Episode 34

**Episode 34** of Forever After is the thirty-four episode in the series.

## Summary

Lea finds Aladdin, who is set to journey with her Aunt out of the city that afternoon.

## Plot

A young woman calls out the wares of her shop to the people walking by, but no one is interested in making a purchase. Lea stops at the stall, and Aladdin rolls off a sales pitch to entice her into purchasing some of the available wares, which includes a rug that had been walked on by a Persian General and a spice jar that smells like everything it held.

Lea is not interested in making a purchase, and asks if the shopkeeper is Aladdin, which Aladdin happily confirms as she asks if a satisfied customer had been praising her and her shop. Lea explains that she is looking for a lamp, and Aladdin show off that she has many lanterns and one oil lamp, explaining that people always want to trade in their old lamps for new ones, but she finds the old ones have character.

Lea explains she heard that Aladdin had something that was magical, and Aladdin holds up the oil lamp, proclaiming it had belonged to Red Khan and magical was just the word to describe it. Lea rejects the offered lamps, much to Aladdin's disappointment.

Lea asks if Aladdin if she had been approached by a mysterious sorcerer with plans to get a magical lamp, and Aladdin asks if Lea means her Aunt. Lea asks about the Aunt, and Aladdin cheerfully explains that she had recently arrived from the Barbary Coast of Northern Africa, but was unable to see her father before he passed away. The Aunt has promised to help Aladdin become a successful merchant, and that afternoon, Aladdin will leave the city with her Aunt for some purpose that has not been made clear, but she is certain that it will be enlightening.

Lea is suspicious of the Aunt, and asks if Aladdin has known her their whole life, but Aladdin replies that she had only met her Aunt that morning, believing it to be a happy coincidence. Lea declares that she's going to go with, and Aladdin asks if that means Lea wants to come with herself and her Aunt on the mysterious journey. Lea confirms, and Aladdin asks if Lea will be a satisfied customer if she agrees to this. Lea states she will be even more satisfied if Aladdin doesn't leave her sight for the next week. Aladdin agrees, believing they will make a fine merchant yet, much to Lea's slightly concerned amusement.

Aladdin's Aunt arrives with two horses, and asks if Aladdin is prepared for the journey. Aladdin says that she is, and that Lea will be joining them. Aladdin's Aunt says no, but Aladdin says Lea must because she made a promise, and the Aunt agrees that a promise is a promise, telling Lea to come if she dares.

The group travels out into the desert, Aladdin's Aunt on one horse, Lea and Aladdin on the other. Aladdin comments that it is a fine day for traveling, finds a tree that twists in all direction to be impressive, and believes that the sun is extremely hot. Lea comments that Aladdin didn't get out much, and Aladdin confirms that she had never left the city. Lea asks if Aladdin knows where her Aunt is taking them, and Aladdin says she believes it would be somewhere interesting.

Lea asks why they were so far from the road, and why Aladdin's Aunt, who double checks the map she has, wouldn't tell them where they were going. Aladdin points out it could be a surprise, and Lea finds herself starting to believe that Aladdin's naivety and endless optimism deserves to be double-crossed. Aladdin's Aunt announces they have arrived and dismounts from her horse, stepping to a ring of oil filled bowls that light up with fire as she chants an incantation to open the Cavern of Plunders.

A wooden trapdoor appears in the circle of fire bowls, and Aladdin's Aunt tells Aladdin to open the door. Aladdin tries to decline, saying she could not, and Lea offers to do it. Aladdin's Aunt says Lea can, if she wants to be sucked into the desert and enslaved to its sand, before explaining that only Aladdin can open the portal and it is destined.

Lea grows angry that Aladdin's Aunt had brought her into the desert to do the dirty work, but Aladdin takes hold of the handle on the trapdoor, and pulls it open. A rope ladder leads inside, and Aladdin's Aunt tells her to descend into the chamber and retrieve a lamp, adding that if Aladdin does this, her ambitions will be realized

Aladdin then asks if she will be a successful merchant, and her Aunt replies she will be if that is what she wishes for.

Aladdin points out that the rope ladder looks shaky, with Lea agreeing that it was some kind of death trap. Aladdin's Aunt says it is not a death trap, but a Cave of Wonders. When Aladdin goes down into the cavern, she will pass through chambers of gold and silver pools that will down her if she touches the molten metals. Next, Aladdin will need to go through a garden and come to a dais with the lamp, which she will need to drain and then bring back.

Aladdin finds that the task does not sound difficult, and Lea says that she will go with her. Aladdin's Aunt says she cannot, because if anyone else could, she would not be endangering her niece’s life. Aladdin reassures Lea that she will be fine.

    Lea reflects on what she knows of the story from watching the Disney adaptation, remembering how in the movie, Aladdin had a pet monkey to accompany him down to the Cave of Wonders, Abu. Realising there was no monkey in the story, Lea begrudgingly wishes that Robin in her monkey form from Momotaro was there to accompany Aladdin.

As Aladdin descends the rope ladder, Lea tells her to be careful, a worried look on her face as she watches the hero of the story depart.

## Important Events

* Lea meets Aladdin and Aladdin's Aunt
* Aladdin ventures into the Cave of Wonders

## Characters

Aladdin

Momotaro (Cameo, figurine)

Lea

Auntie

Robin (Cameo)

## Credits

*Written by Violet Matter*

*Storyboarding by Valery Yu*

*Art by Hannah Patten*

Backgrounds by Megan Roberts

*Lettering by Kylie Hunsinger*

*Copy editing by Kat Vendetti*

*Produced by Quinn Sosna-Spear and Wil Kennedy*

## Trivia

* There is a figurine of Momotaro appearing out of a peach at Aladdin's shop
* The rug Aladdin offers Lea is likely a reference to the Magic Carpet that appears in the Disney adaptation of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp