The primary antagonist in the Apple TV+ series Hijack is Edgar Janssen (played by Simon McBurney), alongside his partner John Bailey-Brown. Together, they lead the Cheapside Firm, a powerful and ruthless international crime syndicate based in London. While the hijackers on the plane, led by Stuart Atterton, are the immediate threat, they are merely pawns being coerced by Janssen to facilitate his release from prison. Edgar is a cold, manipulative mastermind who orchestrates the hijacking of Flight KA29 as a sophisticated "pump and dump" scheme; his ultimate goal is to crash the plane to profit from the massive collapse of the airline's stock price. His ruthlessness is showcased by his willingness to order the deaths of the hijackers' own family members to ensure total compliance. Unlike the foot soldiers on the plane who have moments of doubt, Janssen remains an uncompromising villain who views the hundreds of lives on board as nothing more than leverage for his financial and personal gain.