Character Relationship Map: The New Protocol

Characters

• Raoul Kraft (played by Clovis Cornillac) — protagonist

  A separated forestry manager whose son dies in a suspicious road accident. Raoul investigates the clinical trial connected to the death, teams up with Diane, confronts Pleynel and Louise Verneuil, and...

• Diane (played by Marie-Josée Croze) — supporting

  A young woman investigating alleged abuses in pharmaceutical clinical trials. She initially tries to obtain medication from Raoul, then joins him in uncovering the connection between the laboratories...

• Louise Verneuil (played by Dominique Reymond) — supporting

  A senior representative of the company overseeing the disputed clinical trials. She publicly confronts Diane, later explains to Raoul that depressive symptoms were observed but not acted upon, and def...

• William (played by Gilles Cohen) — supporting

  Diane's friend who receives the medication from Raoul for analysis. He later reports that it is a placebo and arranges to deliver the results to Raoul and Diane, but the proposed meeting proves to be...

• Pleynel (played by Stéphane Hillel) — supporting

  A professor connected to the laboratory that conducted the clinical trials. He denies anomalies in Raoul's son's case, identifies the pursuers as police officers, and accuses Diane of long-term harass...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Louise Verneuil → Pleynel (Professional Associate) — Louise and Pleynel are connected through the corporate clinical-trial structure.

  Diane states that Nextys has a subcontracting agreement with Hexcelor and that Pleynel appears to be in charge of the trials.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Diane → Louise Verneuil (Conflict Public Accuser) — Diane publicly challenges Louise's responsibility for the clinical-trial program.

  Diane accuses Louise at a conference of conducting trials on African populations where numerous deaths occurred.

• Diane → Pleynel (Conflict Harasser) — Diane has a long-running hostile relationship with Pleynel and his laboratory.

  Pleynel tells Raoul that Diane has threatened him with a weapon and harassed his laboratory for several years.

• Raoul Kraft → Pleynel (Conflict Investigative Target) — Raoul suspects Pleynel's role in the trial's failures and investigates him directly.

  Raoul meets Pleynel about the trials, steals the laboratory documents, and later intercepts him for further answers.

• Raoul Kraft → Louise Verneuil (Conflict Adversary) — Their confrontation embodies Raoul's direct opposition to Hexcelor's leadership.

  Raoul breaks into Louise's hotel room, threatens her, and later assassinates her during her conference speech.

• Raoul Kraft → William (Alliance Investigation Partner) — William supports Raoul's attempt to determine what the medication contains.

  Raoul entrusts the medication to William for analysis, and William later arranges a meeting to deliver the results.

• Raoul Kraft → Diane (Alliance Reluctant Ally) — Their cooperation develops through shared investigation and repeated danger.

  Raoul repeatedly saves Diane from armed pursuers, and they flee together after her attack.

• Diane → William (Social Friend) — William is Diane's established personal connection and investigative resource.

  The plot identifies William as Diane's friend, and she brings Raoul into contact with him.

Story Analysis

A grieving father investigates a clinical-trial system and ends by confronting the corporate authority he believes enabled his son's death.

Plot Progression

1. A Death Without Answers — Raoul faces his son's death and learns that clinical trials may be connected to it. A pharmacy search and a guarded laboratory response push him toward Paris.
2. The Dangerous Informant — Diane exposes accusations against Hexcelor but is also revealed to have tried to steal the medication. Raoul nevertheless protects her and joins her investigation.
3. Inside the Trial Machine — Raoul and Diane uncover the Nextys-Hexcelor connection and steal important documents. Pleynel challenges Diane's credibility while defending the official account.
4. The Placebo Trap — William reports that the medication is a placebo, but the promised meeting becomes a police ambush. Diane is shot and dies during the escape.
5. Davos and Final Judgment — Raoul confronts Louise in Davos and hears her justification for continuing the trials despite depressive symptoms. A televised appearance by Louise and Pleynel drives him to assassinate Louise and sur...