The Great Rift

(Setting: the desert, at night. Aladdin, Genie, Carpet, Abu, and Iago are flying across the desert.)

Iago: (yawns) Why do we always have to go on the road so early, Al? Can't we stop at a rest area? Then again, this whole place is a rest area.

Aladdin: Relax, Iago. When the sultan heard that the ancient city of Mesmeria was uncovered by a sandstorm last night he asked me to see if he could find any valuable artifacts.

Iago: Like treasure?

Genie: Mesmeria wasn't only known for its riches! (opens a large book) According to legend, the city was ruled by a king and a sorceress queen. (flips the page to a picture of the king and queen) Thousands of years ago a great explosion of dark magic threw the palace to the winds, scattering its remains all over the Seven Deserts. And no one lived happily ever after.

Iago: Eh, that's just a kids' fairy tale.

Aladdin: Then what do you call that? (points to a ruin just visible on the other side of a dune)

Abu: Oh boy!

Genie: (turns into a tourist and starts taking photos) The pictures in this brochure don't do this place justice! It's an antique lover's paradise.

(They land in the middle of the ruin. There's the sound of a hawk screeching in the distance.)

Iago: (nervously) Hey, what's that hawk doing out in the middle of nowhere land? (points to a hawk circling one of the ruined buildings) I hope he's not hungry for parrot! Follow me, Abu. I smell riches.

(Abu follows Iago excitedly, but they don't get far before they're knocked back by a gust of wind. They grab onto something to keep from being blown away. The wind blows away the sand surrounding the object, revealing it to be a jewel-covered treasure chest with sun, moon, and star symbols on its lid.)

Iago: We hit the mother lode!

(Iago and Abu start digging the chest out of the sand, then try unsuccessfully to open it.)

Iago: (grunting) How do you open this thing?

Aladdin: (picking up the chest) There's no lock on this. But these symbols look like some kinda puzzle. (presses the sun symbol, and it starts to glow)

Iago: It's working!

(The chest opens, revealing four jewels inside: one green, one red, one white, and one yellow.)

Iago: Yes, yes, we're rich!

(Aladdin picks up the green jewel, but the hawk swoops down and grabs it out of his hand, then flies away.)

Aladdin: Hey!

Iago: Hawk or no hawk, I'm not letting that flying rat get away with my riches! (flies after the hawk, following it into a ruined building before he loses it) Come on out, hawk! We've got unfinished business!

Genie: Oh, forget it, Iago. We lost the hawk and the emerald.

Aladdin: We already have the other jewels. Besides, it could take weeks to find the gem in this place.

Iago: (grumbling) I knew that hawk was trouble.

(They leave the ruin. We can now see the hawk hiding up in the rafters with the emerald in its nest. The sun is starting to rise. As a beam of light starts to cross the floor of the ruin, the hawk takes the emerald out of the nest and places it in the light. The emerald starts to glow, then turns into a woman. It's the queen from Genie's book, wearing the emerald on her necklace.)

Hawk: My queen, are you all right?

Queen: Isn't it obvious, Zebar? I'm free! I'm finally free!

Zebar (hawk): I would have released you sooner, dear Dalukah, but since the Great Rift we've been buried for centuries. I've never stopped looking for you. As your king, my love for you is eternal.

Queen Dalukah: Please. You're a hawk now, remember?

Zebar: Everything was fine until you found the magic emerald of Khufu!

(Zebar tries to rip the emerald off of Dalukah's neck, but a beam of magic comes out of the emerald and pushes him away.)

Dalukah: Haven't you learned your lesson yet? Try to touch my emerald again and I'll banish you! Forever!

Zebar: But can't you see how destructive its magic is?

Dalukah: What concerns me is that even my great sorcery could not have prevented this destruction. But at least my royal jewels are safe.

Zebar: No they aren't. Someone took them.

Dalukah: What?! Who would dare steal my jewels?! They must be mine again!

(Setting: Agrabah, the throne room at the palace. Sultan and Jasmine are looking at a mural of Agrabah.)

Jasmine: This is a wonderful work of art, Father. Agrabah looks glorious!

