History Main / GenieInABottle

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' has a few episodes with a genie character named [[ActorAlussion "Norm" (incidentally voiced by Norm MacDonald)]] who could grant wishes without the rules the fairies have to follow. He comes in a ''lava lamp''. He also states that the "only three wishes" thing is a lie; Genies naturally come with three wishes, but humans can wish for more. Oddly enough, he also [[OurGeniesAreDifferent wants to be a fairy.]] He claims it's so he can make children happy, but in reality it's because he just doesn't want to be stuck in a lamp.

* In the ''Literature/{{Sorcery}}'' subseries of books, the ''only'' way for players assuming the role of warriors is to obtain a magic genie in a bottle from a tribe of Satyrs early in the adventure. It's a compulsory pickup and a PermanentlyMissableContent (since the story branches off rather early) and any warrior who missed it will never complete the adventure regardless what other choice they make.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' has a few episodes with a genie character who could grant wishes without the rules the fairies have to follow. He comes in a ''lava lamp''. He also states that the "only three wishes" thing is a lie; Genies naturally come with three wishes, but humans can wish for more. Oddly enough, he also [[OurGeniesAreDifferent wants to be a fairy.]] He claims it's so he can make children happy, but in reality it's because he just doesn't want to be stuck in a lamp.

* In ''WesternAnimation/PixelPinkie'', Pinkie is a digital genie imprisoned in a really old cell phone. When Nina frees, Pixie becomes her servant, This appears to be an unlimited wishes deal, and Pixie is Nina's servant so long as Nina owns the phone.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9759619/1/Gaz-Dreams-of-Genie Gaz Dreams of Genie]]'', Dib finds a traditional genie bottle, which Gaz shatters in order to spite him. According to Azie, the genie living inside it, this counts as opening it, so she grants Gaz three wishes. [[spoiler: She just leaves out that when a person breaks a genie bottle, they're cursed so that if they don't make at least one SelflessWish, then after the third wish is granted [[BecomingTheGenie they switch lives with the genie]]. This happens to Gaz in the end (though this is as much due to her attempt at LoopholeAbuse by using her third wish to ask for the ability to grant wishes herself), and she finds herself trapped inside the bottle as it's restored.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9759619/1/Gaz-Dreams-of-Genie Gaz Dreams of Genie]]'', Dib finds a traditional genie lamp, which Gaz shatters in order to spite him. According to Azie, the genie living inside it, this counts as opening it, so she grants Gaz three wishes. [[spoiler: She just leaves out that when a person breaks a genie lamp, they're cursed so that if they don't make at least one SelflessWish, then after the third wish is granted [[BecomingTheGenie they switch lives with the genie]]. This happens to Gaz in the end (though this is as much due to her attempt at LoopholeAbuse by using her third wish to ask for the ability to grant wishes herself), and she finds herself trapped inside the lamp as it's restored.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' fanfic ''Gaz Dreams of Genie'', Dib finds a traditional genie lamp, which Gaz shatters in order to spite him. According to Azie, the genie living inside it, this counts as opening it, so she grants Gaz three wishes. [[spoiler: She just leaves out that when a person breaks a genie lamp, they're cursed so that if they don't make at least one SelflessWish, then after the third wish is granted [[BecomingTheGenie they switch lives with the genie]]. This happens to Gaz in the end (though this is as much due to her attempt at LoopholeAbuse by using her third wish to ask for the ability to grant wishes herself), and she finds herself trapped inside the lamp as it's restored.]]

* ''Film/{{Kazaam}}'' features Shaquille O'Neal as a genie who, after his lamp is accidentally broken, moves into a nearby boombox. He's capable of granting his master three wishes of their choosing but, as he's a genie not a djinn, he can only grant material things. This is a problem because what Kazaam's master really wants is a loving relationship with his absentee father.

