Kan Cicekleri episode 171

 Episode #171 All About Gul

Quick synopsis: An altercation goes viral. Every word a metaphor. Firat makes a declaration.

So now what? Baran doesn't know a Gulsah. Again, ask me anything, paired with holding her chin* so he can look her directly in the eye. For realz, then. He's in earnest. He leaves her in the study where he found her snooping; the promise of trust was not in vain.

Oh man. Gul and Firat had to go to the police station because of him. Gul gives him what for and tells him he can take his protection and use it for himself against Derya. Then stomps off, in heels, over cobblestones, like a boss.

Baran relays to Kerem how Dilan was asking about Gulsah. 

"You mean Gulsah, Sabiha's daughter?"

Ok, hold up. 'You mean Gulsah' as in, when we investigated Sabiha and we found out about her? Or 'you mean Gulsah' as in, the one we both know from school and you just lied to Dilan?

It has to be the former, though, right? Gang?

To get the truth from Dilan, Baran vows to make her feel safe, take away her motive for being scared and secretive.

Gul and Dilan trade notes. They look up Gulsah on social media. They find her and a friend, Maya. They message Maya.

Sabiha commiserates with Hasan. It's "classic Baran", backing out of the deal like that. Hasan, you rat. Or rather, maybe it is classic Baran, in the same way that Elizabeth Bennett tells Wickham that, in essentials, Darcy is unchanged. Classic indeed.

Hasan will straighten this out, he tells her. But will the boys go along? Oh sure. He's the elder; of course they'll listen. The look on Sabiha's face says she's as skeptical as we are. Which is to say, nuh-uh.

Baran is texted a photo of their meeting. Hasan, you traitorous rat. Kerem purses his lips in disapproval. This seems like a great moment for a teeth-suck, but neither of them do it.**

Cihan receives a video of this guy beating a dude up. Oh! It's Firat and his "lover's quarrel ends at police station" moment. 

Enter Firat. Oof. He didn't know it was being filmed.

Enter Baran. No one told him. This is how he finds out.

Kudret grimaces. All his work with Firat and he goes and does this.

Enter Gul and Dilan. Shit hits the fan. Dilan steps in. Baran, can we talk? She continues to be his foil, talk him down, be the voice of a different perspective. Gul didn't want to bother you. You know what bothers him? Someone not being open and honest with him. (And I quote: There's a double meaning in that.)

This situation feels like a pile-on after what he's already going through. What hurts people are things they don't know, he says. And we've seen this, when Dilan has done something without realizing he's already on it or laid some groundwork that she undoes. Or when she sees something he's blinded to. 

And to boot, this is not just about the beating Firat gave Silah. He's upset about the whole love affair and engagement. Which he also didn't know about. He's left speechless. His mouth sorta moves and he's literally speechless.

Firat beat a guy as a show of force, when being out of control actually shows your weakness; now he led on Gul, who is like a sister; made a promise to her and broke it. His bravery points are nill. And he refuses to explain.

Enter Azade. Why is Gul crying? What's going on?

Kudret and Cihan look at each other like, who's gonna tell her?

Baran has learned lessons from his father, and by being head of the family, that Firat hasn't yet. He's careful about how he uses the power he has. His point is that 1 moment of anger can destroy all that work. (I'm torn. This is all true, and yet his schtick is being a somewhat volatile crabcake.) And when some detail comes out later, rather than being out in the open from the beginning--and it always will-- it's more harmful than what you think you are doing, keeping it from him to protect him.

And now we see it's not just about the love affair and engagement. It's also about them, her secret, him trying to get her to understand why he wants to know so badly what she won't tell him.

Dilan consoles Gul. She feels like crap. She disappointed someone she esteems (Baran); Firat behaved like a thug over his feelings for her, a woman he dumped (in a rather cruel display, if you'll remember), all while engaged to another woman. Dilan is so lucky, she says, your guy never gave up on you (weeeeeellll) and that's what true love must be like. 

There are several people wishing Firat were more like Baran in this moment. I get it, Firat, it's a tall shadow to live under. Especially when you make a dumb mistake and disappoint everybody, including yourself. 

There's a lot of parallels happening here: between the guys, the women, the love stories, dedication to family being the same as to a lover, the things the main lovers have been fighting against...It's an every-moment-is-poignant conversation. Every word is a metaphor. Plus the flashbacks. 

Baran: You don't abandon someone you love. (Gul, Dilan) Does she still love him? (same)

Dilan: When you truly love, it ever goes away. (Firat, Baran)

(They both remember the hateful things she said in the cabin after he rescued her from Sabiha.***)

Dilan: Love makes you do crazy stuff. (Firat, herself) If you can't risk it all for the one you love, what does it even mean? (same)

Convincing Baran of Firat's feelings is having a similar effect on him. He's realizing that even when she appeared angry and hateful, she hadn't given up on their marriage.

In contrast, Hasan's anger at Firat stems from him humiliating himself for a girl. Just the opposite of Baran's ire. Luckily Kudret steps in, pulling Firat away and leaving Hasan behind. He basically gives Firat the same spiel Gul did: If you love her, own up to it. (Open the door and walk through or close it.) And also, what is Derya promising you? Will this make you more ashamed? Firat told his father he didn't care what people thought of him, he just didn't want Gul to suffer his consequences. It's exactly what Kudret is talking about. It's obvious (to us anyway) which woman he'd stand up for and which will make him feel worse about himself.

Azade-doom is in full cane-stomping glory, raking Gul over the coals. Dilan steps in. This only exacerbates her temper. 

Enter Firat. Who went viral no less. The doom level ratchets even higher. Do you even love this girl or did you do it all in vain?

I do! I love Gul!!

(Big finish!) Because what can top that declaration? The look on Azade's face, that's what.

Gul can't believe it. If he loves her, then why...all the things?

Derya (on the phone from Paris) is of course worried only about how this will make her look. Firat makes hhhrrrr noises and fakes a bad connection. (Ha!) Firat, you lovely toad!

A message from Maya comes through. She's willing to meet. Will Dilan go? She can't tell Baran. (She could.) She is sneaking out when Baran comes up behind her in the doorway.

Culturalisms:

*I am not a fan of this new chin holding habit. I realize it's meant as a sign of sincerity, to look in someone's eyes, but the controlling part of the gesture grates.

Yelling at the tv:

**Why doesn't Kerem get a teeth-suck? Does the right hand man never get frustrated? Is it only a head boss thing?

***I miss FuzzyBaran.

OK, new theory: Gulsah was in love with Baran, but like Serap, didn't tell him and all Sabiha knows is her daughter loved the man and now she's dead. Maybe her accident didn't even have anything to do with him but Sabiha made an assumption. How wild would it be if this detail neither of them knew ends up hurting them both? Or instead of Baran taking her daughter from her, he's actually the instrument of bringing her other daughter back to her? And that daughter helps her understand the truth and gives her real peace? It's totally on brand for Dilan.
1 Hagia Sofia chanted.

Teaser 172:

They are at an outdoor cafe, all smiles, offering morsels, fingers caressing.