Seth Rydell

"Don't piss on my back and pretend that it's raining."

- Seth Rydell

Seth Rydell is arguably the main antagonist of the first two seasons of Johan Falk, and the central antagonist turned anti-hero in the third season, where he often takes the role as the secondary protagonist rather than Frank Wagner, who Joel Kinnaman didn't want to reprise.

Through Seth's actions and role in the first two seasons, he can be viewed as the central antagonist turning into a leading role in the third season. He is one of Gothenburg's most notorious gangsters and is almost always involved with criminal activities such as illegal weapons dealing.

He was portrayed by Jens Hultén, who also played Lindström from Wallander.

Personality
Seth's personality depends alot on how you watch the films. Either he's a ruthless and sociopathic gangster who kills just to get more power, or he's just a surprisingly nice criminal who has the personality of a life coach. However, Seth's personality varies alot during the course of the three seasons. In season one, Seth is portrayed as an arrogant and almost emotionless man who didn't care about who he killed, as long as it benefitted him. In season two, Seth seems to keep this type of personality, although he gets more human as the season goes by, for example bursting into tears when Heikki kills his brother Felix, and seemingly still liking Frank Wagner even after realizing that he has been a spy all along. In season 3, however, most likely due to his massive popularity with fans, Seth becomes a very clear anti-hero. We get to see his relationship with his daughter, and it is shown that he is an incredibly good father who cares for her despite her not being raised in a very good enviroment full of violence and criminal activity.

Seth hates betrayal, and very explicity states that he will attack anyone who he finds out is secretely working with someone else; something that can come across as hypocritical. Seth is shown to be extremely manipulative and intelligent, such as manipulating his own handler Sophie into giving him money, manipulating her by requesting that she looks up areas with pedophiles due to his daughter, something that was a blatant lie. Him being a spy to the police in general can be considered hypocritical, although it is true that he didn't really have a choice. Despite him and Sophie having a very heated rivalry, with Sophie even going as far as to shoot Seth for no real reason (although she misses), which gets her arrested, Seth seems to genuinely love her and tries being affable with her. This can go too far at times however, with Seth randomly walking to Sophie's house and wanting to come in.

Early Life
Seth Rydell was born to an abusive father, and a grandfather who was a career criminal. Therefore, Seth was raised in a bad enviroment and was doomed even as a child to be a criminal. His brother, Felix, was certain that the entire family were criminals.

Season 1
The former-criminal Frank Wagner is now cooperating with the police and is now an infiltrator in Rydell's gang who is telling the police whatever they are planning. Seth is the biggest reason Frank can't live a normal life as he wishes, because if Seth would find out that Frank has been working for the police all along, he would most likely kill him. However, Frank is an extremely charismatic spy who will do anything not to get caught, largely due to having a family he needs to care for. Wagner kills Martin Borhulth, a member of the Rydell gang, who he frames for being the infiltrator.

Season 2
Seth keeps doing illegal business while Frank is infiltrating. However, in a failed business, Seth is caught by police woman Sophie, who forces him to serve her and the police. Seth eventually agrees on harsh conditions but secretly keeps doing his illegal business. In the last film of the season, the Russian mobsters reveals to Seth that Frank has been working for the police all along. Seth then spreads a promise all over the city: that he will reward half a million SEK to the one who shoots Frank Wagner. However, Seth is betrayed and almost killed by his assistants but Frank Wagner saves him just in time. As a result, Seth gives up on killing and seems to forgive him.

Season 3
Now being one of the leading roles, Seth is now forced to serve Sophie who now helps eachother. His former partner-in-crime Jack eventually shows up after a long time in prison. Jack becomes a threat to Seth since he is very upset with Seth's leadership and decisions. Jack is involved with the pakistani drug-lord Vijay. Despite Seth killing Jack, Jack seemed to honor Seth and during his death Seth genuinely felt bad, wanting to call on an ambulance. Jack wanted to die at this point though, and refused to be healed.

In the last film, Johan Falk asks Seth to do him a favor: Johan Falk knows that a Russian assassin will interogate him with extremely cruel methods, and in case Johan looses patience completely and starts talking, he asks Seth to kill the russian ONLY if that happens and Seth agrees. During the moment Johan is interogated and tortured, he never starts talking. The Russian eventually gives up and decides to kill him, but Seth, hiding in the bathroom next to them, runs towards him and shoots him, saving Johan Falk.