Succession Theory: Logan Edited His Will After His Last Birthday

Warning: this article contains spoilers for "Succession" Season 4, Episode 4 — "Honeymoon States."

Well, would you look at that — Logan Roy can still psychologically torment his family from beyond the grave. Amidst a characteristically tense wake for the late business titan played by Brian Cox, much was made of a vague and inelegantly edited document pertaining to his last wishes, bequeathments, and — yes — his plan for the titular "Succession."

While the most potentially impactful mystery created by this will was the contested promotion of Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) to CEO of Waystar Royco, the question of the timing of its last edit sparked surprising debate. Based on the contextual information within, Frank (Peter Friedman) is able to narrow the timeframe down to 18 months before his death — likely around the time of the series premiere, in which Logan is first reintroduced to the will's most unlikely inclusion, Greg (Nicholas Braun). However, digging just a bit further into the document from the omnipotent perspective of an audience member may allow one to pinpoint the exact date of his final informal edit, which may have taken place as recently as the beginning of Season 4.

One of the clearest dates for Logan to have changed his wishes after his birthday would be just twelve months later on his next birthday, which was the backdrop to the tumultuous Pierce Global Media bidding war in Season 4, Episode 1, "The Munsters." The primary reason for this line of thinking is that Logan felt particularly pensive about his own mortality during the first installment of the new season, awkwardly debating the afterlife with his personal bodyguard Colin (Scott Nicholson) while abandoning his own party.

Speaking of Colin, Logan admits (or perhaps claims) that Colin is his "best pal." One of the confusing edits made in the will was the circling and starring of a request to pass on a Rolex Daytona to Colin after Logan's death. Though the meaning of the markings around the request isn't stated, it is at least clear that he intended to alter or amend some aspect of it, possibly in the near future. In the world of "Succession," a watch is usually a thoughtless gift (Kendall seemed offended to receive one from Naomi Pierce – Annabelle Dexter-Jones — on his birthday), and Logan may have wanted to be more careful about what Colin was gifted. It's also worth pointing out that the circle-and-star notation was also seen in the Season 2 finale, in which the circles contained names Logan would implicate in order to secure the shareholders' faith in the company.

A fair argument could be made that Kendall's name was marked out following their outbidding of PGM as a limp means of retaliation, and that Greg's name was included because of his actions that night. That being said, this isn't the only logical possibility, and others further back in the series' timeline may better explain why Logan had second thoughts about his eldest son's future.

Another possibility is that Logan edited his will after his surprise plaque unveiling in the Season 2 episode "Dundee" (infamously the site of the horrific crime that was "L to the OG"). Again, part of what made the trip uncomfortable for Logan was how it even slightly forced him to confront the reality of his legacy.

The crossing off of Kendall's name would be explained by his announcing Rhea Jarrell (Holly Hunter) as next in line for the top job. This was also the evening Logan's brother and Greg's grandfather Ewan (James Cromwell) threatened to disinherit Greg if he didn't leave Waystar Royco. Afterward, Logan urged Greg to ignore his grandfather's wishes, and lightly implied that he would be taken care of if he did. "Greg?" could've been Logan reminding his future self to include Greg in his will, possibly meaning to give him the watch meant for Colin.

Ultimately, we (and the Roy children) will likely never be sure when exactly their father unknowingly finalized his desires, and will have to carry around an uncomfortable lack of closure in regard to the fact. More than anything else, it stands as an example of how distant Logan was from everyone that knew him, and how unsure he was about his own plans. One fact that is absolutely unimpeachable is that you should get fired if you rap about your dad at a work party.