Genie

"What would you wish of me, the ever impressive, the long-contained, the often-imitated but never-duplicated...duplicated...duplicated...Genie of the lamp! (turns into Ed Sullivan) Right here direct from the lamp, right here for your very much wish fulfillment. Thank youuuuu!"

- Genie introduces himself to Aladdin

The Genie is a comedic, larger-than-life spirit (a "jinni") who acts as a servant to whomever holds ownership of the magic lamp in which he resides. Genie possesses phenomenal cosmic power that allows him to grant wishes, shape-shift, and transcend space and time; however, he is burdened to remain bound to his lamp for eternity unless granted freedom by a master.

Personality and Traits
Genie is full of life and bursting with positive energy. Though he is amongst the most powerful, chaotic beings in the universe, Genie is benevolent, easygoing, and friendly; so much so, that he primarily uses his abilities as a means to amuse both himself and those around him. According to the filmmakers' commentary, Genie's energy is a direct result of his imprisonment; his years of isolation have left him teaming with vigor, so whenever he is given a chance at freedom, his first instinct is to go wild with his powers by cracking jokes and entertaining whatever audience he has. He is also inviting, as when he first met Aladdin, Genie immediately introduced himself as a friend to rely on and emphasized the fact that his purpose was to magically enhance Aladdin's life by any means necessary (so long as it did not interfere with the three rules of wishing).

Though he was generally devoted to whoever held temporary ownership of the lamp, Genie has always had a will and mind of his own, outside the bounds of a stereotypical genie slave. As seen during his time as Jafar's lackey, Genie's job did not require him to agree with his masters' morals. It did, however, force him to adhere to their three commands without question, no matter how vile they may have been. Nevertheless, he was still able to provide advice to masters that were willing to listen. In the first film, he served as a mentor figure to Aladdin, often giving the latter advice and encouragement when needed, as seen when he urged Aladdin to tell Jasmine the truth about not being a prince. As mentioned, Genie did not offer himself as a mere slave, but rather as a supportive friend to his masters. His friendship with Aladdin proved that he was capable of forming genuine relationships with masters, though it was not until Aladdin that Genie was treated as anything beyond a mere slave by his superiors. This tied to Genie's dream of being freed from the lamp.

Though mischievous, manic, and explosive, Genie is also compassionate, wise, and serious when he feels it's necessary. He understands human emotions to a profound degree and takes matters such as love, trust, and being true to yourself quite seriously. His more sincere moments are indicated by his tone, which changes from wily and exuberant, to low and soft when he wants to get a serious point across. Despite this, he still tries to lighten even the darkest moments with a dose of comedy, an example of this being the climax of the original film, where Genie transformed into a cheerleading squad to root for Aladdin during his battle against Jafar.

Adventures in the Cave of Wonders
"Excuse me?! Are you lookin' at me? Did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up, did you bring me here? And all of a sudden, you're walkin' out on me?! I don't think so! Not right now. YOU'RE GETTIN' YOUR WISHES, SO SIDDOWN!"

- Genie

On a dark night, a shady man named Jafar seeks the location of the Cave of Wonders, plotting to use Genie to take control of a nearby kingdom known as Agrabah. Unfortunately for Jafar, only one individual may enter the cave, the "diamond in the rough", who turns out to be a street rat named Aladdin. Jafar manages to manipulate Aladdin into entering the cave to retrieve the lamp for him, but Aladdin's monkey sidekick, Abu, touches a piece of forbidden treasure, resulting in the cave sinking back into the sand and trapping Aladdin inside. There, Abu reveals to have the lamp intact and hands it over to Aladdin, who inadvertently unleashes the Genie. Genie immediately introduces himself as a servant and a friend, one willing to grant Aladdin a total of three wishes—be they food, riches, or any other form of luxury that sticks within the confines of the genie laws. To ensure he doesn't waste any wishes, Aladdin tricks Genie into freeing him and Abu from the cave, which Genie falls for, taking the duo, as well as Genie's Magic Carpet companion, to an oasis in the desert.

The First Wish
"He's got the outfit, he's got the elephant, but we're not through yet. Hang on to your turban, kid, cause we're gonna make you a star!"

