Assane Diop

Assane Diop is the protagonist of the French thriller series Lupin. He is portrayed by Omar Sy as an adult, and by Mamadou Haïdara as a teenager.

Assane takes the famous literary gentleman thief and master of disguise, Arsène Lupin, as his inspiration. His life was changed forever when his father Babakar was imprisoned for stealing a centuries-old necklace once belonging to Marie-Antoinette, which was in Hubert Pellegrini's possession. After Babakar died in prison, Assane began to use his talents to avenge his father's death and outwit those who stood in his way. However, he struggles to balance his quest for revenge with his commitments to his ex-wife and son.

1995
Having recently emigrated from Senegal to Paris, Assane's father Babakar has gained employment as a chauffeur for the wealthy entrepreneur Hubert Pellegrini. As a result, Assane occasionally visits the Pellegrini house, marveling at its opulence. With his new earnings, Babakar is able to buy Assane a camera as a present. While out walking one rainy day, Assane and Babakar stumble upon Anne Pellegrini, whose car has broken down. However, when they offer to help, Anne locks her door. Babakar explains that he is her husband's new driver, and offers to try to fix her vehicle. Anne relents, and urges Assane to get into the car, where she asks him where they come from. Assane tells her that they are Senegalese. Anne also asks Assane where his mother is, but he does not respond. Babakar insists on driving Anne home, and Anne tells Assane that his father is a gentleman.

As one of the perks of being the son of their chauffeur, Assane is granted the use of the Pellegrinis' swimming pool. One day, he arrives for a swim and sees Hubert and Anne's daughter Juliette lying near the pool smoking a cigarette. Juliette asks Assane if he is the driver's son; Assane responds that he is, and reveals that he will be fourteen the following week. Juliette tells Assane that if he swims to her, she will kiss him. Assane inelegantly doggy-paddles his way to Juliette, and kisses her when he reaches the other side.



After Babakar is wrongfully accused of stealing the Pellegrinis' necklace and convicted, Assane visits him in prison. On one of his visit days, a guard finds that Babakar appears to have hanged himself (in fact, he was murdered by Hubert's associate Léonard Koné). As Assane buries Babakar, he is joined by Anne Pellegrini, who offers her condolences and tells him that she will help him in any way he can. Assane, blaming the Pellegrini family for his father's death, insults her and leaves. Later, Assane searches through his father's possessions and finds a book of stories about Arsène Lupin, which had been intended as a present for his birthday. Assane begins to read the book and is immediately enthralled.

Some time after Babakar's death, Gabriel Dumont arrives at Assane's apartment, where he has continued to live. He questions Assane about his situation; Assane lies about his age, claiming to be sixteen, and says that he is living with his mother. Dumont is well aware that Assane is not telling the truth, and informs him that he will be taken to social services. Assane attempts to escape out of the window, but is caught by Dumont. He is brought to an orphanage, where a social worker named Philippe Bouchard gives him a bible.

While living at the orphanage, Assane witnesses a girl being harassed by a group of boys. He manages to successfully diffuse the situation, and sits down next to the girl, who tells him that there are two kinds of men, knights (like Assane, who believe women need saving) or barbarians (like the gang of boys, who rudely invade others' space), and that both types bother her equally. Feeling that she may have been unfriendly, she also says that she has heard about what happened to his father, and that she is sorry for his loss. Becoming more playful, the girl calls Assane a "knight" again, and introduces herself as Claire.



Later, while Assane and Claire are reading in a nearby park, the same boys appear and begin teasing them. Despite Claire's warnings, Assane fights them and gets injured. Afterwards, Claire tends to Assane's wounds. Assane tries to kiss her, and Claire giggles at him, telling him that she is not in need of a boyfriend, although she admits that he is her only male friend and is thus technically "the man of her life." Assane shows her a lighter that he had stolen from the boys while fighting them; Claire is surprised and amused.

Over time, Assane and Claire spend more and more time together. Claire asks Assane whether he ever gets bored reading the same Arsène Lupin book over and over. Assane tells her that he doesn't, since he learns something new every time. He also mentions that he thinks that there are three kinds of men, the third type being somebody who "plays the game but respects the rules" and only cares about what matters: the "gentleman." Claire is moved by this and kisses Assane, telling him that she likes the idea that they will always be there for one another.



Assane's stay in the orphanage ends when he is informed by Bouchard that somebody has paid for him to attend the Andrésy school, one of the best secondary schools in France. He also gives Assane a message from Babakar, in which the latter appears to confess to his guilt of the crime of stealing the necklace. Assane is dismayed by this. Soon afterward, he begins attending the Andrésy school, where he is almost immediately bullied by several boys due to his race and his poverty. However, another boy intervenes, ordering the group to back off unless they want him to report them. The student who helped Assane tells him that his name is Benjamin Ferel. Benjamin and Assane quickly become best friends. The two frequently get up to mischief, for example skipping classes in order to explore the Catacombs of Paris. Benjamin also meets Assane's other friends, most notably Claire, whom Assane has continued to see even after his transfer.

One day, Assane encounters Claire leaving her violin lesson in distress. He follows her to the shop of a local luthier, Lorenzo Calligari. Claire shows Lorenzo her instrument, which has been destroyed by another student. Lorenzo tells her that it will cost more to fix it than it will to buy a new one, and offers her a violin from his shelf. However, he informs her that the violin costs 3,000 francs, more than her budget will allow. Assane walks up behind Claire and asks Lorenzo if the pair can rent the violin. Lorenzo states that he will not rent it to Assane. Both teenagers are flabbergasted by this response, but Lorenzo is stubborn, claiming that as it is his store, he can do as he likes. As Claire tries to drag Assane out of the shop, he calls the luthier a racist.



Assane discusses the problem with Benjamin, and, attempting to think like Arsène Lupin, comes up with a plan to commit his first major theft by stealing the violin from Lorenzo's shop. While Lorenzo is on a break, Assane enters the shop while Benjamin keeps watch. He decides to steal the most expensive violin in the store, with the intention of bringing it back once Claire has passed an important audition. He later presents Claire with the violin. She is overjoyed but questions how he got it. Assane assures Claire that he did not steal it, rather having "borrowed" it, and asks her to play for him. Claire tells Assane to come to her audition, where he will be able to hear her.

Assane and Benjamin attend the audition, where Assane happily listens to Claire's playing. All seems to be going well until Lorenzo enters with a pair of policemen and points out Claire and Assane. When she sees the police officers staring at her, Claire drops her bow in horror. She and Assane are escorted out of the building; as they are leaving, Assane tells Benjamin that he really believed that the pair were as good as Arsène Lupin.

In the aftermath of the theft, Assane's place at his school is threatened. Shortly before he is set to have a meeting with Bouchard, Assane hears the office's answering machine pick up a message from Lorenzo, who argues that Assane should be expelled. Assane quickly steals the tape before Bouchard arrives. When the two finally have their meeting, Bouchard tells Assane that he has reached out to Lorenzo and asked him what he believes Assane's punishment should be. Assane asks Bouchard what will happen if Lorenzo never answers; Bouchard informs him that he will simply go to the shop and ask him in person. To get around the issue, Assane places a call to Bouchard from a pay phone, assuming a deep voice to pose as Lorenzo and recommending that he (Assane) be given another chance. Bouchard, never having heard Lorenzo speak before, falls for the ruse, and Assane is permitted to stay at the school.

Also during this time, Assane sees Juliette occasionally. This ends, however, when Hubert learns of their meetings and bans Juliette from talking to Assane.

2006


Assane has become a prolific petty thief. One day, he impersonates a plain-clothes police officer, managing to fool two actual officers and infiltrating the apartments of the wealthy Agathe Van Der Meulen. Assane asks Agathe if she has an alarm; she replies that she does not. Assane tells her that this is unfortunate, as thieves who, he claims, had already broken into the building will do so again. He recommends that she leave him with her most valuable items, which he will take to the station. Agathe obliges, and tells Assane that he is a gentleman. After leaving the apartment building, he receives a call from Claire, who asks him if they can meet in a quiet restaurant for dinner.

