Did you ever wonder? Is there a story behind Aladdin's Genie?

My two daughters love watching movies, particularly the Disney Princess movies. While all young girls love the story behind the princess, there are so many other characte’s in the movie some of us have grown to love.

Aladdin was the 31^st movie released in Walt Disney Animated Classic series. A story which received some criticism for being racist, was released in November of 1992. It was one of the most successful movies of the year, grossing more than $217 million dollars in the United States alone.

While most people know and love the Walt Disney version of the story, the story is an old tale that has been told many times. From Sinbad to Arabian Nights, there are countless versions you can watch. However, have you truly ever thought about the different back stories of this famous tale - something other than the princess and Aladdin. I have… and it made me wonder!

The Genie is one of my favorite characters. I love the way that Robin William’s portrayed him and made him is own. From the music sung to his funny lines, it makes it hard not to fall in love with the Genie of the Lamp.

Yet, as my daughters were watching Aladdin, I sat in the other room and just listened. I wasn’t paying too close attention, nor did I need to as I have watched the movie close to a million times.

Aladdin comes across the Genie when he is trapped in the Cave of Wonders. After a wonderful song and dance, Aladdin tricks the Genie into getting them out of the cave, without even costing him a wish. Now throughout the movie, you see the Genie as a kind-hearted soul. A person who you can really count on as not only a friend, but someone that will help you out in a pinch. Yet, I must wonder if this is always the case.

At the end of the movie, Jafar, the sultan’s advisor, starts going a little crazy. His final wish is to be turned into a genie so he can be all powerful. He is then sucked into a lamp. (It just goes to show what greed will do to a person!) The Genie then takes a hold of the lamp and flicks it off to another Cave of Wonders, hoping that will chill him out.

This is when the light bulb clicked on. If they sent Jafar, who is evil, to a Cave of Wonders, what did the Genie do to receive the same kind of treatment? Was the Genie a bad guy who had time to chill for 10,000 years and that is why he is now a good guy?

The world may never know!