The Real-Magic Carpet

:“A magic carpet...!”―An astonished Aladdin upon meeting the carpet[src]
The Magic Carpet (better known as just Carpet) is a supporting character in Disney's 1992 animated feature film, Aladdin. He is a sentient Persian carpet whom Aladdin befriends while traversing the Cave of Wonders.
==Background==
Carpet was created a thousand years ago by the legendary sorcerer and carpet weaver Khuriya who created one-hundred Magic Carpets each with their own unique patterns and colors. On the day of his death he commanded his creation to go out into the world and find masters for them to serve. Carpet and his siblings went their own separate ways, with Carpet finding his way into the Cave of Wonders and becoming trapped in its treasure room. Because he was not part of the original forbidden treasures of the cave, his physical interaction with Abu did not provoke the cave's guardian. Having resided within the same home, Carpet had been good friends with the Genie (who remained trapped within his lamp in an exclusive chamber), a thousand years prior to meeting Aladdin.
===Development===
Carpet is known for being one of the first computer-animated characters in a feature film. His complex design was what forced the animators to design his pattern in computer animation. He was animated by Randy Cartwright. Randy animated the hands and feet (tassels) in traditional animation, while the rest of the character was computer-animated.
===Personality===
Despite being a carpet, Carpet is a character of many traits and pure of heart. In the first film, he was a bit shy when he first encountered Aladdin and Abu but was curious enough to nervously fly over to investigate; eventually hiding once Aladdin first saw him or whenever Abu looked over. Aladdin had to coax him out of hiding, and soon, he quickly befriended Aladdin and risks his own life to save him. He happily joins Aladdin on his magical adventure to win the heart of Jasmine. One thing he does not enjoy is how Aladdin would not tell the truth about him truly being a street urchin, which was the only time he showed any annoyance towards Aladdin. Over the course of the series, he has shown to possess an almost human level of intelligence, such as being shy, heroic, romantic, and unquestionably loyal. He also seems to be very intelligent, as well as perceptive, more so than most other characters. He is usually the one that figures out what's going on before anyone else, though he has trouble expressing it to Aladdin and his friends due to his lack of ability to speak or make any sounds. On top of his intelligence, he is very compassionate but occasionally lets his kindness speak over his common sense. Also, unlike Genie, he doesn't take losing seriously. In the end, he has been shown to have a strong bond with Aladdin, not only saving Aladdin's life on multiple occasions but also doing favors for him such as helping Aladdin and Jasmine fall in love, despite his distaste for Aladdin's lies. In return, Aladdin has said to trust him with his life (in Aladdin and the King of Thieves).
==Biography==
===Early-Life===
. . .
===Aladdin===
Carpet first meets Aladdin and Abu in the Cave of Wonders while they are looking for the Genie's lamp. Carpet teases Abu, who is scared and forces Aladdin to look. Aladdin gently coaxes Carpet out. At first, Abu is angry at Carpet and doesn't want him to come, but Aladdin calms him down and asks Carpet for his help. Carpet leads Aladdin and Abu through many twisting caves, and it is implied that Aladdin might never have found his way to the lamp without Carpet's guidance. As Aladdin goes to fetch the lamp, Carpet realizes that Abu is trying to steal the last temptation treasure of the Cave - a gigantic ruby in the hands of a large ape-like idol and tries to pull him away from it, but fails. When Abu grabs the jewel it melts into lava along with the idol, the cave starts to collapse, and fill itself with lava and flames. Aladdin nearly falls into the lava, but Carpet catches him in time then flies to Abu for Aladdin to pull him off a rock before it bursted into lava and help him onto him. Carpet then flies from the massive lava floods trying to help them escape - of course intending to escape with them - but is pinned by a falling boulder. He manages to free himself in time to save Aladdin and Abu as Jafar throws them back into the cave. When Aladdin frees Genie for the first time, Carpet shows that he knows the Genie.
After Aladdin wishes to become a prince, he returns to Agrabah - Carpet can be seen lying under him on top of the elephant Abu during the "Prince Ali" song. He also helps Aladdin to impress the Sultan.
