#magi meta

Balbadd is Relapse

What I love about the second Balbadd arc is that it shows us how Alibaba's development isn't straightforward—because that's not how humans beings work. We take a step forward and two backwards. We believe that we learnt our lesson but, as soon as our insecurities resurface, we let them dominate our thoughts and make horrible decisions as a result—decisions that serve no purpose but to try and stroke our ego, to prove that we're valuable and that our fears are unfounded.

And decisions disguised as selfless that are actually selfish are bound to backfire.

Alibaba is a character that comes to believe more and more in himself as the story moves forward, but he's still defined by his insecurities—he still compares himself to others the moment things go slightly wrong, he takes decisions to try and be someone he's not because of his feelings of inadequacy, and he isolates himself because he overthinks and feels as if involving others in his matters will only put them in danger.

He has a great heart, and he truly cares about others, but due to how his low self-esteem he's constantly misguided in his selfless quest—he ends up taking selfish detours in order to prove to himself that he's worth something, that he's trying to do it right according to everyone's standards, when he'd be much more productive if he just believed in himself and acted upon his own beliefs and ideas.

And all of this comes to a boiling point once Alibaba's mental state is revealed to us on the boat to Balbadd. When he fought in the war in Magnostadt, compared to Kouen, he felt as if he was nothing.

Considering Kouen is the person to blame for Balbadd's subyugation to Kou, it's no wonder that Alibaba feels the need to surpass him and reclaim his country... and yet, despite his efforts, Alibaba still is too young and inexperienced—too naive, to face someone like him and believe he can truly win.

Hell, even Balbadd's state of affairs is telling him that he's not needed.

Because Alibaba's past in Balbadd represents his greatest failure, now he feels like he has to try and do something for it in some way. He wants to make up for his naivete by becoming a figure of importance to his country, and yet his "royal responsability" also contradicts the very ideas he proposed for the "democratic republic of Balbadd".

Alibaba's selfishness and selflessness come into full display here, and it's wonderful—it's human. It's incredibly ironic that in the very same chapter, Toto remarks just how much Alibaba's presence has helped so many people—the pirates, the gladiators, Morgiana, Kougyoku... and yet he just can't see it.

It's as if the manga itself is telling us that Alibaba's worries are misplaced—that instead of thinking about what he's lacking and how he's failing compared to Kouen or Sinbad, he should think about what he's good at—his honesty, his kindness, and his ability to reach out through them—and have faith in that path.

However, due to his low self-worth, instead of believing in his way of doing things, Alibaba feels compelled to play dirty, like Kouen.

Because the proud people of Balbadd, who fought so hard for the lives and happiness they wished to have, had settled into being satisfied with mild comfort and security while throwing away their dignity in the process. This grimly reminded Alibaba of his past self, so he decides to fight for his people and his country—responding to the promise he made with his father and following his duties as the royal prince of Balbadd. Thus, he faces Kouen and Koumei, now without turning down his head on the process, using all his wit and newfound confidence and showing how far he has come.

However, despite his progress, what Alibaba chooses... is to join "the dark side", a freaking colonialist empire—because if he doesn't, then he'd repeat the same mistakes as before.

To not take the perfect offer Kouen made to him—consisting of Alibaba becoming part of the forces of the Kou Empire and assisting him with his knowledge, wit and battle abilities, in exchange for the control of Balbadd—would be to be too naive, too stupidly optimistic, like he always is.

Alibaba resents his own best qualities, and so, he takes the deal, not because it's what's best for Balbadd, but rather, because it's what he has to do in order to reach his ideal self—someone like Kouen. Someone like Sinbad. He rationalizes his choice in a million different ways—it's for Balbadd, it's what I have to do to stand my ground against Kouen, it's what I have to do to be king... but when did it become about that?

Paradoxically, because Alibaba wants to become someone powerful and strong enough to make the hard choices for the sake of his country, he also goes against everything he once stood for—democracy, kindness, idealism, his promise to Morgiana...

But of course, he's unsure. Because even if it might seem like a positive development at first, with Alibaba supposedly gaining the maturity necessary to understand that he will never make a change without dirtying his hands, the truth is that such a misguided decision would have been... a mistake, as good as killing himself, symbollically.

Because by obeying Kouen, who purposefully strikes at Alibaba's insecurities in order to take him to his side, Alibaba fell back into the habit of following others and trying to copy what they do right instead of forging his own identity and finding out what are his own strong points, and it would have led him to become as twisted as Kouen and Sinbad were.

