Opening Scene: News Broadcast with Hilarious Tickers
The episode kicks off with a GoJo corporate news broadcast playing in Waystar’s New York office. The anchors discuss the latest market shifts, the ongoing integration of Waystar RoyCo into GoJo, and, most urgently, the worsening Fuengirola virus outbreak. However, as always, the news tickers steal the show:
- Lead ticker: “Can you survive the Fuengirola virus without a chin? Experts are skeptical.”
- Secondary ticker: “Woke students demand safe spaces for eating Tide Pods on campus.”
Lukas Matsson watches the screen with mild amusement from his glass-walled office. Behind him, Greg shuffles nervously.
Scene 2: Shiv Pressures Greg to Spy on Matsson
Greg is trying—and failing—to enjoy his morning coffee when Shiv corners him near the break room.
Shiv: “Greg, I need a favor.”
Greg looks wary.
Greg: “Uh, okay, but just so you know, I draw the line at murder. And, like, minor treason.”
Shiv crosses her arms.
Shiv: “Relax. I just need you to find out what’s actually going on between Matsson and Emma.”
Greg: “Oh. Right. Uh, yeah, I don’t know if spying on Matsson is, like, career smart? You know, the guy’s a billionaire with, I assume, several lawyers.”
Shiv raises an eyebrow.
Shiv: “Grow some chin, Greg. Or do you want to spend your life as Waystar’s official paperclip organizer?”
Greg sighs, defeated.
Scene 3: Greg’s First Attempt – A Humiliating Disaster
That evening, Greg follows Lukas and Emma to an exclusive rooftop bar in Manhattan. He fumbles with his phone, trying to appear casual while keeping an ear on their conversation. But just as he’s settling into his eavesdropping position, disaster strikes.
As Greg inches closer, he misjudges the placement of a very expensive-looking glass table. His knee knocks into it, sending an elaborate display of cocktails crashing onto himself. The entire rooftop falls silent.
Lukas turns, unimpressed. Emma hides a smirk.
Greg, drenched in a very strong Negroni, forces out an awkward laugh.
Greg (weakly): “Uh, whoops. Guess it’s happy hour, huh?”
Lukas blinks.
Matsson: “Are you… stalking me, Greg?”
Greg: “What? No! Ha! No! I was just, uh… you know, I love rooftops. Big rooftop guy. Fresh air. Uh, sky.”
Matsson doesn’t look convinced, but he’s too preoccupied with Emma to care. He dismisses Greg with a wave.
Defeated, Greg stumbles away, muttering to himself.
Scene 4: Greg’s Second Attempt – Planting the Audio Device
Greg, now somewhat recovered from his rooftop disaster, decides he needs a less humiliating approach. The next night, he sneaks into Matsson’s office under the guise of “checking the Wi-Fi.”
He fumbles around, eventually slipping a small audio recorder behind a sleek, minimalist vase. After one last nervous glance over his shoulder, he exits, hoping to avoid any more Negroni-related fiascos.
Scene 5: The Audio Feed – A Shocking Twist
Later that night, Shiv, Roman, and Ken huddle around a laptop, listening in on the live feed.
At first, they hear exactly what they expected—Lukas and Emma, laughing, clinking glasses, enjoying each other’s company.
Roman: “Classic Matsson. Homewrecking and hostile takeovers. A two-for-one special.”
Then, something shifts.
A phone buzzes. Lukas answers.
A female voice, crystal clear over the feed:
Voice: “Welcome to Level 7. You’ve proven your worth.”
The room goes silent.
Shiv: “What the hell was that?”
Ken: “Level 7? What is this, Scientology for tech bros?”
Roman: “Or, like, some weird billionaire Fight Club. First rule of Level 7—you tweet about Level 7.”
The three exchange uneasy glances.
Scene 6: Tom’s Obsession with Marcus Cole
The next morning, Tom bursts into Greg’s office, brimming with excitement.
Tom: “Greg! I need you to watch this.”
He slams a tablet down on Greg’s desk. Onscreen, a Total Praetorian Network livestream plays, featuring Marcus Cole’s Masculinity Monday series.
The topics scrolling at the bottom read:
- “Veganism Is an Eating Disorder”
- “Could Declining Masculinity Be Weakening Earth’s Magnetic Field?”
- “Tough Love: How to Tell Your Daughter She Needs to Shed Pounds.”
Greg winces.
Greg: “Uh… is this satire? Or are we… are we partnering with this guy?”
Tom: “Greg, this is the future. This is raw, unfiltered controversy! Matsson loves edgy. And GoJo needs to lock this down before Fuengirola ruins global trade.”
Greg looks like he wants to crawl out of his own skin.
Scene 7: Fuengirola Virus Escalation – Racing Against Time
The virus situation takes a darker turn. Thailand and Indonesia announce they are closing all air routes to Europe. Panic spreads.
The infected GoJo employee in Miami remains in ICU, showing no improvement. Matsson and Tom hold a crisis meeting.
Matsson: “We don’t have time. If the airlines start shutting down, we’re stuck. We need to close the Marcus Cole deal now.”
Tom: “I couldn’t agree more. Lock it in before we’re all hermits.”
Scene 8: A Storm is Coming
The final montage escalates the tension:
- The siblings obsess over the mysterious Level 7.
- Greg tries desperately to avoid Matsson after his rooftop disaster.
- Matsson and Tom prepare to strike a deal with Marcus Cole before the virus brings global business to a halt.
- The Fuengirola virus continues to spread, its reach growing ominously.
The last shot lingers on a Wall Street news screen:
“Global Markets Brace for Crisis as Fuengirola Virus Spreads.”
Cut to black.
Closing Reflection by Jeremy Drake:
With Episode 2, Succession masterfully blends its signature business chaos with an unsettling sense of global instability. Greg’s horrifically bad spy skills provide much-needed comic relief, while Matsson’s mysterious Level 7 reference leaves us with more questions than answers.
Coming next: What is Level 7? And will Matsson seal the deal with Marcus Cole before the world locks down?