Later, Carpet helps Aladdin win the heart of Jasmine by taking them on a carpet ride during the song "A Whole New World" - from a critical eye, Carpet is actually helping a great deal, since Aladdin does little steering. Carpet picks a flower for Aladdin to give to Jasmine and throws clouds to them. When Jasmine starts to guess at the truth, Carpet prompts Aladdin to tell her but is disappointed by him keeping up the facade.
When Aladdin wins Jasmine's heart and decides not to free Genie, he shouts at Carpet and Abu, both of whom leave, disappointed in him. Aladdin realizes his mistake and goes to tell Jasmine but without Carpet or Abu there it is easy for Iago to steal the lamp.
When Aladdin and Abu become imprisoned in a tower by Jafar and sent to the icy mountains, Carpet flies into the tower and helps them return to Agrabah to face Jafar and rescue Jasmine. In the film's final battle, he is unraveled by Jafar into one single thread but is restored once Jafar is trapped in his own lamp after Aladdin tricked him into becoming a genie.
===The Return of Jafar===
Taking place sometime after the events of the original film, Carpet is still in Aladdin's possessions and is first seen assisting the street-rat in raiding the lair of Abis Mal and his goons. While flying back to the palace, Aladdin donates the stolen riches to the poor citizens of Agrabah.
Carpet disappears for a considerable amount of time, but during which, Aladdin and Abu run into the vengeful Abis Mal, only to be rescued by Iago, the devious pet parrot of Jafar. To repay the parrot, Aladdin takes Iago to the palace, but Jasmine is less than amused, causing a rift in their relationship. Carpet assists Iago and Genie (who returned from his travels to live with Aladdin and Jasmine) in restoring their broken bond, which succeeds. To appease the Sultan, Aladdin and Carpet take him on a flight to a quiet spot designated by Iago. This was actually a trap set by the returned Jafar, who forced Iago into assisting him once more. Carpet is captured by Jafar along with the Sultan and imprisoned within the palace dungeon along with Genie, Jasmine, and Abu.
The heroes are later freed after being spared by Iago, and they rush into battle against Jafar in the palace gardens. As Aladdin and Carpet rush to retrieve and destroy Jafar's lamp, the evil genie blasts Carpet with magic, turning him into a solid glass that shatters upon impacting the ground. Fortunately, Iago manages to destroy Jafar's lamp, undoing his magic including the spell cast upon Carpet. After his revival, he celebrates the restoration of Agrabah and welcomes Iago into the palace, alongside the other heroes.
===Aladdin: The Series===
Carpet appears as the main character in the film's spin-off television series, featuring prominently in several plots; on one occasion Aladdin's enemy, Abis Mal, stole and forced him to fly him to the location of a valuable treasure by threatening him with moths, while another episode featured him feeling dejected after the group met a race of sprites who allowed them to fly without him (Although he later proved his continued worth by tricking the sprites into settling the palace back in its original location after they got angry at the rest of the group and nearly allowed the palace to crash). He has a somewhat friendly rivalry with Genie as the two often play each other at various games such as chess (with Carpet, much to Genie's frustration, often winning). He proves to be somewhat fearless not caring how cruel or mighty their opponent might be, when Aladdin or one of his friends gets hurt, Carpet rushes into battle.
===Aladdin and the King of Thieves===
Carpet reappears in the film's final installment. In the film, Aladdin and Jasmine are finally getting married, but things become dangerous when the former and the palace family meet the forty thieves led by Aladdin's missing father, Cassim. Aladdin learns Cassim's location from an Oracle and travels on Carpet to the area with Iago and Abu by their side. Within, Aladdin is forced into battle against Cassim's rival Sa'Luk, as punishment for trespassing; in during which, Carpet is neutralized with a hefty thief sitting upon him. Aladdin nevertheless wins the battle and earns time along with his father, learning of his past.
