Industry Power Rankings: “She Hawks Her Beef Curtains On The Net.”
Where the loaded elite hold sway after episode 308.
This is it, folks! Major Spoilers for Industry’s “Infinite Largesse.”
Infinite Largesse? More like Infinite Moments of Astonishment! There are no easy outs in Industry’s current season finale and nostalgia—as we learned last week—only serves a purpose when you're trying to market something. Let’s get into it (yuh):
Harper Stern
If there’s anyone who embodies the classic underdog tale of rising from humble beginnings to great triumphs, it’s Harper Stern.
Last season, she was jobless, but now individuals are eager to work for her. After being taken by Otto’s men, Harper finds herself in a quaint conversation with him. During their exchange, Mostyn reveals that he sees a bit of himself in her mercilessness and proposes that she become his spiritual successor. It’s akin to preparing a bargain with the devil, yet Mostyn remains unaware of Stern’s true nature. She thrives in the company of dark paternal figures like Eric, Jesse, and Otto—but as soon as she adopts their traits, Harper stabs them in the back. And this is what she does next. Later, at the Leviathan Alpha office, Stern and Petra cut ties with Mostyn, rejecting his wealth and influence. Over a bowl of grapes, Harper then hires Sweetpea and Anraj, leaving a frustrated Rishi high and dry.
Months later, Harper meets with Otto again, divulging that she’s reconsidered his proposal. Stern seeks his funding to launch a short-only hedge fund and plans to return to New York for it. Surprisingly, Mostyn doesn’t object. Harper exits this season completely in her zone and prepared to be her own boss. A short-only hedge fund? Forbes 30 under 30? Count me in. Go Harper!
Robert Spearing
Rob manages to escape the season without becoming the blood sacrifice. When Yasmin persuades him to meet Henry for initial funding for his mushroom venture, Spearing sees through Muck's facade while keeping Kara-Hanani in his thoughts. He even crushes the years of sexual tension with Yasmin on a garden bench. However, the joy is short-lived as he learns of her engagement to Henry. This revelation, rather than breaking him, offers Rob a newfound sense of clarity. He becomes aware that Kara-Hanani can compartmentalize her life and still achieve greatness. He then expresses his understanding to her and prepares to head home.
In the final scene, Robert is seen pitching to—drumroll, please!—Greg Grayson and a few others. With $1 million from Muck and an additional $500,000 from Ashford Asset Management, he invites the men to join his business from the ground up. Although his whereabouts remain a mystery, one thing is clear: he’s filled with hope. He is the happiest we’ve seen Rob after some time, and he’s in control of his destiny. A very powerful and clever way to wrap up the season.
Sweetpea Golightly
Sweetpea shines brightly among her peers in the Sales and Trading graduate program, making her a deserving candidate for the Rookie of the Year Award. Her intelligence is matched by her integrity; she never takes advantage of others for personal gain. This commendable quality gives Golightly the edge she needs to obtain the job she rightfully deserves. If you ever need proof that kindness pays off, just look to Sweetpea.
Jesse Bloom
Jesse Bloom is finally free after spending months behind bars for tax evasion, and it’s high time! He’s been asking Otto about Harper and seems interested in putting his money into her new short-selling fund. I like to think his sole offense was perhaps being a bit too charming. Now he returns to his gay son, Leo, and tho(ugh)t daughter, Harper. I'm just kidding, but a girl can dream, can't she?
Yasmin Kara-Hanani
Yasmin, too, pulls through the slaughter, but this time it unfolds in a way Robert had once envisioned. She starts by taking a call from the CEO of Hanani Publishing, firmly telling the woman to back off and stating that she will expose the publishing house’s controversies.
Eventually, she seizes the opportunity to have a serious heart-to-heart with Henry. Kara-Hanani opens up about her fragrance ad-style coitus with Rob and then utters her desire for commitment and partnership, even if love is still uncertain between them. Their talk culminates in a proposal, with Yasmin using the ring she took from her father's lifeless body. Yas has a reason for choosing this path, and let me share it with you. She longs for the stability that has eluded her grasp—both financially and socially. While she may never truly love Henry, he can still offer her the luxury she once enjoyed.
