kendall is logan’s biggest paradox. he hates and loves kendall the most. kendall is his least favorite child and his favorite child. and it’s all for the same reason: he recognizes kendall’s potential and admires his ambition. as a father, he is proud of that. that’s why kendall was the original successor in the first place. but as a narcissist, he can’t take it.
kendall’s not afraid to make bold moves, and he will step out of line to do so. kendall has huge flops of course but he also has good ideas, and logan can’t handle it. he can’t handle, for example, that kendall was the one who solved logan’s debt problem. he can’t handle that vaulter was modernizing the company. he can’t handle that kendall came dangerously close to voting him out of his chair.
that’s why logan only reconciles with ken after shiv’s wedding–when he has the ultimate trump card to force ken’s obedience and love. logan is openly affectionate and admiring of kendall only when he knows he has control. he loves kendall this way and wants to be close to him, but he only respects kendall when he fights back. he wants a successor with whom he can do both at once, whom he can love and respect, but he necessarily never can. because he simultaneously despises all weakness and all dissent.
that’s why kendall is the number one boy. he puts up the biggest fight but he’s also the most vulnerable to logan’s influence. he reaches the highest highs and the lowest lows. and that’s why this show makes me absolutely unwell.
