Mufasa is a major character in Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. He was a large, powerful lion who once served as king of the Pride Lands. Revered as a wise and noble leader, Mufasa dedicated his reign to upholding the “circle of life” and mentoring his only son, Simba, to someday assume the throne. Mufasa’s younger brother, Scar, was secretly envious of the king and orchestrated a regicidal coup to steal the throne. Despite his death, Mufasa endures in the memories of his loved ones. His spirit manifests in clouds, stars, and sunlight, which has occasionally appeared to guide his descendants.
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Background[]
According to dialogue in The Lion King, Mufasa and his younger brother, Scar, were descendants of royalty. Mufasa briefly recounts the teachings of his father, particularly a lesson which claimed that their ancestors, who are collectively referred to as the “Great Kings of the Past”, reside amongst the stars and continue to look down upon their living relatives to offer guidance in times of need.
As an adult, Mufasa is depicted as residing in Pride Rock alongside his mate and queen, Sarabi, who would give birth to Mufasa’s only son, Prince Simba. In his day-to-day operations of the kingdom, Mufasa was typically aided by his majordomo, the hornbill Zazu. Rafiki, a shamanistic mandrill, was among Mufasa’s closest confidantes. Mufasa’s relationship with Scar, at least in adulthood, is portrayed as being strained and confrontational. Scar openly expressed bitterness towards Mufasa’s power and reverence, believing himself to be the superior brother. Mufasa nevertheless maintained some degree of trust within his younger sibling, allowing Scar to stay in Pride Rock while also lamenting the fractured state of their relationship to Zazu:
- “What am I going to do with him?”
- ―Mufasa to Zazu, regarding Scar[src]
Differing accounts of Mufasa’s origins are further explored in ancillary works.
According to A Tale of Two Brothers, Mufasa was the firstborn son of Ahadi and Uru, and the eldest brother of Prince Taka. During his childhood, Ahadi would often sit with Mufasa during the night, and told him the stories about the stars. Upon approaching adulthood, Mufasa would be declared king by his father, leaving Taka jealous. Taka made friends with Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, hyenas who lived in the Elephant Graveyard and resented Ahadi. The hyenas plotted with Taka to find a means of humiliating Mufasa to devalue his credibility as future king. To accomplish this, Taka staged a buffalo attack, but the plan backfired and the raging buffalo instead injured Taka, giving him his infamous scar. A little while later, a red-billed hornbill named Zazu was almost getting cooked alive by the hyenas until Mufasa frightens them off making Zazu thankful and hopes he can be of service to the future king, which he doubts, Zazu eventually follows him around making the future king tired, Zazu disturbs his hunt and his primate time with his future mate Sarabi. One day, Zazu notices some vultures hovering and he asks Mufasa if he wants to fly over and see what's happening, but he is not concerned and decides to nap instead, but he later tells Mufasa that Sarabi is stuck in a pit and can't get out, but Zazu finds a tree trunk, which ultimately saves Sarabi, and Mufasa realizes that Zazu is useful around and he points him as a royal advisor, after his father's death he becomes the new king of Pride Rock, shortly thereafter he had a son named Simba which causes Scar to become even more jealous knowing that his nephew will inherit the throne someday and he couldn’t.
According to The Lion Guard, Mufasa was born as heir to the throne of Pride Rock, while his younger brother, Askari, served as the leader of the Lion Guard. When the two were adolescents, Askari returned to Pride Rock after a solo patrol in the Outlands. He informed Mufasa of his victory over a rogue lion’s attempt to take over the Pride Lands. In response, Mufasa playfully nicknamed him "Scar," after the facial wound he had received from the incident. However, Scar became increasingly jealous of his brother’s position, partially due to the venom from his wound, and tries to overthrow him by using his roar but ends up losing it and his mark and his position as leader of the guard for doing such.
