Animated portraits for the final season of HBO’s Succession characters through a symbolic lens, illustrating their patterns and subconscious motivations through the archetypes of the Tarot.

SPOILER warnings for the end of Succession!
            Portraits, Animation, Personal

Prints available here.


Developed as part of my ongoing daily drawing challenge on Instagram.

You can read about the creative process and insights for this project on my Substack!





Kendall Roy & The Tower

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For Kendall’s portrait I chose to use symbolism from 'The Tower', a Major Arcana card that evokes sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation, and awakening, connected to everything that he has tried to do within his father’s company and all that has happened to him in the show.

Siobhan Roy & Death

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For Shiv, I drew her with symbolism from ‘Death’, a Major Arcana card that represents endings, change (and resistance to it), transformation and transition. Shiv has undergone some of the biggest transformations in the show, been corrupted by power and her desire for validation from her father.

Roman Roy & The Devil

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For Roman's portrait I drew symbolism from ‘The Devil’, a Major Arcana card that represents the shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction, and sexuality. Of all the Roy children, Roman is arguably the most attached to Logan and is constantly twitching about in the depths of his shame.


   

Greg Hirsch & The Wheel of Fortune

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For Greg’s portrait I used symbolism from the card ‘Wheel of Fortune’, a Major Arcana card that represents good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, and a turning point. Cousin Greg is one of the show’s most delightful characters who has risen through the Roy family business’ ranks by sheer, clumsy determination (and an ill-advised association with OTP Tom).

Tom Wambsgans & The Magician

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For Tom’s portrait I used symbolism from ‘The Magician’, a Major Arcana card that, both upright and reversed, can represent manipulation, manifestation, resourcefulness, and power. Tom, our favourite corn-fed basic from Hockeytown and consumate punching-down bully, has been manipulating his way up the chain forever, and I have a feeling he’s got something cooking for the big finale.

Logan Roy & The Emperor

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(SPOILER warning for Succession!)

The man, the myth, the monster: Logan Roy. With symbolism from ‘The Emperor’, a Major Arcana card that, both upright and reversed, can represent authority, power, domination, and excessive control. Logan was the sun everyone orbited around. His departure left a vacuum of grief, chaos, and destruction, especially for the Roy children, who have to deal with his monstrous legacy of violent competition for his approval, even after his death. This show has made history and shall be missed!


Marina Esmeraldo is a Brazilian illustrator and visual artist based in Barcelona. She speaks five and a half languages, loves travelling and the sea, and is currently obsessed with outdoor sketching, film photography and subconscious reprogramming.



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