#dalsparallels

First, the word choice here. Not "favorite". Not "most beloved". But "the best". Implying that already he has some invisible standards that Lale meets. If you want to go further, it can imply that he considers himself worthy of being surrounded by the best and of picking who fits that standard.

Poor Lale being polite back and Mehmed absolutely blowing it out of proportion — kindergarten edition 🫶 Maybe the fact no one wanted to play with him (at least, in his mind — we know the mothers were the ones who were fearful) led him to believe that the few who did were as loyal as they come, instead of, you know. Just normal playmates.

Now this....... This. Him ignoring what she said and putting forward his own interpretation of her, and her being driven speechless. (I also love that, even in his interpretation, he's aware she doesn't really want to like him, and he ignores that anyway. It doesn't matter to him if she wants to like him or not.)

Was what he said true from the start? Does it become true right then and there, as she sees this new side of him? We simply have no real insight, possibly because Lale herself doesn't know.

(Same energy 👆)

And we even have something for the "Huma's deal made Mehmed.... Mehmed™" truthers (which I don't consider myself, personally. BUT). Because, before this scene, the most Mehmed™ that Baby Mehmed behaved like was when he destroyed his half-brothers's stick pyramids because no one wanted to play with him, but he immediately calmed down when Aisha invited him to the horse riding lesson with Lale. And yeah, he preened under Lale's praise, but it was arguably just... sweet? A result of lack of proper parental attention? It wasn't, you know, deranged. So you can also read the 4x05 Baby Mehmed™ scene as a result of Huma's deal, I feel.