Tag: iago

Here’s a question. What species do you think Iago belongs to? I’ve always thought he was a (rather plump) scarlet macaw, but then there’s some who say he’s a red lorikeet… or even a hybrid of both (if such thing was possible, which I doubt) because he’s got the white naked skin around the eyes like the macaw, but lacks the yellow feathers in the wings and seems a bit small… Alternatives, unknown species, a magical creation? Me, overthinking? PS- Don´t even get me started on Xerxes…

I never gave Iago’s species much thought, but I never considered a lorikeet before! That said, you could probably come to your own headcanon on that point. I think quibbling on the major physical characteristics may be a bit pointless when, among other things, Iago is also a bird with human teeth. 

(PPS: I remember in ancient online websites, back in the fabled days of Netscape, Altavista, and dial-up internet, he was described specifically as being a flying lamprey, which… if you’ve seen lampreys you’d know why that’s disconcerting. Most prefer eel. He has physical characteristics of both, but he also flies and talks, so I just prefer to call him magic and leave it at that. That also said, if in Kim Possible a naked molerat can climb walls, operate video game systems, walk on ceilings and NOT be total nightmare fuel, then I figure Xerxes can be the least terrifying lamprey on earth.) 

Iago is so good at helping.

And speaking of anachronisms, “philistinism” wasn’t really a word or a thing in the way he’s using it here, not until the 17th or 18th century, and it’s a pretty white, Anglo-centric turn of phrase. Not to be mistaken for the Philistine people (or the Pleshets as they were known), philistines in philosophical terms are anti-intellectuals who place no value in “art, beauty, spirituality, or intellect.” (x) While I can’t find much in the way of how the phrase originated in this way, I’m not going to rule out white colonialist views of ancient cultures, but anybody better versed on this that’d like to give me a shout to set the record straight is most welcome.

I feel the need to give Iago a pass on the more modern references because this is still probably the least blatant of the anachronisms he can dish out, considering his one ambition in life is to have a vibrating recliner.

This little moment is actually kind of adorable (a little headcanon maybe)

“Love you, too, Iago." 

I adore Jasmine’s relationship with Iago in this episode. In fact you really get to see her develop more with a lot of the more minor characters in the group. 

I think Iago actually likes spending time with her, and this is something that stuck even in that horrid Disney Princess spinoff thing that came years later. It’s not just that she has more money or anything like that. He genuinely seems to prefer her company over Aladdin’s at times. She doesn’t make fun of him when some of his more foppish tendencies come out, and they’ve actually had time to bond, separate from everyone else. (I will cover "Do the Rat Thing” soon, promise!) 

Part of this is because I think Jasmine already really likes birds (she’s pictured more often with birds than any other Disney princess and she’s not one of the ones that can summon and command legions of them by singing) and that just works out in Iago’s favor. Iago has also displayed more than once that selfish and materialistic though he is, he also seems to really get her, and vice versa. 

So when he says he’s shopping with her because the boys are shopping for sugared dates, she knows that’s just a cover and he doesn’t want her to think he’s too attached or anything, but he so is. 

These two are bffs.