Personality[]
Despite his majestic exterior, Mufasa is kind-hearted and playful, showing respect for all the creatures, even those who are perceived as lower than himself. He is not strictly business, often playing games with his majordomo Zazu, and is unafraid of showing affection, as seen when he greets Rafiki with a hug before the presentation of Simba. As a king and a father, Mufasa is instructive and wise, borne down by years of experience and instruction. His rule over the Pride Lands results in a period of prosperity, reflecting his reasonable and responsible approach to kingship. His lessons leave a deep imprint on Simba, who learns from his father that every creature must be respected for balance to be maintained. His wisdom touches through on his understanding of responsibility and his willingness to set aside personal gain to better the Pride Lands. Mufasa is ultimately portrayed as an "ideal king"; powerful, yet kind-hearted, which is contrasted to the deceitfulness and lust for power of Scar.
If his family is endangered, Mufasa exposes his protective side, ready to throw himself into danger to keep those he loves safe. Ultimately, he is willing to sacrifice his life for his family, proving his love for them to be stronger than his concern for himself. His courage and strength were emphasized during the wildebeest stampede when he leaped into the stampede to rescue Simba and later made a massive leap onto the wall of the gorge. He is happy to impart knowledge to his grandson Kion whenever he is feeling confused or discouraged and is willing to give him a step in the right direction.
Mufasa was also very patient and optimistic. As a spirit, he is shown to give time for his plans to work and never give up hope on them, even with the setbacks that stand in the way of his goals being reached, waiting till Simba reaches adulthood to guide him back on the path as the rightful king and persuading Rafiki to bring together Kovu and Kiara.
For all his positive traits, Mufasa was not flawless. His main flaw was being a poor judge of character, unable to recognize Scar's treachery until it was too late. Another flaw he had was that his sense of humor could be slightly insensitive at times.
Unlike Simba, Mufasa was never arrogant or credulous, as well as the fact that he rarely lets his temper get the better of him; according to Kiara, he would've never banished someone for supposedly betraying him, without at least hearing an understanding and explanation first, indirectly referring to the fact that Mufasa would’ve forgiven Kovu for his initial role in Zira's plan and would’ve seen that her ambush was not his fault. This kind of trait is further supported when Mufasa told Kion that he still loves him and will always be there for him even though Kion looks like Scar now.
Physical appearance[]
Mufasa has amber-gold fur, while his muzzle, paws, and underbelly are all beige. His upper eye patches are darker than his main pelt, the lower halves are lighter, and his eyebrows are thick and black. Regal by every means, Mufasa bears a thick mane of dark scarlet that extends down to his middle chest, the tip of his tail matching it in color.
In the remake, Mufasa resembles real-life male lions with brown eyes and a mane that is colored gold in front and brown at the back. He also has small scars on his face.
Development[]
In the earlier scripts of the original film, Mufasa was to be unrelated to Scar, as Scar was to be a rogue lion who wanted to be king as he was jealous of Mufasa's luck and position. Also, Mufasa was originally going to not appear again following his death at the stampede, but in the final draft of the film, it was decided to bring back him via Simba's visions as the writers thought that without his presence, Simba didn't have any reason to return to the Pride Lands. Apart from this, Scar and he were made brothers in the final revisions of the script.[2]
Appearances[]
The Lion King[]
Mufasa and Sarabi on the day of Simba's presentation.
A huge, powerful male lion, Mufasa was the King of the Pride Lands, father of Simba, and mate of Sarabi. He is shown to be a wise and fair ruler, who follows the "Circle of Life". However, his brother Scar is jealous of Mufasa's position as king and forms a plan to kill Mufasa and Simba so he can be king.
After Scar is discovered to have missed Simba's presentation ceremony, Mufasa comes over to the den to personally tell him off, coming in just in time to see Scar try to devour Zazu and ordered his brother to drop him. Mufasa then scolded his brother for missing his nephew's presentation, especially when Simba will be his future king. He later gets angrier at Scar when he not only turns his back and walks away, but also implies in response that he might attack Mufasa should he turn his back on Scar. Ultimately, Scar does leave, with Mufasa while conversing with Zazu briefly joking about Scar being made into a very handsome throw rug.
Mufasa on patrol in the Pride Lands with Simba.
