Task season 1 episode 4 ending explained: How does Cliff die?

Cliff Broward in Task season 1 episode 4 (Image via HBO Max)
Cliff Broward in Task season 1 episode 4 (Image via HBO Max)

Task season 1 episode 4 brings the clash between Robbie Prendergrast's personal vendetta, the FBI task force, and the Dark Hearts biker gang to its most tragic twist so far. Cliff Broward is at the forefront of the narrative whose destiny seals the consequences of betrayal. Cliff is initially caught in the FBI’s trap, with Tom Brandis orchestrating a sting through Ray’s confiscated phone.

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However, the operation is sabotaged from within, and Cliff is deceived into thinking he is still communicating with his ally. Instead, the Dark Hearts intercept him, brutally beating him when they discover he is carrying only a sample of the fentanyl.

Despite the torture, Cliff refuses to betray Robbie in Task season 1 episode 4. Jayson, who won't risk his exposure, brings the ordeal to a close by suffocating him to death with cellophane. Harrowing and crucial, his death seals off one avenue but opens another, causing the FBI to scramble to locate Sam and pushing Robbie further into isolation.

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Task season 1 episode 4: How was Cliff intercepted?

A still from the episode (Image via HBO Max)
A still from the episode (Image via HBO Max)

In Task season 1 episode 4, the sting in Bailey Park was supposed to be the task force's coup, but it turned out to be a demonstration of deception and failure. Tom Brandis schemed to impersonate Ray via his phone, trick Cliff into a planned handover, and arrest him and Robbie. The setup appeared watertight on the surface, but tension grew as Tom's suspicions of a mole within the task force deepened.

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When a vehicle eventually did arrive, the FBI flooded in, only to encounter an unaware couple looking for their missing dog. Cliff, meanwhile, was deep in the clutches of the Dark Hearts. The collapse of the sting highlighted the dangers of mistrust and the task force's susceptibility.

By alternating between the doomed police operation and Cliff's vanishing, the episode highlighted how betrayal from within turned every move forward into a trap. The identity of the mole within the task force remained a mystery.

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What was Robbie's escape plan in Task season 1 episode 4?

A still from the episode (Image via HBO Max)
A still from the episode (Image via HBO Max)

In Task season 1 episode 4, Robbie's dreams of escape were dismantled with Cliff's capture, giving viewers a glimpse of both desperation and hopelessness. His scheme to use a truck driver's assistance to sneak himself, Cliff, and Sam into Canada was his final hope for freedom. However, cracks in the plan were evident from the beginning.

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Maeve pierced his fantasy with brutal candor, reminding him of the lack of schools, hospitals, or any semblance of stability in the life he envisioned. The flashbacks of Billy advising Robbie to let go of things he could not control only served to confirm the latter's persistence in trying to fix situations beyond his power.

When Sam's harmless encounter with a stranger turned violent, the fragility of the plan was revealed, shifting scrutiny back to Robbie and Cliff.

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Robbie's motivation was to protect his kids while also trying to hold onto a futile sense of control. However, Cliff's death ultimately made Robbie's scheme impossible, leaving him isolated and vulnerable.


Task season 1 episode 4: What comes next?

A still from the episode (Image via HBO Max)
A still from the episode (Image via HBO Max)

In Task season 1 episode 4, Cliff's killing was not merely an isolated act of violence but the culmination of changing allegiances, deception, and betrayal that had infested all the layers of the story. The involvement of the Dark Hearts revealed the limits of their expansion and the vulnerability of the FBI, as Ray's impounded phone was somehow delivered into Jayson's possession.

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Cliff's inability to mention Robbie even when he was beaten marked loyalty in its most poignant, tragic sense, but his silence condemned him to asphyxiation. At the same time, whispers of a mole in the task force acquired starker urgency.

Anthony's incriminating text to Cliff, which was never sent, along with Jayson's access to Ray's phone, highlighted the unsettling parallels. The uncertainty raised questions not only about Anthony’s potential involvement but also about the wider integrity of the task force.

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Task season 1 episode 4 is available to stream on HBO Max.

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Edited by Riya Peter
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