After the leading criminal organization known as the Org puts a one-billion-dollar bounty on Taskmaster’s head, he flees to Michoacán, Mexico to learn his true identity. But while visiting Michoacán; not only does he learn more about himself, but he uncovers the significance of his mask.
Taskmaster is a skilled fighter as well as a trainer of countless criminal organizations. The reason he’s a skilled fighter and has been hired to train hundreds of soldiers is that he possesses the ability to copycat his enemies tricks and fighting techniques. As a result of his ability to imitate his enemies’ fighting styles and carries an arsenal of lethal weaponry, has defeated a plethora of Marvel heroes. Besides from Taskmaster’s fighting abilities, his menacing-looking costume is memorable. The most intriguing part of his costume is his skull mask and in Fred Van Lente, Dave Lanphear, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and Jefte Palo’s comic Taskmaster#2, Taskmaster will uncover the meaning of it.
After hijacking and flying a plane to Michoacán, Mexico; Taskmaster and a woman named Mercedes who also has a bounty on her head are immediately welcomed by his friend and trainee named Don of the Dead-the governor of Michoacán who is also the leader of a drug cartel. Right away, Don tells Taskmaster that he is not going to turn him in as he believes the Org are spewing lies about him because deep down, he knows he’s not a traitor and would never work for Captain America. As Taskmaster and Mercedes continue to follow as well as talk with Don, Don brings them to a temple. Which resurfaces some of Taskmaster’s lost memories of coming to Michoacán years ago. He is then informed by Don that one of his first assignments given to him by the Org was to retrain Don’s men to help them take over the drug cartels that the Federales had been arresting. As he enters the temple, he walks toward the statue of a deity that has a skull face-just like his.
As he places a hand on the skull face, Don tells him that the Mexican special forces he was training years ago, worshipped the diety or saint of death known as Santa Muerte. Don’s men believed that she would protect them and to show his unity with Don’s men, Taskmaster decided to make her face part of his costume.
Although the significance of Taskmaster’s mask is quite beautiful, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s still unnerving. Considering Taskmaster is a master of death, the mask fits him well.
