Part one of the mini-series unfolds the story of Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, a Venezuelan exile who has allied himself with the Palestinians in Jordan. In 1973, he orchestrates a series of attacks in London before relocating to Paris, where he is appointed to head the European branch of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) under the direction of Michel Moukharbal, known by his alias, André. It is in this pivotal meeting that Ilich adopts the notorious nom de guerre, "Carlos." As he takes charge, he meticulously plans various operations, highlighted by a dramatic hostage-taking at the French Embassy in The Hague orchestrated by Japanese Red Army militants. However, when André is arrested, the French domestic intelligence service, the DST, grows increasingly suspicious of Ilich’s movements. To evade capture, Carlos makes a drastic decision, shooting André along with three police officers, which leads him to join Wadie Haddad, the head of PFLP, in southern Yemen. His new mission is audacious: to take hostage the oil ministers attending the upcoming OPEC conference in Vienna.
The second episode of the mini-series focuses extensively on the intricate details of Carlos's operation, which stands out as one of the most spectacular acts of terrorism in that era. On December 21, 1975, Carlos leads a group consisting of six militants from the German Revolutionary Cells and Palestinian fighters, including Anis Naccache, to seize control of the OPEC headquarters. They take ministers and delegates hostage, leading to violent confrontations that result in several casualties among the building’s guards. At this moment, Carlos achieves unprecedented notoriety in the media. Despite his success, he faces hurdles when seeking asylum in Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, and ultimately cannot board a plane to Iraq due to the limitations of their aircraft. In a bid to fulfill his mission, he eventually releases the hostages at Algiers airport in exchange for a substantial ransom; however, he ultimately fails to deliver on Haddad's expectations, ending their partnership. Consequently, Carlos resorts to becoming a mercenary, seeking the highest bidder for his services, and subsequently turning his focus towards operations behind the Iron Curtain, shuttling between Budapest and East Berlin with the backing of the East German Stasi. He collaborates with remnants of the Revolutionary Cells, notably Johannes Weinrich and his wife Magdalena Kopp, who soon departs from Weinrich to align with Carlos. Carlos also engages in arms trafficking across Europe, aiming to establish a network of terrorist cells for future endeavors.
Part three chronicles Carlos's ventures based in Budapest, bolstered by support from Syria, as he cultivates relationships with various clients, including Ceausescu's Romania and Libya. His activities—characterized by armament trafficking, handling large sums of cash, and embodying the persona of the "Godfather of European terrorism"—are ultimately curtailed by shifts in global dynamics. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, Carlos experiences a stark decline, losing key patrons, being expelled from Syria, and witnessing a reduction in his operational scope. In a poignant twist, he discovers that many countries that once sought him for prosecution are now indifferent to his existence, and even the CIA ranks him low on their wanted list. Faced with these drastic changes, he gathers Magdalena and their young daughter and departs Syria for Libya, only to be met with unwelcome news from Qaddafi's security chief that his presence in Libya is "undesirable." Returning to Syria, he faces further strain as Magdalena announces her intent to leave him—a move prompted by his mother’s offer of a home in Venezuela for her and their child. Moreover, Magdalena feels disheartened, recognizing Carlos’s ongoing infidelities.
Eventually, the last refuge available for Carlos is in Sudan. Now retired, he adopts a new alias while remaining a target for multiple intelligence agencies. As he finds himself abandoned by former allies and distanced from the center of global conflicts, Carlos watches the evolution of geopolitical power from afar. Finally, with the assistance of the Sudanese authorities and struggling with a debilitating condition, he is captured on August 14, 1994. He is then extradited back to Paris to face trial for his past crimes, which continue to resonate deeply within France.