Later that day, Assane has lunch with Benjamin, who has found a location for an antiquary he is planning to open. Assane gifts Benjamin some of the jewelry he has stolen from Agathe, so that he can sell it in the shop. Juliette Pellegrini walks into the restaurant, and Assane excuses himself and goes to meet her in the bathroom. Assane asks Juliette to stop following him, as he doesn't want to cheat on Claire any more. In response, Juliette teases Assane, telling him that what she likes about him is that he is not a good person. Assane urges her not to keep waiting for him, maintaining that he loves Claire first and foremost.

At dinner, Claire protests that even though she had asked Assane to take her to a low-key place, he has brought her to one of the fanciest restaurants in town. Noticing her visible anxiety, Assane asks her what the matter is. Claire nervously tells Assane that she is pregnant; to her immense relief Assane's reaction is entirely positive, to the point where he begins telling everybody in the restaurant about his impending paternity. However, when he notices Agathe sitting at another table, he hastily leaves with Claire in tow.

As they walk home, Claire tells Assane that she is due on December 11th. Assane is excited, as this is also the birthday of Maurice Leblanc, the creator of the Lupin character. He promises Claire that he will protect their child in any way that he can, and suggests several potential names, including Raoul.

Part 1
In October 2020, Assane sees a news report stating that the Pellegrini necklace has been found and will be auctioned off at the Louvre on the 16th. Under the name "Luis Perenna," he applies for a job as janitor at the museum, which he manages to acquire after the woman in charge of hiring turns out to be from Senegal as well. Assane makes several other preparations, including having Benjamin re-create the necklace, and writing a false online encyclopedia page for a businessman named "Paul Sernine."



Assane meets with Claire (from whom he has separated) in a café in order to give her an alimony payment. He tells her that he has a new job. While Claire is happy for him, she tells him that based on her past experience with his "work," it is probably something secret that won't last. Assane asks her if he can see Raoul, and Claire assures him that he can, but reminds him that he has stood his son up three times now. Assane promises Claire that he will change. In an affectionate but resigned manner, Claire responds that he should tell this to his son, and gives him back the alimony, advising him to buy a present for Raoul instead. When Claire leaves the café, she finds that Assane has secretly slipped the money into her jacket, along with a paper flower.

Later, Assane goes to meet Vincent Morville and his associates Kevin and Rudy, three loan sharks whom he hopes will help him in stealing the necklace. Having failed to pay back a previous debt, Assane is dangled over the edge of the building by the men. He quickly tells them that he can give them more money than they can ever spend, and proceeds to explain his plans to stage a heist in the Louvre. The three agree to assist him. On Friday, October 16th, Assane enters the auction dressed in an expensive suit, presenting himself as Paul Sernine. Meanwhile, Vincent, Kevin and Rudy arrive dressed as janitors. Juliette Pellegrini introduces the auction, mentioning that the purchase of the necklace will help create the Juliette and Hubert Pellegrini foundation.



Bidding for the necklace begins at 17 million euros. Assane makes increasingly extravagant bids, competing with a wealthy German man for the prize. The auctioneer, curious about who Assane is, is shown the webpage detailing Paul Sernine's life and work. Eventually, Assane bids 60 million euros, winning the necklace. Kevin and Vincent, standing nearby and now dressed in the uniforms of security guards, decide to betray Assane before he can double-cross them. While Assane is being presented the necklace by the auctioneer, Kevin and Vincent attack both of them, managing to tie them down and fleeing the scene with the treasure. They crash through the glass roof of the museum in a Ferrari while attempting to make a getaway with Rudy.

After the accident, the three men are arrested by the police. Romain Laugier, the captain in charge of the operation, deems Assane suspicious, noting that he has never heard of Sernine's supposed company, Nanobay, before. However, after a brief search of his person produces no incriminating evidence, Laugier allows him to leave. Unbeknownst to everybody, Assane, suspecting that he would be betrayed, threw the real necklace into a trash bin and switched it with the fake one made by Benjamin. When he leaves the museum later after completing his janitorial duties, Assane discreetly takes the diamonds with him.

The next day, Assane arrives at Claire's apartment ahead of schedule, claiming that the previous night had been nothing special. After collecting Raoul, Assane takes him walking along the Seine, where he gives him the copy of the Arsène Lupin book that had been given to him by his father twenty five years earlier.



Assane brings Raoul to Benjamin's shop, where Benjamin informs Assane that the necklace had never been taken apart, and that the likelihood that it had been stolen from the Pellegrinis' safe is small. With this in mind, Assane arranges to meet Juliette in Luxembourg Gardens, dressed in the uniform of a Deli + Eat deliveryman. Against his expressed wishes, Juliette has brought the police along. When he sits down next to Juliette, she recognizes him immediately, but before she can say his name, Assane covers the small microphone that she is wearing on her jacket pocket.

Assane asks Juliette to tell him the truth about the necklace, pointing out Benjamin's revelation about its history. Juliette admits that the story that the Pellegrinis had released to the press (that the necklace had needed to be reconstructed when the jewels turned up individually all across the globe) was made up to increase publicity for the auction. However, she denies believing that anyone other than Babakar was behind the theft. Seeing that he is not going to get anything more out of her, Assane jumps on his bike and leaves the gardens, hotly pursued by the disguised police officers that Juliette had summoned. However, many other people wearing the same uniform, whom Assane had called for earlier, arrive on the scene, confusing the police and allowing Assane to escape.



Upon arriving home, Assane reads his father's confession letter, noticing for the first time several errors in spelling. Assane finds this strange, as his father had always been a stickler for proper spelling; when he examines the letter more closely, he realizes that the mistakes appear to be leaving a message about a certain Comet, one of Babakar's fellow inmates, who is confined to his room and will not be receiving visitors. To investigate further, Assane visits an inmate named Djibril Traoré, claiming to be his cousin. He then tells Traore that he intends to switch places with him. Traoré finds this laughable, but agrees to go along with it after Assane successfully steals his handcuffs. The prison guards fail to notice the switch.

Now in prison, Assane acquires Comet's cell number and goes to question him; upon arriving, he is told that Comet is in the infirmary and will likely not be coming back. After he leaves the cell, Assane is accosted by a pair of men, who tell him that he now owes them 3,000 euros' worth of drugs, and that he has three days to give it to them.

Assane visits the infirmary, telling the nurse that he has a stomach pain. The nurse decides that there is nothing seriously wrong with him, and sends him away. The following day, Assane insults the men to whom he had promised the drugs, and gets stabbed in retaliation. Back in the infirmary, Assane is allowed to stay this time. During the night, Assane wakes Comet, telling him about his father's message. Comet says that while he did not know Babakar well, he is aware that he had intended to give a book to Assane, and that the book is among Comet's belongings.

Assane returns to Comet's cell to find the book, which turns out to be another Arsène Lupin volume. While reading through it, Assane finds that several words and letters have been highlighted. Upon putting the message together, Assane finds out that his father was innocent, having been framed by Anne Pellegrini. Afterwards, Assane visits Comet at the infirmary once again. Realizing that Comet is dying, Assane asks him what he can do to repay him. Comet tells Assane to make his wife smile.

That night, the nurse finds Assane hanging from a noose in an apparent suicide. He is put into an ambulance and rushed to the hospital; however, having faked the incident using a basketball net harness and an overdose of sleeping pills, he wakes up in the ambulance. Assane waits until the vehicle is at a red light and escapes. Later, he goes to the hotel in which Anne Pellegrini is living, steals a maid's key, and walks into Anne's room.

Anne is shocked to see Assane, and is even more so when he accuses her of having framed his father. Anne admits that she urged Babakar to sign the confession, but reveals that she only did it because Dumont tolde her that it would reduce his sentence. She also tells Assane that it was she who had paid for his boarding school education after his father's death. Afterwards, to fulfill his promise, Assane sneaks into Comet's wife's apartment and leaves her one of the diamonds from the necklace.



