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{{Short description|Disney character}}
{{DisneyChar
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Jafar (''Aladdin'')}}
| name = جعفر <br>Jafar
{{Infobox character
| image = <!-- Deleted image removed: ] -->
| image caption = Jafar | name = Jafar
| image = Jafar(Disney)Character.png
| first appearance = ''''']''''' (1992)
| series = ]
| created by = ], ]<br />
| caption =
] (animator)
| first = '']'' (1992)
| voiced by = ]<br>] (Family Guy episode, ])
| last =
| creator = {{Plainlist|
* ]
* ]}}
| occupation = {{plainlist|
* ]
* ]
* ]}}
| lbl1 = Voiced by
| data1 = ]
| lbl2 = Portrayed by
| data2 = {{plainlist|
* Jonathan Freeman {{small|(])}}
* ] {{small|('']'')}}
* ] {{small|(])}}}}
| family = Nasira (fraternal twin sister)<br>Jade (niece; in "Descendants")
| children = Jay (son; in ''Descendants'')
| nationality = <!-- fictional -->
| extra-hdr = Other Information
| lbl31 = Powers
| based_on = {{Plainlist|
* The sorcerer {{small|in "]"}}
* ] {{small|in the '']''}}
* Jafar {{small|in ]}}
* ] ]
}} }}
| race = Mystic Human (second wish)<br>] (third wish)
'''Jafar''' (]: جعفر ) is a ], ] by ] in the ] film '']'' and its ], ''].'' He is an evil sorcerer and the former Grand ] of the Sultan of Agrabah. He does not appear in ], but he is mentioned by the ] and is seen wearing a mask of Jafar. Jafar can also be used to refer to Javier Arsais.
}}
'''Jafar''' is a fictional character in ]' animated film '']'' (1992). He is voiced by ], who also portrayed the character in the ]. Jafar also appears in the ] to ''Aladdin'', but he is not in the ] or the ], although he does return in the latter's crossover '']''.


An inspiration to the character is the villain Jaffar, played by ] in '']'', from which ''Aladdin'' borrows several character ideas and plot elements. The Jafar of Disney's ''Aladdin'' plays essentially the same part as the character from the 1940 film, and is drawn with notable similarity to Veidt's looks.<ref name="fosteronfilm1">{{cite web|url=http://www.fosteronfilm.com/fantasy/thiefbagdad.htm|title=The Thief of Bagdad (1940)|website=FosterOnFilm.com|access-date=May 4, 2017}}</ref> He is also loosely based on the real-life ] ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mvslim.com/disney-villain-jafar-based-on-prominent-historical-figure-who-contributed-greatly-to-science|title=Disney Villain Jafar Is Based on a Prominent Historical Figure Who Contributed Greatly to Science|website=MVSlim.com|date=3 January 2019|access-date=January 3, 2019}}</ref>
==Conception and creation==
Jafar's name seems to be derived from a character named '''Jafar''' or '''Giafar''' ({{lang-ar|جعفر}}) in tales of the '']'', who is the Vizier to the 9th century ] ] ]; this character in turn was based on a real-life vizier, ]. Harun and Giafar were the protagonists of many stories in ''Arabian Nights'', but Giafar was never presented as a villain. Harun did have the real Ja'far bin Yahya Barmaki beheaded after a dispute arising from allegations that Ja'far had engaged in an affair with the Caliph's sister. The original tale of ''Aladdin'', a ]n story not originally attached to the ''Arabian Nights'', features two characters who correspond to Disney's Jafar. One is an unnamed vizier who is jealous of Aladdin but does not serve as a real villain; the other is the major antagonist, an evil magician from the ] in ] who introduces Aladdin to his magical lamp. Another inspiration to the character is the villain ''Jaffar'', played by ] in '']''.


== Development ==
] was originally offered the role of Jafar, but scheduling conflicts with '']'' forced him to turn down the role. He has said in interviews that this is his biggest regret in his career, and in the top three of biggest regrets of his life.<ref>{{cite web |title=IMDb trivia |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103639/trivia |accessdate=2007-09-04}}</ref>
Animator ] decided to design Jafar in a way he was contrasting to the other characters, with many vertical lines against the curvy designs based on ].<ref>{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Roberge|url=http://tech.mit.edu/V112/N64/aladdin.64a.html|title=Aladdin animator used subtlety to design strong villain|work=]|publisher=]|location=Cambridge, Massachusetts|date=November 20, 1992|access-date=July 19, 2018|archive-date=October 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005013140/http://tech.mit.edu/V112/N64/aladdin.64a.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>


Animator ] decided to design Jafar in a way he was contrasting to the other characters, with many vertical lines against the curvy designs based on ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-tech.mit.edu/V112/N64/aladdin.64a.html|title=Aladdin animator used subtlety to design strong villain|date=1992-11-20|publisher=]}}</ref> When Deja first met ], he was surprised to see the lack of physical similarity to the character - but also englobed some of Freeman's acting and gesturing into Jafar's animation. <ref name="diamond">''Aladdin Platinum Edition'', Disc 2: ''Diamond in the Rough: The Making of Aladdin.''</ref> ], who composers ] and ] met when he auditioned for '']'' and had previously invited Freeman to audition for both '']'' and '']'', said that the artwork was what got him truly interested in the role. He stated that "once I saw those heavy lidded eyes, that long narrow face, I knew that Jafar was going to be something really special." He was the first actor cast, and spent 21 months recording dialogue; he went months without any other actors to interact, and later interrupted theater tours to fly to Los Angeles and record newly written lines.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jim|last=Hill|url=http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2011/06/13/jonathan-freeman-returns-as-jafar-in-new-stage-musical-version-of-disney-s-quot-aladdin-quot.aspx|title=Jonathan Freeman returns as Jafar in new stage musical version of Disney's "Aladdin"|publisher=Jim Hill Media|date=June 13, 2011|access-date=December 26, 2011}}</ref> When Deja first met Freeman, he was surprised to see the lack of physical similarity to the character, but included some of Freeman's acting and gesturing into Jafar's animation.<ref name="diamond">{{cite AV media|people=Scott Weinger (Actor), Robin Williams (Actor), John Musker (Director), Ron Clements (Director) |title=Aladdin Platinum Edition|chapter=Disc 2: Diamond in the Rough: The Making of Aladdin|publisher=]|location=Burbank, California|date=October 5, 2004}}</ref>