Sultan: For me it has always been a special place, Jasmine. Everything that's important to me is here. You, the people, and the palace.

(They walk out onto the balcony.)

Sultan: Agrabah is my greatest treasure.

Aladdin: Speaking of treasure, I've brought back something worth more than gold, Sultan.

(Aladdin and the others fly past them, into the throne room. Sultan and Jasmine follow them inside.)

Genie: Introducing the royal jewels of Mesmeria! A piece of history not seen for thousands of centuries.

(Aladdin opens the treasure chest.)

Sultan: This is an incredible find, Aladdin! It will greatly add to Agrabah's collection of ancient artifacts.

Aladdin: I think we'd better put these in a safe place, locked up tight.

Iago: What a waste! Those gems will probably never see the light of day again!

(Aladdin carries the chest into the royal treasury.)

(Setting: the ruins of Mesmeria. Dalukah is projecting a beam of light from her emerald which shows Aladdin with the treasure chest.)

Dalukah: There they are! In Agrabah! Let's go there at once!

Zebar: No, we should leave those jewels just where they are, locked up!

Dalukah: Zebar, you will do as I command!

(Dalukah shoots Zebar with a beam of green magic, making him grow to twice Dalukah's height.)

Zebar: (mesmerized) To Agrabah.

Dalukah: Hurry! I can't wait one moment longer.

(Dalukah climbs onto Zebar's back, and they fly away.)

(Setting: Agrabah, in the palace throne room. Everyone is looking at the mural.)

Genie: (dressed as a painter) I like it! It has depth, resonance, and it makes for a real snazzy conversation piece at parties.

(There's a crash outside.)

Aladdin: What was that?!

Iago: Al, it's the hawk! Only bigger!

(Zebar has landed on the balcony. Dalukah climbs down from his back.)

Iago: And he's got a girlfriend now.

(Everyone runs out to the balcony.)

Sultan: What is the meaning of this? Who are you?

Dalukah: I am Queen Dalukah, ruler of Mesmeria! And I've come for my jewels! Move out of my way! (stomps past them toward the throne room) Fools!

Genie: (as a traffic cop, blocking Dalukah's path) Stop! This is a no passing zone!

(Zebar pushes Genie out of the way.)

Genie: Okay, hawk man, you've made me mad! And that's bad! (creates a giant cage around the hawk) There, that oughta hold 'im!

(Zebar breaks out of the cage.)

Genie: Uh oh, the big bird's flown the coop!

(Zebar lands next to the others and stares at them threateningly. Meanwhile, Dalukah has found her way to the treasury.)

Dalukah: (hugging the chest) Yes! We're back together again, my little gems!

(On the balcony)

Iago: Look, let's talk, bird to bird! You wanted that emerald and I let you have it, right?

(Zebar glares at him.)

Iago: So, uh, you don't eat me, and we call it even!

(Dalukah walks back out onto the balcony carrying the chest.)

Dalukah: My royal jewels are safe!

(Zebar leaves Iago alone and goes over to Dalukah.)

Iago: (relieved) This must be my lucky day.

Dalukah: (taking the jewels out of the chest) At last, after all these centuries! (places the jewels on the ground in the sun) Rise forth, dear brothers, with all of your might!

(The gems turn into three men, each wearing one of the gems around their neck. The first brother [yellow gem] is muscular, the second [red gem] is short, the third [white gem] is tall, fat, and stupid-looking.)

Dalukah: I'm so glad you're all right!

2nd brother: It's about time! I was getting cramped in there!

1st brother: (flexing) It feels good to be alive again!

3rd brother: Hey, is there any food around here? I'm starving.

Aladdin: Amazing! Those jewels weren't jewels after all!

2nd brother: So what happened? The last thing I remember was—

Dalukah: The Great Rift. Luckily I saved us all with my magic fortune chest.

2nd brother: Eh, sorry things got outta hand when we started fightin', sis, but I just don't like anyone callin' me shorty!

1st brother: I guess I don't know my own strength. (chuckles)

3rd brother: Uh, and maybe I was actin' a little bit like a… a pig.

Dalukah: Well, that's all in the past now, dear brothers. We can all begin anew.