After all, once he chooses to fight Hakuryuu in order to "protect Balbadd", what he actually ends up doing is almost killing one of his trusted friends, cutting his legs off, and going against everything he had previously learnt. And it's precisely because of that... that Alibaba ends up dead.

Alibaba is punished for choosing wrong—for, despite having the best intentions, once more making the same mistakes due to his low-self worth, trying to compensate from what he perceives that he lacks.

Finding your Worth

Despite Judar claiming that Alibaba lost because he wasn't merciless enough, after going through the life-changing experience of... literally dying, Alibaba finally understands.

He didn't do it for Balbadd's sake. He did it for himself. And when he cut Hakuryuu's legs, that wasn't for Balbadd, either, he just lost himself in the violence of war.

So now, what's left? Is Judar right? Does Alibaba have to become twisted, like Sinbad and Kouen?

No. Finally, Alibaba will believe in himself. No matter what anyone else thinks, he will follow his path founded in kindness and empathy, which will be his most valuable assets moving forward!

This epiphany wasn't reach in an instant, though. In another dimension, Alibaba meets the people of Alma Torran, and he proves his determination to them.

He shows why he's "Alibaba", and manages to escape and come back to life, with 100 years of experience and newly acquired knowledge from them that, as we all know, he WILL use in a practical manner.

Alibaba in the final arc is the ultimate version of the coward we knew at the beggining of the series. An Alibaba that has all the key things he lacked at the beggining; strength, experience, and confidence. And thanks to that, he's able to shine like he never did before, using the skills he gained throughout his life to the best of his ability in order to face even the likes of Sinbad.

He's calm, and he knows that he doesn't need to make quick judgements just from hearsay. He explores the world Sinbad created, and without being given the answers from anyone else, HE decides what he likes and dislikes about it, a farcry from the easy to manipulate Alibaba from before. I guess that you could say that now he KNOWS who he is. He fights with confidence, he negotiates with confidence, he has faith in his ideas, takes the help of others when needed, and, through opening his heart, he gains the trust of those around him, and... just like that, the mediocre Alibaba flourishes into a marvelous person who took advantage of his best traits to shine. Ja'far puts it perfectly:

He helps Kougyoku out of the goodness of his heart, is incredibly upfront about Sinbad's twistedness (proving his honest nature once again), and ends up making the Kou Empire great again.

Alibaba thrives, and the only thing that changed is that now, he's living with pride in himself... with worth.

Balbadd is Letting Go

When Alibaba comes back to Balbadd, everything he had been worried about had been fixed WITHOUT himself, and he realizes how foolish he had been. How he was a hypocrite for trying to install a democratic republic while doing all these things for Balbadd purely due to the fact it was his responsibility as its prince with royal blood.

That's why, when offered the chance to take the reins once again, unlike someone like Sinbad, who has to control everything, he responds saying...

I find this scene wonderful, not just because it shows his growth in regards to finally letting his ego-stroking obssession with Balbadd go, but also because it showcases how wrong people like Sinbad and Kouen were by taking matters by their own hands and committing so many atrocities for their counties instead of believing in their people. After all, just imagine the atrocities Alibaba would have continued to commit in the name of the Kou Empire's expansion, losing himself and his moral integrity in the process all to protect a country that wasn't even his responsibility in the first place.

The idea that his previous determination was foolish is reinforced once again in his meeting with Aladdin, Morgiana and Hakuryuu. He apologizes for cutting Hakuryuu's legs and trying to kill him; for almost losing his moral integrity in order to protect something, thinking it was the only way.

Ohtaka subverts our expectations by showing how seemingly irreparable relationships full of differences and conflict that have been built up throughout the manga can be solved easily, in basically less than a page, because sometimes the solution really is that simple—simply requiring someone to be the better person. People could argue this is rushed and disappointing, but I’d say it's the perfect way to illustrate the strength of Alibaba’s ability to understand, forgive, and apologize. The entirety of the final arc is a subversion of battle shonen, of big, climatic fights (Sinbad vs Kouen), of tales of royalty and selfishness, favoring empathy and love instead.

Alibaba’s simpleness and kindness is a clear foil to Sinbad's—the main antagonist of this arc, someone who thinks the ends justify the means and that would do anything for his country. His growth is also reflected with his relationship with Morgiana, going from someone who was "rejected" and had his confidence DESTROYED as a result... to a confident young man who straight out asked the girl he was in love with for MARRIAGE, and she accepted, without second thoughts on the matter. As a final test of fire, Alibaba has to go against the at-first-glance perfect Sinbad himself, and prove why no one, no matter how much they shine, can rule and enforce their ideology over everyone else. 