Months later, Mufasa is seen asleep inside Pride Rock along with Sarabi and the rest of the pride, until he is awoken by Simba, who reminds his father that he promised to show him the kingdom. Mufasa gets up and takes Simba to the top of Pride Rock and tells him about the responsibilities that he will have as King. Mufasa notes that everything they see is part of the kingdom, except the Elephant Graveyard, which Mufasa strictly forbids Simba from going to. When walking around the Pride Lands with Mufasa, Simba attempts to get training in terms of pouncing, Mufasa has Simba pounce Zazu as the latter is giving a status report of the kingdom's state of affairs, although not before making sure to tell Zazu beforehand that he needs to have his back facing them so he can use Zazu as pouncing practice, to the latter's shock and embarrassment. However, during their talk, Mufasa is called away to deal with hyenas in the Pride Lands.
Mufasa teaching Simba about the Kings of the Past.
Meanwhile, Simba travels to the Elephant Graveyard, having been manipulated by Scar, not knowing it's a plot by Scar to kill him. Scar's first attempt to kill Simba through the hyenas is foiled when Mufasa, who was summoned by Zazu, rescues him and Nala. Afterward, Mufasa reprimands his son for disobeying him and putting Nala at risk, but after explaining the line between bravery and bravado to Simba, forgives and forgets. He then teaches Simba about the Great Kings of the Past, who will guide him, in subtle preparation for his eventual death and physical separation from his son. Meanwhile, Scar, angered by the failure of his original plot, makes a new one to kill both Simba and Mufasa to steal the throne to the Pride Lands with the help of the hyenas.
Mufasa's dead body lying in the gorge.
Mufasa is seen the next day as Zazu points out to him a migration of a wildebeest herd, which the former notes to be unusual. Scar appears and reveals that Simba is trapped in a gorge with the wildebeest, and Mufasa rushes to rescue Simba, not knowing it is part of Scar's plot. Mufasa successfully saves Simba but is injured and struggles to climb up a cliff to safety. Mufasa spots Scar waiting for him at the top and begs his brother to help him. Instead, Scar cruelly pounces on Mufasa's paws with his claws, leans in, and mockingly says "Long live the king." before throwing his brother off the cliff. Mufasa falls back into the gorge and is trampled to death by the stampeding wildebeest. As they both gaze upon Mufasa's corpse, Simba is manipulated by his uncle into believing that he caused Mufasa's death and runs away from the Pride Lands. Scar then orders his hyena minions to kill Simba before returning to Pride Rock to inform the pride of the news of Mufasa and Simba's deaths (unaware Simba again survived the hyenas' attack), takes the throne as King of the Pride Lands, letting the hyenas run rampant, and throwing the Circle of Life out of balance. Scar also outlaws mentioning Mufasa's name, especially in terms of favoritism and comparison.
Mufasa's spirit.
Several years later, Mufasa appears as a ghost. Rafiki, having discovered Simba's survival, finds Simba in an attempt to convince the now-adult lion to return to the Pride Lands. Rafiki takes Simba to a small, magical pool that brings Mufasa's ghost, up in the sky. Mufasa tells Simba that as his son and rightful heir, Simba must remember who he is and return to the Pride Lands to take his place in the Circle of Life. This encourages Simba to return to his homeland, where he learns the truth about his father's death, defeats Scar, and takes his place as the rightful king, thus avenging Mufasa.
In the final scene of the film following the death of his evil brother, Mufasa says, "Remember..." as Simba stands triumphantly on Pride Rock to claim the throne, looking up at an opening in the storm clouds revealing the stars before signifying the beginning of his reign with a powerful roar.
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride[]
Mufasa's spirit in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.
Mufasa has a few brief appearances as a spirit in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. He's also alluded to throughout the film, as many of Simba's actions through the film revolve around trying to live up to his late father's legacy.
Mufasa first appears as an image in the sky overlooking the presentation ceremony of his granddaughter Kiara with a mixture of affection and pride.
He later makes an indirect appearance by communicating with Rafiki via the wind. He inspires Rafiki to bring the Outsiders and Pridelanders back together through Kiara and Kovu, an Outsider who was Scar's chosen heir, by having them fall in love with each other.
His next appearance is in Simba's nightmare, where he is seen again clinging to the cliff right before his death. Simba tries to save him but is stopped by Scar, who morphs into Kovu and throws him over the cliff to his death.