In order to keep track of Dumont's plans and engagements, Assane installs video cameras in his house. Dumont has now been promoted to the position of commissioner of the Paris police department. One day, Dumont goes to the town hall of the third arrondissement for a meeting, and encounters Assane, dressed as an IT specialist. Assane loudly mentions that there are issues surrounding porn on Dumont's work computer. Angry and embarrassed, Dumont allows Assane to lead him into a deserted corridor to discuss the supposed problem. Once there, Assane knocks him out, brings him to a room in the basement of the building, and ties him up. He takes the battery and SIM card out of Dumont's phone, putting both on a van headed for Pantin, a commune in the northeast of the Paris metropolitan area.

When Dumont wakes up, he is horrified to find that he has been abducted. Invisible to Dumont and using a voice scrambler, Assane asks him if he remembers Babakar, inquiring why he had framed him. Dumont argues that Babakar was indeed guilty, and speculates that the questions may have something to do with the incident at the Louvre. Assane tells Dumont that he knows that he has been involved in several episodes of bribery and corruption, and asserts that he will reveal this to Dumont's family. Assane calls Hélène, Dumont's wife, and Dumont attempts to speak to her. However, Hélène is only able to hear Assane's voice threatening her husband, and becomes terrified. Assane hangs up the phone, and Dumont yells that he had only taken the money in order to provide for his children. He draws parallels between his love for them and Babakar's love for Assane, which only enrages Assane.

Assane receives a phone call from Claire, who asks him if he has thought of something he can do for Raoul's birthday. Assane pauses briefly, and then mentions that he has a surprise planned. Claire is dismayed by his reaction, believing that Assane has forgotten about it as he did the previous year. She asks Assane to tell her what he is doing; Assane claims that he is filing paperwork. Claire doesn't believe him, but says that she isn't sure whether she even wants to know what he is actually up to. Imploring Assane to stay safe, she hangs up.



Returning to his interrogation, Assane says that he will not hurt him physically, but threatens to release deepfakes of him claiming to be a pedophile or a supporter of ISIS. Dumont becomes very angry, demanding that Assane tell him what he actually wants. Assane loses his cool and yells that he wants to know what happened to his father, and Dumont instantly realizes that Assane is the person interrogating him. He tells Assane that he will not report him, but re-iterates his belief in Babakar's guilt. Assane tells Dumont that he wants to change his mind about him, and leaves the room shortly before Laugier, Youssef Guédira and Sofia Belkacem arrive and untie their commissioner.

Assane visits Dumont in a restaurant and re-introduces himself, asking him about his relationship with Hubert Pellegrini. Dumont is reluctant to give Assane information, until Assane makes vague threats against his wife, at which point Dumont gives him the name of Fabienne Bériot, a journalist who had almost exposed Hubert. Assane looks Fabienne up online, finding out that Hubert had sued her for defamation after the publication of her book Dirty Money: The Pellegrini System. The fallout from the lawsuit had prevented Fabienne from ever working again. Assane buys the book.

Several days later, Fabienne arrives at her home and is surprised to see Assane sitting inside. Assane claims that he is not a thief but a fan. Fabienne tells him that "Fabienne Bériot" does not exist after being blacklisted by Hubert and his army of lawyers. Assane tells Fabienne about what had happened to his father, and asks for her help; however, she refuses, believing Assane's quest to be a fool's errand.

However, some time afterward, Fabienne changes her mind, telling Assane that since Hubert has taken everything from her, she has nothing left to lose. She reveals that he is the first person that she has spoken to in days, and that she appreciates his compliments regarding her journalism. Fabienne tells Assane that it makes sense that Babakar had been framed in 1995, as this was a year in which Hubert's business empire was in serious danger of collapsing. The insurance money collected from the necklace theft would have enabled him to regain control of his finances. Fabienne says that she may have evidence that will prove Hubert's unsavory and illegal dealings.



Assane and Fabienne drive to the headquarters of The Objector, the newspaper at which she had spent her entire career. Working together, they are able to retrieve a videotape from the paper's archives, with Assane feigning an unassuming, timid persona to get past the guards. Later, when they are watching the footage, Assane learns that in 1996, Hubert had sold weapons to Malaysian terrorists, who went on to blow up the French embassy in Kuala Lumpur, killing eleven people. Later, Assane arrives at Claire's house for a visitation with Raoul. Claire is annoyed by Assane's tardiness, and leaves in a hurry. Raoul and Assane play video games during the visit, and Raoul tells Assane that Claire has begun dating a doctor. Assane says that he is happy for her. Irritated, Raoul tells him not to pretend that he doesn't care.

Under the name "Salvator813," Assane tweets a screenshot from the Pellegrini tape, threatening to leak all of the video. In response, Hubert gives a press conference, denying that the tape is real. Assane and Benjamin watch the conference together on TV. Fabienne, who is standing near Hubert, loudly asks him if he believes that he has the blood of the victims of the Malaysian attacks on his hands; he is furious and ends the conference with no comment.

Afterwards, Fabienne is congratulated by Assane. She tells him that she was followed home; Assane is concerned, but Fabienne assures him that she knows how to lose a tail. Assane reveals that he has contacted the evening talk show The Other Edition, telling them that "Salvator" wants to make his TV debut. Although Fabienne complains that the show is not real journalism, she is swayed when he reveals that two million viewers would see the broadcast. In order to get ready for the show, Assane applies heavy makeup, as well as a false beard and a wig.

Assane's plan, however, is ruined when the tape is played, as it turns out that Hubert has managed to delete all of the incriminating footage. Assane is furious at this, and storms out of the broadcast, fighting Hubert's men as he escapes. Once out of the building, he removes his disguise and returns to Fabienne's home. When he arrives, he finds her hanging from a noose. Clutching Fabienne's dog, J'Accuse, Assane breaks down in tears.

On December 11th, the news of Fabienne's death is revealed in the French newspapers. Assane, who has brought J'Accuse home with him, claims to Benjamin that it was his fault that Fabienne had died, and that he should not have involved her. Benjamin, becoming concerned that Assane is over-extending himself, tells him that he does not want to find him dead as well. He reminds Assane of his family, and notes that it is Raoul's birthday. Assane says that he is not in the mood for celebration, but Benjamin convinces him that if he maintains this attitude, Hubert will have beaten him.

On the way to Claire's house, Assane finds himself pursued by Hubert's henchman Léonard, who had killed Fabienne earlier. Assane manages to evade Léonard by running up several levels of a parking garage, and hopping across the roofs of Paris. When he arrives at his destination, he wishes Raoul a happy birthday and gives Raoul a top hat and a cape. Claire bids them farewell, revealing that she has plans. Assane sarcastically asks her if she has a doctor's appointment. Claire is shocked to find out that he knows about her new relationship. She eventually relents and agrees to go with Assane and Raoul on their day out.



Once on the train, Assane reveals that they will be going to Étretat, where there is an Arsène Lupin festival being held in honor of Maurice Leblanc. Claire attempts to recite several lines from the Lupin book The Hollow Needle, telling Raoul that Assane had asked her to read it when they began their relationship. Later, Claire takes a photograph with Assane and Raoul; when he examines it, Assane is shocked to see that Léonard is in the background, having managed to follow the family onto the train. He stands up and begins singing "Happy Birthday" loudly, looking at Léonard in a pointed manner. After the song finishes, Assane excuses himself and leaves Claire and Raoul, moving towards the back of the train. Léonard gets up and follows him.

When he reaches the end of the train, Léonard is surprised by Assane, who is hiding in a storage closet. The two fight one another briefly, and Assane manages to gain the upper hand, locking Léonard in the closet and dashing back to his seat. When he returns, Raoul and Claire notice that he has exerted himself. Assane claims that he got into an altercation with another passenger, who had claimed that The Mysterious Traveller was the best Lupin story. Claire is startled to hear that Assane has been fighting, and is skeptical of the details of his story, but ultimately does not press him for more information.

