Ten days after lawyer Anne Dragsholm was found dead at a WWII memorial, the police have her husband in custody for her murder. But the chief of investigation calls on Sarah Lund, who has transferred away from the crime squad, to return to Copenhagen to look over the case. Meanwhile, a young politician is made minister of justice after his predecessor is incapacitated, and a convict seeks parole from a detention facility to be with his wife and child

Sarah Lund officially joins the investigation into the murders of Anne Dragsholm and soldier Allan Myg Poulsen, who was found butchered in a warehouse. A published video of the captive Dragsholm suggests the assassinations are acts of terrorism, and the police look into links with Islamic extremists. At Parliament the case puts new minister Buch's terrorism legislation in jeopardy when the government's right-wing partners demand a tighter grip on extremism. Prisoner Jens Peter Raben takes matters into his own hands after being denied parole.

While intelligence services insist that the investigation should focus on possible terrorism links, Raben's escape strengthens Lund's interest in his links with the victims. Raben himself seeks information from other old army buddies. Buch is hit by the revelation of a secret memo about the Dragsholm murder, and the actions of the former minister come into question.

Monday, November 3-Tuesday, November 4. Nanna's parents identify her body, and details of her sufferings are uncovered. Lund keeps postponing her departure, and tension arises between her and her new partner as they investigate the connection to city hall and a known criminal identified as the driver of the car Nanna was found in. Hartmann is faced with the choice of cooperating with the police or protecting his political future.

Wednesday, November 5-Thursday, November 6: The police investigate the crime scene they have found at Nanna's school and suspect her classmates Oliver and Jeppe of wrongdoing. Sarah Lund's fiancé shows up in Copenhagen, and she promises to leave for Sweden without delay. Meanwhile, Hartmann learns that a trusted employee has sent a suspicious email.

Thursday, November 6-Friday, November 7. Hartmann has won a new political ally, but is drawn into the murder case again when the police uncover new information which turns their suspicions towards teachers at Nanna's school. Theis Birk Larsen is troubled by the financial strain of the house he bought before Nanna's death. He begins to grow weary over the lack of progress in the case and seeks his own sources of information.

The police investigation comes under fire after soldier Lisbeth Thomsen was killed by a bomb planted in her boat, but Brix keeps Lund and Strange on the case. They try to learn the truth about the Afghanistan mission and pay a visit to the mother of a fallen soldier who may be connected to the case. Buch causes scandal when he interrupts his own press conference, and the prime minister wants him to come up with answers. Raben remains on the run, but seeks help from his former comrade the chaplain.

Denmark is the midst of a fiercely contested election race, set against the backdrop of the financial crisis. With ten days to go to the election, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lund prepares to celebrate her 25th year in the police force and looks forward to the prospect of a new job in the force. But her relative peace is shattered when body parts are found at Copenhagen dock only hours before a scheduled visit by the prime minister.

Following the kidnapping of Robert Zeuthen's daughter Emilie, Copenhagen Police put every effort into tracking down the perpetrator and finding the little girl. Meanwhile, the kidnapping has quickly become a hot potato in the election campaign and Prime Minister Kamper must deal with the fallout.

Following the dramatic murder of public prosecutor Peter Schultz, it becomes clear that Emilie Zeuthen's kidnapper will stop at nothing to recover his debt. However, police remain clueless about the perpetrator's motives. Lund and Mathias Borch try to cooperate on the case, while Lund makes a surprise reconciliatory visit to her son Mark. The prime minister's team try to limit his public involvement in the affair of the kidnapping, but yet more troubling information emerges which will make it difficult to focus on the election campaign.

Police are led to the Jutland region by their investigation. Here, Borch and Lund make an eerie discovery and find themselves in danger. Back at HQ, pressure grows on Brix, as management question his judgment. Prime Minister Kamper hesitates in implementing his decision following doubts about Emilie's fate. Ussing is found to have been harbouring a secret.

Monday, November 3. Police detective Sarah Lund is about to leave her job in Copenhagen to move to Sweden. Troels Hartmann is gaining ground in his efforts to lead his party to power at city hall. Theis and Pernille Birk Larsen are the happy parents of three children. The discovery of the blood-stained belongings of a young girl prompts a police investigation that will change the lives of all involved.

