Babakar Diop

Babakar Diop was a character in the first part of Lupin. He is portrayed by Fargass Assandé.

He was Assane Diop's father. Originally from Senegal, Babakar was employed as a chauffeur for Hubert Pellegrini. When a diamond necklace that had originally belonged to Marie-Antoinette was stolen from Hubert's safe, Babakar was blamed for the crime and incarcerated. In prison, he committed suicide.

Part 1
One day in 1995, while walking with Assane, Babakar stumbles upon Anne Pellegrini, the husband of Hubert Pellegrini, a wealthy businessman who has recently employed him as a driver. Anne is having difficulties starting her car, and although initially somewhat fearful of Babakar and Assane's intentions, she allows them to examine the vehicle after Babakar explains who they are. Anne asks Assane several questions, including where he and Babakar came from. Eventually Babakar is able to fix Anne’s car and offers to drive her home; Anne tells Assane that Babakar is a gentleman.

While Babakar’s working relationship with Anne is pleasant, Hubert often berates him in an insulting manner. To apologize for her husband’s behavior, Anne allows Babakar to take a book from the Pellegrinis’ extensive library to give to Assane for his birthday. Babakar’s choice is a collection of stories about the famed gentleman burglar Arsène Lupin.

Later, Babakar is brought into Hubert's study, where a necklace, originally belonging to Marie-Antoinette, has gone missing from a safe. Hubert accuses Babakar of stealing it, claiming that his fingerprints are on the safe; although Babakar protests his innocence and begs Anne for help, none is forthcoming. Later, after he has been brought to the police station, Anne convinces Babakar to sign a confession to the theft, telling him that it will reduce his sentence. However, the judge is strict, and gives Babakar the maximum sentence.

While in prison, Babakar prepares a letter for Assane in which he appears to acknowledge his guilt. However, he purposely misspells several words, and includes the name of another inmate, to whom he had entrusted a book carrying a coded message blaming Anne for framing him. Aware of Assane’s intelligence, Babakar believes that his son will be able to figure out both messages.

However, one day, when Babakar is to be visited by Assane, the guards find him hanging from a noose in his cell, dead by an apparent suicide.

Personality and relationships
Babakar was a loving father who did everything he could to provide for Assane in their new life in Paris. He was honest and respectful, working diligently at his job as a chauffeur for the Pellegrinis, although he was forced to deal with cruel and dismissive treatment from Hubert. Babakar was closer with Anne, who took him and Assane under her wing; however, she failed to prevent Babakar's arrest and ultimately worsened his sentence by convincing him to sign a confession to the necklace theft.

Babakar was proud of his son’s intelligence, and did his best to foster it. He valued proper spelling highly, and worked hard to instill an appreciation for it in Assane, whose knowledge of this personality quirk allowed him to figure out the secret message in Babakar’s false confession. Ultimately, the prospect of a life in prison seemed to have been too much for Babakar to bear, as he was found hanging from a noose in his cell shortly after his sentencing; however, many questions remain regarding his death.

Appearances

 * Part One


 * Chapter 1
 * Chapter 2

Trivia

 * Babakar appears to have been inspired by both of Arsène Lupin's parents. In the original stories, Lupin's mother, Henriette d'Andrésy, was mistreated by a wealthy family that employed her and falsely accused by them of stealing a necklace, while his father, Theomneste Lupin, died in prison.