Aladdin Central Messageboard

[APK]

I don't plan on writing any fanfics but I figured you guys have probably written a few. So I'm very curious. How DOES one write Genie into a fanfic? He shapeshifts, changes accents and does impersonations literally ever minute. It's okay for the movies and series but let's say you wanted to write a transcript in story form and not in script form...won't it be quite awkward/hard to write?

Hurled from the cliff, Aladdin plunged to his doom, falling fast towards the desert sands. Then Genie turned into Mary Poppins and caught him.

I mean, even if you don't write the name of the characters he's doing impressions of, just trying to describe what he shapeshifts into and the accents he uses is hard to do without ruining the "Arabian Nights" feelings. Especially since the other characters don't recognize the pop culture references Genie makes. The other characters wouldn't be able to name the different machines Genies uses/transforms into, either.

[APK]

Now that I think about it, it would be just as hard to write Iago into fanfics as well. Both he and Genie have very witty dialog and it can be hard coming up with hilarious things to say every other minute and those two really have great lines all of the time. Also, I imagine I'd have to use exclamation points after every sentence Iago says because he's always yelling It would look kind of unnatural in writing.

[persian85033]

Too true. I have to be looking up stuff for them to say, as I don't know many humerous stuff myself.
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"I too am a member of your species, Captain, or I was. Perhaps I am not anymore. Perhaps you are right in thinking of me as an alien. I know I am different from you. You see-I do not kill."

[AladdinsGenie]

I don't write fanfic, but I'd say if anything you can be creative with how you introduce what he's going to turn into rather than worry about what he's going to say since a lot of Genie's jokes are based on visual aid. This being a fic, you can't exactly rely on that, so you have to paint the picture for the reader and if they know the reference, they'll do the rest. If not, they know Genie turned into something and can look it up later . The biggest thing I see in fics is people trying to slam all that funny into EVERYTHING he says, and Genie quickly gets obnoxious.

[APK]

If it got to be too hard, I would just write Genie out of the story! I would feel like a lame, horrible cheater if I did that, though. The set up would be so obvious if I made a character point out that Genie was on vacation or something. The writers of the series are really creative when it comes to finding reasons to keep Genie from intervening too much.

This is slightly off topic but I hate it when I read lemon/smut/sex fics for children's series written by young authors and they do a really obvious set-up to make it okay for the characters to have sex. I've read one for Lizzie McGuire once that opened up, "Lizzie's mom and dad were at the grocery store and Lizzie's brother was at baseball and Lizzie was all alone in the house." And I've read Harry Potter ones that open up, "Harry was 18 and Hermione was 18 and Voldemort was defeated and this takes place years after they graduated so there was nothing left to do." Yeah, because the age of consent in the UK is totally the same as the age of consent in the US

[AladdinsGenie]

People get really defensive when they're called names for their kinks, so they always make sure to let people know "omg they're of age ok1!1??" so they don't get angry comments

[Meesh]

There are usually 2 situations where I incorporate Genie's cartoony side.

The first is sarcasm. He uses this against Iago and villains sometimes. I try to avoid cliches, but hey. They happen sometimes. The second is his shapeshifting. In different situations, sometimes it's easy to think, "Okay, what stereotype or character would be really useful or appropriate right now?" The easy one to overuse is Sherlock. I try to keep the detective use to a minimum, but sometimes it's just sooo tempting.

But like AG said, you don't want to stuff all the funniness into him. Remember that he is a true friend. He sheds tears and comforts those who need it. He even has some words of wisdom to share from time to time. (He has, afterall, had at least 10,000 years of experience )
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[goten0040]

Oddly enough, Iago is one of my favorites to write, and both he and Genie have the tendency to come through very strongly in my fanfiction. I've gotten a lot of compliments.

For example, My Genie:

“Where’s this storm come from?!” Genie yelled over the sounds of winds and thunder.

Aladdin could feel Abu gripping violently to his arm, trying not to get carried off in the sudden storm. “I… I don’t know! Something’s not right about it!”

Genie agreed, suddenly sporting a rain coat, hat, boots, and umbrella. “Yeah! Seems almost like it was magically created.”

Aladdin gave Genie a look of confusion. “What?”

“This storm’s got hints of magic all over it! Well controlled lightning, really dark skies, and,” with a quick transformation into a Genie-looking Tinkerbell, “A little bit of pixie dust!” With a giggle, he poofed back to his normal self.