==Characteristics== == Appearances ==
===Personality=== === Films ===
==== ''Aladdin'' ====
Jafar is given the fairly accurate nickname of "Señor ]" by the Genie character near the climax of the first film. Like numerous other clinically-diagnosed psychopaths, Jafar wears a metaphorical mask of normalcy throughout the film, establishing himself as a cool-headed schemer and gaining the trust of those around him, despite his rather untrustworthy physical appearance. Even with this mask, Jafar's psychopathic tendencies tend to seep through and become apparent to the viewer, particularly in the opening sequence, where Jafar displays no remorse in sending Gazeem the Thief to his death in the Cave of Wonders, simply proclaiming that "Gazeem was obviously less than worthy" in a rather dry tone of voice. The deleted song "" also establishes Jafar as an emotional ], getting a laugh out of seeing "another fellow's dreams turn into nightmares one by one" and treating the Genie in an especially harsh manner. It is not until Jafar gains control of the Genie's lamp that he shows his true colors, becoming more short-tempered with his subjects after usurping power from the Sultan. It is this impulsive behavior that leads to his downfall, as he uses his third wish to become an omnipotent genie, unaware of the life inside the lamp that he now has to endure.
{{Main|Aladdin (1992 Disney film)}}
In the ], where he is voiced by ], Jafar is the ] of ], the ]'s most trusted advisor. He is also an evil and sinister ] who strongly dislikes being second best. Jafar secretly plots to obtain the ]'s magical ] and rule Agrabah. Early in the film, ] is imprisoned in the palace dungeons, as arranged by Jafar due to his influence over the guards. When ] angrily confronts him over the incident, Jafar lies to her, pretending to have believed that Aladdin abducted her and saying that he was already executed. That night Jafar (disguised as a fellow prisoner) approaches Aladdin, striking a deal with him. In exchange for Aladdin's help in retrieving the lamp from the Cave of Wonders, Jafar reveals an escape route from the prison and promises him a reward if he succeeds, it is soon revealed that the reward is death. When the plan fails, Aladdin and the lamp are lost. The Sultan later scolds Jafar for supposedly executing an innocent life behind his back without consulting him, in which Jafar pretends to regret his actions and promises not to do it again. When his pet parrot ] suggests an alternative plan, Jafar decides to use the hypnotic powers of his cobra-headed staff to manipulate the Sultan into mandating a marriage between himself and Jasmine. This plan also instigates Jafar's ] towards Jasmine and thus he genuinely wants to have her as his bride. However, he is impeded by Aladdin, who had discovered the Genie and used his first wish to become a Prince. Seeing “Prince Ali” as a potential threat to his plans and a rival for Jasmines’s hand in marriage, he plots to dispose of him. After a second attempt by Jafar on his life, Aladdin (with the help of the Genie and his second wish) survives and then exposes Jafar's plot against the Sultan; however, Jafar learns that Aladdin possesses the lamp before making his escape.


Iago steals the lamp from Aladdin and Jafar becomes the Genie's new master. Jafar uses his first two wishes to become Sultan and the world's most powerful sorcerer. Jafar assumes control of the palace (which is lifted off the ground and put on the main top of a mountain by Genie) and banishes Aladdin to a frozen wasteland. Jafar then turns the Sultan into a puppet, allowing Iago to torture the Sultan by force-feeding him crackers as revenge for the crackers the Sultan fed Iago. A horrified Jasmine begs Jafar to stop and Jafar does so. Jafar, seeking a queen to rule Agrabah alongside him, offers Jasmine his hand in marriage. Jasmine angrily refuses and throws a cup of wine in his face. An angered Jafar decides to use his final wish to wish for Jasmine to fall desperately in love with him. Genie tries to inform Jafar that he cannot use his magic to make people fall in love, but Jafar, grabbing him by the beard, demands him to do it anyway. Their argument causes him to not notice that Aladdin has returned and Jasmine decides to help Aladdin steal back the lamp by pretending that she is now in love with Jafar. Jafar, believing that Genie has somehow granted him his wish, goes up to Jasmine to seduce her without realizing she is tricking him. He notices Aladdin, however, from the reflection of Jasmine's crown, and he realizes the whole thing was a ruse.
Jafar is usually shown to be somewhat comedic, even in his times of evil and cunning, proclaiming "Ewww..." when contemplating decapitation. This, however, doesn't keep Jafar from having a sub-par sense of humor himself, spurting several ]s in a row while keeping Aladdin and his friends from getting the lamp during the film's climax ("Don't ''toy'' with me!", "Things are ''unraveling'' fast now, boy!", "Get the ''point''?", "I'm just getting ''warmed'' up!") This comical humor does not carry over in the film's direct-to-video sequel, which aimed to make Jafar more sinister and ruthless.