Genie: Don't you just love family reunions? I could cry. (hugs Dalukah, who pushes him away)

Aladdin: Excuse me, Queen Dalukah, but this has been one big misunderstanding. I didn't realize those jewels were actually your brothers.

Genie: If Aladdin would have known, he would have never taken them. (puts himself and Aladdin in scout uniforms) Genie Scout's honor.

Iago: In the first place, Al didn't steal your emerald. That hawk did!

2nd brother: King Zebar, you're still around? All you ever did was get in my way!

1st brother: You stick your beak in my business again and I'll tear ya apart! Feather by feather!

Dalukah: Oh, don't worry about Zebar. He's harmless, as usual. (shrinks Zebar to his normal size)

Aladdin: Hey, guys, now that you're one big happy family again, why don't you all go home and celebrate?

2nd brother: Good idea, kid! We like to party!

1st & 3rd brothers: Yeah!

Aladdin: The door's right out that way! So take care! Have a good trip!

(Everyone but Dalukah and Zebar walks into the throne room.)

Zebar: Aren't you going to tell them, Dalukah?

(The brothers hear this and stop in their tracks.)

Dalukah: Dear brothers, I'm sorry to tell you this, but… Mesmeria is gone.

Brothers: Gone?!

Dalukah: Alas, the Great Rift destroyed everything.

2nd brother: Then we don't have any place to go!

Dalukah: Oh, yes we do. Agrabah will suit us just fine, and the palace will make the perfect home.

Sultan: This is an absolute outrage! This is my home! I order you and your family to go, now!

Dalukah: I don't think so, old man. (zaps Sultan with her emerald and turns him into a yellow gem)

Jasmine: You won't get away with this, you monster!

Dalukah: You know, boys, before we move in we'd better do a little palace cleaning, starting with them!

(The 2nd brother tries to zap the others with his ruby, but they dodge and he ends up making a hole in a column. The 1st brother grabs a chunk of stone from the wall and throws it at them. The 3rd brother zaps Genie and traps him in a block of ice, which he quickly breaks out of.)

Genie: Brrr, frosty!

Dalukah: You mortals don't stand a chance!

(Aladdin and his friends are chased out of the palace, into the garden.)

Dalukah: Get rid of them, dear brothers!

(The brothers chase after them, the second brother trying to zap them with his ruby.)

2nd brother: You're all gonna fry!

Genie: (dodging) Ooh, you're such a hothead!

(He then zaps a tree Iago and Abu are hiding behind, turning it to ash. The three brothers are all staring down at them.)

1st brother: I'm gonna pound you into the ground!

3rd brother: And I'm gonna turn them into monkey-parrot stew!

Genie: Hey, when was the last time you boys had a bath? I bet it was centuries ago! (turns into a faucet and pours water on the brothers)

Dalukah: They're making fools out of us!

(Aladdin and Jasmine descend from the sky on Carpet near Dalukah. Dalukah is about to zap them, but Jasmine jumps down and tackles her.)

Jasmine: No!

Dalukah: It's time you joined your father, little princess!

(Jasmine is surrounded by green light, then is transformed into a purple jewel.)

Dalukah: You don't look so defiant anymore.

(Dalukah drops Sultan's jewel next to Jasmine's and kicks them both into the garden, where Abu catches them. Dalukah is about to zap Aladdin as well, but Carpet carries him away. They fly over and pick up the others.)

Iago: Let's get out of here before she turns us all into gems!

2nd brother: Hey, they're getting away!

Dalukah: Forget about them. Agrabah is ours now.

2nd brother: Yeah! Home sweet home.

(Aladdin and the others are still flying away, they are now near the edge of town.)

Aladdin: This is all my fault. I've lost Jasmine, Sultan, and now Agrabah itself!

Iago: I gotta admit, Al, it looks pretty bad.

Aladdin: Well that's not gonna stop me! I have to get everything back to the way it was.

(Setting: a short while later, in the throne room. Dalukah and Zebar are on the throne, while the brothers are sitting at a long table, having a feast.)

