & Shiv stay together
On the topic of Tom and Shiv..... you know.... I’ve watched Hannibal. Okay. I’ve seen gay cannibal Mads Mikkelsen and I shipped him hard with Will Graham..... and I’m not the only one. Those of us who ship them... we’re effed up. I mean, Hannibal fell in love with Will, framed him for murder, tried to kill him, eat his brains, we still ship. Our tolerance and filter for toxic relationships.... well.... it’s not there. Like, you cannot get worse than Hannigraham. That is as toxic as you can get, bottom of the barrel, but still really sexy.
So, forgive me, but watching Succession after Hannibal, obviously I’m gonna sit here and tell you that for Tom & Shiv, I believe they can make it. Okay, there’s still a chance lol.
This essay has almost 9000 words. All counter arguments are hereby invalid.
THE TIME LINE
BEFORE THE BEGINNING
Obviously, Tom, as Shiv herself says, only dated Shiv for power & prestige. He tried to worm his way into the family. He threw away morals to earn promotions. He truly was servile & Shiv took advantage of that. "Fathoms beneath her" he was in many ways & that's what Shiv liked. It gave her control. She liked the idea of having a man grovel at her feet & he liked groveling.
In a weird way.... They were already quite a match. I'm sure between all the lines, there must have been some sort of love or at least a level of affinity from both ends. Tom came to her at a difficult time & presented himself as a gentleman, wrote hand written letters, was there for support. Shiv was also outside of the family at this time, & given her behavior in the very first episodes, she was friendly to Tom & like at least liked him and appreciated him to some extent.
SEASON 1
Then we get to the show.... Shiv gets back in the family & the business & it's downhill from here.
One thing I noticed is in the first couple episodes, she referred to Tom as "assistant" and "partner," not boyfriend or fiancé. This is such a small detail but goes a long way to analyzing Shiv as an emotionally guarded character. This guarding is extremely present as early as episode 2. She never allows herself to feel or show her true emotions. Sarah Snook still manages to express Shiv's emotions in subtle ways. She doesn't allow herself to emotionally commit to anyone because she's trying to avoid pain. This leaks into her commitment to Tom specifically.
It's just so important to understand these characters individually because their own individual character analysis are the foundation to all my arguments as to why they stay together. So just bare with me.
In the pilot episode, Shiv gave the first impression that she was the nicest & most normal of the siblings. But with each scene & episode, we see her true colors more and more until the audience eventually witnesses her infidelities with our own eyes.
The press conference incident from episode 4 was such a significant moment & no one noticed. Tom only told Gregg & Shiv, one told Gerri, Tom confronts Gregg, who denies the accusations - thus begins the downfall of Tom & Shiv & the rise the holy Tomlette. The genius in this is that Gregg was that one that told..... Yet Tom immediately trusted Gregg & felt sus towards Shiv. Ironically, she has yet to earn such suspicion other than the fact she comes from a family of privileged assholes. Gregg grew up out of all of that, so maybe that's why Tom instinctively trusted Gregg, whom he's only known for like 3 days - a judgement solely based on their upbringings.
It took 5-6 episodes for Shiv to give any real reason as to why she was not loyal. Like I said earlier, she was nice & acted as if she liked him. She seemed to look forward to the wedding. I was under the impression that everything was fine until Shiv went to DC & Arizona.
The first moment where I saw Shiv look disappointed or sus is after Tom's mom looked the prenup. You can tell that Shiv thought his parents avaricious. Tom acted like he didn't care, but Shiv was still bothered by the idea that Tom & his parents were after her money. She just seemed repulsed by him all the way until their wedding. Later they were talking & Shiv said "I never cheated on you because I love you." Tom is immediately suspicious & Roman is like lol yeah.
"I tried playing with you & you broke." Words spoken to Nate by Shiv. Oh.... My.... God..... This is one of the most revealing lines to Shiv's character. Remember this.
Shiv's pov when fooling around with Nate -
Tom wants her money & family status. Her political clients keep trying to use her for her connection with her father's news network. How can she ever believe anyone wants her for her when Nate is the only one like "bro you're hawt, i'd want you." Being with Nate makes her feel something other than disappointment.
After Thanksgiving, unspoken tension was very present & growing by the day. All the meanwhile Tom gets closer to his work wife, Gregg. This all leads to the disastrous wedding.
Tom giving Shiv details about the cruises scandal was the very first incident of Shiv using Tom as a pawn. She tried to use Tom's information to blackmail her way to success & power because the Senator is another one of her pawns to beat her dad. Maybe beating her dad makes her his equal? And she tries to keep Tom clean & promoted maybe not to feel bad?