Aladdin eventually convinces Cassim to return to Agrabah, and during their return, Cassim was openly disapproving of Aladdin owning a magic carpet, and using it as a mode of transportation, believing it to be dangerous compared to the traditional choice of horses. Aladdin nevertheless assures Carpet that his father will simply come around in time. By the end of the film, when Carpet saves the lives of Aladdin and Cassim during the climactic showdown at the Disappearing Isle, the latter shows a change of heart towards his son's enchanted companion.
===Hercules and the Arabian Night===
In this special crossover event, Carpet and Aladdin battled the Greek hero-in-training Hercules after they were fooled to believe he had kidnapped Abu. Rivaling Hercules' flying companion, Pegasus, Carpet assisted Aladdin throughout the battle until it was discovered that Hercules was framed as part of the scheme concocted by Jafar and Hercules' nemesis Hades in an attempt to have the two heroes kill each other in combat. After the truth was revealed, Carpet and the others headed down to Hades' home in the Underworld to defeat the duo.
===Other appearances===
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Carpet makes a cameo during the song "Out There". He is seen under a man's arm straight after Belle's cameo. In Moana, Carpet appears as a tapa that covers Pua during "How Far I'll Go".
==Live-action appearances==
===Aladdin (2019)===
Carpet appears in the 2019 reimagining of the classic animated film. As Aladdin is tasked to find the Magic Lamp at the Cave of Wonders, he and Abu stumble across Carpet which comes to life inside the cave after accidentally toppling over a goblet inside. Carpet then points to Aladdin that a rock has trapped him just as Aladdin curiously finds out that a magical carpet like the one two found exists to which Carpet frees himself and soars around the Cave. As Abu grabs a nearby ruby which is dropped by accident when Aladdin finds the Lamp, Carpet reacts to the Cave rumbling due to Abu touching the forbidden treasure. As everything starts to crumble inside the Cave, Carpet helps Aladdin and Abu escape the collapsing cave to which the three encounter Jafar outside whom Aladdin asks for help. Jafar demands him to give him the Lamp to which upon handing him the Lamp, he uses his foot against Aladdin to make him fall to his death to which Carpet rescues him from falling to his demise while Abu tackles Jafar. However, the three become trapped inside the Cave of Wonders after it collapses while Jafar outside becomes enraged that he didn't obtain the Lamp. Still stuck inside the Cave of Wonders, Aladdin begins thinking of a plan to get out of the Cave to which Carpet tells Aladdin to rub the Lamp, which emits the Genie coming out of it just as he explains to Aladdin that he never had a friend like him. Carpet then watches Abu playing with cymbals and a drum and later a drum set just as Carpet is given maracas as he participates during the musical number "Friend Like Me" with the Genie. Later during the song, Genie then pulls Carpet from a magic hat while flying around with Abu hanging on him. After the song, Aladdin uses his first wish to escape the Cave of Wonders, just as Aladdin, Abu, and Carpet escape the cave via wish. Having escaped the Cave, Carpet soars around the desert landscape while the Genie is talking with Aladdin about his own wish to be human. Genie then talks to Carpet building a sandcastle explaining to him to set himself free to which Carpet leaps in agreement and it is found out that Aladdin has two wishes left. When Aladdin wishes to become a prince, the wish sends Aladdin and Carpet to another side of the desert where Genie gives Aladdin a prince outfit, which he dubs him "Prince Ali" as Carpet and Abu watch Genie preparing an outfit for Aladdin. Later that night, Aladdin introduces Jasmine to Carpet to which Aladdin takes her to ride on him just as Carpet shows Aladdin and Jasmine the world around them during the musical number "A Whole New World". Throughout the song, Carpet takes a Aladdin across a desert, an oasis, and an ocean, just as Carpet flies the couple back to Agrabah. Jasmine later finds out that "Prince Ali" is actually Aladdin. After conversation, Carpet flies Jasmine back to her home in Agrabah while Iago watches Carpet returning Aladdin to Genie who explains to Aladdin about telling the truth to Jasmine. The next day, Carpet and Abu plan to rescue Aladdin who is about to be thrown off the balcony where he would drown underwater after Jafar urges him to know where the Lamp is to which