Dalukah: It's been a long time since the Great Rift, but it's good to be back on the throne. Very good.

2nd brother: Stop hoggin' the food!

1st brother: I want more!

3rd brother: But I need more than you guys!

(Aladdin and his friends are hiding behind a curtain, watching them.)

Iago: Lovely. I know pigs with better manners.

Aladdin: Somehow we're going to have to get the emeralds away from those goons.

(They sneak closer to Dalukah.)

Zebar: Taking someone else's home… isn't right, my queen.

Dalukah: Oh, you're such a weakling, Zebar. Agrabah is just the first step. Soon all of the Seven Deserts will fall under my power!

2nd brother: No! I should rule by your side! You need someone with brains!

1st brother: No! Dalukah needs someone strong!

3rd brother: Hey, what about me? I'm not just chopped camel meat, you know!

2nd brother: I should have more power, not you!

(The 2nd brother tries to zap Dalukah, but she dodges. The 1st brother throws the table at him. The 3rd brother then freezes the 1st.)

Aladdin: This is getting worse, guys. Now they're fighting each other!

Iago: Then we're in luck! They're gonna destroy themselves!

(There's a loud sound from outside.)

Genie: Hey, what is that?

(They look out at the city, where giant footprints are starting to appear, as if a giant, invisible monster were walking toward the palace.)

Genie: It's some kind of giant, invisible foot! And it's coming this way!

Dalukah: Fools! We've been through this again and again! This is what started the Great Rift, remember?

2nd brother: But I want more power!

1st & 3rd brother: Me too!

Dalukah: How many times do I have to prove to you I am the most powerful?! (her emerald starts to glow, and the brothers run away from her)

Iago: Now I see why they call this the Great Rift! It's a doozy!

Aladdin: (pointing) So is that!

(The monster is starting to become visible. It's giant and covered in fur, and has saber teeth and horns. It continues stomping toward the palace.)

Iago: Where did that monster come from?!

Abu: I don't know!

(The monster starts smashing buildings. People run to get out of the way.)

Dalukah: (sees her brothers still fighting) How dare you defy me?! Especially since I possess the source of your power! (zaps them with her emerald and knocks them backwards)

Iago: You know, that big ugly thing arrived just when queenie and her no-neck brothers started fighting with each other!

Aladdin: That's it! That's the Great Rift, it's a monster! Somehow, the more this family fights the more powerful the Great Rift gets!

Genie: (as a doctor) According to my calculations, the monster is feeding on anger!

Dalukah: (to her brothers) The Great Rift is back, and it's all your fault!

Aladdin: Queen Dalukah, stop this! You and your family are gonna end up destroying everything, even yourself! Don't you see? You're creating another Great Rift!

Dalukah: Nonsense!

Zebar: Listen to the boy! Only you can stop it!

Dalukah: You useless meddler! Go back to Mesmeria! (zaps Zebar, and he disappears; she then starts shooting at Aladdin and friends)

Iago: Come on, Al! Let's get outta here before we're ancient history!

Aladdin: No! I can't abandon the palace!

Genie: Hey, maybe I can make a difference!

(Genie turns into a talk show host, and creates a talk show set with his magic. The back wall says "Genie!", and Dalukah and her brothers are all sitting in chairs.)

Genie: Today on Desert Talk we'll be discussing anger. When is too much too much?

Dalukah: For me it's never too much! (casting a spell) By the power of Mesmeria, stop this mirth! Send this little pest to the ends of the Earth!

(Dalukah zaps Genie and he disappears. We then see him hanging off the edge of a cliff.)

Genie: I hate when this happens!

(The three brothers continue fighting. Carpet picks up the others and they fly out of the palace.)

Iago: Face it, Al: Agrabah is doomed!

(The Great Rift is now almost completely solid.)

Aladdin: Maybe we can stop this beast.

Iago: Come back to planet Earth, Al! The Great Rift is outta control! Not to mention the queen and her family!

Aladdin: You're right, Iago. Agrabah's gonna end up just like Mesmeria, torn to bits and pieces. We've gotta find King Zebar. Zebar knows the queen better than anyone, he must know something that could help us out!