At this point Tom is pretty sure that Shiv is cheating. She claims their relationship is real and Tom doesn't believe her. Neither did I. Gregg sharing suspicions made Tom angry because he already knew. But hearing someone else say just made it true. (though I think Tom still respected Gregg for saying so anyway)
Everyone keeps saying Tom is a good man. Tom's own future analysis is that Shiv keeps trying to divert from her own wrong doings to hide the fact that she's an awful person & I can low key see this first season as people keep telling her "congrats, tom is great guy." This is genuinely hurtful to her as these comments fill her with guilt.
"You're my rock & I like hanging out with you." I actually believed Shiv when she said that in her speech. Straight up, is the most honest thing about the relationship - it's such a small comment that just goes a long way. But that isn't enough to convince me that she loves him in that moment.
Then the confession. I believed her again. She was actually being honest here. She said she was messed up and needed him at the start. As I've said, commitment might just bring pain that she wants to avoid. So she's proposing the polyamorous idea to avoid the pain - she speaks so plainly this isn't even analysis. Tom just goes with it because he loves her. It's not entirely about money anymore for him and he's probably thinking it's just a phase he can wait out.
SEASON 2
That being said - Tom & Shiv were on the road to a nice clean divorce. And then Logan messes it all up.
Shiv already mentioned before that she was willing to go through the marriage because of their "deal" & this deal was Tom. Tom is CEO while Shiv runs around freely with her money & political career & it's a win for her all around.
She walked in & said to Logan's face "I don't want anything to do with your stupid company." But all Daddy had to do was offer her in. Accepting CEO meant earning his approval - that's all she ever wanted. All it took was 60 seconds & Shiv left that room a different person than when she walked in.
Tom later says "I'd always get stuck between you & your dad." That starts here.
Shiv tells Tom about her offer. Sarah Snook is a master with expressing hidden emotions. I'm under the impression that Shiv was worried how Tom would react. He gave her "endless approval" for this prospect & claims he's happy, but he's really starting to lose trust in her.
I feel like I've mentioned tensions leading up to the wedding. But season 2 Tom & Shiv - those tensions are turning into cracks. That scene when Shiv called Tom a meat puppet in episode 3 - a damn crevasse. He returned home from the retreat humiliated and exhausted and comes home for Shiv to insinuate that she had another affair. With Tom devastated, that crevasse turned into the Grand Canyon.
When Shiv unexpectedly shows up at the retreat, she gets so possessive when she finds Tom talking to some random lady "that she knows." Like their open relationship arrangement has conditions but only Tom follows them or what?
When Tom was being interviewed by lawyers, he realized that there was a legit investigation. Shiv assures Tom it's okay, but Tom clearly doesn't believe her fully. This isn't just distrust in her, but also the whole family.
If I could pick the exact moment that screamed DIVORCE - when Shiv "agreed" that Tom should be the sacrifice & the way he looked at her & responded "what?" That.... Matthew's line delivery was heartbreaking. Tom spent 2 episodes feeling a target on his back with no support from the family & Shiv didn't fight enough.
Tom on the beach is probably the most honest he's been to Shiv pretty much in the series so far. He's open and honest about his feelings. He condemns her for her stupid open relationship idea that she brought up on their wedding night. He says he's unhappy, and Shiv is, of course, very hard to read. Shiv is definitely a "if you can't handle me then leave" kind of person - Tom is not going anywhere. "I tried playing with you & you broke." That will always be the difference between Tom & people like Nate.
It's curious. Shiv felt bad for what Tom said. But does she feel bad for Tom or feel bad because she's an awful person? Shiv convinced Logan to not use Tom as the scapegoat. But did she do that because she wants to protect Tom or is that her way of trying to redeem herself from making Tom so unhappy? I could honestly say both for each question.
Another detail I want to point out is that both seasons end with an honest conversation between them. Shiv saying I love you in the season 2 finale was not as believable as it was in the season 1 finale. On their wedding night, there was still a part of Shiv that cared for Tom and she needed / wanted him in her life. In the beach scene, she's says "I love you" almost as a means to try to calm him. They were empty words and even Tom called her out in that moment. It's just interesting to see how Shiv has changed in terms of emotions between both seasons.
SEASON 3
Tom was still bitter from the death cruise & didn't have the patience to deal with Shiv's bs anymore. The way she said I love you and he responded with thank you in the first couple episodes lmao. Even in the midst of the family civil war, Tom believed Gregg because Shiv is starting to look like an untrustworthy liar. Thus the subtextual love triangle intensifies.
A drunk Tom said he would offer to go to jail for Logan's sake. Shiv seemed sorry for him at first but then Shiv was like hmm sure. like wtf. There are many glimpses of Shiv through the season that indicates that she has genuine emotions for him. But then she acts repulsed by Tom, doesn't help him calm down over his prison anxiety, & tries to use him as her pawn when she needs him.
Tom makes the offer to willingly sacrifice and Logan appreciates it. This was a major turning point for many reasons.