After Simba banishes Kovu for supposedly causing an ambush by Zira, Simba tries to justify his actions by stating Mufasa would have done the same. Kiara tells her father otherwise, knowing her grandfather would have forgiven Kovu for his former involvement with Zira's plans or at least seen that the ambush was not his fault and that he (Simba) will never be Mufasa, leaving Simba devastated. (A deleted scene seen in the making of the film shows Mufasa even personally reprimanding Simba for his actions, voicing his disappointment in his son, telling him "You have let your family break apart, and in doing so, you have broken the Circle of Life!")
When Kiara runs away after this argument, she goes to find Kovu. As "Love Will Find A Way" ends, a breeze blows over the united lovers, indicating Mufasa's presence.
Once his plan has been achieved and Kiara and Kovu are wedded, he congratulates Simba for his decision as he, Nala, Kovu, and Kiara stand on Pride Rock ("Well done, my son. We are one!").
The Lion King 1½[]
In the 2004 direct-to-video interquel The Lion King 1½, Mufasa is seen in three scenes: At the presentation of Simba, in the Elephant Graveyard on the way with Zazu to save his son and Nala from the hyenas Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, and when his ghost is forming from the clouds above the grasslands at night to tell Simba to take his place in the Circle of Life to defeat Scar and his Hyena Kingdom. Unlike in the first two films, he doesn't speak any lines; instead, he just roars and growls.
The Lion Guard[]
Mufasa's spirit in The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar.
Mufasa appears in the animated series, as well as its pilot film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar. The series centers around Simba and Nala's son, and Mufasa's grandson, Kion, who is tasked with protecting the Pride Lands through a team known as the "Lion Guard". In the form of a spirit, Mufasa serves as a source of guidance for young Kion when he's having a crisis or needs advice on something.
After Kion demonstrated the "Roar of the Elders", Simba and Rafiki show him and Bunga the Lair of the Lion Guard beneath Pride Rock. According to the paintings on the wall, during Mufasa's reign, Scar was the leader of the Lion Guard and was gifted with the roar. But Scar let the power go to his head, making him believe he'd be a worthier king than Mufasa, and attempted to rally the Lion Guard to help him overthrow his older brother. When they refused, a furious Scar wiped them out with the roar, but his action caused him to lose the roar forever. When Kion starts having doubts about leading the Lion Guard after Simba tells him that the Guard should be an all-lion group, Mufasa appears before his grandson. He counsels Kion, stating that leadership is never easy. When Kion asked why he could not use the roar on command and confided his worries about becoming corrupted like Scar, Mufasa assured him that the roar and himself will be there for him when he needs them most, before vanishing.
Mufasa later appears in the episode "The Rise of Makuu", where he encourages Kion to stand his ground when Makuu, the new leader of the crocodiles, takes over Big Springs.
In "Bunga the Wise", Mufasa appears when Kion asks for his advice about a storm threatening the Pride Lands and whether he should use the Roar to blow the clouds away. Mufasa gently reminds us that the Pride Lands need the water and stated that the easy way is not always the best way.
In "Can't Wait to be Queen", as a result of Kiara becoming interim queen while her parents were away at a funeral, she and Kion have a falling out over her decision to negotiate peace at Janja's request, as she misunderstands his concern for jealousy for being right. Mufasa appears out of the sky to remind Kion that Kiara was his sister and he should always be there for her, especially when she's wrong. This prompts Kion and the Lion Guard to rescue Kiara from the ambush set by Janja and his clan.
In "The Mbali Fields Migration", Mufasa gently encourages Kion to have confidence in himself and not rely on others' opinions when the gazelles and zebras doubt Kion's leadership in bringing them to Mbali Fields.
In "Never Roar Again", Mufasa appears when Kion calls for him, having almost hurt his mother by accident when hyenas attacked her. Kion contemplates never using the Roar again, for he fears turning into Scar. Mufasa reminds Kion that Scar's misuse involved his selfishness, which fueled his anger, then asks why Kion used the Roar out of anger. When Kion explains why, Mufasa informs Kion that Scar never cared for anyone, and suggests speaking to the one he cares so much about his mother, Nala.
