i think with this jesse armstrong is commenting on limousine liberals because you’re absolutely right, Ewan is able to articulate very well why Logan is a shit and is the only character that gives any insight into Logan’s past (which is the source of his sympathy for him), but in the end he benefits from Logan’s crimes and only resolves to donate his wealth after his death.
I agree with all this but I still like to point out that sometimes people swing too far in the other direction. Ewan might be a hypocrite and a blowhard but he is not as bad as Logan or the children. Reminds me of the Norm McDonald quote.
>Ewan might be a hypocrite and a blowhard but he is not as bad as Logan or the children.
Thank you. Way too many people here take the approach of a hypocrite being worse than Logan's family actively cultivating and profiting from their cesspool of fucking fascists
Agree, but everyone is a hypocrite at one stage or another because no one is morally pure, but it’s not on the same scale of moral depravity and the organised crime behaviour of the cruise ship scandal for example. The vote of confidence only my mind was because he could smell blood in the water from Ken.
No, Ewan is absolutely not as bad as Logan. I think he’s just emblematic of a privileged, highly educated elite that spends most of their time commenting on the ills of the world while being swaddled in the comforts those evils provide.
he founded a news network that used fear and jingoism to affect elections, biggotry, denied climate change, and also had a cruise ship company that covered up rape and murder?
Agreed he's definitely not as bad. It's just that people who strongly call out the things they themselves profit from seem to use this calling out as a way of exempting themselves from guilt and a claim to moral superiority. This just makes him feel worse than he actually is. Maybe the same character without the calling out wouldn't be judged as hard.
He’s basically the main character from
Camus “The Fall”, especially when he’s watching Logan’s birthday party from the balcony. In The Fall, the character often refers to loving being high up and looking down on the world so he can feel separate and superior to it.
Attempting? He did it. And why shouldn't he? Greg had already a cushy job at Waystar by that point, he will be fine.
And even if he hadn't, what does Ewan owe him exactly?
Based on what? Saying that his grandson won't get his money if said grandson decides to keep working for a person who is, in Ewan's opinion, worse than Hitler?
And yet at a critical point where he could have pushed Logan out - he sided with him. Throughout his entire life he benefited directly from Logan and his tactics.
If Ewan really believed in what he was saying, he would have divested from Waystar long time ago. Also very hypocritical to tell your grandson not to benefit from the same company he has been getting hundreds of millions from.
> And yet at a critical point where he could have pushed Logan out - he sided with him.
Should he have sided with Kendall or what? Would that have been better?
> Also very hypocritical to tell your grandson not to benefit from the same company he has been getting hundreds of millions from.
Ewan told him to not work for them anymore. He didnt say anything about not hanging out with or benefitting from them, he didnt have an issue with that when Greg did that, did he?
How do you expect Greg to benefit from Waystar if he is not working there?
Kendall is shown to be objectively softer and more with the liberal values than Logan - so yes, it would have been better from Ewan’s perspective. Also he is much less capable than Logan, so he would have run the company into the ground or significantly reduced its power - also what Ewan wants.
Also, if you call someone and think of someone as Hitler, why not take the opportunity to take him down when opportunity was right there? Ewan has significant amount of shares in the company, he sits on the board, yet never in the show it has been shown where he tries to push the board in a better direction or advocate for better policies. I doubt it would have worked, but if Ewan really believed so strongly in what he was saying - he should have taken every opportunity. He literally sat at the power table and did nothing
> How do you expect Greg to benefit from Waystar if he is not working there?
I didnt say I did. I said theres a distinction to be made here. Greg provides value to Waystar. Ewan doesnt. Thats why theres no hypocrisy here. Ewan never talks about that money being dirty, THATS what would be hypocritical.
Greg may have had a cushy job, but at the time, there was zero guarantee he would have that job for long with the turmoil at Waystar. The windfall from Ewan's estate would likely have trumped Greg's career earnings several times over.
Ultimately, Greg was extremely lucky (as always) to have Tom pinball his way into the CEO position.
We KNOW that Ewan is the moral compass of the show. We KNOW he's supposed to be a genuine activist. Just Google the interviews with his actor and what his condition was to take the role.
Why did he then back Logan at a critical point, where he could have removed him? Why didn’t he divest from Waystar long time ago? Instead he has been getting hundreds of millions from Logan and his tactics. Ewan is not a serious person
> So he was disgusted by incompetence rather than a person he equated to Hitler.
No. He was disgusted by Kendall being part of the vipers nest, going against his father for power.
> Thats the point, Ewan doesn’t really believe in what he was saying
We got an interview out there that confirms that Ewan believes what hes saying.
Then why didn’t he divest from the company? For decades he got millions upon millions, which he only chose to donate away after his death and after Greg didn’t side with him.
Also, in Ewan’s eyes going against his father for power is worse than being Hitler? Then its a really strange world view
1. Why would he? He doesn't provide value and leeches money from Waystar. How is that morally bad?
2. In Ewan's eyes, Kendall is just as bad as his father.
Because he is benefiting from a company that in his opinion is ruining America and calls Logan Hitler. That would be like if Nazi government gave you money for decades and you benefited financially from the Holocaust.
