Which figure should replace the question mark (?) if the following series is to be continued?

To find the next figure in the series, let us analyze the positions of the letters in each box and how they transition from one step to the next.

Let the positions in each square be defined as:
• TL: Top-Left
• TM: Top-Middle
• TR: Top-Right
• C: Center
• BL: Bottom-Left
• BR: Bottom-Right

Step 1 to Step 2:
• The letters in the top-left and top-right positions swap (TL $\rightleftharpoons$ TR).
• The remaining four positions shift in a cycle: TM $\to$ BR $\to$ BL $\to$ C $\to$ TM.

Step 2 to Step 3:
• The letters in the top-left and top-middle positions swap (TL $\rightleftharpoons$ TM).
��� The remaining four positions shift in a cycle: TR $\to$ BR $\to$ BL $\to$ C $\to$ TR (with the letter moving to BR replaced by a new letter, D).

Step 3 to Step 4:
• The letters in the top-left and top-right positions swap (TL $\rightleftharpoons$ TR).
• The remaining four positions shift in a cycle: TM $\to$ BR $��$ BL $\to$ C $\to$ TM (with the letter moving to BL replaced by a new/returning letter, S).

Step 4 to Step 5: Following the alternating pattern:
• The top-left and top-middle positions must swap (TL $\rightleftharpoons$ TM). In Box 4, we have TL = N and TM = C, so in Box 5, we get:
TL = C
TM = N
• The remaining four positions shift in the cycle TR $\to$ BR $\to$ BL $\to$ C $\to$ TR. In Box 4, we have TR = V, BR = F, BL = S, and C = P. Shifting these gives:
• TR (V) goes to BR $\to$ BR = V
• BR (F) goes to BL $\to$ BL = F
• BL (S) goes to C $\to$ C = S
• C (P) goes to TR $\to$ TR = P

Combining these positions, the next figure in the series must have the layout:
C N P
   S
F V

This matches Option 2 (represented by image_2.webp).