Aladdin battles Jafar (who has turned into a giant hostile cobra) and taunts him with the fact that he is only the second-most powerful being on Earth after Genie, who was the one who gave him his power in the first place and can very easily take it away. Realizing that what Aladdin says is true and that he’s still “second best”, Jafar, consumed by his hunger for power, uses his final wish to become an all-powerful ], in an attempt to rule the whole ]. However, as Jafar revels in his newfound phenomenal cosmic power, he finds out too late that Aladdin has tricked him into wasting his wish on becoming a genie, which also comes with a catch since genies are not free beings, and becomes trapped in a magic lamp of his own, which is sent into the Cave of Wonders by the Genie.
===Appearance===
Jafar is tall and thin, wears a long, twisted goatee, and is almost always depicted in flowing robes of black, dark red and other moody colors, giving him an overtly villainous appearance. When he is granted true magical abilities, upon wishing to become the world's most powerful sorcerer, his outfit's angular qualities become more exaggerated, his hat and his wardrobe's shoulders growing into elongated spikes. His golden, cobra-headed staff is also granted unnatural life, its mouth opening to spit spells. His appearance further, and most drastically, distorts when he wishes to become an all-powerful ], after which he transforms into a massive, red-skinned entity with talons, glowing yellow eyes and an immense, muscular physique, a direct contrast to the good Genie's soft, blue appearance. In the direct-to-video sequel, Jafar has the ability to change from this fearsome genie form back into his familiar (and human) sorcerer attire, which is notably less conspicuous. Jafar has a pet ] named ], who normally perches on his shoulders or his staff, and who eventually switches sides in ''The Return of Jafar''.


==== ''The Return of Jafar'' ====
===Abilities===
{{Main|The Return of Jafar}}
Despite his magical aspirations, Jafar is actually incapable of performing any supernatural feats during the majority of ''Aladdin''. He is shown to be scholarly and learned in arcane lore, his secret chamber filled with strange devices and stacks of tomes, and, as such, he operates more on the level of an ] throughout the film’s duration than an actual magician. Instead of casting spells, he relies on previously prepared potions capable of producing magical phenomenon, smashing a vial of red liquid onto the floor, for example, in order to create a cloud of smoke. He relies heavily on certain relics in his possession, such as his snake-headed staff which is capable, through its enchanted ruby eyes, of hypnotizing people. A gigantic hourglass which he keeps in his study also serves as a crystal ball for him, granting him the ability to see the outside world. He is also a master of disguise, assuming the appearance of an old beggar man in order to gain Aladdin’s confidence. He operates largely through his underworld connections, such as with the thief, Gazeem, as well as his position of authority within the palace, which places the entire Royal Guard under his command.
In '']'', Jafar's lamp is found by ], who summons Jafar from the lamp. Jafar plots to get revenge on Aladdin. He nearly succeeds at killing Aladdin and taking control of the palace, but Iago, who has changed sides, destroys Jafar's lamp in lava. Jafar dies in an explosion of magic, since a genie imprisoned in a lamp cannot survive without it. As a result, Jafar was never seen again, neither in '']'' nor in the ], but was often referred to by name by the other characters (namely Iago).


==== ''Descendants'' ====
]
{{Main|Descendants (2015 film)}}
This inability to perform real magic is primarily what drives Jafar to search for the Genie’s magical lamp, and after achieving it, his second wish is to become the world’s most powerful sorcerer. After he makes this wish, he is noticeably able to perform a radical assortment of spells on a mere whim, such as manipulating physical bodies, levitating objects, spitting fire, materializing weaponry from thin air and, most impressively, shapeshifting into an enormous serpent. During this stage, he is never again forced to rely on his talismans, potions, or disguises.
Jafar appears in '']'' alongside ], ], and the ], as part of a group of Disney villains who are the parents of the film's four main characters, with ] playing the role. In the film, he is the father of Jay, who steals items for his father's store.


==== ''Aladdin'' (2019 film) ====
In ''The Return of Jafar'' he is depicted as being a genie of almost unlimited power, easily defeating the Genie with a musical number ("You're Only Second Rate") and imprisoning him in a magical orb and being immune to all of Genies spells. Though he seems to be bound by the same rules as the Genie (most notably being unable to kill), Jafar easily finds ways around these limitations, such as transporting the bandit Abis Mal underwater when he wishes for sunken treasure and threatening to let him drown. His only one weakness is his lamp, as he will die if his lamp is destroyed.
{{Main|Aladdin (2019 film)}}
Depicted younger in the 2019 live-action version, Jafar is still the grand vizer, but more emphasis is placed on his past as a thief in his youth and his ambition to use Agrabah to invade the kingdom of Shirabad out of revenge for his time in its dungeons. The Sultan's wife and Princess Jasmine's late mother, the Queen, was stated to have been a Princess of Shirabad prior to her marriage to the Sultan, and it is possible that Jafar arranged her murder as both revenge for his imprisonment and possibly to instigate war between the two kingdoms. The film also presents Jafar as a foil to Aladdin, the former explicitly comparing their thief backgrounds and desire to improve their social status. While Aladdin wants just enough to live comfortably, Jafar is shown to never be satisfied with what he has gained as long as there are those greater than himself. Aladdin uses that character flaw to trick Jafar into using his last wish to become a genie, resulting in his imprisonment and being thrown into the Cave of Wonders by the Genie. ] played the role.
His most recent appearance, ''Hercules and the Arabian Night'', he has lost his status as a genie. However, he is still able to perform magic with his staff, although it is not as good as when he was the world's most powerful sorcerer. Here he is able to summon giant monsters, fire non-fatal blasts of red energy, and freeze things in blocks of ice. It seems likely that this magic was provided by Hades when he revived Jafar.