“Magic? Storms?” Aladdin began, then his eyes carried to the sight of the undead filing out of a building in a stupid obedience. “Mamluks. Mozenrath is behind this.”


and, my Iago:


“Ah, would you look at that, Iago,” Cassim said, gazing at the darkening horizon. “First desert rain I’ve seen in a long time.”

The bird fidgeted nervously. “I hate rain.”

“What? Why?” Cassim grinned widely at the remark, amused.

Iago grimaced, looking somewhat ugly as he thought back on his past. “I had to create a storm so Jafar could find Aladdin.”

“So?”

“I got struck by lightning, you jerk!” he squawked loudly, filling the desert with his brash, unfriendly voice.

To which Cassim responded -

In choking laughter.

“Eh, shut up,” Iago growled, choosing to silence himself amongst the older mans chortles.

“I’m sorry, Iago,” he said, “But it is quite funny.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, where are we going anyway?”

“There’s supposed to be some sort of hidden city somewhere through here. Quite a few magical… and expensive… artifacts.”

Iago rubbed his wings together as a human might his hands. “Ooh, sounds like a good investment.”



That's how I do it. They're awfully fun. XD
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[APK]

Hey, that's pretty good Goten

It did come off really well, probably because you didn't overthink it. The problem I have when I write creative stories is, I get too descriptive and overthink. I would've thought to myself, "The rest of the gang wouldn't know what a raincoat, umbrella or Tinkerbell was, so maybe I should just describe all those things and not name them." Then I would've thought, "Hmm...'device to shield the rain' doesn't sound right." Backspace, backspace, backspace. I would be worried about making my tone consisentantly dark/serious and Arabian nights sounding.

[Calluna]

[goten0040]

Well, I like to remember the thing that I'm writing from, right? Though I'm definitely a more serious writer than a humorous one, when I'm writing something from Aladdin, I don't want to forget what inspired me. Characters like Genie and Iago are probably more three-dimensional than the lead. I love Al, trust me, but he's rather dull to write. I prefer writing Mozenrath and Cassim, honestly. And Jasmine? Good Lord, I don't know if I'll ever do her justice because she bores the crap out of me. XDD It's the larger-than-life characters that pull the story together. I don't want to limit myself to a completely serious plot-line. That's not how Aladdin works, y'know?
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[Meesh]

Maybe Aladdin bores you because he treats (or tries to treat) everybody the way they should be treated and sarcasm isn't one of his defining traits.

But he does have a lot of wit and some good one-liners. He delivers some of the best ones in the movie IMO - especially in the first scene from him being chased to meeting Prince Achmed to the OJA reprise. Plus, some of the plots he comes up with are genius, and his athletic ability is almost super-hero-esque!

On the other hand, he can be clumsy with his words, like on the balcony with Jasmine in the movie or in "Elemental, My Dear Jasmine."

He isn't slapstick funny or loud and obnoxious, but there is definitely a lot to him. It's just harder to capture I think.
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[Meesh]

I know it's a lot, and I'm not necessarily saying I'm the best at this, but here are some Genie moments I've done in fanfics. (They're from "Diadem" and "Settling the Score.")

Genie/Iago interactions of mine:

Genie poofed into an archaeologist and pulled out a pouch filled with archaeological tools. He tapped the crown with a ‘dink, dink’, “Real gold, alright! I haven’t seen gold like this since forty-nine!” He took out a large magnifying class.
[Genie explains what the specimen is]
He stood up, “Let me see if what I think is correct. Iago - Peck Aladdin on the head.”
Before Iago’s beak touched Aladdin’s head, a beam of blue light shot out of the red ruby and hit Iago, who squawked. Jasmine’s eyes glowed the same color blue as before.
“Mhm,” Genie observed. He flew over to Iago and poofed into a nerdy scientist’s clothing. “I knew I should’ve listened to the professor about experimenting with animals.”
Iago brushed himself off, “Never make me do that again.”
Genie turned to Iago, “Now peck me.”
“You’re lucky the princess is here, or I’d do more than that!”


[Genie, Carpet, and Iago are near a meadow wondering where everyone else is.]
All of a sudden, an explosion erupted from the bottom-right side of the palace.
“I vote we go to the pretty, harmless meadow!” Iago whined after seeing this.
“No way!” Genie and Carpet rushed toward the palace as the explosion spread upward and over.
Iago reluctantly followed, whining, “Why do I always have to be the guinea pig? Why can’t anyone say, ‘You’re right Iago! Let’s go where YOU want to go! Let’s do what YOU say!’”
Genie looked at him, “The occasion rarely calls for it.”
“Har. Har. You’re a riot. Really.”

