Chapter 10
Episode 5 of Lupin Part 2 begins with Dumont preparing security ready for the big theatre event that evening. They know Assane is on the way and Pellegrini believes it’s only a matter of time before he shows to try and exact his revenge. We then cut back three weeks prior to the concert. Assane flies his drone inside Pellegrini’s office and uses footage hooked up to Benjamin’s laptop to find a name – “Lucas Lacroix.” Lucas happens to be working at the bank and in charge of Pellegrini’s account. He keeps all of these details insider a briefcase which includes passwords, usernames and the like. Remember the scene from the beginning of the last episode? Well, Benjamin and Assane both work together to retrieve what they need from the briefcase. Transferring the details over, Assane hands it back to Lucas just as we saw before. Only this time we know Assane has recovered crucial intel. The right-hand man by Pellegrini’s side is also planted too, under the alias of Courbet while working for Assane. When Lucas receives a “tip off” about Courbet, he’sd quick to pass that on to Hubert. This gives their spy a foot in the door, which subsequently allows for the attention to shift across to the concert. The weeks pass and the big night arrives. Assane is smuggled in through one of the large trunks. At the same time, Guedira shows Belkacem the videos regarding Dumont he uncovered in the Jewish Lamp. With the footprints on Leonard’s neck a different size to Diop’s, they turn their attention back to the past to see what they may have missed. Specifically, they find out that Dumont was in charge of Babakar’s case and Leonard was in the same cell as him. Given Guedira was getting close back then, it makes sense that he was taken off the case and Dumont did his best to cover things up. All of this leads nicely to the concert, as Assane, Benjamin and Coubert all work together ready for their final heist. Juliette takes to the stage of course, ready to perform, as the camera pans across to a poster for Arsene Lupin. That’s certainly a nice touch! Pellegrini has the foundation set up to his offshore account and as the donations come rolling in, Coubert keeps an eye on the money. Pellegrini does too but Assane sneaks up behind Hubert with a knife. With guards all over the place, Hubert admits the truth about hiring Leonard and going after Raoul. He also confirms Pascal is Leonard’s killer and confesses that Babakar was hired simply to act as a scapegoat and collateral damage. He wanted to accuse him of stealing the necklace awhile bagging the insurance money for himself. He then hired Leonard to kill Assane’s father in prison. Assane eventually decides against killing Hubert and takes off, evading security while Pellegrini breathes a sigh of relief. A really well-shot segment then ensues, as Assane does his best to evade security up several different floors. Pascal messages Dumont to let him know Assane is in the building, who in turn leaves partway through the performance to call in reinforcements. Assane and Pascal eventually fight, with the former coming out victorious and besting the hitman. Guedira and the officers show though and immediately arrest Dumont. Assane takes to the stage and reveals the truth in front of everyone about what Hubert has done. As the police look set to apprehend Assane… the lights suddenly turn off and our protagonist scarpers off the stage. In the chaos, Assane manages to slip away and makes it into the server room where a bag lies in wait. Another disguise, and this time Assane tells all the officers that Assane is up on the roof. With all the officers heading upstairs, Assane sends on the audio confession from Hubert earlier in the episode to Guedira, which can be used against him. Assane heads down to the dock and manages to get away from police before they can realize what’s happened. When they do eventually catch on, it’s too late and our gentleman burglar darts away, managing to flamboyantly pilot a boat away. Meanwhile, Claire and Raoul suddenly hear a beeping sound in the apartment and find something under the bed. A message reads “Raoul’s bridge” which is referencing the bridge that she and Assane decided to name their son on. Raoul realizes this is a sign and takes off. As they do, Assane finds them and tells them both it’s all over now. However, he’s going to leave but promises to be back soon. With Assane still a wanted man, Pellegrini and Dumont are taken away by police but this doesn’t stop the chase for Assane. As the season draws to a close, Assane takes off on foot while the police follow.
The Episode Review
The ending to Lupin feels quite conclusive and in a way reminiscent of the way The Dark Knight concludes, with the authorities after a man that needs to be labeled a criminal. Of course, Assane stealing the necklace from the louvre still makes him a lucrative target and the ending hints that we could see more of the gentleman thief in upcoming seasons. However, these five chapters have been paced well with a second half injecting much more urgency into the story compared to the opening five chapters which helped to establish Assane Diop’s character and his struggles. Seeing both Dumont and Pellgrini taken away at the end is certainly a satisfying moment and overall this has been a really solid crime drama. It’s also one of the bigger surprises to arrive this year. Overall, Lupin bows out with a satisfying conclusion to this chapter, weaving a consistent thread of good storytelling and strong character development for Assane into one compelling 10 episode series.