Then, during "The Savannah Summit", Kion seeks guidance when he believes Makuu is scheming against the other animal leaders. When Mufasa asks why he believes this, Kion fails to give a convincing answer. Mufasa humorously states one of Rafiki's quotes of wisdom, "when you leap to conclusions, you leap to confusions", which helps the cub see things from a more rational perspective.
In "The Rise of Scar", Rafiki's apprentice, Makini, inadvertently witnesses a conversation between Kion and Mufasa's spirit (who cautions Kion not to lose his temper and thus his control of the roar). Though the ability to summon and speak to the deceased is kept confidential and is to be exclusive to the Royal Family and its royal mjuzi, Makini shares this news with a cobra named Ushari, who ponders on whether or not evil lions can also be summoned; more specifically Scar. Through plotting and manipulation, Ushari (along with Janja and his hyena clan) successfully summon Scar's spirit.
In "The Wisdom of Kongwe", Mufasa speaks to his son and grandson over his brother's return. Kion takes the blame for being tricked into using the roar to summon Scar, but Mufasa reminds them that the roar can be turned into both good and evil. Sadly, he had no solution on how to defeat Scar but was confident the answer lay somewhere in the Pride Lands, which led Simba and the Lion Guard to seek out the wisdom of Kongwe.
In "The Kilio Valley Fire", Kion summons Mufasa for counsel after Scar's minions had destroyed Kilio Valley, forcing Ma Tembo's herd to move out, but they end up causing problems and they decide to leave the Pride Lands, and he felt deeply responsible for failing the elephants. Mufasa encouraged him not to let others' doubt of him weigh him down, or not give up just because of a defeat. He also tells that the Pride Lands are more than just land and that how to deal with defeat is just as important as how to deal with victory.
In "The Fall of Mizimu Grove", Scar's army destroys Mizimu Grove during a ceremony in which Makini was supposed to plant a baobab plant, and everyone, after realizing that Scar was back and both Kion and his father had kept everything secret, they want to leave the Pride Lands. Worried and insecure, Kion summons Mufasa for counsel. Mufasa says to him that he is a good leader due to his ability to understand the others in times of difficulty, and encourages him to not lose hope, not even on the darkest day. After thanking his grandfather for the advice, Kion notices that Makini's plant had survived, and used it as a symbol of hope.
In "Battle for the Pride Lands", as Kion leads the Lion Guard and the Pride Animals into a final battle against Scar and his army, he seeks his grandfather's wisdom. Mufasa tells Kion to not fight fire with fire, and after he gets scarred, he follows his advice to defeat the evil spirit. It's also revealed that Mufasa was the one who gave Scar his nickname; after his younger brother had dealt with a treacherous lion and his cobra minion, getting a scar in the process, he told Mufasa of his feat. But Mufasa teasingly christened him Scar, who then began plotting to take the throne for himself. A flashback to Mufasa's death in the stampede is shown. When Kion confronts Scar's ghost for the final time, he remembers his grandfather's words, "Stay true to who you are. Don't fight fire with fire," and uses this advice to summon the Great Kings of the Past who rain upon Scar's fiery spirit, extinguishing and neutralizing the evil lion.
In "Friends to the End", Kion runs off to calm himself and tries to ask Mufasa why the scar on his face is bothering him. Instead of Mufasa appearing after Kion explains that he might look like Scar, only the spirit of Scar appeared in his reflection instead of Mufasa. Since getting his scar, Kion hadn't spoken to his grandfather, not wanting to face him when he looked like the lion who betrayed him.
In "Long Live the Queen", A conversation with Rani, who is coping with the recent death of her grandmother Janna, convinces Kion to resume speaking with his grandfather. Mufasa tells Kion he was worried that his grandson had forgotten him (like Simba once had in the past). Kion apologizes for not coming to Mufasa for advice about his troubles concerning his scar while the late lion reaffirms, he will always be there for him.
