Eye of the Beholder (Aladdin)

"Eye of the Beholder" is the 67th episode of Aladdin originally aired on December 10, 1994. It was the 13th episode to air on CBS' Saturday morning line-up in the show's second season.
==Plot==
At the home of Mirage in Morbia, she and Fasir are arguing about Mirage tormenting humanity. Fasir explains that no matter what she does Good will always triumph over Evil as love is the strength of Good. Mirage however doesn't believe it to be, as she believes love is nothing more than a simple and weak feeling. To prove her wrong, Fasir shows her an example of True Love: Aladdin and Jasmine. He tells Mirage that no matter what she does, she will never be able to destroy Aladdin and Jasmine's love for each other and soon disappears. Mirage having become tempted, gains an idea and transforms herself into a peddler woman, deciding to prove Fasir wrong and that she will be able to destroy Aladdin and Jasmine's love.
At the marketplace, Jasmine and Iago are shopping and soon run into a disguised Mirage, selling beauty products. While Iago tries some of the of products himself, Mirage tries to persuade Jasmine to try a special product that will make any man love her, but Jasmine declines the offer and reveals that she already has a wonderful man. Mirage goes onto say that he must love her very much, but tries to convince Jasmine that Aladdin only loves her for her beauty and further explains that men only love young women and will move onto to someone who is more beautiful. Iago agrees with her, having seen men do it before, including himself.
However, Jasmine denies these claims, revealing Aladdin doesn't love her just for her looks. Mirage is still doubtful and tries to convince Jasmine into using a lotion to use at night and by morning her beauty will be flawless. However, they are interrupted by the arrival of Aladdin and Abu. Aladdin presents Jasmine with a flower and reveals that he has loved her ever since he first laid eyes on her beautiful face, surprising Jasmine and causing her to believe that maybe Mirage was right. Mirage then allows for a now worried and insecure Jasmine to leave with the lotion and laughs evilly as Jasmine, Aladdin and the others leave as her plan has now been set into motion.
Later at the palace at night, Jasmine is in her bedroom and decides to use the lotion. The next morning, Aladdin and the others fly to the palace having prepared a picnic. In her bedroom, Jasmine awakens to discover that she has overslept, but when she removes her blanket, she sees something which makes her scream. Aladdin hears Jasmine and goes to see if she's alright, only to discover that her waist down has turned into a large, long, snake tail. Aladdin wonders what could have done this, and Jasmine immediately realizes that the lotion she was given caused her transformation.
Aladdin makes Genie come out of his lamp to look for the "woman" who gave Jasmine the lotion. Genie shortly leaves, but quickly returns and reveals he can't find her anywhere. Jasmine is devastated, but Aladdin reassures her that he'll find a cure. Jasmine is afraid that there may not be one, but Genie reveals he knows the cure. He tells everyone about the Tree of Renewal, a tree which has fruits that heal anyone once they take a bite. Iago, having also heard of the tree, reveals that it's impossible to get to, but Aladdin doesn't care and swears on his love for Jasmine that he will cure her. Back at Mirage's home, she is furious to discover that Genie is aware of the tree's existence, but believes that Aladdin and Jasmine's love is no match for the obstacles ahead and is determined they will never make it to the tree.
Everyone is now on their journey to the tree. They get to a marker that shows them where the tree is. While on their way, they get to a swamp. They then hear a sound and an octopus grabs Aladdin and pulls him underwater. Three thieves show up and one of them tells Jasmine to give them her valuables, otherwise they will make the octopus, which they call a gypuuk, kill Aladdin. One of the other thieves blows into a conch shell to make the octopus take one of its legs out of the water. After Jasmine gives the thieves her valuables, the thieves still refuse to let Aladdin go. Jasmine gets angry and rises up on her tail over the thieves. She wraps her tail around the thief holding the conch shell and demands that they release Aladdin. The thief blows the shell again and the octopus lets Aladdin go. Terrified, the thieves run away from Jasmine, calling her a monster. Offended, Jasmine is now starting to lose hope and believes the thieves to be right, but Aladdin tells Jasmine that they are wrong and that she's just the woman he loves and reassures her with a hug. Mirage watches the group from Morbia and says that the worst is yet to come.
Later as everyone is searching for the next marker, Iago congratulates Jasmine for defeating the thieves and tries to convince her to stay the way she is, since her tail can be very handy to use in battle. Jasmine grabs Iago with her tail and pretends it's a good idea and reveals that there is still some of the lotion left, telling him he can become a snake creature himself. Iago, quickly realizing his mistake, says no and tells Jasmine she's right about wanting to return to normal. While Aladdin and Genie are searching for the second marker, Abu finds it, which leads the group to a wind tunnel. While the group is in the tunnel, they run into a two-headed wild dog who tries to attack them. After defeating the dog, everyone sees that Jasmine is worse than before, as her entire body, excluding her head and hair, is now scaly, her eyes and tongue have become reptilian as well, her teeth have turned into snake fangs and her tail now sports barbs on it.
