“Why be discreet when we can do it with panache?” That’s one of Assane Diop’s mottos, and it’s a philosophy this master of disguise lives by. A devoted reader of Maurice Leblanc’s Arsène Lupin books since his youth, Assane is the ultimate fan of the elegant, clever, and charismatic gentleman thief who steals only from the rich and corrupt. Lupin’s literary adventures inspire Assane’s daring heists, while his father’s wrongful conviction drives his quest for justice. Armed with clever disguises, a knack for studying his opponents, and illusionist tricks straight out of the books, Assane knows exactly how to put his plans into action. His talent for making everyone look the other way has already helped him steal the Black Pearl, fake his own death, and earn the admiration of people across France. 

But in Part 4, Assane plans to retire and leave his wild life of heists and escapes behind him. After turning himself in to the police to protect his loved ones, our favorite lovable rogue wants to serve the rest of his sentence and be reunited with his family. 

Meanwhile, a cunning impostor begins committing crimes in Lupin’s name, leaving clues that point to Assane. To unmask them, he must escape from prison and once again pull off the daring heists he’d hoped to put behind him. 

The lives of Claire and Assane have been intertwined for as long as they can remember. They were best friends as teenagers, fell in love, and had their son, Raoul. Despite their ups and downs, the two have always remained close. But Assane’s heists, his absences, and the police investigations turn Claire’s life upside down. She’s left to deal with law enforcement, the media, and the fear that someone might hurt their son. 

In Part 3, Claire believed Assane was dead, only to discover that he’d been spending time with the family disguised as Alex, Raoul’s basketball coach. By turning himself in, Assane hoped to give his family a chance at a peaceful life. Four years later, with their son now all grown up, their life is threatened by an impostor’s crimes. 

Raoul grew up sharing his father’s love of the Arsène Lupin stories. But he also experienced the darker side of a life of heists firsthand — he was kidnapped by a man working for Assane’s archenemy, Hubert Pellegrini (Hervé Pierre). Raoul sees the toll that the gentleman thief’s public notoriety takes on his family. Between robberies and getaways, their relationship ends up taking the back seat.

Four years have elapsed in the story, and Raoul is now on the brink of adulthood, with Théo Christine taking over the role from Etan Simon, who played him in the first three parts of the series. Assane promised to take his son to visit their relatives in Senegal once he’s served his sentence. But now, his need to unmask an impostor threatens to derail their trip — and Raoul isn’t taking it well. 

Benjamin is Assane’s Dr. Watson. He’s the one who knows about the thief’s plans long before they make headlines. Assane’s childhood friend, partner in crime, and resident antiques expert, Ben brings valuable knowledge. He helps with preparations and is always willing to lend a hand — a loyalty that has been tested time and again. He was the one, for example, who posed as the doctor performing the autopsy when Assane faked his own death. 

Their partnership also lands Ben in prison in Part 3. When Assane decides to turn himself in, his best friend’s release is one of the conditions of his deal with the police. As Part 4 begins, they share years of trust but also the burden of Assane’s decisions. 

When investigating Assane, Detective Guédira has an edge that goes beyond his badge — he knows Maurice Leblanc’s books inside out, which allows him to recognize the references to Arsène Lupin in Assane’s heists. 

Their shared love of the books brings them closer, and Guédira even teamed up with Assane to bring down Jean-Luc Keller (Steve Tientcheu), the main villain in Part 3. These days, they even consider each other friends. But friendship is one thing, and business is another. After all, they’re still on opposite sides of the law.

Sofia Belkacem is tough, has little patience for Assane, and knows all too well how challenging he is to catch. Now a police captain, she finds herself back on the trail of the elusive thief in Part 4. One of the robberies that kicks off the new story leaves Belkacem seriously injured — and it’s the very heist for which security footage appears to show Assane at the scene, even though he’s behind bars. 

Outside of work, Belkacem is the love of Guédira’s life. Surprisingly, it was Assane who played Cupid, helping Guédira finally confess his feelings to her. Of course, just because Assane helped with her love life doesn’t mean Belkacem is willing to turn a blind eye to his heists. 

Her last name explains part of the problem: Juliette is the daughter of Hubert Pellegrini, the man who framed Assane’s father, Babakar Diop (Fargass Assandé). Juliette and Assane have known each other since they were young, and their relationship has been shaped by both Hubert’s crimes and their affection for each other. 

Balancing these two sides of her life has never been easy. Earlier in the series, Juliette had to question everything she thought she knew about her father. Assane exposed Hubert’s scheme to embezzle donations from the family’s charitable foundation. Juliette returns in Part 4, reminding us how closely the Pellegrini family’s past is tied to Assane’s life.

Just hearing the name Pellegrini is enough to set J’Accuse barking. The dog once belonged to journalist Fabienne Bériot (Anne Benoît), who helped Assane investigate the businessman before being murdered in Part 1. 

After Fabienne’s death, the little dog became part of Assane and Benjamin’s lives, earning a place as a beloved companion. The adorable, feisty pup is played by a dog called Monette.