"Strike Up the Sand" is the eighteenth episode of Aladdin that aired on September 23, 1994. It is the fifteenth episode to air in syndication.
Plot[]
One day In the marketplace, Jasmine is shopping for fabrics to make a special outfit, however to everyone's surprise and amusement she is making the outfit for Aladdin. While the vendor shows Jasmine some more fabrics, Iago and the others start to make fun of Aladdin. Suddenly they hear a commotion and Aladdin sees a girl named Sadira, who is a street rat just like him, getting chased by Razoul and the other guards. Aladdin becomes impressed with Sadira's skills and decides to follow to help her, the others soon follow, but accidentally leave Jasmine behind.
Sadira is soon cornered. She finds a rope next to her and tries to escape but is caught by Razoul. Thankfully before anything happens, Aladdin arrives and asks why they are after her. Razoul explains she is a thief as she stole a watermelon. Aladdin however starts to trick Razoul into thinking she's a Royal Fruit Inspector. Sadira starts to play along, but in order to prove they're telling the truth, Razoul demands to see her Royal badge. While Genie distracts Razoul as a fly, Abu is able to grab his badge and give it to Sadira. When Razoul again asks about the badge, Sadira shows it to him and he now believes her to be the Royal Fruit Inspector. After Razoul and the rest of the guards leave, Sadira thanks Aladdin for helping her, stating that no one has ever done anything like that for her before. Aladdin says it's no big deal, as he has dealt with Razoul. He hands over her watermelon back, and tries to tell her that she doesn't have to steal. while Sadira looks at him with an enamored expression. Aladdin gets uncomfortable by this, so he tells her he'll pay off the fruit vendor for her before making a hasty exit. Before he leaves, Sadira tells him her name, to which he tells her his. Having developed a crush on him, Sadira believes that they are so alike, and should be together.
When Aladdin and the others arrive back at the stall they see that Jasmine is no where to be seen. Believing him to have a bit of troubles, Genie gives Aladdin advice about women, such as noticing their hair, helping them in need and showing them compassion. Unknown to Aladdin or the others, Sadira does all those things to try and get Aladdin's attention but to no avail. Sadira decides to go straight up to Aladdin who then immediately starts to feel uncomfortable again. When Aladdin explains they're looking for someone, Sadira offers to help, but is saddened when he reveals they're looking for his girlfriend. Jasmine shows up with a brocade for Aladdin. As Aladdin introduces Jasmine and Sadira to each other, Razoul and the Royal guards arrive and, as come to check up on things, still believing Sadira to be a fruit inspector. Sadira says that everything is fine and tells Razoul to carry on with his duties, but as he starts to leave, Jasmine reveals Agrabah has no fruit inspector, thus rising Razoul's suspicions. When Sadira asks Jasmile how she would know, Jasmine says that her father is the Sultan and reveals herself to be "Princess Jasmine". Realizing they have been fooled, Razoul and the guards go after Sadira again and tell Aladdin to stay out of the situation.
Sadira runs off, hides herself in an abandoned building, successfully losing the guards. Now alone, Sadira starts to complain about Jasmine not only being rich and beautiful, but also the princess of Agrabah and feels that she will never be able to win Aladdin for herself. Suddenly, the floor below soon breaks apart and she falls down into an ancient ruin. A voice tells her that she has entered an inner sanctum of the Witches of the Sand. However, Sadira says that the Witches of the Sand disappeared thousands of years ago. The voice is revealed to be a sand worm who use to work for the Witches Annoyed that the witches were gone this whole time and no one told him, the worm quits his job and starts to leave the ruins. Sadira, however, wants to know more about the witches, but he simply tells Sadira to read the scrolls, which is filled with spells, hexes, and curses. The worm then leaves to go home to his mother.
Sadira examines the scrolls and picks up an amulet, realizing that she can perform magic with them. Sadira declares that things will be different from now on. As Sadira tests out her new Sand Magic powers, by creating a throne, a miniature copy of the palace and a statue of Aladdin, she is overjoyed but realizes that though these new powers are great, they're not enough to get Aladdin. She then creates a sand beast with the amulet and tells him that she has a crush on Aladdin and she wants him to get rid of Jasmine.
At the palace gardens, Jasmine has finished making Aladdin his new outfit. Aladdin is shown to now be wearing the new, but ugly outfit. As Genie, Abu and Iago laugh at Aladdin, Jasmine tells him to ignore them and says that he looks very dashing. Suddenly, the sand beast arrives from underground and grabs Jasmine. Aladdin soon frees her and they both try to escape while Carpet, Abu and Iago hold it off, however, it easily defeats the trio and catches up to Aladdin and Jasmine. The sand beast kicks Aladdin away, grabs Jasmine and throws her down his mouth which results in her now being imprisoned inside the beast. The beast then soon goes back underground with the now kidnapped princess. Aladdin and the others follow the beast's trail to rescue Jasmine. When the beast gets back in the ruins, Sadira, now dressed in a nicer outfit, doesn't know what to do with Jasmine. Jasmine is shocked to discover that Sadira is the one controlling the monster, to which Sadira reveals to the princess that she has become the Master of the Secrets of the Sands. Sadira then taunts Jasmine, saying that perhaps Aladdin will prefer a sorceress over a princess. Realizing what Sadira's motive, Jasmine tries to tell her that she can't force Aladdin to love her. Sadira rebuffs her and tells the Sand beast to take her away, but not to hurt her. The sand beast gets frustrated with Sadira, stating he is meant to smash things. Aladdin and the others arrive in the temple. The sand beast is ready to smash them, but Sadira again tells him not to hurt them. Fed up with indecisiveness, the Sand beast takes Sadira's amulet, leaving her powerless. Now free to do whatever he wants, the sand beast forgoes Sadira's plan and decides to simply smash everyone.
Everyone tries to escape him, but they are unable to, so they have an idea. They make the beast spit out the amulet and, ignoring the sand beast's pleas for forgiveness and mercy, Sadira gets rid of the monster.
After Sadira apologizes to the gang, they invite her to have dinner at the palace, but Sadira says that she would rather be alone. When the gang leaves, Sadira picks up a scroll, reads it, and has another idea to make Aladdin love her.
Trivia[]
- The episode's title is a play on "Strike up the band."
- This episode marks the first appearance of Sadira.
- At one point, Genie imitates Sigmund Freud.
- After supposedly destroying the sand beast quotes the famous "sand through the hourglass" line from Days of Our Lives.
- In the end, Sadira begins to plan the events for "SandSwitch".
- Moral: You can't force anyone to love you.
