For weeks, rumors spread like wildfire. Fans debated. Analysts warned. And silence from the production only deepened the unease. Now, it’s official. A major figure is leaving Kuruluş Orhan in Episode 10. Not a side character. Not a temporary role. The founder himself. Osman Bey is gone. And what this departure exposes is far bigger than one actor exiting a show—it reveals a series struggling with its own identity.
Confirmed: Cihan Ünal Officially Leaves the Series
Breaking news has confirmed what many suspected.
Veteran actor Cihan Ünal, who portrayed Osman Bey, has officially exited the series starting with Episode 10.
-
His farewell scenes are complete
-
There is no extension or return arc
-
The decision is final
This wasn’t just a casting change. It was the end of something symbolic.
Why This Exit Hurts More Than Usual
Many viewers missed a crucial detail.
Cihan Ünal first played Osman Bey 37 years ago, in the 1988 series Kuruluş / Osmancık. After nearly four decades, he returned to portray the same founding figure—older, wiser, and closer to historical reality.
Born on January 22, 1946, this role wasn’t just another contract. It was:
-
Nostalgic
-
Symbolic
-
Almost poetic
That’s why this exit feels heavier than most. It wasn’t just casting.
It was legacy.
Was This Exit Really “Natural”?
Officially, Osman Bey’s death is historical. No one disputes that.
But the timing—and the circumstances—raise uncomfortable questions.
This departure comes amid:
-
Falling ratings
-
Creative confusion
-
Internal restructuring
-
Growing dissatisfaction with the story’s direction
So the real question becomes:
Did the story reach its natural end—or was the series forced to move on before it was ready?
Episode 10 Delay: A Defensive Move
Let’s talk scheduling.
-
Episode 10 will not air on January 7
-
New confirmed date: January 14, 2026
The official reason?
A major football match scheduled on January 7.
With ratings already declining, the concern was simple: airing that night could have crushed viewership. On paper, delaying the episode makes sense.
In reality, it confirms something deeper.
The series is now being scheduled defensively, not confidently.
Behind the Scenes: Major Crew Changes
Things get more serious here.
Multiple crew members have been removed in recent days.
First came an Assistant Director, who publicly posted a farewell message:
“We will meet again in a better project.”
Then followed a second wave.
At least six key technical staff members were removed, including:
-
Director of Photography
-
Assistant Director
-
Camera Operator
-
Cinematographer
-
First Assistant Cameraman
These weren’t newcomers. Many had been part of the franchise since Diriliş: Ertuğrul and Kuruluş: Osman.
According to insiders, the same technical and creative mistakes were being repeated for years—without correction.
Episode 9 Exposed Longstanding Problems
Episode 9 made those issues impossible to ignore.
Viewers noticed:
-
Poor AI-generated visuals that looked unfinished
-
Scene transitions that destroyed emotional momentum
-
Powerful moments undercut by random cuts
This isn’t a new problem.
It’s been happening for over a decade.
Which raises a troubling question:
How does a franchise with this much experience still lack basic quality control?
The Real Issue: Writing, Not Production
Here’s the uncomfortable truth.
The biggest problem isn’t production anymore.
It’s the scriptwriting.
The writing now feels aimed at:
-
Teenage viewers
-
TikTok-style edits
-
Romantic “shipping” culture
Not at audiences who came for an Islamic historical drama.
Romance is replacing conquest.
Dialogue sounds modern.
And some Episode 9 scenes closely resembled moments from other Turkish series.
Yes—copied.
That’s alarming for a show based on well-documented historical events.
Who Is the Hero Now? A Dangerous Question
Ask yourself honestly:
If someone starts watching today…
Who feels like the hero?
Orhan Bey—or Flavius?
Flavius is shown:
-
Saving Fatima repeatedly
-
Executing strategies
-
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Orhan
He’s written at equal—or sometimes greater—heroic weight.
That is a serious narrative failure for a series titled Kuruluş: Orhan.
This isn’t about screen time.
It’s about story importance.
A Statement That Shook the Franchise
Perhaps the most shocking moment came off-screen.
Prince Osman Oğlu, great-great-grandson of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, was asked about these historical series. His response was blunt:
“This series is a mistake.”
This is the same figure who supervised Payitaht Abdülhamid for historical accuracy.
When descendants of history reject its portrayal, something has gone deeply wrong.
What Osman Bey’s Exit Really Symbolizes
This departure isn’t just about a character dying.
It represents:
-
The loss of historical gravitas
-
The breakdown of narrative discipline
-
A series drifting away from its original purpose
Yes, Osman Bey’s death is inevitable.
But how it is shown—and what follows—will determine whether Kuruluş: Orhan survives.