However, as the train nears the station at Le Havre, Léonard manages to escape and returns, discreetly pointing a gun at Assane and sitting next to Claire and Raoul. Léonard asks Raoul whether they are going to the Lupin festival; Raoul replies that they are. Disturbed by Léonard's presence, Claire inquires if Assane knows him. Assane replies that he doesn't, but Léonard says that he does. Assane texts Laugier, claiming that "Paul Sernine" is on the train wearing a beige coat (which Léonard is actually wearing).

When the train stops, Assane motions for Claire to get off with Raoul. Although concerned, she obliges. Léonard tells Assane that they will disembark quietly, pointing his gun at him. As they step onto the platform, they are greeted by a number of local police officers, who proceed to arrest Léonard, into whose pocket Assane has slipped one of the diamonds in the necklace.

Assane catches up with his family, and they continue to Étretat. While strolling through the promenade, Raoul wears the cape and hat that Assane has gotten for him, stating that it would look stupid anywhere else, but is cool in a place where everybody is dressed similarly. Claire asks what happened to Lupin in the original stories. Raoul tells her that nobody knows, since he was never caught, and Claire states that this makes the books unrealistic. Raoul wanders ahead, telling his parents that he is going to walk on the beach and explore the nearby cliffs. Claire asks him not to go too far.

Assane and Claire continue walking through the town, and Claire inquires who the man on the train was. When Assane fails to respond, Claire becomes upset, telling him that she is tired of pleading with him for information. Assane responds that when he is finished, he will be able to reveal everything, but Claire says that she needs more from their relationship. Assane asks her to give him another chance.



Suddenly Claire notices that she cannot see Raoul anywhere. Worried for his safety, she searches for him on the beach, while Assane does the same on the promenade. Both Assane and Claire struggle with the fact that many of the tourists are, like Raoul, dressed in Lupin costumes. Unbeknownst to them, Léonard has been released by the police, arrived in Étretat, and kidnapped their son. As Assane begins to realize that Raoul may be in serious danger, Youssef Guédira appears behind him and calls out, "Lupin?"

Part 2
Assane turns around, confused by Guédira’s address. After a brief pause, Guédira asks Assane if he is searching for a child dressed in an Arsène Lupin costume. Claire, having overheard, runs over to the pair and affirms that they are, giving Guédira a description of Raoul. Guédira tells Assane and Claire that he saw a boy who looked like Raoul fighting with a man in the parking lot. Followed by Guédira, Assane and Claire sprint to the parking lot, where Guédira informs them that the two left in a grey BMW. Assane demands to know what his son’s kidnapper looked like; Guédira describes him as a skinny, bearded Black man wearing a beige raincoat.

Upon hearing the description, both Assane and Claire realize that Raoul has been abducted by Léonard. Claire becomes hysterical, blaming Assane for the kidnapping and demanding to know who Léonard is. Assane does not respond, but grabs an antenna from a parked car and uses it to unlock another car. Claire frantically yells that she will call the police; Assane entreats her not to, telling her to trust that he will bring Raoul safely back to her. On the verge of tears, Claire tells Assane that she has not trusted him for a long time. Having opened up the car, Assane gets inside, and Guédira enters as well, claiming that he can help. Assane considers for a moment but ultimately allows Guédira to stay. He speeds out of Étretat, leaving his distraught ex-wife to call the police.

As the two roar across the countryside of Normandy, Assane tells Guédira to check a map to see where Léonard could have gone. Guédira informs Assane that he must have passed through the town of Bourneville, and tells him that they need to stop there so that he can make a phone call to his wife (in fact, he intends to call Belkacem). Assane is irritated by this, but relents.



The two arrive in Bourneville. Unbeknownst to them, Léonard is still there. Assane asks a number of locals if they have seen any sign of Léonard or Raoul, but fails to get a response. While he and Guédira are in the same pub that Léonard had previously stopped in, they see him driving away aggressively. Assane and Guédira sprint out of the pub and tail Léonard to an abandoned mansion. Assane receives a message purporting to be from Raoul; he responds by texting Raoul’s number that they should “do like Lupin does with his daughter in Cagliostro.” Guédira points out that Arsène Lupin had a son, not a daughter. Assane asks Guédira if he is a fan of the Lupin stories, and Guédira reveals that he is. Assane tells Guédira that Raoul is as well, and will be able to spot the error. However, Assane realizes that Léonard has possession of Raoul’s phone after the returning message reveals that the sender is unaware of the inaccuracy.

Assane storms out of the car onto a grassy field in front of the mansion and calls Léonard, furiously telling him that he will kill him if he touches a hair on Raoul’s head. While Raoul yells inside the house, Léonard tells Assane in a baleful voice that if he wants his son, he will have to come and get him. Assane hangs up the phone and walks back to the car in a rage. Guédira, who has been hiding in the foliage, follows him and suggests calling the police. Assane, however, asserts that the police are either corrupt or incompetent, or both. Guédira tries to convince Assane that this is not fair, but Assane tells him that his son's kidnapper has the police in his pocket.

Once the two are in the car, Assane asks Guédira how long he has until his colleagues from the police station arrive. Guédira, shocked that Assane has discovered his identity, tries to feign ignorance, but Assane presses him for answers. Guédira tells Assane that he has been searching for him for weeks, that he was the only one who managed to figure out Assane’s Arsène Lupin obsession, and that he would have arrested him if he had been armed. Assane, feeling mildly sorry for Guédira, smiles and tells him that he is like Ganimard, the policeman who had tried in vain to catch Arsène Lupin. Again, he asks Guédira about the other officers; Guédira tells him that he has approximately an hour until they arrive.



When Assane leaves the car again, Guédira realizes that he has been tied up. He yells to Assane that he can help him; however, Assane firmly states that he doesn’t work with the police, and shows Guédira that he has taken his badge and phone. Night falls as Assane makes his way to the mansion, searching for Léonard and Raoul. When Assane finds Léonard lying in wait on the upper floor of the house and carrying a hunting rifle, the two begin to brawl, with Assane trying to make sure that Léonard does not have time to shoot him. After he is able to get the upper hand, Assane throws Léonard out of a window and runs off to look for Raoul. However, Raoul is not in any of the rooms he searches.

Meanwhile, Léonard has managed to stand up, and douses his car in gasoline. He lights the vehicle, with Raoul now locked in the trunk, on fire, and texts Assane, telling him “next time try the car.” Assane receives Léonard’s message, and dashes out of the mansion; to his horror, he sees the car going up in flames. Assane bellows his son’s name and bursts into tears. At that moment, Belkacem arrives and puts a gun to his head. Sobbing, Assane tries to tell her that his son is in the car, but Belkacem believes that it is all an act. As Belkacem awaits reinforcements, Assane continues wailing Raoul’s name and apologizing to him.

The next morning, Belkacem places Assane in handcuffs and puts him in the back of a squad car. After she gets in, Assane quietly asks her what she found in the boot of the car. Belkacem responds by reciting a litany of Assane’s crimes, and demanding that he tell her where Guédira is. Enraged, Assane punches the headrest in front of him as Belkacem closes her eyes in exasperation. As they drive away from the mansion, Assane continues to beg Belkacem for an answer to his question. Immensely irritated by Assane’s badgering, Belkacem turns around and holds up a soda can in a bag, furiously informing Assane that it was the only thing she found in the trunk. Assane realizes that Raoul is alive. Immensely relieved, he smiles to himself.



Belkacem and Hector, the Gendarmerie officer she is with, realize that they are running out of fuel and pull into a service station. Assane tells Belkacem that he needs to use a nearby public bathroom. Belkacem orders him to hold it, but Assane claims that he cannot. Reluctantly, Belkacem allows him to go, but tells Hector to keep a close eye on him. When he reaches the bathroom, Assane tells Hector that he needs help, as he cannot go with handcuffs on. Hector uncuffs him; quickly, Assane puts the cuffs on Hector and attaches him to a pipe in the room. He quietly leaves, finds a car nearby and, flashing Guédira’s police badge, tells its owner that the car has a flat tire. The confused owner moves to inspect the tires, and Assane takes the opportunity to shoot at one of Belkacem’s wheels. As the owner looks up in shock, Assane gets into the car and escapes. On Guédira’s phone, he sees a message from Dumont telling him that Raoul ought to be taken to the Park Hyatt hotel in the center of Paris.

