History Characters / AladdinJafar

[[header:[[center:''Characters/{{Aladdin}}'' [[Characters/{{Aladdin}} franchise character index]]\\
[-[[Characters/AladdinProtagonists Protagonists]] | [[Characters/AladdinAgrabahRoyaltyAndAssociates Agrabah Royalty and Associates]] | [[Characters/AladdinOtherResidentsOfAgrabah Other Residents of Agrabah]] | [[Characters/AladdinAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/AladdinAntagonists Antagonists]] ('''Jafar''') | [[Characters/AladdinTheSeries TV series]] | ''Characters/AladdinAndTheKingOfThieves''-]]]]]
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7285002_disney_aladdin_jafar_hd_png_download.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see his cobra form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d1i8h7j_4e21d228_1522_4ac2_bb45_2541fee8608f.png[[/labelnote]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see his genie form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/genie_jafar.png[[/labelnote]]]]
->'''Voiced by:''' Jonathan Freeman, Music/TommyTallarico (Sega Genesis voice samples) [[labelnote:Other voice actors]]'''Swedish:''' Mikael Samuelson (first movie), Bo Maniette (''The Return of Jafar''); '''European French:''' Creator/FeodorAtkine; '''Canadian French:''' Éric Gaudry (speaking) and Philippe Leduc (singing); '''Latin American Spanish:''' Jorge Santos; '''Italian:''' Massimo Corvo; '''Hebrew:''' Eli Gorenstein[[/labelnote]]

->''"Now where were we? Ah, yes -- abject humiliation!"''

The Sultan's [[UsefulNotes/GrandVizierJafar Grand Wazir]] in the [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} first film]], he yearns to claim power over the throne but is forbidden from ever attaining that position. For this reason, he seeks the Lamp of the Genie, so that he may use the Genie to become Sultan in turn. Ultimately outwitted by Aladdin, he wishes himself to be turned into a genie, only to be sealed away inside his own lamp. Upon escaping at the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar'', he "recruits" the bandit Abis Mal to aid him in seeking revenge.
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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:A-E]]
* AchillesHeel: Along with the other restrictions that come with his '''''[[PhysicalGod PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS]]''''', he dies [[SoulJar if his lamp is destroyed]].
* AdaptationalBadass: Jafar is a CompositeCharacter of an evil sorcerer and an ObstructiveBureaucrat vizier from the original tale who ''wasn't'' the BigBad. He now ''is'' the BigBad who uses every bit of both magical and political power he has.
* AlwaysSecondBest:
** The reason he falls for Aladdin's goading towards the end is because he can't stand the thought of still being second-best after all the power he's gained.
--->'''Aladdin:''' The genie has more power than you'll ever have! He gave you your power, he can take it away! Face it, Jafar, you're still just second-best!
** In the direct-to-video sequel the tables are turned. Jafar is delighted enough to make a whole song taunting Genie, "You're Only Second Rate".
* AmbitionIsEvil: Particularly pronounced in comparison to Aladdin, who ultimately only wants power because he thinks it's the only thing that will make him good enough for Jasmine (with a bit of self-esteem issues thrown in). Jafar wants power out of greed, despite the fact that he's already in a powerful position as the Grand Vizier to the Sultan, able to hypnotize him and make him into a PuppetKing whenever he feels like it. It just isn't enough for him; he wants more. He even becomes the world's most powerful sorcerer once his second wish is granted, then conquers Agrabah effortlessly. Not even that satisfies his greed, growing dissatisfied when Aladdin points out Genie is still more powerful than him. Jafar then uses his third wish to [[BecomingTheGenie become a genie himself]], [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor which he ends up paying for big time]].
* AndNowYouMustMarryMe: His {{plan}} for Jasmine after he thinks the lamp's out of play. She's horrified to find out. Even after he does retrieve the lamp, he keeps her in a chain.
* AnimalisticAbomination: His serpent form at the end of the film is quite terrifying.
* AnimalMotifs: Snakes. His staffs have a snake design, he has a snake-like face and his body is long and thin like a snake's tail, he is called a snake as an insult by Aladdin, and he transforms himself into a giant one during the climax.
* AnimalEyes: Briefly during his shapeshifting into a snake.
* ArchEnemy: Jafar serves as the main nemesis and adversary to Aladdin.
* AxCrazy: He looks calm and cold-blooded at first, but once he obtains the Lamp's power he loses all his coolness, revealing his true psychopathic nature. Genie calls him "Señor Psychopath" for a reason.
* BabyTalk: Present in the Swedish dub of the second movie, where he often speaks in a tone that makes him come across as even more insulting and condescending towards others, especially towards Abis Mal.
* BadBoss: To Abis Mal in the second movie.
* BaldOfEvil: Not noticeable at first, but he's shown to be this during his BigYes to BigNo scene. It's plausible that he shaved his head for the disguise.
* BeardOfEvil: Not everyone with a beard is evil -- in fact, every man in Agrabah besides Aladdin is drawn with one -- but Jafar's is definitely a Beard of Evil. Jasmine, falsely admiringly, notes that it's "so twisted".
* BecomingTheGenie: His wish to become an all-powerful genie [[HoistByHisOwnPetard fires back on him]] and traps him in a new lamp. By the second film, however, this works to his advantage, since with his lamp rediscovered his transformation into an evil genie makes him a near-omnipotent villain with all the time in the world to plot his revenge, but at the cost of having his life force trapped within the lamp.
* BigBad: Jafar, the Sultan's primary advisor/counselor and Grand Vizier, who is also TheStarscream (ironic that his first mook for the Cave of Wonders job was voiced by [[Franchise/{{Transformers}} Starscream's actor]]), and he intends to take over the kingdom with the magic lamp.
* BigNo: He gives out one after every defeat.
* BigRedDevil: His genie form is bright red with glowing yellow eyes and pointy ears that resemble horns.
* BitchInSheepsClothing: To [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter the Sultan]], at least, putting on a façade of a loyal advisor while plotting to usurp his power. He's ObviouslyEvil to everyone else (or at least Obviously Untrustworthy).