"There are so many books!" Genie exclaimed, trying to find something that may have been of help.
"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" Iago hollered, "Because we ARE kind of in a library!"
"The bird is annoying me," Attalisa commented.
"He has that first effect," Aladdin answered, running his fingers along endless rows of history books.

“A new case!” Genie puffed into a detective with a pipe. “I’ll be on this case like a cheap suit, little lady. Don’t you worry. We private eyes’ll find yer man. Er… Woman.”
“Thank you, Genie friend. The banquet hall is this way,” Attalisa started off.
“No thanks!” Iago called out. “I’d rather stay in the quiet, innocent library.”
“Okay, suit yourself!” Genie called back. “We’ll just keep the trays full of royal foods to ourselves.”
“On second thought, wait up,” Iago flew over to them.
Genie smirked.

Genie being a good friend:

"Genie," Aladdin got his blue friend's attention after putting on a dark cloak to keep him warm.
Genie approached Aladdin willingly, "What will it be, Al?"
"I want you to stay with Jasmine."
Genie pulled out a book and flipped prodigously through it until reaching one page, "Well, according to our Princess Jasmine history book," Genie slammed it shut and finished, "doing this does not have a very good record."
"Genie," Aladdin looked into his friend's eyes genuinely. "Whoever it was who kidnapped Sadira most likely mistook her for Jasmine. It won't be long until they realize that Sadira isn't really Jasmine and come after Jasmine. That's why I gave her Carpet and why I'm going by horse."
Genie looked at Aladdin understandingly and poofed into a medieval knight costume and answered in an Old English accent, "I will not fail to protect thy Fair Lass." With a nod, his helmet's eyeshield fell down over his eyes.
Aladdin gave a quick, modest laugh and lifted the eyeshield, "It helps to see while protecting fair maiden."
Genie poofed to his normal self and put his big, warm hand on Aladdin's shoulder, "You can trust me."
"Thanks, Genie," and Aladdin got one of Genie's trademark hugs.

Jasmine held out her hand as a glassy drop of rain fell onto her palm. She looked up at the sky, "It's starting to rain, Genie. Will Aladdin be okay?"
"Jas, he's lived on the streets since he was a little boy," Genie answered, pausing and looking up at they sky. "Although it is a rare thing that it would rain in Agrabah."
Jasmine nodded with a smile, "And if it weren't for the fact that we were searching for a kidnapped friend, it would be a gift." She looked up once more as the rain started to fall more rapidly. All of the moon-reflecting drops seemed like falling stars falling on the sleeping city. Upon noticing this, she got Genie's attention once more, "Genie."
Genie looked at his princess friend with a look asking what was wrong. "Oh," he said with a clumsy grin, "Right." With that, he spread himself out into a parachute-shaped umbrella, keeping Jasmine and Carpet perfectly dry.
"Thanks, Genie."

Genie saving the day:

“Hey, Al! You found her!” Genie exclaimed, clasping his hands together. Then came a change of tone as he noticed his friends‘ captivity, “Either that or she found you. What’s going on here?”
“I wish I knew,” Aladdin snarled.
“A genie!!” Corey boomed. “Royalty! Success! Marriage to a princess! AND a GENIE?!!”
“Hey, my pal EARNED it!” Genie boasted as he turned into a cowboy with a pistol in each hand. “That’s why I’m bustin’ ‘im loose!” He blasted water at the sand from his guns, dissolving the sand and freeing Aladdin and Jasmine.
“No!” Sadira called out. She raised her hands, and the wet sand levitated into the air in clumps. She instantly started thrusting the clumps at Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie.
“Oh! So it’s a sandball fight you want!” In an instant, Genie built a sand igloo around Aladdin and Jasmine and a sand wall to duck behind. Wearing snow attire, he began thrusting sand-balls at his three antagonists.
Dre and Corey hated this as they spat out sand and wildly tried to brush the sand off, but it just kept coming. Before Sadira could recover from the sand in her eyes and mouth, Genie stood up and said, “That was fun! Next time we play teams!” and poofed Aladdin, Jasmine and himself out of sight.
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[APK]

That was really good, Meesh! Very entertaining and you came up with some great stuff, methinks.

[APK]

I think Jasmine and Aladdin would be hard to write because there is the challenge of making them normal teenagers without being boring as well as brave and kind without being Mary Sue. The writers for the franchise have done a really good job with balancing them out so they aren't too sweet or too sour. With Genie and Iago, you can predict what kind of reaction they will have under certain circumstances. With Aladdin and Jasmine, it's sometimes hard to tell.