Valley of the Wolves (Turkish: Kurtlar Vadisi) is a Turkish media franchise created by Osman Sınav. The franchise includes television series, movies, and books. It became popular in Turkey with high ratings for the television series and box office success for the first film.
Production history
Valley of the Wolves (Turkish: Kurtlar Vadisi) is the original television series created by Osman Sınav, which followed a Turkish intelligence agent working under the assumed identity of Polat Alemdar (played by actor Necati Şaşmaz) attempting to infiltrate the Turkish mafia. It ran for 97 episodes from 2003 to 2005.
Valley of the Wolves: Iraq (Turkish: Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak) is a controversial 2006 spin-off film directed by Serdar Akar, which follows Polat Alemdar (Necati Şaşmaz) and his team as they go to northern Iraq during the Occupation of Iraq to avenge the death of Turkish soldiers. Its alleged anti-Americanism and antisemitism generated interest among American and European media and other organizations, such as the Anti-Defamation League. It went on general release across Turkey on February 3, 2006 (2006-02-03) and was one of the highest grossing Turkish films of 2006.[1]
Valley of the Wolves: Terror
Valley of the Wolves: Terror (Turkish: Kurtlar Vadisi: Terör) is a short-lived spin-off television series, which followed Polat Alemdar in his attempts to infiltrate Kurdish separatist militant networks in Turkey. The first episode of the program aired on the night of February 8, 2007 and earned considerable ratings, but the political reflection of the painful issues in Turkey and the violence shown in the first episode triggered a harsh response from RTÜK (Radio and Television Supreme Council). As a result, the series was cancelled after its first episode and initiated a controversy about censorship in Turkey.
Valley of the Wolves: Ambush
Valley of the Wolves: Ambush (Turkish: Kurtlar Vadisi: Pusu) is a sequel television series launched by Pana Film some time after the cancellation of the previous series and aired on Show TV, Star TV, ATV, and Kanal D from April 20, 2007 to June 16, 2016. It did not attract criticism from RTÜK and attracted high ratings.
The series deals with the relations between the state, the mafia, business circles, and the deep state phenomenon in Turkey. In the course of the plot, Polat Alemdar decides to wage a vigilante struggle against four powerful Turkish families that control the national economy, helping Ahu Toros, a young businesswoman who lost her father in a conspiracy by the said families. Polat Alemdar has a rival nicknamed "Alexander the Great" (İskender Büyük), who trails him at all times. Polat marries Ebru Duru and lives happily, but things take a turn for the worse in the ensuing episodes. The two other protagonists are Memati and Abdülhey, the former a former specialized mafia (working for Süleyman Çakır at the time) now shown as converted into a good person with a brave heart and a patriot like Polat, who always follows Polat's orders. Like Polat, Abdülhey is an agent working for Turkish intelligence and serving his country patriotically.
The main antagonist arrives after the third season in the shape of Aron Feller, an ex-CIA agent working (or attempting to exert influence) in Turkey. İskender Büyük is presented as an anti-hero who also loves his country but has different views from Polat, rather than being a pure antagonist. After a long fight against İskender Büyük, Polat finally manages to kill him, but loses his wife Ebru while his little daughter is taken by Aron Feller to be raised as a Christian in the USA.
After İskender's death, Polat and his team face a new slate of enemies. They try to fight against Kurdish terrorists associated with the Kurdistan Worker's Party, most notable of whom are Lale Zara and Şahmeran, while at the same time another new character named Ersoy Ulubey appears. Ersoy wants to take the deep state of Turkey "by force" through the use of terrorism and his many relations with big family leaders, such as Haşim Ağa, İzzet Ağa, and Yaşar Ağa. He creates a secret fraternity to take over Turkey, making it necessary for Polat and his team to take him down. At the same time, Polat keeps his relations with the "İhtiyarlar" (the Elders), who give him new missions and name his as Turkey's "protector".
After many episodes Polat finally kills Ersoy and the main antagonist Aron Feller, almost destroying "Gladio" in the process. In the episodes that follow, Süleyman Çakır's family returns after six years of absence, and a new character, "Kara", is introduced. In his time, ara had had the same role as Polat Alemdar now, also working for the Elders. As the series continues, many new characters make appearance, including Beyefendi, Mete Ağır, Memduh Baba, Şeref Zazaoğlu, and Mete Aymar. In episode 161, both Memati and the "White Hair" of the Elders are killed by a mysterious group.
Polat and his friends are in shock after Memati's death; they are lost and unable to take revenge. The Elders choose Adil Eşrefoğlu as their new White Hair. Adil Bey is the brother of Doğu Eşrefoğlu; Adil, Doğu and Aslan Akbey were the ones who created the secret mission: Kurtlar Vadisi. A new youth team, called the "Regional KGT" come to Turkey to help Polat to finish his mission "Kurtlar Vadisi." After this Polat is forced to kidnap Adil Bey. With the help of a special device, Adil Bey tells Polat everything about his past, including that he used to be like Polat in his youth. He says that he formed the KGT with his brother Doğu Bey and that he was the one who trained Aslan Akbey. Later, Sencer, one of the Elders, is revealed as the mastermind behind the murders of Memati Baş and the former White Hair of the Elders. Sencer and Adil Eşrefoğlu are later executed by the order of the Elders. After that, all of the Elders are executed, as they have been revealed by the Templars. The youth team's leader, Akif, tells Polat that he should be killed because of his knowledge of secrets that are a threat to the state.
