Character Relationship Map: Locust

Characters

• Артём Цыганов (played by Pyotr Fyodorov) — protagonist

  Artyom is a hardworking provincial man and poet who begins a summer romance with Lera at a seaside resort. He later follows her to Moscow, marries the wealthy Natalia after initially rejecting her, an...

• Лера (played by Paulina Andreeva) — supporting

  Lera is a Moscow bohemian woman from a wealthy family whose parents make important decisions for her. After returning to Moscow to study and pursue a career, she becomes engaged to Gurevich, yet later...

• Игорь Яковлевич Гуревич (played by Dmitriy Shevchenko) — supporting

  Gurevich is Lera's father's friend and business partner. Lera becomes engaged to him after returning to Moscow, making him an important figure in the relationship structure surrounding her family and...

Canonical Relationships

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

• Лера → Игорь Яковлевич Гуревич (Complicated Romantic Arrangement) — Gurevich's desire for a child conflicts with Lera's secret relationship with Artyom and her efforts to avoid pregnancy.

  Lera's circumstances become tied to Gurevich, who wants a child, while she secretly continues seeing Artyom and takes pills to avoid pregnancy.

• Артём Цыганов → Лера (Romantic Lovers) — Their intense romance survives separation but becomes a secret affair amid financial strain and Lera's involvement with Gurevich.

  They meet during a summer by the sea and quickly fall in love. Later, they reunite in Moscow and secretly continue their relationship.

Story Dynamics

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

• Артём Цыганов → Игорь Яковлевич Гуревич (Conflict Coerced Associate Turned Enemy) — Gurevich uses Artyom's debts to pressure him into a dangerous task; their relationship turns openly hostile when Gurevich discovers Artyom's affair with Lera.

  Gurevich offers Artyom work, settles his debts, and demands that he carry out a plan involving a gun and a bottle. After discovering Artyom's betrayal...

Story Analysis

A summer romance rekindled in Moscow becomes entangled with debt, secrecy, and a violent confrontation.

Plot Progression

1. A Summer That Ends — Artyom and Lera fall in love during a summer by the sea. When the season ends, Lera leaves after her mother urges her to protect her future, while Artyom promises to follow.
2. A Difficult Return — Artyom finds Lera in Moscow, where she has begun a journalism career and tried to move on. Their renewed relationship is strained by his uncertain income and the debts incurred for an apartment.
3. Debt and Secrecy — Gurevich offers Artyom work and settles his debts, then uses that leverage to impose a dangerous demand. Meanwhile, Lera secretly continues seeing Artyom while Gurevich wants a child.
4. A Violent Confrontation — After a child becomes hysterical over something seen in the courtyard, Artyom decides to leave the affair and Lera. Gurevich discovers the betrayal, confronts them, and is injured in the ensuing strug...