=== Television series ===
==History==
===Films=== ==== ''Hercules'' ====
{{Main|Hercules (1998 TV series)}}
<!-- Unsourced image removed: ] -->
In the episode "]" of '']'', Jafar makes another attempt at revenge and is ] by Hercules's arch-enemy, ]. He has lost his status as an all-powerful immortal genie after dying, but Hades gives him a new cobra staff that makes him flesh and blood as long as he holds it, and the two villains team up to get rid of Aladdin and Hercules. However, due to Aladdin's wit and Hercules's strength, Jafar is defeated for the final time, being pulled into the River Styx forever.
In the first film, Jafar tries to use ] powers to take over Agrabah, first wishing to become the sultan, and then the most powerful sorcerer in the world. After battling Aladdin with his questionable sense of humor, Jafar transforms himself into a giant cobra in an attempt to kill Aladdin, but just as Jafar is squeezing him to death, Aladdin tricks Jafar into using his third and final ] to become an all-powerful ] himself and the strongest entity in the Disney universe. In Western culture, genies are almost always portrayed as being confined to small ]s until they are released to do a human's bidding; Jafar is therefore trapped by his own selfish wish for power.


==== ''House of Mouse'' ====
Jafar is more a present part of the plot than other Disney villains, especially during the era in which he was created, with proportionately more airtime than most other Disney villains. Many scenes featuring Aladdin are mirrored with scenes featuring Jafar, back to back, in which one can see Jafar's interactions with other characters, giving the viewer a more "personal" experience with the villain. His unique characteristics compared to most Disney villains are probably the reason that he lived at the end of his movie, at the same time arguing with Iago ("Get your blasted beak out of my face!" "Oh, shut up, you moron!" "Don't tell ''me'' to shut up!").
Jafar is featured in many episodes of '']'' where he is often found in the audience. In one episode "Donald's Lamp Trade", Jafar hypnotizes Donald Duck to steal a lamp for him, but it turns out that he only wanted a clock-like lamp and not the real magical one. He has another major role in the episode "House of Magic", where after a badly botched magic act by Daisy, in which she makes the club disappear, Mickey asks Jafar for help in bringing the club back, whereupon he and Iago perform a version of "]" to cast the spell. He also appears in the series' two direct-to-video films, appearing briefly in '']'', and as the main antagonist in '']'' as the leader of Disney Villains. In an episode inspired by this last film, "Pete's House of Villains", Jafar replaces Donald as the club's goalkeeper, where he keeps the other ''Aladdin'' characters from coming into House of Mouse.


==== ''Once Upon a Time'' ====
In ''The Return of Jafar'', the now-genie Jafar is released by ], and, after cunningly making Abis-Mal waste his first two wishes, threatens Abis into helping him. His plan included kidnapping (and in some instances, replacing) the royal family and framing Aladdin for the Sultan's "death," which would have caused him to be beheaded, but (with help from a reformed Iago) the heroes manage to escape. When Jafar discovers this, he opens up a fissure into the earth in order to destroy Aladdin and the others. Believing to have won, Jafar is surprised to see Iago genuinely helping the heroes and shoots down his former ally with a fireball as Iago grabs the lamp. A mostly-dead Iago manages to kick the lamp into one of the lava pits, melting the lamp into nothingness. With a scream of anger and fear, Jafar disintegrates in a burst of light and disappears.
An alternate version of Jafar appears in the '']'' spin-off '']''. ] portrays the character, an ally of the ]. In this continuity, Jafar is the illegitimate son of the Sultan, and his interest in genies stems from his mentor and lover, Amara, who discovered a ritual that could be used to rewrite the laws of magic using the power of three genies and two sorcerers. Jafar betrayed Amara by transforming her into his serpent staff so that he could have her power for himself.


Andrews did not reprise his role in ''Once Upon a Time'''s ] due to a scheduling conflict, and he was replaced by ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Webb |first=Matt |url=https://tvline.com/2016/07/23/once-upon-a-time-season-6-aladdin-jafar-cast-oden-fehr/ |title='Once Upon a Time' Casts Aladdin and Jafar for Season 6 — Oded Fehr as Jafar |publisher=TVLine |date=2016-07-23 |access-date=2019-08-14}}</ref>
Jafar later made one more attempt at revenge in an episode ("]") of Disney's '']'' ], where he is temporarily revived by Hercules's arch-enemy, ], although he lost his status as an all-powerful immortal genie when he died. The two villains team up to get rid of Aladdin ''and'' Hercules by having them fight against each other, but their plan fails and Jafar ends up dead again when Hercules snaps his staff in half, and has not at this point made any reappearances in the official ''Aladdin'' continuity.


=== Video games ===
As far as Jafar's family goes, he has a fraternal twin sister named Nasira who tried bringing her brother back to life in the game ''Nasira's Revenge''. Jafar's sister is very similar both in appearance and actions as ]. She respects Jafar and the sibling bond between them is very strong.
==== ''Kingdom Hearts'' ====
Jafar debuted in '']'' as one of the members of ]'s inner circle. Here, he plans to use ] and take over Agrabah while he attempts to locate both Jasmine (as she is one of the Princesses of Heart) and Agrabah's Keyhole. Jafar eventually manages to steal Genie's lamp from Aladdin and kidnap Jasmine in the process. ], Aladdin, ] and ] track him to the Cave of Wonders, where Jafar used his first wish to reveal the world's keyhole. Upon arrival in the lamp chamber, they engage Jafar in battle after he used his second wish to enlist Genie's help in the fight. Upon his defeat, Jafar uses his final wish to become a Genie and battles the team again, only to be defeated and sealed away in the lamp.


