Tropes D to M / The Lion King 1994

The Lion King (1994) Trope Examples
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Dangerous Interrogative: After Scar becomes king, he gives an angry "What did you say" to anyone who mentions his brother's name.
- When addressing Zazu, who is forced to entertain him...
  Zazu: (grudgingly) Oh, I never had to do this with Mufasa.
  Scar: What?! What did you say?
  Zazu: Oh, nothing!
  Scar: You know the law: never mention that name in my presence! I AM THE KING!
  Zazu: Yes, Sire, you are the king! I-I... Well, I only mentioned it to demonstrate the differences in your own managerial approaches.
- And when addressing the hyenas...
  Banzai: (under his breath) And I thought things were bad under Mufasa.
  Scar: What did you say?!
  Banzai: I said Muf—(Shenzi nudges him) I-I said, uh, "Que pasa?".
  Scar: ...Good, now get out.
Darker and Edgier: Compared to other Disney films of the period. It is, in fact, a very tense, pathos-filled drama rather than the usual fairy tale romantic comedy.
Death by Irony: Scar declares himself Surrounded by Idiots; turns out his idiot hyenas surround him and kill him.
Death Glare:
- After pinning Simba during their fight in the jungle, Nala briefly glares down at him menacingly, practically nose to nose with him, until he says her name. It is unclear if she was possibly going to kill him or just warning him not to interfere again.
- Scar gives an aside one to the hyenas when realising they failed to kill Simba.
  Scar: Simba! I'm a little surprised to see you... alive.
  *the hyenas gulp*
Deathly Dies Irae: After Scar orders the hyenas to kill Simba, Simba tries to flee for his life, but immediately runs into a dead end. The brass section blasts the four notes of "Dies Irae" to indicate Simba is facing possible death. Much later, the eight notes of Dies Irae, Dies Illa are played quietly on high strings and repeated three times during the scene where Scar prods Simba to tell the lionesses who is responsible for Mufasa's death.
Delayed "Oh, Crap!": Zazu, even after being told by Mufasa to turn around, and obeying the order willingly, continues to ramble on before realizing that he's the target of Simba's pouncing lesson:
Zazu: What's going on?
Mufasa: A pouncing lesson.
Zazu: Oh, very good... pouncing. (turns back, Beat) (realizes what he just said) POUNCING?! Oh, no, sire - you can't be serious! Oh, this is so humiliating.
Desert Skull: As Simba returns to the Pridelands, he finds it riddled with wildebeest skeletons to show how Scar's rule has ruined the land. At the end, as Simba returns to power, there's a brief shot of a skull being washed away by the rain, to symbolize the end of the old regime.
Destination Ruse: In an inverted example, Scar coaxes Simba to go to the Elephant Graveyard. When Simba meets up with Nala, they trick Zazu into leading them to the Water Hole so they can ditch him there while they explore the Elephant Graveyard. Zazu is not happy when he finds out that the cubs have tricked him, as it's his responsibility to keep them safe from the hungry hyenas.
Devoured by the Horde: After Simba defeats Scar in a fight, Scar gets surrounded by his former hyena henchmen and he gets eaten alive by them when they learn he'll eventually betray them.
Did I Say That Out Loud: Invoked by Scar when he "accidentally" mentions the Elephant Graveyard to Simba.
Didn't See That Coming: This is the reaction to a few things throughout the film.
- When Simba and Nala are arguing over who deserves credit for the two of them successfully ditching Zazu, Simba suddenly pounces on Nala in an attempt to win the argument and have the last word against her. He clearly expects it to be an easy win for him, due to leaping first and having had pouncing lessons from his dad, and is thus shocked when instead of Nala easily being pinned, she manages to flip him over with no struggle and slam him down instead. Watching carefully also shows his face go from confident to confused as she flips him, and once she has pinned him he gazes up at her in complete shock with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
- When Nala is hunting Pumbaa and prepares to attack him and Timon in the jungle, when Simba lunges at her from out of nowhere, she pauses for a moment and stares at him with a brief look of shock on her face, clearly not expecting to see another lion or get attacked by one. After their brief fight, though, when Nala manages to beat Simba with the same move she used on him as cubs, Simba has the same shocked look he did as a cub, realising the lioness he is fighting is Nala.
- Scar is shocked when he sees that Simba is alive and has returned to the Pride Lands. Understandable since his hyena minions told him they killed Simba when he was a cub.
Didn't Think This Through: When Zazu is captured by the hyenas and subjected to the birdie boiler, Simba tells them they should pick on someone their own size. Unfortunately for Simba, this merely causes the hyenas to turn on him and Nala instead, giving him an Oh, Crap! moment when he realises his mistake. Oops, indeed.
Diligent Hero, Slothful Villain: The Pride Lands under Mufasa and Simba's rule are prosperous mainly due to their diligence and understanding that being a king isn't about getting your way all the time. Under Scar's rule, The Pride Lands turn from a lush savanna to a barren wasteland because Scar was extremely negligent in doing his duties as king.