Once back in the city, Assane goes to his apartment in order to plan his next move. He watches a video recorded by Hubert and Juliette that morning, in which Hubert castigates “Salvator” for his appearance on The Other Edition. Using technology, he is able to capture Hubert’s voice in order to make himself sound like the businessman. His first instinct, however, is to go to the Hyatt dressed as a waiter, wearing false teeth and a moustache in order to retrieve Raoul in disguise. Unfortunately for Assane, he is spotted almost immediately due to the digital sketches made by the police, and is forced to quietly exit after knocking out a pair of security guards.

Now compelled to use his backup plan, Assane drives to the Hyatt in a large black van with tinted windows. He calls Dumont and, using “Hubert’s” voice, tells him that their position has been compromised and that Raoul needs to be removed from the hotel. Dumont is both confused and concerned, but does as Assane says. Raoul is brought to the car and gets inside; Assane, invisible due to the colored windows, drives away. The two enjoy a happy reunion after they have safely left the Hyatt behind.

Raoul asks Assane whether he really is a thief, as Hubert had claimed earlier that day. Assane becomes serious, and tells Raoul that Hubert framed his father twenty five years previously. Raoul asks Assane how far he will go in his quest for vengeance, and informs him that Claire says that he will never change. Assane assures Raoul that he will change once he has sorted everything out. However, he pauses for a moment and then tells Raoul that he will stop everything if Raoul wants him to. To Assane's delight, Raoul voices approval of his actions. Assane tells Raoul that he loves him, and drives him home to Claire.

Unbeknownst to Assane, Claire has uncovered the full truth about his revenge quest after a conversation with Benjamin. Terrified for Raoul’s safety, she has gone to Hubert Pellegrini and made a desperate deal to exchange her son for Assane. When Assane pulls up to Claire’s apartment, he sees her watching them intently from the window with an elated smile. Claire buzzes Assane and Raoul into the building and Assane follows Raoul up the stairs. When Raoul reaches his landing, Claire dashes out of the apartment and pounces on her son, hugging him and kissing him repeatedly. Assane observes the reunion with an expression of contentment; however, when Claire sees him, she becomes visibly scared. Assane is confused by this change in mood, and even more so when Claire whispers an instruction for him to run.



Again, Claire pleads with Assane to run, more urgently this time. Realizing that he is in danger, Assane turns around and sprints into a side closet, where he is able to sneak into the ceiling. Immediately afterwards, four undercover police officers sprint out of the apartment searching for him. From his hiding place, Assane is dismayed when he hears Claire sobbing and telling Raoul that he is a dangerous man who never keeps his promises, and that she will never allow him near them again.

Despite this setback, Assane and Benjamin proceed with their plans to trap Hubert. Having found the name “Lucas Lacroix” among Hubert’s papers using drone technology, the two learn that Lacroix is in charge of handling Hubert’s investments, and is known for his methodical, diligent approach and his emphasis on stability over risk-taking. Lacroix carries his most important information with him in his briefcase; Assane and Benjamin decide to steal it. One day, while Lacroix is walking to his office in the business district of Paris, Benjamin, disguised as a jogger, knocks him down. Assane, waiting nearby, walks up to the two and asks Lacroix if he is all right. While Lacroix is distracted, Benjamin grabs the briefcase and runs off with it, as Assane pretends to chase him. After they have finished accessing the information, Assane returns the briefcase to Lacroix.

Assane and Benjamin decide that they will need another accomplice in order to properly bring Hubert to justice. To find the right person, Assane takes Benjamin to the library where, he claims, all the best editions of the Arsène Lupin stories are kept. The two wait near the Lupin books, examining the passers-by. A lanky young man wearing ripped jeans, eyeliner and piercings catches their eye after he attempts to steal one of the volumes. Assane and Benjamin bring the man to Assane’s apartment, where they cut his hair, remove his piercings and makeup, and give him a respectable suit to wear. They style him as Philippe Courbet, a financial adviser who will become part of Hubert’s inner circle. Philippe is enthused by the plan, particularly when Assane and Benjamin pay him with one of the diamonds from the necklace.

Assane calls Lucas Lacroix, pretending to be an associate working in Belgium, and informs him of an unscrupulous new investor who is attempting to poach several of his clients, including Hubert Pellegrini. Lacroix is stunned, and calls Hubert to inform him of the danger; however, Hubert has become bored with Lacroix’ conservative decisions and switches to Philippe upon meeting him.

One week after Raoul’s kidnapping, Assane is upset that Claire is not letting him talk to his son. He complains to Benjamin about the situation, as well as Claire’s decision to go to Hubert; Benjamin reminds Assane that Claire was desperate and would have done anything if she thought it would guarantee Raoul’s safety. Admitting that Benjamin has a point, Assane quickly returns to his usual assured self and tells Benjamin about the newest part of his plan. He states that since Hubert went after Assane’s son, he will go after the businessman’s daughter. Together, Assane and Benjamin work out an elaborate scheme to turn Juliette against Hubert, beginning with Benjamin calling Juliette under the pretense of being a French-Canadian businessman named Horace Valmont and asking her for a dinner date to discuss a donation for her foundation.



Assane meets Juliette at the restaurant where “Horace Valmont” has stood her up. Juliette motions for Assane to come inside, and tells him that the history between their fathers need not stir up trouble between them in the present. Assane asks Juliette what she is doing; she reveals her date with “Valmont,” who has not showed up. Juliette tells Assane that her work has made her serious, and that she has little time for the adrenaline-fuelled escapades that filled the days of their youth, although she admits that she misses them. Assane persuades Juliette to leave the restaurant without paying, and the two exit the building, steal a motorcycle, and drive it around Paris, with Assane making sure to stop at all of their old haunts. Juliette is unaware that Assane and Benjamin had previously arranged everything with the restaurant and the owner of the motorcycle.

Some time afterward, Assane goes to the Musée d’Orsay, where Juliette is scouting locations for charity events. Juliette is surprised to see him, and although she admits that she had enjoyed their night together, she tells him that they cannot turn back time. Assane sends Juliette a fake of a Pissarro painting, created by Benjamin, with a note attached reading “Sometimes, you can stop time.” He and Benjamin also create several fabricated news alerts reporting on the “theft” of the Pissarro from the museum, which they send to Juliette. Finally, Assane dresses a pair of men he had met during his brief spell in prison in police uniforms and sends them to question Juliette about her knowledge of the painting.

Later, while they are walking in a park together, Juliette reprimands Assane for his actions. She asks Assane why he is doing all of this, pointing out that he chose Claire fourteen years earlier. Assane tells Juliette that he made the wrong choice, and that Claire is his son’s mother and little else. Juliette, who has been jealous of Claire for some time, orders him to prove this by stealing a bracelet that Claire has posted images of on her Instagram account.

Assane goes to Benjamin and asks him whether he can make a similar bracelet. However, Benjamin admits that it was he who sold the bracelet to Claire’s new partner Marc, and tells him that as the piece is extremely rare, he will need to steal it himself. Assane sneaks into Claire’s apartment in the middle of the night and, to his dismay, finds her in bed with Marc. He manages to remove the bracelet from Claire’s wrist without waking her up and leaves a small beeper under her bed for later. Passing through Raoul’s room, he sets a copy of the book Arsène Lupin vs Herlock Sholmés on his son’s nightstand as a gift.

