Dara
Episode 5 of Atiye Season 3 begins with Erhan and Umut driving to Mardin, desperate for answers. En-route, Umut has a theory. She believes gobeklitepe is the gateway to perception – which matches Erhan’s theory that it’s the clue to all this as well. For now though, they’re intending to visit a place called Deyrulzafaran. This place used to be a fortress but now it’s a monastery. Etched in the stone are various different animals, which the pair deduce are those that were boarded on Noah’s Ark. Faint sounds of singing bring the pair to Umut’s Aunt. She seems to have the gift of sight, and the symbol of an eye on her forehead reinforces this. A great tragedy had taken place here in the past, dating all the way back to the age of Mesopotamia. Of course, this in turn is linked with Gobeklitepe too. Back during these ancient times, a group massacred the residents, taking the protector’s secrets and stealing their language. Umut seems to know this language instinctively though, and has done since birth. She can’t explain it… but her aunt can. It turns out Umut is a protector and her parents were killed because of this. She lied abut what happened for her own protection. Umut was the sole survivor of that massacre, which explains the bad dreams she’s been having all this time. Symbolically, she’s handed a necklace which happens to be a key to unlock the answers she seeks. Erhan offers encouraging words, which Umut interprets as she leans over tries to kiss him. Awkward! Anyway, their search continues as they find something hidden behind a red curtain. On the wall the tiling is loose with something hidden behind it, intentionally obscured. Elsewhere, Atiye arrives to see Ozan at his beach hut, asking him what he knows about her daughter. Specifically, the vision of her with the dagger and how this coincides with the prophecy. Ozan tells her the child has untapped powers and thinks Atiye is the key to helping her understand that. Ozan overhears this too and she smashes the rock in her hand and takes off. Watching from afar, Atiye sees her daughter etch out the usual sign on the ground again. When Ozan returns, he finds himself face to face with Cansu after the betrayal. She’s decided to leave and is tired of sticking around for him; she’s going to live her own life now. Inside the house, Atiye and Serap both hold Aden’s hands while sitting on the painting of the symbol. And just like that they’re transported through time to see Serap’s Mother, Zuhre. She kneels down and claims Aden is going to change the world. However, she also reveals some damning truths too. It turns out Atiye was the one who committed the original sin. She was the one who broke the bonds but now the healing has begun and that explains the tree and pinecones. The roots will allegedly open her up, which in turn is linked to the ripening seed part of the prophecy. However, Zuhre’s words about finding said roots and hills may actually be more physical than metaphorical. Could it be referencing Gobeklitepe? Well, this seems to be the line of thinking for Atiye, who heads there while Erhan and Umut discover a drawing of a tree with multiple animals on. There’s also iconography of the sun, birth, underworld, death and 7 doorways. All of this, Erhan deduces points away from gobeklitepe and actually to a place called Dara! Ehran hurries to phone Atiye, letting her know, as she contemplates what Ozan’s motives are now that she knows the truth. Well, Atiye tricks Ozan and takes his car from him, driving off and deciding to meet Erhan in Dara. Erhan and Umut get there first though and begin searching for the tree. When Atiye arrives with Aden, they head underground. They’re led by a strange woman with a staff, who shows them a tomb full of skeletal remains.
The Episode Review
With the mystery now starting to make a little more sense, the search for the tree brings our two main groups up to Dara. This joint investigative work and piecing the clues together is where Atiye is at its strongest, and echoes of season 1 can be felt here too. The reveal that all of this is taking place in Dara and not Gobeklitepe is a good one, and Atiye does an excellent job working that into the story in a surprising way that subverts expectations. If there’s one thing this season has had in abundance it’s cliffhanger endings and this one is no exception either. The massacre Umut’s Aunt spoke of back in Mesopotamian times could well be the clue here, with this ancient city presumably built atop these remains. However, Aden is still the key to all this and the unknown organization is still just that – unknown. It’s unclear what their role in all this is or how they managed to bring Mekel back. However, given we know parallel worlds are a real thing here, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to think she could be a version from another world. Either way though, Aitye has been an enjoyable watch and the mystery is enticing enough to watch through to find out what happens next.
