Mufasa: The Lion King challenges the franchise’s core belief about the Circle of Life, creating an interesting contrast to the idyllic narrative of The Lion King. While the 1994 movie presents this philosophy as a guiding truth, symbolizing balance and interconnectedness in the animal kingdom, the prequel reveals cracks in this ideal. Talking back to the longstanding The Lion King plot point that never made sense, the movie responds to the question of why the animals of the Pride Lands serve their predator, but the answer isn’t all good.
Mufasa: The Lion King’s ending, though claiming Mufasa earned his тιтle by protecting Milele, actually demonstrates the dark reality of the Circle of Life. The events leading to Simba’s father being crowned king of the Pride Lands explore the thin line between survival and power, underscoring The Lion King’s emphasis on nature’s balance. While Mufasa: The Lion King’s reviews praise Taka’s nuanced arc, it is the movie’s main villain who is charged with exposing the faults of The Lion King’s animal system and debunking the Circle of Life.
Kiros Says The Lion King’s Circle Of Life Is A Lie
Kiros Believes There Is No Balance, Only Survival
Notably, Mufasa changes The Lion King’s Outsiders, not only by giving them a valid reason to rebel, but also as their leader sees through the power dynamics that inform the Circle of Life. Despite the franchise’s newest villain’s many similarities to The Lion King’s Scar, Kiros’ reasoning and actions are rightly sustained by the harsh truths of the animal kingdom, mainly, that it boils down to survival of the fittest. Having been banished by their respective Prides, the white lions recognize that kings don’t stand for balance but power, and power wins in the Circle of Life.
The creatures of the Pride Lands chose Mufasa not exactly for balance, but for survival.
When examining Taka’s father as one of the few kings in the prequel, it’s inevitable to admit that his тιтle hurts natural balance more than it provokes it — as his obsession with maintaining power rather than doing what’s right for his Pride is what gets everyone killed. In what’s now one of the best songs in Mufasa: The Lion King, the villain states, “The circle of lifе is a lie / A pretty way to say therе are predators and prey.” It becomes hard to argue against Kiros’ claim, especially considering the reason why Milele crowns Mufasa as king.
Kiros Is Right About The Circle Of Life
The Animals Choose Mufasa To Ensure Their Survival
As Simba’s father defeats Kiros, he protects all creatures against a ruthless and insatiable predator. Although Mufasa becomes king because he seemingly establishes balance, a second reading of his crowning agrees with Kiros’ argument that the Circle of Life is a lie. The animals of Milele could have made him king because he is the least bad predator, one who doesn’t look down upon them, won’t kill them mindlessly, and will even protect them from abuse. Accordingly, the creatures of Milele (or the Pride Lands) chose Mufasa not exactly for balance, but for survival.
Arguably, if there was a true natural balance, power wouldn’t be used to maintain it, and a king wouldn’t be needed. Maybe without intending to, the prequel reframes the Circle of Life from an idealized philosophy about balance to a testament that the weak’s survival (prey) is dependent on the powerful (predator). This striking comment on one of the franchise’s core beliefs could respond to Mufasa: The Lion King’s mature point of view, as opposed to The Lion King, which has Simba’s immature perception guiding the narrative.
