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- “I, Madame, am the king's majordomo!”
- ―Zazu to Shenzi
Zazu is a supporting character in Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. He is an uptight red-billed hornbill that served as majordomo to Mufasa, Scar, and later Simba during each of their respective reigns over the Pride Lands.
Background
Zazu has two conflicting histories as to how he became the King's majordomo:
In the book Friends in Need, Young Zazu is about to be cooked and eaten by the three young hyenas (which explains his cry of "Oh, no! Not the birdie boiler!" in the first movie) Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, when an adolescent Mufasa comes along, frightens off the hyenas and saves him. Zazu is thankful and hopes that he can be of service to the future Lion King someday. Mufasa is doubtful of this. Zazu follows Mufasa around and watches over him. Mufasa quickly gets tired of this as Zazu disturbs his hunts and his private time with his betrothed Sarabi.
One day, Zazu notices some vultures hovering. He asks Mufasa if he wants him to fly over and see what's happening, but Mufasa is not concerned and lies down for a nap. Zazu flies over to where the vultures are anyway and sees that Sarabi has fallen into a pit and can't get out. Zazu flies back to tell Mufasa who leaps up and runs to the gorge. But Mufasa can't find a way to rescue Sarabi. Zazu finds a tree trunk that Mufasa drags over to the pit, allowing Sarabi to climb out. Mufasa realizes that the little hornbill is useful after all and appoints him as the royal adviser.
In How True, Zazu?, Zazu's mother, Zuzu, was a steward to Kopa's great-grandfather Ahadi. When Zazu was young, Zuzu trained him to take her place when Mufasa's rule began.
Personality
As the king's majordomo, Zazu is knowledgeable, diplomatic, and stern. He takes his position as a royal advisor very seriously, and carries himself in a no-nonsense—and often times, pompous—manner. Unfortunately, the demanding, and sometimes dangerous nature of his job has left Zazu with a considerable amount of anxiety and emotional instability; he is prone to falling into a panic when things go wrong, and he can be rather irritable and snappish.
Because of his fragile temper and high opinion of himself, Zazu is not taken very seriously by the other characters, specifically Simba and Nala, who would often tease the majordomo as children. Similarly, Scar saw Zazu as nothing more than a pest and repeatedly sought to torment the hornbill when given the chance. Even Mufasa has had his share of fun in teasing Zazu. Nevertheless, Zazu is undoubtedly loyal to the king and has proven his usefulness on numerous occasions. As the king's "eyes and ears", Zazu knows all and tells all, especially when trouble arises. If not for Zazu, Simba and Nala would have very well met their demise at the jaws of the hyenas, as it was he who had informed Mufasa of the danger before things could take a turn for the worse.
Zazu is also shown to have a sense of humor, as he was able to make a joke about turning Scar into a throw rug (to which he adds that Mufasa can "take him out and beat him whenever he gets dirty"). He also has a quirky habit of sliding blatant puns into his morning reports.
Appearances
The Lion King
As King Mufasa's majordomo and close friend (he is one of the few who calls Mufasa by his name), he is very serious and always sticks to the rules.
He is first seen in the film during the opening sequence in which Simba is presented. He later confronts Scar on his absence from the ceremony and is almost eaten by him until Mufasa arrives. When Scar leaves, Zazu humorously suggests to Mufasa that Scar would make an excellent rug.
When Simba has grown into a cub, Zazu is often ridiculed by him, being the target in Simba's pouncing lessons. He is ordered to watch over Simba and Nala by Sarabi when Simba claims he wants to go to the waterhole with Nala. In fact, Simba has earlier been lured by Scar to go to the Elephant Graveyard, and after the song "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", Simba and Nala successfully lose Zazu and go to the graveyard. Zazu later catches up with them, but they encounter the three hyenas Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Zazu is inserted into the hyenas' "birdie boiler" geyser which rockets him up to the sky. He manages to find Mufasa and lead him to the cubs, just in time to save them from the hyenas, although it is also implied shortly after the hyenas flee that Mufasa, in addition to being upset with Simba for deliberately disobeying him by going to the Elephant Graveyard, is also upset at Zazu for failing to keep watch on the cubs. Zazu is then ordered to take Nala home while Mufasa has a word with Simba.
During the wildebeest stampede engineered by Scar and his minions to kill both his brother and nephew, it is Zazu who leads Mufasa to Simba. As he watches the stampede, he wants to go back for help but is struck by Scar into a wall and rendered unconscious. After Simba runs away, Zazu is seen comforting Sarabi when Scar informs the pride that both Mufasa and Simba have been killed in the stampede. He and the pride are then seen watching in horror as Scar allows the hyenas into the Pride Lands.
