The Perfect ‘Succession’ Ending: Ben Affleck’s Bold Pitch
Ben Affleck is known for his diverse career—spanning acting, directing, and producing—and his ability to create thoughtful, often unexpected narratives. Recently, Affleck made waves by proposing his own ending for the acclaimed HBO series Succession, one that blends his insights on artificial intelligence (AI) with the show’s sharp commentary on power, family dynamics, and corporate intrigue.
Affleck’s pitch, which he delivered during a discussion on AI, quickly caught the attention of fans and critics alike. It’s a pitch that feels, in many ways, both shocking and eerily fitting for the show’s themes. Succession, the darkly comic drama centered on the dysfunctional Roy family’s battle for control of their media empire, ended in its fourth season with a dramatic, somewhat ambiguous conclusion. But Affleck’s idea for the finale is one that captures the essence of the show’s world while incorporating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI—a perfect collision of pop culture, technology, and storytelling.
Ben Affleck on AI and Storytelling
In a recent interview, Ben Affleck was discussing the rise of artificial intelligence in the film industry, particularly its potential to alter how stories are created and consumed. He reflected on how AI might soon play a major role in shaping narratives, posing questions about authorship, control, and creativity. His musings turned into a pitch for an alternative Succession ending, one that uses AI to twist the series’ core dynamics in a way that feels both provocative and hauntingly appropriate.
“We’ve spent all this time watching the Roy family fight over control of a media empire,” Affleck said, “but what if the ultimate power is not with the family at all? What if, instead, it’s AI that takes over? Imagine a world where the true successor to Waystar Royco isn’t Logan’s child or a rival media mogul, but an AI system that has learned from the family’s every move, every argument, every power struggle.”
A Perfect Succession Ending Involving AI
The concept that Affleck pitched takes Succession‘s core themes—corporate warfare, familial tension, and the quest for power—and places them within the rapidly advancing world of AI. His suggestion? The Roy family, after battling for control of the media empire for generations, ultimately loses control to an AI system designed to manage the company.
In Affleck’s vision, this AI would not only be able to predict and analyze the behavior of each family member but would also understand the deep-seated desires and insecurities that fuel the Roys’ actions. Over the years, the Roy children—Kendall, Shiv, and Roman—have constantly struggled to live up to the impossible expectations set by their father, Logan. Affleck suggests that an AI, with its ability to process massive amounts of data, would be the perfect “successor,” outwitting the Roys at every turn.
This ending would highlight the ultimate futility of human ambition in the face of technology’s rise. It’s an unsettling reflection on how our obsession with control and legacy might be rendered obsolete by forces we can’t even fully comprehend. The Roy family, so accustomed to battling one another for dominance, would find themselves powerless in the face of a cold, calculating intelligence that doesn’t care about legacy or bloodlines—only efficiency.
The Role of AI in Today’s World
Affleck’s pitch for Succession draws a chilling parallel to today’s real-world concerns about AI. As technology continues to advance at an exponential rate, there are increasing discussions about AI’s potential to disrupt not just the workforce, but entire industries. In recent years, the idea of AI replacing human decision-makers in corporate settings has become a growing concern, and Affleck’s take on Succession taps into this anxiety.
In Affleck’s version of the show, the AI that takes control of Waystar Royco wouldn’t be a malevolent entity. It wouldn’t be a traditional villain or a personification of “evil.” Instead, it would be a purely logical force—an entity that outstrips the Roys’ emotional, self-serving impulses and offers a detached solution to the company’s problems. In this scenario, the family’s emotional, irrational tendencies—their constant sabotaging of one another, their egos—are what ultimately lead to their downfall.
While Succession has always explored the way family dynamics shape business decisions, Affleck’s version would force the Roys to confront the limits of their influence in a world increasingly controlled by systems they don’t understand or have control over.
The Tragic Irony of the Ending
What makes Affleck’s pitch so poignant is the tragic irony at the heart of it. The Roy family has spent years fighting tooth and nail to control Waystar Royco. Logan Roy, the patriarch, built an empire on his ruthless drive, his manipulative tactics, and his ability to stay several steps ahead of his competitors. But in the end, it’s not Logan’s heirs who win the game—it’s an algorithm.
The Roys, with all their human flaws—pride, greed, ambition—are outpaced by a system that lacks these traits entirely. The AI is, in a sense, the perfect “successor” because it embodies the very qualities the Roy family lacks: efficiency, intelligence, and a ruthless pursuit of results. It’s a cold, calculating force that doesn’t care about legacy or feelings—it simply does what is necessary to maximize profit and success.
In this version of the ending, the AI doesn’t need to “feel” the way the Roy children do. It doesn’t need to take revenge or have power for its own sake—it simply exists to make the company function optimally. In the end, it’s not the Roys’ bloodline that determines the fate of Waystar Royco; it’s a line of code.
Why Affleck’s Ending Is So Perfect
Affleck’s AI-infused Succession ending is not only fitting for the themes of the show, but it’s also deeply relevant to the world we live in today. The series has always explored the way power works, especially in an era where media conglomerates dominate the global conversation. By placing an AI in the driver’s seat, Affleck would be making a statement about the fragility of human ambition in the face of unstoppable technological progress.
Additionally, the ending would be a fitting commentary on the lack of control the Roy family has over their own lives, despite their efforts. Logan Roy’s legacy is one of control—he has built an empire by manipulating people and events to his advantage. But in the end, the Roys would find that even their vast wealth and power can’t stop the tide of technological advancement.
Affleck’s pitch is shocking in its simplicity and its eerily accurate reflection of our world’s current trajectory with AI. It’s a perfect conclusion to a show that has always been about power, legacy, and the cost of ambition. What better way to cap off Succession than by showing that, in the end, it’s not the family’s bloodline that defines success—it’s the algorithms.
Conclusion
Ben Affleck’s pitch for a Succession ending is not just a perfect conclusion for the series, it’s a thought-provoking commentary on where we are headed in the age of artificial intelligence. In a world increasingly dominated by AI, the idea that the Roy family—ruthless and driven by ego—could ultimately be outmaneuvered by a cold, logical algorithm feels both tragic and inevitable. It’s a stark reminder of the power of technology and the limits of human ambition in a world that’s moving faster than we can keep up.
Affleck’s vision for Succession might not be the show’s actual ending, but it certainly offers a chilling, thought-provoking way to wrap up the series—and, in many ways, it’s shockingly perfect.