Facsimiles of Jafar appear in '']'', based on Sora's memories
===''Kingdom Hearts'' series===
Jafar's Japanese voice actor in all these games is ]. He is voiced by ] in the English version of the games.


In '']'', Jafar's lamp is found by the Peddler, making him a target for ] as he reveals his intent to make Jafar into a Heartless under his control. Once Pete is driven off, the lamp is placed within the palace for safe keeping. However, Jafar is later released by the Peddler and he threatens Iago into tricking him get Sora and his friends on a wild goose chase to their death while he captures Princess Jasmine. After the heroes arrive, with Iago taking a hit meant that he had been tricked by Jafar and redeems for Aladdin, Sora defeats Jafar, causing him to implode with his lamp dissolving soon after.
Jafar debuted as one of the members of ]'s inner circle. Here, he plans to use the ] and take over ]. Eventually, Jafar kidnaps ], one of the seven Princesses of Heart. Aladdin tries to save her by using a wish, but ] then steals the lamp and gives it to Jafar. Jafar tries to kill ] by sending the Pot Centipede Heartless after him while he makes his way to the Cave of Wonders. He uses his magic to control the Cave of Wonders Guardian. Inside the Cave of Wonders, Jafar makes his first wish to show Agrabah's Keyhole.<ref>'''Jafar:''' My first wish, Genie! Show me the Keyhole! {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> Then, at Jafar's boss fight, he makes his second wish to make Genie crush Sora and the gang. Genie then reluctantly fights alongside Jafar against Sora and friends.<ref>'''Jafar:''' Genie! My second wish. Crush them! / '''Aladdin:''' Genie, no! / '''Genie:''' Sorry, Al. The one with the lamp calls the shots. I don’t have a choice. {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> During this fight, Jafar typically stands on one of the stone blocks located around the area and attacks from above with a continuous beam of fire and a large ice storm in the center area of the room, occasionally drifting down for a more personal assault with his staff. After he is damaged enough in these confrontations, he turns into a ball of light and floats away, then resumes human form to continue the cycle again. In addition, when hit with Gravity magic, Jafar forms a protective shield around himself. After a brief moment of peace, Jafar makes his third wish to become a powerful genie and sinks into a underground lava filled chamber in which his boss fight takes place, throwing large spheres of lava at the party. His only vulnerable point is his lamp (carried by Iago), and following his defeat, Sora pulls him back into his lamp, but discovers too late that Jasmine is gone, having been taken away by Riku. After his defeat, Hades (meeting with Maleficent, ], and ]) comments that Jafar would have succeeded if Riku had assisted. Maleficent, however, explains that Jafar was beyond help and was consumed by his own hatred. She also warns Hades not to follow the same path.<ref>'''Hades:''' That smarmy vizier could’ve had `em — if someone had stuck around to give him a hand. / '''Riku:''' Hey, I did my part. I brought the princess, didn’t I? / '''Maleficent:''' Jafar was beyond help, consumed by his own hatred. One should beware of letting it burn too fiercely. {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> In the ''Kingdom Hearts'' manga, Jafar is somewhat afraid or intimidated by Maleficent,<ref>'''Jafar:''' Excellent, Genie! With your powers, we can rule the world together! / '''Genie:''' Gimme a break, ''master.'' / '''Maleficent:''' Jafar, are you thinking of setting out on your own? / '''Jafar:''' (''visibly startled'') Maleficent! I was only kidding... / '''Maleficent:''' Try me. I can easily find a replacement. / '''Jafar:''' ... {{Comic book reference | Cartoonist = Shiro Amano | Title = '''Kingdom Hearts''' | Volume = 2 | Date = ] | Publisher = '''Tokyopop''' | ID = ISBN 1-59816-218-7 }}</ref> but quickly disregards her once he transforms into a genie.<ref>'''Jafar:''' ''Forget'' Maleficent. With these powers, ''I'' can rule the universe!! {{Comic book reference | Cartoonist = Shiro Amano | Title = '''Kingdom Hearts''' | Volume = 2 | Date = ] | Publisher = '''Tokyopop''' | ID = ISBN 1-59816-218-7 }}</ref>


A data version of him appears in '']'', based on the digitized data from Jiminy's Journal.
Jafar appears in '']'' with the Heartless to take over a facsimile of Agrabah created from Sora's memories. In order to get the lamp, he tricks Aladdin to get the lamp so he could make Jasmine marry him.<ref>'''Aladdin:''' Well, there's this girl. Her name is Jasmine. She's princess of Agrabah. And...that's the problem. It's hard for a guy like me to get a chance to see her. That's how this all started. Jafar, the royal vizier, said he would help me meet Jasmine. {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> Jafar's first wish is to obtain Jasmine in hopes of becoming King of Agrabah.<ref>'''Jafar:''' If I marry Princess Jasmine, nothing can stop me from becoming king of Agrabah! You're nothing more than a pawn in my game, street rat! Genie! My first wish! Deliver Jasmine to me! {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> Elsewhere, he makes his second wish to make Genie protect him from a sneak attack, which was actually planned by Aladdin to have Jafar waste the wish.<ref>'''Jafar:''' What's this? Has Aladdin given up on his precious Jasmine already? Well, I'm not going to waste a wish on the likes of you three. I'll deal with you myself! / '''Sora:''' Aladdin! Now! (''Aladdin appears'') / '''Jafar:''' What? You! Genie, seize him! (''Aladdin charges toward Jafar, only to have Genie appear in front of him.'') / '''Genie:''' Al, forgive me! (''Genie knocks Aladdin away'') / '''Aladdin:''' Oof... You fell for it, Jafar! / '''Jafar:''' What do you mean? / '''Sora:''' He means that you just blew your second wish! Only one left! {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> Jafar's third and final wish is to become a genie.<ref>'''Jafar:''' Well, well. The cunning of a rat. But, unfortunately, you can't see beyond the cheese. Your little ploy changes nothing! I can crush you once and for all AND make Jasmine my own! Genie! My last wish! Transform me into an all-powerful genie! {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> He teleports the gang to a room filled with lava and attacks by throwing magma rocks, shooting lasers and pounding his fists. He is unique in that he is the only boss that cannot be directly attacked; the player must attack Iago, who carries the lamp, when the platforms rise to an appropriate height. In the end, Jafar is defeated.