Sinbad vs Alibaba

Once Sinbad brainwashes the entire world, even Morgiana—the person who Alibaba views as the bravest in the whole world—is saying that Sinbad is right. And Alibaba's confidence is shaken.

Even he, previously, was blinded by Sinbad's light. He followed him, his idol, blindly, thinking he could no harm, almost to the point of losing himself as his assistant as a result... something that happened to basically all of his followers, who discarded their protagonism in their lives, favoring the charisma of the High King. Maybe Sinbad was right again. Maybe... he should just obey, after all, he's just a coward, right...?

AS IF! 

Alibaba shows how far he has come by going against the entire world, even those he loves or looks up to—believing that HIS way is the right path to take, because that's the answer he came up with by himself. The boy who didn't know who he was and submitted to the blinding will of others is no more... now HE makes the calls, because he believes in himself and in the lessons that came from all that he has gone through. As he puts so eloquently in his fight against Hakuryuu:

Believing in the importance of free will and multiculturalism, and in order to protect their loved ones, Aladdin, Alibaba, Hakuryuu and Judar enter the Sacred Palace... and once again, Alibaba isn't shaken by what everyone tells him is "right" or "wrong", "allowed" or "not allowed.

He comes up with an answer, and I love this moment, because the Alibaba from the past would have given the naive, easy, and not realistic answer that made Sinbad and Arba react incredulously, but now he has matured, and he can come up with something realistic and satisfactory, without compromising anything in the process. 

And, by joining efforts with everyone, they end up with a solution that respects everyone's beliefs and wishes—the complete antithesis of how Sinbad was operating and a perfect encapsulation of Alibaba's character—someone who joins forces with others through emotions and creates solutions wit his brain and his heart.

It's beautiful and natural growth, and I can't praise it enough. And during the final confrontation with the entire world, he continues to deliver, going against his own master Sharrkan and winning, this time through his strength and experience.

But it doesn't end there. Faced with an infinite amount of enemies, he continues to believe, recalling the faith Aladdin and everyone else had in him.

He deserved to be King Vessel, and he'd prove it right there and then. And in a wonderful union of the thematic and physical, he fights. Through his strength, he shows his growth. His confidence, and his determination. He is what Sinbad would have been if he didn't lose himself, he's... a true king vessel, one who fights for and alongside everyone, first and foremost. And once the option of gathering all the power in the world is handed out to him at the cost of the lives of everyone he loves—even when he's told there's no other way...

He refuses, because he knows he's still just human.

After all, through all of his development, Ohtaka reiterates the idea that no matter how incredible Alibaba is, at the end of the day, he's just a normal guy, no matter how many labels everyone tried to put on him. The wine trader of Qishan, the leader of the Fog Troupe, the prince of Balbadd, the ultimate King Vessel... He's all of those things, and yet... he shouldn't let himself be defined by those labels. Because he's so much more than that, and through his journey, he was able to understand that.

That he's great... because he's Alibaba.

It's this confidence in himself and the certainty of who he IS that allows him to reject the infinite power he is offered, knowing that he could be corrupted, just like anyone else. And it's thanks to that decision, that everyone lives, and a new world is created, full of possibilities for growth and change.

His Name is Alibaba

I think that Alibaba's development is... one of the best I have ever seen in fiction. It's so natural and satisfying, and it ends up with a character who you want to root for until the very end. Sinbad and almost every figure in his life always pushed these ideas on him—whether it is about royal duties, about sacrifices, or about power, and it's inspiring to see how he slowly comes to reject them, thanks to the confidence he builds along the series progresses. It's a reminder of the importance of knowing yourself, and of making decisions out of your own judgement, without being influenced by others' biases and limited views.

For that, you must gain experience in order to have a storage of information to compare to when you're going to make a decision, and that's precisely what Alibaba did, by going to different places and discovering different cultures and ideas. But even then, that's not enough—because you need the strength and power necessary to make a change and not be bossed around by those more powerful than you... while also never compromising your morals and integrity; with the values who define who you are, and that let you know the type of person you've become when it matters the most.

Cooperating with others allowed him to make up for his weak spots when it was necessary, and his bravery let him build the world he wanted to have for himself and for the people he loved.

