‘Industry’ Season 4 Episode 6: Will Eric go to prison? Ken Leung reflects on his character's uncertain fate
The financial thriller series 'Industry' delves into the world of international finance and centers on a group of young graduates working at an investment bank in London as they navigate a cut-throat work culture. Co-created by former investment bankers Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, the series aired Season 4 on January 11, 2026, on HBO. The latest Episode 6, titled 'Dear Henry,' aired on February 15. Luke Snellin has directed the episode from a screenplay co-written by Down and Kay.
The show's latest episode reveals how Tender CEO Whitney Halberstram (Max Minghella), has been blackmailing his associates by filming their sexual liaisons with his escorts to use as leverage. Eric becomes his latest victim, as he was filmed having sex with Dolly (Skye Degruttola), who, unbeknownst to him, is 14 years old. Eric receives the footage, alongside proof that Dolly is underage, leaving him stunned. Nevertheless, he goes on CNN alongside Whitney as a last-ditch effort to destroy Tender, but it massively backfires. With no way out, Eric accepts defeat and dissolves the inverse fund SternTao, which he had created with Harper Stern (played by Myha'la), and transfers everything to her, seemingly with the intention of ending his life. As the credits roll on the episode, Eric is seen solemnly walking down the middle of a suburban street, as 'Both Sides Now,' written by Joni Mitchell, plays in the background.
Since the episode aired, fans have wondered about Eric's fate. On February 15, Ken Leung, who plays Eric Tao in 'Industry' Season 4, spoke to Decider about the shocking turn of events. Leung addressed the scene's open ending by saying, “I think the show, in not showing us his face, we’re not supposed to know where he’s going. The story is not about how Eric feels or even about Eric. The story is the walking away. I think it’s really interesting that he’s not walking down any road. He’s walking straight down the middle of a road intended for traffic. So there’s a recklessness to it. There is a ‘devil may care’-ness to it. He walks like nothing is going to stop him or slow him down. It’s steady and it’s certain. So that’s how I see that. I think the important thing is the walking away. The how he’s walking, I think, it’s all about that. It’s not about where he’s going. It’s not about what he’s up to, you know?”
The 56-year-old actor also shared in the same interview that the final shot was preceded by another scene in the original script. He elaborated by saying, “That was a scene with my daughter and my wife, and she shows up with a nose ring and it triggers something. You know, Harper famously wore nose ring in the first season and I say something about her looking like cattle or something. So he gets triggered and he blows up at his daughter, immediately regrets it, and just says, ‘I gotta get out of here. I’m going to go buy a pack of cigarettes.’ And then he does this walk.” Watch the latest episodes of 'Industry' Season 4 on Sundays at 9 pm ET on HBO and HBO Max in the US.
