I went back and watched the ending again today, and yeah, I think if Kendall could've avoided being so fucking smug in that boardroom, he could've gotten away with it and won, lol. Instead, he's in there like the cat that ate the canary, Shiv gets sick to her stomach watching it, she bounces, Kendall and Roman follow--

--and Kendall IMMEDIATELY starts pressuring her. And most of his comments are built around how choosing him, for Shiv, is "logical" and "makes sense." And he's right. She'd be better off in the deal if Kendall was chosen. She'd certainly at least have more power than she will as the wife-on-the-periphery to Tom and Mattson. But Shiv isn't thinking about fucking Kendall's vote up due to logic. It's pure emotion. "I love you but I can't fucking stomach you."

And once she brings up the kid Kendall killed, just to jab him and see how he'll respond, he thinks lying about it is the right move-- when, in fact, it just INFURIATES Roman, locks in Shiv's yes vote, and seals the deal.

That final beat of Roman at the bar, looking like he realizes he can finally be happy, is just exceptional acting, man.