In Middle Eastern folklore, most popularized in the West in the ''[[Literature/ArabianNights Tales of One Thousand and One Nights]]'', the ''jinn'' was a species of spiritual being, somewhere in between Angels and mankind, capable of great acts, both good and evil. Some of the greatest magicians in Arabic lore were able to capture ''jinni'' to their service, and tied them to items such as lamps or rings. ''Jinni'' were not usually ''''obligated'''' to [[MakeAWish give wishes]] to whoever helped them; if they did, it would be out of gratitude or an incentive to open the bottle. Some ''jinni'' got impatient and settled for just leaving if freed, while others [[IrrationalHatred took revenge on humanity]] by [[MisplacedRetribution killing/tormenting whatever unlucky human released them]].

If they were bound to their prison, ''jinni'' were slaves to their owners but did not have any [[RealityWarper reality warping]] powers per se. After all, the "wish" was more like a ''command'', and the djinn simply used their incredible powers to do their master's bidding. If their master wished for a castle, they built one (with varying levels of efficiency: a powerful djinni may do it in seconds whereas a weaker ''jinn'' may spend years on the task). If they wanted money, the ''jinni'' pulled it [[BagOfHolding out of their own coffers]] (a human's mind being unable to comprehend how much they had). Nevertheless, a ''jinn'' was still allowed to refuse orders if his master asked for something beyond his abilities.

Much of this has been lost in the modern depiction of the Genie in the Bottle. In film television, they are most often within brass oil lamps, of a type that is no longer used. Most Western ''viewers'' (but not the [[GenreBlindness characters]]) upon seeing this kind of lamp would immediately associate it with a ''jinn''. Many depictions show them ''living'' in the lamp, rather than being trapped there against their will.

They are summoned from the lamp via rubbing and offer to grant wishes unto the person who freed them. These wishes can be anything (although some give [[FunctionalMagic rule-based limitations]]). A BenevolentGenie will attempt to fulfill the spirit of the Master's wish. Less lucky characters may end up with a LiteralGenie, who will follow your wish's ExactWords, which usually [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor means that it will backfire]] if not worded carefully. A malevolent ''jinn'' is a JackassGenie, and will fulfill the worst possible interpretation no matter how carefully you attempt to word it. Your only hope with such a genie is to either not make wishes at all or attempt to cause a {{Wishplosion}}, though this too can potentially backfire. Typically, genies who do their best to follow their master's true wish will tend to fall into the hands of villains who will exploit them JustForFun/{{egregious}}ly.

The [[MakeAWish wishes]] that ''jinni'' grant have become a kind of RealityWarper that requires a human master. A ''jinn'' may have powers they can use themselves, but nowhere near what they can do if a human says "I wish..." first. This often seems to be a function of the lamp; as a [[FreeingTheGenie freed genie]] may not be able to grant wishes even if they want to, or will only be able to grant lesser wishes.

* A Brazilian [=TV=] ad for an English course features a guy in the desert finding a bottle with a beautiful female genie inside. When he's about to pull the cork, she desperately says "Don't pull. Push." Unfortunately, [[PoorCommunicationKills the guy doesn't speak English and "push" sounds too much like a Brazilian word for "pull" and he ends up being trapped in the bottle]].

** A guy and girl stumble upon a magic lamp, releasing a genie who grants them three wishes. The girl wishes for a packet of Tim-Tams that never runs out. The genie informs them they have two wishes left, to which the guy responds, "Then we'll have two more of those."
** In a later version, the guy immediately wishes for a hot blonde movie star, who promptly appears. Annoyed, his girlfriend suggests they take a hike. Both disappear -- Oops! The [[WhereDaWhiteWomenAt handsome black male genie]] suggestively tells the girl she's got one wish left, and is rather disappointed when she wishes for the never-ending Tim-Tams.
** A bunch of girls find a genie who declares that he only grants "worthy" wishes. The girls wish for the never-ending Tim-Tams, then run off to enjoy them, completely ignoring the man who reminds them that they still have two more wishes.
** A female JerkassGenie is discovered by a dorky lad called Tim. He wants to be rich ([[NeverHeardThatOneBefore genie rolls her eyes]]), irresistible (genie smirks) and really, really cool! She turns him into a packet of Tim-Tams. Which then get eaten by his girlfriend.

