Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion Kingis the latest massive live-action Disney film, serving as a direct prequel to the 2019 live-action remake ofThe Lion King.Mufasatells the story of its titular character Mufasa, Simba’s father from the original film, and how he came to become the king of the Pride Lands.Mufasa’s reviewshave been mixed, similar to the 2019 remake, but the film does a good job of explaining how Simba’s father ended up taking on the mantle of king at theend ofMufasa.
While the new prequel does tread some familiar ground, with a story centered around a young lion earning his title of king, andMufasadoes have a lot of familiar characters, the film does a solid job of expanding the world of the first one, while leaving space for more entries in the live-actionThe Lion Kingfranchise, whenever those movies are going to be released.The film’s world-building does a lot to make the previous entry feel more natural and satisfying, showing Mufasa becoming king and how his journey was reflected in Simba’s and presumably in Kiara’s.
The Animal Kingdom Choosing Mufasa To Be King Explains Why All Animals Serve A Predator
In The Real World, Most Animals Would Simply Run Away From A Lion
While it isn’t necessarily a plot hole in the original film, the fact that all the animals in the Pride Lands bowed to a lion, one of the apex predators of Africa, was always an odd choice.
However,Mufasaflips some parts ofThe Lion King, and has done what a good prequel always has to do, explaining some of the odd choices of the original.The film showed that the animals chose Mufasa specifically, and the title of king was bestowed upon him by his subjects, not just given to him as a result of his birth.
It wasn’t a plot point that needed a huge amount of explanation, but the reasons given inMufasaare satisfactory enough.
Even though the assumption by most people was that Mufasa was simply one in a long line of royalty that had ruled over the Pride Lands for years,the film managed to give an explanation that was both unique and interesting in its own right, and does a solid job of explaining why the animal kingdom ofThe Lion Kingis structured the way it is.
It wasn’t a plot point that needed a huge amount of explanation, but the reasons given inMufasaare satisfactory enough.
Why The Animals Chose Mufasa To Be King
Mufasa Proved Himself Worthy Of The Title
During the third act of the film, the eponymous lion inspires the animals that are living inMufasa’s precursor to the Pride Lands, Milele, to rise up and fight against the Outsiders and Kiros, bringing every creature of the land together to fight a common threat.The day is, of course, won at the end of the film, with Mufasa himself taking out Kiros, saving the day and allowing the animals of Milele to continue living without fear of the violence and brutality of the Outsiders.
The Outsiders first appeared in the 1998 animated filmThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, the direct-to-video sequel toThe Lion King.
Image via Disney
After the film’s climax, Mufasa stands atop the newly-formed Pride Rock and roars, having proven his worthiness to be king to all the animals of Milele, and officially becomes leader of the Pride Lands.Mufasa was integral to the animal’s victory over the Outsiders, and was the only reason they ended up winning, earning the respect of everyone around him.
Even though there are moreThe Lion Kingstories to tell with Scar and Mufasa, this film serves as a nice expansion of both characters.
Mufasa’s Reveal Makes His King Position More Important Than Just The Food Chain
Mufasa Wasn’t Simply given His Title, He Earned It
One of the theories surrounding why Mufasa was king in the originalThe Lion Kingwas due to the fact that he is an apex predator, and so the rest of the animal kingdom was bowing to him out of fear more than anything else.
One scene that would lend credence to this idea is whenTimon, who reappears later inMufasa, first sees Simba, and his initial reaction is to be afraid of him, even though he is just a cub,implying that lions are much more feared than respected.
In expanding Simba’s family tree, Mufasa: The Lion King establishes a perfect connection to one of the most underrated Disney princesses.
However,Mufasaproves that isn’t the case, as the lions were chosen not because of their species, but because of what they did to save everyone.
It wasn’t even the lions as a whole, as they were also the ones to threaten the safety of everyone, but it was specifically what Mufasa did that earned him the title of king.
WhileMufasa: The Lion Kingmakes plenty of missteps, but the reveal of how Mufasa got his title stands out as a solid addition to the franchise.
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Cast
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir.
Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