Juliette is happy when Assane gives her the bracelet, but Assane tells her that he would prefer to return both the bracelet and the painting, and start over with their relationship. Assane complains that Hubert has never supported them as a couple; Juliette tells him to stop obsessing over her father. Assane informs Juliette that she knows little about what happened between Hubert and Babakar. He suggests that Juliette visit Anne and ask her for the full story. Additionally, Assane gives Juliette a card with the name “Ganimard” written on it, telling her that he is a good-hearted police officer who will be willing to hear Anne’s confession should she choose to give one. Juliette ultimately agrees, and Assane returns Claire’s bracelet by mail.

After Anne gives Guédira her evidence, Hubert is arrested. Not wanting to appear callous, Assane meets Juliette at their usual spot and kisses her, despite Benjamin’s cautioning against it. However, Hubert is quickly released after calling in a favor with a government minister. Distressed, Juliette tells Assane about this, and wonders if she should cancel her upcoming concert at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Assane manages to persuade her not to, but leaves upon receiving a phone call from Benjamin, who has reached the end of his rope after having to deal with J’accuse’s frequent barking. Assane agrees to let Benjamin bring J’accuse to his apartment. He also calls Raoul, who wonders whether Assane is ever going to truly finish with his criminal activity. Assane laughs and asks Raoul if Claire is feeding him lines, but Raoul is adamant that the opinion is his own.



That evening, Benjamin arrives at Assane’s apartment and drops J’accuse off. After he leaves, Assane begins loudly playing the song “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” by the Four Tops on his turntable. He is unable to hear both Léonard and Pascal sneak into his home, and likewise does not hear when the latter strangles the former to death. When Assane sees Léonard’s body on the ground, he immediately realizes that he is in trouble and escapes with J’accuse. That night, he becomes the most wanted man in France.

Assane calls Benjamin and asks him if he has heard the news. When Benjamin responds that he hasn’t, Assane orders him to pack a bag and leave his shop immediately. Benjamin nervously does as Assane says, and upon exiting the shop, he finds that he is being followed by Pascal Oblet. By phone, Assane helps Benjamin successfully evade Pascal. The pair hide out in a secret bunker owned by Benjamin, where Assane uses a stolen phone to post a hidden message as a comment on an article about himself in the hope that Guédira will find it. Benjamin, anxious and irritated, tells Assane that they need to leave Paris immediately. Assane responds that only guilty people flee. Suddenly, the two hear voices outside the bunker. Realizing that the police have found their hiding spot and are closing in, Assane and Benjamin quickly escape through a secret passage into an underground tunnel that ultimately leads to the Catacombs. They are able to use their detailed knowledge of the intricate passages in order to evade the police.

The following day, preparations for the night’s concert at the Théâtre du Châtelet are taking place. Philippe and Benjamin, the latter dressed as a theater worker, sneak Assane into the building inside one of a number of box purporting to be filled with computer equipment. Dumont encounters them, and is suspicious of the contents of the boxes, pointing out that modern technology is not so bulky as to need such large receptacles. However, when Philippe opens another of the boxes and demonstrates that it is indeed filled with electronics, Dumont lets them through.



Assane, dressed in a tuxedo, meets with Benjamin and Philippe in a control room at the top of the theater, where Benjamin points out where Hubert and Juliette will be sitting. Seeing that Assane is nervous, Benjamin reassures him, telling him to work calmly and methodically, as usual. Assane regains his confidence and leaves the room, making his way to Hubert’s private box. Upon entering, he grabs the unsuspecting businessman and holds a knife to his throat, ordering him to speak under threat of death. Hubert struggles, but Assane merely tightens his grip.

Assane asks Hubert about Fabienne’s death. Although initially maintaining that Fabienne killed herself, Hubert is eventually forced to admit that Léonard murdered her on his orders. Next, Assane accuses Hubert of instructing Léonard to kidnap Raoul. Hubert maintains that he never intended for Raoul to be hurt; however, he confesses that he wanted Assane dead. Assane asks Hubert who actually strangled Léonard, and Hubert reveals that it was Pascal. Finally, Assane comes to the issue of his father. Hubert divulges everything, revealing that he had hired Babakar with the predetermined intention of framing him for the theft of the Queen's Necklace so that he could collect the insurance payout. However, realizing that Babakar was going to fight the issue even after being sent to prison, Hubert had Léonard kill him. Assane is incensed, and although nearly ready to cut Hubert’s throat, he leaves the room. Unbeknownst to Hubert, Assane has been recording everything using his watch.

After Assane sprints off, Hubert orders his men to catch him. Hubert’s security chases Assane through the hallways of the theater, but Assane manages to evade them. Eventually, though, he is cornered by Pascal in a dressing room, and the two begin to fight one another brutally. Assane gains the upper hand and knocks Pascal out, leaving him unconscious in a closet. As he is making his way to the stage in order to publicly accuse Hubert of his misdeeds, Assane is caught by Dumont, who points his gun at him.

Before Dumont can do anything, however, Laugier, Belkacem and Guédira emerge from the shadows and point their guns at him. Laugier cuffs his commissioner, telling him that he is under arrest for corruption and influence peddling. Assane is stunned and glad, and begins walking away; seeing this, Belkacem orders him not to move. Guédira, however, urges her to let him go for the time being. Assane looks at Guédira gratefully and leaves.



Philippe projects an image of Assane and Babakar, taken in 1995, behind the musicians, who have just finished playing. As the last notes fade, Assane walks onto the stage, much to the shock of the audience. After apologizing to Juliette for ruining her launch, Assane launches into an extended series of accusations against Hubert, beginning by revealing his plan to frame his father for the necklace theft. He proceeds to implicate Hubert in the crimes of ordering the deaths of Babakar and Fabienne, as well as Raoul’s kidnapping. Assane concludes by revealing information he has gained from Philippe, that Hubert had planned to take 85% of the donations to Juliette’s foundation for himself. As he finishes, special forces storm the stage. At that precise moment, Benjamin turns off all of the lights in the theater.

As frenzied guests rush for the exits, Assane, still wanted for several high-profile crimes including the Louvre heist, sneaks off and changes into a fireman’s outfit, complete with a large wig and false beard. At the same time, he sends Guédira his recording of Hubert’s confession. Assane manages to escape the theater hiding in plain sight, even telling a number of police officers who are searching the area that Assane Diop is on the roof. However, after he leaves, a group of officers decides to follow him, noting his resemblance to the facial reconstructions. Assane turns a corner and takes off the wig and beard; he is quickly spotted by the police officers who begin to give chase. Seeing them, Assane dashes towards the Seine, runs across the Pont Neuf and jumps onto the docks, where he manages to start a motorboat and sails off to the stunned reactions of the police.



Happily speeding up the river, Assane heads for the Canal St. Martin, across which lies the small footbridge where he and Claire had chosen Raoul’s name fourteen years earlier. Using the beeper that he had left in Claire’s apartment while stealing her bracelet, he sends a message into their home reading “Raoul’s bridge, 10:00.” Assane turns off of the main river into the canal, and arrives at the bridge at 10:00. He is overjoyed to see both Claire and Raoul there, gazing down at him. He waves at them.

Assane parks his boat and climbs onto the bridge, where Raoul runs into his arms, with Claire following more slowly. Assane tells his ex-wife and son that he is glad that both of them came to see him. Claire asks him if he is finished with everything, and Assane tells her that he is, but admits that she was right about his having caused them too many problems. Claire asserts that she and Raoul do not care, but Assane remains firm, telling them that he needs to go far away from them. Now in tears, Claire tells Assane that the only thing that matters is that they don’t lose him, and buries her head in his chest. Assane promises to return, telling them that while they will not see him for a while, he will be watching over them. Claire pleads with Assane to take care of himself; Assane grins at Claire and tells her to do the same. As the sound of police sirens grows louder and louder, Assane reassures Claire and Raoul that he loves them both. He turns and runs off of the bridge.