* [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Walt Disney's]] ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' is almost a TropeCodifier for the less-historical genies. In the 2011 stage musical, he actually sings a ShoutOut to the Music/ChristinaAguilera song of this trope's name.

* Interestingly, although this trope is strongly associated with the ''Literature/ArabianNights'', the ''Nights'' themselves [[UnbuiltTrope don't play this trope straight]]. Genies are found trapped in bottles and such from time to time, such as in "The Fisherman and the Genie" (one of the first stories in the collection), but they aren't slaves to whoever frees them. In fact, they're often trouble to whoever frees them--in the aforementioned story the genie is bitter over being trapped for thousands of years, and decides he will kill the fisherman. When genies are bound to masters, they're associated with a magic ''ring'', not a bottle or lamp.
* The real {{Trope Maker|s}} is probably "Literature/{{Aladdin}}", which never appeared in any edition of the ''Arabian Nights'' until Antoine Galland's 18th century French translation. "Aladdin" features both a genie tied to a ring and a second and more powerful genie trapped inside a lamp, both of whom serve Aladdin. In neither case does the genie ''live'' in the object (it would be hard to live in a ring); rather, a spell has been placed on them that when a human rubs the object, the genie is summoned from wherever it is and has to obey the object's holder. "Aladdin" also does not have the idea that whoever possesses the lamp or ring is limited to only three wishes.
* ''Literature/AmericanGods'' has a more traditional kind of djinn, an immortal man made of smokeless fire. He drives a cab for a living, and wears sunglasses so that people don't see the fire in his eyes. He ''does'' grant a wish, though, giving an unhappy passenger the chance to slide into his life. In return for some [[{{Fanservice}} gratuitous]] fiery sex.

* ''Literature/CastleInTheAir'', sequel to ''Literature/HowlsMovingCastle'' (the book not the movie) has traditional-style djinns ''and'' a GenieInABottle. The genie is [[spoiler:Wizard Howl under a spell]], is very pissed off at being confined to the bottle, and takes malicious pleasure in granting each wish to the letter in a way that causes as much misery as possible.
* ''Literature/DealingWithDragons'' has a djinni stuck in a bottle as part of the dragon Kazul's hoard. What happens when it gets loose is far too neat to deserve being casually spoiled in a wiki bullet-point.

* ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'' was a series of yesteryear about an astronaut who found a female genie and was given unlimited wishes. She [[HappinessInSlavery didn't want to be freed]], because she had fallen in love with her master. Major Nelson rarely wanted Jeannie to ever use her powers. Mainly this was because she tended to [[UnwantedAssistance complicate his everyday life]]. The show's continuity first said that Jeannie was cursed to be a genie but this was later given a RetCon to say she was from a family of genies.

* ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries''. Genie is freed, but sticks around to help out with his weakened powers. The evil Jafar was also [[BecomingTheGenie turned into a genie]], and proves that his lamp is both a prison and a SoulJar, as he is killed when it is destroyed in the DirectToVideo sequel ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar''. There is also a female genie named Eden, who lives in a bottle.

* ''The Brass Bottle'' is a comedy about this with Burl Ives as the genie. Though she isn't a genie in it, Creator/BarbaraEden, later of ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'' fame, is also in the cast.

** In ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVIHeirTodayGoneTomorrow'', the BigBad has his own personal genie Shamir Shamazel, who must obey whoever holds his lamp without any limit on the number of wishes. Throughout the game he is sent to kill Alexander, using various disguises to try and lure him to his death. In the [[GoldenEnding canonical best ending]], the ReverseMole swaps Shamazel's bottle with a fake and gives the real one to Alexander; he expresses happiness if you do this, saying he was JustFollowingOrders.

