Editor’s Note: The following are spoilers for Season 4 of Legacies.Latest HBO episode succession saw a continuation of the dispute that seemingly ended in marriage last week. “America Decides” sees Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) come face to face again Sara SnookShiv in an argument even more heartbreaking than last week’s Back Door Party. This time everything changes: Tom denies Shiv’s sympathy, despite the fact that she spoke about some traumatic events that recently happened in her life. As the battle for the presidency rages in front of the ATN cameras, behind them there is a more intimate debate from which there is no turning back.
Shiv is desperate for sympathy
Taking Tom aside, Shiv apologizes for yesterday’s argument, taking responsibility for some of the things she said, a rare moment of sincerity in her usually tough nature. Tom, perhaps because of some banned substance, answers in the most honest and childish way, hardly listening to what his ex-wife says. This is a response that immediately upsets Shiv, who seems surprisingly heartbroken over the situation, as her lack of concern for Tom throughout their marriage finally catches up with her.
It’s hard to sympathize with Shiv in this situation, as it can easily be compared to her dismissive attitude towards Tom’s imminent prison sentence at the start of Season 3, however, in a series filled with characters who play their cards so closely, it’s impossible not to sympathize with her in this a rare moment of intimacy. As soon as the ruthless Tom begins to hold Shiv responsible for his actions, she immediately turns to guilt, and perhaps rightly so in this situation, reminding Tom of the death of her late father. This moment can be used to explain her careless actions lately, but it doesn’t justify her manipulative and irresponsible behavior in past seasons.
Tom and Shiv keep hurting each other
As the argument continues to develop, Tom’s immature jabs become increasingly harsh, attributing his refusal to comfort Shiv to her hatred of her father, Logan. (Brian Cox). It’s unclear if it was the cocaine he used earlier with Greg (Nicholas Brown) conversation, or if it’s a deeper understanding of Tom’s position on the situation - however, even worse, he suggests that Shiv killed her father, adding a “kind of” shrug to soften the blow. There is no turning back from this, emphasizing that any respect Tom previously had for his wife has completely vanished. He will no longer hold himself responsible for any of his actions with Shiv; instead, he is willing to tear her apart, and she takes revenge on her.
While on the warpath, Shiv confesses her pregnancy, which she knows will hurt Tom badly. After the first talk of divorce began in the season 2 finale, Tom spent the third season trying to convince his wife to have a child with him. While there is a strong argument that Tom genuinely wanted to be a father, there is an even stronger argument that he wanted the child solely to keep in touch with Roy’s family if their marriage failed. This is the dark side of his character, hidden under a layer of sincere desire for fatherhood. Despite this restless reasoning, which Shiv is well aware of, she knows that this is a crushing blow that will hurt Tom, a clear answer to his former feelings. After a marriage full of betrayal and pain, the two are obsessed with hurting each other. If Tom’s opinion on Logan’s death was the first nail in the coffin of their marriage, the revelation of the Shiv child is definitely the second, and the final nail is yet to come.
Tom completely lost confidence in Shiva
After the baby’s emotional disclosure, Shiv Tom examines her and asks, “Is this true?” succession it’s a show filled with brutal one-liners, but this is probably the most heartbreaking. As Shiv stands before him on the verge of tears, the cold-blooded Wambsgans still refuses to believe everything she says. After years of emotional manipulation, Shiv’s actions are finally catching up with her and their marriage is now completely devoid of trust. Not only that, Tom wonders if this might be a tactic for her; after all, it’s all their relationship has ever been for both of them. Hidden under a plastic layer of love, their marriage was filled with the tactics of both characters as they attempted to climb up the Waystar stairs.
As Shiv leaves, visibly distraught at Tom’s cocaine-induced harshness, Tom’s face is filled with remorse. It is not clear if he is hurt by Shiva’s exposure or if he regrets his actions in the dispute, one can only assume that the gravity of the situation has fallen on him, his dream of fatherhood has come true, but not in the way he had hoped.
Can Shiva’s pregnancy save this marriage?
In a world of happily ever after, Shiv’s pregnancy will bring the couple back together, but succession it’s anything but that, providing a more realistic portrayal of how bad parenting can affect the children involved, and Roy’s kids reflect that. Since Shiv and Tom’s marriage was completely lacking in any empathy and trust, it would be unrealistic to believe that their child would bring them together. Given that Shea never showed any significant interest in motherhood and even seemed to use the revelation as a way to harm her husband, it’s clear that their marriage is beyond repair, and even pregnancy couldn’t save him.
Regardless, public image has always been a strong factor in any Roy relationship, so there may be a world where two stay married to create an image of a happy family, but it’s fair to say that on an intimate and romantic level, their marriage is incorrigible. Eventually, after years of manipulation, “America Decides” showcases a nonchalant Tom who is no longer interested in Shiv’s apologies. There may have been a version of this scenario where revealing the pregnancy would have made a difference for him, but after his brutal response, it’s doubtful that Shiv will ever forgive him. Roy-Wambsgan’s marriage is irrevocable.
New episodes succession Season 4 premieres every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
Source: Collider
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