All said and done, I think that Alibaba is a shining example of the path to follow to improve one's self worth and of the importance of bravery—in the sense of having the courage to decide what to do for yourself. As he develops, he enhances and has more faith in his strongest qualities, realizing the way in which he's capable of influencing the world. Thanks to his friends' help and kind words, and by believing in himself as a result, he slowly went from someone who relied on others to tell him what to do and how to act, to someone who can inspire others and confront even the likes of Sinbad, all while staying humble and not letting himself get swallowed by his own ego. He's a normal person, your everyday man, and that's why he is the strongest character in Magi. He developed his good qualities as best as he could and he turned out to be respected and capable, which is proof that, given the right tools, even those who were thought to be "trash" can decide, and change the world. 

You only have to keep yourself grounded instead of getting down by mistakes or tragedies, while constantly clashing views with others in order to improve and learn—and having the bravery to take a step towards your dreams, even if the road to get there might be hard and messy, and things might not turn out like you expect. If you don't take a risk, things will never change.

His first step was defying the wine trader, and from there on, once he had the courage to enter a dungeon, he achieved greatness. There can be many different ways to get there; some less righteous (as proven by Hakuryuu and Judar), but as long as you don't stagnate, doing the things that your heart tells you to do instead of bending down to others, no matter how brightly they may shine, you are moving along "the great flow" of progress, diversity and freedom.

As of the end of the series, the Sacred Palace, and therefore everything that Ugo governs from the Sacred Palace, has disappeared. The Magi system no longer exists. Now, the question is whether that means the Magi have been reduced to the level of ordinary magicians and are now unable to tap into the Rukh coming from their environment, or if the magicians are now on the level of Magi, and they are now able to use Rukh outside of their own bodies. 

Originally, I figured it would be the former of the two. However, the last Magi omake released presents a challenge to that option. In the last Magi omake, Aladdin and Alibaba take Judal so that he can help them using spacetime magic. 

In Night 241, after Judal uses spacetime magic to jump from the island where the world summit took place back to the forbidden city in Rakushou, he claims that he’s exhausted: 

Of course, this is before he’s completely mastered the technique, and perhaps it comes easier to him now. But, if spacetime magic like this requires a significant amount of power and energy, which I’m certain it does, to the point where it exhausts Judal while he has a nigh infinite amount of energy as a Magi, then using it as a non-Magi would likely be extremely hazardous, if not just outright kill him.

In the same omake, Judal continues his habit of floating rather than walking, which would also be taxing for a non-Magi. I’m inclined to believe that Magi aren’t any less powerful than they were before for these reasons. 

So, I’m leaning toward the idea that it’s that Magicians are now on the level of Magi, and all of them are capable of using magoi extracted from their environment. This is more or less how it was in the beginning of Alma Torran, before Solomon introduced the Magi system. However, there’s issues with this idea, too. The magicians had that ability because of their third eye, which connected them with Ill Illah and allowed them to use it as a power source. That alone brings up two issues:

1. The Magicians don’t appear to have a third eye, and 

2. Wouldn’t this mean that they’re stealing the Rukh and degrading its quality all over again, just like in Alma Torran? 

Furthermore, what power source would they be tapping into? Would it be sustainable, or would they lose power over time, as in Alma Torran? What’s to keep the same events in Alma Torran from happening again? And what of Judal’s divine staff and third eye? 

A Cowardly Protagonist

Alibaba Saluja... is a coward. He's afraid to act, thinking he'll mess things up, knowing that he just doesn't have the skills to change anything in a meaningful way. His past determination to gain enough power and money to be able to do something in regards to the inequality and injustices in Balbadd is but a distant dream—he's accepted he's just an average individual, who will never truly make a change.

He's... settled, as nothing more than an assistant to a wine trader, and it's all due to his low self-worth. And things will stay that way for years... until he meets Aladdin.

Aladdin is able to see the good in Alibaba, beyond the facade of a pathetic young man. Because he realizes that, when it matters most, when he has to choose between money and his stability and the lives of complete strangers, he chooses the latter.

His compassion and bravery wins against his poor view of himself—he had been lying to himself for so long, that he had started to believe that lie. But all it took was someone to see past that, to believe in him and reassure his worth, for a truly splendid king vessel to be born.

Thus, with newfound confidence, Aladdin and Alibaba enter the dungeon.

Here we see the first snippets of Alibaba's mysterious past, with Ohtaka cleverly showcasing his wit, his ability to read foreign languages, and his masterful skill with the sword.

These skills which not only increases the viewer's curiosity in Alibaba, but also prove that he's much more capable than he himself thinks—a reocurring theme in his character.

