My views Plot In 1973, " Control ", head of British intelligence ("The Circus"), sends field agent Jim Prideaux to Budapest to meet a Hungarian general and potential defector. In exchange for protection and extraction, the general has offered to identify a mole installed by Soviet spymaster Karla amongst The Circus' senior leadership. When Prideaux realises the meeting is actually a trap, he attempts to flee and is shot in the back. Control and his deputy, George Smiley , are forced into early retirement and Control dies shortly after. The Minister replaces Control and Smiley with four senior officers from Operation Witchcraft, an operation handling a high level source named Merlin within the Soviet political system. Sir Percy Alleline becomes the new Chief, Bill Haydon his deputy, and Roy Bland and Toby Esterhase his lieutenants. Alleline and Bland meet with Permanent Unde...