The DVD Fairy

Some interesting things to note just for future reference: It clings to walls rather easily, and is very, very hard to hurt:

Best part of this scene is Al’s complete acceptance of his failure.

“Yep. One of those days, all right.”

Also important to note is that it appears to be impervious to the Genie’s magic, which bounces off of him like light on a mirror.

Genie says it’s because he has “thick skin.” We’ll see how this is played with for the rest of the episode.

Aladdin, he LIVES out there. Remember?

Iago is my favorite person to have along while monster hunting.

And of course when he looks down there, there’s nothing. Amahl is gone. So is whatever Aladdin just chased. I have to believe that the glimpse we see of this monster is one that Aladdin saw as well, because we’re in his memory.

And the horror in his expression as he relives this moment is just chilling.

He’s left standing there, screaming for somebody who for all he knows has been dead for a decade, until Genie finally snaps him out of it.

Damn, Aladdin.

This is the first time, I think, that we get a really good look at how much Aladdin may have suffered in his childhood. His best friend disappeared and the last glimpse he had of anything connected to him was a monster.

And how much do you want to bet that nobody believed him or helped him?

Aladdin explains who Amahl was and quickly puts two and two together. Kids were disappearing back then; they’re disappearing now.

Whatever took Amahl has come back.

This initial three minutes of the show was really well written. It establishes just the right amount of suspense and conflict and is something I don’t think the show has ever done before, AND we got a really unsettling look into Aladdin’s childhood.

(Also the animation? Still amazing. I hope the same people stay on it all episode.)

Something that Wahid says triggers Aladdin into a flashback. I say “triggers” because he completely loses his awareness of things around him and he has never done this before. Kind of significant because it suggests what’s about to happen may have traumatized the Hell out of him.

To the point that he may have even forgotten it until now.

He finds himself in the past and is snapped out of his daze by a voice that seems to make him happy.

This?

Is Amahl. (And baby!Aladdin omgggg)

The conversation that ensues suggests that Aladdin and Amahl are friends, both of them street rats, with Amahl being the more aggressive of the two. He chides Aladdin for being too slow, for not being willing to steal money (Aladdin says specifically he only steals food to eat – we know this will change later).

This is a very short scene, and the impression that I get from it is that these two have probably been running with each other for a while now. It’s likely that Amahl was the only real friend Aladdin had for a while, and I imagine that in their own way they took care of each other. I can see Amahl maybe keeping his distance in subtle ways – they steal their own food unless one of them has a day of really bad luck. That way if something happens to them (both of them at this point likely being accustomed to loss), they’re not completely helpless and dependent on someone who isn’t there anymore.

And of course, just as Wahid said before, Amahl declares he won’t be a street rat forever. He’ll make something of himself.

Aladdin insists, pouting, that he won’t be a street rat forever, either, but he won’t make something of himself by hurting other people.

Too late, he realizes he’s talking to himself.

Amahl is gone. What’s interesting about this scene is that it’s…surprisingly eerie for something Disney came up with.

He glimpses only a shadow and assumes that Amahl is playing a trick on him.

As he chases it, of course we get to see just a little more and

Shit, that’s –

Aladdin, that’s not your friend. ALADDIN THAT’S NOT YOUR FRIEND.

This kid.

This is Wahid. Wahid is homeless and he steals food to survive. He is also apparently a bit of a ham, putting on the puppy eyes while he swipes fruit from under Farouk’s nose.

This is the first glimpse we really get of him, shoving literally everything he can down his shirt and pants whenever the fruit vendor is not looking. All the while, Farouk is distracted because everyone has to be off the streets before dark. The Sultan has instituted a curfew because, apparently, children have been disappearing.

This is actually probably the most proactive about a crime I’ve ever seen out of this city and its government, so kudos to them. Everybody is really freaked out about it, but apparently, Farouk is not so concerned about children disappearing for him to not find Wahid annoying. He’d rather he just disappear too, so Wahid decides he’ll take what he’s got and go.

And of course he runs into Aladdin. Because it’s his show. Of course there’s the tried and true “why don’t you watch where you’re going?” thing because the writers want us to know the kid  thinks he’s tough.

I THINK this is still played off as their first encounter, because Aladdin doesn’t know his name. He just calls him Street Rat.

Which…Fuck, Aladdin, don’t you dislike it when people call YOU that?

He tries to tell Wahid to be more careful, and Wahid makes it very clear that he is not afraid of the disappearances, he’s not afraid of Farouk, and he’s not afraid of him.

Because he’s tough, and he has to be tough.

Also? He’s probably used to ignoring what grownups tell him, because since when has anyone in this city but Aladdin given a damn about homeless people? And he doesn’t know Aladdin’s Aladdin, so he wouldn’t know he cares.

You’re not gonna offer him a safe place to sleep? Then mind your own damn business, mister.

I also want to point out that the animation in this scene is flawless. All of the expressions are fully articulated and consistent. Everyone just seems…more detailed, if that makes sense.

For example, even Abu has like – WAY more definition in his face than usual.

Watch. This. Episode. It’s gorgeous.