Thus, his time in the dungeon proves to Alibaba that he does in fact have the qualities he needs to shine. Strength, courage, kindness—these are all Alibaba's strongest points, that his low self-esteem didn't allow him to see and that Aladdin helps him recognize as well.

I also love how Alibaba constantly postures as completely hedonistic, saying his motivation are girls and money, and the first thing he does when he becomes rich is use the money he got to free the slaves that Jamil possessed and give them a salary, including Morgiana, who gave him the beating of a lifetime—it's so in character for him, and it just shows us once again where his priorities truly lie.

This first arc sets up Alibaba's character incredibly well, showing us how the only thing he needed was the push from someone who believed in him—and I'd say that's the beauty of the dynamic of the Magi and their respective King Vessels. It's a bond founded on the idea that, to achieve your true potential, you need others to see it in you, in order to regain your confidence and truly shine. Being alone is not a strength compared to fighting side by side with your friends, and no sole person can make the right choices for the world—this is an important theme in Magi that Alibaba and Aladdin's bond showcase perfectly.

Alibaba's Past

Before talking about Balbadd, it's important to talk about Alibaba's past. The impact that his life on the slums and then as a prince had on shaping his identity is excellently written, whether it is to explain his low self-worth, his kindness and good heart, or his wit and skills.

I think that one of the key ways in which living on the slums influenced Alibaba is how grounded he can be, despite his idealism. He knows how horrible and unfair the world can be, which is the reason why he was so quick to assume that he had no way of changing things in Qishan. That's how the world "worked", in his eyes, and his entire lifestory had drilled into him the idea that he didn't have the strength to change that.

However, thanks to his mother's kindness and love, he gained a degree of hope and naivete that no amount of tragedy would uproot—unlike his friend Kassim. These two characters shows us how even two people growing up in the same environment can turn out to be wildly different according to their nature—but, most importantly, due to the people who raised them and the things they've had to do because of them.

Alibaba and Cassim both had horrible self worth that they coped with in different ways, and I could (and will) dedicate a whole post to that dynamic, because I love Kassim as a character. As a takeaway, though, Alibaba abandoning Kassim is something that he will always regret coming forward, and it's a vital point on his decision for joining the Fog Troupe.

The most important part of Alibaba's past, though -the incident that shaped who he would become as an adult- is the attack on the palace organized by Kassim and the people from the slums. The death of his father, and the loss of the royal treasure, were all caused by his naivete and willingness to trust in Kassim—Alibaba's most valuable traits were the ones that costed him everything.

No wonder Alibaba would repress his kind nature and become a lot more opportunistic and cynical after the fact—in his mind, he was cemented as a coward because of his heart... and yet, deep down, the promise he made to his father to protect the people of Balbadd, as part of the royal family, would be the tiny flicker of hope that would guide him, taking it as his duty and responsibility until very late in the manga. 

However, Balbadd tests these beliefs, and showcases how he is still lacking valuable lessons before he's able to truly make a change in the way he wants.

Balbadd is Failure

As he joins the Fog Troupe, Alibaba is put into a position of leadership... and he sucks at it. He knows that the situation in Balbadd has to change, but he doesn't know HOW to change it. Once again, he falls into following another's plan, serving as Kassim's puppet with royal blood in order to gain influence and power. He is, supposedly, the leader of the band, but only in name, doing acts of "justice" against the rich without a clear purpose or objective. And not to mention that when Aladdin meets him, he rejects him, seeing it as something he has to do... alone. Because his responsibilities are his and his only. Alibaba is trying to change things, but his methods are idiotic, because he's not truly acting for the sake of Balbadd, rather, he's trying to compensate for his past mistakes—for his poor view of himself. 

When Alibaba fails, his first instinct is to isolate himself—to wallow in self-pity and be unable to act. And that is natural, it's human. But Alibaba can't take it—because everytime he has failed, everyone else has had to pay because of it. Even as a child, he probably felt as if his mother's death was his fault, and then his father died because of him,—Mariam too, and Kassim seemed to be next in line if he didn't take action. Taking the burden of a whole country full of systemic issues in his shoulders on his own is a recipe for failure, and yet Alibaba can't help but try and help as he can, because he's a good person.

However, as I've said before, doing things on your own, taking immense burdens by yourself—these aren't just bad choices for you, but also for the world around you. "Doing it together", whether it is on a personal level, or, later on the story, a political one, is Magi's motto, and it's the reason why Aladdin is the perfect person to guide Alibaba.

