Okay I know ur writing a whole analysis of Nigar already but i wanted to ask you to try to write like a shorter analysis here of Hürrem and Nigar's entire show relationship
Okay, this will be about Nigar’s feelings regarding Hürrem rather than the vice versa because Nigar is my specialty:
At the very beginning, like in their first encounter, Nigar is intrigued by Hürrem’s defiance and the pain on her face. Then when the newly-arrived concubines are taken to the baths, she is even more intrigued by Hürrem refusing to be examined (sexually assaulted) and asks a girl nearby who she is. I think this reveals that despite her rule-abiding facade, Nigar fundamentally values rebellion and self-respect. Then she learns that Hürrem is Ruthenian (like Nigar’s own grandmother) and that seals the deal: She will help Hürrem.
She immediately starts by manipulating the situation so Hürrem won’t be severely punished. Then she delivers that “motivational speech” to Hürrem that shifts Hürrem’s vision and will motivate Hürrem for decades to come. The next day she is satisfied with her success in changing Hürrem’s behavior, both as a teacher who succeeded in taming her and as a visionary who might have selected the next Sultana.
And Nigar does everything in her power in the next few episodes to make Hürrem a Sultana: Giving her advice, calming her, giving her the “Thursday” advice… She does occasionally misstep, like when she confidently takes Hürrem to Süleyman’s chamber in Episode 3 while he is with Mahidevran, but she always makes up for it.
Nigar’s feelings about “making Hürrem the Sultana” project is initially a bit complicated because she has a jealousy regarding Hürrem’s success in the sexual market (yes this sounds extremely misogynistic, but yes it was confirmed by the actress and it factors in Nigar’s motivations going forward). But her initial cynicism regarding Hürrem’s seductiveness (“Let go of the “innocent slave girl act” Alexandra!”) gradually becomes her wholly romanticizing Sürrem’s relationship and wanting a bit of it for herself. Nigar is not and has never been attracted to Süleyman, she already has a crush on Ibrahim, but she now wants love for herself.
As Nigar is making Hürrem more guarded and scheming, Hürrem is conversely making Nigar more carefree and romantic, which I call their Sense and Sensibility effect.
Despite some ambivalence Nigar is one hundred percent on Hürrem’s side in the first 6 episodes. This changes with Hürrem’s “Don’t give me advice Kalfa!” in Episode 7 and reaches a nadir with her burning Gülnihal’s face. After this their relationship will have many more ups and downs but I think Nigar never becomes as invested in Hürrem’s success as she is in Episodes 1 to 6.
After a couple of episodes where she is more cold towards Hürrem, Hürrem asking for Nigar’s help and implying that she still remembers Nigar’s motivational speech from Episode 1 (which was years before at this point) makes Nigar Team Hürrem again but it is more subdued from this point on. In the next five episodes or so, she helps Hürrem but less intensely than before. But she has stopped trying to make any other girls a Sultana. Her Sultana is still Hürrem.
After she falls in love with the now-married Ibrahim (rather than just having a mild crush on him) Nigar changes. Her previous circumstances now seem unglamorous to her: Rather like Anna Karenina noticing her husband’s ugly ears for the first time after falling in love with Vronsky. Now Nigar has a secret (an intoxicating and passionate and for her happy secret, but a secret nonetheless) that she has to hide from everyone. This puts a distance between herself and everyone now. She becomes more guarded from Hürrem. She hides that she knows about Leo. Also there are Mahidevran’s threats at this point which also divides Nigar’s alliances somewhat. Still Nigar does not betray Hürrem until the end of Season 1 and it is due to Ibrahim rather than Mahidevran.
Nigar is legitimately heartbroken when Hürrem rejects her after Leo’s death, and she does something which she never typically does, she begs her on her knees to forgive her. But also her pride is hurt by Hürrem’s rejection and she somewhat shifts her ambitions to Mahidevran and (of course) Ibrahim, though she is still jealous of Nilüfer’s closeness to Hürrem.
After Nigar gets taken to Ibrahim’s palace, her focus of course becomes Ibrahim even more. But because of her more strategic location now Hürrem needs Nigar in her schemes against Ibrahim. Nigar juggles their wants for ten episodes or so, trying to impossibly betray neither Hürrem nor Ibrahim. This culminates in her burying Leo’s notebook.
Then Nigar and Ibrahim have sex. For a few episodes after that Nigar is just aimlessly vacillating. She betrays Hürrem regarding Isabella per Ibrahim’s orders. But she also gives Hürrem the idea of establishing a charity in Holy Lands which of course indirectly gives Hürrem freedom and marriage. So it is complicated.
Throughout her actual affair with Ibrahim, Nigar does not betray or work against Hürrem. Interestingly, while Ibrahim had no qualms about using Nigar against Hürrem prior to their affair, he stops doing that during their affair. In fact he himself is softer towards Hürrem in those 12 episodes. I think this is because Nigar is not just a shame for him but a legitimate romantic partner now, so he might be subtly influenced by Nigar’s sympathy for Hürrem. In this period Nigar and Hürrem are not as close as they used to be in Season 1 but they are friendly.
After Nigar gets pregnant she gets truly desperate and betrays Hürrem’s trust again, because if she stays loyal to Hürrem, Hürrem will simply not let her leave the palace and Nigar will start to show her secret pregnancy.
After that betrayal, Hürrem reveals Nigar’s pregnancy and affair to Hatice. Nigar herself almost dies and she believes that her baby died due to this, so she never likes Hürrem again though she still has some awe for her power level. Hürrem kind of tries to salvage their relationship, but now Nigar psychologically rejects it at every turn, which is a nice reversal of what happened after Leo’s death (Leo’s death and Nibrahim’s affair’s reveal are generally paralled).
After Ibrahim’s death Nigar fully starts working against Hürrem and they become hateful enemies. Nigar hates Hürrem and does everything to cause her death, Hürrem still has a soft spot deep within her but also slut-shames Nigar at every turn. This part is insufferable.
The last ounce of love between them ends with Nigar kidnapping Hürrem’s granddaughter. Hürrem initially doesn’t want to believe that Nigar was the one who kidnapped the baby, but once it is proven, everything between her and Nigar tears apart and she does not mourn Nigar’s death. An underwhelming and shitty ending to a complicated relationship.