Zazu also briefly appears years later, in a scene after Scar has assumed the kingship of the Pride Lands. In this scene, Zazu is imprisoned and is being forced to entertain Scar by singing songs like "Nobody Knows the Troubles I've Seen" and "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" (but not before briefly singing the lyrics of "It's a Small World"). When the hyenas come in to complain about the lack of food and water, Scar casually tells them to eat Zazu (although Scar also likely suggested to the Hyenas that they eat Zazu specifically as revenge for Zazu earlier mentioning Scar's brother in a favorable light compared to Scar under his breath), and he frantically insists that he'd be "so tough and gamey and eyugh!" although the Hyenas ultimately decide not to eat him, unknowingly agreeing with Zazu about Mufasa being better.
Later on, Simba returns to reclaim his throne. The lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki battle the hyenas while Simba battles his uncle. Zazu pleads Timon to let him out of the ribcage he is imprisoned in, but Timon goes inside the ribcage instead as he is pursued by the hyenas. Pumbaa comes to the rescue and chases away the hyenas after Banzai inadvertently insults him. Zazu is freed along with Timon and joins the two in chasing them away and doing a victory yell. Later, Zazu is seen at Simba's ascension to the throne and during the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub.
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
Zazu in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.
Zazu plays a minor role in the film, functioning mostly as a messenger. He is first seen at Kiara's presentation, signaling that everyone has gathered. He is next seen when Simba is lecturing Kiara before she goes out to play, and Zazu mentions the dangers of the Outsiders, calling them backstabbing and murderous. Years later on Kiara's 1st solo hunt, Zazu assured a pacing Simba not to worry, that his daughter will be fine, and asked what could happen; but when a wildfire starts, he is sent ahead to find her.
When Zazu finds that Kiara is being rescued by Kovu, he reports the information back to Simba. After Kovu asks a skeptical Simba to join the pride, an equally skeptical Zazu notes that royal protocol demands that debts (such as the one Simba owes Kovu for rescuing Kiara) must be repaid, though Zazu would be quite happy to make an exception and even suggests that Simba should do so, making it clear he didn't trust Kovu any more than Simba did. Later, after Simba returned injured from an ambush by Kovu's mother Zira and the Outsiders, he is sent by Kiara to find help. Finally, near the end of the film, he appears in a panic, reporting to Simba that the Outsiders are preparing to attack.
In the end, Zazu is seen standing next to Timon and Pumbaa at the presentation of Kiara and Kovu's wedding to which Timon and Pumbaa start crying with happiness and Zazu covers himself from the wetness of their tears.
The Lion King 1½
Zazu's appearances are extremely brief in The Lion King 1½. He is first seen at the presentation of Simba, talking to Mufasa. He is then seen going to rescue Simba from the hyenas with Mufasa. In the credits for this film, he is incorrectly listed as "Zasu".
Timon & Pumbaa
Zazu in Timon & Pumbaa.
Zazu appears as a recurring character in the series starring Timon and Pumbaa. He, like Rafiki and the hyenas, has also had a few standalone episodes. In "Once Upon a Timon", Zazu is researching the reasons that Timon became an outcast. He eventually learns the reasons from Rakifi, and the story becomes so engrossing, that Zazu forgets about a meeting with Simba.
"Zazu's Off Day Off" has Zazu being forced to work on his day off when an elephant is blocking the flow of the river.
"Zazu's Off-by-One Day" shows that Zazu is responsible for taking a census of the animals. However, he is fired by the jungle inspector when it's discovered that he missed one animal. As a result, his job is given to his gopher assistant. In an attempt to regain his job, Zazu searches for the animal he missed, only to discover that it was himself.
The Lion Guard
Zazu in The Lion Guard.
In the animated series, Zazu is presented as a crucial part of Simba's life as King of the Pride Lands, serving as the lion's advisor and mentor, of sorts. Though they share a healthy relationship, now that Simba is an adult, their interactions occasionally echo that displayed during Simba's childhood, with Zazu giving words of advice to the lion, only to be met with a response of childish annoyance. This is prominently displayed throughout the episode "Can't Wait to be Queen", where Simba, Nala, and Zazu travel to a funeral being held for an elderly elephant who was a good friend to Simba. Zazu, throughout the events of the episode, is shown to have become far more patient and optimistic, though still pompous and talkative, much to Nala's amusement. Simba often looks to Zazu for guidance and sees him as a confidante, which the hornbill prides himself as.
