Long before Iron Man met Captain America, Disney brought Aladdin and Hercules together for a team-up against Hades and Jafar. The crossover episode between the Hercules and Aladdin animated series is simple but straightforward, showcasing a dastardly alliance between two of Disney's greatest villains. It also makes zero sense. continuity-wise, but doesn't appear to care.
This crossover between Hercules and Aladdin stands in direct contrast to the expectations modern audiences might have for such an event. As such, it remains a time capsule of the chaotic 1990s animation landscape, one that, for better or worse, draws attention to how much we as viewers have grown.
What Happens in the Crossover?
In the 1999 episode "Hercules and the Arabian Night," Hades is in the Underworld, waiting around as he does, when Jafar's soul travels down. The two hit it off and develop an immediate friendship, where they brag and share stories about their respective adversaries. They both decide, for a lark, to try to fight the other villain's enemy. Hades fashions a staff that can give Jafar a body of flesh and blood. However, both are overwhelmed.
This leads the two villains to come up with a vile scheme: convince Aladdin and Hercules to fight one another. The two kidnap someone close to the two heroes (Hercules loses series regular Icarus while Aladdin loses Abu), and an "old man" (really Jafar) convinces them that the other hero is responsible. The two heroes fight, but before long figure out what's going on.
Hercules and Aladdin go down to the Underworld. Jafar's staff is destroyed, rendering him a spirit who gets dragged down into the underworld. Hades, however, just surrenders. Hercules and Aladdin part ways as unlikely friends, bringing the episode to a close.
Why Does This Crossover Make No Sense?
Despite being what a lot of kids would have loved to see, the crossover makes zero sense from a continuity standpoint. Aladdin and Jasmine are married by the time the crossover takes place, which implies that the crossover takes place after Aladdin and the Prince of Thieves. However, the Hercules series takes place during Hercules's training with Phil, which, because Hades apparently knows Hercules lives during this time, contradicts the film Hercules.
Further confusion stems from the fact that Hercules and Aladdin, at minimum, are divided by a thousand years. The story of Hercules exists during the Golden Age of Greece -- or during the century following the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. However, Aladdin takes place after the establishment and proliferation of Islam, a religion that wasn't even founded until sometime between 600 and 700 AD. In all likelihood, it could take place a century later, following the writing of Arabian Nights.
The point is that, other than a throwaway line during a song the Genie sings in Return of Jafar referencing Hercules, there is no conceivable way these two stories could exist, especially not if Aladdin and the Prince of Thieves -- the final film in the saga -- takes place before Hercules could occur. It would be as absurd as seeing King Arthur team up with WALL-E. However, that's also not really important, since making sense isn't a priority for the crossover. Rather, it's just silly, absurd fun.
The crossover between Aladdin and Hercules is a pure experience of fanfiction made real. It is one of the earliest crossover episodes many kids experienced, teasing what would later come in years to follow. While Disney now has an opportunity to bring back crossovers like this in live-action, it remains uncertain if Disney will ever attempt something this wild ever again.