Tuesday, November 4-Wednesday, November 5: Lund and Meyer track down the driver, who ends up injured in the hospital, but also supplies an alibi. They refocus their investigation on Nanna's school. When the story of the connection to his campaign breaks, Hartmann finds himself in media turmoil. The Birk Larsens try to cope with their loss as they arrange the funeral.

Friday, November 7-Saturday, November 8: Lund and Meyer investigate teacher Raman al Kemal's actions on the night of the murder. Hartmann learns of foul play at city hall, and his campaign is put under pressure when his opponent reveals Hartmann's ties with the suspect in a TV debate. On the day of Nanna's funeral, Lund is finally on her way to Sweden, and the appearance of one particular guest makes Nanna's father offer him a ride home.

Saturday, November 8-Sunday, November 9. Lund decides to stay in town to continue the investigation even though it puts her relationship with Bengt under strain. Rama is questioned as the main suspect. When Hartmann chooses not to suspend him, it puts his political position under threat.

The murder of another former soldier, David Grüner, prompts inquiries into his and Raben's army squad and a particular event during the group's Afghanistan mission a few years before. Lund and Strange track down one of the remaining members in a remote Swedish island. Buch is under pressure from above to cave to the right wing's demands about banning Islamic organisations, but new information about former minister Monberg's relationship with one of the victims makes him weary of acting too hastily.

Lund demands that the grave of the dead soldier Per K. Møller be dug up, but her theory that the coffin is empty is proven wrong. She is suspended from the investigation and takes time to attend her mother's wedding until developments bring her back into action. Buch brings his assistant Karina Munk back after she resigned, despite permanent secretary Plough's objections. They pay a visit to former minister Monberg, who has gained consciousness at the hospital, to find out what he knows about the ongoing case.

After finding the chaplain assaulted in his church Sarah Lund chases the offender, but ends up battered in an alley. She is brought back in charge of the investigation. Monberg has taken his own life shortly after his confrontation with Buch. Buch comes about a previously unknown medical report and decides to challenge his colleague the minister of defense over his secrecy. Raben continues his rogue investigation and tracks down a former soldier who he believes to be responsible for the Afghanistan incident.

Jens Peter Raben has been shot by Strange during an escalated situation where Raben seemed to recognize Strange. Raben survives, and Lund finally has the chance to interrogate him. She finds herself investigating her partner's past in the military, but also uncovers a soldier's video diary that leads to a new suspect. At the barracks Colonel Jarnvig begins to consider the possibility that Raben's version of events in Afghanistan might be true. And after a week in the job Buch faces forced resignation, but finds help from an unexpected source.

Another failed attempt to capture their man leaves Borch and Lund with a dilemma - should they obey the perpetrator's instructions or take action in spite of his directives, thereby risking Emilie's life? Further links to an old unresolved police case continue to emerge, shedding new light on the investigation while marring the prime minister's political life.

A new element turns out to play a role of great significance in the investigation. Borch and Lund have a hard time shaking off their Jutland experience, and their working relationship suffers as a result. Robert and Maja harbour hopes that Emilie may still be alive and Zeeland throw all their resources into tracking her down, as a secret is revealed from an unlikely source within the family. Police run checks on Ussing's movements over the last couple of years.

Sunday, November 9-Monday, November 10. The police locate the place where Nanna was killed, and Rama is charged with the crime. Hartmann is fighting for his political life, but ends up making a tough choice. Meanwhile, Bengt is in a car accident on his way to Sweden, but tries to help Lund from his hospital bed. When the evidence is cast into doubt, Rama is released, but someone has other ideas.

Sarah and Jan interrogate Troels, whose private information opens a new can of worms.

The kidnapper continues to insist that he's seeking to recover a debt. If Lund is to save Emilie's life, it will be up to her to find out what the debt is and how it should be repaid. Following a request for Robert Zeuthen's life in exchange for Emile's, police set out to organise the exchange. Meanwhile, the integrity of a few high-ranking politicians is called into question, as Prime Minister Kamper takes a dramatic decision.

Monday, November 10-Tuesday, November 11. Theis Birk Larsen's brutal punishment of Rama is interrupted by the police, and Theis is arrested. Lund and Meyer refocus their investigation on the car used by the murderer, knowing that if they do not make progress they might be taken off the case. As it becomes known that Rama is no longer a suspect, Hartmann shakes things up at city hall and relaunches his campaign.