While The Sopranos is credited with pioneering “Peak TV” in the early 2000s, it’s no coincidence that the era ended in 2023, the same year that Succession concluded. Many consider the HBO series, which chronicles the dysfunctional billionaire Roy family and their media empire, to be the last great watercooler drama that no other new show has come close to replacing.
Premiering in 2018, Succession ran for four intense seasons, during which it racked up a whopping 75 Emmy nominations, winning 19 in total. Many of these nods were for acting, and indeed, for as razor-sharp and whip-smart as the show’s writing was, Succession wouldn’t have been nearly as good as it was without the cast’s incredible performance, with every player turning their character into a television icon.
“Shakespearean” is a word too often bandied about when discussing television series, but in Succession‘s case, it’s apt, because of both the show’s dialogue and its delivery. From the domineering patriarch Logan Roy to the sycophantic Tom Wambsgans to the bumbling Greg Hirsch to the sarcastic and sadistic Roman Roy, the show is jam-packed with quotable characters. However, Succession‘s best quote belongs to the “eldest boy” himself, Kendall Roy.
It’s so difficult for a series finale to stick the landing, and when the show is of Succession‘s calibre, expectations are sky-high. Thankfully, Succession‘s ending was one of the greatest final episodes of all time, and it’s in “With Open Eyes” that Kendall delivers the most iconic four words in the show’s history.
Kendall Roy’s Best Succession Quote Sums Up The Entire Show
For 39 episodes, Kendall Roy duked it out with everyone from ruthless outsiders to his own siblings for control of Waystar RoyCo, his father’s global media and entertainment conglomerate. After myriad backstabbings and betrayals, he finally got his younger siblings, Roman and Shiv, to agree to vote against selling Waystar RoyCo to tech billionaire Lukas Matsson and let Ken take over as sole CEO.
With the board locked at a 6-6 vote, Shiv was the tiebreaker. Overcome with conflicted emotion, she left the room, Kendall and Roman hot on her heels. Kendall launched into an unhinged plea to get his sister back on track, but when it became clear he was losing her, and no argument would convince her, he petulantly screamed, “I’m the eldest boy!“
The climax of Kendall’s tantrum exquisitely sums up Succession‘s core themes, which are, simply put, its title, what that means, and the damage vying for it causes. More than anything else, Ken desperately wanted to win his father’s approval by proving how he was most capable of being his successor. After Logan’s death, Kendall then realized he had to convince his siblings — which he almost did.
However, with his back against the wall, Kendall Roy proved that he believes he is entitled to succession because of his birthright. Besides its immaturity, what makes “I’m the eldest boy!” such a memorable, telling quote is that it’s not even true, as the actual eldest boy is Logan’s son from his first marriage, the neglected Connor. In fact, the quote is a derivative of “I am the eldest son!” which Connor (truthfully) yells multiple times in the Succession season 3 finale.
Kendall can’t see past his own trauma of Logan cruelly promising him the company while making his son jump through hoops to ensure he keeps that promise. Even from the grave, Logan’s power over Ken reduces him to a child, which is what succession ultimately does, and is why he utters this juvenile fallacy.
“I’m The Eldest Boy” Shows Why Succession Is So Quotable
Succession is not only full of some of the most heart-pounding drama on television, but its pitch-black humor makes it funnier than many straight-up comedy series. Much of that humor comes from the fact that despite being some of the richest, most powerful people in the world, the show’s characters are, at their core, pathetic, and like in any good drama series, their words reveal exactly who they are.
This is seen in everything from Logan’s signature catchphrase, “F**k off!” to Tom’s silly yet sadistic “You can’t make a Tomlette without breaking some Gregs.” However, “I’m the eldest boy” does it best.
I could probably write a 100-entry list of Succession‘s tensest moments and still have a bevy of honorable mentions, but the most intense scene of the show, hands-down, is the Roy siblings’ final fight, which culminates in “I’m the eldest boy.” However, on the face of it, it’s an incredibly funny thing to say. Shiv laughs at its absurdity, and many a viewer likely joined her.
It’s also probably the most pathetic thing a character has ever uttered in Succession‘s four-season run, and that’s also saying something. However, adding yet another layer to “I’m the eldest boy” is that Kendall is almost sympathetic here. Succession often gives its thoroughly unlikable characters shocking moments of vulnerability, and that’s on full display with this quote. Kendall Roy may not be the true eldest boy, but in the eleventh hour, he became the show’s most quotable character.
- Release Date
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2018 – 2023
- Network
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HBO Max
- Showrunner
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Jesse Armstrong