* BlackWidow: Intended to marry Jasmine and then kill her and the Sultan to seize power over Agrabah.
* BlessedWithSuck: {{Exploited|Trope}}. Aladdin tricks Jafar into wishing his third and final wish be for the latter to become a genie. And while Jafar is granted '''''PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS''''', he's also bound by the lamp and whoever owns it.
* BlowYouAway: As a sorcerer, Jafar is shown to be able to create vortexes that he uses to entangle Aladdin and Abu, then throw them into a tower.
* BondVillainStupidity: After falling for Aladdin goading him into wishing himself an all-powerful genie, he realizes too late that his immense powers give Aladdin the ability to call him back to his newly materialized lamp he is now bound to, thanks to Aladdin telling him how he made himself vulnerable.
* BreakoutVillain: His popularity as a villain only rivals, if not matches, Maleficent herself. Some fans say they also share many similarities.
* BreathWeapon: He can breath out fire once he becomes the "most powerful sorcerer in the world".
-->"I'm just getting warmed up!" ''[fire breath]''
* BrightIsNotGood: His genie form is bright red.
* CameBackWrong: When he returns in the Hercules crossover, he's noticeably much weaker, having seemingly reverted back to the simple EvilSorcerer he was before becoming a Genie. He also doesn't appear to be fully "alive" seeing that he relies on his staff to anchor himself to the world of the living. When it's destroyed, [[DraggedOffToHell he promptly loses corporeality and is pulled into the river Styx]].
* CardCarryingVillain: Though he doesn't say outright he's evil, he doesn't seem to take offense to Iago calling him "Your Rottenness" or "Oh Mighty Evil One". And if you call him a snake...
* CharmPerson: With his magic staff, which he uses to convince the Sultan to more easily persuade him.
%%* TheChessmaster: In the first movie, and ''especially'' the second movie.
* ChewingTheScenery: His inner ham really comes to the fore when he gets Genie's lamp and he drops all self-restraint.
-->'''Jafar:''' If you won't bow before a Sultan, ''[[SuddenlyShouting THEN YOU WILL]]'' '''''[[SuddenlyShouting COWER BEFORE A SORCERER!!!]]''''' ''Genie!!'' My second wish! I WISH TO BE ''THE MOST POWERFUL SORCERER'' '''''IN THE WOOOOOORLD!!'''''
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: For starters, as soon as Aladdin brings him the lamp as the Cave of Wonders is collapsing, Jafar decides to give him his "eternal reward" by trying to murder him with a knife; when Abu bites him, he settles for knocking them both back into the cave and trapping them inside. It's also implied that he was planning to kill Gazeem if he'd succeeded in bringing him the lamp.
* ClassicVillain: Representing lust, greed, wrath, envy, and pride/vainglory. He even provides the page image.
* ClippedWingAngel: Genie Jafar. He is immensely powerful in this form, [[spoiler:but he can now be trapped in the lamp]]. He also faces many more restrictions as a genie than as a sorcerer. On top of that, if his lamp is destroyed while he's still bound to it, he dies.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Dressed in villainous black and red.
* ComicBookFantasyCasting: His appearance was based on that of Creator/ConradVeidt.
* CommonalityConnection: According to the deleted song "Why Me", he more or less shared Aladdin's upbringing...with darker results.
* CompositeCharacter: Jafar is a mixture of three antagonists from the fairy tale the movie is based on. They are the sorcerer who wants the genie, the vizier who tries to discredit Aladdin after his rise to wealth, and the vizier's son who tries to marry the princess. [[DecompositeCharacter The vizier's aforementioned aspects would be given to Razoul, the Royal Captain, in the sequels and TV series]].
* CostumeEvolution: Jafar starts off wearing a black hat with a gem on the front and a feather, with his outfit turning white after he wishes to be made Sultan. When he wishes to be made the most powerful sorcerer in the world, his hat changes to have two points and resemble the hood of a cobra while his shoulders become even more pointed; and his new cobra staff has an open mouth. When taking on his human form as a genie, the black robe of his sorcerer outfit turns maroon.
* CreativeSterility: In opposition to Aladdin, Jafar turns out to have almost no originality. Upon getting the lamp and access to any wish he wants, all he can think is to become Sultan. Its not until he's defied that he thinks to wish for greater magic. Aside from being sultan, most of his ideas seem to come from others (Iago and Aladdin himself). Even when he becomes Sultan, most of his new style is just darker versions of existing ones. Even his villain song in the first movie was just a refrain of Aladdins.
* CreepyLongFingers: Which goes along with his thin frame.
* DeadpanSnarker: He has his sarcastic moments.
-->'''The Sultan:''' ''[introducing "Prince Ali"]'' This is Jafar, he's delighted too...\\
'''Jafar:''' ''Ecstatic.''
** Then there's his introduction to Abis Mal in the second movie.
--->'''Abis Mal:''' [[CaptainObvious You're... a genie?]]\\
'''Jafar:''' You are ''astonishingly'' perceptive.
* DeaderThanDead: This is seemingly his final fate in "Hercules and the Arabian Night", his final chronological (though non-canon, like all Disneytoon Studios' direct-to-video sequels and prequels) appearance outside of alternate continuities. Jafar, being already dead but temporarily resurrected by Hades as long as he's holding his staff, has the snake staff destroyed by Hercules, causing him to sink into the river Styx, but disappear entirely before he's fully immersed.
* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Everything Jafar does is to attain power for the sake of power and take over Agrabah, be it searching for the Genie's lamp or trying to marry Jasmine.
* {{Determinator}}: In the first movie, he is completely foiled several times before the climax - in fact, halfway through the movie he is nearly beaten for good. Every time it seems like he's finished, he comes up with a brand new plan and tries again - and by the end of the movie he's gone through about three.
