*****SPOILERS*****
The
finale of the second series was a good way to end the programme forever.
Nonetheless I’m glad to see more of Hakan and Zeynep saving Istanbul from the
Immortals.
Just like the first episode of
series one, the first episode of series three was slow and boring, the story
dragging its feet. You’d think a virus destroying the city would be used
interestingly but never mind. Thankfully I knew the show could deliver and the
first six minutes of episode two were thoroughly gripping.
Hakan’s brother Levent makes a
return. You know it’s not going to end well because Lakan gives Hakan a car to
remember him by and Hakan rejects it. Hakan is forced to kill Levent because
he’s under the control of the Vizier. Yes, this was heart-breaking, but on a
practical note he can’t betray anyone anymore if he’s dead.
So
many questions were answered! There are more questions off the back of this
(naturally) but the gritty curiosities are satisfied.
We meet Vizier, the seventh Immortal.
(I hadn’t miscounted/gone mad in series two after all.) She’s the one that shot
Levent on the bridge in the finale of series two. It’s a relief to know Hakan
didn’t do that.
Someone shanks Faysal and, when
shocked Faysal isn’t hurt, asks if Faysal’s a demon and Faysal answers, “I am
no demon.” So from that we can gather that the Immortals aren’t from Hell.
Obviously this leaves the question of where are they from because we know they
have to complete their mission to get home.
The Vizier fixes the Key to open the
portal home. Also put her blood in the virus cure that went into the water,
meaning she controls many Istanbulites to cause the city’s destruction. She
mocks Faysal for completing in a few days by herself what the other Immortals
failed to do for centuries together. I’d always been under the impression that their
mission was a specific task within the destruction of the city but I doubt
that’s the case. Finding out the reason behind the mission would clarify things.
We
meet Burak. He’s hands-down my favourite character.
He acts all tough but he’s not
afraid to be cute or sweet, particularly whilst he’s being funny. Which is
often. Many shows need comic-relief to bring humour, but as The Protector was
already comical it made me more appreciative of the funny character as a
character and not as a plot point.
Zeynep was at first really mean to
Burak, reminiscent of her initial treatment of Hakan. (Perfectly foreshadowing
the pair shagging.) When Burak lies in hospital dying, Zeynep realises she
loves him (yuck) and draws on his arm the key tattoo of the Loyal Ones, the one
he’s been pestering for.
We
find out that the Loyal Ones are descended from the first Protector’s four most
trusted friends.
From the previous series, we also know
the Protectors and Loyal Ones only marry from within the Loyal Ones. Even when
the odd exception is accounted for, that’s still a very small genetic pool to
last over five hundred years. You’d expect them to look alike. The amount of
Loyal Ones we see, it would be impractical to limit auditions to physical
resemblance, but make-up can do wonders.
Hakan lists all the kinds of people
he wants on his team. Zeynep just happens to know Loyal Ones who match. Even
though in the past she said the Loyal Ones don’t know anyone beyond a handful.
Yes she’s the Master now but even the previous Master didn’t really know that
many Loyal Ones. With all the records and documents they keep, surely they’d
think to keep four family trees?
Out
of all the series, this one had the most inconsistencies. This was such a
shame: considering the plot and the world-building were so interesting, the
inconsistencies threatened the show’s integrity. I’ve come up with possible
explanations but I admit that’s more me wanting them to exist than them
actually existing.
Ruya employs bodyguards and tells
them, ‘”You do not leave my side, do you understand? Good. Now go.”’ At first
you think it’s not a translation issue because the guard does leave the room.
But perhaps in the original Ruya says something more like ‘Never let me out of
your sight’? I don’t speak Turkish so I have to way to check this.
Zeynep goes somewhere and a guy
tells her she shouldn’t be there because it’s ‘not a place for girls.’ Yet in
the background is an actual girl. Though perhaps this is a character
inconsistency (a believable one) rather than one of the writers.
To see Zeynep up and moving in series
three really through me off. I could have sworn she was killed, that we saw her
dead, in series two’s finale. I’ve re-watched the scene and I still only see
death.
A Loyal One wonders why they bother
with guns when the Immortals can’t be harmed. Sami jokes about bringing them
flowers instead. It’s great that the show mocks itself but really,
guns/ammunition are loud and expensive. Guns risk unwelcome questions from the
police and are a drain on resources: that’s a lot of risk for something with no
benefit. (Apart from the odd crony here and there.)
Finally, there are the old, reliable
and funny contradictions between the subs and voice-overs. Faysel says he’ll be
a great dad but his subs claim he’d only be okay. When Burak says he’ll burn
Zeynep, her voice would like to see him try (i.e. do it) yet her subs say ‘Take
it easy’ (i.e. don’t do it).
So yes,
this series has the most problems but I do believe the plot and world-building
compensated for this. Also, and probably most importantly, it was the perfect
lead up to series four, thus rounding up the Protector in a worthy ending.
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