Character Relationship Map: Cleanskin

Characters

• Ewan (played by Sean Bean) — protagonist

  MI6 agent and Harry's bodyguard. Tasked with an off-the-books mission to hunt down terrorists Ash and Paul after Harry's murder. Despite losing his partner Mark and being hunted by his own agency, he...

• Ash (played by Abhin Galeya) — protagonist

  Radicalized terrorist who steals Semtex explosives after murdering arms dealer Harry. Former law student and Kate's ex-lover, Ash joins Nabil's extremist group after personal grievances. He executes t...

• Nabil (played by Peter Polycarpou) — supporting

  Radical Muslim extremist who recruited Ash into his terrorist cell during their university days. He indoctrinates Ash with anti-Western ideology and later assigns him the final suicide bombing mission...

• Kate (played by Tuppence Middleton) — supporting

  Law student and Ash's former girlfriend whose infidelity with Nick deeply alienated him six years ago, serving as a catalyst for his radicalization. In the present timeline, she reconnects with Ash be...

• Harry (played by Sam Douglas) — supporting

  British arms dealer whose murder at the hands of terrorist Ash triggers the main plot. His stolen Semtex briefcase becomes the catalyst for the restaurant bombing and the subsequent manhunt by MI6.

• Mark (played by Tom Burke) — supporting

  Rookie SIS agent assigned as Ewan's assistant. He participates in the initial investigation and surveillance but grows unstable during the off-the-books mission. He eventually attempts to assassinate...

• Nick (played by Chris Geere) — minor
• Paul (played by Tariq Jordan) — minor

Canonical Relationships

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

• Kate → Nick (Romantic Former Affair) — Their affair contributes to Ash's emotional rupture.

  Kate's infidelity with Nick alienates Ash, leading Ash to beat Nick and end his relationship with Kate.

• Nabil → Ash (Power Recruiter And Follower) — Nabil has a formative ideological influence over Ash.

  Nabil befriends Ash at law school, asks him to join the pro-Muslim student group, and exposes him to anti-Western teachings.

• Ewan → Mark (Professional Senior Agent And Assistant) — Their operational partnership deteriorates under pressure.

  Mark is assigned as Ewan's rookie assistant and participates with him in surveillance, interrogation, and the covert investigation.

• Ash → Kate (Romantic Former Lovers) — Their unresolved relationship briefly humanizes Ash before his final mission.

  Flashbacks show Ash and Kate dating while attending law school, and they reconnect at a café in the present.

• Ewan → Harry (Professional Bodyguard) — Ewan protects Harry during the arms-dealing operation.

  The plot identifies Ewan as Harry's bodyguard and shows them traveling together while transporting a briefcase of Semtex.

Story Dynamics

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

• Ewan → Nabil (Narrative Counterterrorist And Terrorist Leader) — They represent opposing forces in the wider investigation.

  Ewan pursues the terror cell responsible for the bombings, while Nabil leads the extremist organization and assigns Ash the final attack.

• Ash → Nick (Conflict Rivals) — Nick becomes a personal rival during Ash's radicalization period.

  Ash beats Nick after learning about Kate's infidelity and then breaks up with Kate.

• Harry → Paul (Conflict Enemy) — Paul targets Harry as part of the terrorist operation.

  Paul pays Rena for information about Harry, follows Harry during the Semtex transfer, and participates in the attack that leads to Harry's death.

• Ewan → Paul (Conflict Interrogator And Target) — Paul becomes an early target in Ewan's investigation.

  Ewan and Mark attempt to capture Paul at his residence, and Ewan kills Paul after Paul kills Rena.

• Ash → Paul (Alliance Terrorist Partner) — They cooperate in the terrorist operation against Harry.

  Ash and Paul follow Harry and Ewan during the Semtex operation, and Paul later provides information about Harry.

• Ewan → Ash (Conflict Hunter And Target) — Their pursuit becomes the film's central conflict.

  Ewan is tasked with finding and eliminating the terrorists responsible for the stolen explosives and the bombing, including Ash.

• Ash → Harry (Conflict Murderer And Victim) — Ash's murder of Harry initiates the main investigation.

  Ash incapacitates Ewan, kills Harry, and takes the briefcase containing Semtex.

Story Analysis

An isolated intelligence agent pursues a terrorist cell while uncovering betrayal within his own agency.

Plot Progression

1. The Stolen Explosives — Ewan escorts Harry during a Semtex transfer, but Ash and Paul ambush them. Harry is killed, the explosives are stolen, and a restaurant bombing follows.
2. A Hunt Without Backup — Ewan receives an off-the-books mission and works with Mark to trace the bombing network. The investigation reaches Paul while Ash's past with Kate and Nabil is revealed.
3. The Agency Turns Inward — Ewan's methods become increasingly severe as he and Mark pursue suspects. The SIS begins hunting its own covert team, and Mark turns against Ewan.
4. The Wedding Bombing — Ash reconnects with Kate before accepting Nabil's final assignment. Ewan confronts him at the wedding, kills him, and disables his detonator, but another bomb still explodes.