Why is Aladdin's Genie not more clever?
I see a lot of movies or series involving wish granting beings that grant wishes in an unexpected manner.
Why doesn't Genie do that too? I have a feeling that this will be answered away with "It's a kid's movie" but anyway, here goes:
For instance, Jafar does not wish to be the sultan of Agrabah. Genie could let him be the sultan of an uninhabited kingdom of which Genie just made. Genie could even have all the necessary documents from foreign states declaring recognition of said kingdom. However, Genie could let him have that one to set Jafar up for a later trick later on.
For the second wish, I think Genie can make Jafar have the power to conjure a small apple out of thin air only once and then lower the power of all other sorcerers in the world.
Probably unethical to steal magic from others. Something else then. Maybe Genie could interpret sorcerer as magician (like Criss Angel).
I'm not very creative. Bottomline is that I think Genie could have been more creative with the first two wishes. Is there any reason why Genie isn't so sneaky?
Best Answer
Genies are typically one type. They do not switch types based on who their master is.
A big point that I think you're missing is that a Genie has a personality, and that personality doesn't change based on who his master is. Genie can't be a Benevolent Genie to Aladdin, and a Jackass Genie to Jafar. He has to be consistent. He has to be either benevolent to both, or a jackass to both.
(warning: upcoming tvtropes links)
The Genie in Aladdin is a Benevolent Genie. So much so that he is the picture used in the tvtropes page on Benevolent Genies. [emphasis mine]
...not all genies are by-the-book bureaucrats who are more interested in doing exactly what you say than actually getting you what you want. Nor are they all complete jerks who seem determined to make whatever wish you utter cause suffering regardless of how well you word it. Some genies are just really cool.
[...]
Or maybe the genie is just so nice, so subservient, or both, that they can't even conceive of granting a wish in a way that directly hurts good ol' master.
What you wish he was is a Jackass Genie
What differentiates the Jackass Genie from the Literal Genie is sheer malice. This creature has it in for whoever has the misfortune of being his master, and will make whatever bizarre interpretation is necessary to make the master's life a living hell.
For completeness, the Literal Genie is basically a bumbling Benevolent Genie. The Literal Genie is the Gomer Pyle of the Genie world.
Ask for a ton of money, and it will appear. Directly above you, weighing exactly one ton. Ask for X-ray vision, and your eyes will start shooting harmful radiation. In other words, the entity gives you what you ask for, but not necessarily what you want.
Pictures about "Why is Aladdin's Genie not more clever?"
What is about Genie that makes his character very interesting?
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.How did Aladdin trick the Genie?
He didn't rub the lamp. Distracted by his own lighter-than-desired shade of blue, the Genie didn't notice as Aladdin deftly slipped the lamp out of his hands and into the outstretched hand of Abu. With the lamp safely out of his hands, he nodded. \u201cGenie,\u201d he said, \u201cI wish you to get us out of this cave.\u201dDoes the Genie in Aladdin still have powers?
In Aladdin 2019, Genie becomes a full-on human instead of merely being given freedom; his physical change means that he loses his blue form and magic abilities, leading to him taking on a brand new life. That new life does see him travel the world still, but with an added twist.Why is Genie not free in Return of Jafar?
For The Return of Jafar, Williams was replaced as the voice of Genie by Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons) because of a fallout he had with Disney. When Williams originally agreed to voice Genie, he reportedly came to an agreement with Disney that his voice couldn't be used to sell merchandise.Is Disney's Aladdin Racist?
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Answer 2
I don't think that this has ever been addressed as far as Genie goes. However, I think you're right with your "It's a kids movie" theory. The children watching the movie can easily put two and two together and know that Jafar wanted to be Sultan of Agrabah, so that's what he got.
Also, the movie is based off a short story from "The Book of A Thousand and One Nights". If I remember right, the Genie wasn't as wishy washy on the wishes either.
Answer 3
It is not established who enforces the "Genie rules". Genie repeatedly states that he is bound by the rules, and never addresses the possibility of breaking them.
We don't know if it's possible to break the rules, or what the consequences of doing so are. We must assume that Genie is actually bound by those rules, i.e. unable to not comply or get off on a technicality.
When Jafar asked to be sultan, it was implicitly his intention to become the sultan of Agrabah.
Similarly, Genie made Aladdin an actual prince when he wished for it. While Aladdin (unknowingly) was the son of the King of Thieves (as established in the third movie), Genie could not have gotten off on a technicality, granting the wish and changing nothing because he was already some sort of prince.
Genie had to comply with Aladdin's wish of becoming a prince who could ask for Jasmine's hand. That intention does not apply to being the inferred Prince of Thieves.
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