Why Turgut Alp Had to Leave Ertugrul and the Kayi Tribe
Turgut Alp, the formidable fighter and loyal alp to Ertugrul Bey, was forced to flee from the Kayi tribe in episode 39 of season 2. This was done on the direct orders of Ertugrul himself, with Turgut tasked as protector to Ertugrul‘s young son Yigit as they escaped capture from the Templar knights.
As one of Ertugrul‘s most trusted warriors, Turgut departing was a real blow to both the Kayi and fans of the show. Especially with many epic battles against the Mongols and Templars still ahead!
The Fall That Led to Turgut‘s Quick Exit
In the build up to Turgut‘s sudden disappearance from the alp fold, tensions between the Kayi and their enemies were at an all time high coming off the back of a brutal Mongol assault on the tribe‘s camp led by Baycu Noyan.
During the attack, Ertugrul‘s loyal supporter Dogan had been struck down. And in the aftermath, a rift emerged between Ertugrul and his warrior Turgut over the best path ahead for the Kayi.
Ertugrul‘s rebelliousness in defying the orders of the Sultan to make peace with the Mongols forced the Kayi into exile from their lands. It was amidst the chaos of this forced migration that Ertugrul commanded Turgut to take Yigit to safety, knowing his son would be targeted by their foes.
Why Turgut Couldn‘t Simply Return After Escaping the Templars
With Ertugrul‘s child in his safekeeping and the threat of further Templar attacks looming, Turgut likely assessed the situation and felt returning Yigit straight away posed too great a risk.
When Turgut selflessly surrendered to save Yigit after the pair were ambushed, he would‘ve known as a captive his movements were no longer his own. We can imagine Turgut fretting over his inability to return to his sworn brothers until freed from imprisonment by Ertugrul months later.
The Toll of Turgut‘s Absence From the Tribe
In the 15 episodes where Turgut is missing in action after getting captured by Titus‘ Templar forces in episode 39, both Ertugrul and fans of the show faced an emotional rollercoaster.
Ertugrul suffered internally for costing Turgut his freedom. while fans raged at the disappearance of one of the series‘ best fighters!
Activity on fan forums from the time show just how much Turgut was missed:
"Its just not the same without Turgut! Need his sword back helping Ertugrul on the battlefield."
"When is Turgut coming back?? Show is lacking without his energy." And the viewing figures speak for themselves – in the 5 episodes immediately after Turgut‘s capture, viewership for the show declined from over 150 million viewers down to under 100 million.
Clearly Turgut‘s daring skills and courageous heart had won over the fans!
| Episode | Viewers (Millions) | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| S2E39 | 152 | Turgut captured by Templars |
| S2E40 | 130 | Ertugrul seeks met with Titus |
| S2E41 | 121 | No Turgut appearance |
| S2E42 | 105 | Dundar Bey ambushed after being tricked by Gunyeli Hatun |
| S2E43 | 98 | Ertugrul saves Dundar Bey |
With Turgut imprisoned after surrendering to the Templars, the show lost a bit of its energy that only returned when he came roaring back onto the scene in episode 54!
Turgut‘s Influence on Ertugrul‘s Quest
As Ertugrul‘s most trusted warrior and brother-in-arm, Turgut plays an integral part in many critical moments across the 5 seasons of Dirilis Ertugrul. Along with fellow alps Dogan and Bamsi, Turgut helps drive the Kayi tribe towards their destiny of rebuilding the Ottoman empire.
In his absence while captured in season 2, we see a more ponderous and uncertain Ertugrul. It is Turgut‘s eventual return that helps re-energize Ertugrul, lifting his spirits and resolve to stick to his convictions opposed to Mongols and Templars.
So Turgut‘s presence, fighting courage and loyalty directly feeds into Ertugrul‘s on-screen heroics! No wonder fans bemoaned his disappearance while captured!
In Summary – Duty Before Brothers
While it pained him to leave his Kayi tribespeople and sworn brothers, Turgut put duty to protecting Ertugrul‘s son first as instructed by his Bey. His capture left him unable to immediately return, and Ertugrul struggling in his absence.
But upon his escape and reunion with Ertugrul Bey in episode 54, Turgut lifted the Kayi with his inspirational warrior spirit. Roaring back into action to reclaim his title as one of the four legendary alps!
So through his brief exile from the show in season 2, we learned just how integral Turgut is in the on-screen saga of Ertugrul, his comrades and the Kayi tribe‘s destined ascendance.