Again, Shiv occasionally looks like she genuinely feels for Tom, courtesy of Sarah Snook. But in those moments, Tom looks like he doesn't feel a lot of support or reassurance from her, courtesy of Matthew Macfadyen. Tom has been given so much evidence that she's not one to be trusted & Shiv has become more & more focused on her father & her position in the company to even try to be an emotionally available wife.
Tom tried to slide in the concept of having a baby in the midst of the Shareholder meeting chaos & she was so turned off. Bro said he was tracking her cycle to track fertile windows lmaooooo dude get out of here 🤣🤣🤣
It's been interesting to see that it's been Tom pulling away more through the season as Shiv keeps trying to pretend nothing is wrong for the sake of control. I honestly expected Shiv to be the force pulling them further apart. Tom just refuses to pretend anymore. Shiv keeps trying to pretend though, because if her marriage isn't the part of her life seemingly stable, than what is?
Here's the thing about Shiv you really start to see clearly this season. Only daughter. A well known small fish in men dominated industries. Tom is her rock. He's the #1 fan. Her most consistent support. When the rest of the world is against her, he's meant to be the one person who is with her. She craves validation. She wants it from the world. Especially wants it from her father. But when there's no one else, there's at least Tom right? Because Tom is who he is, she never expected him to faulter. So when he is pushed over the edge & begins let loose of her grip, that's when she starts to get upset & tries to bully him back in line - which only makes it worse.
Episode 8 was really reaching final straw territory. A drunk Shiv goes to Tom and is like "I want a baby and I hate your guts." Pillow talk. Shiv later claims she was just "talking dirty" but Tom doesn't believe that. There was just something so convincing about the way she said she didn't love him. "Even though I don't love you. But you want me anyway." The most disturbing part is that to Shiv, it didn't matter whether she came off as truthful or not. As a person who doesn't know how to love, being cruel was literally a fun piece of foreplay to her. Getting Tom angry turned her on. Remember that for the character analysis.
Through 3 seasons, Shiv has been the one inserting the weak points in the marriage. I would say it's been Tom hitting the heavy blows. Saying he was unhappy followed by his blatant distrust and open skepticism toward Shiv. Now it's clear Tom was the one who warned Logan about the leverage the kids planned on using and it gave Logan time to secure his win over the kids through Caroline. I've mentioned in my review of the show that as servile as Tom is, he will remain loyal to the higher power. He's been at the high table for pretty much the whole season. He knows that the kids could never be a match for Logan. Logan always wins and Tom has seen that.
On top of that - there have been multiple instances in the last couple seasons when Shiv talked about her position as CEO. Tom always asked "where would I fit in" and Shiv always gave the wishy washy answer "oh we'll figure it out." He asked again when the siblings ganged up against their father - same answer. Putting that together with the prison situation and then the whole "pillow talk" disaster, he knew that this was too big of a situation and that Shiv would not have his back once things blow up. In this moment, his ambition was stronger than his loyalty - loyalty that had been fading all of season 3. So while it was the first time Roman acted against his father, it was also the first time Tom acted against his wife.
SEASON 4
Shiv being jealous of Tom's "meeting" with Naomi. They're separated but God forgive Tom spends time with another woman - Naomi or otherwise. It's probably easy for viewers to be like "stfu Shiv, I bet you've slept around a lot these 6 months." Knowing she's pregnant, I'm gonna say that is actually least likely.
There was something about how Shiv just so blatantly nonchalantly state that she's getting a divorce. She threw away her political career because of her dad. Now she seems so ready to tell people she's divorcing because of her dad. She just can't live away from his shadow. It's kind of the theme of the Roy kids. They can't live or make decisions without him in mind & it's ruined their lives. This is the most apparent through season 4.
Emmy Award winner Sarah Snook showed up at the end of that first episode. Shiv was like "yeah bro it's over" but every time she looked away from Tom, her face said the opposite. They seem to be in the divorce process by next episode, but she is still not being truthful, even when she's not trying to pretend everything is okay. This was also THE time to tell Tom about the child, but she's too pissed from her battle with her dad, & jealous that Tom is merely speaking to other woman. So instead of having a raw moment with Tom, she talks him into divorce because her instinctive reaction is to always fight back when people disappoint her.
After the karaoke scene, Shiv was about to call Tom. I saw his name. Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did.
Connor's Wedding...........
I'm gonna just talk about Tom & Shiv here. Tom tried calling Shiv first but she was like "meh I'm mad at you" so didn't really get to have that proper goodbye the way her brothers did. That's one way of looking at the "caught between you & your dad" line.
I absolutely love Tom in this scene. He showed all the siblings compassion & knew how to talk to them. No one else could've handled that phone call better. The way he talked to Shiv, despite their damaged relationship was so bittersweet. Shiv held the phone pretty much the entire time even if Tom wasn't talking. I think it was just to have him near for any updates, though they knew he was gone gone so I also think it was more to have just have him near for comfort.