In Middle Eastern folklore, most popularized in the West in the ''[[Literature/ArabianNights Tales of One Thousand and One Nights]]'', the ''jinn'' was a species of spiritual being, somewhere in between Angels and mankind, capable of great acts, both good and evil. Some of the greatest magicians in Arabic lore were able to capture ''jinni'' to their service, and tied them to items such as lamps or rings. ''Jinni'' were not usually ''''obligated'''' to [[MakeAWish give wishes]] to whoever helped them; if they did, it would be out of gratitude or an incentive to open the bottle. Some ''jinni'' got impatient and settled for just leaving if freed, while others [[IrrationalHatred took revenge on humanity by killing/tormenting whatever stupid human released them]].

They are summoned from the lamp via rubbing and offer to grant wishes unto the person who freed them. These wishes can be anything (although some give [[FunctionalMagic rule-based limitations]]). A BenevolentGenie will attempt to fulfill the spirit of the Master's wish. Less lucky characters may end up with a LiteralGenie, who will follow your wish's ExactWords, which usually [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor means that it will backfire]] if not worded carefully. A malevolent ''jinn'' will be a JackassGenie, and will fulfill the worst possible [[ExactWords interpretation]], no matter how carefully you attempt to word it. Typically, genies who do their best to follow their master's true wish will tend to fall into the hands of villains who will exploit them JustForFun/{{egregious}}ly.

The [[MakeAWish wishes]] that ''jinni'' grant have become a kind of RealityWarper that requires a human master. A ''jinn'' may have powers they can use themselves, but nowhere near what they can do if a human says "I wish..." first. This also seems to be a function of the lamp; as a freed genie will not be able to grant said wishes, even if they want to.

Most modern depictions of ''jinn'' have a [[MagicAIsMagicA rule]] that they can ''only'' give their master ThreeWishes (and [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} ixnay on the wishing]] for [[StoryBreakerPower more wishes]]!). If this is the case, expect a none-too-bright master to [[WastefulWishing waste the first one or two]] on [[MundaneWish pointless fripperies]] before learning their lesson and using [[RuleOfThree the third]] to make some meaningful change to their lives.

* [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Walt Disney's]] ''[[WesternAnimation/Aladdin]]'' is almost a TropeCodifier for the less-historical genies. In the 2011 stage musical, he actually sings a ShoutOut to the Music/ChristinaAguilera song of this trope's name.

* [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Walt Disney's]] ''WesternAnimation/Aladdin'' is almost a TropeCodifier for the less-historical genies. In the 2011 stage musical, he actually sings a ShoutOut to the Music/ChristinaAguilera song of this trope's name.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' from the Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon is almost a TropeCodifier for the less-historical genies. In the 2011 stage musical, he actually sings a ShoutOut to the Music/ChristinaAguilera song of this trope's name.

In Arabic tales, most popularized in the west in the book ''[[Literature/ArabianNights 1001 Tales of the Arabian Nights]]'', the ''jinn'' was a species of spiritual being, somewhere in between Angels and mankind, capable of great acts, both good and evil. Some of the greatest magicians in Arabic lore were able to capture ''jinni'' to their service, and tied them to items such as lamps or rings. ''Jinni'' were not usually ''''obligated'''' to [[MakeAWish give wishes]] to whoever helped them; if they did, it would be out of gratitude or an incentive to open the bottle. Some ''jinni'' got impatient and settled for just leaving if freed, while others [[IrrationalHatred took revenge on humanity by killing/tormenting whatever stupid human released them]].

In Arabic tales, most popularized in the west in the book ''[[Literature/ArabianNights 1001 Tales of the Arabian Nights]]'', the ''djinn'' were a variety of spiritual species, somewhere in between Angels and mankind, capable of great acts, both good and evil. Some of the greatest magicians in Arabic lore were able to capture djinn to their service, and tied them to items such as lamps or rings. Djinn were not usually ''obligated'' to [[MakeAWish give wishes]] to whoever helped them; if they did, it would be out of gratitude or an incentive to open the bottle. Some djinn got impatient and settled for just leaving if freed, while others [[IrrationalHatred took revenge on humanity by killing/tormenting whatever stupid human released them]].