- Genie after making Aladdin a prince

There, Genie realizes Aladdin's trickery but quickly gets passed it to return to his job at hand. Aladdin, out of genuine curiosity, asks Genie what the latter would wish for. Though shocked by such a selfless question, Genie takes the opportunity to express his longing for freedom. He explains that he cannot escape his lamp prison unless his master wishes him out. Feeling sympathy, Aladdin promises to use his third wish to free Genie, though the latter finds this hard to believe. Once Aladdin reassures he's telling the truth, an optimistic Genie takes Aladdin's word for it and a promise is set. Next, Genie returns his attention to Aladdin, who confesses that he is in love with Princess Jasmine. While lamenting that only a prince can marry a princess, Aladdin settles on his first wish: to become a prince.

Prince Ali
Along with new attire, Aladdin is given the alias "Prince Ali" and travels to Agrabah with the accompaniment of an elaborate parade led by a disguised Genie. Though the front is enough to impress the Sultan, Jasmine is less than amused by Ali's flashy nature, disregarding him as another pompous suitor who sees her as nothing but a prize to be won.

A Whole New World
"Oh, Al. I'm gettin' kinda fond of you, kid. Not that I want to pick out curtains or anything."

- Genie

That night, Aladdin laments his foolishness, feeling lost as to what more he can do. He asks for Genie's advice, though he merely advises Aladdin to drop the act and be himself, to which Aladdin scoffs, feeling Jasmine would never want to be associated with a mere street rat. Aladdin flies up to Jasmine's balcony on Carpet, making another attempt to earn the princess' attention, but fails again as a result of keeping with the "Prince Ali" persona. Genie disguises himself as a bee to couch Aladdin, but is shooed off. Aladdin nevertheless apologizes to Jasmine for his behavior and starts to take his leave, though the appearance of Carpet sparks her curiosity. Knowing Jasmine craves freedom just as much as he does, Aladdin offers the princess a ride on Carpet, to which she accepts. During the ride, the two successfully spark a romantic relationship, but this causes trouble for Jafar, who wishes to marry Jasmine for power. Aladdin is kidnapped by the royal guards per Jafar's orders and thrown into the bottom of the sea. He manages to rub the lamp just before he loses consciousness. A panicked Genie forcefully uses Aladdin's second wish to rescue him, carrying him back to land, thus saving his life. Aladdin warmly thanks Genie, who responds by admitting to having a growing fondness for him.

Jafar's Hour
Genie then takes Aladdin back to the palace, where Jafar's treachery is revealed. Just before he escapes the Sultan's guards, Jafar notices Genie's lamp hidden inside Aladdin's turban, and subsequently sends his parrot, Iago, to steal it. The next day, Genie congratulates Aladdin on his success, as Jasmine has officially chosen Ali as her suitor. Unfortunately, Aladdin feels unworthy of Jasmine's love, due to the fact that his persona is built on a lie. Genie, however, feels happiness and hopeful that Aladdin would now keep his promise and set him free. Because of his aforementioned feeling of guilt, Aladdin believes he's unable to keep up the ruse without Genie, denying the latter's freedom out of desperation. A downhearted Genie laments his feeling of betrayal, before returning to his lamp, leaving Aladdin to think over his choice. With remorse and selflessness having consumed him, Aladdin makes the decision to tell Jasmine the truth, leaving the lamp behind as he leaves to do so, and allowing it to fall into the hands (er, wings) of Iago.

When Genie is summoned once more, he finds that Jafar is now the master of the lamp. Genie is forced to grant Jafar's first wish to rule on high as a sultan by stripping Jasmine's father of his title and placing the palace atop a high mountain. Aladdin tries to stop Genie, but the latter can only apologize, explaining that he must follow the orders of his new master. Jafar then wishes to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world and uses his new powers to reveal Ali's true identity to Jasmine. To ensure Aladdin doesn't interfere again, Jafar banishes the street rat to the ends of the earth, alongside Abu and Carpet. A helpless Genie can only watch the scene unfold in despair, and just as Jafar assumes control of the world.

Happy End in Agrabah
"Jafar, Jafar, he's our man. If he can't do it, great!"

- Genie as a cheerleader

In the dystopian Agrabah, Genie sits in depressed silence as Jafar continuously tortures Jasmine and her father. Fortunately, Aladdin, Abu, and Carpet return, elating Genie, though he warns Aladdin that he won't be able to assist him. Aladdin makes a stealthy attempt to steal the lamp, but Jafar spots him and attacks. Genie watches helplessly as the two adversaries battle, though he cheers Aladdin on throughout. When Aladdin is cornered, he looks to Genie and gets the idea to trick Jafar into wishing to become a genie, himself. Though horrified by the thought of such a cruel man having all the power in the universe, Genie reluctantly grants Jafar's final wish. Unfortunately for Jafar, the powers of a genie come with a price, and the former vizier is quickly imprisoned within his own black lamp with Iago.