After Shiv released the statement, Shiv accepted a hug from Tom - also very bittersweet. She ended up riding home with him, claiming she just wanted the rundown but I think it was just to be with him on the sad journey home so she wasn't alone.
This was such a human display of the characters. Tom is not the greatest guy, but he was emotionally available for Shiv as he's always been. And Shiv, despite her daddy issues and marital strife, still grieved and sought comfort like any normal person. Her brothers grieved in their own way and tried to comfort each other, but after getting to know them for over 3 seasons, I think we all understand why Tom's support was more effective.
The following episodes had some of the best Tom-Shiv content the series has seen. Every time Shiv looked at Tom following Logan's death, Sarah Snook's eyes were saying "I need you as my rock again." Tom, in turn, ignored their marital strife and focused on being there for her in any way he can.
I loved the staircase scene when Tom brought up how they first dated in France. Tom tries to connect with the brothers as a safety precaution. He knows his life is in their hands unless Mattson steps up, so he made himself available as a "humble servant" by using that compassion manipulatively. However, with Shiv, I also think it was him trying to remind her how he's been there for Shiv in the past and is still open to be with her now. It's him trying to convince her to keep his job as well as convincing her to keep him as her husband. It's heartwarming despite Tom's little Slytherin ambition. In the context of the Roys' - this was as genuine as Tom can be given the circumstances.
I love how the Roys' were joking about firing and killing Tom when he was literally right there on the other side of the wall then Shiv walks past and just smiles. I love them so much.
My favorite thing about the "your ears are chewy like barnacle meat" scene is how everyone on the internet sources this moment as the exact second Tom saved their marriage. This is the bickering married couple content I've been waiting for. Shiv also explains to Mattson how they broke each others hearts, so now we all know it's a level playing field. Then later in the episode, Shiv casually suggests cutting Cyd to leave Tom in charge then asks him out to dinner.... guys.... Flicking her ear probably did save their marriage.
"You're scheduling your grief" was honestly heartbreaking for me to watch. It's already established that showing emotion is considered a weakness and this is not the time for Shiv to appear weak. Tom was genuinely concerned and even though Shiv is like f off, he approaches her anyways. No one else would do that. He knows what she needs right now and she allows herself to cry when he offers his shoulder. Honestly top 3 moments of the couple ever. She needs him whether she wants to or not.
The Bitey scene kinda hits you on all angles. They were low key flirting as Shiv made jokes on their trauma. Bitey was a physical display of how Tom was not one of those "I tried playing with you & you broke" type of guys. Noting how this is one of the many scenes where I noticed both wearing their weddings rings - a conscious decision by the way.
The on screen chemistry between Matthew and Sarah has never been so intense until this episode. It literally took 3 & half seasons for their chemistry to shine like this & that indicates such a huge shift for Tom & Shiv. Shiv is wanting back in. Tom is still clearly hurt but also still cares about Shiv & is trying to help as she's dealing with her grief. Doesn't help that Shiv's instinctive response to any vulnerable emotion or moment is to play it off with sarcasm & pain.
"I'll always be caught between you & your dad." Tom admits he betrayed Shiv for money but then called her out as she would've done the same. "You kept me out." So he made that choice. But bro - even Tom is like you're as bad as me. The character himself just straight up said they were the same. They are both horrible. They were made for each other.
I also have to wonder if Shiv appreciates the honesty. She's so used to dealing with 2 faced brothers never giving her the whole truth, and all these people saying things towards a means. Tom has really surpassed having to do this & is not afraid to be honest anymore. Shiv even says later she's afraid of what a person thinks. Tom is saying what he thinks, there's no fear with him anymore. Tom was always her rock. He may be so again for new reasons.
That scorpion gift was meant to be joke but it was also pretty cold as well. What does Shiv say later, "Here's a dead snake to wear as a necktie" or something. The snake and the scorpion. Again. They are both horrible. I just want to emphasize this because Tom simps are always talking shit about Shiv arguing that Tom could do better. It makes me laugh so much, but you guys are forgetting who Tom is fr fr.
Her brothers wanted Nate invited. She clearly didn't want to, but this was a move in the game & playing the game of thrones still is a priority to Shiv despite her trying to rebuild her relationship with Tom - a relatively new quest. This causes tension through the night as Shiv falls back into that intolerable attitude that started cracking their relationship to begin with it.
The Balcony Scene
Line for line baby. LFG.
They walk out. They are stressed and exhausted. Perfect set up for what is about to happen. The election. Mattson. Betrayals. All of this on top of their anxiety about each other (and Shiv's secret stress about her child).
"I'm fucking my family" And Tom was like do you even care when you're joking about how your husband is about to get fired?
"You will be okay because you are a tough fucking bitch who will survive because you will do what you need." "Are you sure you're not projecting because that is actually you." This is when they start giving each other character analysis. Spoiler alert. Neither of them are really wrong. But it's true. In a way, they do what they "need" to to keep up with the game of thrones which is why they so easily betray the ones they "love."