Personality
Assane is confident, daring and ingenious. He does not operate behind the scenes; rather, he carries out all of his crimes himself, although he is willing to use others (in particular, best friend Benjamin) as help if he feels it is necessary. Assane has a natural flair for improvisation, using this to his advantage when he finds himself in tight spots. Indeed, his plans, although well-constructed, often leave a significant degree of room for in-the-moment adaptation. His use of the element of surprise only makes it harder for both Hubert Pellegrini and the French law enforcement to catch him. Assane is also skilled in sleight-of-hand, as seen when he manages to switch out the Queen's Necklace with a fake while being attacked by the loan sharks, and when he discreetly removes the handcuffs of Djibril Traoré during his prison visit.



According to Babakar, Assane shows similarities to his deceased mother. He was stoic and somewhat awkward as a teenager, although he had a distinct charisma and wit that drew others to him. His pastimes during this period of his life included reading Arsène Lupin stories and pulling pranks which eventually escalated into full-blown criminal activity. As an adult, Assane successfully blends in with his social environment whether it is a prison or an auction attended by Europe’s wealthiest. Due to his fixation on Arsène Lupin, his exploits tend to have a strong element of showmanship. The police officers on his trail are frequently frustrated by their feeling that Assane seems to be making fun of them.

Assane is adept at taking on personas and disguising himself. With the exception of the “Salvator” character, the technical aspects of these disguises tend to be modest; instead, Assane focuses on changing his posture and affect in order to mimic a different personality. He frequently uses Arsène Lupin-inspired gallantry to ingratiate himself with others, identifying fully with the archetype of the “gentleman." However, Assane also has a strongly aggressive side that pulls no punches when it comes to intimidating his enemies. He is ready to engage in physical violence if he feels it is necessary, and he dislikes showing weakness or vulnerability unless he is in character.

Despite his gregarious nature, Assane has a vengeful streak, and can hold a grudge for decades. Should someone harm one of his loved ones, Assane will stop at nothing in order to ensure that they receive their comeuppance. Although he sees his intentions as noble, Assane believes that the ends justify the means, and is thus willing to resort to morally dubious methods such as kidnapping, creating deepfakes, and emotionally manipulating those who genuinely care about him. In addition, Assane occasionally uses accusations of racism to bait his victims into opening up to him, knowing that many of them are wealthy but socially aware.



Assane’s chaotic lifestyle and his single-minded pursuit of his goals often wind up undermining his relationships with Claire and Raoul. Assane values the concept of family highly, and is interested providing Raoul with a legacy that they can both be proud of, but is willing to pass over the more concrete aspects of fatherhood, sometimes neglecting to show up for scheduled visits entirely. This strains his relationship with Claire, who has long held out hope that that Assane will be able to commit to a quiet life with her and their son. Assane nevertheless relies on Claire to provide him with stability and emotional support, and is horrified when his actions place Raoul in danger.

Assane is an avid collector of Arsène Lupin books and memorabilia, and is eager to share his Lupin obsession with other fans of the series, including those, such as Youssef Guédira, who are operating on the opposite side of the law. His home is filled with shelves stacked with various trinkets associated with his literary hero (as well as costumes, wigs, masks and a huge variety of Air Jordans). Assane also owns a turntable, and is shown to enjoy Motown and soul records from the 1960s and 1970s in particular.

Babakar
Assane and Babakar had a strong father-son bond. Babakar firmly believed in Assane’s potential to become a success, and enjoyed testing his son by quizzing him on his knowledge of spelling. Although Assane found this slightly tiresome, he loved his father greatly, and was devastated and outraged when Babakar was found dead in prison. Initially, Assane did not believe in his father’s guilt regarding the theft of the Queen’s Necklace, but came to accept it when he received a posthumous letter from Babakar which appeared to confirm that he was the thief. Twenty-five years later, however, Assane discovered that his father had been framed by the Pellegrini family, and vowed to get his vengeance. Assane regards Babakar’s parting gift to him, the book of Arsène Lupin stories, as his guide in life.

Claire


Assane and Claire met in a foster home shortly after Babakar’s death. Although Assane has caused Claire a great deal of emotional pain over the years, the two have stayed true to Claire's notion that they always be there for one another, and Claire remains Assane’s main anchor to normality. Unlike with Benjamin, Assane has always viewed Claire, and Raoul after he was born, as belonging to a completely separate world to that of his Lupin-inspired antics. Claire was aware that Assane was engaging in illegal activities, but did not know exactly what these were (much as she repeatedly implored him to tell her), nor did she comprehend his deeper motivations. However, Claire was largely accepting of Assane's faults as long as he was present for Raoul.

The relationship between Assane and Claire reached an all-time low when Assane’s criminal life and his paternal duties came to mix in an unfortunate manner on his son’s fourteenth birthday. Following the abduction of Raoul, and after discovering the extent of the trouble Assane had gotten mixed up in after a conversation with Benjamin, Claire wound up betraying him to Hubert Pellegrini, having been guaranteed that this would ensure Raoul’s safety. Although Claire did eventually help Assane escape capture, he was hurt by her actions and complained when she cut off his access to Raoul. Assane was also jealous when Claire began a new relationship with a doctor named Marc. He was, however, able to arrange to see Claire one last time following his exit from the Théâtre du Châtelet; when they met it was clear that Claire retained strong feelings for him. As he left to go on the run from the police, Assane promised Claire that he would be watching over her and Raoul from afar.

Raoul
Prior to Raoul’s birth, Assane promised Claire that he would make sure to take his role as a father seriously. Although Assane did end up being somewhat careless in his approach to parenting, this did not significantly affect his relationship with Raoul, who declared that Assane was his favorite person in the world. Assane introduced Raoul to the world of Arsène Lupin, and was happy to see his son take to the books like a duck to water.

Despite the fact that Raoul was kidnapped as a direct result of Assane’s actions, he did not hold Assane responsible, even encouraging him to continue with his quest for revenge after Assane told him the truth about what had happened to Babakar. However, by late December of 2020, even Raoul was growing wary of Assane’s struggles to settle his score.

Benjamin Ferel


Ever since Benjamin defended Assane from a group of bullies at the Andrésy school, they have been best friends. In the present day, the two remain inseparable, with Benjamin often helping Assane with his crimes (although in a fairly circumspect fashion); Assane returns the favor by giving Benjamin a cut of the stolen goods to sell in his antiquary. The two also joke and rib one another in a good-natured fashion. Benjamin’s responses to Assane’s ideas are often sarcastic, while Assane sometimes trolls Benjamin by taking advantage of his friend’s nervous nature. Although the two occasionally bicker (for instance, Benjamin sometimes becomes irritated by Assane’s brazenness and lack of caution), this seldom leads to any serious ruptures in their friendship.

Hubert
Ever since Babakar’s death, Assane has regarded Hubert Pellegrini as an enemy. When he found out that Babakar was innocent of the theft of the Queen's Necklace, Assane became obsessed with taking Hubert down. Although Assane had always managed to fool the police with ease, he began to struggle when directly battling Hubert, who was able to use his myriad of connections, from the government to the news media, to keep Assane at arm’s length. However, Assane was eventually able to gain the upper hand by utilizing his natural sense of audacity to his advantage (and by availing himself of help from several accomplices).

Despite the fact that Assane and Hubert regard one another as foes, they share a number of characteristics: both are cunning and think strategically, both are estranged from their wives, both are skilled in the arts of lying and manipulation, both are willing to take significant risks in order to ensure that their goals are achieved, and each underestimates the talents of the other.

Anne
Assane’s interactions with Anne Pellegrini have been more positive than those with her husband. When Babakar died, Anne offered aid to Assane, but he refused, smarting from what he saw as her inaction with regards to the sentencing. In secret, she funded his education at the Andrésy school.

Juliette
Assane’s first kiss was with Juliette Pellegrini, and the two maintained an on-again, off-again relationship until 2006, when Assane broke off their affair to commit to Claire, who had just become pregnant with his son. Even in 2020, Juliette retained latent but unresolved feelings for Assane, which he exploited in order to turn her against her father. Assane justified his treatment of Juliette through his belief that she had the potential to use her family’s wealth for good, without the negative influence from her father. The true extent of Assane’s feelings for Juliette in the present, however, are unclear.