However, the one who will show him how to truly make a change is Sinbad. Once he takes leadership of the Fog Troupe, he's all that Alibaba isn't. Strong, charismatic, more experienced, great at inspiring others, good with the ladies—someone who cooperates with his allies instead of doing things by himself and has a clear objective in mind, a tangible goal that can change the reality in Balbadd. He rightfully criticizes the Fog Troupe's destruction, obviously founding in a desire to lash out rather than a real wish for change, which serves as inspiration for Alibaba moving forward.

The ways in which Alibaba and Sinbad are foils to each other are material for its own post, but for now, all that we have to know is that Sinbad, in Alibaba's eyes, is living proof that he's just... not good enough. He constantly compares himself to others far more experienced than him—and he always ends up frustrated because of it. 

After this, he almost falls back into settling and doing nothing again. But once Kassim threatens with attacking the palace and cause a civil war, and Alibaba knows that he can't tell Sinbad or he may harm his best friend... Alibaba steps up, once again.

He storms the palace by himself, showing the fruits of his training and determination, and, now inspired by Sinbad, has a clear idea of what he wants to do with Balbadd.

Using all that he learnt during his time away, he proposes to create a Democratic Republic, and everything... actually works out.

This is the first showcase of Alibaba's negotiating abilities that will be a fundamental part of his character later on—he uses his knowledge of thw world to propose a different way of resolving things that not even Sinbad, who worships power for himself, had thought of, and even uses a sophism to gain Kougyoku's favor and stop Kou from invading Balbadd. It's genius, and it showcases in several steps just how smart and resourceful Alibaba is. Thus, once Sinbad reaches the palace... everything's been resolved.

Alibaba proved that in desperate times, he can live up to the expectations, and that Aladdin and Morgiana aren't wrong for believing in him. Sinbad finally understands what's so special about this guy... His bravery, his honesty, his compassion, and his mind. And when he's not strong enough... his friends are there to help him:

This moment really struck a chord with me—it may even be my favorite in the manga, with a magnific double spread in which Aladdin admires to himself the hidden strength which Alibaba possesses but he can't even see. It's because he's Alibaba that he could do as much as he did. And he should feel proud of himself because of that.

And with that same good heart, he reaches out to Kassim and allows him to return to the Ruhk instead of being lost forever into depravity. He uses his shameful past and miserable days as a way to connect with his friend,

And he thinks again and again for the sake of others, lamenting inequality, and truly empathizes with the plea of someone who was crying for help without even realizing it. He opens up his heart, and Kassim is saved as a result.

Empathy is Alibaba's greatest weapon, and it will always be moving forward.

Alibaba's Heart

However, after that, shits hits the fan, Balbadd is attacked by the Kou Empire and Alibaba is forced to flee... knowing that he failed completely in saving his friend's life AND his country... and it was all due to his lack of power.

No matter how cool you are or how much you believe in yourself, the world won't accommodate to your determination. You NEED to be able to show results, not only with words, but with your actions as well. And the current Alibaba... just isn't strong enough to save his people. Now everything is up to the powerful Sinbad, which frustrates the young prince to no end.

What I love about the arc his character has to go through during this part of the story, is how it showcases how Alibaba has grown so much... but also how he's still defined by his flaws.

Unlike Hakuryuu, he's able to do well in the dungeon because he learnt that he can't do everything by himself and that friends are there to support each other in the toughest of times, without caring about how personal the matter is. After learning his lesson, he serves as a role model for Hakuryuu to follow, which is wonderful.

I especially love the choice to have Alibaba cry so desperately (due to being reminded of Kassim) here. He's vulnerable and he's rewarded for it—it's the trait that all powerful king vessels like Sinbad or Kouen don't have which allows him to connect with Hakuryuu.

His encounter with Kougyoku showcases this trait once more—even the crazy princess of the empire to blame for the state of his country is just another girl to befriend in his eyes.

However, as I said, this arc also showcases Alibaba's weaknesses, directly tied to his sensibility. Despite Sinbad’s reassurance that things could have gone much worse in Balbadd if Alibaba didn't intervene, he still falls falls back into a pit of not doing anything, without a clear objective. He's frustrated for not being able to save his people, as if he were responsible for Balbadd just because he's of royal blood—despite that fact going against his own idea of trying to install a democratic republic to end the royal family, who don't have any more right than the people in choosing how they live.

Because of his frustration and tendency to rely on Aladdin for validation and Sinbad to resolve everything for him, he ends up going along with everyone's wishes, and if Aladdin hadn't prevented him from accompaying him to Magnosttadt, he would have gone there instead of doing the things he HAS to do in order to fulfill his goals.

