'The Protector' unwittingly mirrors real-world coronavirus outbreak and the reel remedy is a lot easier
This article contains spoilers for Season 3 of 'The Protector' on Netflix
In Netflix's first Turkish original 'The Protector', Season 2 ends with Hakan's elder brother Levent dumping vials of a man-made virus into a water body.
He does so on the behest of one of the Immortals, Ruya, who he is in love with. Ruya's plan is simple: Rid Istanbul of its human inhabitants so that the Immortals can have the city for themselves.
When Season 3 starts, Istanbul is besieged by a full-blown viral outbreak. People are coughing badly while many are clamoring for clean water (the virus spreads through water), and parts of the city are blocked off as quarantine zones.
It's a bit of an odd timing, considering that Season 3 of 'The Protector' came out smack-dab in the middle of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. It most definitely is a coincidence as longtime viewers of the show would know.
Certainly, the writers on 'The Protector' never would have envisioned that the world would be grappling with a new virus strain whose origin still remains shrouded in mystery.
As the real world struggles to contain the virus and find a vaccination for the COVID-19 strain, it is much more clean-cut on the show. All they need is Levent's blood to create the vaccine since he helped create the virus itself.
More than that, on 'The Protector', the line between good and evil is clear. We know who to blame for the viral outbreak and where to look for the vaccine — not so clear in our own world, however.
As Istanbul tries to deal with the viral outbreak, entrepreneurs rise up, or shall we say, con artists — those who hoard water and food and sell them at exorbitant rates to those who need it, again not quite unlike the real world where masks and disinfectants are being hoarded as well.
Eventually, a sort of justice is dealt when Ruya is turned mortal by Faysal — her eternal lover — himself. After Faysal is arrested on suspicion of being responsible for the viral outbreak, Ruya lives in fear knowing that her end is nigh.
As of now, the number of cases of COVID-19 people across the world is only increasing as more people are getting access to tests. Will the path to the cure be as clear as on 'The Protector'? Only time will tell.
All episodes of Season 3 of 'The Protector' are now streaming on Netflix.