Zazu is a major character of the 2019 photorealistic CGI remake of The Lion King. This incarnation of Zazu has a plumage of darker feathers instead of blue feathers to make him resemble his real-life counterpart. However, he retains his whitish underparts to resemble his real-life counterpart.
He is based on the hand drawn character from the character of the same name from the original 1994 animated film.
Background[]
Personality[]
As a young adult, Zazu was high-strung and petulant. He was fiercely devoted to Sarabi and took his duties as her protector quite seriously. He could be somewhat chatty and oblivious, to the point that his friends would sometimes ignore him. Even so, he was brave, willing to take on full-grown lions in a fight.
Now an adult, Zazu has a strong sense of duty and reveres tradition. He is exceptionally loyal to Mufasa, to the point that he continued to deliver morning reports to Mufasa's widow, Sarabi, even under the threat of death. At times, Zazu can be snobby and vain, as he takes great pride in his majordomo title and does not tolerate being talked down to. Despite his more serious nature, he does occasionally enjoy a good jest and likes to tell funny stories about his family.
Zazu is especially protective of Simba and Nala, even into their adulthood. He continued to shield an adult Nala from Scar and the hyenas, and vowed his loyalty to Simba upon the young lion's return to the Pride Lands. Brave and determined, Zazu will defend the Pride Lands with his life and is unwaveringly loyal to those whom he trusts and respects.
Physical appearance[]
As a young adult, Zazu was small and delicately built. He had feathers with blue, gray, and white hues, with white spots on his wings. He also had a long, curved, orange beak; black talons; and beady yellow eyes. Upon growing into adulthood, Zazu retained his coloring, though the feathers on his head smoothed down considerably, and he gained a ridge of black on the top of his head.
Appearances[]
The Lion King (2019)[]
Zazu is first seen flying to Pride Rock where he greets Mufasa at the beginning of the film where Simba is about to be presented to the animals. After the ceremony, Zazu tells Scar that Mufasa is coming to scold him because he is furious that Scar was not present during Simba's presentation. Scar tries to eat him, but Mufasa stops him as he and Mufasa argue over Scar's right in becoming the king, with Zazu becoming supportive with Mufasa. After Scar walks off, Zazu then tells a story about his cousin whom he thinks he's a woodpecker (Zazu's cousin was not mentioned in the animated version).
Zazu later appears giving Mufasa and Simba a morning report. Giving the report, Mufasa teaches Simba how to pounce while Zazu flies around to know if there is news in the Pride Lands. Returning to Simba and Mufasa, Zazu gives the news that there are hyenas invading the Pride Lands. Mufasa plans to take care of the hyenas while telling Zazu to bring Simba back home.
Meanwhile, when Simba talks to his best friend Nala about taking her to the water hole, Sarabi then asks the two cubs can only go if they bring Zazu to protect them. Zazu then takes the two cubs to the location Simba requested where he tells them that the two will be married in the future. Simba and Nala, however, are disgusted when Zazu tells the two that they will be married. Simba explains that he does not have to marry Nala, but Zazu explains that a wedding is a tradition that cannot be broken. During the musical number "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", Simba and Nala plan on losing Zazu in which the two successfully lose him where he is chased by weaverbirds instead of being crushed by a rhino in the animated version.
Meanwhile, at the Elephant Graveyard, Zazu finds the cubs exploring the area Simba shouldn't go to and protects the two from Shenzi. He then gives Shenzi a warning that if she attacks Simba, it can lead to a war between Mufasa and Scar; Shenzi tells her clan to attack the cubs but Mufasa arrives and saves Simba and Nala from the ambush. Soon as Mufasa takes Simba and Nala back to the Pride Lands, he tells Zazu to bring Nala back to her mother while Zazu tells Simba's father to go easy on him, reminding him what "he" was like as a cub.
At the gorge when Zazu sees the wildebeest stampede, Scar tells Zazu to alert the lions that Simba is in danger while he tells Mufasa to save Simba clinging on a dead tree in which Mufasa could not return to Pride Rock back in time as Scar leaves Mufasa to die in the stampede. Back at Pride Rock, Zazu and Rafiki listen to Scar's plan on becoming the new king from a distance instead of standing near the mourning lionesses listening to Scar telling them that Mufasa and Simba are both dead.