The last step Alibaba has to go through to regain his confidence is to do it by himself, knowing he's enough. This might seem paradoxical consider that I said before that Magi is all about bonds, but I think that even though they are important, they should serve as supports for your own strength rather than pillars, that, if broken, leave you with nothing to stand on.

Bonds are important, but solely relying on them... (or on just one, shining person...) is also a mistake.

Whatever the case, it's this constant struggle between being confident and being insecure... these contradictions, that prove that no matter how incredible Alibaba can be at times, he's still human. And it's so REALISTIC. He's incredibly consistent regarding what he's good and bad at, which in my opinion, is marvelous writing, and watching him overcome these flaws is beautiful to see unfold. 

Either way, the tale of Alibaba continues as he slowly realizes that he HAS to follow his own path, without copying anyone else's, going into Reim to become stronger and be able to full body Djinn equip.

Aside from cleverly presenting to us Reim for the first time, this mini arc delivers by once again showcasing Alibaba's strength and use of his past experiences to beat the obstacles that appear before him in the present. It's an arc that shows us not just how far he’s come, but also, how much he still has to grow, as the two magois inside Alibaba represent both his and Kassim's united hope.

Thus, Reim is for Alibaba a journey to remember his purpose, and regain confidence in himself to a point that he can now act according to what he wants, standing his ground and not letting anyone or anything dictate the course of his life.

Whatever the case, the next time we see him, we stand in front of a wiser Alibaba. Someone who can pass on the same lessons he learnt to the friends that have helped him so much—someone who can oppose strong opponents with confidence and wit... and yet someone who still isn't perfect, and who still has to grow a lot before being an equal against the likes of Kouen or Sinbad. 

Notes:

( ) = possible alternative

x = filler if I’m undecided

* = means I’m somewhat sure of the type

? = really wild guess

links in this list point to previously posted analyses by me

MAIN Kids: Aladdin - INFJ* (ENFJ) Alibaba - ExFP Morgiana - xSFP Hakuryuu - ISTJ*

SINDRIA: Sinbad - ENTJ Ja'far - ISxJ Drakon - ISTJ Hinahoho - ESFJ Masrur - xSxP Yamuraiha - INTP* Sharrkan - ESFP* Pisti - ESTP* Spartos - ISFJ

KOU EMPIRE: Judar - ESFP Hakutoku - INTJ Hakuren - ENFP Hakuyuu - ESTJ Hakuei - ENFJ Kouen - ESTJ* Koumei - INTJ* Kouha - ESxP* Kougyoku - ESFJ (ISFP)

REIM: Scheherazade - INFJ? Titus - ENFP Mu - ESFJ Myron - xSxx Ro'Ro - xSxx (Fanalis tend to be Sensors) Shambal - ExTP Toto - ESFP

MAGNOSTADT: Mogamett - xNxx (really tough) Myers - ESxx (def a sensor) Sphintus - ISFJ ? Marga - ENFP

ALMA TORAN:

David - xNxJ? Solomon - INTJ* Sheba - ENFJ* Arba - ISFP ? Ugo - INTP* Ithnan - ESTJ* Setta - ISFJ* Wahid - ESFJ Falan - ESFP

OTHERS: Yunan - INFP ? Dunya - ESFJ ? Rurumu - ISFJ

More Notes:

very important: I use the cognitive functions system for typing, which differs from the plain 4-letter-dichotomies. (”wait what are those?”)

there are a lot of types in there which are dominated by Feeling or Sensing. (namely, S, F and SP in their type codes). I think this is because these types are pretty common in storytelling media, especially Anime/Manga. The theme of wanting to help others (Fe) or having strong personal morals (Fi) is very popular for protagonists especially. Many stories with a good bit of action also feature action-oriented sensor types, especially (Se) ones.

in general, the more you know about a character, the easier they are to type... or so I thought. It’s not always that easy, because what’s relevant to type is less the behaviour and more the motivations of a character.

that’s why very “mysterious” characters or those who have still some hidden depths to be uncovered are often hard to type.

also, fictional characters especially CAN be super balanced so it can get really hard to find out their function order!

on the flipside, other certain types/functions are both pretty easy to spot even in minor characters and also pretty widespread - for storytelling media, but especially Anime and Manga, these seem to be types with high-ranking Feeling who often have an exaggerated will to help and support others or have very strong personal Morals. Action-oriented stories and media also tend to have many Sensor types, especially those with Se for their action-oriented appeal and energy. Whereas those who rely on introverted functions are not as obvious, and thinkers are quite often literally the assigned nerds.