Shiv calls him out for the scorpion gift that she did not find funny. I agree with her. Tom is a hyena, rat, and snake. All of those things. I love him anyway. And so do you.
"I wonder if we should clear the air."
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
You should stop reading to watch the scene that earned these actors their well deserved Emmy awards.
Okay. Now that you're back.
Shiv is definitely selfish, but who in the Roy family isn't? I don't necessarily think she struggles thinking about Tom, but he is a distraction. Why focus on a marriage when you have to stay on top of the business and family drama that is more important?
Tom wonders why she even married him, and so am I. But you have to remember what the original plan was. Shiv was supposed to stay in politics while Tom climbed his way to CEO. Shiv was supposed to live her life while also, by default, own the family company. That wouldn't have been possible if they were never married.
Yeah Tom.... why did you propose in the hospital like that bro. Not up to Darcy standards of proposals tbh.
Shiv said she didn't say no to not hurt his feelings. "Really kept me safe while you went off to fuck the phone book." She did not care about his feelings. She didn't say no because of the plan but I guess didn't want to remember that or admit that here. Shiv is indeed "scared to admit how awful she is."
That's actually an interesting point. Why is she afraid to admit how awful she is? She invented this open relationship rule to make her affair okay. She's not a sociopath. She knows the difference between right and wrong. It's easy to label her as a horrible person, but she has a moral code - they're more like guidelines but there's a code nonetheless.
Every time I've watched this scene I always saw Tom as the winner as all of his words had weight. Not that Shiv was totally wrong, but sometime her comments were just empty. She was really struggling here, trying to say anything to match Tom's energy as to appear on the same level. She said he was hick only with her for power. These were hard facts for season 1 Tom but I think season 4 Tom has outgrown such characterizations.
Another throw back to season 1 is when Tom claims he loves Shiv and she calls him out for being with her for money and power. She made up her mind about this way back in season 1 during the prenup situation and she's kept that mindset pretty much the whole series which is a reason why she never really took Tom seriously - this on top of Shiv's inability to be emotionally available to anybody anyways.
Tom betrayed Shiv, we've been over this. Well, Shiv was going to let Tom go jail. But he also offered because he's forever servile. I've definitely broke down all of these points as they happened in real time. Yeah, Tom offered to go to prison. But the least Shiv could've done was to convince him not to instead of encouraging it.
"You won't have my baby." "You are not a good person to have children." Deadly blows by Tom who has yet to be told that Shiv is pregnant. Thanks to Sarah, we can really tell how genuinely hurt Shiv is by these statements. Tom has been pretty right so far. But he was wrong because Shiv has already made the decision to have their baby. And I think Shiv wants him to be wrong about how she's not meant to have children. I believe Shiv wants to be a mom, and I can clearly see how these statements were just devastating to her.
Shiv is incapable of thinking about anyone other than herself - why would she think differently when she's been surrounded by selfish people her whole life. She has to think about herself. It's a defense mechanism that her brothers also have. But is Shiv truly "incapable of love" as Tom says? Logan was cold and distant and made his children be the same way. But Shiv is probably the most capable of love out of all her siblings. If she let's Tom in the way he wants she can prove it. If we saw her have the child that she wanted, she could prove it. There have also been so many times where Shiv looks like she loves Tom or one of her brothers, but she downplays it to hide her emotional vulnerability. I just wonder what Shiv looks like with all the walls down.
Tom is a masochist. No notes. That being said.....
"You have hurt me more than you can possibly imagine." A servile masochist who doesn't love his wife? Nope. This comment is just another reason why Shiv's arguments were so empty.
"It is no my fault you didn't get his approval. I have given you endless approval and it doesn't fill you up because you are broken." .............. no notes.
Shiv may have dropped some accurate characterizations, but Tom's final line was the closing statement. It hurt Shiv because he was right and she hated that. She tried to leave with little comments like I don't like you, I don't care about you, just as a final jab to cover up that she was not as hurt as she she really was. She walked away pretending to just be mad but at least I can tell how defeated she is.
Tom remains on the balcony, also defeated. Defeated by the argument, by the marriage, by the family. Why are people surprised he became CEO at the end?
They both lay awake at night probably thinking about each other and what was said. Someone could tell me that they're both up stressed about business bs, but how the 2 final shots of the episode are them and not anyone else, I'm just assuming they're thinking about each other. Easy to believe Tom to stay up like this, but Shiv? She's supposed to be this cold fucking bitch right? Why is this situation keeping her up at night.
Whyyyy she decided to try to apologize when Tom was having a panic attack over touch screens I will never understand. A pissed off Tom high on cocaine dropped the "you sort of killed your dad" line & Shiv's retaliation was basically "well fuck you I'm pregnant." Then Tom had the audacity to ask if it was true & Shiv looked utterly heartbroken. These people.....
