Nizam

Lore & Background

Nizam is the brother of King Sharaman and the uncle of princes Tus, Garsiv, and the adopted Dastan. During the attack on Alamut, Nizam relays evidence to the princes that weapons have been forged by Persia's enemies, prompting the invasion. After the king's murder—which Nizam himself orchestrated by poisoning a robe given to Sharaman—he feigns innocence. Dastan later realizes Nizam's guilt when he sees burns on Nizam's hands, matching the poison. Nizam sends covert warriors called the Hassansins to kill Dastan and retrieve the dagger. His plan is to use the dagger to pierce the great sandglass containing the Sands of Time, rewinding time to his childhood so he can let himself be killed by a lion instead of being saved by Sharaman, thus becoming king.

In Their Own Story

At the celebratory banquet after the fall of Alamut, Tus has Dastan give their father an embroidered robe. The robe is poisoned, fatally burning Sharaman. Garsiv accuses Dastan of the murder, and Dastan escapes with Tamina. Later, in Avrat, Dastan tries to convince Nizam of his innocence but sees burns on Nizam's hands and realizes Nizam is the true murderer. Nizam then sends the Hassansins after Dastan. Nizam eventually kills Tus and takes the dagger. He stabs Dastan and throws him and Tamina off a cliff. Tamina sacrifices herself, allowing Dastan to fight Nizam. Nizam thrusts the dagger into the column of the sandglass, releasing the Sands of Time and rewinding time to the moment Dastan first finds the dagger. In the rewound timeline, Dastan exposes Nizam's treachery. Nizam tries to kill Dastan but is easily defeated, and when he attempts to attack again, he is subdued and killed by Tus.

Reader's Guide

Nizam is the primary antagonist in the 2010 film *Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time*. He is the brother of King Sharaman and the uncle of the princes. His motivation is to become king by altering the past. He uses the Hassansins, a group of covert warriors, to pursue Dastan and the dagger. His plan culminates in the temple beneath Alamut, where he stabs the dagger into the sandglass, triggering a time rewind. In the rewound timeline, his treachery is revealed and he is killed by Tus. The character is portrayed by Ben Kingsley.

Did You Know?

• Nizam is the brother of King Sharaman, not a vizier.
• He orchestrated the king's murder by having a poisoned robe given to Sharaman.
• Dastan realizes Nizam's guilt by seeing burns on Nizam's hands.
• Nizam's plan is to travel back to his childhood and prevent himself from saving Sharaman from a lion attack.
• He is killed by Tus in the rewound timeline after Dastan exposes his treachery.