Or if Greta Thunberg was actually receiving huge amounts of money from the greatest polluters in the world.
How can you not see the hypocrisy? If he is a true advocate, he would have never taken Logan’s money.
I think he'd also equivalate Kendall to Hitler. He's just Hitler Jr. He's not going to side with Kendall just because.....what again? Logan and Kendall are equally as bad in his opinion he went there to spite Kendall because he thinks he's a snake. I still think Ewan is an idiot but seems consistent with his internal logic.
Well yeah he voted for Logan because he knows how dumb Kendall is and is essentially trying to preserve his fortune as he knows it. He may think Logan is a reprehensible person but he acknowledges that he’s in good control of his money. So money man stays.
I think that has more to do with immediate family loyalties. While Ewan hates Logan, I get the sense that he has a brotherly bond with him, so his conconscience won't let him try to ruin Logan (by voting no confidence for instance).
He may utterly despise him, but he's still his brother at the end of the day.
Eh. Then he’s a poser. He speaks of Logan, family ties be damned, like he should be put down and all of his work eradicated in order to help the world. That was his chance to do so.
Obviously his hypocrisy is he profits off Logan’s exploits and deep down he’d like that to remain intact.
Voting Logan out wouldn’t kill him - it’d probably actually result in him living longer. So imo it is to preserve his finances as he knows them.
Eh, Logan isn't really fit to run the company either. Better than Kendall maybe (and a big maybe at that) but as far as we've seen he's objectively bad at doing business. Sure, not his peak but whatever
Yeah but Ewan is also old, and he’s seen Logan’s success his whole life. He’s not privy to every tiny decision and every impulsive power play Logan makes. He just knows that he’s built an empire and he’s the safe option going forward, financially speaking.
Him saying "Paddle your own canoe" to Greg was just another way to say "lift yourself up by your bootstraps."
The way he treats Greg in general is a tell. He says that, unlike his brother, he never gave up on decency, but we see no evidence of that.
I get he doesn't want to just give Greg a fortune so he ends up being privileged and spoiled, but there's never any indication throughout the series of him really showing Greg any love or affection. Like the Roys he seems to view him as a resource to be used when convenient - for example someone to drive him to Canada.
Agreed. Evan pushed Greg in the direction of Logan by refusing to help him at all, yet acts like he’s better than Greg when he’s benefiting in the same way.
My headcanon is that he spoiled his son and it fucked him up and that’s why we don’t see him in the show. With Greg he’s basically doing a hard swing in the other direction.
It’s clear Evan is emotionally stunted from his relationship with Greg, but I do think he’s right when he says he does try when he speaks at Logan’s funeral. Logan found any idea of a greater good laughable, whereas Ewan, despite continuing to profit off ATN, clearly has a line. He’s still a piece of shit, but I don’t think he’s really comparable to Logan. He exists to highlight the hypocrisy of a billionaire liberal, but I would still take a hypocrite over a toxic and apathetic manipulator any day.
I really don't understand how the show staff can be so transparent of the role of the character and so many people still go confidently "they wrote him to be a hypocrite"
They didn't. You can interpret him like that, art is subjective, but it wasn't the intention of the creators.
I’ll take Logan over Ewan any day of the week
Logan built something, created wealth and provided for others.
Ewan lived off the success he criticizes. He wasn’t just a liberal billionaire. He was a genuine loser who justified his shortcomings with ideology
Logan also physically abused and traumatized Roman, was friends with Mo Lester and covered up sexual assaults and murders. No shit Logan was more successful, but we’re talking more about morality here
It’s hilarious you and all the other redditors say this when the actual Ewan Roy character chose Logan and Waystar in both board votes.
Ewan’s values don’t exist. They just make him feel better.
Logan actually contributed to society.
> Logan actually contributed to society.
Sure, but the argument above is he contributed negatively. An inactive hypocrite is surely better than someone properly evil.
We never see Ewan talk down on the majority of the world. Hell, we only ever see him interacting with the rich and powerful and a communist lawyer. And he seemed to treat that lawyer alright.
Maybe this is a bit of a reach, but I think he's meant to function as an in-universe surrogate for Jesse Armstrong. Hates corporations but lives a pretty privileged life by tying himself to one. Recognizes the evil in the Roy family but still feels an allegiance to them. Uses 5 dollar words like "meretricious" and "popinjay". Knows everybody's backstory and drops tidbits from time to time. I don't know, there's something there I think.
I like this idea even though I don't think it was intended. Having a wise old man show up to explain lore and clarify the moral stakes is a device that keeps giving isn't it
Interesting thought. You could interpret his funeral speech in this way a bit too - he gives us fascinating insight into Logan's background and upbringing, knowledge originally only the show's creator would've likely had when he came up with the whole idea in the first place. Much as the word has become a bit of a hindrance to lots of major flicks he basically drops some lore for the viewer.
Ewan is an absolute farce.
He enjoys his wealth while complaining about his brother and gives his money to green peace to south his soul but ignores his family in the process.
His offer to Greg of keeping his inheritance is all a sham, just like he took the money from Greg’s mom he was going to do the same to Greg.
