• brsrklf@jlai.lu
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    10 months ago

    The (admittedly kind of terrible) sequel disagrees with that, because Jafar as a genie can’t kill anyone either.

    Though he can use his powers to make people’s life hell, wish or no wish, and abuses that quite a bit.

    • evranch@lemmy.ca
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      10 months ago

      You don’t even need to watch the sequel to see that, as genies being bound by specific rules is the whole point of tricking him into becoming a genie.

      Though after Aladdin wishes for the Genie’s freedom, it really opens a can of worms as to what that means. Sure, I guess he’s free to roam the earth, and no longer bound to grant wishes. But at the same time, has he now lost that power?

      Because Disney ending aside, you would think an unbound genie with his full powers would be something that only ends badly.

      • brsrklf@jlai.lu
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        10 months ago

        Again, if we’re only talking about Disney canon, according to the sequel and series (because really that movie was just the pilot for the animated series), the genie is supposed to have lost a lot of his power after being freed. It’s not obvious how much of it really.

        It’s also not obvious how “bound” the genies are to begin with.

        Genie is tricked into getting Aladdin out of the cave of wonders without using a wish, and he looks a bit annoyed but not that much (and it worked). He also basically forces a wish on an unconscious Aladdin to save his life, saying he can’t do it without a wish.

        Whatever magic contract is used there looks quite open to interpretation…

        • lad@programming.dev
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          10 months ago

          Plot twist: Genie is just impersonating a djinn, but in fact he’s an eldritch god 🌚

          • CitizenKong@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            He’s an eldritch shapeshifter, subconsciously transforming into what people believe he should be. Sort of like the Norse gods in Marvel Comics. Until Alladin rubs the lamp, he didn’t exist as a conscious being because nobody was there to think him into being.

      • samus12345@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Always thought that was such a gyp, Jafar getting turned into a bound genie, as if that were the default state for djinn.

        • brsrklf@jlai.lu
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          10 months ago

          It does not make a lot of sense, but it was sort of established earlier in that particular universe (the “phenomenal cosmic powers, itty bitty living space” thing).

          My main problem with this always was Aladdin suggesting to Jafar “Hey, you know, the genie’s still more powerful”, and Jafar reacts exactly how Aladdin had planned, by wishing specifically to be the most powerful genie.

          Why was that the only option he could think of? Where was it written that a sorcerer could not be more powerful than a genie?

          Aladdin tricks him by saying if a genie gave him his power, the genie could take them back too… But in the end it’s still the genie who makes him a genie too, so why would that be any different?

      • FiveMacs@lemmy.ca
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        10 months ago

        Needs a movie or show to be done by the same guys that did Invincible. All other tv shows/movies can get stuffed.