Disappointed in You:
- Mufasa to Simba during his lecture after the incident at the elephant graveyard.
  Mufasa: You deliberately disobeyed me, and what's worse, you put Nala in danger!
  Simba: I was just trying to be brave, like you.
  Mufasa: I'm only brave when I have to be. Simba... being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble.
- And later, when his ghost tells Simba, "You've forgotten who you are, and so forgotten me."
Disney Acid Sequence: "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", which is supposed to capture Simba's childish perspective during the song, is full of vibrant colors, changing scenarios, and various animals in choreographed dancing.
Disney Death: Downplayed with Simba in that Scar led everyone at Pride Rock to believe Simba was dead, yet we know otherwise.
Disneyfication: The film provides a very romanticized view of nature, with animals showing far more respect for each other than they do in real life.
Disney Villain Death: Subverted. While Simba does manage to throw Scar a significant distance below him, the fall isn't what does him in. Rather, the hyenas overhearing his attempt to throw them under the bus is what seals his fate. Also, inverted, as Mufasa was the one who fell to his ultimate doom at the hands of Scar and got his carcass trampled by wildebeest.
Dissonant Serenity: Downplayed; when Simba pounces on Nala from behind to get back at her for pinning him, he accidentally sends them both tumbling down a nearby hill. As they roll down though, Nala just laughs in amusement the whole time like she is having the time of her life. Adding to this is that looking closely at both cubs as they tumble shows Simba with a frightened or shocked look, with him struggling to try to stay on top of Nala, while Nala just has a big smile. Neither of the cubs are actually injured by this though, and it results in Nala once again pinning Simba and teasing him.
Does This Remind You of Anything?:
- Goose-stepping hyenas. The scene was based off of the Nazi propaganda film Triumph of the Will.
- The king's brother overthrowing (and killing) him, and the prince is persuaded by the ghost of his father?
- A quote from Reversal of Fortune:
  Simba: Heh heh. You're so weird.
  Scar: You have no idea.
The Dog Bites Back: Near the end, Scar attempts to pin everything on the hyenas and sell them out to Simba, not knowing that they were listening. They promptly devour him in the aftermath.
Scar: My friends.
Shenzi: Friends? I thought he said we were the enemy.
Dramatic Irony: In the second half of the movie, Scar blames Simba for his father's death, and he thinks his roar started the stampede in the first place when the audience knows Simba is innocent and Scar set the whole thing up. Also, Scar tells the Pridelanders that Simba died as well, but the audience knows he's still pretty much alive and even Scar didn’t know it (the hyenas had told him that Simba had died)!
Dramatic Spotlight: On Simba, then Timon and Pumbaa, during the song "Hakuna Matata". Also Natural Spotlight on Pride Rock when cub Simba is shown to the masses. The sun's timing is impeccable.
Dramatic Thunder: The Final Battle pits Simba against Scar during a thunderstorm. The brush fires that are ignited by the lightning plays its part in the battle.
Dub Species Change: The Danish dub refers to Timon as a desmerdyr, which is a dated umbrella term that was once used to refer to mongooses, viverrids, and euplerids (Malagasy carnivorans) when it was believed they were all in the same family of animals.
Dude, Not Funny!:
- An in-universe variation. Banzai is complaining about his injuries after the hyenas' scuffle with Mufasa, and Ed ticks Banzai off because he won't stop laughing.
  Banzai: It's not funny, Ed.
  (Ed tries briefly to stop before bursting out again)
  Banzai: Hey, shut up!
- Related to that, when Banzai falls into the thorns, the other two laugh at him. When Banzai starts pulling them out, he spits a few into Ed's face. He doesn't dare spit any at Shenzi - she's his boss (he does snark a Let's See YOU Do Better! at her though, she just keeps laughing).
  Shenzi: What, you want me to come out there looking like you? Cactus-Butt?
Dynamic Entry:
- Mustafa's Big Damn Heroes entry when the hyenas chase Simba and Nala to a corner of the elephant graveyard.
- Simba gets one himself years later when he lunges at Nala to protect Timon and Pumbaa with a mighty roar and even manages to hold her down under him for a moment.
Dystopia Is Hard: Even after he takes control, Scar's regime is far from stable. By the time Simba actually comes back to Pride Rock, most of the herds have moved on, there's barely anything left to hunt because Scar and his hyena Mooks hoard everything to themselves, and the hyenas themselves are openly discussing revolt, tacitly admitting how much better things were when Mufasa was still alive. Scar himself has become so paranoid that he snaps at anyone even saying the name "Mufasa," and the only reason he's holding onto his power is because he petulantly whines about how "I'm the king! I can do whatever I want!" Simba's return also sees Scar admit that he killed Mufasa, which is the spark that lights the fuse on an open rebellion against him. Scar's last-ditch attempt to throw the hyenas under the bus causes a Mistreatment-Induced Betrayal, and he's Eaten Alive after Simba throws Scar off the top of Pride Rock.