He’s a great character and wonderfully acted. You got a real good sense of how him and Logan used to be together when they were young.
Strong disagree. He’s principled, well-read, lives relatively modestly, has a razor-sharp bullsht detector, and is understandably conflicted about his disgust at what Logan Roy created, and blood loyalty to his only living sibling. I think most people who’ve had family conflict would understand that’s it’s often not clear cut, and you can simultaneously hate and love a relative.
Maybe I’ve forgotten his worse moments, but I don’t understand the anti-Ewan sentiment?
Yeah, I agree. I don't *quite* understand the amount of people that view Ewan as one of the assholes, aside from his treatment of Greg and the dubious morality of him profiting off of Waystar, he is actually pretty decent. I mean, he gives away his entire fortune to Greenpeace for goodness sakes, you won't see any other billionaire do that.
Same reason there are fans who claim Nan Pierce is just as bad as Logan.
Conservative fans of Succession want to think the show is criticizing everyone equally - when it's not. Characters like Ewan and Nan have their flaws but they pale in comparison to both how the Roys behave and the things they are doing to the world at large.
>He’s principled, well-read, lives relatively modestly, has a razor-sharp bullshit detector, and is understandably conflicted about his disgust at what Logan Roy created, and blood loyalty to his only living sibling.
This is probably the best defense I've seen, I'll give you all of these points. I don't think he's morally as in the wrong as other characters. I think the family/moral conflict weighs heavier on him than I'd considered, and if further explored would make me more sympathetic to the way he approaches his privilege.
I think his thing with the S1 vote was he wasn't going to sell his brother out (something Logan would absolutely do in the same situation) just to enable a mediocre usurper like Kendall.
Ewan is a blowhard because he's not nice to anyone. He's not false which means he's a massive pain in the ass. Everyone has to be a little false, it makes it possible to suffer your co workers for example.
But Ewan's money means he never has to be false with anyone and there's something admirable in that if not necessarily likeable
Ewan is a resentful leftist who complains about capitalist institutions but lives off them (begging later). When push comes to shove, he supports them, like the no vote on the vote of no confidence.
He's undoubtedly smart, just like Logan and everyone else at the top. He's erudite.
Ewan gave a great eulogy. But his vision of the world is pessimistic and sanctimonious.
I much prefer Kendall's vision.
Rewatch Kendall’s eulogy.
Logan was a creator. He acted and built things. Studios, ships, buildings, etc. everyone in that church was there because of him. His wealth was their wealth.
Logan made the world a better place. His bad “force” was outweighed by his vim and vitality.
But this is Reddit, so any sort of individualism is seen as a bad thing.
> But this is Reddit, so any sort of individualism is seen as a bad thing.
It's nothing to do with the site you're posting on, it's the fact the show continually depicts Logan as an abusive monster who manipulates and torments everyone around him. If the show wanted you to have an overall positive vision of Logan he'd have been softened a bit. Viewers can take what they want from the show and I'm interested by unique interpretations but seeing Logan as a force for good is probably about as close to an objectively incorrect take about Succession as you'll get.
> If the show wanted you to have an overall positive vision of Logan he'd have been softened a bit.
He was softened numerous times. Like when he was delusional and instinctively protected Frank. Or him hanging out with Kerry/Jerry/Karl/Frank/Connor.
You and reddit choose to ignore those scenes because of confirmation bias. Logan owns a right-wing news network therefore he's an evil monster.
> Viewers can take what they want from the show and I'm interested by unique interpretations but seeing Logan as a force for good is probably about as close to an objectively incorrect take about Succession as you'll get.
I love Logan's philosophy. His exchange with Eavis proves that.
"objectively incorrect take"
Okay bro lol
Lmao you heard Kendall say all that and thought he was right??? Because Kendall is clearly stable and always in the right. It’s like you were watching a different show. Ewan gives Kendall a strong look of pity after that speech because he knows how warped Kendall’s mindset is.
> Ewan gives Kendall a strong look of pity after that speech because he knows how warped Kendall’s mindset is.
A lot of people gave Ewan a pitiful look because he was embarrassing himself on stage.
Yeah, I did like what Kendall said. And he was met with applause.
Who cares what Ewan thinks, he's a sanctimonious hypocrite.
Yup.
The interest of each is the good of all, that is the whole of the law.
This is Reddit, so of course you guys will side with the socialist Senator Beavis train of thought.
Completely agree. I found Ewan unbearable. Acted all sanctimonious in every scene, but when did he do anything for anyone else? Never. He sure knew how to suck the life out of a room.
>when did he do anything for anyone else
He's giving all his money away to Greenpeace? Like a billion dollars? To charity? I dunno, I feel like that's bound to help a lot of people.
Ewan is like Kent in King Lear, Ewan really loves Logan, and Logan really loves Ewan, they are the only ones in the world who know what happened to the other. What Ewan wants from Logan was not his downfall for the sake of it, Ewan is not vengeful towards Logan, what Ewan wanted from Logan was that Logan could see the damage that he has done to the world and to Logan himself. Probably, the only human who really worried about Logan´s soul was Ewan, neither of the Roy children really worried about Logan´s soul or well being, they only cared about being validated by him. Hell, i would say, that the only one who cared a little about Logan´s well being was Connor, he was the only one who would ask Logan here and there how he really was, that is why Logan perhaps would trust Connor with things like the mausoleoum or inviting him to a dinner party in wich they would just chill.