Jonathan Freeman voiced Jafar in ''Kingdom Hearts'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''.
]
In '']'', Jafar's lamp is found by the Peddler, making him a target for ], who intends to make Jafar into a Heartless under his control.<ref>'''Pete:''' Nice try, bird brain. Just wait till Jafar's free! He's gonna make one beauty of a Heartless! {{cite video game| title = Kingdom Hearts| developer = Square| publisher = Square Electronic Arts| date= 2002-11-15 |platform= PlayStation 2| language = English}}</ref> But Sora and gang manage to take the lamp and seal it in hope Jafar would never reappear. But that is not to be when the Peddler discovers the lamp's hiding place and releases Jafar. After forcing Iago to keep Sora occupied with a magical clone of himself, Jafar kidnaps Jasmine. But Sora, Donald, Goofy, Aladdin and Iago escape the ruins and appear at the Palace to save Jasmine, with Iago taking the fireball that Jafar aimed at Aladdin. Jafar then takes to the skies in another attempt to destroy Agrabah, having Sora pursue him into the sky on the ], where Jafar used his genie-powers to alter reality against Sora. However, Sora destroys him, his mystical body damaged enough to explode, and Jafar's lamp is no more.


===Other appearances=== ====Other games====
Jafar also appears at the ] as a meetable character.


Jafar appears in the mobile game Disney Heroes Battle Mode<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-16 |title=Update 1.12 Patch Notes |url=https://discourse.disneyheroesgame.com/t/update-1-12-patch-notes/536167 |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=Disney Heroes: Battle Mode |language=en}}</ref>
In the ] version of ] Nighttime Show Spectacular, Jafar is one of the villains ] evokes to fight ] and ruin his imagination. Like the movie, Jafar turns into a giant Cobra. When Mickey finds a lamp, he rubs it assuming it'll help, but Jafar instead changes into a Genie. Jafar then responds by calling ] and ] to help the rest of the villains. Mickey eventually defeats him with the rest of the villains after killing the dragon version of ].


=== Disney Parks and live shows ===
Jafar appears with ], ] and ] in ]'s ] ]-themed ] program '']'' at ].
In the ] version of ] Nighttime Show Spectacular, Jafar is one of the villains the ] evokes to fight ] and ruin his imagination. Jafar appears with Maleficent, ] and ] in ]'s ] ]-themed ] program '']'' at ]. In the ] musical '']'', a parody of both ''Aladdin'' inspired by the musical '']'', Jafar is a main character and the storyline tells the Aladdin story from his point of view.


== References ==
Jafar is featured in several episodes of '']''. He also appears briefly in '']'', and acts as the leader of the Disney villains in '']''.
{{Reflist}}

Jafar also briefly appears in a cutaway gag in the '']'' episode "]" in a fictional film mentioned by ] called "Aladdin 4: Jafar May Need Glasses".

See Curry's BAT.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{stub-section}}


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{{Disney's Aladdin}} {{Disney's Aladdin}}
{{Disney Villains}}
{{Disney animated characters}}


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Latest revision as of 00:29, 10 January 2025

Disney character Fictional character
Jafar
Aladdin character
First appearanceAladdin (1992)
Created by
Based on
Voiced byJonathan Freeman
Portrayed by
In-universe information
RaceMystic Human (second wish)
Genie (third wish)
Occupation
FamilyNasira (fraternal twin sister)
Jade (niece; in "Descendants")
ChildrenJay (son; in Descendants)

Jafar is a fictional character in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Aladdin (1992). He is voiced by Jonathan Freeman, who also portrayed the character in the Broadway musical adaptation. Jafar also appears in the 1994 sequel to Aladdin, but he is not in the 1996 third film or the television series, although he does return in the latter's crossover Hercules and the Arabian Night.

An inspiration to the character is the villain Jaffar, played by Conrad Veidt in The Thief of Bagdad, from which Aladdin borrows several character ideas and plot elements. The Jafar of Disney's Aladdin plays essentially the same part as the character from the 1940 film, and is drawn with notable similarity to Veidt's looks. He is also loosely based on the real-life Abbasid vizier Ja'far ibn Yahya.

Development

Animator Andreas Deja decided to design Jafar in a way he was contrasting to the other characters, with many vertical lines against the curvy designs based on Al Hirschfeld.

