Two of the most popular and powerful Disney villains of all time, Maleficent and Jafar, also happen to gain their fearsome abilities by magical means. They came to life in both Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin, stealing the show with their iconic dialogue, signature style, and devious schemes. When Disney created live-action films based on their animated classics, they were given very different stories; Maleficent was changed into an anti-hero, and Jafar was changed into Aladdin’s antithesis, a mirror of his life’s journey.
With live-action adaptations also came some slight alterations in their physical traits, such as Maleficent acquiring wings, and Jafar not transforming into a giant serpent. But for the sake of argument, all of the components for which they waged magical mayhem will be considered for the purpose of this list. And now at last, we will find out who is Disney’s Ultimate Sorcerer, Maleficent or Jafar?
MALEFICENT: HER LACKEY IS FAR MORE COMPETENT
Every Disney villain worth their vile wickedness has a lackey, but not all of them put their indentured servant to good use. Most of the time, these lackeys are dim-witted fools that end up ruining the villain’s evil plans, but that’s where Maleficent has one up on them.
Instead of having a talking parrot who has the comical ability to do vocal impressions, Maleficent has a crow named Diaval who can turn into whatever she wishes. So far, he’s turned into a dragon and a bear that we’ve seen in the two live-action films, each of which could tear Jafar and Iago apart.
JAFAR: CAN HYPNOTIZE PEOPLE WITH HIS STAFF
Both Maleficent and Jafar both have staffs, but it appears only one of them has a useful one. Maleficent’s staff is for walking the Moors and focusing her mystical energy, but Jafar’s has the ability to hypnotize anyone he directs its cobra-headed topper at.
When he wanted the Sultan kill Aladdin, the old man complied by starring dumbfound into the staff. When he wanted the Sultan to force Jasmine to marry him, the staff was at it again. Nothing like having the right tool for the job, just make sure a street rat doesn’t break it.
MALEFICENT: MAGIC IS IN HER BLOOD
In Aladdin, we learn that Jafar was a street rat in Sherabad, who had to master sorcery after years of learning to cast spells and studying alchemy. Maleficent by contrast, is a member of the Dark Fae, and therefore had an inherent magical ability. Magic is in her blood.
While Maleficent did have a learning curve to become a powerful sorceress, her innate magical ability meant that she could access her powers from a much earlier age. And as a Dark Fae, she has all of the support of the other dark faeries that are still alive.
JAFAR: CAN SUSPEND VICTIMS IN MID-AIR
By the end of the 1992 animated film Aladdin, Jafar’s powers have increased. The Genie has granted his first wish to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world, which increases the abilities he has with his staff. They now include the ability to suspend victims in mid-air.
When pointing his staff at Aladdin, Jasmine or the Sultan, he can bind them in a sort of red energy emitted from his staff. Aladdin he floats over to him, mocks, and then uses his staff to banish him thousands of miles away to a snowy outcropping.
MALEFICENT: HAS AN ARMY OF FOREST CREATURES
In Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent is depicted as having henchmen that resemble demons, with pug-noses, leathery wings, and spidery feet. In the live-action Maleficent and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, we see that the creatures she controls range from the aforementioned demonic to the towering tree giants.
Humans don’t venture into the Moors because all of the inhabitants do Maleficent’s bidding. Most of the violence they inflict is based on humans mistreating them or destroying parts of the verdure, but even when they’re defending themselves they can inflict an incredible amount of damage as her standing army.
JAFAR: CAN USE POTIONS TO TELL THE FUTURE/DISAPPEAR
In the animated Aladdin film, audiences get to see much more of Jafar’s Lair. Deep within the bowels of the Sultan’s palace, it houses his vast collection of potions, as well as a machine that he uses to conjure images of the future. This is how Jafar is able to plan and carry out his schemes.
Jafar used his potions to varying effects, often as a means to escape. He throws one red vial down when the Sultan learns that he tried to have Aladdin (posing as Prince Ali) killed and sends guards after him, disappearing in a puff of red smoke and leaving the guards holding each other.
MALEFICENT: CAN TRANSFORM HERSELF INTO A PHOENIX/DRAGON
Maleficent has the ability to transform herself into a variety of giant fabled creatures. In Sleeping Beauty, she took the form of a fire-breathing dragon, though in the film Maleficent she gave that honor to Diaval. In Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, she transformed herself into a giant black phoenix.
Maleficent learned from the Dark Fae that her ancestors came from a prestigious line of Fae that were direct descendants of the Phoenix, the mythical creature that has the ability to regenerate from death, leading to glorious rebirth.
JAFAR: CAN TRANSFORM HIMSELF INTO A GIANT SERPENT
When Genie grants Jafar’s first wish, to become the world’s greatest sorcerer, he uses his newfound abilities to transform himself into a giant snake. This serpent is enormous, taking up much of the Sultan’s throne room, with lightning fast reflexes and razor sharp teeth.
Jafar is able to surround Aladdin and bind him in his coils, tightening his grip to choke the life out of him. Only with Aladdin’s clever wit is he able to outsmart Jafar, whose reptilian brain might not have gauged that relinquishing the snake form for a third wish would put him at a disadvantage.
MALEFICENT: HAS DOMINION OVER THE NATURAL WORLD
In both live action and animated iterations of Maleficent’s character, she has dominion over the natural world. She can make thorns rise form the earth and cover entire castles, and she can use vines to curl around victims, either holding them in place or strangling them.
Beyond her control of living arboreal things, she has been known to cause epic storms and gale winds. This is possible without the use of her staff (though it can help to direct her powers), and dependent on her concentration and how attuned she is with the natural environment.
MALEFICENT: HAS WINGS
One of the most salient alterations to Maleficent in the live-action films has been the addition of a pair of giant wings. Maleficent was known to be a fairy in Sleeping Beauty, but her wings were traded for the exaggerated sleeves of her flowing robes.
With her wings intact, she’s able to soar high above cloud cover, evade enemies, and protect herself from oncoming projectiles (for the most part). Her wings are even able to generate enough wind power by flapping to create gusts large enough to knock over mounted armored soldiers.