Of course, not everything is always cliché, but I just thought I’d mention that character archetypes/clichés/tropes are a thing in media.

Reason one: His relatively short-term goals

As mentioned here, Hakuryuu's intentions have always been to destroy the Kou Empire. We're all aware of the divide-and-conquer trope, and the evidence of such a divide was laid out in chapter 147, when we saw the clear divide between Al-Sarmen and Kouen's supporters.  

(You'll note that Hakuryuu is the only one who doesn't look surprised when Gyokuen takes the throne herself--he's known she's evil for years, and it's possible that he's been expecting something like this to happen since he first asked Sinbad for help, hence why he made it seem urgent that Sinbad act immediately.  You'll also notice he purposely furthers the divide in Kou by publicly claiming allegiance to Gyokuen and polarizing the room.)   

Though it's impossible for Hakuryuu to have orchestrated such a divide himself, it still furthers his goal of destroying the Kou Empire to act as a wedge that can further the divide.  He's following the flow of the black rukh, reading the waves of the opposition and riding them with the intention of succeeding in his ultimate goal.  

But why choose to "side" with Gyokuen, when either way the empire is divided and probably doomed to crumble?  Well. . .

Reason two: He wants to kill her

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.  How is Hakuryuu going to kill Gyokuen if he's in the opposing camp?  Yes, as long as he's close to her he's at risk of being manipulated, but he's aware of that. Moreover, he's aware of the fact that he's already been manipulated by her.  Even so, it's a risk he's willing to take for the sake of revenge.  If he were out with Kouen, or with Alibaba and Aladdin, then how likely would it be for him to get close enough to Gyokuen to actually kill her?

Not very.  His best hope for revenge is to put himself in a position to double-cross her.  Does Gyokuen know this?  Of course, neither of them have tried to hide their intentions from each other.

There's another reason to stick by her too, and that's~ 

Reason three: Hakuryuu's long-term objective

Hakuryuu doesn't just want to break up the Kou Empire for funsies, he wants a war because that will make both factions weaker which leaves an opening for him to take back the country his father and brothers lost to Al-Sarmen.  If his ultimate goal is to become emperor himself (or to rule with Hakuei), then sticking with Gyokuen, who is currently the legitimate empress and, you know, his mom, makes sense because it puts him in the position of First Prince and heir to the throne.  It also (if my theory is correct and Gyokuen wins Kou), puts him in the capital.  It's much easier to take over a country when you are actually inside of it, which Kouen (and all of his allies) currently are not. 

Really, think about it.  Kouen, his siblings and cousins--everyone who is loyal to him--are on the battle field in Magnostadt right now. Kou is an Al-Sarmen playground (though Gyokuen doesn't appear to be in Kou either at the moment?  But certainly Al-Sarmen operatives still are).  

So if Hakuryuu is thinking long-term, then Gyokuen is the way to go. Of course he'll have to try to outwit her to achieve his goal, which will almost certainly end poorly, but being in a temporary truce with Gyokuen is still a more advantageous position from which to aim for the throne than with his cousins, who are beyond the border and who, we have seen, are simply not able to take on Al-Sarmen without outside assistance.  

Incidentally the people who oppose Gyokuen's ascension are the same people who would likely oppose Hakuryuu's. Were Gyokuen to vacate the throne (either by choice or by force), there would be no one left to stop Hakuryuu from taking the throne, and indeed, there would be no one but Hakuryuu to take it.  

Reason four: Judal

If Hakuryuu is really with Judal, as it has been implied, then it's pretty obvious that his choice has already been made.  We know Judal is an ally of Al-Sarmen and of Gyokuen, and we also know that Judal has taken a liking to Hakuryuu.  Hakuryuu, presumably, has picked up on this as well.  It's not impossible to imagine that Hakuryuu intends to make use of this down the line, perhaps hoping to poach Judal from Gyokuen.

(It wouldn't work, but Hakuryuu knows he's against pretty impossible odds already, so I don't think he really puts much stock in what is and is not possible anymore.) 

Basically, I think based on what we know of Hakuryuu's motives, it's safe to assume he's going to turn up on Gyokuen's side and attempt to double-cross her later, possibly dying tragically in the process. 

 Bonus theory that's only tangentially related to the above and is more like a shaky hypothesis: Hakuryuu is out conquering more dungeons with Judal