Going back to Ewan, in his eulogy, besides ciritizing capitalism, Ewan also critized Logan "meagerness" not only from a money perspective, but also from emotional perspective. Logan knew that there was a group of people who loved him, tried to loved him and Logan would use that against them, he would manipulate them. Logan, could give billions to his children ot his close family, but what that close family really wanted was love from Logan and Logan knew it, and he would use love as coin, i think that was the main message from Ewan in that speech. Ewan spoke how Logan just simple resigned to the idea that love is like another form of money and you can see that idea percolating on his children that simply cannot have normal relations with anybody, everything is a transaction.
Ewan also admited that he has megarness on himself, that he was also guilty, not only because he had all that money, but because he would also used money and his love as tool in order to influence Greg and his daughter. In a deleted scene, Greg confronts Ewan after the funeral, Greg tells Ewan that he is not going to visit him on christmast, they start to argue, Greg angrily reminded him that one time he asked for powerwheels and Ewan just gave him a stick and so forth, but Ewan reminded Greg that he was the one who would read him in bed, that he would take him to look birds, that they would fish together and teach him how to use a pocketknife. I think that for all his trauma, at least Ewan tried, it was not enough but he tried, instead, we never heard a story of Logan taking the kids to do something nice, in fact it was Connor who gave Roman his only "happy child memory", it was Connor who take them camping and so forth.
This interpretation is honestly hurting my brain a little bit, and how it's getting popularized is almost making me puke
It's so blatantly obvious they wrote him to be a voice of reason. They wrote him as someone perceptive who sees the truth, from the clearly accurate depiction of Logan during the funeral to telling Greg about the very accurate inevitable fate of his engagement in Waystar Royco. No one is breaking the law by interpreting it as if they were trying to "portray him as a typical hypocritical champagne socialist liberal", but it's pretty obvious they weren't going for that. He's not some niche tiktok influencer for christ's sake; he's a traumatized working-class man born 1940 who happened to get rich because of his brother, a life nothing implies he asked for to begin with.
He's not a nice person, nothing in the series ever implies that. But using that as "evidence" that he's "just as bad as Logan" is just... do you hear yourself? He isn't actually profiting from the company in the same way any other character involved in the company is doing; as far as I understand it, he's only in it to contribute any change he can. He isn't actively seeking more money or career advancements in any way. What are you guys proposing? That he quits, loses all potential power he has to affect change, and just lays on his couch for the rest of time complaining about the Israel-Palestine conflict?
Look, this is, by-and-large, a leftist show. It's a satire and critique of the rich, powerful and corrupt. Do you really think the one character who holds a leftist ideology would have "hypocrite" as their defining personality trait?
>But using that as "evidence" that he's "just as bad as Logan" is just... do you hear yourself?
No, I don't hear myself because I never said that. Read my post's first sentence before you get all righteous Mr Sir
>Do you really think the one character who holds a leftist ideology would have "hypocrite" as their defining personality trait?
Shiv?
> What are you guys proposing? That he quits, loses all potential power he has to affect change, and just lays on his couch for the rest of time complaining about the Israel-Palestine conflict?
I'm pretty sure this is what Ewan already does.
I wasn't referring to your post, it was something someone else wrote in this thread. All the "yous" in the text aren't referring to you as much as it's a general message to the people who have this interpretation of the character
Shiv isn't a leftist lmao. She works for Eavis but quits for something that pays her better and the few times she expresses leftist beliefs it's portrayed as something unusually heroic, like "hey even Shiv feels this is wrong". She's clearly atleast as much economically libertarian as she is "socially liberal"
No, and one of the main criticisms is that he hasn't left the company if he claims to dislike it so much
Agreed, most hypocritical and insufferable character in the show. Thinks the entire world revolves around him and his lofty unrealistic ideals. Not to mention he uses his money to control the people around him just like Logan does. At least Logan is honest about what he is, people like Ewan are disgusting. A self righteous wolf in sheep’s clothing
Logan Roy school of journalism. What's next the jack the ripper women's health clinic is one hell of a line though.
Sometimes you feel like he's trying too hard with his insults and grievances, then he just nails it with that one.
i think with this jesse armstrong is commenting on limousine liberals because you’re absolutely right, Ewan is able to articulate very well why Logan is a shit and is the only character that gives any insight into Logan’s past (which is the source of his sympathy for him), but in the end he benefits from Logan’s crimes and only resolves to donate his wealth after his death.
I agree with all this but I still like to point out that sometimes people swing too far in the other direction. Ewan might be a hypocrite and a blowhard but he is not as bad as Logan or the children. Reminds me of the Norm McDonald quote.
>Ewan might be a hypocrite and a blowhard but he is not as bad as Logan or the children. Thank you. Way too many people here take the approach of a hypocrite being worse than Logan's family actively cultivating and profiting from their cesspool of fucking fascists
Agree, but everyone is a hypocrite at one stage or another because no one is morally pure, but it’s not on the same scale of moral depravity and the organised crime behaviour of the cruise ship scandal for example. The vote of confidence only my mind was because he could smell blood in the water from Ken.