* DevilInPlainSight: Jafar is a [[LeanAndMean lean]], shifty, diabolical sorcerer [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver dressed predominantly in red and black colors]] with snake-like facial features and a penchant for hypnotizing Agrabah's sultan, yet nobody seems to regard him as anything more than a disfavored servant at worst. He's ''so'' obviously diabolical the movie actually pokes fun at it numerous times with the Sultan's... [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter less-than-stellar judge of character]]:
-->'''Sultan:''' Ah, Jafar, my most ''trusted'' advisor!
* DidntThinkThisThrough:
** Sure, try to kill "Prince Ali" based on your unproven suspicion that he's a fraud -- even despite that literal parade of evidence actually supporting him. "Ali"'s subsequent survival and consequent awareness of your scumbaggery aside, it's not like you'll be risking war with another kingdom or anything. Then in the climax of the movie, where he uses his last wish to become an all-powerful genie, Jafar is too focused on the "phenomenal cosmic power" aspect that he never even thinks about the lamp confinement that goes along with it.
** It comes full circle in ''The Return of Jafar'', where during his next effort to kill Aladdin his lamp is destroyed courtesy of Iago knocking it into a pool of lava, killing Jafar. Clearly, he hadn't considered all the risks involved.
* DirtyCoward: In the original film, Aladdin (armed with a sword) tries to invoke this by calling Jafar a 'cowardly snake' for relying on his new magical snake staff to trap him and his friends. [[spoiler:However, this becomes horribly subverted as Jafar deliberately ditches his magical staff and transforms himself into a powerful giant cobra, showing that while he may be a rotten snake in the inside, he is far from being a coward. Even Aladdin is horrified watching Jafar's cobra form before forcing himself to fight back.]]
* TheDoorSlamsYou: Both he and Iago get this before the last chorus of "Prince Ali", when Aladdin's arrival parade kick in the doors to the palace and slam Jafar into the wall.
* DraggedOffToHell: His ultimate fate in the ''Hercules'' crossover. After Hercules breaks his staff, the only thing keeping him alive, Jafar turns back into a ghost and is forcibly dragged into the River Styx by the souls within.
* DragonInChief: To Abis Mal in the sequel. As the holder of Jafar's lamp, Mal is ''technically'' Jafar's master and can give him orders. But Jafar is a JackassGenie who twists Mal in wasting two of his wishes, and Mal is just so pathetic and Jafar is just so intimidating and powerful that he's able to boss Mal around without trying very hard.
* DrunkOnTheDarkSide: Jafar spends the first half of the first film playing it fairly cool and calm, especially in public. Once he gets his hands on the lamp, he loses all self-control and relishes being able to cut loose and show his true colors.
* EvilAllAlong: From [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter the Sultan]]'s perspective, when Aladdin destroys Jafar's hypnotizing cobra staff and exposes his treason, much to the Sultan's shock and everyone else's... [[ObviouslyEvil lack of shock]].
* EvilBrit: Of the not actually British, "nobody here is even speaking English" variety, as he speaks in Queen's English while the majority of the cast talks with American accents.
* EvilChancellor: Archetypical example of the ruler's ambitious and scheming right-hand. He even provides the page image.
* EvilCounterpart:
** Jafar is essentially a "dark mirror" of sorts for Aladdin. Just older, and having chief flaws that are exaggerated versions of Aladdin's own. Essentially, both men want to move up in the world and resort to trickery in order to do so. Both resort to deception in this pursuit, and in that deception both are guilty of putting up a façade in order to ingratiate themselves with those above their station, whether it be Jafar putting up the image of a calm and stoic loyal vizier, when in reality he is a maniacal and over-the-top power-mongering sorcerer who is aiming to take the throne of Agrabah for himself, or Aladdin taking up his "Prince Ali" identity, where he puts up a cocky and boisterous demeanor to cover up his mild-mannered and humble street urchin true self. They lie to Jasmine's face several times throughout the film. Both also at least start to become too dependent on the use of magic in their pursuits. In the end, Jafar is defeated by Aladdin using his own natural wits rather than magic, with which he manages to play on Jafar's obsessive craving for power. Heck, both even have small, as well as greedy, comic relief animal sidekicks that hang out with them. The unused source material implies that like Aladdin, Jafar grew up in poverty and unappreciated by most people, though unlike Al, he didn't retain his nobility as he strove to become more in his life.
** Jafar comes to serve as this for Genie after he has made his wish to turn himself into a genie as well. Whereas Genie is a BenevolentGenie who always strives to give his masters nothing less than what they want, Jafar is a full-blown JackassGenie who deliberately misinterprets his master's wishes.
* EvilCostumeSwitch: Downplayed, since he was ''always'' evil, but after he gets his hands on the Genie and reveals his true colors, his outfit as "the most powerful sorcerer in the world" comes with a new turban, a new staff with the snake's mouth open instead of closed, and subtle changes to the style of his robes. As a genie in ''The Return of Jafar'', he gets a new variant of it for when he takes human form that incorporates a lot more red tones than blacks.
* EvilGenius: When he doesn't give into {{Pride}} he's actually very clever, especially in the sequel.
* EvilIsAngular: Already common with Disney villains, in his case the sharp and edged design (his face is roughly diamond-shaped, ending in a [[ThinChinOfSin pointy chin]] which extends to a longer and curlier beard, and there are very pronounced lines, including [[EvilEyebrows big and thin eyebrows]]) is a big contrast given everyone else has round designs inspired by cartoonist Al Hischfeld and Arabic calligraphy.
* EvilIsBigger: He may be LeanAndMean, but he absolutely towers over everybody else in the movie except the Genie. But not for long.
* EvilIsHammy: Especially after becoming the greatest sorcerer in the world. He loses all self-restraint and starts screaming rather than speaking the words, having abandoned all pretenses and getting ''very'' passionate. And then comes the part when he [[ChewingTheScenery becomes an all-powerful genie]] [[ExaggeratedTrope thanks to his final wish...]]
* EvilIsPetty: From ''The Return of Jafar'' onwards, his only motivation is to get revenge on Aladdin; everything else, including world domination, is a distant second. He also devotes too much time in singing a DarkReprise at the expense of prince Ali.