Yasmin beams from ear to ear as she embraces her new life, planning a wedding, and gracing the pages of Real Country Magazine. She struts around, reveling in cocaine and midday cocktails with her secretary, Alondra, who is notably the pregnant employee of Lady Yasmin. Out of the blue, Alondra declares that Charles and his friends have been involved in the abuse of very young girls on their boat—some as young as 12. When Alondra suggests that it’s not Kara-Hanani’s fault if she too was abused at a young age. Yasmin’s poise shatters. The fantasy she has built crumbles, and Kara-Hanani instructs Henry’s footman to fire Alondra.
Though Yas has secured a life of luxury, she has unwittingly morphed into a version of Charles, becoming someone she never intended to be.
Eric Tao
Eric’s decision to push Bill overboard and secure a deal with the Al-Miraj family was a big sacrifice—but it didn’t kill his spirit entirely. He’s assigned to manage damage control for the London office as Tom heads to New York, and he takes to the mic to address the staff. Initially, Tao’s motivational speech falls flat. He attempts to reassure the traders that everything is fine, but they aren’t buying it. Next, he tries to connect on a personal level, sharing his immigrant background, but that also fails to resonate. Eric then goes full Jordan Belfort, delivering a passionate speech about the very core of their existence: money.
“Money tames the beast. Money is peace. Money is civilization. The end of the story... is money,” says Tao, quoting a Denis Johnson story called “The Largesse of the Sea Maiden.” This earns him a thumbs-up emoji from Tom, and helps everyone survive another day. The company’s name is soon changed to Al-Mi'raj Pierpoint, a development that catches Eric off guard. Upon entering his office, he finds Wilhelmina and an HR representative waiting, and it dawns on him that this marks the end of his journey. They inform him that due to the significant changes in Pierpoint, they no longer require Tao’s services. The firm will provide Eric with $20 million, a gesture that softens the blow momentarily, but then she delivers a shocking twist: she’ll see him on Thursday.
“Thursday?” Tao asks, to which Wilhelmina replies, “Bill's memorial.” Subsequently, Eric bids farewell to Pierpoint’s shoeshiner, sits at his desk one last time, and sobs heavily sheds before getting a nice call from Harper.
Tao might have the funds to keep things running, but he placed too much faith in an institution that viewed him as disposable. Everything meaningful in his life has vanished. Now that his Pierpoint career is over, maybe he can release Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success II.
Rishi Ramdani
Rishi kicks off this episode with a strong desire to leave Pierpoint and agrees to meet Harper in her office to explore his options. He is later caught off guard when Sweetpea walks into the room at Leviathan Alpha. Harper tells him that Golightly will be working with her and Petra. The two women clarify that Ramdani’s role has become obsolete, easily handled by a computer, which sends him into a panic. He desperately begs them to rethink their decision, claiming they need “an execution guy.” Unfortunately for Rishi, Harper has already found someone for that job, and he spots Anraj waiting outside as he exits. It’s a tough reminder that past acts can always come back to haunt you, much like Pete Campbell’s inceptive decline as Peggy Olson got promoted.
As time moves forward, his situation only worsens. Back in his apartment, Ramdani finds Vinay and his ex-wife, Diana, sitting at the kitchen table. It’s Rishi’s birthday, and a cake is present—but he feels no joy, burdened by his mounting debts. Vinay confronts Diana with the news that her ex-husband owes him a staggering $652,355, pushing Ramdani to tears and casting a shadow over their celebration. Diana stands her ground against Vinay, accusing him of enabling Rishi, which makes Ramdani’s loan shark fatally shoot her. Had Rishi not betrayed Harper, Diana, Anraj, or Sweetpea, his fate would have been extremely different. Yet, the volition to have Diana’s face plunged into the cake gives off a calculated humiliation.
In other words, you reap what you sow. Rishi really needs to update his LinkedIn profile, but let’s be considerate and allow him some space. He is navigating life as a widow, after all.
Everyone, it's been an absolute blast to watch this season with all of you. I genuinely hope you found as much joy in it as I did. Can't wait to return for the next season!