- Roman and Kendall attempt to sway the board, while Shiv explores her options in D.C.
- The episode opens at a concert attended by Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong), Stewy Hosseini (Arian Moayed) and Ken's PA, Jess Jordan (Juliana Canfield). Ken is trying to discuss the upcoming no confidence vote with Stewy, "Look, we're friends, we go back. I can trust you. Right?" Stewy looks Ken in the eyes and replies, "No." Ken tips his hand, "Because, we're calling a vote of no confidence on my Dad." Stewy is horrified, "You're f**king with my money, Ken." Ken asks for Stewy's support, but Stewy cryptically replies that he will support whoever wins.
[Credits Roll]
Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his wife, Marcia (Hiam Abbass) are on the company jet flying to Washington, D.C. to see the President of the United States. Karl (David Rasche) is reviewing some paperwork. Logan complains that he has to go down to see the man, instead of the other way around. Ken stops at a restaurant where his brother, Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin), the company CFO, Frank Vernon (Peter Friedman), and company general counsel, Gerri Kellman (J. Smith-Cameron) are waiting. Ken tells Frank that Stewy is in. The four again review the votes and where each member of the board is likely to side. Roman thinks it is time to proceed, but Frank counsels caution and advises Ken to get a guarantee from three board members: Lawrence Yee, Uncle Ewan Roy, and Ilona. Ken should make a personal appeal to all three. Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) gets a phone call confirming the Park & Cruises situation is fully contained. He tells Shiv (Sarah Snook) the good news, although Shiv is still unaware of the details [this gives her plausible deniability if asked.] Shiv is watching a news conference with her boss, Senator Joyce Miller (Eisa Davis). She asks Tom, "Should I stick with her? Is that a president?" While Shiv weighs the pros and cons of sticking with someone she thinks has no political future, Tom asks about the wedding plans and arrangements. Shiv informs Tom that after a call with her mother, she decided to have the wedding in England. Roman agrees to talk to Lawrence, while Ken will handle the others. Logan and Karl discuss strategy of the TV stations acquisition approach they plan to propose to the president. Shiv calls Tom to inform him she's flying to Washington, D.C. On his way to his office, Tom passes Greg (Nicholas Braun) and invites him out to dinner. Greg is suspicious, as he and Tom have a very strained relationship. A White House aide (Esther Chen) shows Karl and Logan to a waiting area. Before the pair can sit, another aide (Bret Lada) informs Logan, "Mr. Roy. I am so sorry, but the president passes on his sincere apologies. He is currently dealing with a matter of homeland security." Logan has been snubbed, and he is furious.
Roman meets with Lawrence Yee (Rob Yang) and his boyfriend Tatsuya (Jake Choi) at a restaurant. Roman gets to the point quickly, "What would you say if I told you that there was gonna be a vote of no confidence tomorrow? Kick out the old man, in with the new guard. Romey and the homey." Lawrence expresses only mild surprise. Shiv meets with an old acquaintance, Nate Sofrelli (Ashley Zukerman) at a restaurant. They trade barbs over their respective bosses. Nate works for Senator Gil Eavis. Nate knows Shiv from way back and asks, "So, go on, Shiv, what is this?" Shiv proposes that Nate join her on team-Joyce. Of course, Shiv never states what is really on her mind or her motivations, but Nate knows how she operates. Greg is having dinner out with his grandfather, Ewan Roy (James Cromwell). Greg asks Ewan why he's in town and Ewan explains that Ken is calling a vote of no confidence, and as a board member he is in town to vote. Ewan plans to distance himself from the palace coup and advises Greg to do the same. Marcia calls Kendall and invites him to dine with his father, as she has another commitment. Ken agrees. Greg joins Tom for a second meal. Lawrence asks Roman, "If I was going to come in with you, what's your vision?" The best Roman can articulate of his vision of the future is, "Tasty morsels from groovy hubs." Lawrence is unimpressed by the Roy brothers, but does agree that, "I'm on the side of change." Both Roman and Ken have been so sure of their reading of Stewy and Lawrence, that they see and hear what they want, rather than the non-committal responses they've been hearing. Ken calls Roman to inform him about his dinner with Dad. He asks Roman where Lawrence stands and is assured by his brother that Lawrence is in.