Police
Assane has an antagonistic relationship with the police, having made a rule out of never working with them. This began in 1995, when Gabriel Dumont treated Assane roughly while taking him to social services after Babakar’s death. After Assane learned of Dumont’s role in Babakar’s sentencing, he was furious with the now-commissioner. However, he was able to use Dumont’s corruption to his advantage.



Assane enjoys toying with those police officers, such as Romain Laugier and Sofia Belkacem, who are not corrupt but still desire to see him behind bars. The one officer with whom Assane has a nearly friendly relationship is Youssef Guédira. Assane and Guédira bonded over their shared passion for Arsène Lupin, and Assane’s respect for Guédira increased when he saved Raoul. To return the favor, Assane provided clues to help Guédira unearth Hubert’s crimes, as well as his collusion with Dumont.

Other
Assane befriended Fabienne Bériot after learning that she, too, had been wronged by Hubert Pellegrini. Fabienne, who had been severely depressed at the time Assane entered her universe, credited him with helping to “bring Fabienne Bériot back to life.” When Assane discovered Fabienne’s murder after his failed attempt to expose Hubert on The Other Edition, he was crushed.

After Hubert, Léonard Koné was the person most hated by Assane, due to the fact that he had hanged Fabienne, and then kidnapped Raoul and nearly burned him alive. Notably, Léonard was one of the only people whom Assane seemed to be legitimately willing to kill; however, he was not responsible for Léonard’s ultimate death.

Assane and Benjamin discovered Philippe Courbet at the library as he was attempting to steal Arsène Lupin books. Immediately recognizing his potential, they offered him a role as an accomplice, which he accepted

Luis Perenna


Assane created the Luis Perenna character in October 2020, in order to gain employment at the Louvre when he realized that the Pellegrinis would be auctioning off the Queen's Necklace Perenna was characterized as a poor, down-on-his-luck janitor who struggled to provide for his family and who would convince a group of loan sharks to rob the Louvre with him. The loan sharks in question, Kevin, Vincent and Rudy, told Assane that Luis Perenna was a “shitty name,” but ultimately agreed to go along with his plan.

In keeping with his social status, Perenna wore cheap clothing and was poorly-shaved; when Assane met with Claire whilst in character as Perenna, she seemed to legitimately believe that he had hit financial dire straits, asking him whether he could afford a razor and telling him not to bother with his alimony payment.

Assane retired the persona after the Louvre heist; however, when Vincent, Kevin and Rudy were arrested by the police, they testified that their accomplice was named Luis Perenna. Youssef Guédira later realized that “Luis Perenna” and “Paul Sernine,” the name of one of Assane’s other alter egos, were both anagrams of “Arsène Lupin.”

Paul Sernine


Paul Sernine made his first and only appearance at Juliette Pellegrini’s auction at the Louvre on Friday, October 16th, 2020. The polar opposite of Luis Perenna, Sernine was a confident, jovial and outgoing American businessman, who nonetheless spoke perfect French and had amassed a net worth of 576 million euros with his company Nanobay. He wore a well-fitting purple suit. Assane created a detailed Wikipedia page for Sernine in order to assuage any suspicions of his identity.

Despite Assane’s meticulous preparation, Sernine aroused suspicion in Romain Laugier, who was called in to investigate the loan sharks’ supposed theft of the necklace. Having never heard of Sernine or Nanobay before, Laugier suspected that Assane might have been in on the plot. However, after a search of his person turned up no evidence, Laugier let Assane leave the museum.

The police continued to refer to Assane exclusively as “Paul Sernine” until Hubert Pellegrini gave them his real name.

Salvator813
Salvator813 was originally little more than a Twitter account created by Assane in order to leak Fabienne Bériot’s tape of Hubert selling arms to Malaysian terrorists. The number “813” was a reference to an Arsène Lupin story. However, upon being challenged by Hubert to show himself, Assane decided to create a “real” Salvator, who would appear on the show The Other Edition.

Salvator was an aged man with a thick beard and curly hair. During the broadcast, Assane failed to expose Hubert’s crimes due to the entrepreneur’s having managed to doctor the footage. In attempting to leave the studio, he broke character, fighting off several security guards in a manner that someone as old as Salvator would likely not have been capable of.



Although Salvator was by far Assane’s most elaborate disguise from a technical standpoint, he was recognized by three different people. While watching the broadcast live, Juliette suspected that Salvator was Assane, and called her father to report the information. Guédira, viewing a clip of the interview in the police station, recognized Salvator as the same person as the reconstructed image of Paul Sernine made with the help of Vincent, one of the loan sharks. Finally, riding the train back to Paris in distress after Raoul’s kidnapping, Claire spotted a picture of Salvator on a newspaper article covering Fabienne’s death and immediately realized (to her horror) that it was Assane.

Other
Assane has additionally been seen disguised as an undercover policeman, a deliveryman, an IT specialist, a waiter and a fireman.

Appearances

 * Part One


 * Chapter 1
 * Chapter 2
 * Chapter 3
 * Chapter 4
 * Chapter 5
 * Part Two


 * Chapter 6
 * Chapter 7
 * Chapter 8
 * Chapter 9
 * Chapter 10

Quotes
"Arsène Lupin is more than a book. It’s my heritage. My method. My path. I am Lupin."

- Assane on his inspiration

"You saw me...but you didn’t look at me."

- Assane to Vincent, Kevin and Rudy

"I always say that people don’t change. But I want to change my mind about you."

- Assane to Dumont during his interrogation

"The word "regularly" isn't a part of his vocabulary."

- Claire on Assane

"His main tool is his head; he has difficulties working with his feelings--his heart and his belly."

- Omar Sy on Assane "Assane is defined by a sense of injustice --the fact of being ignored, of being invisible--which has become his trauma. He uses that. As he changes costumes and trades, he blends in with the crowd."

- Omar Sy on Assane "...[Assane] is well-intended and he knows the right things to do, but the love he has for his family leads him into making the odd error or two, which makes him vulnerable, which creates the tension and the drama."

- George Kay on Assane

Etymology
Assane is a male name common in several African countries that may derive from the Arabic name Hasan, meaning “handsome.” In the series, the name might have been chosen for its similarity in pronunciation to the first name of Arsène Lupin.

Diop is the second most common surname in Senegal, and the 15th most common in Mauritania. It originates with the Wolof ethnic group native to West Africa. The totem of the Diop clan is the peacock.

Trivia

 * Like Omar Sy, Assane is of Senegalese extraction.
 * Assane was probably born in late November 1981, given that his birthday occurred around the time of his father's incarceration, which took place on November 29th, 1995.
 * Unlike most of the other actors playing the younger versions of the characters, Mamadou Haïdara (young Assane) is actually a teenager.
 * Initially, Omar Sy was intended to play the "real" Arsène Lupin. After coming on board as showrunner, George Kay decided to build the show around a separate character (Assane) who was inspired by the Lupin stories.
 * Like the canonical Arsène Lupin, Assane never kills his enemies.
 * Showrunner George Kay characterizes Assane's personality as being centered on the idea of "good arrogance."
 * A spike of interest in Nike Air Jordans followed the release of Part 1 in which Assane was regularly seen wearing them.
 * Assane's apartment is located on the Avenue Trudaine in Paris' 9th Arrondissement. The famous Sacré-Cœur basilica can be seen from his window.
 * Among Assane's extensive collection of Arsène Lupin memorabilia are a number of casts of his own face.
 * Omar Sy is one of four actors to have appeared in every episode of the series so far. The other three are Ludivine Sagnier, Soufiane Guerrab and Hervé Pierre.
 * With over 250,000 votes, Assane is ranked as the most popular character in the series on the online tracking platform TV Time.
 * Assane is mentioned in the Netflix promotional short, Criminal Support Group, which crosses Red Notice over with Army of Thieves and Money Heist. Marty Byrde of Ozark is mentioned alongside Assane Diop as the two members who were invited but couldn't show. In Assane's case, it was because he had a beard fitting. The Armyverse wiki covers the crossover in more detail here.