Warning: this article contains spoilers for Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion King‘s expansion of the beloved Disney classic makes Simba’s ascension to the throne less meaningful. The film tells the origin story of Scar and Mufasa before the Pride Lands were even formed and serves as a prequel to the 2019 Lion King reboot. Mufasa‘s reviews have been mixed, but it has still been able to add some new context to the franchise, even if it can paint beloved characters in somewhat of a negative light.
Mufasa‘s ending shows how its тιтular character came to power in the Pride Lands, and it is very interesting to look at his ascension compared to how his son, Simba, also eventually becomes king. Understandably, the movie focuses mostly on Mufasa and the characters surrounding him when he was young, giving each of them some new and interesting character development. However, it has the unfortunate side effect of making Simba’s journey in the original film seem much less impactful, with his rise to power much less meaningful than his father’s.
Mufasa Was Chosen To Be King Of The Pride Lands By The Other Animals
Mufasa Was Not Simply Handed The Throne
One of the biggest reveals in Mufasa comes when it is shown that Mufasa is chosen to be king by the animals of the Pride Lands, as opposed to being given his тιтle due to the circumstances of his birth. He saved everyone in Milele, which eventually became the Pride Lands, from the Outsiders, and in doing so, earned the respect and admiration of all the animals living there. Mufasas was not simply handed the throne because his parents were rulers, he earned that position.
This makes his appearances in the original film more engaging and tragic, as we have a much better idea of his character.
This is a great way to show exactly what kind of king Mufasa was in the original Lion King, as, despite his status as an iconic Disney character, the movies didn’t show him actually doing all that much. He mostly used it to further Simba’s character development. Aside from establishing why he was so beloved, Mufasa also reveals why a predator would be chosen to lead the animals of the Pride Lands. This makes his appearances in the original film more engaging and tragic, as we have a much better idea of his character.
Simba Only Becomes King Through His Bloodline & Pride’s Support
The Reason Simba Became King Was Because Of His Father
On the other hand, Simba’s rise to leadership was not earned with the support of everyone in the Pride Lands, as his main claim to the throne was solely based on the fact that his father was also king. The point of the original movie was obviously to show how he eventually became worthy of the тιтle, but he only did so in the first place because of his father, as opposed to him actually being the best one for the job.
While Simba did not gain the support of the pride by the end of The Lion King, the film was centrally focused on the lions themselves, and the rest of the animals in the Pride Lands had very little say in the matter. Instead, defeating Scar felt like the final test for him to fulfill his destiny and birthright to lead Pride Lands. Without his bloodline, however, it’s curious if he would even be involved in the crisis then. Simba and Mufasa are very different kings, and their different origins reflect that.
Simba’s Path To The Throne Is Not As Meaningful As Mufasa’s
Mufasa Had To Earn His Place Much More Than His Son
Mufasa’s rise to the throne is very satisfying, in large part because of how he didn’t want to be king throughout the film. He eventually accepted the position because he knew it was the right thing to do, as opposed to any sort of desire for power. As a child, Simba wanted the throne, mostly for the perks and benefits to him. While he eventually matured and learned the weight of responsibility, it only happened because he had to undergo a traumatic loss when his dad died. Ultimately, Simba wasn’t chosen in the same way that Mufasa was.
The animals of the Pride Lands do bow down to Simba at the very end of The Lion King, but that mostly seems to come down to the fact that he has already been given the тιтle of king, as opposed to them actively choosing him to lead them.
The Lion King has long been criticized for seemingly claiming that a monarchical line of succession is an important and acceptable way of running a civilization. Unfortunately, in trying to remedy that somewhat by showing how Mufasa earned his place as ruler, it just makes Simba’s rise to power seem less impactful. It is especially odd that the Pride Lands are so invested in this line of succession, when Mufasa: The Lion King shows that there has only been a single ruler that came from this royal family, who was elected by the populace to lead.
