Shortstember: The Citadel

Season 2- Episode 35

Wha’ happen

I discussed back in my King of Thieves review how Genie presents a huge problem in the Aladdin franchise: too popular to get rid of, but so powerful that he constantly has to be written around to ensure he doesn’t end the story prematurely. I think one of the reasons why The Citadel is possibly my favourite episode in the whole series is how cleverly it turns that problem into a narrative asset. The other reason of course, is Mozenrath.

Almost certainly the most popular and iconic villain in a series that, as I mentioned last time, wasn’t exactly lacking in that department. The Citadel is his first appearance and, in my opinion, represents what this series was really capable of when firing on all cylinders.

We begin with Agrabah under attack from a mysterious pterodactyl like creature while a shadowy figure watches from the sidelines. Aladdin shows up on carpet and tackles the pterodactyl only to get knocked down and almost fall on to a bed of nails. We then cut to…

…Genie literally watching the episode and looking through the script and realising that right about now is when he should be swooping in to Deus Ex Machina Aladdin out of danger. So right off the bat the episode is not only acknowledging the problem with Genie’s power that I mentioned in the intro, it’s flaunting it. After being rescued by Genie and defeating the monster, Aladdin confronts Mozenrath who reveals that this was all a test and that he passed. He offers Aladdin great wealth if he does a job for him and Al refuses, disgusted that Mozenrath would endanger innocent people.

So, Mozenrath sneaks into Aladdin’s hovel (yeah, he still sleeps in the hovel sometimes I don’t know why, the view is not that good) and steals the lamp. He then whisks Aladdin, Iago, Abu and carpet away to his kingdom, the Land of the Black Sand.

Iago, of all people, recognises where they are and tells Aladdin that the Land of the Black Sand is ruled by Destane, a dark sorceror so dangerous that even Jafar steered well clear of him. Mozenrath casually remarks that Destane was his adopted father and introduces them.

So in like a minute we get a rather fabulously layered bit of both world building and character establishment. We learn that there was a sorceror leagues above Jafar and then we learn that this new guy not only defeated him, but turned him into an undead slave to guard his palace. And he did that to his own father. It’s that combination of power and cruelty that really makes Mozenrath such a memorable villain.

So, Mozenrath tells Aladdin and the gang what the skinny is. He has a creature called a Thirdac that he used to guard his palace. The Thirdac, y’see, devours magic but unfortunately for Mozenrath it escaped and he can’t go near it because he’s mostly magic and hair gel. So Mozenrath needs a mortal like Aladdin to collar the beast. And, as incentive, he’s left Genie’s lamp in his palace so Aladdin better hurry before the Thirdac gobbles him up.

Genie, meanwhile, wakes up and finds himself staring down the Thirdac, which looks like something out of early DnD.

Genie quickly realises that all his semi-phenomenal nearly cosmic power is just lunch to this thing and is pretty soon running for his life. So now the show’s usual power dynamic is completely reversed. Genie is not only powerless but acutely vulnerable and we get to see how formidable Aladdin is even without his big blue pal.

Aladdin discovers Mozenrath’s lab and learns that the Thirdac is from a dimension where magic is as plentiful as water and that the creature is basically dying of thirst but that Mozenrath plans on using it to conquer every magical realm out there. They find Genie and Aladdin sees what he thinks is Genie being eaten alive and proceeds to beat the absolute tar out of the Thirdac.

“HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE HELPLESS?! 
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO KNOW PAIN?! 
LOOK WHAT YOU TURNED ME INTO! 
LOOK WHAT WE’VE BECOME! “

Genie is still alive (obviously, there’s merch to be sold) but he and carpet are very nearly devoured before Aladdin finally manages to get the collar on the Thirdac. Whereupon Mozenrath shows up and is all “thanks, I’ll take it from here”. Aladdin pretends to meekly surrender, but then he and the gang sneak back into the castle where Mozenrath is planning an invasion of Agrahbah simply because “it’s there”.

Aladdin ambushes Mozenrath and tells him he’ll free the Thirdac if Mozenrath doesn’t send it back to its home realm. Mozenrath tells him he’s bluffing, because he’s too good a person to risk Mozenrath’s life. Aladdin points out that, yes, that is true. But Iago sure as shit isn’t.

“I’ve killed before, kids! And I’ll kill again!”

Iago sets the creature free and Mozenrath has to banish it back to it’s own realm to save his own life. He’s about to get revenge on Aladdin but Genie is back at full power so Mozenrath takes the L and tells Aladdin that he’s won “for now”.

How was it?

This was my favourite episode so far. I love the hints of a wider world that are introduced here. Mozenrath’s introduction gives the series its greatest villain and for once it really feels like our heroes have their backs against the wall and are fighting for survival. And, once again, I love what they’re doing with Iago. The idea of the parrot being the Wolverine of the group, the one who’s not afraid to get his feathers dirty, is so fun.