5 reasons why Helena Eagan from Severance and Shiv Roy from Succession are basically the same person

Disclaimer: This article contains the author's opinion on Severance & Succession.

Helena Eagan and Shiv Roy are eerily alike, despite being from different worlds. Helena's in a grim corporate world on Severance, and Shiv's in a top media empire on Succession. But the women face the same issues: privilege, power, and legacies that give them chances but also take away their freedom to choose. They go through identity troubles and power struggles while questioning themselves.

In essence, Helena and Shiv deal with similar issues of identity, power, and family in their very different, but still cut-throat corporate, settings. It's fascinating to see how their stories play out and how they handle challenges thrown at them.

Let's explore the five main things that make them so similar!

Severance's Helena Eagan and Succession's Shiv Roy are two sides of the same ruthless coin

1) Trapped by family expectations and corporate loyalty

Helena Eagan and Shiv Roy come from powerful families that expect unquestioning loyalty. Helena is the heir to Lumon Industries, which has a unique practice of dividing employees' minds on Severance.

To promote the company, she goes through the severance procedure. Although she tries to accept her role, she later sees the disturbing reality of her family's influence.

In Severance Season 1, she cruelly says to her Innie,

"I'm a person. You are not."

This shows her struggle with understanding the true nature of her existence.

Shiv, on the other hand, begins as a political strategist outside of her family's business, Waystar Royco on Succession. Her father, Logan Roy, often uses the temptation of power to control her. He gives her hope of becoming CEO, only to put her down when she gets close.

In season 3, she fights her brothers for power but realizes she's just a piece in her father's harsh game. Both face challenges in their family-driven roles, leading them to question their place and identity within their powerful households.

2) The illusion of independence

Both Helena and Shiv think they are in control of their lives, but their pasts show they're not. Helena starts out thinking she can support a tech that separates work from personal life, and still be in charge of what she does. But as of now on Severance, she sees she's just part of Lumon's big, bad plan.

Shiv thinks she's ahead of the game, not like anyone else in her family. She believes in new ideas and wants to be her own person. Yet, she keeps giving in and doing things she doesn't truly believe in, just to be important at family gatherings.

The moment of truth hits Helena when she sees her other self, Helly R., on a security video. She understands that Helly R. is a real person who makes her own choices, while she is only a piece of the puzzle for Lumon.

Shiv's eyes open when she realizes that no matter how smart she is or how good she is at playing the game, her dad will never let her have real power. She's always going to be his little girl, not a trusted equal.

3) Romantic relationships as power plays

Helena and Shiv both face challenges with intimacy due to their relationships being linked to power dynamics. In season 2 of Severance, Helena gets cozy with Mark Scout under false pretenses, aware he believes she is Helly R. This ORTBO scene shows her desperation for a bond, even if it's based on deceit.

Similarly, Shiv's marriage to Tom Wambsgans is about give and take. She holds back affection, cheats, and maintains her distance, only to worry when he gains power. In the Succession finale, she struggles to distinguish between love and power.

4) The crushing weight of identity crises

Identity plays a big part in the stories of both Helena and Shiv. Helena's involvement in the severance program makes her see a version of herself that she could have become, and it's really hard for her. It's tough to deal with the idea that Helly R. is more human and loved than she is. This makes her doubt everything she knows about herself, as we can increasingly see in Severance.

Shiv also has a big moment with her identity. She's spent her whole life trying to not be like her family, but in the end, she starts to act like them. She does things like manipulate and betray people, which are bad traits. It's really surprising when she finds out that Tom will have power at the company, not her. This makes her feel like she's lost control over her own future.

5) Doomed to repeat the cycle

Even with their self-knowledge, Helena and Shiv can't escape their cycles. Helena understands Lumon is a heartless company, but she's stuck working for it. In the last episode of Succession, Shiv realizes she isn't powerful and gives in to Tom.

These women are a product of their surroundings. They can't completely break away from what made them who they are. They're reminders of what happens when power and who you are in a world that only sees them as their last names.