A False Ancestor

A False Ancestor (also known as A Gift from the Heavens) is a comic inspired by The Lion King.

Plot
At the start of the comic, Mufasa and Simba are stargazing, and Mufasa is teaching his son about the great kings of the past. He explains to Simba that the stars are in fact the spirits of ancient kings, who guide and protect the rulers of the Pride Lands. Simba is amazed at the story and asks his father if he really believes it's true. Mufasa admits that he does, for he'd always found it comforting to think that his ancestors were still alive in spirit. He then tells his son that it's time to go to bed, for Sarabi is waiting for them back at Pride Rock.

The next morning, a stranger enters the Pride Lands. Thin and starving, he laments the fact that he hasn't eaten in days and then goes on to say that he could eat a whole elephant if he were offered one. Though he is disheartened by the fact that he has no family to take care of him, the sight of a prosperous region fills him with hope. But no sooner has he taken in his surroundings and planned what to do next when a small meteor crashes down right on top of him.

Simba happens to see the meteor crash and immediately races over to see what has happened. Upon seeing Joe climb out of the crater, he comes to the conclusion that the mysterious rogue is really a fallen star or a great king of the past. The cub greets Joe enthusiastically and then proceeds to welcome him to earth. As Simba bows low to the ground, Joe realizes that the cub thinks he's some sort of king. Not intent on drawing attention to himself, Joe tries to slink away, but Simba begs him to stay and even offers to provide him with lunch. Joe's yearning for food stops him dead in his tracks, and Simba volunteers to fetch him something to eat.

When the cub returns with a hunk of meat, Joe accepts it hungrily and then launches into a story about his supposed reign as king, hoping that he'll receive more food with each story he tells. Simba, however, is oblivious to this and amazed at the things Joe has to say. He asks Joe his name, and Joe tells the cub that he's his great-great-great-great-grandfather, here on a very secret mission. He then warns the cub not to tell anyone about his visit to the Pride Lands. Simba asks if he can at least tell his father, but Joe says, "Especially not your dad!"

A couple days after the incident, Simba is slinking off to meet Joe when he is stopped by his father. Mufasa tells his son that he's been distant the last couple of days and then asks him what he's been up to. Stammering in his answer, Simba claims that nothing is wrong. He then bids his father good-bye and scurries away. Mufasa turns to his majordomo, Zazu, and the two agree that Simba is certainly up to something.

Under Mufasa's orders, Zazu sets out after Simba and soon spots him talking to Joe near the sight of the crater. The hornbill alights in a nearby hedge and then watches as Joe tells Simba another one of his made-up stories. Zazu quickly comes to the conclusion that Simba is being deceived and, in a panic, scurries off to tell Mufasa.

Upon hearing the news, Mufasa is horrified. He decides to drive Joe out for good before he can do more harm, but Zazu advises against this. Mufasa protests that Joe is false, but Zazu reminds him that Simba thinks he's real, and if Mufasa drove Joe out of the Pride Lands, Simba would see it as a king driving out an ancient ancestor. He may even begin to doubt the old legends. In order to keep the cub's belief strong, Zazu thinks that Simba must figure things out on his own.

Meanwhile, two strange birds come to visit Joe. They ask if he's the ancient king who fell from the stars, and Simba confirms this. Pleased, the two claim to know all about the great kings of the past. After examining Joe, they come to the conclusion that he is the king who ruled during the time of the hyena invasion. They begin pestering Joe with questions, and though he tries to keep up the act, he is unable to answer them correctly. Afraid that Simba will find out he's a fake, Joe starts to slink away, but the cub races after him and begs him to stay.

Joe insists that he must go and then leaps across a river in order to lose Simba. As the cub follows him across the water, he is suddenly trapped by a vicious crocodile. Zazu, who is flying overhead, cries out in dismay and rushes off to fetch Mufasa. Upon returning, with Mufasa at his side, Zazu sees Simba standing on the riverbank, grinning. The cub tells his father that his "great ancestor" had saved him from the crocodile and then proceeds to tell all of Joe's stories to his father. Mufasa is pleased with the way things have turned out, as Joe may have been sent from heaven after all.

Trivia

 * In the original German version of the comic, the parrots claim that the first king of the Pride Lands had three daughters ("drei töchter"). However, in the Swedish version of the comic, it mentions that he had three sons ("tre soner").