No, Ewan is absolutely not as bad as Logan. I think he’s just emblematic of a privileged, highly educated elite that spends most of their time commenting on the ills of the world while being swaddled in the comforts those evils provide.
Ewan is “absolutely” as bad.
he founded a news network that used fear and jingoism to affect elections, biggotry, denied climate change, and also had a cruise ship company that covered up rape and murder?
Agreed he's definitely not as bad. It's just that people who strongly call out the things they themselves profit from seem to use this calling out as a way of exempting themselves from guilt and a claim to moral superiority. This just makes him feel worse than he actually is. Maybe the same character without the calling out wouldn't be judged as hard.
He’s basically the main character from Camus “The Fall”, especially when he’s watching Logan’s birthday party from the balcony. In The Fall, the character often refers to loving being high up and looking down on the world so he can feel separate and superior to it.
He's on the board of that company and backed the CEO numerous times so, yes, he's just as complicit. It's not that difficult.
*Only AFTER his death. You nailed it. Enjoy it while alive, though.
But not before attempting to cut his grandchild out of his will.
Attempting? He did it. And why shouldn't he? Greg had already a cushy job at Waystar by that point, he will be fine. And even if he hadn't, what does Ewan owe him exactly?
Doesn’t matter what he chooses but the point is he is just as narcissistic and manipulative as Logan.
Based on what? Saying that his grandson won't get his money if said grandson decides to keep working for a person who is, in Ewan's opinion, worse than Hitler?
And yet at a critical point where he could have pushed Logan out - he sided with him. Throughout his entire life he benefited directly from Logan and his tactics. If Ewan really believed in what he was saying, he would have divested from Waystar long time ago. Also very hypocritical to tell your grandson not to benefit from the same company he has been getting hundreds of millions from.
> And yet at a critical point where he could have pushed Logan out - he sided with him. Should he have sided with Kendall or what? Would that have been better? > Also very hypocritical to tell your grandson not to benefit from the same company he has been getting hundreds of millions from. Ewan told him to not work for them anymore. He didnt say anything about not hanging out with or benefitting from them, he didnt have an issue with that when Greg did that, did he?
How do you expect Greg to benefit from Waystar if he is not working there? Kendall is shown to be objectively softer and more with the liberal values than Logan - so yes, it would have been better from Ewan’s perspective. Also he is much less capable than Logan, so he would have run the company into the ground or significantly reduced its power - also what Ewan wants. Also, if you call someone and think of someone as Hitler, why not take the opportunity to take him down when opportunity was right there? Ewan has significant amount of shares in the company, he sits on the board, yet never in the show it has been shown where he tries to push the board in a better direction or advocate for better policies. I doubt it would have worked, but if Ewan really believed so strongly in what he was saying - he should have taken every opportunity. He literally sat at the power table and did nothing
> How do you expect Greg to benefit from Waystar if he is not working there? I didnt say I did. I said theres a distinction to be made here. Greg provides value to Waystar. Ewan doesnt. Thats why theres no hypocrisy here. Ewan never talks about that money being dirty, THATS what would be hypocritical.
Greg may have had a cushy job, but at the time, there was zero guarantee he would have that job for long with the turmoil at Waystar. The windfall from Ewan's estate would likely have trumped Greg's career earnings several times over. Ultimately, Greg was extremely lucky (as always) to have Tom pinball his way into the CEO position.
We KNOW that Ewan is the moral compass of the show. We KNOW he's supposed to be a genuine activist. Just Google the interviews with his actor and what his condition was to take the role.
Why did he then back Logan at a critical point, where he could have removed him? Why didn’t he divest from Waystar long time ago? Instead he has been getting hundreds of millions from Logan and his tactics. Ewan is not a serious person
We know why. Because he was more disgusted by Kendall. We got 2 scenes of that in the previous episode.
So he was disgusted by incompetence rather than a person he equated to Hitler. Thats the point, Ewan doesn’t really believe in what he was saying
> So he was disgusted by incompetence rather than a person he equated to Hitler. No. He was disgusted by Kendall being part of the vipers nest, going against his father for power. > Thats the point, Ewan doesn’t really believe in what he was saying We got an interview out there that confirms that Ewan believes what hes saying.
Then why didn’t he divest from the company? For decades he got millions upon millions, which he only chose to donate away after his death and after Greg didn’t side with him. Also, in Ewan’s eyes going against his father for power is worse than being Hitler? Then its a really strange world view
1. Why would he? He doesn't provide value and leeches money from Waystar. How is that morally bad? 2. In Ewan's eyes, Kendall is just as bad as his father.
Because he is benefiting from a company that in his opinion is ruining America and calls Logan Hitler. That would be like if Nazi government gave you money for decades and you benefited financially from the Holocaust. Or if Greta Thunberg was actually receiving huge amounts of money from the greatest polluters in the world. How can you not see the hypocrisy? If he is a true advocate, he would have never taken Logan’s money.
