Why did Logan fire Gerri?

Table of Contents

Welcome to the world of "Succession", a television series that turns the power struggles of a fictional media tycoon's family into gripping, high-stakes drama. It's like "Game of Thrones", but with boardrooms instead of battlefields, and Roman Roy in place of Tyrion Lannister. In this labyrinth of power plays and backstabbing, two characters stand out in our current conversation: Logan Roy, the patriarch of the Roy family and the head of the Waystar Royco media conglomerate, and Gerri Kellman, Waystar's steadfast legal counsel. Logan Roy, played with cantankerous brilliance by Brian Cox, is a character as unpredictable as he is ruthless. Gerri, portrayed by J. Smith-Cameron, is the voice of reason among the bedlam, though not without her own intricate maneuvers.

I. The Strategic Factors

Let's put on our strategic hats for a moment and dive into the decision that Logan made to fire Gerri. Was it a personal vendetta? Or was it a calculated move in a high-stakes game of chess? Perhaps a bit of both. Here's the setup: Logan wants Roman, his son, to fire Gerri. This isn't just a random act of cruelty (though with Logan, one can never entirely rule that out). It's a test of loyalty. It's like asking your kid to take out the trash, except the trash is a top executive in your multi-billion dollar company, and the repercussions are slightly more severe than an overflowing bin.

Moreover, Logan is aware of the whispers about a certain Mr. Matsson looking to buy Waystar, and there's this small matter of the CEO chair needing to be vacated for the new owner. So Logan, in his typical ruthless fashion, decides to kill two birds with one stone. He tests Roman's loyalty and gets rid of Gerri, clearing the path for the potential sale. It's a power move, a Logan Roy classic.

Oh, and let's not forget Gerri's role in the DOJ investigation. That's the kind of thing that can sour a relationship quicker than a bad earnings report. So, if you're keeping score at home, we've got a loyalty test, a potential sale, and a DOJ investigation. Quite a cocktail of motivations.

II. The Financial Factors

Now, moving on to the financial factors, which in the world of "Succession" are as tangled as the Roy family tree. It's a bit like trying to explain the plot of "Inception" after a few glasses of wine. But let's take a swing at it.

So, when Logan decides to fire Gerri, you might think there would be some financial implications. After all, she's the legal counsel of Waystar Royco, a figure of considerable importance in the corporate structure. However, the show doesn't give us a clear picture of what those financial implications might be.

Here's where we need to do some educated guesswork. Removing a top executive could lead to uncertainty in the market. Shareholders might get twitchy. Stock prices could wobble. On the other hand, if investors see this as a move towards a successful sale of the company, they might react positively. It's a bit of a Schroedinger's cat situation – we won't really know the financial impact until it's observed.

In the absence of clear financial information from the show, we're left to speculate. But that's half the fun, isn't it? We're all just trying to decode the mind of Logan Roy, one ruthless decision at a time.

III. Psychological Factors

Now, let's step into the psyche of Logan Roy. And brace yourself, it's not exactly a Sunday stroll in the park. We're dealing with a man who makes Machiavelli look like a care bear.

Psychologists who've analyzed Logan's character – because apparently, that's a thing people do – suggest he exhibits the unholy trinity of dark personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Yes, that's right. He's not just your average unpleasant boss; he's the boss level of unpleasant bosses.

Logan's narcissism is as subtle as a sledgehammer. He demands constant attention, respect, and loyalty from those around him, and he isn't exactly bashful about it. It's like he's on a mission to redefine the term 'me, myself, and I'. This narcissistic trait could have played a significant role in his decision to fire Gerri. After all, he's not one to let someone stick around if they're not bowing to his every whim.

But wait, there's more. Logan also displays clear Machiavellian traits. He's a master of manipulation and is always scheming and plotting to accumulate power and control. Think of him as a puppet master, always pulling the strings from behind the scenes. This Machiavellian tendency might explain why he wanted to test Roman's loyalty by ordering him to fire Gerri.

And last, but by no means least, there's the psychopathy. Logan is seemingly devoid of empathy, willing to put his own reputation at risk for the sake of his ruthless pursuits. This disregard for others, including his own children, makes him a formidable and unpredictable figure.

One psychologist even suggests that Logan's hardscrabble upbringing plays a part in his behavior. He regulates himself through grandiosity, power, control, and domination. And he feels entitled to his children, manipulating their desire for his approval to keep them off balance. It's like a Shakespearean tragedy mixed with a corporate thriller.