Pumbaa

Pumbaa is one of the characters from The Lion King, its sequels, and its spin-off television series. He is best friends with Timon and later, Simba. He is voiced by Ernie Sabella.

Personality
Pumbaa is a very lovable character and is very kind and tough. He deeply cares for his friends and is very protective of Timon. He loves bugs and longs for friends who won't abandon him. He is awkward in crowds, and sometimes displays child-like naivety which is sometimes confused for stupidity. Pumbaa in fact comes up with some very intelligent plans and insightful ideas, which Timon rapidly claims as his own. He also has a problem with his stomach which causes gas like results.

In The Lion King 1½, Pumbaa is the first to follow Simba back to the Pride Lands, but has great confidence in his friend Timon, so he runs slowly so that his friend can catch up.

The Lion King
Pumbaa, along with Timon, was first introduced shortly. Simba runs away and ends up in Timon and Pumbaa's territory where they save him from a pack of Vultures. Pumbaa quickly became friends with Simba and they spent time with Simba goofing off and playing around. When taking a walk Pumbaa hunts down a grub which leads him into Nala and a chase begins. Once Simba comes to the rescue Simba explains the lioness was his best friend growing up. Pumbaa and Nala become friends but soon thinks of Nala as a threat to his and Timon's friendship with Simba.

While resting shortly after meeting Nala, Pumbaa is informed that Simba has returned to his home. Pumbaa along with Timon joins Nala and Simba as they rescue the Pride Lands from the film's villain Scar. In the end, Pumbaa along with Timon moves into Pride Rock.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride


In The Lion King's second film, Pumbaa, along with Timon, become guardians of Simba and babysitters for Kiara. Pumbaa and Timon act as uncles to Kiara and are given the task of protecting her from danger. It's also obvious that Pumbaa has aged. He has gained weight and gained a darker skin complexion.

During the course of the film Pumbaa babysits Kiara, adapt to her new friend Kovu and constantly argue with Timon about losing Kiara back and fourth. At the film's battle Timon uses Pumbaa's gas problem to scare off the villainous outlanders and later Pumbaa celebrates Kiara's wedding alongside Timon and Zazu.

The Lion King 1½
In The Lion King's 3rd film (which is all about Timon and Pumbaa from a long time ago), Pumbaa and Timon are portrayed as the film's main protagonists. It was explained that Pumbaa was an orphan and mistreated because of his smell. He meets Timon after he was stalking him because he thought Timon being so little shouldn't be out alone. Pumbaa also noted that he came across a dream home that would be perfect for him and Timon which turned out to be the jungle they would soon call home.

When Simba returned to Pride Rock to battle Scar, Pumbaa goes alone after an argument with Timon who believes leaving means giving up all him and Pumbaa searched for. During Pumbaa's journey to Pride Rock, Timon reunites with Pumbaa and battle the hyenas and save the Pride Lands. Timon and Pumbaa return home with Simba and Timon's meerkat colony to celebrate.

Timon and Pumbaa
In the television series, he and Timon are once again the main characters, and are shown to travel a lot and had many adventures. These adventures are usually due to the fact that Pumbaa always wants to do the right things all the time. In the series, Pumbaa seems to truly be the brains of the duo while Timon thinks and tells that he is. In the show, it's also shown that Pumbaa is very popular among the jungle and usually gains the chance to live the glamorous life, but gives it up for Timon.

One episode revealed that Pumbaa's last name is Smith. This was likely meant as a joke due to how incredibly common Smith is as a surname.

House of Mouse
In House of Mouse, Pumbaa make numerous appearances as one of the recurring guests. A running gag in the show is when Timon attempts to eat Jiminy Cricket, but is stopped by Pumbaa. In "Timon and Pumbaa", Pumbaa became best friends with Donald Duck after an argument with Timon. Pumbaa wanted to do comedy for their performance on stage but Timon wanted to do magic. In the end they were reunited after Timon took up for him after it was proven he wasn't a very good comedian.

