Why Kendall Steals Batteries In Succession

When Kendall Roy steals batteries in season 2 of Succession it isn't just a flex of his power; his intentions have a deeper, darker meaning.

In Succession season 2, episode 2 "Vaulter," there is a brief scene of Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) stealing a small pack of batteries from a convenience store without explanation. Throughout Succession season 1, Kendall and his father Logan (Brian Cox) vie for control of the Roy family organization, and the battle becomes increasingly cutthroat. The father and son have a terrible relationship that comes to a head when in the finale, Logan discovers Kendall has accidentally killed someone. Logan offers his son protection but takes away his autonomy by forcing Kendall's undying loyalty, threatening to expose his crime otherwise.

Season 2 of Succession marks a change in Kendall's complex characterization, so much so that even his siblings comment on it. Kendall is haunted by his crime, and the pain is multiplied by the fact he knows his father is manipulating him with his guilt. In season 1, Kendall is obnoxious and overconfident, but season 2 sees him completely demoralized and browbeaten to the point that he barely thinks for himself. Kendall's life has been a quest to obtain a modicum of power, and he's had it all stripped away, and most painfully, he can't tell anyone why.

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"Vaulter" ends a season 1 storyline, as one of Kendall's original big projects for Waystar Royco is the imprudent acquisition of tech giant Vaulter. In one of the worst things Logan does to his kids, the Roy family patriarch orders that Waystar strip Vaulter for parts and tells Kendall to do it himself. Acquiring Vaulter is one of the few things Kendall actually accomplished in Succession and Logan destroys it. Kendall is forced to lie to Vaulter, and he terminates the entire division. It's a vicious move that Kendall exacts with robotic unfeeling. He does it because his dad tells him to and that's all that matters now.

Despite his wealth and position in a multi-billion dollar company, Kendall has no autonomy. When Kendall steals a pack of batteries from a convenience store, it's an attempt to grasp some small amount of control. Just once, he would like to do something of his own volition, without the approval or instruction of Succession's most terrifying character. It's a tiny gesture of self-determination, but Kendall has been brought so low, a small symbol of rebellion is all he can muster. Kendall then throws the batteries away as soon as he leaves the store. The theft was never about the prize; it was about feeling some semblance of power.

The characters in Succession get away with everything. Their only real fear is being shut out of Waystar. Nothing else really matters, and that goes for killing a waiter as much as it does for stealing a pack of batteries. Kendall, his siblings, and the Waystar higher-ups are protected by so many layers of power that even a decades-long abuse cover-up exposed in Succession's season 2 finale comes to nothing. In the world of Succession, characters feel good by taking from others and then avoiding any consequences, because of their immense power. Kendall may have overdosed on that feeling, but the batteries represent him still needing to feel that control.

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