In "The Lake of Reflection", Kion tells Mufasa he no longer needs the Roar to be able to lead the Lion Guard and intends to give it back. An understanding Mufasa tells Kion to go to Cikha Escarpment to return it. There, Kion meets the spirit of the first leader of the Lion Guard, Askari.
In "Journey to the Pride Lands", after his healing, Kion talks to Mufasa about whether or not he should stay at the Tree of Life with Queen Rani. Mufasa tells Kion that the choice is his to make.
In "Return to the Pride Lands", Kion and the Lion Guard return to the Pride Lands, learning the Outsiders (except Zira and Nuka) have joined the Pride Landers, with Kovu as the future king consort. Mufasa shares a moment with his family before fading into the clouds. Mufasa’s spirit, along with Askari’s and Janna’s, later proudly watches over Kion’s union with Rani, becoming King of the Tree of Life.
The Lion King (2019)[]
Mufasa in the 2019 remake.
Mufasa appears in the 2019 remake of the animated film, still voiced by his original voice actor James Earl Jones, the only actor from the original film to retake his respective character. In this incarnation, Mufasa possesses a darker, brown mane that fades into a lighter tan to almost white around his face and chin, and his shown to be incredibly physically healthy and muscular. He is described as having ruled for many years and is somewhat older and wearier than his previous incarnation. He is stated to have fought Scar for leadership in this version of the film and has a history of conflict with Shenzi.
Mufasa first appears when Zazu and Rafiki greet him for the presentation of Simba, his newborn son, and watches proudly with Sarabi as the animals celebrate Simba's birth. Later, when he realizes that Scar did not attend Simba's presentation, he confronts his brother, who feigns forgetfulness and then descends into bitterness at having his "right" as heir to the throne taken from him. As Scar turns his back on Mufasa, the former voices that he can do whatever he wants and that Mufasa shouldn't turn his back on him. Mufasa angrily questions if Scar is challenging him, but Scar replies that having once challenged Mufasa for the throne already and having lost, he wouldn't dare challenge his brother again. As Scar leaves, Zazu remarks that Scar should have been exiled, to which the king states that Scar is family and that as long as he reigns, Scar is free to remain in the Pride Lands, saying that the kingdom is Scar's home just as it is for the other lions before leaving to patrol the kingdom with Zazu.
Later, when Simba wakes Mufasa up because he promised to take him on patrol, Mufasa takes his son to the top of Pride Rock and roars to greet the morning, before telling Simba about how a king's time as ruler rises and sets like the sun. He also informs him that everything the light touches is their kingdom and that he must never venture to the shadowy lands on the northern borders. When Simba asks questions, Mufasa tells him that the Pride Lands do not belong to anyone and that a true king does not look for what he can take and looks to give instead. Taking Simba with him, he explains about the circle of life and later encourages Simba to practice pouncing on Zazu. However, their fun is interrupted when Zazu informs Mufasa that Sarabi is leading an attack against the invading hyenas coming into the Pride Lands. When Simba asks to come and help, Mufasa refuses, saying that Simba is to stay home with the other cubs before rushing off to join Sarabi in battle.
Later, when he learns from Zazu that Simba has taken Nala into the hyena clan's territory in the Elephant Graveyard, he rushes to defend the cubs, fighting off dozens of hyenas and ordering their matriarch, Shenzi, to leave his son alone. Shenzi, fearful of Mufasa's wrath and acknowledging his strength, allows them to leave unharmed. Mufasa, though disappointed in his son for disobeying him, forgives Simba, telling him that he was scared for Simba's safety and that there is a difference between bravery and foolish bravado. After forgiving Simba, Mufasa then teaches him about the kings of the past, who will guide him in the years to come, hoping to prepare Simba for his eventual death when the time comes.
Later, Scar sets in motion a plot to assassinate Mufasa, causing a wildebeest stampede with the hyenas' aid and having Simba practice roaring in the gorge as part of the trap. Hearing that Simba is in danger, Mufasa comes to his rescue, successfully saving his son before trying to escape the gorge. Unable to climb the escarpment at the top without help due to dozens of wildebeests running across the gorge, Mufasa begs Scar for aid, only for Scar to knock him back into the gorge to his death. When Simba finds his father dead, Scar tricks Simba into believing it is his fault Mufasa is dead and tells him to run away, as his mother and pride will never forgive him for the death of his father. Meanwhile, at Pride Rock, Scar tells the lion pride that Mufasa and Simba both died, as Scar becomes the new king.