* EvilLaugh: One of the greats. The one he gives after he has Jasmine and the Sultan at his mercy at the end of the DarkReprise of "Prince Ali" is so psychotic it's both fantastic and a little terrifying. In one scene, he and Iago even try to one-up each other's laughs.
* EvilPlan: Acquiring the lamp and marrying are ends to the same goal; take over the kingdom.
* EvilSorcerer: He uses his second wish to become, in his own words, "the most powerful sorcerer [[LargeHam IN THE WORLD!!!]]" Even before this, he's clearly a talented alchemist and magician.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Zig-zagged. His natural voice is quite deep and melodious, which is particularly prominent in his opening line "You... are late!" In the climax, he becomes a giant cobra with a CreepyHighPitchedVoice. After that, a JackassGenie with an even deeper voice than Jafar's normal self, bordering on VoiceOfTheLegion.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:F-J]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: In the direct-to-video sequel after his lamp is destroyed. He convulses in agony while his ''skeleton'' appears in flashes of light in a manner not dissimilar to how electrocution is portrayed.
* FatalFlaw: His {{pride}} and {{greed}}. He can't control his lust for more power no matter how strong he gets, and loses in the first movie because he can't ''stand'' to be second best next to a RealityWarper.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Jafar in most of his appearances in the first half of the movie. Sure, he may act calm and polite toward Jasmine and the Sultan (while still being quite manipulative), but it's only because he has to be in so to cover his true motives. He's clearly shown to drop the demeanor whenever not in their presence. It's half the reason people love him.
* FinalBoss: Of the ''Aladdin'' video games released around the Walt Disney Classics VHS of the movie.
* FisherKing: When he takes control, the sky becomes red.
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: He spends most of the second movie in his original human form because his true genie form is a bit too much for Abis Mal to handle.
* FreudianExcuse: The unused source material, like the deleted song "Why Me?", seems to indicate that his negative traits and hunger for power stem from having had to grow up impoverished and bullied by the populace of Agrabah. Unlike Aladdin, however, Jafar didn't retain his nobility as he strove to make more out of his life.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Multiple times. He starts as TheStarscream, then he becomes an EvilSorcerer, then he becomes a PhysicalGod. In ''The Return of Jafar'', he doesn't get any stronger, but he definitely gets ''smarter''.
* TheGenieKnowsJackNicholson: He starts making anachronistic references in the second movie, especially in his VillainSong, "[[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech You're Only Second Rate]]". It seems like it's just a Genie thing to know about the future.
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: In his Genie form, his eyes glow a complete, menacing yellow.
* AGodAmI: As a sorcerer, he refers to himself as "the most powerful being on earth", and for good reason. Then, he ''really'' falls into this trope upon becoming an [[OneWingedAngel all-powerful genie]] courtesy of his third and final wish.
-->'''Genie!Jafar:''' Yeeeeesssss...! [[BigYes YEEEESSSSS!!!]] THE POWER...!!!!! ''(EvilLaugh) [[EvilIsHammy THE AB-SO-LUTE]] '''[[EvilIsHammy POWEEEEEEEEEER]]'''!!!!!!!!!'' '''THE UNIVERSE IS MINE TO COMMAAAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!''' '''''[[ChewingTheScenery TO CONTROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]]'''''
* GoldDigger: Intends to marry Jasmine just to get him the royal status he needs to become sultan. The fact that he somewhat fancies her comes only as an afterthought.
* {{Gonk}}: He has a long, snake-like face.
* GoodColorsEvilColors: His genie form is red, with fangs and claws, compared to Genie's blue. He also wears completely dark clothing, compared to everyone else's white and blue clothes.
* {{Greed}}: A FatalFlaw of his. He cannot control his lust for more and more power. This is also what eventually does him in--see below.
* TheHeavy: His villainous actions play a key role in driving the plot forward for the duration of the original film.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: What leads to his defeat both times.
** In the original film, his wish to be an all-powerful genie is what results in his being imprisoned in a lamp at the end of the first movie.
** At the climax of the sequel, Jafar opens the earth and traps our heroes in a lava pit... only to eventually have Iago [[AchillesHeel kick his lamp into the lava]], causing Jafar to electrocute, then explode into nothingness.
* HurricaneOfPuns: As a sorcerer, Jafar announces each attack with a lame pun. "Your ''time'' is up! ''[imprisons Jasmine in an hourglass filling with sand]''" "Don't ''toy'' with me! ''[turns Abu into a monkey cymbal toy]''" "Things are unraveling fast now, boy! ''[unravels the Magic Carpet into a ball of yarn]''" "Get the ''point''?! ''swords come down and block Aladdin's path to the Lamp]''" "I'm just getting warmed up!! ''[breathes fire around Aladdin]''"
* HypocriteHasAPoint: He calls Aladdin a liar and a conman, which rings true, and Genie himself urged Aladdin to come clean before this point. However, both of these accusations can easily be applied to him the way he [[EvilChancellor exploits his position as Vizer]] to [[TheUsurper take the throne for himself]]. For his part, Aladdin accepts this description of him and resolves to make up for it by ending Jafar's reign of terror.
* HypnoRay: Via his MagicStaff.
* InformedFlaw: Genie says he's ugly.
* InsultBackfire: Which triggers his giant cobra form:
-->'''Aladdin:''' Are you too afraid to fight me yourself, you cowardly snake?!\\
'''Jafar:''' A snake, am I? Perhaps you'd like to see how ssssnakelike I can be! ''[cue giant snake transformation]''
* ItsAllAboutMe: He's completely obsessed with his own personal power and gratification, which results in his ChronicBackstabbingDisorder; he disregards everyone else, often making enemies where he could have avoided it just by being a bit more generous. And as seen when speaking with a supposedly enamored woman that he desires, he has so many things to say... about himself, his true love.