after Aladdin tells him that he doesn't know where he hid the Lamp, Jafar pushes him off the balcony as Aladdin falls underwater. Carpet and Abu then notice Aladdin who is about to have a watery death underwater as Aladdin finds himself at the bottom of the ocean to which Genie does to wish for him to save his life just as Carpet and Abu notice the Genie saving him. Later, Carpet and Abu listen to Aladdin who is discussing with the Genie about Aladdin being told to tell the truth about being a prince to which the Genie feels upset about what Aladdin said to him after it is found out that "Prince Ali" is actually Aladdin just before Aladdin returns home and feels upset about himself that he should stop pretending who he isn't supposed to be. Furthermore, Aladdin, Carpet, and Abu arrive at the Sultan's Palace in a plan to stop Jafar from ruling Agrabah to which upon approaching him, Jafar finds out that "Prince Ali" is actually Aladdin, just as Jafar banishes Aladdin to a frozen wasteland. With Aladdin banished to a frozen wasteland, Carpet tells Genie that Jafar banished him just as Genie sends him to the spot where Aladdin is at. Carpet arrives at the frozen wasteland and rescues Aladdin from having a frigid death, alongside Abu, bringing the two back to Agrabah to stop Jafar and rescue Jasmine before she marries Jafar. In a plan to rescue Jasmine and stop her from marrying Jafar, Jasmine boards on Carpet just as Jafar transforms Iago into a giant roc to chase the two riding on Carpet, much to the sorcerer's fury. While being chased by Iago, Abu finds the lamp as Iago chases him across the marketplace. Aladdin attempts to jump back on Carpet where Jasmine is at, only for him and Abu to be grabbed by Iago to which Aladdin falls back on Carpet again in a plan to retrieve the Lamp. In panic, Sultan bumps into Jafar to stop this madness to which Abu retrieves the Lamp from Iago as Carpet plans to take Aladdin, Jasmine, and Abu back to Agrabah. Later, Jafar becomes enraged and sends a powerful storm to destroy Agrabah to which Carpet ends up getting torn by the storm while Iago takes the Lamp back to his master as the four end up at the Palace. Carpet, torn and injured during the storm, is unable to attack, followed by Sultan, Jasmine, and Dahlia who are all trapped in bubbles, leaving Aladdin to deal with Jafar by himself; Jafar turns into a powerful genie to destroy Agrabah and the world as part of his final wish to become the most powerful being in the universe only for Jafar's attack to be stopped just as he is sent back to his lamp in defeat, alongside Iago. With Jafar defeated, Genie restores Carpet back to his normal shape just before Aladdin makes his final wish to free him. Carpet later attends Aladdin and Jasmine's wedding as a large crowd applauds in front of the couple just before Abu rides on Carpet, flying across the sky as fireworks are launched into the sky to celebrate the couple's wedding. Later during the credits, Carpet dances to "Friend Like Me" with everyone else inside the Palace.
==Gallery==
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==Trivia==
*In The Return of Jafar, the TV series, and Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Carpet's design is less detailed due to the smaller budgets used during those productions.
**In The Return of Jafar, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, the TV series, and in various other traditionally-animated TV spin-offs such as the Hercules episode "Hercules and the Arabian Night" and in House of Mouse, animation of the magic carpet isn't made using CGI, but rather by traditional 2D animation and therefore has a simpler pattern.
*Near the end of the song "One Jump Ahead", Aladdin and Abu jump onto a rug to escape from Razoul and the other guards and ride it to safety on the ground, foreshadowing Carpet's later presence.
*According to Disneystrology, Carpet's birthday is November 7th.
*In the first movie (and, by extension, both of the sequels and TV series), Carpet replaces the Genie of the Ring from the original story, who in the story remained with Aladdin even after the Sorcerer stole the lamp back.
*Though technically genderless, Carpet goes by masculine pronouns, as indicated by Genie referring to it as "Rugman" in the original film.
*While one of the first major characters animated in CGI, Carpet was preceded by Eilonwy's bauble from The Black Cauldron as a sentient object created in CGI.
*Twice, Carpet gets destroyed by Jafar's evil magic, then comes back to life once Jafar is defeated, in both the original film and The Return of Jafar.