Opening Scene: Matsson in New York
The camera sweeps over the Manhattan skyline before settling inside the sleek, glass-walled headquarters of Waystar RoyCo. The office has changed under GoJo’s leadership—everything feels more efficient, yet somehow more chaotic. Lukas Matsson is standing near the windows, watching the city with an unreadable smirk.
On paper, his presence in New York is purely business: overseeing the integration of Waystar RoyCo and GoJo. But in reality? He’s also here for Emma.
Matsson (to Oskar, smirking): “You know, Waystar’s systems are so outdated, I think I saw a fax machine. I’m half-expecting Logan’s ghost to send me a memo in Morse code.”
Oskar barely reacts, his face tense.
Oskar: “Lukas… my cousin. He’s in ICU. Fuengirola virus.”
Matsson blinks, taking a sip of his coffee.
Matsson: “Ah. Shit.” (pause) “Well, I mean… maybe it’s, like, just Spanish flu vibes, yeah? Couple of weeks, he’s back doing keg stands or whatever Swedes do.”
Oskar doesn’t respond. Matsson pats his shoulder half-heartedly and goes back to scrolling through his phone, a new text from Emma lighting up the screen.
Scene 2: Nostalgia and Power Plays
Across town, in Waystar’s old offices, Roman, Shiv, and Ken are sitting in what used to be Logan’s domain. The furniture remains, but the energy is different. There’s something missing.
Roman (leaning back, glass in hand): “So, what do we think? Dad would’ve loved seeing Matsson parade around in his chair, right? Total upgrade.”
Shiv (rolling her eyes): “Yeah, sure, Rome. He’d have sent him a fruit basket. Probably with a dead rat in it.”
Ken is quiet, nursing his drink.
Ken: “I keep expecting him to walk in.”
Roman shifts uncomfortably, the sarcasm draining from his face for a split second before he masks it with another smirk.
Roman: “Yeah, well, if he does, I will be suing. Ghost trespassing laws or something.”
Shiv snorts, but the moment lingers—unspoken grief, twisted into their usual banter.
Scene 3: The Miami Infection – A Growing Crisis
The camera cuts to Miami, where a GoJo employee—once dismissed by Logan as a “chinless hippie prick”—is on a business trip. He sits at a high-end hotel bar, swirling the ice in his whiskey. He’s been feeling off all day, but he chalked it up to jet lag, or maybe the one shrimp he ate at the networking event that definitely didn’t taste right.
By morning, he wakes up drenched in sweat, his chest tight. The fever is bad. His whole body aches.
At first, the doctors suspect severe flu or even a bad Covid relapse, but something’s wrong. His condition deteriorates quickly—oxygen levels plummet, and within hours, he’s rushed to ICU.
The hospital staff whisper anxiously.
Doctor 1: “Do we have a travel history?”
Doctor 2: “Madrid, then Miami. No China connection, no poultry exposure. But…” (lowers voice) “He was in Spain right before this.”
They run tests. The results come back.
Fuengirola virus.
A nurse stiffens as she reads the report.
Nurse (whispering): “It’s here.”
Scene 4: Crisis at GoJo
Back in New York, Matsson gathers his executive team. The tension in the room is palpable.
Matsson: “Okay, so, uh, we’ve got a situation. One of ours in Miami… well, he’s… got the virus. Yeah, it’s serious, but we’re handling it.”
Shiv frowns.
Shiv: “Who?”
Matsson hesitates for a split second, then glances at Tom.
Tom (smirking): “The chinless dude.”
Shiv’s face twists in recognition.
Shiv: “Oh. Him.”
Matsson exhales sharply, rubbing his jaw.
Matsson: “Look, we get ahead of this, yeah? Keep it controlled. I don’t need panic in my company or my portfolio.”
Scene 5: Matsson’s Affair – Emma’s Husband Grows Suspicious
That night, the camera follows Matsson into an upscale Manhattan apartment. Emma is already inside, sipping wine, scrolling through news alerts about the virus.
Emma: “Lukas, is this thing serious?”
Matsson tosses his phone onto the counter, walking up behind her.
Matsson: “You mean, like, in a life or death way? Or a stock price way?”
She gives him a look.
He grins, leaning in. “Come on. Don’t let Oskar’s panic ruin the vibe.”
Emma hesitates, but then melts into his charm.
Meanwhile, Emma’s husband sits at home, staring at his unanswered texts. His jaw tightens. No calls. No responses. Hours go by. He clenches his phone, his fingers tightening.
Something’s not right.
Scene 6: A New Deal?
The next day, Matsson is back at work, but his mind is already ahead—thinking bigger.
Matsson (to his team): “Listen, I’ve been thinking. Total Praetorian Network. Marcus Cole. Their transmission tech? It’s a goldmine. If we partner with them, GoJo dominates every corner of the digital world.”
Shiv raises an eyebrow.
Shiv: “Total Praetorian? That’s the guy who—what, runs some ultra-masculine ‘return to tradition’ thing?”
Matsson (grinning): “Exactly. People love edgy. And controversy sells.”
Scene 7: The Coming Storm
As the episode draws to a close, the tension mounts:
- The siblings reflect on Logan’s absence while Matsson’s control over Waystar grows.
- The Fuengirola virus spreads, pushing global markets into instability.
- Matsson’s affair with Emma deepens, while her husband begins to suspect.
- The infected employee in Miami remains in critical condition, his fate uncertain.
- Matsson and Tom set their sights on sealing a deal with Marcus Cole before the virus halts international business travel.
The final shot lingers on a GoJo employee wiping down a conference table. He sneezes. Pauses. Sniffs.
The screen cuts to black.
Closing Reflection by Jeremy Drake:
Succession’s magic is its ability to balance cutthroat business with personal chaos. Matsson’s presence in New York sets the stage for deeper conflicts, while the Fuengirola virus adds an eerie undercurrent of impending disaster.
Coming next: Will Greg’s espionage expose Matsson’s affair? And what exactly is Level 7?