Iago: What's there to know? The queen's a living nightmare!

(Setting: the ruins of Mesmeria. Zebar is in a birdcage which is rapidly being covered by sand.)

Zebar: Help!

(Aladdin and his friends arrive, and Aladdin digs Zebar out of the sand. He tries to open the cage, but it's locked.)

Aladdin: Hold on, Zebar!

(Aladdin breaks the lock with a rock, and Zebar escapes.)

(A short while later…)

Zebar: Thank you, Aladdin. But I'm surprised that you saved me after what I did to you.

Aladdin: We need your help. We can't stop the royal family from fighting. Because of them Agrabah's being destroyed by the Great Rift!

Iago: Your wife's a real monster, too!

Zebar: The queen was once a wonderful woman, but the magic emerald of Khufu poisoned her heart, filling her with evil.

Iago: That's putting it mildly.

Zebar: Things got much worse after she used the emerald to give her brothers their own amulets. Not only does the emerald create great magic, it creates great anger inside those that share its power. Unfortunately, my queen refuses to believe that she's responsible for the Great Rift.

Aladdin: We've gotta destroy the queen's amulet. Then the family will no longer be under its evil spell.

Iago: Then the Great Rift will go away?

Abu: Yeah!

(They all fly back toward Agrabah.)

(Setting: Agrabah. The Great Rift is still destroying the city, and Dalukah and her brothers are still fighting.)

Dalukah: Once I'm through with you fools I'll take care of the Great Rift!

Zebar: (entering through a hole in the ceiling) My queen! You've got to end this fight at once!

Dalukah: Zebar! What are you doing here? This time I'll banish you from the Earth forever!

Zebar: No!

(Zebar swoops down and tries to take the emerald, but Dalukah zaps him with her magic and he's thrown against the wall and knocked unconscious.)

Aladdin: (in the doorway) Queen Dalukah! Do you always pick on poor defenseless birds?

(Iago and Abu, standing next to Aladdin, blow raspberries at the queen.)

Dalukah: You little pests!

(Dalukah shoots magic at them, but they duck out of the way. The queen runs after them and everyone runs except for Carpet, who is lying flat on the floor. Dalukah runs to where the others were and is now standing on Carpet.)

Dalukah: No one mocks me!

(Carpet lifts Dalukah up into the air. While she's disoriented, Iago takes the emerald.)

Dalukah: No! Stop him!

(The brothers chase after Iago.)

Aladdin: Smash it, Iago! Now!

Iago: I can't, it's a jewel! Don't make me do this!

Aladdin: Then give it to me!

(Iago gives the emerald to Aladdin, who is now flying on Carpet. Aladdin is about to smash the jewel.)

Iago: Aladdin!

(The brothers have caught Iago.)

2nd brother: If you smash the emerald…

1st brother: …then we'll smash your little friend.

Aladdin: No! (sighs) Don't. You… you win. (is about to hand the emerald to Dalukah)

Genie: Just a sec, Al! It's cleanup time!

(Genie turns into a giant broom. The brothers are so surprised to see him that they let Iago go. Genie sweeps them away, out onto the balcony.)

Dalukah: You can't destroy my emerald!

Aladdin: Sure I can! It's easy! (throws the emerald to the ground; it doesn't break) What?!

(The Great Rift has now reached the palace and is trying to pull off the largest dome.)

Genie: Al! Try this! (creates a hammer and throws it to Aladdin)

Dalukah: No! No!

(Aladdin smashes the emerald with the hammer and it breaks. The Great Rift disappears, as do the brothers' jewels. Aladdin takes Jasmine and Sultan's jewels out of his vest and sets them on the ground, and they change back to normal.)

Aladdin: Jasmine, Sultan, are you all right?

Jasmine: (hugs Aladdin) We are now.

Dalukah: What happened?

(Zebar changes back into a man.)

Dalukah: Zebar!

Zebar: My queen. (they hug) The nightmare is over.

Dalukah: Yes. The emerald was a horrible curse. Can you ever forgive me?

Zebar: I did a long time ago, my love.

Aladdin: King Zebar, Queen Dalukah, welcome to Agrabah.