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*Episode spoilers contained in this article*
Episode 3 is, in my opinion, the best one yet. We get a bit of closure on certain questions, like what role Jamil plays in the series, and also about Aladdin himself. In the first two episodes, only very brief details were given about our main character and his relationship with Ugo, and it wasn’t clear yet why he was being called a ‘Magi.’ In this episode, we finally get to know what a Magi actually is.
First, I have to talk about the mystery that was left at the end of the 2nd episode. The Door of Truth opened up, and it looked like they were now above a massive city, but in fact were still ‘inside’ the dungeon. Even Lord Jamil, who was not in the same room at the time, is shown in this new scene. They speculate about Necropolis- a city of the dead- and wonder if they are in fact in Necropolis. This really isn’t expanded upon, but in the defense of the episode, a lot of other events take place.
A fight happens between Alibaba and Lord Jamil- and again, it is mentioned that only ‘royalty’ should know the proper sword handling techniques, in which Alibaba seems to have mastery over. This time, the hint that Alibaba has a noble lineage is a bit more obvious. Eventually, I assume, we will get to find out where he comes from.
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One last time, we see Morgiana struggle with her enslavement, and she still, unfortunately, sides with Jamil in this battle. She easily smashes Alibaba, and Jamil instructs her to kill her opponent. At this point, we are expecting something to happen, and in fact, Aladdin comes in at the right moment to save Alibaba. In this scene, we get to see the depth of Aladdin’s power. He uses some sort of scepter, but it isn’t explained in the episode so it must be something he found in the room. The image below shows that particular moment when Aladdin comes in, Matrix style, to showcase his newly enhanced ability.
Of course, this ended in complete victory for Aladdin, but I have to give respect to Morgiana for trying. She’s tough as nails, and will go up against anything if she feels it is within her duty to do so. I said this once, and I say it again: it’s a shame that she hasn’t already kicked Jamil into oblivion. In the end it doesn’t matter though, because Jamil gets what he deserves. Next, I have to talk about the big reveal of the episode, which is the massive Djinn from which the dungeon got its name.
Yes, this massive being is Amon, the ‘Fire Djinn.’ Finally, after meeting with Amon, more details about Aladdin come to the surface. He explains that Aladdin is in fact a reincarnation of Solomon, an ancient Magi. Not only do we learn that, but it is here that we finally find out what exactly a Magi is. Amon explains that the purpose of Magi is to find and grant certain people the ability to be kings. As long as humanity exists and creates societies, there will always be a need for kings, so a Magi’s purpose is to seek out and guide the would-be kings to their rightful places.
Aladdin has more questions, but Amon is unable to answer. The dungeon begins to collapse as another Magi attempts to seal it. And so, another piece of the puzzle is revealed, in that there are in fact multiple Magi. How does this new character fit into the plot? He mentions briefly about not letting anyone capture ‘it’ after the scene of the dungeon collapsing finishes. Is ‘it’ the Djinn inside the dungeon, or does he know that Aladdin was inside? Perhaps we’ll find out those answers in the next couple of episodes.
As for Jamil, well, he was sealed with the receding dungeon in a powerful scene about him and his relationship with Goltas and Morgiana, his two slaves. Goltas sacrificed himself to keep Jamil trapped inside the dungeon, and so that Morgiana would get a chance to be free. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen this kind of display of values in anime, but I always love to see characters sacrifice themselves for another or for the sake of duty.
Episode 3 definitely tied up several of the loose ends created by the first two episodes. The story of Jamil has concluded, at least for now. At the end of the episode, Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana go their separate ways, but it’s pretty obvious that they will be brought together again, most likely in the very next episode. Aladdin’s role as a Magi has been revealed, and what he must do. The small story arc that spanned the first 3 episodes has concluded and acted as a sort of introduction for a big adventure to follow. I assume that a deeper story is waiting to be revealed.
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic is being streamed on Crunchyroll.
