Task: Are Perry and Jayson Dead?

HBO’s ‘Task’ introduces several conflicting parties at the heart of a story that gets more intriguing by the minute. At the heart of the conflict is the several kilos of fentanyl stolen by Robbie Prendergrast. It originally belonged to a biker gang called the Dark Hearts, and now, its leader, Jayson, and his mentor, Perry, are ready to do whatever it takes to get it back. The duo is shown to be each other’s staunchest supporters. However, even then, they end up becoming the bane of each other’s existence, and the rising tension between them reaches a crescendo in the finale. SPOILERS AHEAD.

A Murder From Perry’s Past Comes Back to Haunt Him

Since the beginning of ‘Task,’ we find Perry trying to protect Jayson. When the robbery happens and the fentanyl is lost, the bosses decide that Jayson should go, but Perry defends him, and even tries to resolve the issue so his protege would be back in the good graces of the Mother Club. In doing so, he discovers that Jayson’s wife, Eryn, is the mole within their organization, and a confrontation between them ends tragically as Eryn is drowned by Perry. He didn’t intend to do it, but now that it’s done, he knows he cannot let Jayson know about it. Because, despite how close they are, Jayson would never forgive Perry for killing his wife. And that’s exactly what happens.

In the finale, Eryn’s dead body is found, and in her hand, the cops find a chain. The initials on it point towards Perry. This information makes its way to Jayson, and when he finds out about the chain, he has no doubt left in his mind that Perry killed Eryn. This is a massive betrayal, not just because of what Perry did, but also because he didn’t come clean. All this time, Jayson kept sharing his concerns about Eryn’s missing status, and Perry had been lying to his face, saying that he had no idea what happened to his wife. So, when the truth comes out, Jayson acts swiftly.

Unbeknownst to Jayson, the previous night, Perry received a call from Vincent, in which he received an ultimatum to kill Jayson. He thought about it, but changed his mind while he still had the knife in his hand. The next day, he plans on getting the drug money, which he believes Robbie must have left for Maeve, and use it to disappear from cops as well as the gang. However, before that can happen, Jayson finds out about Eryn, and unlike Perry, he has no second thoughts about stabbing his mentor in the heart. He tells Perry that he knows what he’s done, and instead of trying to explain himself, Perry shows his final act of love towards Jayson and warns him that the Mother Club is coming for him.

Jayson’s Greed Leads to His Downfall

Losing the fentanyl and getting the FBI on his tail convinces the Mother Club that he needs to go away. If it weren’t for Perry, they would have resolved the issue quickly, but he kept Jayson out of harm’s way. Then, Donna gives away their location, but the gang finds Perry dead and Jayson gone. The problem is that killing Perry has only made things worse for Jayson, and the only thing he can do now is to flee. With the gang and the FBI after him, he cannot hide out forever, and to escape them, he needs money. Thanks to Perry, he knows that Maeve must have the money Robbie got from selling fentanyl before he came to the cabin and duped Jayson and the gang. When Jayson finds Maeve, it doesn’t take much for her to give up the money. She’d been hiding it in the chicken coop, and she hands over the bag to him without a fight.

But then, Tom and Aleah arrive at the scene, with Grasso bleeding out in his car. Jayson is forced to hide inside the coop with Maeve, whom he holds hostage at gunpoint. He gets a window to escape and tries to use it, but Maeve calls out for help, attracting Tom and Aleah’s attention. Her cries for help also lead her cousin, Harper, to go get help. She doesn’t know about Tom and Aleah, but she knows there is a cop in a car outside their house, so she finds him. When Harper comes to Grasso, he realizes that Jayson already has the money, and he will try to make a run for it. So, he hides Harper in his own car while he makes his way to the backseat of Jayson’s car. Sure enough, Jayson tries to make it out with the money and turns towards his car. Before he can enter it, Grasso shoots him, and he claims the fatal wound, and he dies on the spot.

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