Succession's huge plot twist is more realistic than you'd think – the departure of a powerful CEO like Logan Roy really can cause wild share price swings

• HBO's "Succession" unveiled a shocking twist in episode three with the death of a pivotal character.
• It led to a huge slide in the value of the fictional media conglomerate Waystar Royco.
• There's real-life precedent that shows why a CEO can cause huge share price swings when they depart.

This article contains spoilers for episode 3 of "Succession" season 4. Don't read on if you don't want key plot details revealed.

At one point in episode three of the final season of "Succession," as news of Logan Roy's fate begins to emerge, his son Roman points to a screen showing a share price chart.

The stock is, of course, Waystar Royco, the multibillion-dollar conglomerate at the heart of the award-winning HBO drama – and on news of Roy's death, its stock plunged.