Acquitted follows the story of Aksel Borgen, a Norwegian business man who has worked his way to the top during his 20 years in Asia having left his native town after being acquitted of the murder of his high school sweetheart. When his home town's cornerstone business is threatened by bankruptcy, Aksel returns to save the place that once turned its back on him. The past has not been forgotten. His arrival tears old wounds apart and new conflicts arise as the past meets the present. Acquitted shadows a battle of guilt, revenge and hope of reconciliation, the man who pleaded not guilty is still judged by society.

In Greenland, a climate meeting for the Arctic Council is in the process of agreeing on a new and historic climate agreement that prohibits all environmentally harmful oil drilling in the area when the political advisor to Sweden's Foreign Minister Elsa suddenly disappears during a visit to a research vessel.