Masumlar Apartmani, Episode 19

by
Han and Inci_19

Spoilers follow. 

 

Despite not being able to wear her ring for most of the days and weeks she was married, Inci struggled to remove it from her finger after she filed for divorce. Esra asked her multiple times whether she was sure about her decision, and though she explained that there was a conflict between her mind and her heart, she maintained that she was certain of the course that she had selected. Praising her decision, her grandfather proudly told her that she was not like her late mother, who refused to get a divorce from Haluk Bey. Though his words soothed her and possibly helped to mend their relationship, Inci couldn’t hold back her tears. 

She took such a bold step because she was furious with Han for not disclosing the full extent of his family’s situation to her before their marriage. Regardless of whether or not she would have agreed to marry him, she told Han that she should have known. It was not him that she was rejecting, but his home, and sharing it with his family. Despite her words, after he left her snowy hideout, she reflected upon their short acquaintance, recalling their first moments together at the hospital, and how she had loved his explanation that the three roses in his car that night were for his sisters; after their first parting the following morning, she had walked away from him and his polite handshake, praying that she would meet him again. 

And though her prayer was answered, for much of the episode it seemed as though their meeting and their subsequent interactions were all for naught. Han, who had been feeling over burdened and exhausted from taking care of his ill family, finally broke. Deeply hurt that Inci would seek a divorce without even talking to him first, he made the painful decision to let her go, even before he found out the location of her hideout and went to her with Esat’s encouragement. Defeated, he felt that he could not chase her anymore. Though he tried to ascertain what their vows meant to her, and how she could leave him so suddenly, he accepted that they could not find a way forward. 

He signed the divorce papers at their attorney’s office, and let her leave him. He acted with the same respect that he showed to her in their first conversation, when he quieted her discontent over running from Uygar, firmly telling her that if she didn’t want to marry him then she should not feel obligated to do or say anything more. Consent is so often discussed on a micro-level, that it is refreshing to see it translated on a macro-level: if Inci wanted to end the marriage, then it was right of Han to try to respect her wishes. 

But, when she and Esra reached their attorney’s office, and she discovered that Han had come in earlier and had already signed the papers, her feelings changed. Perhaps, she was acting out of spite, when she filed the papers to begin with. Or, more probably, she was finally asking him for an accounting of all of the things that she was not pressing him on earlier. She had told him in the terrace house that there were issues between them, but she would rather not focus on them as she was happy to let them just be and enjoy their time together. His unilateral decision to have her live with his family pushed her to examine their relationship, and all of the issues that she had been shoving aside, quickly came to the forefront. 

She ran to him, finding him alone on the balcony, saving him from turning to alcohol to soothe his sorrows. Grateful for her return, but perhaps not fully believing that she had come back to him, he entreats her to let this be the last time she returns to him, asking her never to leave him again. It was a magical moment when they reunited, and though their reconciliation was expected (due to the fragmans), it reminded me of their wedding from Episode 4. We knew the conclusion before we got there, but the journey towards that end was still worth watching. Their pain at being apart only strengthened the joy at their reunion. 

Although Safiye and Naci did not directly interact this episode, she gazed at him through the window, watching him with his daughter, and he sent her a gift, hoping that she would open it soon, as he may not have enough time left. He sent her a ring that he had purchased from the bookstore they used to visit as children. Eloquent as ever, his simple gift, without a note or a letter, expertly conveyed his feelings to her. Their story represents love at its best, with all of its healing powers. 

And, Safiye finally threw something away! Though it was the red chocolate that Naci had given her so long ago, for someone who cannot even permit soiled sheets to be thrown away, she took a huge step. She is changing. Although she still has extreme phobias, she is softening and this is transforming the entire tone of the show. What was once scary and borderline abusive, is now becoming comedic and a little silly: a subtle and elegant shift in the story that is lovely to see. 

 

This episode also contained some flashbacks about the young Hasibe, before she married Hikmet. It seems that her mother, meaning Safiye’s maternal grandmother, was also terribly cruel. This plot point is not something that I would like to have explored more. I don’t want to see Hasibe as a victim, after having seen her as an abuser for so many episodes. Although I appreciate that the premise of the series is that children are deeply affected by the homes they are raised in and their parents’ behavior towards them, there is also the matter of agency. Despite all of Hasibe’s evils, Safiye was more or less normal in her relationship with Naci, and in her hopes and dreams before her mother locked her in the house. Even now, she was humiliated to have caused a child, pain. Despite all of the abuse she suffered, her heart is still trying to do good. My concern with this series exploring Hasibe’s past is that it makes me assume that Hasibe’s grandmother (meaning Safiye’s great maternal grandmother) was also terrible, and so on, and so forth. Hasibe had a choice in how she treated her children, and she chose to be cruel, selfish, petty and vicious; instead of humanizing her, I would rather explore a happy future with the four Derenoglu siblings, and perhaps see how a child between Inci and Han would affect everyone. 

 

Determined to heal herself, Gulben vowed to Inci that she would manage their home in the future. She just needed time. Bravo to her! Fiercely protective, but so gentle and loving, Gulben reached out to Esat to have him take her to Inci. She gently asked Inci to return to Han, telling her that maybe if she came, and they saw her love for Han and his for her, they could heal too. 

And, as I mentioned last episode, there may be a future for Esat and Gulben after all. She is beautiful in her naivety and he is searching for someone, finding it difficult to create a relationship with Esra, who may never see him as more than a friend. I’m looking forward to see how this storyline unfolds. They were very cute this episode. 

 

She finally understood that what she felt for Emre was not love. It took Ege asking Gamze out for her to realize that he doesn’t love her, and she doesn’t love Emre because they love each other. I was enjoying the oblivious Neriman and the loving Ege, but now that the ‘cat is out of the bag’ as it were, I am looking forward to seeing how this friendship transforms into something more. 

 

Apologies to my regular readers for posting this review a little late this week. Looking forward to the next episode, and seeing Inci in Han's home! 

 

Last Updated: Feb 1, 2021 01:32 am (UTC) Filed Under:
Author
Maryam (@Maryam) is a Dizilah.com « guest » contributor.