Jonathan Freeman, who composers Alan Menken and Howard Ashman met when he auditioned for Little Shop of Horrors and had previously invited Freeman to audition for both The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, said that the artwork was what got him truly interested in the role. He stated that "once I saw those heavy lidded eyes, that long narrow face, I knew that Jafar was going to be something really special." He was the first actor cast, and spent 21 months recording dialogue; he went months without any other actors to interact, and later interrupted theater tours to fly to Los Angeles and record newly written lines. When Deja first met Freeman, he was surprised to see the lack of physical similarity to the character, but included some of Freeman's acting and gesturing into Jafar's animation.

Appearances

Films

Aladdin

Main article: Aladdin (1992 Disney film)

In the 1992 adaptation of Aladdin, where he is voiced by Jonathan Freeman, Jafar is the grand vizier of Agrabah, the Sultan's most trusted advisor. He is also an evil and sinister sorcerer who strongly dislikes being second best. Jafar secretly plots to obtain the Genie's magical oil lamp and rule Agrabah. Early in the film, Aladdin is imprisoned in the palace dungeons, as arranged by Jafar due to his influence over the guards. When Princess Jasmine angrily confronts him over the incident, Jafar lies to her, pretending to have believed that Aladdin abducted her and saying that he was already executed. That night Jafar (disguised as a fellow prisoner) approaches Aladdin, striking a deal with him. In exchange for Aladdin's help in retrieving the lamp from the Cave of Wonders, Jafar reveals an escape route from the prison and promises him a reward if he succeeds, it is soon revealed that the reward is death. When the plan fails, Aladdin and the lamp are lost. The Sultan later scolds Jafar for supposedly executing an innocent life behind his back without consulting him, in which Jafar pretends to regret his actions and promises not to do it again. When his pet parrot Iago suggests an alternative plan, Jafar decides to use the hypnotic powers of his cobra-headed staff to manipulate the Sultan into mandating a marriage between himself and Jasmine. This plan also instigates Jafar's limerence towards Jasmine and thus he genuinely wants to have her as his bride. However, he is impeded by Aladdin, who had discovered the Genie and used his first wish to become a Prince. Seeing “Prince Ali” as a potential threat to his plans and a rival for Jasmines’s hand in marriage, he plots to dispose of him. After a second attempt by Jafar on his life, Aladdin (with the help of the Genie and his second wish) survives and then exposes Jafar's plot against the Sultan; however, Jafar learns that Aladdin possesses the lamp before making his escape.

Iago steals the lamp from Aladdin and Jafar becomes the Genie's new master. Jafar uses his first two wishes to become Sultan and the world's most powerful sorcerer. Jafar assumes control of the palace (which is lifted off the ground and put on the main top of a mountain by Genie) and banishes Aladdin to a frozen wasteland. Jafar then turns the Sultan into a puppet, allowing Iago to torture the Sultan by force-feeding him crackers as revenge for the crackers the Sultan fed Iago. A horrified Jasmine begs Jafar to stop and Jafar does so. Jafar, seeking a queen to rule Agrabah alongside him, offers Jasmine his hand in marriage. Jasmine angrily refuses and throws a cup of wine in his face. An angered Jafar decides to use his final wish to wish for Jasmine to fall desperately in love with him. Genie tries to inform Jafar that he cannot use his magic to make people fall in love, but Jafar, grabbing him by the beard, demands him to do it anyway. Their argument causes him to not notice that Aladdin has returned and Jasmine decides to help Aladdin steal back the lamp by pretending that she is now in love with Jafar. Jafar, believing that Genie has somehow granted him his wish, goes up to Jasmine to seduce her without realizing she is tricking him. He notices Aladdin, however, from the reflection of Jasmine's crown, and he realizes the whole thing was a ruse.

Aladdin battles Jafar (who has turned into a giant hostile cobra) and taunts him with the fact that he is only the second-most powerful being on Earth after Genie, who was the one who gave him his power in the first place and can very easily take it away. Realizing that what Aladdin says is true and that he’s still “second best”, Jafar, consumed by his hunger for power, uses his final wish to become an all-powerful genie, in an attempt to rule the whole universe. However, as Jafar revels in his newfound phenomenal cosmic power, he finds out too late that Aladdin has tricked him into wasting his wish on becoming a genie, which also comes with a catch since genies are not free beings, and becomes trapped in a magic lamp of his own, which is sent into the Cave of Wonders by the Genie.

The Return of Jafar

Main article: The Return of Jafar

In The Return of Jafar, Jafar's lamp is found by Abis Mal, who summons Jafar from the lamp. Jafar plots to get revenge on Aladdin. He nearly succeeds at killing Aladdin and taking control of the palace, but Iago, who has changed sides, destroys Jafar's lamp in lava. Jafar dies in an explosion of magic, since a genie imprisoned in a lamp cannot survive without it. As a result, Jafar was never seen again, neither in Aladdin and the King of Thieves nor in the television series, but was often referred to by name by the other characters (namely Iago).

Descendants

Main article: Descendants (2015 film)

Jafar appears in Descendants alongside Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and the Evil Queen, as part of a group of Disney villains who are the parents of the film's four main characters, with Maz Jobrani playing the role. In the film, he is the father of Jay, who steals items for his father's store.

Aladdin (2019 film)

Main article: Aladdin (2019 film)

Depicted younger in the 2019 live-action version, Jafar is still the grand vizer, but more emphasis is placed on his past as a thief in his youth and his ambition to use Agrabah to invade the kingdom of Shirabad out of revenge for his time in its dungeons. The Sultan's wife and Princess Jasmine's late mother, the Queen, was stated to have been a Princess of Shirabad prior to her marriage to the Sultan, and it is possible that Jafar arranged her murder as both revenge for his imprisonment and possibly to instigate war between the two kingdoms. The film also presents Jafar as a foil to Aladdin, the former explicitly comparing their thief backgrounds and desire to improve their social status. While Aladdin wants just enough to live comfortably, Jafar is shown to never be satisfied with what he has gained as long as there are those greater than himself. Aladdin uses that character flaw to trick Jafar into using his last wish to become a genie, resulting in his imprisonment and being thrown into the Cave of Wonders by the Genie. Marwan Kenzari played the role.