If they were bound to their prison, djinn were slaves to their owners but did not have any [[RealityWarper reality warping]] powers per se. After all, the "wish" was more like a ''command'', and the djinn simply used their incredible powers to do their master's bidding. If their master wished for a castle, they built one (with varying levels of efficiency: a powerful djinni may do it in seconds whereas a weaker djinni may spend years on the task). If they wanted money, the genie pulled it [[BagOfHolding out of their own coffers]] (a human's mind being unable to comprehend how much they had). Nevertheless, a djinni was still allowed to refuse orders if his master asked for something beyond his abilities.

Much of this has been lost in the modern depiction of the Genie in the Bottle. In television, they are most often within brass oil lamps, of a type that is no longer used. Most Western ''viewers'' (but not the {{Genre Blind|ness}} characters) upon seeing this kind of lamp would immediately associate it with a genie. Many depictions show them ''living'' in the lamp, rather than being trapped there against their will.

They are summoned from the lamp via rubbing and offer to grant wishes unto the person who freed them. These wishes can be anything (although some give [[FunctionalMagic rule-based limitations]]). A BenevolentGenie will attempt to fulfill the spirit of the Master's wish. Less lucky characters may end up with a LiteralGenie, who will follow your wish's ExactWords, which usually [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor makes it backfire]] without careful wording. A malevolent genie will be a JackassGenie, and will fulfill the worst possible [[ExactWords interpretation]], no matter how carefully you attempt to word it. Typically, genies who do their best to follow their master's true wish will tend to fall into the hands of villains who will exploit them JustForFun/{{egregious}}ly.

The [[MakeAWish wishes]] that Genies grant have become a kind of {{Reality Warp|er}} that requires a human master. A genie may have powers they can use themselves, but nowhere near what they can do if a human says "I wish..." first. This also seems to be a function of the lamp; as a freed genie will not be able to grant said wishes, even if they want to.

Most modern depictions of Genies have a [[MagicAIsMagicA rule]] that they can ''only'' give their master ThreeWishes (and [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} ixnay on the wishing]] for [[StoryBreakerPower more wishes]]!). If this is the case, expect a none-too-bright master to [[WastefulWishing waste the first one or two]] on [[MundaneWish pointless fripperies]] before learning their lesson and using [[RuleOfThree the third]] to make some meaningful change to their lives.

* On ''Series/{{Angel}}''

* The ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' episode "Treasure of the Found Lamp!" revoles around the [=McDuck=] family helping Djinn track down the lamp of the first genie after Louie accidentally sold it in a yard sale. [[spoiler:The end of the episode reveals that the genie had actually been freed hundreds of years ago. Djinn only wanted the lamp for sentimental reasons since the genie was his ancestor.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' has an episode with a Genie, too. He lures Monty into the lamp to be free, and the whole episode eventually gets so messed up that a ResetButton wish is required to revert things to normal.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'' episode, "Rub Three Times for Disaster", the superheroes battle a villain in control of an evil genie. Eventually, Franchise/{{Superman}} defeats him in an unusual way; he flies up to the genie and literally sucks the genie in smoke form into his own lungs just long enough to forcibly blow him back into his lamp.

* ''Literature/AspergerAdventures'': In ''Blue Bottle Mystery'', Ben and David find a corked blue bottle while digging in the garden. They make a series of wishes, not expecting any of them to come true. They start to come true anyway, and every time, a puff of smoke comes out of the bottle.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' fanfic ''Gaz Dreams of Genie'', Dib finds a traditional genie lamp, which Gaz shatters in order to spite him. According to Azie, the genie living inside it, this counts as opening it, so she grants Gaz three wishes. [[spoiler: She just leaves out that when a person breaks a genie lamp, they're cursed so that if they don't make at least one SelflessWish, then after the third wish is granted [[BecomingTheGenie they switch lives with the genie. This happens to Gaz in the end (though this is as much due to her attempt at LoopholeAbuse by using her third wish to ask for the ability to grant wishes herself), and she finds herself trapped inside the lamp as it's restored.]]