In "The Savannah Summit", Zazu accompanies Simba and other leaders within the Pride Lands to a summit discussing ways of bettering the kingdom for all species. In during which, he finds himself in the middle of an issue between a rhino and a baboon, much to Rafiki's amusement.
In "The Morning Report", Scar (having returned as a fiery spirit with hopes of ruling the Pride Lands) sends his new hyena lackeys to capture and interrogate Zazu so that they may learn Simba's strengths and weaknesses. Zazu cleverly keeps from relaying any useful information long enough for the Lion Guard to rescue him.
Other appearances
Zazu, as he appears in the The Lion King: Special Edition menu opening.
In "Runaway Brain", Zazu makes two cameo appearances.
In House of Mouse, Zazu appeared in "Donald's Pumbaa Prank" as lunch for Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed and nearly eaten, and Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, seen perched atop Rafiki's staff.
For the Walt Disney Platinum Edition DVD of The Lion King, a computer-animated Zazu served as the host of disc one's main menu.
In the mini-series, It's a Small World: The Animated Series, Zazu makes a brief, non-speaking cameo in the episode "One Golden Sun".
Musical
Zazu in the musical adaptation.
In The Lion King musical, Zazu is a puppet controlled by an actor dressed in blue striped clothes and a bowler hat much like a stereotypical butler. Zazu's blue feathers have been replaced with white and the puppet is partially constructed from parachute silk with a slinky contained in the neck for ease in movement.
Zazu, like in the Platinum Edition of the film, sings the song The Morning Report before being pounced on by Simba. The musical version of the song is longer than its film counterpart (in the Spanish version of the musical, "Morning Report" is deleted).
In certain English productions of the show (and in the Spanish one), Zazu breaks the fourth wall. In the original Broadway production when, being blocked by curtains at the beginning of the "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" number, shouts out "This didn't happen in the movie!" or "These look like shower curtains from Target!" (Ikea in some productions) and also, at the end of the number, the puppet is taken from his head and he cries out "Give me back my bird, Zazu!" The Memphis tour changes the curtain reference to "Graceland"; the London production "IKEA", and the Hawaii production "Hilo Hattie". The Toronto production had him make references to Honest Ed's, the original business of the theater's owner, Ed Mirvish. Zazu also attacks his puppeteer, stating, "This is your fault!"
In the Spanish production uses: "this didn't happen in the movie"; "this is your fault!" and (speaking to the conductor): "stop this!".
Disney Parks
Disneyland Resort
Zazu takes part of the jungle-themed unit in Mickey's Soundsational Parade.
Walt Disney World
Zazu in The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management.
At the Magic Kingdom, a former show called The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management), starred Zazu and Iago from Aladdin, as audio-animatronics.
Also in the park, Zazu makes a cameo in Mickey's PhilharMagic during Simba's "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence.
His likeness is also featured Disney's Art of Animation Resort in Walt Disney World.
Disneyland Paris
Zazu is featured in The Legend of the Lion King stage show in Disneyland Paris, where he reluctantly assists Timon and Pumbaa in creating a reenactment of the film in honor of Simba. He was also in Disney's Once Upon a Dream Parade, as part of the jungle-themed float's decor.
Hong Kong Disneyland
In the Hong Kong park, Zazu is featured in the Flights of Fantasy Parade.
Shanghai Disneyland
In Shanghai, Zazu appears during the performance of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" in the Ignite the Dream fireworks show.
Gallery
Trivia
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge's first Abyssinian ground hornbill chick is named after Zazu and dubbed his cousin.
- Zazu has shown the ability to hover in mid-air, a very difficult flying ability. The only real life birds capable of this are the hummingbird and certain birds-of-prey like the kestrel, the latter doing so to pinpoint prey; birds-of-prey also cannot do so indefinitely.
- Zazu is voiced by Rowan Atkinson, an already well-established British actor and comedian, in The Lion King. Whilst admonishing Scar for not attending Simba's presentation ceremony, Zazu states that the King is "as mad a hippo with a hernia". This is a possible nod to Blackadder, a long-running British historical comedy series in which Atkinson played the leading role, and who has a strong tendency to use simile in this manner when being sarcastic. However, it is unlikely that many younger viewers, especially outside the UK, would realize this.
References
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