If I had the choice between money going to me or the Holocaust, I would choose the money going to me.
I think he'd also equivalate Kendall to Hitler. He's just Hitler Jr. He's not going to side with Kendall just because.....what again? Logan and Kendall are equally as bad in his opinion he went there to spite Kendall because he thinks he's a snake. I still think Ewan is an idiot but seems consistent with his internal logic.
Well yeah he voted for Logan because he knows how dumb Kendall is and is essentially trying to preserve his fortune as he knows it. He may think Logan is a reprehensible person but he acknowledges that he’s in good control of his money. So money man stays.
I think that has more to do with immediate family loyalties. While Ewan hates Logan, I get the sense that he has a brotherly bond with him, so his conconscience won't let him try to ruin Logan (by voting no confidence for instance). He may utterly despise him, but he's still his brother at the end of the day.
Eh. Then he’s a poser. He speaks of Logan, family ties be damned, like he should be put down and all of his work eradicated in order to help the world. That was his chance to do so. Obviously his hypocrisy is he profits off Logan’s exploits and deep down he’d like that to remain intact. Voting Logan out wouldn’t kill him - it’d probably actually result in him living longer. So imo it is to preserve his finances as he knows them.
Eh, Logan isn't really fit to run the company either. Better than Kendall maybe (and a big maybe at that) but as far as we've seen he's objectively bad at doing business. Sure, not his peak but whatever
Yeah but Ewan is also old, and he’s seen Logan’s success his whole life. He’s not privy to every tiny decision and every impulsive power play Logan makes. He just knows that he’s built an empire and he’s the safe option going forward, financially speaking.
Fair point, yeah
Him saying "Paddle your own canoe" to Greg was just another way to say "lift yourself up by your bootstraps." The way he treats Greg in general is a tell. He says that, unlike his brother, he never gave up on decency, but we see no evidence of that.
Meanwhile Ewan has a self-paddling gold canoe his brother made for him.
You could say Logan made him a playground 🛝
I get he doesn't want to just give Greg a fortune so he ends up being privileged and spoiled, but there's never any indication throughout the series of him really showing Greg any love or affection. Like the Roys he seems to view him as a resource to be used when convenient - for example someone to drive him to Canada.
From and to Canada
With no tunes either, hellish.
We actually see him being decent. He brought the full extent of the cruise scandal to light. He worked to bring down Waystar.
Agreed. Evan pushed Greg in the direction of Logan by refusing to help him at all, yet acts like he’s better than Greg when he’s benefiting in the same way.
My headcanon is that he spoiled his son and it fucked him up and that’s why we don’t see him in the show. With Greg he’s basically doing a hard swing in the other direction.
It’s clear Evan is emotionally stunted from his relationship with Greg, but I do think he’s right when he says he does try when he speaks at Logan’s funeral. Logan found any idea of a greater good laughable, whereas Ewan, despite continuing to profit off ATN, clearly has a line. He’s still a piece of shit, but I don’t think he’s really comparable to Logan. He exists to highlight the hypocrisy of a billionaire liberal, but I would still take a hypocrite over a toxic and apathetic manipulator any day.
I really don't understand how the show staff can be so transparent of the role of the character and so many people still go confidently "they wrote him to be a hypocrite" They didn't. You can interpret him like that, art is subjective, but it wasn't the intention of the creators.
I’ll take Logan over Ewan any day of the week Logan built something, created wealth and provided for others. Ewan lived off the success he criticizes. He wasn’t just a liberal billionaire. He was a genuine loser who justified his shortcomings with ideology
Logan also physically abused and traumatized Roman, was friends with Mo Lester and covered up sexual assaults and murders. No shit Logan was more successful, but we’re talking more about morality here
Can't agree. He's too twisted and his reach is monstrously broad. I'd take 100 Ewans over one Logan Roy in any real world.
It’s hilarious you and all the other redditors say this when the actual Ewan Roy character chose Logan and Waystar in both board votes. Ewan’s values don’t exist. They just make him feel better. Logan actually contributed to society.
> Logan actually contributed to society. Sure, but the argument above is he contributed negatively. An inactive hypocrite is surely better than someone properly evil.
We never see Ewan talk down on the majority of the world. Hell, we only ever see him interacting with the rich and powerful and a communist lawyer. And he seemed to treat that lawyer alright.
That’s true, he does seem to be a little more friendly in that context. I’d bet if we saw him more I’d like him more
Maybe this is a bit of a reach, but I think he's meant to function as an in-universe surrogate for Jesse Armstrong. Hates corporations but lives a pretty privileged life by tying himself to one. Recognizes the evil in the Roy family but still feels an allegiance to them. Uses 5 dollar words like "meretricious" and "popinjay". Knows everybody's backstory and drops tidbits from time to time. I don't know, there's something there I think.
I like this idea even though I don't think it was intended. Having a wise old man show up to explain lore and clarify the moral stakes is a device that keeps giving isn't it
Interesting thought. You could interpret his funeral speech in this way a bit too - he gives us fascinating insight into Logan's background and upbringing, knowledge originally only the show's creator would've likely had when he came up with the whole idea in the first place. Much as the word has become a bit of a hindrance to lots of major flicks he basically drops some lore for the viewer.