Tom had the audacity to not appear at Logan's funeral. He felt like he "couldn't leave" whatever that meant, but at least Mattson noticed. He came to the reception instead and had the one and only conversation about Shiv's pregnancy. Shiv literally could've gotten an abortion and never told Tom. She kept the child, but kept it a secret. She says it's because their situation was just not great, but I also think saying "I'm pregnant" out loud to someone makes it real. If it were real, it would be a distraction, like her marriage. This is why she tried to play off her pregnancy with Mattson saying "lmao kid will be shipped off to boarding school at 2 months, never gonna see it."
Shiv has been taught that being a woman was a disadvantage. So being a mom was even worse. Furthermore, her own mom was nothing more than Logan's wife. Shiv didn't want that for herself so tried to hide the pregnancy so that the men around her didn't push her away to her mother's status. Logan died at the wrong time, making this situation even worse as she was rushing desperately trying to takeover the company.
If being pregnant or being a mom was such a disadvantage in this environment, why didn't she abort? She would've been able to no problem. This is why I think she genuinely wants to be a mom. She knows Tom wants to be a dad also and I don't doubt she thought of him. All her life she's been fighting for her father's approval and has been living with such distrust and coldness for the people around her. Having a baby to heal your trauma is not exactly unheard of. This will be a child that loves her unconditionally - something she's never had before. And here's Tom, not seeing the disadvantage at all, just happy to about becoming a dad.
This is also why I never once believed Shiv would go through with a divorce. She only threw that word around out of retaliation and perhaps as a way to emotionally control Tom, but he was about to go with it because he was tired of fighting. When he started his little breakdown, Shiv sympathized and actually felt bad for him. But, say it with me - emotion is weakness. Shiv still couldn't allow herself to fully comfort him, but at least she told him to get some rest. She loves him and I think she's realized that a lot this season, especially since Logan died, and especially since the balcony fight.
Shiv wants to be CEO, a wife, and a mom. She want's it all, and in the end, she get's 2 1/2 of these things. I think it's so important to note that she asked Tom for a real relationship when she did. It was when she thought she was a shoe in for CEO. It was before Tom was revealed to be CEO instead. She thought she already won. She technically doesn't need him. Just like Tom, she's trying to check off all the boxes, as he basically wants the same things. It's not just "convenient scheduling" it's also mutual goals that align - as they did from the very beginning. But also.... Shiv has realized she might love Tom, whatever that means to her. And Tom has loved Shiv, but is still so hurt.
Then...... the series finale. The reveal. The vote. We all know what happened. Let's be clear here: Shiv did not vote for Tom, she voted against Kendall. So there's really no analysis to be done outside of the siblings. It just so happens that going against her brother one last time meant she would be the first lady and nothing more. I still think she would've voted this way had it not been Tom.
And then........
The final scene....... Let's put a pin on that...
THE VERDICT IS LOVE YOUR HONOR
They are not normal.
All the Roys' are all rich assholes. Narcissistic. Sociopaths. Every single character is written to be unlikeable. To be a Succession fan that can name any favorite character, you also have to admit you sold at least a little piece of your soul to their empire. These people are also so disconnected from the real world in such an astronomical level. Meaningful relationships have literal price tags.
It's so easy to look at Tom and Gregg as the best of the worst and gaslight yourself into thinking they're the good guys. Everyone always forgets what awful people they are so it's easy to look at Tom & Shiv and think "oh Tom deserves better" but in reality, Shiv is like 60% of the problem. Tom is also at fault. I love him too, but he is just as bad as the rest of them.
Tom is also a low key masochist. Shiv said as much and Mattson straight up called him a pain sponge. This is another important aspect we can easily forget. "I tried playing with you & you broke." Tom is not that type to break so easily like other of Shiv's conquests.
Foundations
Most relationships, romantic or otherwise, are built on a foundation of trust and/or love. But Tom & Shiv's relationship have a completely different foundation - money. With such a materialistic base, it's no surprise that the concept of love & emotion between them is horrendously skewed. So it's really hard, at least for me, to make the "will they won't they" judgement based on Hallmark standards of true love - which a lot of Shiv haters seem to do.
While I don't believe there is a lack of love, there is definitely a lack of trust, especially through season 4. That honestly seemingly doesn't matter. They are both rich af - with Shiv being a millionaire & now Tom as CEO.
Was it even about love to begin with?
Tom was initially there for status and money. He eventually genuinely fell in love with her. He might've been an annoying interloper in the family, but he was loyal. As she went off with the humiliation and disloyalty, he was afraid of her but refused to break and just waited for Shiv to reciprocate his love.
Shiv is possessive and manipulative - just like her father. Though it's not that she's incapable of love, she just doesn't know how to love. None of the siblings do. She doesn't know what a real relationship looks like. She's also too focused on her dad to allow any sort of authentic relationship with Tom or even her brothers. She brings up the idea of an open relationship deal on their wedding night just to justify her infidelity and gaslight Tom into thinking it's okay but he never falls in line with that.