Pumbaa was also once kidnapped by Pete in a plan to stink up the House of Mouse with his fart-gas, but he was rescued by Donald in the end.

In the film Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, Pumbaa informs Timon of what a "humbug" is after hearing Donald being called such, Timon believed it was a meal.

Kingdom Hearts II
Pumbaa appears twice in Kingdom Hearts II, the only game in the series in which he and Timon are featured.

First Visit
Pumbaa is not seen until much later in the first visit, and has very few lines throughout. The only things worth noting are his almost-being-eaten by Nala (similar to the movie), and his capture by the hyenas Shenzi, Banzai and Ed which leads to a boss fight against the three hyenas.

While Sora and his friends were at the oasis, he and Timon told them about Hakuna Matata. After Simba and Nala have an argument about going back to Pride Rock to take down Scar, the five of them enter the area chanting Hakuna Matata.

At the end of the final cutscene, he is shown to be quite nervous due to Timon's comment: "What if he [Simba] forgets to tell the predators who we are?" with Pumbaa shortly responding apprehensively, "Yeah, and I'M NOT GOING TO BE SOMEONE'S PORK DIIIIINNNNEEERR!" finishing in a panic and running off in a dash.

Second Visit
Pumbaa is scarcely seen in the second visit, and mostly only plays a role of hinting where you should go next. However, in the end, Pumbaa adds onto Timon's "Live for today" words by saying: "And put your past behind you!", moving in a carefree, joyous trot. He also shows courage by protecting Nala from Scar's ghost up on Pride Rock, despite being frightened by the apparition.

Disney Parks


Pumbaa is a semicommon character in the Disney parks. He is usually seen in parades and some shows. Pumbaa was also one of the characters that had a lot named for him at the Disneyland parking lot until the remains of the Lion King section of the lot were closed for Disney California Adventure expansion space.

Festival of The Lion King
In the Festival of The Lion King Pumbaa appears along with Simba and Timon. Unlike Timon Pumbaa stays on his float like Simba. During the musical number Hakuna Matata both Pumbaa and Timon sing.

Fantasmic!
In the live nightime spectacular Fantasmic!, Pumbaa appears in the bubble montage along with Simba, Nala, Timon and Zazu.

He's also appeared in Fantasmic! at Tokyo Disney Sea in the jungle scene with Simba, Baloo, and King Louie.

It's A Small World
Pumbaa makes a cameo appearance in the attraction It's a Small World along with Simba and Timon.

Family
In interviews for The Lion King's characters, it has been stated that Pumbaa's parents have been eaten by cheetahs, when Pumbaa was just a baby. Pumbaa was also a member of a group of warthogs but by the time he was fully grown he was banished because of his smell, which was apparently appalling even by warthog standards.

In the television series, Pumbaa had an uncle whose name was Boaris, and lived in Russia. Apparently, Boaris was really good at ballet, but then, because of Timon, he fell on fish eggs and went to the hospital and Pumbaa was dancing the ballet, but he broke his leg, then Uncle Boaris comes to dance.

Trivia

 * Pumbaa is called a "pig" by both Timon and Simba, but doesn't react negatively either time. In the first film, only when Banzai called Pumbaa a pig, he did react negatively.
 * Along with Timon, Pumbaa is the most popular and famous character from The Lion King franchise.
 * In Hunchback of Notre Dame, two men carry a dead warthog that resembles Pumbaa and also later on in the movie as Frollo is standing out on the balcony looking for Quasimodo and Esmeralda a gargoyle that is shaped like Pumbaa is seen..
 * In Aladdin and the King of Theives, Genie turns into Pumbaa in a scene saying "Hakuna Matata".
 * In Enchanted, Pip accidentally transforms himself momentarily into Pumbaa in the DVD extra "Pip's Predicament: A Pop-Up Adventure".