Joan of Arc is often regarded as a historical figure that many young women have decided to latch onto. Admittedly, I’m on the same boat. I’m not sure what it is exactly about the fact that someone so young was already experiencing what she did (as often as that feeling of people being much too small to experience any tragedy. I’m afraid I’d say that anyone is too small to experience the hurt that sometimes comes with being human.)

Being the one to help Charles VII of France reclaim his throne during the Hundred Years’ War, it was his lack of intervention during her execution where she was tried for heresy, witchcraft, and dressing in men's clothing took place in 1431 that makes it such a huge tragedy to look upon. It wasn't until after her death that she was posthumously declared innocent and canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

Now, the Roys aren't exactly known for their saint-like behavior but that certainly did not dissuade the writers from offering us some sympathy for each of the characters despite how much they were able to represent some of society's flaws. The misogyny is rampant in the series which takes place specifically within the confines of the empire which the children's (I still call them that. It's amazing how young they all feel despite being well into their adult years) father. It just makes it a lot more interesting to have his only daughter be the one to participate in this system almost to a fault.

Many of the characters of Succession tell a story with just their name, just as Siobhan Roy's does. "Siobhan" that is derived from the Irish name "Siobhán" is a form of the name "Joan" in English. The derivation is from the Old French "Roy", le roy (French pronunciation: [ʁwa]), meaning "king". The connection between a king and Joan that I've mentioned earlier does have a lot of significance but the character rarely is referred to as "Siobhan" often just given the nickname "Shiv." Shiv is defined as a knife or a razor, a weapon but what I think is most interesting about it is that there's the implication that it was not originally a weapon. It was forged to be one, it was made to be sharp, to harm. And that's exactly the progression that we see with Shiv's character.

We are initially introduced to Shiv when she is working as a political consultant, away from her father's business as opposed to her two brothers who work in the family company. Her politics lean left, the opposite of her father who has forged his media conglomerate with strikingly conservative news outlets and politics. She is passionate in these views, and is building herself her own career path (she would like to think her last name has nothing to do with it) but as the show progresses we see just how easily she is able to let go of all of this if it means that her father will make her CEO of the company. To those unfamiliar with the show, the title of CEO to these kids is so much more than just a higher pay. They were born into wealth. They are one of the richest families in the world, there really is no need for any sort of promotion like this from their original occupations. But it means that their dad approves. It means that he sees them capable of running the company, sees them as someone who is fit to continue his legacy. And considering how much the man feels less of a man and more like the entire universe to them, it's no surprise how much sway he has over them.