#The Mysterious Events of Roman’s Trip to Turkey in Succession
Succession the hit HBO drama about the dysfunctional Roy family and their massive media conglomerate Waystar RoyCo featured a pivotal storyline in season 2 that has left many fans speculating – what exactly happened to Roman Roy during his trip to Turkey?
Roman, the brazen and outspoken youngest son in the Roy clan, was sent by his father Logan to Turkey to oversee some business dealings. But things took a disturbing turn during Roman’s stay at a luxury hotel in Turkey, leading to Roman cutting his trip short and returning to New York visibly shaken. The show provided some cryptic clues but never fully revealed the details, leaving viewers to fill in the gaps.
Here’s what we know about the mysterious events surrounding Roman’s time in Turkey
##The Build-Up to Turkey
The Turkey trip was first mentioned in episode 1 of season 2, when Logan tells Roman he is sending him to Turkey to meet with shareholders and oversee some Waystar business. Roman seems excited for the responsibility and opportunity to prove himself.
Roman’s siblings joke about him going to Turkey, suggesting he’ll get kidnapped. This foreshadows that his trip won’t go smoothly.
##Arrival in Turkey
In episode 2, Roman arrives in Turkey and checks into a lavish hotel suite. He seems upbeat and ready to conduct business.
He video chats with his siblings and says Turkey is going well so far. He shows off his hotel room and the elaborate fruit platter he received.
##Ominous Turn of Events
Episode 3 picks up with Roman waking up disoriented in his hotel room, with unexplained marks on his arm. Something bad clearly happened, but details are scarce.
Roman is visibly distraught and says he needs to leave Turkey immediately. He quickly exits the hotel with his luggage.
Back in New York, he won’t discuss what happened with his family. When his girlfriend Tabitha asks, he says he doesn’t want to talk about Turkey ever again.
Theories and Speculation
Fans have come up with various theories about what could have transpired in Turkey:
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Drugging/poisoning – Perhaps someone drugged Roman via the fruit platter or other food. The unexplained marks may suggest he was injected with something against his will.
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Assault – Roman may have been sexually assaulted or abused during his stay, which would explain his traumatized state. This theory is implied but never explicitly confirmed.
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Kidnapping attempt – Roman may have been targeted for kidnapping but managed to escape. His family’s status would make him a prime target.
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Other foul play – General consensus is something bad happened involving shady figures at the hotel. But exactly what remains a mystery.
Many fans lean toward the drugging or assault theories based on Roman’s marks and his desire to bury the experience. But without more details from the show, Turkey remains a disturbing question mark in Roman’s storyline.
Aftermath and Impact
Whatever happened in Turkey haunts Roman for the rest of season 2 and clearly traumatizes him. He becomes more withdrawn and serious after Turkey.
Roman refuses to give his family specifics, keeping the events shrouded in secrecy. But it impacts his relationships and functioning at Waystar.
Turkey is referenced occasionally in later episodes, reminding viewers Roman still carries the burden of that experience. But the full truth never comes to light.
Here are some key examples of how Turkey affects Roman post-return:
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He spirals out of control at his own bachelor party, hinting at some lingering trauma.
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He becomes obsessed with acquiring a Turkish telecom company, seemingly related to his trip.
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He has tense interactions with his mother about Turkey, who he feels fails to support him.
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He displays anger and volatility uncharacteristic pre-Turkey.
The mystery of Turkey illustrates how Succession excels at hinting at pivotal off-screen events without overexplaining. Roman’s trauma is palpable, yet the details that caused it remain in the shadows, leaving fans endlessly speculating.
Why Turkey is Left Unexplained
Many viewers are still frustrated and confused about why the showrunners never revealed Romania’s whole ordeal. Here are some possible reasons the details were left ambiguous:
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It allows viewers to fill in the most disturbing blanks, not constrained by exactly what the writers envisioned. Our imaginations make it darker.
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Leaving it a mystery adds to Roman’s character complexity and internal pain. The shadow of Turkey haunts him more if we don’t know.
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It may have pushed the TV-MA rating boundaries if explicitly shown or described. Implying it preserves the show’s wider audience.
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Not defining it may allow for Turkey references to continue in future episodes, which may ultimately paint a clearer picture.
So while viewers may never get direct clarity on what happened in that Turkish hotel, the mystery remains a pivotal part of understanding Roman as a character. Turkey exemplifies Succession’s ability to engage fans through subtle implications of significant off-screen events. Roman’s time in Turkey will likely be speculated about and dissected for as long as Succession airs.
Siblings[]
Roman maintains a close relationship with all of his siblings, although the bond often becomes strained as he competes with them for the CEO position. It is implied that Connor, the oldest of Logan’s children, acted as a sort of father figure to Roman growing up. For example, in “The Disruption”, Roman tells the press about a childhood memory in which he went fishing with his dad, but it is later revealed that Connor was the one who actually took him on the trip. Roman is also close with his sister, Shiv. Despite his frequent attempts to provoke or bicker with her, it is implied that Roman genuinely cares for her.
Relationships[]
Similarly to his siblings, Roman had an unhealthy and abusive relationship with Logan. It is implied that Logan violently abused him during his childhood, and throughout the series Roman is continuously emotionally, physically, and verbally abused by his father. In spite of this maltreatment, Roman is shown to respect and love Logan, and, like Kendall and Shiv, is willing to go to great lengths to earn his approval.
What Caused the Roman Empire to Collapse
FAQ
What happens to Roman in Succession?
Does Roman get kidnapped in Succession?
What is the problem with Roman in Succession?
Why did Roman smile at the end of Succession?
What happens to succession’s Roman Roy after he sips Martini alone?
Kieran Culkin Interview We’ll never know what happens to Succession ‘s Roman Roy after he sips that Martini alone at the end of the series finale… but Kieran Culkin thinks it’s not a happy story. “None of the siblings are in a particularly good place at the end,” Culkin tells Variety in a new interview about the HBO drama’s final episode.
What happened to Roman Roy in succession?
Our editorial is always independent ( learn more) The character’s fate was left ambiguous after the dramatic funeral. As many fans predicted, the meteoric rise of Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) ended with a catastrophic thud as the supposed kingmaker crumbled under the pressure of delivering his father’s eulogy in Succession episode 9.
What happened to Roman & Culkin?
Roman (Kieran Culkin) has come from Turkey, where he was trying to secure enough capital to circumvent the shareholders and take the company private. He makes it back to the yacht with a deal after getting taken captive in Turkey. As well as surviving the ordeal, Roman secures a deal, but also believes their new investors cannot be trusted.
Does ‘succession’s’ Kieran Culkin see Roman Roy getting a happy ending?
‘Succession’s’ Kieran Culkin doesn’t see Roman Roy getting a happy ending after the series finale — see what he says.