Television series

Hercules

Main article: Hercules (1998 TV series)

In the episode "Hercules and the Arabian Night" of Hercules: The Animated Series, Jafar makes another attempt at revenge and is resurrected by Hercules's arch-enemy, Hades. He has lost his status as an all-powerful immortal genie after dying, but Hades gives him a new cobra staff that makes him flesh and blood as long as he holds it, and the two villains team up to get rid of Aladdin and Hercules. However, due to Aladdin's wit and Hercules's strength, Jafar is defeated for the final time, being pulled into the River Styx forever.

House of Mouse

Jafar is featured in many episodes of House of Mouse where he is often found in the audience. In one episode "Donald's Lamp Trade", Jafar hypnotizes Donald Duck to steal a lamp for him, but it turns out that he only wanted a clock-like lamp and not the real magical one. He has another major role in the episode "House of Magic", where after a badly botched magic act by Daisy, in which she makes the club disappear, Mickey asks Jafar for help in bringing the club back, whereupon he and Iago perform a version of "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" to cast the spell. He also appears in the series' two direct-to-video films, appearing briefly in Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, and as the main antagonist in Mickey's House of Villains as the leader of Disney Villains. In an episode inspired by this last film, "Pete's House of Villains", Jafar replaces Donald as the club's goalkeeper, where he keeps the other Aladdin characters from coming into House of Mouse.

Once Upon a Time

An alternate version of Jafar appears in the Once Upon a Time spin-off Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. Naveen Andrews portrays the character, an ally of the Red Queen. In this continuity, Jafar is the illegitimate son of the Sultan, and his interest in genies stems from his mentor and lover, Amara, who discovered a ritual that could be used to rewrite the laws of magic using the power of three genies and two sorcerers. Jafar betrayed Amara by transforming her into his serpent staff so that he could have her power for himself.

Andrews did not reprise his role in Once Upon a Time's sixth season due to a scheduling conflict, and he was replaced by Oded Fehr.

Video games

Kingdom Hearts

Jafar debuted in Kingdom Hearts as one of the members of Maleficent's inner circle. Here, he plans to use The Heartless and take over Agrabah while he attempts to locate both Jasmine (as she is one of the Princesses of Heart) and Agrabah's Keyhole. Jafar eventually manages to steal Genie's lamp from Aladdin and kidnap Jasmine in the process. Sora, Aladdin, Donald Duck and Goofy track him to the Cave of Wonders, where Jafar used his first wish to reveal the world's keyhole. Upon arrival in the lamp chamber, they engage Jafar in battle after he used his second wish to enlist Genie's help in the fight. Upon his defeat, Jafar uses his final wish to become a Genie and battles the team again, only to be defeated and sealed away in the lamp.

Facsimiles of Jafar appear in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, based on Sora's memories

In Kingdom Hearts II, Jafar's lamp is found by the Peddler, making him a target for Pete as he reveals his intent to make Jafar into a Heartless under his control. Once Pete is driven off, the lamp is placed within the palace for safe keeping. However, Jafar is later released by the Peddler and he threatens Iago into tricking him get Sora and his friends on a wild goose chase to their death while he captures Princess Jasmine. After the heroes arrive, with Iago taking a hit meant that he had been tricked by Jafar and redeems for Aladdin, Sora defeats Jafar, causing him to implode with his lamp dissolving soon after.

A data version of him appears in Kingdom Hearts Coded, based on the digitized data from Jiminy's Journal.

Jonathan Freeman voiced Jafar in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II.

Other games

Jafar appears in the mobile game Disney Heroes Battle Mode

Disney Parks and live shows

In the Disney's Hollywood Studios version of Fantasmic! Nighttime Show Spectacular, Jafar is one of the villains the Evil Queen evokes to fight Mickey Mouse and ruin his imagination. Jafar appears with Maleficent, Ursula and Oogie Boogie in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Halloween-themed fireworks program HalloWishes at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. In the StarKid Productions musical Twisted, a parody of both Aladdin inspired by the musical Wicked, Jafar is a main character and the storyline tells the Aladdin story from his point of view.

References

  1. "The Thief of Bagdad (1940)". FosterOnFilm.com. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  2. "Disney Villain Jafar Is Based on a Prominent Historical Figure Who Contributed Greatly to Science". MVSlim.com. 3 January 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  3. Roberge, Chris (November 20, 1992). "Aladdin animator used subtlety to design strong villain". The Tech. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  4. Hill, Jim (June 13, 2011). "Jonathan Freeman returns as Jafar in new stage musical version of Disney's "Aladdin"". Jim Hill Media. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
  5. Scott Weinger (Actor), Robin Williams (Actor), John Musker (Director), Ron Clements (Director) (October 5, 2004). "Disc 2: Diamond in the Rough: The Making of Aladdin". Aladdin Platinum Edition. Burbank, California: Walt Disney Video.
  6. Webb, Matt (2016-07-23). "'Once Upon a Time' Casts Aladdin and Jafar for Season 6 — Oded Fehr as Jafar". TVLine. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  7. "Update 1.12 Patch Notes". Disney Heroes: Battle Mode. 2019-08-16. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
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