Tensions are already running high as the episode opens with students protesting Eddy’s recent actions and openly questioning his motives and leadership. Pablo joins the movement, bolstering the student resistance. Things get quickly out of hand: students barricade the school and the teachers meet in a nearby cafe.
Soon, Eddy receives a call from Lucie, who brings bad news: someone from the school got in touch with Sagirov. The message was from Chicken Street, the same cafe where the teachers are, to put all of them immediately under suspicion. Eddy starts to suspect the Russian language teacher, Laurence, of being the mole.
Meanwhile, one of the security guards, Fabian, warns Viviane that things are getting out of hand at school. But not all students are backing the protest. A few resist, wanting to get inside the school and focus on preparing for exams. Eddy breaks up the confrontation and ushers everyone in. He comes into the classroom and surprisingly insists that the students hand in their exams and commit themselves to the protest.
Eddy is still sure Laurence is hiding something and later tails her, following her as she picks up a mysterious package in an alley. He tries to get evidence while keeping Lucie on the phone but Laurence catches him soon. She rationalizes her actions by revealing her distrust of corporations, and she says she uses secret locations to collect food. Eddy indulges her conspiracy theories and finally writes her off as the mole.
Back at home, Lucie encourages Eddy to check the teachers’ lockers for clues. Over a meal shared together, they get personal. Lucie says her sister used to work for someone close to Sagirov, got addicted to drugs and then went into rehab. But with her boss wanting her to drop the case, Lucie is determined to bring Sagirov down.
The mole messages them to tell them the Education Minister will be arriving at the school shortly, interrupting their conversation. The news is on, it’s confirmed, the Minister will talk about the unrest. This puts Eddy in danger, being on camera could expose his past. Lucie tells him to keep out of sight.
The next day, Tiphaine greets the Minister, who gives the students predictable, rehearsed answers to their concerns. As she is about to leave, students face her directly. She defends substitute teachers when they are criticized—until she finds out that Eddy was the reason Benjamin was in danger. She demands to see him at once.
Tiphaine looked for Eddy and found him searching the lockers. He even digs around in Florian’s stuff and finds a burner phone. Again Eddy lies his way out when confronted, and at first refuses to see the Minister. Tiphaine breaks down and vents her frustrations with the system and her life. Eddy consoles her and confesses his criminal history is why he doesn’t want to be in the public eye, as he is afraid it will reflect badly on the school. At last he consented to see the Minister, but in the guise of a fish head.
Eddy talks to the Minister outside as the students cheer him on. He speaks with a lot of passion about the education system and there is a heated exchange. In an astonishing moment, the Minister confesses her children go to a private school, because she knows the public system is broken. But the confession boomerangs, exposing her hypocrisy and threatening her career. Eddy’s speech goes viral and he becomes an unlikely symbol for the students’ cause.
Later, at his apartment, Eddy and Lucie talk about protests spreading all over Lille. They start to suspect Florian is the mole. Lucie also reveals during an argument that her husband has asked her not to go home until the investigation is over, adding more personal strain to her situation.
The following day, both students and teachers took to the streets to demonstrate. Tensions mount as police erect barricades. Eddy arranges the students, positioning them in front and telling Florian to stay back. Eddy whispers Sagirov’s name to Florian and Florian freaks out, confirming Eddy’s suspicions as he runs.
As this happens, Eddy finds out that the child linked to Sagirov is in fact his daughter, not his son. Theo distracts Eddy for a moment and Lucie follows Florian. Lucie and the two of them fight and she wins.
Eddy, still in his fish mask, stands nose-to-nose with the police at the protest line. The students egg on the officers and chaos ensues. The episode ends with Eddy being arrested for striking a policeman and shouting to Lucie as he is taken away.
Episode Review
This episode is another instance of the show’s unpredictable and over-the-top twists. Eddy’s journey is especially striking: vilified for his treatment of Benjamin, he becomes a viral sensation and the voice of educational reform in a flash.
What strikes me is how fast public opinion turns. When Eddy ends his speech, people have pretty much forgotten about his earlier behavior and are overwhelmingly supportive of the issues he raises.
Despite the chaotic storytelling, the episode does deliver some key revelations. Now we know that Sagirov has a daughter and Florian is the mole. The story can feel a little over-the-top sometimes, but these answers move the larger plot forward in a meaningful way.