The enneagram of Succession
Pop Culture Enneagram, Succession edition. Spoiler alert: there's a lot of 8s
Welcome to a new section of the Fairly Alarmed newsletter, Pop Culture Enneagram!
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Pop Culture Enneagram will focus on some of my favorite shows and guessing which enneagram type key characters are. If you have no idea what the enneagram is, a more formal introductory post is coming — but with Succession’s series finale coming tonight, there was no time to waste on this one.
Succession is a runaway HBO hit that centers around the Roy family — the powerful capitalistic stalwart behind Waystar Royco, a multimedia conglomerate. The show’s plot queries which family member will take over the company after the retirement of its patriarch, Logan Roy.
There are a lot of powerful folks in this family, which means assertive types like 3s, 7s, and 8s would likely succeed in it. I was surprised that there weren’t more of these types in my analysis; and the ones who did fit into this category often bungle their power. Let’s dive into this family:
Kendall Roy
Kendall is an enneagram 6 (the Loyalist), wing 5.
Kendall is constantly seeking approval from specific people who mean something to him (like Logan and Rava). He needs affirmations from others on ideas, and doesn’t feel like he can be vulnerable enough to voice this need.
His overall demeanor is serious and quiet, and when he’s thriving he’s able to truly express himself and his creative needs (L to the OG, anyone?), though he usually gets a vulnerability hangover from these moments.
He’s seeking stability and certainty, an works to convince himself of this through decision making. Sixes aren’t very assertive, and prefer to go along with other peoples’ big ideas, which does not make Ken a natural leader. He struggles between two worlds of who he is and who he feels like he needs to be.
Roman Roy
Roman is an enneagram 3 (the Achiever), wing 2.
Similar to Ken, Roman seeks outside approval through achievements. But he does this for different reasons; threes want to feel like they are worthy, and can put on a false self they present to the world that they feel is more worthy than who they truly are. Roman seems that his achievements get him praise, and he puts energy into accomplishing these things. He struggles to voice true thoughts, deflecting and using crass humor as a defense mechanism.
Roman also has a sense of showmanship, which is part of that projected self. At unhealthy levels, he can be highly manipulative and cruel. At his core, cares about others, although that rarely comes through. His true self often shines through the cracks, putting him in a similar boat as Ken. Because they don’t trust who they really are, it’s difficult to lead.
Logan Roy
Oh, Logan. What a typical portrayal of an enneagram 8 (the Challenger), wing 9.
Logan is confrontational, belligerent, and considers himself invincible. He assumes things will always go his way — and has the power and fortitude to ensure that actually happens. Logan feels like his worth is tied to his power, and megalomania takes hold when it is truly threatened.
Eights are a type that is typically accepted in the corporate world, even at unhealthy levels. They are assertive, self-assured, and can steamroll others. Concerned with power, eights can thrive in this unhealthy environment, which makes Logan suited for a powerful corporate role.
Siobhan Roy
I also have Shiv pegged as an enneagram 8 (the Challenger), wing 9.
Similar to Logan, she wants to have control over her life, but she has less of a poker face around her true intentions.
Shiv is highly decisive and assertive, even seeming cruelhearted at times. She works to hide her vulnerabilities, assuming they will impact her ability to weild power.
She rarely sees others as her equal, and assumes she will always get her way. Unlike Logan, she doesn’t have the power needed to actually always get her way in the corporate world, which can often leave her wounded.
Tom Wamsgans
In working through this analysis, it becomes so clear that Tom is the tragedy of this show — he’s truly looking for love in all the wrong places.
Tom is an enneagram 2 (the Helper), wing 3. At his core, he is seeking love, and is deeply afraid of not being accepted or needed. In his work and personal life, this is abundantly clear; it can often turn into people-pleasing or sucking up to those he wants this approval from.
At unhealthy levels, Tom can get desperate, becoming intrusive and hovering. But he is altruistic and caring at his healthiest. He also loves to win and is competitive, which is where his three wing comes out.
Greg Hirsch
Dear Gregory. We enter the show looking at things through Greg’s eyes, and it’s natural that he’s an enneagram 9 (the Peacemaker), wing 1.
Greg is often ambivalent and avoidant of conflict, saying famous words like “if it is to be said ... so it be,” in order to not commit to something. He sweeps issues under the rug, whether that’s because he doesn’t want to deal with them, or if it’s in support of others (ahem, cruises). Greg wants to please others, whether or not he's close to them.
Greg is connected and self-aware when he has alignment with what he wants, and goes after it when he’s empowered. He can also be morally conflicted, which is why a wing one makes sense for him.
Thanks for reading this first edition of Pop Culture Enneagram! Again, if it’s not your thing, just hit “unsubscribe” at the bottom of this newsletter, and you can opt to not get future PCE newsletters in your inbox.
Happy Succession Sunday, crew! If this is really your thing, you can also follow along at The Creative Enneagram on Instagram.
Hi Anna; I’ve seen Shiv typed as a 3 instead of an 8, and am confident that Roman is a 7 instead of a 3. He doesn’t seem to care about living up to family standard like his loyalist 6 brother does, out of obligation, in fact balking at the constraints and falseness of the corporate constraints that come with that family standard. A 3 would feel much more at home, and much less bothered, by the falseness and rigidity of it. He’s much more excited by his own whims, and takes delight in being a family outsider/jester observer.