However, Akif and (then foreign minister) "Hoca" plot to make Polat appear dead to everyone else, and the new members of the Elders. Polat is chosen as the White Hair. Sadly, he can't see his family because he is now assumed dead. Some time after, Cahit decides to "betray" Polat and join the secret organization Templars. He meets Safiye Karahanlı and tries to win her confidence. Abdülhey is found by Hoca in the "house of peace" grieving the death of Polat. Cahit meets Margaret Theodora and joins the mysterious group. Later on he will be introduced to Maestro Ronald and inspector Kane. Two members of the Elders are murdered by the Templars, and eventually Cahit finds that there is someone beyond Maestro Ronald, therefore "Its Majesty" who is the leader of that group. Kara's grandchild has been murdered by Poyraz where Kara seeks for revenge. Polat helps Kara and they finally kill Poyraz. Cahit – the personal guard of Polat when he was the White Hair – is summoned by Timur to a meeting where Polat wants to surprise him with his presence, but instead Polat shoots Cahit by mistake. The Templars find out that Abdülhey was the vice-president of the Elders, but still don't know the truth about Polat.
After the death of inspector Kane, UN member Mr. Key decides to take revenge for the death of his friend by murdering Margaret and many other people. Polat forms a new military team called "Siyah Sancak" ('black flag') with the intention of providing help to brotherly foreign countries. Kara becomes the commander of this new team. A meeting is planned in Cyprus, where "Its Majesty" would be present. Cahit demolishes the whole place and happily leaves with Kara. Suddenly, in episode 229, Abdülhey is killed by a bomb planted in the KGT office. In episode 232, Kara is injected with the Ebola virus. Refusing to die by a virus injected by his enemies he orders "Siyah Sancak" to be killed as a commander.
Mr. Key is finally murdered by Akif. The new Turkish baron, Fehmi Kuzuzade, tries on many occasions to form a council to rule over Turkey, but is later assassinated by Polat himself. New enemies appear, including John Smith, Tilki Andrei from the past series, Sagir, and Sadık Britani. It is revealed that a friend of Safiye, Professor Martin, was another Maestro besides Ronald, and that he plans to destroy Polat Alemdar's family and kidnap Elif. In episode 233, Ömer dies of a heart attack in the middle of the prayer in the mosque. In episode 244, Nazife iss poisoned by professor Martin. Polat is kidnapped by the Templars and is given a chance to talk with "Its Majesty" who offers him the role of ruler of Turkey under the aegis of the organisation. Polat manages to escape and together with Cahit he kills "Its Majesty" and arrests his mysterious staff. Polat marries Leyla in episode 262. However, Leyla is killed in an explosion during her honeymoon with Polat in episode 263.
Muro: Damn the Humanist Inside (Turkish: Muro: Lanet Olsun İçimdeki İnsan Sevgisine) is a 2008 spin-off film, directed by Zübeyr Şaşmaz, starring Mustafa Üstündağ and Şefik Onatoğlu as two revolutionaries recently released from prison, who stumble across an illegal organization run by a former friend. The film, which went on general release across Turkey on December 5, 2008 (2008-12-05), is the third highest-grossing Turkish film of 2008.[2]
Valley of the Wolves: Gladio (Turkish: Kurtlar Vadisi: Gladio) is a 2009 spin-off film directed by Sadullah Şentürk, which follows retired security intelligence agent Iskender Buyuk (Musa Uzunlar) as he decides to strike back against his one-time employers by revealing all he knows about Gladio. "It addresses Turkey’s years-long adventure with the deep state and illegal formations nested within the state" and "aims to provide an opportunity for movie fans to closely look at the 'deep gangs' that attempted to stir and divide Turkey with subversive plots," according to Betül Akkaya Demirbaş in Today's Zaman. It went on general release across Turkey on November 20, 2009 (2009-11-20) and was the fifth highest grossing Turkish film of 2009.[3][4][5][6]
Valley of the Wolves: Palestine (Turkish: Kurtlar Vadisi: Filistin) is a 2011 spin-off film directed by Zübeyr Şaşmaz, which follows Polat Alemdar (Necati Şaşmaz) and his team as they go to Israel to track and bring down the Israeli military commander who planned and put into force an attack on a Gaza aid flotilla.[7][8][9]
Cultural impact
"Kurtlar Vadisi became an instant hit with its references to Turkish politics, its unabashed abuse of social sensitivities on patriotism, and with unprecedented scenes of violence that included assassination and torture on television", Hürriyet Daily News reviewer Emrah Güler wrote. "Not unlike John Woo’s Face/Off, an undercover Turkish agent goes through a set of plastic surgeries to infiltrate the mafia, along with a gunman who walks surefooted in this muddy underworld", Güler continued, "the two go through ordeals of every kind for Polat to become the next baron so that he can break them apart." "The hype eventually got so big that the final episodes featured Andy Garcia as the big American mafia boss and Sharon Stone as his wife, eventually lending a kiss to our hero."[6]
Lead character Polat Alemdar (Necati Şaşmaz) was "established in the image of a mafia-macho Turkish guy", according to Güler, and "admired by unemployed and frustrated young men all over Turkey". Güler describes him as “the Turkish equivalent of 24’s Jack Bauer, entangled in the deep state, disguised as a mafia boss”. "Short and ordinary looking," according to Güler, "Polat has a self-defined sense of justice that includes hanging traitors in the city center of Istanbul." "The series reached such a cult status that many young men officially changed their names to Polat Alemdar", Güler concludes.[6]
The show has been dubbed into SyrianArabic dialect and proved one of the most popular Turkish drama to be dubbed into Arabic.
Controversies
An episode of Valley of the Wolves: Ambush that depicted Israeli Mossad agents spying inside Turkey and kidnapping Turkish babies was roundly criticized by the Israeli government and media.[10] The Turkish government's refusal to act on Israeli requests to more strictly censor the show had contributed to a deepening of a row between the two countries, culminating in Turkey's threat to recall ambassador to Israel Ahmet Oguz Celikkol after a controversial diplomatic meeting with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon in January 2010.[11]