* JackassGenie: In ''The Return of Jafar'', where he grants wishes to his master Abis Mal in exactly the worst way and compels him to help "his" genie under threat of causing him physical harm. While genies are [[ThouShaltNotKill forbidden to kill anyone]], Jafar quickly figures out ways [[LoopholeAbuse around that rule]]. Such examples include warping Abis Mal to the bottom of the ocean and threatening to let him drown, framing Aladdin for the apparent murder of the Sultan and arranging for his execution, and trying to drop Aladdin and co. into a lava pit.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:K-R]]
* KilledOffForReal: He's killed in the direct-to-video sequel ''The Return of Jafar'' when Iago kicks his lamp into a pool of lava. The ''Aladdin'' canon continued with three seasons of [[WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries a cartoon series]] as well as [[WesternAnimation/AladdinAndTheKingOfThieves a final movie]], all without bringing Jafar back. He does return in a ''Hercules'' crossover episode, in which he's still ''technically'' dead, but that's thanks to his partner Hades, Lord of the Dead. And even then, Jafar ends up in the River Styx, and disappears before he's completely submerged.
* KnightOfCerebus: He has a handful of comedic moments, but for the most part, everything becomes dark and serious when he takes center stage, especially after the "A Whole New World" number and in ''The Return of Jafar''; from the attempt to drown Aladdin on, every time he's onscreen, the comedy virtually disappears.
* LackOfEmpathy:
** A justified example at the beginning of the movie. Jafar recruits Gazeem to help him get into the Cave of Wonders. When Gazeem gets trapped in there, his fate does not debilitate Jafar in any way ("Gazeem was obviously less than worthy.") and instead wonders who the "Diamond in the Rough" is. [[AssholeVictim The audience shares a similar emotion.]] Doubles as NoHonorAmongThieves.
** After seeing Jasmine cry after lying about Aladdin's execution, his reaction?
--->'''Jafar:''' I think she took it rather well.
* LargeAndInCharge: Iago's words about him in ''The Return of Jafar''. It's the cosmic powers that he got that really made him in charge, but his looks as a giant genie do make him more intimidating.
* LargeHam: ''Big time.'' Especially when he gets the Genie's lamp and really starts ChewingTheScenery.
* LaughablyEvil: He flip-flops between this and being a KnightOfCerebus. For example, there's his proclaiming "Ewww..." when contemplating decapitation, and letting loose a HurricaneOfPuns during his showdown with Aladdin.
* LaughingMad: Subverted. After his manipulation of the Sultan gets exposed, he laughs maniacally. Iago thinks he's lost it, but he wasn't laughing out of madness; he was laughing because he saw the lamp and realized he could still win.
* LeanAndMean: To contrast with the round and buffed characters in the film. Subverted when he becomes a genie; in that form he is large and muscular.
* {{Leitmotif}}: A dark, descending piece that features in most scenes featuring him, most prominently about thirty seconds into [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgZTkQF1hgI "Jafar's Hour"]].
* LightningBruiser: In his cobra form. Justified because he's huge and because [[TruthInTelevision cobras are REALLY fast]].
* LoopholeAbuse: Genies can't kill anyone outright, but in ''The Return of Jafar'' there's nothing stopping him from setting up people to be killed indirectly, such as leaving them dangling from a rock over a pit of lava, teleporting them to the bottom of the ocean and threatening to drown them, or setting up their execution by framing them for murder. Or making them ''[[FateWorseThanDeath wish]]'' [[FateWorseThanDeath they were dead]], as he often reminds people:
-->'''Jafar:''' You'd be surprised what you can live through.
* MagicStaff: His first, projecting his HypnoRay through the eyes, is smashed by Aladdin, breaking his control over the Sultan. His second, the open-mouthed replacement after his second wish, has more general applications. He gets a third in the Hercules crossover, which is what keeps him corporeal.
* MaliciousMisnaming: He keeps calling "Prince Ali" Abubu, instead. This seems to be an honest mistake on his part, until he starts mocking "Ali".
* ManipulativeBastard: He uses his influence to control the kingdom with his CharmPerson powers, then graduates to greater intelligent schemes in the sequel.
* MayDecemberRomance: One-sided. At first, he seems to be interested in Jasmine only as a stepping-stone to the throne, but after he's ''gotten'' the throne (by wishing for it) he still wants to force her to love him. While Jafar's age is slightly ambiguous, he's probably decades older than her to be her father's grand vizier while Jasmine is an unwed pre-twenty princess. Although Jasmine's seduction was just an act to give Aladdin enough time to reach the lamp without being noticed by Jafar, this latter was the first if not the only Disney Villain to receive a kiss on the lips from a Disney Princess (lucky bastard!).
* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: He can make potions, which may or not be magical, and uses a snake staff with hypnotic abilities, which also may be magical in nature.
* MorphicResonance: All of his forms retain his RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver coloring scheme. Notably in ''Reurn of Jafar'', his human form now wears primarily red instead of black because his true genie form is red.
* MusclesAreMeaningless: Jafar is shown to be [[LeanAndMean quite skinny]], but he doesn't seem any weaker than other characters as shown when he wrestles with Jasmine and Aladdin over his staff, sending the former sprawling and holding his own with the latter.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: He's named after UsefulNotes/GrandVizierJafar, which has often been adopted as a name for a Middle Eastern villain. He's likely the figure who has cemented the notoriety of this name is popular culture.
* {{Narcissist}}: Jafar thoughtlessly exploited others in his attempts to have the most supreme political power in Agrabah, but as soon as he gets it, he immediately wishes to have the immense ''magical'' powers of a sorcerer all [[{{Pride}} because Jasmine proclaimed that she would never bow to him after Jafar told her to do so]]. Having gained massive delusions of godhood from this as he then declared himself "[[AGodAmI the most powerful being on earth]]", Jafar finds that this ''[[{{Greed}} still]]'' [[{{Greed}} isn't enough for him]], and so he wishes to have the immensely phenomenal cosmic powers of a genie while continuing to declare himself a god who ''now'' has the ability to command and control the entire universe... as well as an "itty-bitty living space".
* NearVillainVictory: In both movies:
** In the first one, after wishing himself to be the Sultan and a powerful sorcerer, Jafar uses his newfound powers to his advantage and nearly successfully kills Aladdin (and Jasmine too by extension). Aladdin exploits Jafar's lust for power by claiming that Genie is more powerful than him, which prompts Jafar to wish himself to be a genie. Jafar loses because he failed to realize that being a genie comes at the price of being bound to a lamp.
** In the second one, Jafar successfully frames Aladdin for the "murder" of the Sultan which leads to a death sentence and has everyone else locked away in a dungeon to rot. He loses only because Iago had a change of heart.
* NoOntologicalInertia:
** Breaking his snake staff immediately breaks his/its control over the Sultan.
** The spells he wreaked as "the most powerful sorcerer in the world" are revoked after he becomes a genie.
* NoodlePeople: Downplayed. His robes give his body some bulk and thus take away from the effect, but his long, thin face and especially his very long fingers are definitely this trope. WordOfGod says that this was intentional, to contrast the evil Jafar with the short, round shape of the good Sultan.
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: {{Downplayed|trope}}. Not that he was never a serious menace for his enemies, having an extensive knowledge of arcane lore, spells, potions, but initially he doesn't seem to possess any genuine magical power, which apparently makes him look less dangerous. However, as soon he wishes to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world, he becomes one of the most potent evil sorcerers in any Disney universe (and one of the most powerful evil ''characters'' by the time he becomes a genie). Moreover, although he is sometimes LaughablyEvil, he ''can'' also be ruthless and cruel.
* ObviouslyEvil: To everyone but the Sultan, who is a HorribleJudgeOfCharacter.
* OurLichesAreDifferent: This is his situation in the Hercules crossover upon being resurrected by Hades, being an undead sorcerer who relies on his [[SoulJar snake staff]] to stay in the land of the living, and is promptly vanquished upon its destruction.
* OminousOperaCape: Which is [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver black on the outside and red on the inside]].
* OneWingedAngel: In addition to the ScaledUp mentioned below, he turns into a genie. While it doesn't work for him ''at the time'' and he becomes SealedEvilInACan, he proves in the sequel that he's far more powerful than before. Even before he became a Genie, he transformed himself into a giant cobra as a sorcerer.
* OohMeAccentsSlipping: For the most part, Jafar speaks in a Received Pronunciation accent, but on occasion, some of Jonathan Freeman's native American pronunciation slips through.
* OutOfTheInferno: He calmly walks through the ring of fire he surrounded Aladdin with after Aladdin calls him a snake. Then, like the OneWingedAngel TropeNamer [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Sephiroth]], Jafar, in addition to walking through fire, takes his own OneWingedAngel form while firing an InsultBackfire on Aladdin.
* PlayingWithFire: His last pun before becoming a snake is "I'm just getting warmed up!" Cue him breathing fire. He also has fire abilities as a snake in the Sega Genesis game.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Implied. He views speechlessness as "a fine quality in a wife".
* PowerEchoes: In his cobra and genie forms, Jafar's voice has a reverberating effect.
* PowerGlows: He eyes of his staff glow when when he's using his powers, and his own eyes glow yellow as a genie.
* PowerfulAndHelpless: By BecomingTheGenie, Jafar gains the omnipotence he desires, but forgets that phenomenal cosmic power comes at the price of imprisonment and only being able to use that power in the service of a master.
-->'''Jafar:''' All the power in the universe, and I am bound by the rules of the genie!
* {{Pride}}: His biggest FatalFlaw. He can't accept even being the ''[[SecondPlaceIsForLosers second]]'' most powerful being on Earth and wishes to become a genie, leading to his own imprisonment.
* PsychopathicManchild: Very intelligent and manipulative, but when he lets his temper get the better of him, he acts like a a very spoiled and egocentric child who just cannot stand anyone else even coming close to his level. Ironically his desire to become ''bigger'' than every perceived opponent (read everyone) can make him think small and hold him back as when he merely wishes to be the Sultan of Agrabah instead of ruler of the whole world just so he could get that fancy turban.
* PungeonMaster: During the final showdown, he starts letting fly with every pun in the book.
-->[trapping Jasmine in an hourglass] ''"Ah ah ah, princess, your time is up!"'' [turning Abu into a toy] ''"Don't toy with me!"'' [reducing Carpet to threads] ''"Things are unravelling fast, now, boy!"'' [dropping swords on Aladdin] ''"Get the point?"'' [breathing fire] ''"I'm just getting warmed up!"''
* RealityWarper: His powers increase with each wish until he becomes an all-powerful genie with '''''PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWERS'''''.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: His outfit. It has a black cape with red inside it, and a red feather in his turban. In his genie form he's mostly red, but has a black streak in his hair and beard.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Jafar is seen early in the movie as having red irises in his eyes.
* RedSkyTakeWarning: Once he wishes himself Sultan, the entire sky over Agrabah turns red and stays red until he's sealed in the lamp. This returns in the climax of ''The Return Of Jafar'' when he opens the lava pit, and again, goes away after he disappears.
* RevengeBeforeReason: In ''The Return Of Jafar'', where his downfall comes mainly due to being so obsessed with revenge that he ignores the loose ends that ultimately destroy him. [[VillainTeamUp Hades]] calls him out on this in the series' crossover with ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:S-Z]]
* {{Sadist}}: Takes some pleasure in subjugating the Sultan and Jasmine, including watching the Sultan get stuffed with crackers. The deleted VillainSong "Humiliate the Boy" also brings this part of him out in full, where he freely admits he gets a laugh out of seeing "another fellow's dreams turn into nightmares one by one" as he exposes Aladdin as a fake prince.
* ScaledUp: Turns into a gigantic cobra. Worth noting, this is one of the few times it's actually effective. So effective, that Jafar is the page image for this trope.
* SealedEvilInACan: At the end of the first movie, he wishes to become a genie, and is promptly confined to the "itty-bitty living space" of the dark lamp. He is freed in ''The Return of Jafar'' by a thief, and goes back to Agrabah to get his revenge on the heroes.
* SecondPlaceIsForLosers: In the big game of life. The point of living for him is being number one to the point that being only second ([[DragonInChief even if it only nominally]]) is his biggest BerserkButton. This makes him lose focus as he wastes his first wish only to overpower the Sultan, whose position was his measure of power up to that point.
* SeekingUltimateStrength: Jafar, in both [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} the animated]] and [[Film/Aladdin2019 live-action films]], is ''obsessed'' with gaining power for himself, and this obsession proves to be his FatalFlaw. Despite already being in a position of authority as the [[EvilChancellor vizier]] to the Sultan of Agrabah, he schemes to get his hands on the Genie's lamp and wishes to become Sultan himself. But when that isn't enough, Jafar takes the next step and wishes to be the most powerful [[EvilSorcerer sorcerer]] in the world. And even then, when Aladdin deliberately bruises his ego by pointing out that [[AlwaysSecondBest the Genie is the one who made him so powerful in the first place,]] and could just as easily take his power away, Jafar decides to surpass even ''that'' and wish to [[BecomingTheGenie become an all-powerful genie]]- only to discover that [[PowerfulAndHelpless for all his god-like power, now he's a prisoner and slave to whoever holds his lamp]].
* SerpentStaff: He carries a snake-headed staff, which he uses to hypnotize the Sultan through its mesmerizing ruby eyes. Aladdin destroys the staff when he realizes what the vizier is doing. Unfortunately, Jafar gets a new staff when he makes his second wish to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world, which can fire energy blasts and cast more powerful spells.
* ShadowArchetype: If the deleted song "Why Me" is anything to go by, he all but exists to show what Aladdin would have been like if he let his impoverishment and bullying from the people of Agrabah turn him into something cruel.
* ShapeshifterDefaultForm: In ''The Return of Jafar'', when he sees that his genie form is too intimidating for Abis Mal, [[AFormYouAreComfortableWith he transforms into his (less-but-still-scary) human form]] and remains that way for the majority of the movie, returning to his genie form briefly during "You're Only Second Rate" and treating it like a OneWingedAngel form for the FinalBattle.
* ShouldersOfDoom: Gets them after becoming a sorcerer.
* SmugSuper: After first becoming the world's most powerful sorcerer, and then BecomingTheGenie, he openly takes pride in his newfound powers.
-->'''Jafar:''' You are a fool to challenge me! I am ''all-powerful''.
* SmugSnake: In the first movie. He makes the mistake of underestimating Aladdin, unable to believe that a "little fool" and a "street rat" could contend with himself and although intelligent, he sometimes makes the mistake of not thinking things through, ultimately resulting in his imprisonment. Oh and snake is meant almost literally. To his credit, he learns from his mistakes and grows out of this in the sequel.
* SnakesAreEvil: He's the BigBad, possesses a cobra-shaped MagicStaff, and can even become a giant cobra.
* TheSociopath: Has absolutely zero qualms against causing death, as shown by his cold indifference to sending Gazeem to his death in the Cave of Wonders ("Gazeem was obviously less than worthy.") and his reaction to Jasmine's sorrow when he lies that Aladdin has been executed ("[[LackOfEmpathy I think she took it rather well.]]") and is quite intelligent and manipulative. Like [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney Frollo]], he's a high-functioning sociopath, able to hide his true self behind a veneer of charming manners.
* SorcerousOverlord: Temporarily becomes this trope of Agrabah with his second wish, with ruling on a mountain and with a bevy of magic at his command. This is undone by his third wish, which traps him in the black lamp as a genie and resets his first wish.
* SoulJar: After becoming a genie, his life-force is tied to his lamp and if it's destroyed, he goes along with it. Which is exactly how he meets his end in the second film.
* SpikesOfVillainy: At first sight, you could think the sultan outfit he gets with his first wish is a bit unnecessary, since he goes back to his vizier outfit with the second wish moments later. However, if you pay attention, you can see that Jafar's "real sorcerer" outfit has pointier shoulders, his hat isn't round anymore (with two more points), and his cobra cane is more realistic and has its mouth open.
* SssssnakeTalk: As a giant cobra, obviously.
* StarterVillain: Although he's the villain of the film, Jafar was the one who caused Aladdin to meet Genie, which helps him get close to Jasmine and defeat him, kickstarting the franchise. After the destruction of his lamp in the second film, which resulted in Jafar's own destruction, Aladdin would only end up coming across other villains, showing Jafar was far from the only threat Agrabah would need his protection to deal with.
* StoryBreakerPower: Once he becomes a genie, he becomes a full-on RealityWarper who's able to accomplish nearly everything on a whim. He's ultimately destroyed at the end of the second film and KilledOffForReal; even when he returns in the ''Hercules'' crossover, he's a human sorcerer once again.
* StupidEvil: Throughout the first movie, he commits pointlessly evil deeds over rational action, such as trying to kill Aladdin in the Cave of Wonders after getting the lamp (which ends with him losing the lamp), tries to have "Prince Ali" killed without considering that he could potentially start a war with Ali's nation, and outright ''tries to grab the lamp in public with several witnesses observing.'' This even carries over to the crossover with Hercules, as he's more obsessed with getting revenge than actually trying to take over the universe like Hades wants to.
* TakeOverTheCity: Despite becoming the most powerful sorcerer in the world, he only actually ''rules'' Agrabah, and is never seen unleashing his powers on other cities.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Subverted. Jasmine distracts him by pretending to be mind-controlled into loving him. She describes him as "tall, dark... [[ManOfWealthAndTaste well dressed]]..." Apparently, calling Jafar handsome would just be too suspicious.
* TallDarkAndSnarky: Jafar is labeled as "tall, dark and sinister" by the Genie, and he does have some snark when things don't exactly work for him.
* TechnicalPacifist: [[EnforcedTrope Enforced]] throughout ''The Return of Jafar''. Being a genie, he ''can't'' kill anyone, even if he wants to... but that doesn't stop him from [[MurderByInaction setting up situations that will result in someone's death]]. Also, it's repeatedly made clear that even though he can't ''kill'' someone, he can definitely ''hurt'' them.
-->'''Genie:''' You'd be surprised what you can live through.