Several years later, Mufasa reappears as a spirit when Simba is guided by Rafiki to a pool of water after the latter discovers Simba's survival. Telling him that Mufasa lives on in Simba's heart, Mufasa is summoned up in the sky before Simba. Mufasa, taking the form of a powerful storm, informs Simba that as his son and rightful heir, Simba must remember who he is and return to the Pride Lands, further stating that though he is gone, he'll never leave Simba again and that as king, he was most proud of one thing: having Simba as his son, a fact that would last forever. Encouraged, Simba returns to the Pride Lands with Nala as well as Timon, Pumbaa, and Zazu by his side, where he discovers the truth about how Scar murdered Mufasa.
Remembering how Mufasa plummeted into the stampede, Simba is furious at Scar for betraying their family. Scar frantically tries to convince the pride that Simba is lying and now plans to kill him. However, Sarabi confirms that she overheard his sadistic gloating over Mufasa's last moments, proving Scar lied about not arriving in time to save Mufasa and Simba. Soon, the lions and their allies defeat Scar and his hyena minions in battle. Later after Scar's death, Mufasa then tells Simba to take his rightful place as king of Pride Rock, avenging his father's place as king once and for all, restoring peace to the Pride Lands once more.
Mufasa: The Lion King[]
Mufasa will return in the prequel to the 2019 remake of The Lion King. It will be reveal that Mufasa was orphaned as a cub who was eventually taken in by Scar's parents. The film will also reveal that Mufasa and Scar once had a close, loving relationship and how their brotherly bond became fractured, leaving Scar bitter and resentful towards Mufasa.
Other appearances[]
In the TV series, Timon & Pumbaa, a lion that looked like Mufasa came out of Zazu's clock.
In Fantasia 2000, a Mufasa figurine can be seen in the background as James Earl Jones introduces the Carnival of Animals segment.
Mufasa also makes a cameo appearance in the House of Mouse episode "Ask Von Drake", where he can be seen sitting alongside his son Simba during "The Ludwig Von Drake Song".
Mufasa makes several appearances in the animated blooper reel featured in the Diamond Edition release of The Lion King, where he is seen preparing his voice and throat for a roar, though the process proves to be rather lengthy.
Video games[]
Kingdom Hearts II[]
When Simba was a small cub, Mufasa came to Wildebeest Gorge to save him from being crushed by stampeding wildebeests. Although he saved Simba, he had to climb a cliff to exit the gorge. When he got to the top, he was tossed off the cliff by his brother, Scar, and crushed by the stampede down below. After his death, Scar convinced Simba that it was his fault (Simba's) that Mufasa had died, and encouraged him to run away and never return. Scar then told the other lions that both Mufasa and Simba had died in the stampede, allowing him to take control of the Pride Lands as its new king.
Later, Mufasa appeared to Simba as a spirit to enlighten Simba's courage to take his role as the Pride Land's true king by usurping Scar's leadership. It is his spirit (in the form of a star) that gives Sora access to a new pathway.
Musical[]
Samuel E. Wright as Mufasa in the stage musical.
Mufasa's role is somewhat expanded in the musical based on the movie. He sings "They Live in You" ("He Lives in You" with the lyrics slightly changed) to young Simba in the scene when the two of them are looking up at the stars and discussing the Great Kings of the Past.
There is also an added scene in which Mufasa tells Zazu of his concerns about Simba's daring behavior. Zazu then reminds Mufasa of his early years as a rambunctious cub. Additionally, during the part where Mufasa dies during the wildebeest stampede and Simba is exiled from the Pride Lands, a group of Pridelanders arrives towards Mufasa's dead body alongside Rafiki who all mourn Mufasa's death. During the scene, the lionesses and Rafiki perform the musical number "Rafiki Mourns" where they hold a funeral for him, followed by Scar giving a eulogy about Mufasa's death just as he and the hyenas take over the Pride Lands.