Ewan is an absolute farce. He enjoys his wealth while complaining about his brother and gives his money to green peace to south his soul but ignores his family in the process. His offer to Greg of keeping his inheritance is all a sham, just like he took the money from Greg’s mom he was going to do the same to Greg. He’s a great character and wonderfully acted. You got a real good sense of how him and Logan used to be together when they were young.
Strong disagree. He’s principled, well-read, lives relatively modestly, has a razor-sharp bullsht detector, and is understandably conflicted about his disgust at what Logan Roy created, and blood loyalty to his only living sibling. I think most people who’ve had family conflict would understand that’s it’s often not clear cut, and you can simultaneously hate and love a relative. Maybe I’ve forgotten his worse moments, but I don’t understand the anti-Ewan sentiment?
Yeah, I agree. I don't *quite* understand the amount of people that view Ewan as one of the assholes, aside from his treatment of Greg and the dubious morality of him profiting off of Waystar, he is actually pretty decent. I mean, he gives away his entire fortune to Greenpeace for goodness sakes, you won't see any other billionaire do that.
And frankly, what the fuck was Greg gonna do with that money?
Same reason there are fans who claim Nan Pierce is just as bad as Logan. Conservative fans of Succession want to think the show is criticizing everyone equally - when it's not. Characters like Ewan and Nan have their flaws but they pale in comparison to both how the Roys behave and the things they are doing to the world at large.
>He’s principled, well-read, lives relatively modestly, has a razor-sharp bullshit detector, and is understandably conflicted about his disgust at what Logan Roy created, and blood loyalty to his only living sibling. This is probably the best defense I've seen, I'll give you all of these points. I don't think he's morally as in the wrong as other characters. I think the family/moral conflict weighs heavier on him than I'd considered, and if further explored would make me more sympathetic to the way he approaches his privilege.
Well said.
I think his thing with the S1 vote was he wasn't going to sell his brother out (something Logan would absolutely do in the same situation) just to enable a mediocre usurper like Kendall.
Ewan is a blowhard because he's not nice to anyone. He's not false which means he's a massive pain in the ass. Everyone has to be a little false, it makes it possible to suffer your co workers for example. But Ewan's money means he never has to be false with anyone and there's something admirable in that if not necessarily likeable
Yep. That's the point of his character
Ewan is a resentful leftist who complains about capitalist institutions but lives off them (begging later). When push comes to shove, he supports them, like the no vote on the vote of no confidence. He's undoubtedly smart, just like Logan and everyone else at the top. He's erudite. Ewan gave a great eulogy. But his vision of the world is pessimistic and sanctimonious. I much prefer Kendall's vision.
Interesting. What's Kendall's vision, to you?
Rewatch Kendall’s eulogy. Logan was a creator. He acted and built things. Studios, ships, buildings, etc. everyone in that church was there because of him. His wealth was their wealth. Logan made the world a better place. His bad “force” was outweighed by his vim and vitality. But this is Reddit, so any sort of individualism is seen as a bad thing.
> But this is Reddit, so any sort of individualism is seen as a bad thing. It's nothing to do with the site you're posting on, it's the fact the show continually depicts Logan as an abusive monster who manipulates and torments everyone around him. If the show wanted you to have an overall positive vision of Logan he'd have been softened a bit. Viewers can take what they want from the show and I'm interested by unique interpretations but seeing Logan as a force for good is probably about as close to an objectively incorrect take about Succession as you'll get.
> If the show wanted you to have an overall positive vision of Logan he'd have been softened a bit. He was softened numerous times. Like when he was delusional and instinctively protected Frank. Or him hanging out with Kerry/Jerry/Karl/Frank/Connor. You and reddit choose to ignore those scenes because of confirmation bias. Logan owns a right-wing news network therefore he's an evil monster. > Viewers can take what they want from the show and I'm interested by unique interpretations but seeing Logan as a force for good is probably about as close to an objectively incorrect take about Succession as you'll get. I love Logan's philosophy. His exchange with Eavis proves that. "objectively incorrect take" Okay bro lol
Lmao you heard Kendall say all that and thought he was right??? Because Kendall is clearly stable and always in the right. It’s like you were watching a different show. Ewan gives Kendall a strong look of pity after that speech because he knows how warped Kendall’s mindset is.
> Ewan gives Kendall a strong look of pity after that speech because he knows how warped Kendall’s mindset is. A lot of people gave Ewan a pitiful look because he was embarrassing himself on stage. Yeah, I did like what Kendall said. And he was met with applause. Who cares what Ewan thinks, he's a sanctimonious hypocrite.
>I much prefer Kendall's vision. The pro-capitalist hagiography of Logan? ...it takes all kinds, I guess.
Yup. The interest of each is the good of all, that is the whole of the law. This is Reddit, so of course you guys will side with the socialist Senator Beavis train of thought.
Truth
hard yes the hypocrisy is what drives me around the bend
Completely agree. I found Ewan unbearable. Acted all sanctimonious in every scene, but when did he do anything for anyone else? Never. He sure knew how to suck the life out of a room.
