I can't say I'd have enjoyed this episode overly much either. Alibaba was fluctuation between his usual hesitatation and a stupid will to sacrifice himself in vain. I also hate the plot element of an enemy successfully using a main character's annoying weakness (exploiting a reasonable weakness would be just fine), like the dark djinn now showing Kassim's face to Alibaba. If Alibaba had half a working brain, he would remember it was Kassim himself that willingly turned his own flesh into that monstrosity, so it's purely condescending not to fight him with all he has got. A true friend would rather want to end Kassim's misery than let him live the rest of his days as an abomination and a rotten magician's slave.

Damn, how I wish this stupid arc would end already.