Wish: Is Magnifico the Bad Guy?

Disney's Wish celebrates 100 years of Disney animation.

As soon as the trailer for the movie dropped, a question immediately started circulating: Is King Magnifico, the story's villain, really the bad guy?

The plot in brief: Asha, a curious young girl discovers a secret: When the citizens of the kingdom of Rosas submit their heart's wish to the king (and instantly forget it), the king has no intention to grant all the wishes. Oh, he keeps them "safe" in his tower, but he only grants the ones he sees fit to grant.

Turns out, Magnifico has what can only be described as PTSD: As a child, his village was plundered by a band of selfish thieves and his family killed. This is what motivated him to study the magical arts for years and years and become a sorcerer, and establish the Kingdom of Rosas, where everyone can be safe and happy.

Asha and her friends set out to expose the King. But what exactly are they exposing?

Here's the big question: Should all wishes be granted?

Since this is a children's movie, it's not surprising that the movie doesn't explore this possibility. However, Disney is no stranger to dark material, and exploring the depths of deep moral contemplations.

What if one person's wish harms others? Or two wishes conflict with each other? What if a person wishes for another person to die or be hurt? Or if a person wishes to have something someone else has (for instance, someone else's lover)?

Even the Genie from Aladdin gave limits to the wishes he could grant. This doesn't seem to be the case with the Wishing Star (and if it is, it certainly isn't shown).

Asha's rebellion against the King is essentially a wish for anarchy.

King Magnifico is definitely not the bad guy. There has not been a true villain in a Disney classic movie for quite a while now, nor is there in Wish, no matter how hard the story tries to convince us that there is.

Magnifico is a monarch who desires safety and orderliness in his kingdom. That is all. And he doesn't charge rent!