Succession: Season 3 opens with an in-joke about how insecure the wealthy are.

 

Kendall Roy's desire for praise persists even after his most memorable event.

This article contains major spoilers for the first episode of Succession season 3, "Secession."

When asked, "Why doesn't Elon Musk simply log out," you're not alone. Succession's new season provides some clarification.

More than two years have passed since Kendall Roy's dramatic news appearance, in which he openly broke with his father Logan, the Roy family's tyrant. We now get to witness what happened. Kendall had spent his whole life trying to measure up to Logan's high expectations, so he planned to bring him to justice by exposing him in a child abuse scandal. Theoretically, this puts Kendall in a better position to take over Waystar Royco because of his moral superiority. Although Kendall's revelation made headlines, season 3 quickly reveals that he's as uncomfortable and unsure of himself as ever.

Logan and Kendall's leadership skills are once again on display when the Roy family divides into two halves. Rather of delegating tasks to his subordinates, Logan acts quickly, aggressively, and capriciously. For her part, Kendall is lost in corporate speak, always seeking counsel from others and then talking over them in anxious, conceited outbursts. Kendall is a disaster. The season 3 premiere's most heartbreaking theme is his insatiable need for reassurance.

Kendall and his assistant Jess leave the press conference with Kendall's cousin Greg, who Kendall elevates to "social media monitoring" right away. As is typical of Greg, he begins this job incompetently, noting favorable memes (which are, of course, meaningless given the gravity of Kendall's situation) and boasting that the Pope has just followed him on Twitter. Even if this knowledge is completely pointless, Kendall doesn't give a damn. Since his sole measure of success was his father's approval, he seeks external validation that he's making the correct decision.

What if I told you that you were the greatest guy ever? Over the phone, Kendall's girlfriend teases him, just how he likes it. When Kendall gets to his ex-home wife's to set up a temporary headquarters, he begins campaigning for her favor as well. But the surge of flattery only lasts for the duration of their phone conversation. However, she avoids making any comments with a tight-lipped grin. While interviewing social media gurus to help him manage his new image, the most agonizing moment occurs when he meets with two really capable individuals who are thrust into the Roys' tumultuous world.

One of the world's largest media companies is now embroiled in a huge dispute started by Kendall. When it comes to fighting the federal government in court, he and his father are competing for the same high-powered counsel. However, looking nice is all Kendall truly cares about. A barrage of bad ideas is launched as soon as the consultants begin to present their plan. When I tell him I want my Twitter to be off the hook, his eyes light up. I'm thinking of going to some of the Bojack people if things become too serious. In order to demolish that shite, some of the Lampoon kids have turned my feed into a ticking time bomb.

Despite the fact that the Roy children are still grappling with the lesson that money cannot buy happiness, Kendall seems to be on a mission to acquire a personality as soon as possible. It's a laughably obvious blunder. The Roys don't need social media since they're so wealthy and influential. It's not uncommon for 0.01 percenters to want privacy, but Kendall just experienced public praise and is eager to replicate it. No matter how many Twitter ghostwriters it takes.