Samir the "Destroyer"

## Samir

**Samir the "Destroyer"** is a minor character who appears in the *Aladdin* episode, "Never Say Nefir".

## Never Say Nefir

After Aladdin and his friends arrive at Getzistan and meet Sultan Pasta Al-Dente (the ruler), Nefir Hasenuf and his imps (the contractors), Aladdin finds out from Sultan Al-Dente that he rebuilds his kingdom (with Nefir and his imps' help) everyday because every night, the city is destroyed by Samir the Destroyer. In order to help Sultan Al-Dente, Aladdin and his friends agree to help him get rid of Samir; much to Nefir's dismay.

At night, while waiting for Samir, Genie calms Aladdin by telling him that he knows Samir, that he's a little guy, and that he can take him easy. Then, out of nowhere, the "Dance of the Hours" music is heard. The ground begins to shake and they all stare in shock at what is coming. It is revealed that Samir is actually an enormous pink rhinoceros. Genie gives an excuse by saying that he was thinking of Ned the Destroyer.

Samir begins to dance back in forth, leaps through the wall, and proceeds to dance ballet all over the city. He twirls and leaps around destroying buildings in his path. Genie tries to tranquilize Samir with a tranquilizer and a gun but the tranquilizer bounces off of Samir because the thick skin of a rhinoceros provides a natural defense against predators. The tranquilizer is revealed to have bounced onto Aladdin's arm, thus, causing him to pass out.

After Genie is insulted by Nefir for his failure, Genie does everything he can to stop Samir using semi-phenomenal cosmic powers. He changes into a British officer to stop him (failed), then a cowboy (succeeded). Just as Samir is about to crush the Nest Egg and Iago in it, Genie lassos his foot, pulls him back, and ties up his legs; much to Sultan Al-Dente and Abu's happiness and Nefir's dismay, but unfortunately, Samir manages to hop around to the music and continue destroying buildings; much to the opposite now. Genie tries to stop him as a referee (failed). Then, Genie and Iago notice Samir's leaving, not before Samir twirls around, takes a bow, snaps the rope, and leaps into the air. As his shadow looms over them, Iago screams and he and Genie run into the club just as Samir lands in a split on top of it. He bows and gets up to leave. As he stands, he shakes the eggs from the top of the club off of his rear and dances away. Genie comes out from one of the broken eggs and pulls Iago out of another. Finally, Aladdin wakes up only to find that they nearly got Samir and that the city is once again, completely demolished.

The next day, after Genie's next plan for stopping Samir fails; due to the work of Nefir and his imps, Genie's sadness over Aladdin's sudden dislike of his fooling and his loss in a game to Carpet, he is told and encouraged by Nefir about capturing Samir while he sleeps during the day in his cave in the next valley. In the cave, Genie enters to find and capture Samir, only to find him sleeping (like Nefir said), which should give him the full opportunity to stop him, but just as he is about to whack Samir with a very big mallet, Samir sits up and greets Genie. Genie waves back and smiles sheepishly in reply. A few moments later, Genie (in Giant form) and Samir are seen talking and having a tea party in his cave. Samir later reveals to Genie that his reason for dancing and destroying the city every night is because of the shoes he's wearing, which he found on his feet after waking up one day and can't unfortunately get off, and every night he hears a Fun-kay (Funky) music and he's: "Gotta Dance" unfortunately. This is to prove that the shoes he's wearing are actually magic shoes.

It is later revealed that Nefir is responsible for the destruction of the city and his imp "band" is responsible for putting the magic shoes on Samir and the Fun-kay music as part of his royal scam. It is also revealed that Nefir tricked Genie into coming to Samir's cave so as to trap and enslave him with magic shoes just like Samir.

A few moments later, Genie and Samir are seen dancing together; much to Aladdin and his friends' shock. Genie reveals to Aladdin that it was Nefir behind the whole thing all along. So, Aladdin now finds a new way to put an end to the city's destruction.

At night, Samir and Genie dance and cause destruction to the city yet again. Aladdin tries to lure them away from the city with his flute, it seems to work; much to Nefir's dismay. Then, Nefir has his imps play something louder and the destruction is on again. Then, Genie has Aladdin and his friends play something softer and they dance softly away again but then, Nefir has his imps play something faster and the destruction persists. When Genie notices that his feet begin smoking and sizzling, he quickly understands that the faster musicians play, the more it will lead to the destruction of the magic shoes, so, he tells Aladdin and his friends to play faster. They quickly understand and start playing fast rock 'n roll. Genie and Samir begin to dance very fast. Nefir groans and the imp band joins in the rock 'n roll with saxophones and guitars. Genie and Samir's feet begin to sizzle and sparks fly from their feet. Nefir flies over to them but their shoes explode as the music comes to an end with a crash, literally. Finally, Samir and Genie are free.

The next day, Samir is made a Getzistan citizen and he is seen lifting a tent. The imps are all wearing dancing shoes and doing the cancan while Nefir whimpers as part of a new floor show.

## Trivia

* Although Samir is never seen again, he was mentioned again by Aladdin in the episode, "My Fair Aladdin" when Aladdin says: "Um, I'm an adventurer, you know! Just the other week I fought a giant dancing rhinoceros! It was him or me! I drew my sword. We fought! Ha! Thrust!"
* In this episode, the "Dance of the Hours" is heard playing while Samir is first seen dancing.
* It is possible to conclude that since some pachyderm dancers like hippos and elephants were used in Disney's *Fantasia*'s musical segment, the "Dance of the Hours", they decided to add and create another pachyderm dancer in this *Aladdin* episode, namely a rhino (only more gigantic).