Wanting to be alone, Jasmine excuses herself from the group to get more water and is accompanied by Abu to comfort her. While Jasmine and Abu are at a pond, Jasmine admits to Abu her fears that she will never turn back to normal and tells him she hopes that Aladdin will still love her no matter what her appearance may be. Abu tries to reassure her, saying Aladdin will indeed still love her. Jasmine hopes he's right and admits that though she will be able to live as a snake, she will never be able to live without Aladdin and Abu comforts her.
The group is now at a bridge. The bridge collapses and Genie turns into a hot-air balloon and carries everyone but Jasmine, who is riding on Carpet instead. After Genie sets them on the ground, he stomps on it and the ground breaks and Aladdin falls. Jasmine uses her tail to rescue him. After doing so, they see marks on Aladdin's arms due to Jasmine touching him with the barbs on her tail, making everyone realize that she accidentally poisoned him. While Carpet helps in healing him, Aladdin has a nightmare that Jasmine is imprisoned by a giant snake stopping him from rescuing her.
As Aladdin is waking up from the nightmare, he sees that Jasmine has now completely turned into a Naga, as her head and hair have become similar to the head and crown of a cobra. As he tries to reach out to Jasmine, she warns him to stay away and is now starting to believe that they can't be together anymore since they can't touch each other due to what just happened. Jasmine starts to leave, but Aladdin tells her they will be together as soon they find the tree, but now having lost hope Jasmine doubts that the tree even exists. Back at her home, Mirage is watching everything and is wondering if Aladdin is starting to doubt his love for Jasmine. Suddenly Genie finds another marker and it reveals the Tree of Renewal.
Mirage becomes angry, but quickly calms down, believing Aladdin only still loves Jasmine as he has hope that she will change back. Mirage decides to take away Aladdin's hope. At the tree, Aladdin gives Jasmine one of the fruits, but before Jasmine takes a bite, it rots in her hands while the remaining fruits in the tree rot and the tree itself disappears, meaning Jasmine will now be stuck as a Naga forever. Mirage then appears, causing everyone to realize she was behind everything. Genie attempts to attack her, but she easily defeats him. Mirage proceeds to question Aladdin regarding his love for Jasmine, questioning if he still loves her, despite knowing Jasmine will never be human again. Aladdin tells Jasmine not to listen to Mirage, assuring he will never leave her, but Jasmine sadly admits to Aladdin that Mirage is right, seeing as long she is a Naga, they can never be together or have a life with each other. Aladdin tries to protest but Jasmine sadly tells him to go back to Agrabah without her. Aladdin declines, but Jasmine yells at him to leave as she sadly slithers away.
Genie assures Aladdin he'll bring her back, but Aladdin says to Genie there's no need for it. He tells everyone to go back to Agrabah as he simply says that he is staying with Jasmine. To everyone's shock, Aladdin has decided that in order to stay with Jasmine forever, he puts the rest of the lotion on his arm and transforms into a Naga. Jasmine, upon seeing what Aladdin has done is horrified and asks him why he did it, and Aladdin explains that if they can't be together as humans then they will be together as Nagas. While Jasmine mentions he will never be human again, Aladdin doesn't care and simply says he will never leave her and declares his love for her.
Mirage is furious over the events and returns to Morbia, completely in disbelief over how love could still triumph over such hardships and adversities. Fasir appears and tells Mirage that love is always triumphant as Aladdin and Jasmine have clearly proven her hatred is no match for their love. Mirage says that even though she couldn't break them apart, they will both still suffer as snake creatures for the rest of their lives. However, Fasir says that since she lost, there is no reason for them to suffer and so the cyclops restores the tree to Mirage's dismay. Jasmine and Aladdin each take a bite of one of the fruits and turn back to their normal selves. Jasmine tells Aladdin that she will never leave him and the two kiss. Fasir watches from a mountain, saying that someday, love will triumph over Mirage's evil heart, and they will be back together, revealing that they were once a couple themselves.
==Goofs==
* When Mirage in her human disguise says Jasmine's supposed wrinkles are Hardly noticeable yet, her lips don't move when she says "yet".
* Throughout different points in the episode, Jasmine's appearance changes during her transformation.
* The lotion was on Jasmine's vanity the morning of her transformation, but it's location is moved next right next for Jasmine to pick up.
* When Fasir and Mirage are watching Aladdin and Jasmine, the background changes from the palace hallways to the outdoors.
==Trivia==
* Jasmine's snake form resembles that of the nagas, a race of humanoid cobras from Indian and Southeast Asian myths.
* The episode's title and plot are a reference to the phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".
* There is an Gargoyles episode which has the same title as this one, and which also involves transformation.
* Aladdin mentions how he fell in love with Jasmine at first sight in the movie.
==Video releases==
VHS
* Jasmine's Enchanted Tales: True Hearts
DVD
* Disney Princess Stories: Beauty Shines From Within
==Gallery==
Category:Aladdin episodes