Intro. When Hatice Sultan insists on reminding him that she is a sultana and that he must serve her, Ibrahim maintains his calm demeanor but inside he stirs. Each word removes its humble origin, that shadow of a slave that never completely disappears. His pride suffers; He does not reject hierarchy, but he can no longer bear to feel inferior within his own marriage. As he observes the powerful and indisputable Sultan, his admiration begins to mix with a silent ambition as he compares himself and asks why he should bow when his mind holds crucial decisions of the empire. Doubt erodes his gratitude and fuels his desire to be more than the sultan's shadow. Hurt and insecure, he begins to search for something other than power: devotion. He wants a look that admires him without reminding him of his past, someone who elevates him without conditions. When you feel minimized you can become cold and cutting. Ibrahim not only wants to govern, he wants to be recognized, indispensable, superior.