I would love to delve more into the logistics of these clockwork terminator bugs Mechanicles builds.

How do they know who to attack and who not to attack?

How do they recognize him as their master?

Does he have a way to program some of them with intelligence?

Or is that a potentially mystical element in his creations?

Remember all of these things are clockwork. Those kinds of things don’t have AMD processors or anything.

DID YOU MAKE A DEAL WITH HADES, MECHANICLES? DID YOU?

What does “fop” mean?

In 17th Century England (though the term also carried over to popular vernacular in France), a Fop was a man who was overly concerned with his clothes and appearance (back when men’s fashion and makeup for the upper classes could in many ways be as complicated as women’s – a fop was a man who was rich enough that he didn’t have to cultivate much more than his fashion sense and frivolities). I do know that De Sade also used the term flippantly to refer to such men who were also suck-ups to the King and Crowned Prince. So when I say it I mean it in a general sense in reference to all of this. Iago is often vain about his appearance and a shopaholic. Therefore I say he can be foppish.

And we have another episode where I get to spend a minute head-canoning about all the awesome stuff the Sultan can do that nobody gives him credit for.

Also apparently Prince Achmed has an action figure. Ass-biting friendzone tiger playset sold separately.

Things to bear in mind, here:

1. Shit was broken, and while Iago might be a sourpuss he’s pretty damn good at appraising stuff. He says it’s junk. It’s junk.

2. The Sultan immediately saw that this was something special and knew how to fix it. Even if it’s just because he’s good with his miniatures, he has an understanding of mechanical devices that I promise pretty much no one else in his kingdom has. (And Jasmine knows this, which is why she knew it would be perfect for him.)

3. He fixes it.

And he knows exactly how to do it.

He can look at all the moving bits and he knows how they fit together and how they’re supposed to work and what’s not supposed to be there.

Like sand.

He also figures out that it runs on fuel.

Can you imagine the level of reverse engineering he could manage if Mechanicles left enough broken shit on his doorstep?

Production Code Episode #15: Getting the Bugs Out

The first Mechanicles episode. I did not like this character very much when I was younger – I kind of had to be in the mood for him. My mind has changed some partially because as an adult I find his snobbery and antics way more funny but also because one of my roommates got me to give him another chance. (And I think that Disney made a huge mistake not featuring this character in a Hercules crossover.)

Oh, and alternate title: “Aladdin Deserves Every Bad Thing That Happens To Him: The Sequel.”

I think I feel like he was the youngest because it might explain certain things – his late marriage (less pressure for him to marry and have a child, and then he just has one), his happiness to indulge in child-like pursuits, his reliance on advisers etc (possibly suggesting that when he started he lacked the confidence to “lead” on his own). I’m not a fan of the TV series and so tend to ignore it as a personal canon, but he said he trained horses for the army at one point – possibly his job?

All possibilities and very good points. Thanks, anon!

I think the Sultan was the eldest but most kind hearted. He’s well versed in politics. Do you think he had a harem? I always wondered where it would be located, if he had other children and if he didn’t, where his father’s harem was.

It’s not so much as having a harem, based on what I’ve learned, but I could be wrong. He doesn’t imply he has/had multiple wives, so I never really thought of it that way. I always got the impression that he is still mourning Jasmine’s mother. 

Your headcanon (re the Sultan having elder siblings in line for the throne who then passed away) was in line with mine when I watched the film as a child. Glad to know I wasn’t the only one!

All of the characters probably have a good story behind them, no matter how minor!