Amin Damoola

**Amin Damoola** is a foolish and extremely clumsy thief and a recurring comedic villain from Disney's *Aladdin* TV series.

## Background

Amin Damoola is a klutzy thief, who appears in four episodes. Amin always finds a way to cause trouble for Aladdin, usually ending up in trouble himself. Some of these ways are stealing a magical glove, creating a large green dragon, and "acquiring" a number of magical tools from Mozenrath. In his next appearance, he was seen trying to escape Aladdin and the Royal guards after having stolen a diamond until he was defeated by Genie and taken away by the guards to the dungeon.

### *To Cure a Thief*

> Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Damoola. Amin Damoola. The way you snatched these pastries was poetry in motion!
>
> Amin Damoola

Amin's first appearance saw him trying to steal the Five Fingers of Dys-Count from the palace but failed due to all the traps around it. The next day, he met Iago and Abu in the marketplace where he saw Abu steal some pastries. Seeing Abu's talent, he took them to the Skull and Dagger, a restaurant and gathering place for thieves, where Amin revealed that he wanted Abu to steal the Five Fingers. Abu and Iago learned that Amin was the thief from last night and that he was a laughingstock among the other thieves, who called him 'Butterfingers'. They also laughed at Amin's hiring of Abu, which angered Abu enough to show off his skills, impressing them. Later, Amin and Abu snuck into the palace, where Abu overheard Aladdin complaining about him. Heartbroken, Abu avoided the traps and got the Five Fingers for Amin, much to his delight. Amin discovered that the Fingers attracted gold like a magnet. When Aladdin and company came to investigate, Amin attacked them by hurling one of the traps (a giant mace) at them. Upon escaping the palace, Amin used the Five Fingers to take revenge on everyone at the Skull and Dagger. Aladdin arrived and Amin attacked him as well. During the fight, Aladdin reconciled with Abu while Amin used the Five Fingers to hurl large objects at them. Finally, Abu stole the Fingers from Amin, rendering him powerless. Damoola was then chased off by all the thieves he'd attacked.

### *Sneeze the Day*

> All this for a gigantic diamond?
>
> Amin Damoola

Amin had stolen a large diamond and was being chased by Aladdin and the palace guards. He was eventually stopped by Genie and was taken away by the guards.

### *Scare Necessities*

> Pie! (Amin picks it up and sniffs it) Oh, how I've always wished to taste pie'! (He stands, dancing merrily with the pie) The countless times I've failed to filch them from windowsills. This is the happiest day of my– (He twirls and accidentally hits Hamar in the face with the pie)...life.
>
> Amin Damoola

Amin tried to steal another thief's (Hamar) sandwich with his foot, only for Hamar to notice him and bite his foot when Damoola remained in denial. While this was happening, Abu and Iago tried to steal the thieves' gold, only for them to notice and chased them out. Amin tried to join the chase, but was trampled on by the other thieves. The next day, Amin discovered Squirt, the wish-granting animal, who had ended up in the Skull and Dagger where Amin quickly realized that Squirt was magic. When Squirt granted Amin's wish for pie, Amin accidentally hurled it in the face of Hamar. Damoola used Squirt to summon a dragon that scared away Hamar and the thieves. Abu and Iago took notice and went into the Skull and Dagger to get Squirt back. Amin's dragon chased Iago, who used Squirt to give the dragon a roast chicken to eat. Amin angrily smacked the chicken away, angering the beast. it chased him around until Amin was able to trick outside, only for Iago to trick him into opening the door and being grabbed by the dragon. Amin was able to get away, though not unscathed, and tried to take Squirt back. Squirt turned into a monstrous version of himself, scaring Damoola away, unaware that the monstrous Squirt was really Genie in disguise.

### *Vocal Hero*

> Surprise! It's me. Amin Damoola. The prince of thieves. (sprinkles some powder on Sultan)
>
> Amin Damoola

It's unknown if Amin had paid his debt and was freed, or was able to escape, but one day he infiltrates the palace, wearing winged sandals that enable him to fly. He then uses a magic powder that turns the Sultan into a small golden statue, which he takes with him before departing. Aladdin and Carpet chase him and manage to get the Sultan statue back, but Amin uses a bewitched monkey paw to steal the statue again and defeats Aladdin with a magical stick that conjures clouds.

Iago and Carpet later manage to retrieve the statue and to capture Amin Damoola. Later, the Genie (who has been away until now) states that a Griffin's claw is necessary to lift the spell on the Sultan. Unfortunately the one who hired Amin took away every Griffin in the Seven Deserts. Amin is thrown to jail and chained over a pit full of crocodiles by Razoul. Then, a magical gate opens revealing Mozenrath, the one for whom he works and from whom he got all these relics. The sorcerer plans to hold the Sultan hostage and claim a ransom, but he chose the wrong thief. He scolds his incompetent henchman and reminds him that 1) he still has two relics left, 2) if he succeeds he will become the most respected thief ever, 3) if he fails, his punishment will be dreadful. Amin uses a belt of invisibility to escape his cell, trapping Aladdin and Jasmine in it, and to steal the Sultan statue for the third time. Meanwhile, Mozenrath appears to taunt his foes and edict his conditions.

Iago manages to steal the magic belt, forcing Amin to use the last relic: a gem of transformation which he uses to become a huge and powerful Griffin, whose eyes shoots energy beams, before engaging a fight against Aladdin. (He has forgotten about the Griffin's claw needed to end the spell, much to Mozenrath's dismay.) Amin soon takes down both Genie and Aladdin, and it's Iago, using the belt of invisibility who takes back both the Sultan and the claw needed. Genie then uses a magic mirror to send back Amin's eye-beams, which zap him and return him to his human form, sending Amin plummeting to the city streets meters below. Amin survives (due to landing some pillows) but an angry Mozenrath appears to take him to a dire future of servitude, presumably as a Mamluk.

## Trivia

* He is said to have been inspired by Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau from the *Pink Panther* film franchise. His personality and way of talking parallels Peter Sellers' portrayal of the bumbling French inspector.
* His first name (Amin) is common in Arabic, but his last name (Damoola) is a play-on-words referring to his insatiable greed i.e. I'm in da moola (the money).
* Ironically, "Amin" mans "Trustful" in Arabic.
* When Amin Damoola says, "All this for a gigantic diamond?" it's a parody of the movie "Aladdin" when Aladdin says "All this for a loaf of bread?" when Razoul and the guards chase him for stealing bread.