However, the #1 thing I've noticed many are forgetting is the fact that Shiv wanted Tom to be CEO way back in season 1 until her father offered the position in the Season 2 premiere. I've already mentioned in my review how this literally ruined everything.
It's also super important to note that they're also both masochists to some extent - not just Tom. There are several instances where it seems like Shiv "gets on" to pain or verbal torment & craves these moments just for the sake of feeling the emotion that comes with it. The Bitey scene really showcases this in the most blunt way possible. Tom is literally defined as a "pain sponge" & was one way before Mattson declared him so. He refused to break from the pain caused by Shiv, maybe as a way to wait it out until the day comes she finally loves him - which totally works.
I also want to point out that in terms of siblings, Roman was the closest. They had to most healthiest sibling relationship of the family and their love language was cynical banter.
People ship Draco and Hermione...... people ship Sokka and Azula..... like..... Where the F, the actual F is the foundation for either of these relationships. At least Tom and Shiv have a foundation. "If the foundations are strong, we can rebuild." Granted, a bit cracked, but a foundation none the less.
The Zuko arc we never get to see
Season 1 Zuko - He dedicates all his time and energy trying to catch the Avatar so he can restore his honor and appease his father. Ozai is the one that injured and banished him, but Zuko will stop at nothing to get his approval. Even if this means hurting others.
Season 2 Zuko - This dude gets humbled real fast. He no longer is motivated to make his father proud. He is alone and exiled and is just trying to survive. All he has is Uncle Iroh who has been by his side with unwavering loyalty even as he watched and even aided Zuko in committing troublesome acts to kidnap the Avatar.
Season 3 Zuko - After returning to his father, he gets the respect and honor he was so desperately craving in the first season. But he has seen the truth of the world and cannot trust his father. He rebels against him and does everything in his power to overthrow his father in order to create an era of peace and kindness after 100 years of hate and destruction.
Thus is the greatest redemption story of a character that we have ever seen in pop culture.
Okay, so now hear me out.
Season 1 Zuko - All Shiv has ever wanted was her fathers approval. There was a time where she believed she would never get it so she went out of her way to be out of the business by going into politics. But once she is offered the CEO position, she is willing to hurt her husband and brothers to get to power. Even though her father is the source of all her anguish, she still wants to be like him and be loved by him.
Season 2 Zuko - This dude gets humbled real fast. Now that Tom is CEO and Waystar is now out of the family's hands, Shiv is alone and exiled. She is no longer motivated to get her father's approval - I mean.... he's dead now. All she has is Tom - who is known to have unwavering loyalty and despite their disintegrating relationship, he is still making himself available to her in the end.
Season 3 Zuko - This would've been Shiv's time to move on past Logan's reign of terror. She could've tired to repair her relationship with Tom, tried to establish a real family connection with Roman, and could've become a loving mother. She could've led an era of peace after Logan's era of destruction. But..... we'll never truly know.
Many people are making assessments on Shiv as if they didn’t watch season 4. Season 4 Shiv is so different than season 1-3 Shiv. This is the basis to my Zuko parallel beliefs. They certainly have potential of being the ultimate power couple. Maybe they won’t relive Matthew MacFadyen's pride and prejudice, but i feel like the destructive patterns displayed through the series are no more.
People believe she will resent her child and not stay married to Tom – like she could’ve gotten an abortion and divorced and moved on, no problem, and Tom would’ve never known. Shiv needs no man, but she needs Tom. And I think she actually wants to be a mom. Many people believe Shiv is destined to a horrible mother, but I don't think Shiv wants to continue the cycle and be like her parents and Tom, who had a much different upbringing, will be right there to not let either of them become her parents.
I understand the counter argument. This show has displayed generational trauma and cycles. In the end, Tom is CEO and Shiv is his wife. The new Logan and Caroline. But would Shiv really just sit by and become her mother? Or, like Zuko, will Tom & Shiv break the cycle by restoring peace and balance to the world and end the 100 year war? Shiv is pretty self aware that her actions have lead her to her own predicament in the end. Even though she lashed out at Tom when he said "it's me" she doesn't really blame him, she was just angry and he just happened to be right there. So she accepts his position in the end and goes with him. They both know enough to not repeat history. The Zuko redemption is possible.
Tom knows Shiv too well
Tom knows Shiv too well to the point where he called out her pregnancy confession as a possible tactic to emotionally control him......
And I'm bringing this up again - but the Roy family. A whole other analysis can be made about the family dynamics, their concept of love, lack of human connection & affection, genuine vs false feelings & relationships. But this f-ed up family was Shiv's upbringing. Her father & family set her up to fail to develop ANY sort of genuine human relationship. But this is where Tom's years of leeching comes in handy for Shiv.
Tom has forced himself deep into the family & has studied them closely for YEARS. He understands each of them more than they probably understand themselves, especially Shiv. Shiv will never find anyone else like this. Tom has tried, & maybe succeeds, to see past the bs for the glimpses of humanity behind Shiv's walls - the emotional barriers her family built inside her.
Could there still be enough to salvage a genuine relationship? I don’t know, but honestly, they put so much emotional and mental energy to each other, not in a good way, but how do you move on from that? They know each other too well and have been through so much with each other, put each other through so much. It’s honestly like a Stockholm Syndrome thing, they’re kind of stuck with each other. A couple pieces of shit, they may not belong with each other, but they sure as hell deserve each other, or... maybe the other way around.
Season 4
It's so easy to side with Tom because he spent 3 or so seasons trying to be that loyal partner - even when things were really slippery in the 3rd. By the time we get to season 4, it can be argued that they've both been equally horrible to each other. There's just no point in being a pure Tom sympathizer when he's just as bad as she is.
First of all, Shiv had a point. They did indeed say and do the worst to each other. So... they’re at rock bottom, right? No where to go but up. Also, everyone on this show was shitty person. Tom, Shiv, even Greg, everyone. But with the succession story over, it’s done. This is a new era. All of these shitty people can step away from all the mess that Logan left behind and they all have a chance to actually become decent people.... maybe....
For Tom and Shiv, this could mean becoming an actual married couple. They were in a dysfunctional toxic relationship, a part of a dysfunctional toxic family, in a dysfunctional toxic environment.... maybe it’s time for a change?
On top of it all, I feel like season 4 really saw some of their best moments between them despite the worst things ever said. In the final episode, I got the sense that both of them still had some love for each other, courtesy of Matthew and Sarah and their facial expressions. I can't stress enough how Matthew & Sarah's on screen chemistry was on fire in this particular final season. The irony that the on screen chemistry is at an all time high while the actual relationship is at an all time low really displays the equilibrium the characters achieve in the end.
They are.... Inevitable.
Let's dissect this bish right here.
"A little regal" "A queen and a prince." as they are both comfortably in the top 1% of the top 1%.
Dry hand. "No squeeze, just contact." They're together but not together.
"Something steel here." But like they're actually together.
"An accommodation, equilibrium." "nothing needy from either side." No notes. It's clear as day. Neither is above the other anymore. They are on the same level.
"Proxy wars and détentes." It's like that line form Deadpool & Wolverine - "you two gonna fuck or fight?" Both. They're gonna do both.
"that could last with certain stability." "for many years to come" This is their version of "happily ever after." There's no way they'll ever divorce.
"Two bombs handled with great care." Wow.......
Final applause for Matthew and Sarah as they perfectly translated this entire paragraph on screen. I am left shook every time. This is why they won Emmy awards.
The thing about the finale is that no one won and no one lost. Tom is CEO, but it's an "empty suit." He is in this non victory non defeat purgatory not just as CEO but also in his relationship with Shiv as they find an equilibrium as two people that love to hate and hate to love each other.
With Logan dead, and Tom CEO, I feel like Shiv is released from what ever mindset she was stuck in for the entirety of the show. With that release, I can see her opening up and maybe, someday.... like Shiv is legally allowed to walk up to Tom and say hey - I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. I have fought against my better judgment, my family's expectations, the inferiority of your birth by rank and circumstance. All these things I am willing to put aside and ask you to end my agony. I love you most ardently.
I really don’t think it's impossible, but she’s gonna have to do a lot of work as she’s the one that did the most damage. If it works, it’s gotta come from her. I think Tom is hurt in their final moments, but there’s still something there, I think he may give it a chance if Shiv shows she’s willing to give it a chance too.
I honestly just can't see them divorcing. Even if love is never acquired, they will stay together for appearances, convenience, and business. There's no way they would immediately become a functional couple soon if not ever, but they both have too much to give each other for a divorce to be realistic.
They are also starting a family... accidentally. Now having a child is probably the worst way to fix a marriage, but, hey, maybe this experience will redeem them. I mean, I feel Shiv would try to make an effort to not repeat family history and Tom would just be a cool dad. I said this earlier - Having a baby to heal your trauma is not exactly unheard of. This will be a child that loves her unconditionally - something she's never had before. I will die on the hill that Shiv will make an effort and love her child.
Honestly, she should just become a dance mom. Like she could be the new Melissa and her kids can be the new Maddie and Mackenzie. So while she makes an effort to make her family life a healthy environment, she can use the dance studio as an outlet for control, manipulation, and superiority as her kids become the best dancers in the studio. This is probably the most accurate head canon I can come up with.
Really - They're gonna be like Keanu and Winona in Destination Wedding - snappy bickering along with cynical commentary on everyone they both hate lol.
And just like Destiel of Supernatural, no one is around to deny my own personal head cannon. But at the end of the day, if Tom and Shiv really don’t work out in the end in a post-Succession world..... there’s always..... Tom and Greg.......