Years later after Scar becomes king, one notable difference in this film was instead of being his pet while imprisoned in a rib-cage after Scar took reign, Scar banished him under penalty of being eaten by the hyenas. While banished, Zazu then notices the hyena clan is overhunting and destroying the Pride Lands where he sees the disaster Scar is doing, but he still snuck into Pride Rock to report to Sarabi, who he considered the true ruler much to Sarabi calling her daughter-in-law to get used to living in Pride Rock with Scar as the new king. Later that night, Zazu tells Nala to return to Pride Rock before the hyenas eat her but Nala refuses to listen as she notices Scar approaching her. Just as Scar and the hyenas prepare to bring Nala back to Pride Rock, Zazu also helped Nala escape by distracting Scar (which did not happen in the original animated version) so that Scar wouldn't keep forcing her to hunt for more food due to Scar's plan on overhunting to destroy the Pride Lands much to Sarabi's worry that she might lose her.
When Simba returns to Pride Rock, Zazu feels proud that Simba is back to his home. During the final battle against Scar, Zazu is also seen present in helping fight against the hyenas whereas, in the animated version, Zazu is still imprisoned until Pumbaa charges into the cage after the hyenas bother him. Also, in that scene, Rafiki helps save Zazu being attacked by the hyenas whereas, in the animated version, it was Simba.
After Scar's death, Zazu and everyone else in the Pride Lands is proud of Simba's victory against Scar. He is last seen at the end of the film where he attends the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub.
Mufasa: The Lion King[]
As a young adult, Zazu was recruited by the king of a lion pride to protect his daughter, Sarabi. At some point, the Outsiders attacked and all but decimated their pride, leaving Sarabi and Zazu to fend for themselves. While searching for remnants of their pride, the two stumbled into Mufasa and Taka. Though Taka pointed out that Sarabi was alone, Zazu revealed his presence and introduced himself as the latest addition to the King's Royal Guard, then asked the brothers to move on. After they had left to hunt, however, he encouraged Sarabi to reconsider their offer, and she reluctantly followed them.
Before long, the group met a mandrill named Rafiki, who claimed to be searching for Milele. Hoping to reach this mystical paradise themselves, the group opted to spare his life and follow his lead. In order to break the ice, Zazu tried to ask personal questions of his friends, but they simply ignored him.
Continuing on, the group reached a ravine and climbed down into it in order to evade the pursuing Outsiders. Even so, the Outsiders soon caught up to them, and Sarabi heaved a beehive into the midst of an elephant herd to incite a stampede. Though the others managed to evade the elephants, Sarabi got knocked unconscious, and Mufasa dragged her to safety. Once the elephants had run off, Rafiki revived Sarabi, and the group continued on their way.
Next, the group scaled a snowy mountain. In an effort to throw off their pursuers, Mufasa instructed Zazu to cover their tracks, and he obediently flicked snow over his friends' paw prints to hide them. Once at the mountain's summit, Sarabi praised Mufasa for his efforts and nuzzled him. Misunderstanding the gesture, Zazu attempted to nuzzle Taka, but he simply shoved him aside.
Eventually, the group moved on until they reached Milele. No sooner had they arrived when the Outsiders caught up to them, and Mufasa rallied some nearby animals to help them fight. Though Zazu attempted to take on several lionesses, a shoebill scooped him into the air and carried him away from danger. After the battle, Mufasa was hailed the new king of Milele, and Zazu became his majordomo.
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
_-_Zazu.jpg "The Lion King (2019) - Zazu.jpg (2.63 MB)")
_-_Seth_Rogen,_Billy_Eichner_and_John_Oliver_with_Pumbaa,_Timon_and_Zazu.jpg "The Lion King (2019) - Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner and John Oliver with Pumbaa, Timon and Zazu.jpg (510 KB)")
Screenshots[]
The Lion King (2019 film)[]
_(14).png "The Lion King (2019 film) (14).png (2.49 MB)")
_(4).png "The Lion King (2019 film) (4).png (2.65 MB)")
Mufasa: The Lion King[]
.png "Mufasa the Lion King teaser (20).png (569 KB)")
See also[]
External links[]
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