A Shocking Twist in 'Task' Episode 6: Did Robbie Really Lose — Or Did He Play Everyone?
HBO's gripping crime drama Task delivered a heartbreaking yet strangely uplifting finale in Episode 6, titled "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a river." After a brutal, blood-soaked confrontation, fans are left wondering: Did Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey) actually win, even in death? And where the heck is that missing drug money?
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Task Episode 6, now streaming on HBO Max.
The episode picks up right where the previous cliffhanger left off — with chaos erupting. Bullets fly, knives slash, and loyalties shatter. Robbie and Tom Brandis (Mark Ruffalo) find themselves outnumbered, battling the ruthless Dark Hearts gang. While Tom fights Perry (Jamie McShane) in a cabin, Robbie flees through the woods with a duffel bag full of cash, pursued by the vengeful Jayson (Sam Keeley).
In a desperate move, Robbie hurls the bag into a rushing river, taunting Jayson: "You want this? Is this what you came for?" What follows is a brutal, emotionally charged fight to the death. Robbie nearly triumphs, choking Jayson unconscious — but then collapses from a hidden stab wound. Though Tom arrives in time to scare Jayson off, Robbie bleeds out in the car, his final thoughts drifting to happier days with his brother Billy (Jack Kesy).
But here’s where it gets controversial...
The money wasn’t in the bag Robbie threw away. In a masterful deception, Robbie had already diverted the cash to Maeve (Emilia Jones), his children’s mother. Partnering with Shelley (Mickey Sumner), he split the drug profits — one bag for her escape from her abusive husband, the other for Maeve. By the time Jayson and Perry retrieve the decoy bag from the river, they realize they’ve been played. Meanwhile, Maeve is suddenly wealthy, and the episode closes with a bittersweet flashback of Robbie joyfully swimming in the quarry.
So was Robbie’s sacrifice always part of the plan?
Tom Pelphrey, who portrays Robbie, revealed to Decider that his character’s realization dawned gradually. "When he loses his temper at the truck depot, that’s the moment he starts doubting his own control," Pelphrey explained. Robbie’s "Plan B" — potentially dying to ensure his family’s safety — was a last resort. "He almost beats Jayson... but this way, even if he fails, the kids are protected."
Director Salli Richardson-Whitfield echoed this, praising how the show "earns your love for Robbie" before delivering the emotional gut punch. Pelphrey also shared a fascinating behind-the-scenes detail: The final quarry shot wasn’t in the original script. Showrunner Brad Ingelsby added it in post-production to "put a button on" Robbie’s arc, leaving audiences with a haunting, poetic farewell.
Now, here’s the burning question:
Did Robbie have to die? Some might argue his plan could’ve worked without his death — after all, he nearly killed Jayson. Was his sacrifice noble, or was it a tragic miscalculation? Share your take in the comments!
With just one episode left in Task’s seven-part season, the fallout is far from over. The Dark Hearts are still hunting their money, Tom knows Grasso (Fabien Frankel) betrayed him, and Lizzie’s (Alison Oliver) fate remains unresolved. Don’t miss the explosive finale next Sunday, October 19, on HBO and HBO Max.