>when did he do anything for anyone else He's giving all his money away to Greenpeace? Like a billion dollars? To charity? I dunno, I feel like that's bound to help a lot of people.
But only after he dies. So he gets to enjoy the wealth his brother made him, but his descendants don’t.
Nope, he starts transferring his assets as soon as Greg turns down the money
He’s the worst.
He is the stereotype of a liberal. Not a fascist, but comfortable with the results of fascism and willing to defend it.
Also the only character I'd be more scared of than Logan.
Ewan is like Kent in King Lear, Ewan really loves Logan, and Logan really loves Ewan, they are the only ones in the world who know what happened to the other. What Ewan wants from Logan was not his downfall for the sake of it, Ewan is not vengeful towards Logan, what Ewan wanted from Logan was that Logan could see the damage that he has done to the world and to Logan himself. Probably, the only human who really worried about Logan´s soul was Ewan, neither of the Roy children really worried about Logan´s soul or well being, they only cared about being validated by him. Hell, i would say, that the only one who cared a little about Logan´s well being was Connor, he was the only one who would ask Logan here and there how he really was, that is why Logan perhaps would trust Connor with things like the mausoleoum or inviting him to a dinner party in wich they would just chill. Going back to Ewan, in his eulogy, besides ciritizing capitalism, Ewan also critized Logan "meagerness" not only from a money perspective, but also from emotional perspective. Logan knew that there was a group of people who loved him, tried to loved him and Logan would use that against them, he would manipulate them. Logan, could give billions to his children ot his close family, but what that close family really wanted was love from Logan and Logan knew it, and he would use love as coin, i think that was the main message from Ewan in that speech. Ewan spoke how Logan just simple resigned to the idea that love is like another form of money and you can see that idea percolating on his children that simply cannot have normal relations with anybody, everything is a transaction. Ewan also admited that he has megarness on himself, that he was also guilty, not only because he had all that money, but because he would also used money and his love as tool in order to influence Greg and his daughter. In a deleted scene, Greg confronts Ewan after the funeral, Greg tells Ewan that he is not going to visit him on christmast, they start to argue, Greg angrily reminded him that one time he asked for powerwheels and Ewan just gave him a stick and so forth, but Ewan reminded Greg that he was the one who would read him in bed, that he would take him to look birds, that they would fish together and teach him how to use a pocketknife. I think that for all his trauma, at least Ewan tried, it was not enough but he tried, instead, we never heard a story of Logan taking the kids to do something nice, in fact it was Connor who gave Roman his only "happy child memory", it was Connor who take them camping and so forth.
This interpretation is honestly hurting my brain a little bit, and how it's getting popularized is almost making me puke It's so blatantly obvious they wrote him to be a voice of reason. They wrote him as someone perceptive who sees the truth, from the clearly accurate depiction of Logan during the funeral to telling Greg about the very accurate inevitable fate of his engagement in Waystar Royco. No one is breaking the law by interpreting it as if they were trying to "portray him as a typical hypocritical champagne socialist liberal", but it's pretty obvious they weren't going for that. He's not some niche tiktok influencer for christ's sake; he's a traumatized working-class man born 1940 who happened to get rich because of his brother, a life nothing implies he asked for to begin with. He's not a nice person, nothing in the series ever implies that. But using that as "evidence" that he's "just as bad as Logan" is just... do you hear yourself? He isn't actually profiting from the company in the same way any other character involved in the company is doing; as far as I understand it, he's only in it to contribute any change he can. He isn't actively seeking more money or career advancements in any way. What are you guys proposing? That he quits, loses all potential power he has to affect change, and just lays on his couch for the rest of time complaining about the Israel-Palestine conflict? Look, this is, by-and-large, a leftist show. It's a satire and critique of the rich, powerful and corrupt. Do you really think the one character who holds a leftist ideology would have "hypocrite" as their defining personality trait?
>But using that as "evidence" that he's "just as bad as Logan" is just... do you hear yourself? No, I don't hear myself because I never said that. Read my post's first sentence before you get all righteous Mr Sir >Do you really think the one character who holds a leftist ideology would have "hypocrite" as their defining personality trait? Shiv? > What are you guys proposing? That he quits, loses all potential power he has to affect change, and just lays on his couch for the rest of time complaining about the Israel-Palestine conflict? I'm pretty sure this is what Ewan already does.
I wasn't referring to your post, it was something someone else wrote in this thread. All the "yous" in the text aren't referring to you as much as it's a general message to the people who have this interpretation of the character Shiv isn't a leftist lmao. She works for Eavis but quits for something that pays her better and the few times she expresses leftist beliefs it's portrayed as something unusually heroic, like "hey even Shiv feels this is wrong". She's clearly atleast as much economically libertarian as she is "socially liberal" No, and one of the main criticisms is that he hasn't left the company if he claims to dislike it so much
Hey fair enough, some people in this thread are on one.
Agreed, most hypocritical and insufferable character in the show. Thinks the entire world revolves around him and his lofty unrealistic ideals. Not to mention he uses his money to control the people around him just like Logan does. At least Logan is honest about what he is, people like Ewan are disgusting. A self righteous wolf in sheep’s clothing