* TooPowerfulToLive: Given that he's a genie more powerful than Genie himself by ''Return of Jafar'', he's basically nigh-omnipotent and virtually impossible to defeat except through his AchillesHeel. Thus, he needs to be KilledOffForReal to eliminate any possibility of him returning. Even when he returns in the ''Hercules'' crossover, he's reverted back to a human sorcerer, otherwise he would have made short work of both Aladdin and Hercules.
* UnexplainedAccent: He speaks with a British accent despite being an Arab and having an American voice actor.
* VillainBall: He grabs it several times, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory just because it's the eeeevil thing to do.
** The first time he does it is arguably the worst, since it leads to all of his other problems. If he hadn't tried to kill Aladdin immediately after the latter brought him the lamp, and instead just stuck to their original deal, he would have likely achieved all of his goals unopposed.
** He listens to Aladdin's suggestion that he should [[BecomingTheGenie become a stronger genie]] rather than kill him immediately.
** In the direct-to-video sequel, he decides to kill Aladdin ''before'' forcing Abis Mal to wish him to be free of the lamp rather than ''after'', which directly leads to his death, even though had he done so he would have been ''much'' harder to defeat (and certainly impossible to kill). His power level would be more even with Genie, being a free genie and all.
* VillainHasAPoint: He criticizes Aladdin for impersonating a prince in order to get close to Jasmine instead of simply being the person he is during his villain song. Genie himself tells Aladdin the same thing earlier in the movie, but in a nicer way.
* VillainSong: He has a reprise of "Prince Ali" in the first film, which is basically an EvilGloating victory lap. "[[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech You're Only Second Rate]]" in the second one is also EvilGloating where he rubs his superiority in Genie's face. He had three cut songs from the first movie, "Why Me?", "[[HumiliationConga Humiliate The Boy]]", and "My Finest Hour" but their subject matter is less clear. In the musical he has "Diamond in the Rough", which he shares with Iago.
* VillainousCrush: Averted. He hates Jasmine (presumably because he can't manipulate her easily), but Iago gives him the idea to marry her in order to give himself the political status needed to legally inherit the throne. Both of them make it very clear that once he marries her, they'll dispose of her and her father. [[ZigzaggedTrope Although]], he ''does'' dress her up in a skimpier outfit when he enslaves her, as well as gets DistractedByTheSexy when Jasmine acts [[ShowSomeLeg seductive]], implying he's at least somewhat attracted to her.
* VillainousFriendship: [[DownplayedTrope Although Iago does take a few blows along the way]], he and Jafar seem to have a genuine friendship throughout ''Aladdin''. At the very least, their relationship isn't the typical "Evil Master surrounded by his dumb minions whom he berates all the time", like [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Scar]] or [[WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron the Horned King]]. They generally chat pleasantly with one another, Jafar actually takes advice from him at one point (and gives him credit for his idea), and even after he conquers Agrabah he keeps Iago at his side to enjoy in the spoils as well. However, Iago's HeelFaceTurn in the second movie confirms that whatever friendship they may have had at some point is now gone, as Iago ends up being the one to kill Jafar to save the day.
* WickedCultured: One of the most sophisticated in {{Creator/Disney}} canon, having a refined manner of speech and intellectual pursuits (with special emphasis on the occult).
* WingdingEyes: During his EvilLaugh at the end of the reprise of "Prince Ali".
* WiseOldFolkFacade: He uses his old man disguise interact with Aladdin in the dungeons of the royal palace. Although Aladdin is initially suspicious of his true nature, Jafar quickly teaches him the "[[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney golden rule]]" and tells him he needs a young lad to bring out the treasure hidden inside the Cave of Wonders, even showing him some gems and a hidden escape route as proof of this trustworthiness. It is only after taking the lamp and having Aladdin at his mercy that he decides to drop the facade and give the lad his "[[DeadlyEuphemism eternal reward]]".
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: After he becomes a sorcerer, he goes a little bit nuts. It only gets worse in the sequel. Of course, there's nothing to say he wasn't already insane to begin with. [[DrunkOnTheDarkSide He just feels finally free to go all out.]]
* WouldHitAGirl: Even though he doesn't get to the point due to deciding that forcing her to become his love slave via Genie would be much better, Jafar was about to seriously backhand Jasmine when she tossed the wine in his face. And he outright ''tries to kill her'' by suffocating Jasmine in a giant sand hourglass once she nearly costs him Genie's lamp. And let's not forget him laughing in agreement to the idea of tossing Jasmine and her father off a cliff after he's forcefully married her to get control over Agrabah.
* WorldsStrongestMan: He becomes '''THE''' most powerful genie in the world, meaning that he's on a different level from Genie himself. As a result, he's the most powerful character in the movie, and possibly the most powerful of all the Disney villains before and after him.
* XRaySparks: When destroyed in the second film.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Jafar seems quite fond of killing his accomplices after they have fulfilled their service to him.
** First, after Gazeem has given Jafar the other half of the amulet that opens the Cave of Wonders, Jafar forces Gazeem to enter the Cave of Wonders, with deadly results. His promise that he'll get what's coming to him suggests that if he managed to get the lamp, he would have been stabbed to death, the same way Aladdin almost is.
** After Aladdin gives Jafar the lamp, Jafar tries to stab him; when that fails, he dropps him into the collapsing cave.
** Although Jafar never actually follows through on it, he likes Iago's suggestion that after marrying Jasmine and establishing his authority, he should kill the (former) Sultan and Jasmine too.
[[/folder]]
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[-[[Characters/AladdinTitularProtagonists Titular Protagonists]] | [[Characters/AladdinAgrabahRoyaltyAndAssociates Agrabah Royalty and Associates]] | [[Characters/AladdinOtherResidentsOfAgrabah Other Residents of Agrabah]] | [[Characters/AladdinAllies Allies]] | [[Characters/AladdinAntagonists Antagonists]] ('''Jafar''') | [[Characters/AladdinTheSeries TV series]] | ''Characters/AladdinAndTheKingOfThieves''-]]]]]

* OminousOperaCape: Which is [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver black that's red on the inside]].