Released in 2019, Aladdin arrived carrying a complicated inheritance. As a live-action reimagining of a beloved animated classic, it was received with a mix of curiosity, skepticism, and nostalgia. Much of the public conversation focused on surface questions — visual spectacle, casting choices, comparisons to the original, and whether the film justified its own existence at all. Yet beneath those debates, Aladdin quietly preserves something more interesting: a surprisingly complete inner journey.
At a glance, the story appears simple — a street thief finds a magic lamp, disguises himself as a prince, defeats a villain, and wins the princess. But simplicity of plot does not imply simplicity of structure. When examined more closely, Aladdin reveals a layered progression of inner states: desire, illusion, control, collapse, humility, and finally release. The film does not always linger long enough on these transitions, but it consistently gestures toward them.
In the following analysis, we will explore Aladdin through a reinterpreted Major Arcana framework. Here, the archetypes are not treated as occult symbols or character labels, but as stages of psychological and spiritual development. This approach allows us to do several things at once: to better understand the Major Arcana itself, to see where the story succeeds or falls short in its inner logic, to extract practical lessons about storytelling craft, and — perhaps most importantly — to observe how these archetypal movements reflect our own lived experience.
Approached this way, Aladdin emerges as an archetypally rich narrative, accounting for nearly the entire developmental arc. Its greatest strength lies in its closing movement toward Temperance, where power is relinquished rather than claimed. Its primary weakness appears earlier, at the moment where ego transcendence would require deeper determination and emotional resolve. These strengths and gaps are not flaws to be dismissed, but signals that help illuminate how stories grow — and where they sometimes hesitate.
What follows is a step-by-step traversal of the archetypes as they appear in Aladdin, tracing how will becomes illusion, illusion collapses into truth, and truth ultimately gives way to balance. In doing so, the story becomes not just a tale of magic and romance, but a mirror of the inner negotiations we all face between control and surrender, appearance and authenticity, wishing and choosing.
Major arcana archetypes in Aladdin
The Magician — will and manifestation ✅
From the beginning of the movie, Aladdin is an apparent Magician, shown as a very crafty thief. Although this Magician uses his manifesting skills primarily for selfish agendas, his noble heart is still present beneath the surface.
He is even explicitly confirmed as the Magician by Jasmine herself, who remarks: “You’re quite the magician.” The story openly names his archetypal function early on.
Justice — balancing positive and negative, free will ✅
By balancing what is morally good with its opposite within the mind, Justice represents free will. It is also activated by perceived inequality within the system.
Aladdin demonstrates a will of his own, but initially uses it in service of self-justification — shaping reality not toward truth, but toward what feels fair to him within an unfair world.
The Devil — opposition to the Magician ✅
Aladdin is consistently opposed by those he steals from, who from his point of view function as the Devil — forces that challenge his will, safety, and well-being. His survival feels defined by external constraints rather than internal choice.
This opposition intensifies when he is confronted by the royal guards while trying to reach Jasmine, representing a larger social system that stands firmly in his way.
The Hermit — isolation and loneliness ✅
Aladdin lives alone on abandoned rooftops, physically separated from society. Having lost his parents at a young age, he has been on his own ever since.
Jasmine later confirms that she, too, experiences an inner sense of isolation — trapped within a world she cannot escape. Though their circumstances differ, their inner solitude mirrors each other.
The High Priestess — object of inspiration ✅
Jasmine stands as the High Priestess for Aladdin. In her, he recognizes someone of a vastly different social status, yet with a similar worldview and inner longing.
At the same time, he represents the same archetype for her from the opposite position — someone outside the system she inhabits, yet deeply aligned in spirit.
The Lightning — inspiration / Cupid’s arrow ✅
A woman’s beauty is capable of striking a man’s heart like a bolt of lightning. Although we do not see Aladdin collapse at their first meeting — which would symbolize full destabilization or reality-shattering — the emotional impact is nonetheless immediate. The love he feels for Jasmine is unmistakable and sets inner forces in motion.
The Star — hope, faith, and wayshower ✅
The love Aladdin sees in Jasmine becomes the Star that guides his path. It gives him hope, direction, and a reason to endure hardship, transforming his struggles into something meaningful rather than merely survivable.
The Empress — sense of entitlement, premature self-worth ✅
After visiting Jasmine in her palace, Aladdin begins to display a subtle bravado and sense of entitlement. When he leaves, he even expresses arrogance about his parkour skills, momentarily inflating his sense of self.
This marks the emergence of premature self-worth — confidence that has not yet been grounded in truth.
The Wheel of Fortune — ups and downs ✅
Aladdin’s arrogance soon draws him into trouble with the royal guards, with the shady Vizier Jafar orchestrating events from behind the scenes. Jafar captures Aladdin and uses him for his own dark agenda — retrieving the lamp — an outcome that initially appears to turn in Aladdin’s favor.
More importantly, the Wheel of Fortune represents Aladdin’s internal fluctuations. Later, while pretending to be a prince at court, he repeatedly embarrasses himself, revealing the instability of an identity built on illusion.
The Emperor — control ✅
When Aladdin is introduced to the Genie and the possibilities of unlimited power, he responds in the way an immature person would — adopting the Emperor archetype in its unintegrated form. He attempts to bend reality to his will rather than align with it.
Strength — lies, manipulation, forcing the issue ✅
Before Strength is properly integrated, the Emperor misuses it to get his way.
Aladdin decides to pretend to be a prince in order to win Jasmine’s hand, forcefully manipulating reality through deception. He falsely believes he can bribe his way into marriage with the princess.
Even after Jasmine discovers the truth, he continues the lie — insisting that he was a prince all along.
The Moon — twilight and illusion ✅
Manipulation leads only to illusion. Aladdin creates the false persona of Prince Ali, keeping both his identity and motives hidden.
Likewise, Jafar’s true nature remains concealed for most of the story, operating within shadow and ambiguity.
The Hierophant — truth revealed, forced introspection ✅
Jafar is the first to uncover the truth about Aladdin. Later, when the lamp is in his possession, he publicly exposes Aladdin, forcing a collective re-evaluation of identity and legitimacy.
This truth is revealed without compassion, which distinguishes the Hierophant from the Sun. Aladdin, in turn, exposes Jafar by revealing his ambition for the throne.
The Hanged Man — suspended action, perspective shift ✅
Aladdin’s illusions begin to collapse once Jafar discovers his true identity.
His action is symbolically suspended when Jafar ties him to a chair and pushes him into the sea to test whether the Genie will save him. When the rescue occurs, Jafar is convinced — but Aladdin has been rendered powerless and observed from above.
Death — killing of the ego ✅
Aladdin first encounters death physically when tied to the chair and thrown from the balcony. However, this is only a symbolic brush with physical death.
True ego death arrives through apology. His first apology is tentative and incomplete, after which Jafar banishes him to the winter land. His final apology, however, is sincere and unguarded.
The Two Paths (Lovers) — determination ❓
True determination toward truth is what ultimately kills the ego. In Aladdin’s case, this archetype is underdeveloped.
His initial apology is quick and half-hearted, and his determination to defeat Jafar lacks emotional depth, relying more on logic than inner conviction. The story moves forward, but this inner choice is compressed rather than fully explored.
Resurrection — rebirth ✅
Aladdin’s return from the frozen wasteland with the help of the magic carpet functions as a symbolic resurrection. Having apologized and released his false identity, he returns transformed — humble, unrestrained, and truthful.
The Chariot — uninhibited clarity and swift action ✅
After his return, Aladdin acts decisively. He swiftly saves Jasmine with the magic carpet and later outmaneuvers Jafar, who has by then become a powerful sorcerer.
Action is no longer driven by fear or deception, but by clarity.
The Sun — heart-to-heart sincerity ✅
The Sun typically shines when a protagonist openly admits the truth and unburdens the heart — often before major escalation.
In Aladdin’s case, this moment is delayed. He is transported to the winter land before sincerity can fully emerge. As a result, his true moment of openness comes after the climax, when he sincerely asks for forgiveness for his lies.
The World — reconnection with others and the divine ✅
Aladdin’s movement toward the World begins when the magic carpet rescues him from the winter land.
Ultimately, reconnection is completed through the confirmation of his truthful identity and integrated self, symbolized by his union with Jasmine and their marriage.
Temperance — ordinary life, but happier ✅
In one of the most symbolic representations of the Temperance archetype in modern storytelling, Aladdin uses his final wish to set the Genie free and allow him to live as an ordinary person.
Power is relinquished, balance is chosen, and the need to wish is ended.
And they live happily ever after.
Closing Reflection
Viewed through this archetypal lens, Aladdin reveals itself as an almost complete developmental arc. Nearly all major archetypal movements are present and meaningfully expressed. What the story lacks is not structure, but depth at a crucial threshold — specifically at the moment where ego should fully dissolve into determination for truth.
The defeat of Jafar, while clever, remains largely intellectual. It functions as a logical trap rather than a moment of inner resolve. The victory would carry far greater weight if it required Aladdin to demonstrate unmistakable determination — not just intelligence — in choosing truth over self-preservation. As it stands, the confrontation resolves the plot, but only partially resolves the inner journey.
This same immaturity appears earlier in Aladdin’s relationship to power and transcendence. His desire to impress Jasmine through the magic carpet ride feels premature, almost adolescent. Symbolically, magical flight is best reserved for moments of genuine integration — when a character has achieved inner coherence. The story would gain potency if Aladdin initially struggled to control the carpet while living in illusion, only mastering it at the end, once his identity had become truthful and whole.
Even with these shortcomings, Aladdin remains a story worth watching — if for nothing else, for its exceptionally clear expression of the final Temperance archetype. The relinquishing of power, the freeing of the Genie, and the ending of the need to wish stand as a rare and honest conclusion in modern storytelling. Balance is chosen over domination, and freedom over control.
In that final act, the story quietly delivers its deepest truth:
fulfillment does not come from getting what we want, but from releasing the need to command reality at all.
Thank you!
Ira