1815. War-torn France has been defeated at the battle of Waterloo. Convict Jean Valjean is nearing the end of his sentence in Toulon after serving 19 years for a petty crime and is released by the ambitious prison guard Javert. Convinced he will reoffend, Javert forms a deep personal hatred of Valjean.

Fantine leaves Paris to find work and must make a heartbreaking decision. Jean Valjean has forged a new identity, and Javert is determined to catch him out.

Manipulated by Javert, Jean Valjean is ready to turn himself in, but he makes a promise to Fantine that changes everything.

Cosette has grown into a teenager, and to Valjean's dismay, questions her closeted life and is desperate for a new start in Paris. The opportunity presents itself when she meets Pontmercy's son Marius, who has turned his back on his family after learning the truth about his father, and now lives in a squalid tenement, where he catches the eye of the daughter of a criminal family. Javert ascends through the ranks of the police, and believes he is closing in on his goal.

Paris is on the brink of revolt and unrest spreads through the streets amongst the students and the workers.
At General Lamarque's funeral, Marius's comrade Enjolras takes advantage of the chaos and leads a group to build a barricade in a Paris street.
An increasingly paranoid Valjean takes Cosette to a safer location as Javert redoubles his efforts to find him.
Although desperate for her love for him to be reciprocated, Eponine agrees to help Marius to try to find his true love. Without Cosette Marius feels he has nothing to live for and joins his friends at the barricade.

The army prepares for the next assault on the barricades and the fighting becomes more bloody and desperate.
When Jean Valjean finds Marius, he feels conflicted about the young man who wants to take Cosette from him.
Javert is baffled and infuriated by Valjean's behaviour towards him. As Valjean's selfless actions shatter Javert's worldview, he is sent into a turmoil from which he will never recover.
Valjean makes the ultimate heartbreaking decision thinking he is doing the best for his daughter Cosette, but underestimates the depth of her love for him.