The 2024 television adaptation of The Day of the Jackal introduces a fresh take on the infamous assassin, portrayed by Eddie Redmayne. This modern reimagining of Frederick Forsyth’s classic thriller delves deeper into the character’s psyche, revealing layers of complexity behind his calculated exterior. The Jackal isn’t just a killer for hire—he’s a man shaped by past traumas, a meticulous strategist, and someone who operates within a carefully controlled world where unpredictability is his greatest enemy. So let’s have a look at the Psychology of the Jackal.
This post will contain spoilers for The Day of the Jackal.
A Life Built on Precision
The Jackal, known by his alias Charles Calthrop, is a former British Army sniper with an impressive military record. His transition from soldier to assassin wasn’t just about financial gain; it stemmed from a defining moment in Afghanistan, where he witnessed and then took action against a war crime committed by his own team. This act of defiance against corruption led him to fake his death, severing all ties to his past life and stepping into the shadows as a contract killer.
What sets the Jackal apart is his unwavering discipline. Every move he makes is calculated—he adopts new identities with ease, plans assassinations with surgical precision, and executes missions without emotional interference. A prime example is his assassination of German politician Manfred Fest, where he uses multiple disguises, precise timing, and his signature ability to blend into any environment. His approach to work reflects traits often seen in high-functioning psychopaths: meticulous attention to detail, emotional detachment, and an ability to manipulate those around him without forming genuine connections.
What Drives Him?
Unlike many assassins in fiction, the Jackal isn’t fueled by revenge, ideology, or even a desire for chaos. His motivation is rooted in control and mastery. He thrives on the challenge of planning the perfect kill, seeing each assignment as a puzzle to be solved rather than a morally significant act.
However, the show offers glimpses of his personal life that complicate this narrative. His relationship with his wife, Nuria, and their child suggests a dual existence—on one hand, he is the cold, detached professional, but on the other, he is a man who desires a semblance of normalcy.
We see Nuria ask “Is this real?” when she finds out about Charles’ identities and business, pointing to that dual existence – is it truly a dual existence or does having a family merely help Charles to sink into the scenery easier?
This contrast hints at an internal conflict: can he truly keep these two worlds separate, or is his need for control simply another illusion?
Strengths and Weaknesses
The Jackal’s greatest strength is his adaptability. He can alter his appearance convincingly, slip past security unnoticed, and outthink nearly every opponent. His ability to maintain composure under pressure makes him one of the most formidable assassins in fiction.
But even the most methodical minds have blind spots. His obsession with control makes him vulnerable when faced with unpredictability. Enter Bianca Pullman (played by Lashana Lynch), an MI6 agent who refuses to play by conventional rules. The synopsis reads that The Jackal ‘meets his match’ in Bianca, but I am really unsure whether that is really the case at all. What I do think is that Bianca’s emotion and intution driven chaotic approach to her work clashes with Charles meticulous planning and execution. Bianca makes calls that others may balk at, she persists in the face of the deaths of her colleagues. In some way, Bianca is the parallel to Charles’ Army comrades – she is willing to do whatever it takes to meet her goal, regardless of the impact on those around her.
Her relentless pursuit of the Jackal disrupts his careful planning, forcing him into situations where he must react rather than dictate the terms of engagement. The more she closes in, the more his carefully constructed persona starts to crack, albeit only slightly.
Could Therapy Help?
If the Jackal ever sought psychological intervention, it would be a difficult road. His ability to manipulate others and his lack of remorse suggest traits aligned with antisocial personality disorder, but it also points towards a few more likely diagnoses. Firstly is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is the one which is the most likely. While he does have antisocial tendencies, we have to ask where they may have come from, did they exist well before his Army days or are they in response to what he did and saw there? I would argue that Charles has been significantly traumatised throughout his time in the military and that the build up of this trauma led to a ‘switch’ being flipped in terms of his moral judgement.
Secondly, we have to consider neuro-diversity. His strong moral code, his black and white thinking (the goal is the goal and nothing else), his awkwardness in social situations (with Nuria’s family in particular) and often inability to reason through emotions are all traits that are shared with people who are neurodivergent. Hyperfocus on a single role or skill is another one which also falls strongly in that category. Now I don’t think that this is the core of Charles’ concerns, however I do believe that some neurodiversity may exacerbate his PTSD leading to an inflexibility in leaving the job behind or quitting when things go badly.
Traditional therapy would likely be ineffective unless he recognized a need for change—which, given his self-perception, seems unlikely.
However if he did seek treatment, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) could help him examine the cognitive distortions that justify his actions. Addressing his past traumas, particularly those from his military service, might also reveal how his detachment developed as a coping mechanism. Other work that could benefit Charles would be work around relationships and emotional intelligence. The challenge, of course, would be getting him to engage in therapy without seeing it as a mere intellectual exercise.
Final Thoughts
The Jackal is more than just a skilled assassin—he is a man shaped by trauma, strategy, and an unwavering need for control. His meticulous nature makes him almost untouchable, but it is also his greatest weakness when faced with the unexpected. The 2024 adaptation of The Day of the Jackal brings new psychological depth to this classic character, making him not just a figure of intrigue but a study in the extremes of human behavior.