Character Relationship Map: 6 Days

Characters

• Max Vernon (played by Mark Strong) — protagonist

  The Metropolitan Police chief inspector responsible for negotiating with Salim during the siege. Max repeatedly tries to prevent violence, delivers food, secures extensions, and helps arrange the BBC...

• Kate Adie (played by Abbie Cornish) — supporting

  A BBC reporter summoned to cover the embassy siege and the terrorists' demands. The BBC becomes central to the negotiations when Salim insists on speaking through the broadcaster, and the terrorists'...

• PC Trevor Lock (played by Toby Leach) — minor

  A police constable held hostage inside the embassy, making him one of the captives directly endangered by the terrorist occupation. Trevor considers attempting a takeover with a concealed revolver whi...

• Salim (played by Ben Turner) — supporting

  The leader of the terrorists occupying the Iranian Embassy. Salim demands the release of Arab prisoners, negotiates by telephone with Max, seeks safe passage and media access, and releases several hos...

• Faisal (played by Aymen Hamdouchi) — supporting

  Salim's right-hand man among the embassy terrorists. Faisal takes part in the threat against the hostages and kills one after the bus demand is refused. During the evacuation, he hides among the hosta...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Salim → Faisal (Power Right-Hand Man) — Faisal is Salim's principal subordinate within the terrorist group.

  The plot explicitly identifies Faisal as Salim's right-hand man.

• Max Vernon → PC Trevor Lock (Professional Police Protector) — Max's operational role includes protecting Trevor and the other hostages.

  Trevor is a police constable held hostage, while Max works for the Metropolitan Police response to the embassy siege.

• Max Vernon → Salim (Professional Negotiator) — Max serves as the principal police negotiator dealing directly with Salim.

  Max negotiates with Salim by telephone and promises to help avoid violence. He later contacts Salim during the hostage crisis.

Story Dynamics

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

• Faisal → PC Trevor Lock (Conflict Hostage Threatener) — Faisal represents the immediate physical danger facing Trevor and the other hostages.

  Faisal takes a hostage to be killed and later kills a hostage when the demand for a bus is not met.

• Salim → PC Trevor Lock (Conflict Captor) — Salim's group holds Trevor captive as leverage in the negotiations.

  Trevor is among the hostages held inside the embassy during Salim's armed occupation.

• Kate Adie → Faisal (Narrative Subject Of Reporting) — Faisal becomes part of the violent story communicated through the news coverage.

  The BBC broadcast reports the terrorists' statement, while Faisal is identified as Salim's right-hand man and a hostage killer.

• Kate Adie → PC Trevor Lock (Social Crisis Witness) — Kate's reporting is connected to Trevor's experience as a hostage.

  Kate covers the embassy siege in which Trevor is held hostage and later survives the rescue operation.

• Kate Adie → Salim (Narrative Media Interlocutor) — Kate represents the media channel Salim uses to publicize his cause.

  Salim demands to speak to the BBC, and the terrorists' statement is subsequently broadcast through the BBC World Service.

• Max Vernon → Faisal (Conflict Operational Adversary) — Max's policing mission directly opposes Faisal's violent role in the siege.

  Faisal participates in the hostage killings, while Max is instructed to stall the terrorists during the SAS assault.

• Max Vernon → Kate Adie (Alliance Operational Collaborator) — Max's police strategy becomes connected to Kate's media work.

  Max reluctantly agrees to Salim's demand to speak to the BBC, enabling Kate's journalistic role in the crisis.

Story Analysis

A six-day embassy siege tests negotiation, media pressure, hostage resistance, and the final decision to use force.

Plot Progression

1. The Embassy Falls — The terrorists seize the Iranian Embassy and hold hostages including PC Trevor Lock. Salim announces political demands, bringing police and media attention to the crisis.
2. Deadlines And Leverage — Max opens telephone negotiations with Salim while an assault is prepared. A hostage release and food delivery temporarily extend the deadline, but Salim adds demands for safe passage and ambassadors.
3. The Siege Tightens — Faisal threatens a hostage as negotiations stall and Iranian authorities refuse involvement. Salim seeks BBC access, while Trevor considers using a hidden revolver to resist.
4. The Failed Escape Plan — The SAS develops a plan to rescue the hostages on a bus, but the plan is vetoed. The authorities return to the dangerous option of storming the embassy.
5. Broadcast Before Bloodshed — The BBC broadcasts the terrorists' political statement, prompting Salim to release two hostages. The fragile relief ends when Faisal kills another hostage after the bus demand fails.
6. The Embassy Assault — The SAS attacks after the operation is authorised, killing Salim and other terrorists while suffering injuries and a hostage death. Faisal is exposed and killed, and the final terrorist is arrested.