Jafar's magic spells upon the kingdom and its inhabitants are broken, and a joyous Genie celebrates the villain's defeat by flinging the latter's lamp to the Cave of Wonders, to ensure several years of imprisonment. Afterward, Aladdin apologizes to Jasmine for lying to her and accepts the fact that they can never be together. Genie watches sadly and urges Aladdin to use his final wish to become a prince again, willing to lose his freedom for the love Aladdin and Jasmine share. Aladdin refuses to continue living a lie, and wishes for Genie's freedom, much to the latter's surprise. Genie undergoes a transformation, losing his shackles and misty tail, symbolizing his newfound freedom. Genie is ecstatic, and eagerly sets his sight on seeing the world, but not before bidding Aladdin farewell, claiming the latter will always be a prince in his eyes. Genie's words prompt the Sultan to abolish the law separating Aladdin and Jasmine, believing Aladdin has proven himself worthy enough for Jasmine's love. Genie joyously celebrates the romantic moment before leaving Agrabah to begin his travels, with Aladdin and Jasmine seeing him off as he does so.

Genie's Back
"Ooh! Ahhh! Watch the sunburn! Aha! Kidding!"

- Genie

Genie returns to Agrabah, deciding that the world is not all that great without his friends to share it with. He tells Aladdin and Jasmine that he is no longer as powerful as he once was because free genies are not as strong as genies bound by lamps. Instead of having phenomenal cosmic powers with an itty bitty living space, he now has "semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic powers" and is as free as a bird. Despite the fact that he lost some of his power when he was freed, he still appears to be roughly as powerful as Jafar is in the first film after he makes his second wish and becomes the most powerful sorcerer in the world. He can fly, shape-shift, conjure things out of thin air, and make them disappear.

Forget About Love
That night, when Jasmine gets angry at Aladdin for hiding from her the fact that he brought Iago back to the palace, Genie convinces Iago to help get Aladdin and Jasmine back together.

The Revenge Plot
Genie catches Aladdin and Jasmine on tape, but is pushed aside by Iago.

You're Only Second Rate
Later, Genie is confronted by Jafar and imprisoned alongside Abu.

The End of Jafar
"His lamp. If you destroy Jafar's lamp, you destroy Jafar."

- Genie

Jafar is able to do this because he was still bound by his lamp and thus had access to all the power that came with it. If Jafar had been freed from his lamp by Abis Mal, his power would have been downgraded and he would have most likely been just as powerful as Genie, but no more powerful. Ironically, Jafar wishes to become a genie to become even more powerful than he already was, and it came with a price. If Jafar had been freed, he would only have been as powerful as he was before becoming a genie, making his third wish a waste.

After being freed from Jafar's imprisonment by a morally confused Iago, Genie saves Aladdin from being executed by the palace guards, who Jafar had tricked into believing that Aladdin had murdered the Sultan.

Together they decide that Jafar must be stopped once and for all and Genie says that the only way to destroy Jafar is to destroy his lamp. Genie later attempts to discreetly grab Jafar's lamp but is unable to do so. When Aladdin attempts to grab the lamp in front of Jafar, Jafar blows him out of the throne room into the palace garden, and Genie saves Aladdin from serious injury by catching him when he falls. He then assists Aladdin in the final battle against Jafar by shape-shifting into Aladdin in an attempt to distract him while Aladdin grabs his lamp. However, Jafar catches on in time to stop Aladdin from reaching his lamp. Fortunately, the reformed Iago manages to kick Jafar's lamp into lava, thus destroying Jafar. While this happens, Genie saves Jasmine and Abu from a dangerous situation as the ground is closing back up. When he finds out that Iago survived the battle, he celebrates by turning into a firework.

Appearances

 * Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
 * "Adventures in the Cave of Wonders"
 * "The First Wish"
 * "Prince Ali"
 * "A Whole New World"
 * "Jafar's Hour"
 * "Happy End In Agrabah"
 * "Genie's Back"
 * "Forget About Love"
 * "The Revenge Plot"
 * "The End of Jafar"

Trivia

 * Genie was voiced by Robin Williams.