In a show whose bread and butter is complex, interlocking plot lines, this episode lays a legitimate claim to being the most convoluted of the bunch. So with that in mind, let's break it down...
Guédira manages to untie himself and, hearing Raoul's screams from inside the trunk of Léonard's burning BMW, frees him in the nick of time. The two dash back to the car Assane had stolen in Étretat, evading gunshots from an unhinged Léonard, and drive off before Belkacem arrives. Léonard calls Hubert Pellegrini and tells him that Guédira has Raoul; as Hubert relates to Dumont shortly afterwards, this is actually a good thing for them, as it means that they can hold Raoul hostage and use him as bait for Assane. At Hubert's behest, Dumont orders Guédira to bring Raoul to the Park Hyatt hotel in central Paris, where he and Juliette are hosting a gala in honor of the launch of their upcoming foundation. Upon being relayed this information, Guédira is confused, but does as instructed before heading back off to the police station.
Meanwhile, in police custody, Assane is in a state of severe distress because he thinks his son is dead. As he is being driven back to Paris, Assane pesters and pleads with Belkacem for information on what she and her squad found in the trunk of Léonard's destroyed car. Thoroughly annoyed and convinced that he is trolling her, Belkacem finally blows up and yells that the only thing she recovered was an empty soda can. Assane gives a huge sigh of relief and immediately begins plotting how to get Raoul out of his enemies' clutches. When Belkacem makes a pit stop at a service station, Assane takes the opportunity to break free, steals a car from another customer, and drives off. Upin realizing what has happened, Belkacem is FURIOUS.
Assane intercepts a message revealing that Raoul is at the Hyatt hotel. After his initial plot—to recapture Raoul while dressed as a waiter—fails because he's easily recognized by Hubert's staff and security, he comes up with another idea: calling Dumont with his voice scrambled to sound like Hubert's and telling him to bring Raoul out to the back of the hotel, where a black van will be waiting to pick him up. This new plan goes without a hitch, and Dumont is horrified when he discovers that he has been tricked. Hubert, on the other hand, isn't all that concerned, because he has one final card to play...
The previous afternoon, a highly distraught Claire takes the train back to Paris. On the way, she discovers a newspaper obituary for Fabienne alongside a photograph of Assane in disguise as "Salvator" and quickly pieces together the truth what Assane has been doing, as well as the implications his actions have for Raoul. After confirming her worries with an apologetic Benjamin, she makes an appointment with Hubert and tries to negotiate Raoul's release in exchange for the remaining diamonds from the necklace. Hubert, however, quickly realizes how desperate she is, and forces her to allow his henchmen, led by Big Guy Pascal Oblet, to camp out in her apartment. When Claire sees Assane returning home with an unharmed Raoul, she's over the moon, but her joy fades as she remembers what will happen should Assane enter the apartment. She begs Pascal for a moment alone with Raoul, and after joyfully reuniting with her son on the landing, she manages to tell Assane to run away.
Episode credits:
Tropes that appear in this episode:
- Bathroom Breakout: After being arrested, Assane escapes Belkacem and her gendarmerie associate Hector by claiming that he needs to use a gas station bathroom. When Assane is alone with Hector in the rather nasty-looking stall, he manages to remove his handcuffs and uses them to attach the unfortunate policeman to a pipe. After leaving, he steals a car and drives off.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends with a terrified Claire whispering for Assane to run from Pascal and his men.
- Cluster F-Bomb: Belkacem lets off a string of angry curse words when she finds out that Assane has escaped from her at the service station.
- Color Failure: A somewhat rare live-action example—Claire looks extremely pale, almost unwell, on the train ride back from Étretat, befitting the severe worry and anguish she feels as a result of her son being kidnapped.
- Elevator Action Sequence: Assane knocks out two Hyatt security guards in an elevator while dressed as a waiter.
- Emergency Refuelling: As Belkacem drives Assane back to Paris, she finds that she is running low on fuel. Her pit stop at a gas station allows Assane to escape captivity.
- Facepalm: Claire does this out of distress when she reads Fabienne's obituary and realizes what Assane has inadvertently gotten Raoul mixed up in.
- Father's Quest: Much like the previous episode, this one revolves mainly around Assane's attempts to rescue Raoul.
- Freddie Mercopy: Assane's buckteeth-and-mustache waiter disguise makes him look like he's spoofing Freddie.
- The Glomp: When Claire finally reunites with Raoul, she veritably pounces on him and starts kissing his cheeks repeatedly.
- I'm Not Afraid of You: Claire says this to Hubert when she's trying to negotiate Raoul's release. It's such a Blatant Lie that Hubert isn't intimidated in the slightest, and as a result he gets Claire to bend to his will with little effort.
- Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy: Léonard tries to shoot Guédira and Raoul several times as they flee the abandoned mansion but never lands a hit. Somewhat justified in that it was dark, Léonard was seriously injured after getting tossed out of a window by Assane, and he was using an unwieldy hunting rifle rather than his usual revolver.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Belkacem comes across like a jerk for not allowing Assane to check the trunk of Léonard's car when he believes Raoul has been burned alive. But her apparent belief that he was just faking his devastation isn't unjustified—after all, Assane is a notorious criminal who has a history of messing with the cops and using emotional manipulation to get his way. Not to mention that up to that point, the police have no reason to believe that he even has a son.
- Learned from the News: Claire decodes the truth of what Assane is doing after discovering a newspaper obit of Fabienne, accompanied by a photograph of Assane in his "Salvator" getup, while riding the train back to Paris.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Heroine: Claire's attempt to rescue Raoul, while logical enough in theory, doesn't wind up working out because a) Claire isn't exactly a threatening opponent, and b) she cares exponentially more about Raoul than Hubert does about the necklace. Ironically, had she followed Benjamin's initial counsel and not tried to get involved, Guédira would have dropped Raoul off at her apartment safe and sound, hours before Assane eventually ended up bringing him back.
- Pop the Tires: Assane shoots the tires on Belkacem's police car when escaping from her at the gas station. It's the only time he uses a gun in the series.
- Puppy-Dog Eyes: Seemingly in an attempt to make herself come across as pitiably as possible, Claire does this while she's pleading with Pascal to allow her to greet Raoul alone. In a rare Pet the Dog moment, Pascal is moved enough to agree, and after a brief but joyful reunion with her son, Claire takes the opportunity to let Assane know about the presence of Hubert's goons in the apartment.
- "Well Done, Dad!" Guy: After Assane rescues Raoul from Hubert, he comes clean about the fact that he's a thief, and explains the bad blood between his family and the Pellegrinis. To his delight, Raoul not only approves, but encourages Assane to continue his revenge quest.