The role of Mufasa on Broadway was originated by Tony Award nominee Samuel E. Wright (who voiced Sebastian in The Little Mermaid) in 1997 and Cornell John in the original London cast.
A prototype sculpture of his headdress/mask was donated to the collection of the Puppetry Center for the Arts in Atlanta, Georgia alongside the mask for Scar, taking prominent display upon their initial appearance.
During the part where Simba meets Rafiki again, the spirit form of Mufasa is created via projection screen effects during "He Lives in You" during the second act of the musical which is the part where Mufasa tells Simba to return to the Pride Lands and take his place as the new king of the Pride Lands.
Disney Parks[]
Disneyland Resort[]
In World of Color at Disney's California Adventure, Mufasa is seen during The Lion King segment, which showcases the wildebeest stampede and his demise.
Walt Disney World[]
Mufasa was also one of the central characters in The Legend of the Lion King, a former Fantasyland attraction in the Magic Kingdom, which retold the story of the film using fully articulated puppets. Mufasa is also mentioned by Scar during an exchange with Hades in Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. In the Magic Kingdom's nighttime spectacular, Happily Ever After, Mufasa's spirit appears at the introduction of the "Go the Distance" sequence.
Mufasa's likeness is also featured at Disney's Art of Animation Resort.
Hong Kong Disneyland[]
Mufasa's face can also be spotted in the park's version of It's a Small World in the Africa section of the ride along with Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa.
Shanghai Disneyland[]
Mufasa appears in the on-property Mandarin production of The Lion King stage musical. In the park, itself, he makes an appearance during Simba's segment in Ignite the Magic.
Relationships[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- James Earl Jones is one of the few actors from the original Disney Animated Canon movie who reprised his role in the remake.
- On the original 1995 VHS cover of The Lion King, Mufasa's nose is pink instead of brown.
- In an early script for The Lion King, Mufasa would sing a song called "Mighty King of the Wild". It was cut since it didn't match James Earl Jones' baritone voice. It was to be sung by Ken Page (who voiced Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas) but he couldn't mimic Jones' voice enough so it was scrapped.
- He is the only one with a known status out of Simba and Nala's parents.
- Some of the vocalizations for Mufasa were recycled from the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.
- Mufasa was inspired by King Hamlet from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, on which The Lion King is based. Like King Hamlet, Mufasa is remembered as a strong, wise, and just ruler and was killed by his younger brother for the sake of his throne, only to visit his son as an apparition and urge him to take back the throne. However, unlike King Hamlet, Mufasa is a kind and humorous individual who urges his son to take his inheritance for the sake of the Circle of Life, whereas King Hamlet only wanted his death to be avenged. Both also have queens whom they adore, in the case of King Hamlet, Gertrude, in the case of Mufasa, Sarabi, the difference being that Sarabi loved Mufasa whereas Gertrude loves Claudius who inspired the character of Scar.
- In Simba's Pride, Mufasa's pride is inspired by House Capulet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
- Mufasa makes a cameo appearance in Fantasia 2000. A figurine of him is behind his voice actor, James Earl Jones, before the "Carnival of the Animals" segment.
- Mufasa's voice actor, James Earl Jones, and Sarabi's voice actress, Madge Sinclair, also played African King Jaffe and Queen Aeoleon in the 1988 live-action film Coming to America, which was released six years before The Lion King.
- Sean Connery and Liam Neeson were originally considered for the role of Mufasa but both turned it down.
- Mufasa's character design would go on to influence the final design of Mayor Lionheart, a character from Zootopia.[3]
- When Mufasa tells Simba that their bodies become the grass when they die, he is likely referring to decomposition which is when remains of fungi and bacteria rot and break down into soil from which grass grows.
References[]
- ↑ "‘The Lion King’ Prequel: Kelvin Harrison Jr. & Aaron Pierre To Lead Cast For Disney & Barry Jenkins". Deadline Hollywood (August 26, 2021).
- ↑ 21 things you didn't know about The Lion King at Cosmopolitan
- ↑ Zootopia Fun Facts via the Stitch Kingdom
External links[]
_Mufasa_Circle_of_Life.png){kind=link}
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