Greg tells Tom that he really isn't hungry because he already had dinner with his grandfather. He tells Tom that Ewan is in town for the no confidence vote against Logan. Tom registers surprise, but Greg assumed that Tom knew of the Roy brother's machinations against their father. Richard (Richard Vernon) meets Ken at the door of his father's apartment, and informs him that his father is on a call in the den and will join him shortly. Tom calls Ken to inform him of Ewan's presence in town. Ken meets with Logan, unsure what the old man knows about the vote tomorrow. Logan tells Ken about the presidential snub. Ken joins Logan for dinner - a hamburger. Tom and Greg go to a pop-up nightclub. On the drive home, Ken calls Frank to sum up the votes. He expresses some reluctance to actually proceed. Ken even suggests putting it off until the next quarter, but Frank reminds him, "Ken. You made this happen. You might never get another shot." Ken calls Sarita Shenoy (Surina Jindal) to confirm that her mother, Ilona Shenoy (Jacqueline Antaramian) will not attend the board meeting tomorrow. Ilona has been very sick [cancer] lately and Ken suspects that she will vote for Logan, so her absence is sort of a vote for Ken. Back at Nate's apartment, he and Shiv continue their discussion, which includes both of them getting married soon. The topic turns to sex for old time's sake, but by the next morning when Shiv is ready to leave, it is clear they decided not to indulge. Nate makes a final pitch for Shiv to join team-Gil. Nate suspected all along that Shiv was thinking about jumping ship and joining what he considers the winning team.
The next morning, Ken and Frank discuss the vote while taking the limo on the way to the office. Jess calls Ken. She informs him that Ilona Shenoy is on the line. Ilona tells Ken she will be dialing in for the board meeting. This puts Ken in a panic. Ken wants to meet face to face with Ilona to convince her to vote with his bloc. Frank asks if there is time for Ken to go to Long Island and get back in time for the board meeting. Ken takes the company helicopter out to see Ilona. Sitting in a chair next to her hospital bed, he explains his plan. Ken discovers when he gets back to the helicopter they are grounded. The pilot (Julian Wheeler) explains, "Sorry, Mr. Roy, the skies are closed. Temporary Flight Restriction. There's a possible terror threat." Ken tries to cajole the pilot, but is informed, "Sir, if we take off now, we can be shot down by an F-16." Ken chases down the departing limo and asks how long to get back to the city.
The members of the board are congregating, waiting for the meeting to start. Ken is stuck in a tunnel in traffic. He calls Gerri to ask her to stall the start of the meeting. It is now noon, and Logan arrives. As Frank calls roll, Kendall jumps out of his limo and runs through the tunnel. Late to the meeting is Ewan Roy. Logan notices a vague item noted as "performance issues". Ken has called in and is walking through the city in gridlock. Ken calls for the vote of no confidence and Frank informs Logan he must recuse himself from the vote and leave the meeting. Logan refuses. Frank calls for the vote, but the board sits quietly looking around uncomfortably. Ken votes yes, followed by Frank. Asha (Bisserat Tseggai) votes yes. When Stewy is asked, he explains, "... that this is a family matter, and abstain." A few vote no, then Ilona phones in her vote of yes. To everyone's surprise, Ewan votes to support his brother, Logan. Next up is Lawrence, who like Stewy tells the board, "I don't have a dog in this fight, Kendall. I abstain." Roman is now on the spot and shows his true colors - feckless and cowardly. In an outright betrayal of his brother, and under intense psychological pressure from his father, he votes no. Ken runs into the room, breathlessly, and asks about the vote. He is informed by Logan that he lost the vote. Logan immediately informs Kendall, Frank, Asha and Ilona that they are fired from the board. Security escorts Ken out of the building. Finally, Logan directs his wrath at Roman and asks, "And what the f**k am I gonna do with you?"
Shiv gets back to the apartment and is surprised to find Tom in bed. He claims he's working from home and must have been poisoned. Shiv detects alcohol. She takes a call on her phone and is informed of the board action at Waystar-Royco. Greg stumbles downstairs to join Tom. Shiv gets a call from Connor Roy (Alan Ruck) who is back in New Mexico. Shiv is upset, not at the vote, but the fact that she wasn't privy to the plot. She is especially disappointed that Tom didn't tell her and storms off. The President calls Logan, but still miffed, he puts the president on hold. Logan tells the president he took care of his own terrorist, his son Kendall, then asks for help with the FCC. We close with a dejected Ken walking down a busy street in New York City.
[End Credits Roll]
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