Earn Your Happy Ending: Simba finally becomes king of Pride Rock, is reunited with his mother, and gets to marry Nala and have a cub... but to get there he has to lose his father (right before his eyes), go into exile, face down his personal guilt and psychological demons, then stage a countercoup and take out his usurping uncle whose lies and manipulations were what put him through Mind Rape in the first place. In the process, not coincidentally, he is forced to mature a great deal and become a far wiser, humbler, more heroic character.
Easily Forgiven: Once Simba and Nala recognize each other, Simba instantly forgives her for trying to eat his friends. Pumbaa is also instantly forgiving and happily introduces himself. Timon is the only one who is confused by this sudden turn of events and does not immediately trust Nala.
Eating the Enemy: Scar tries to have his hyenas dispose of Simba by eating him but they fail both times. Rule of Three, they succeed when Scar becomes their enemy.
Elephant Graveyard: The base of operation for Scar and the home of the hyenas.
Elephants Never Forget: In "The Morning Report", as Zazu is referencing a bunch of animal puns and stereotypes, he also touches on the elephants' stereotype of having an excellent memory.
"The tick birds are pecking on the elephants. I told the elephants to forget it, but they can't..." (original spoken version)
The elephants remember, though just what I can't recall. (song version)
Empathic Environment: The geology of the African rift valleys is very active during "Be Prepared".
Enhanced on DVD: The Blu-Ray release of the film adds polish to the movie's more sloppy or stiff scenes that have no interference with the story, and thus make the visuals come across as more realistic, pleasant, and dynamic.
Epic Fail: Simba's attempts to pin Nala during their argument as cubs. He pounces on her with a roar expecting to easily pin her and win their argument, only to end up being flipped, slammed down, and pinned himself, all with a shocked look on his face and Nala teasing him. When she turns away from him and is distracted he pounces on her again to get revenge, only to accidentally send them both tumbling down a hill. Nala laughs the whole way down, enjoying herself, while Simba is seen shocked by this accident and struggles to stay on top of Nala, only to end up getting flipped and pinned again for his efforts, and Nala smugly rubbing her victory in his face.
Nala: Pinned ya again.
Equal-Opportunity Evil: Downplayed. Scar looks down upon the hyenas, but will work with them if it suits his goals.
Establishing Character Moment: Mufasa is introduced standing stoically atop Pride Rock on the day of his son's presentation, bearing a grim scowl on his face, but as soon as Zazu presents himself, Mufasa gives him a smile, and then he greets Rafiki with a warm hug. He's an imposing and strong king, but he's also a benevolent and personable figure, as well.
Et Tu, Brute?: As Mufasa hangs on for his life above the stampeding wildebeests, he begs his brother for help only to painfully discover that Scar is relishing the opportunity to ensure his brother's death.
Euphemism Buster: Scar has to backtrack and Euphemism Bust himself thanks to dumb hyenas:
Banzai: Yeah, be prepared! We'll be prepared! For what?
Scar: For the death of the king!
Banzai: What, is he sick?
Scar: No, you fool, we're going to kill him. And Simba, too.
Evil Is Burning Hot:
- Fires set the stage for Simba's final battle with Scar.
- Also, for some reason there's unexplained volcanic activity right during "Be Prepared".
Evil Laugh:
- Ed often bursts into laughter, though that's because he's The Hyena (literally and figuratively).
- Scar lets one out, followed by all the hyenas, at the end of "Be Prepared".
Evil Will Fail: Even if Simba hadn't shown up and pulled a Rightful King Returns, Scar's rule over the lion pride would have collapsed anyway since he'd driven The Pridelands to the point of ecological ruin.

Failed a Spot Check: Simba and Nala don't realize that they have literally wrestled right into the Elephant Graveyard until a steam geyser goes off right next to them.
Fall Guy: Simba is this to Scar. Scar and the hyenas were the ones responsible for starting the stampede and Scar himself is the one who kills Mufasa, but Simba didn't see any of that, and since he thinks his roaring startled the wildebeests into stampeding, Scar decides to use his ignorance, blames him for killing Mufasa, and orders him to run away and never return. This causes Simba to believe he killed his own father and this lasts until Scar accidentally tells him the truth during the final battle.
Falling-in-Love Montage: The song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" shows Simba and Nala falling in love as they spend time together for the first time since growing up.
Family of Choice: Timon and Pumbaa follow Nala when Simba returns to Pride Rock. They say that even if it's dangerous, they'll face hyenas and Scar for Simba who acknowledges their dedication and makes them part of the pride.
Family-Unfriendly Death:
- Mufasa's death while his son watches, and Simba's repeated pleas for him to "wake up, Dad" while desperately nudging his corpse.
- The fight between Simba and Scar ends with Scar being eaten alive (or at the very least being mauled to death) by his hyena henchmen (cast in shadow, but still!). The sequel makes it even worse by implying that he might have been burned to death as well.
Fighting Your Friend: An accidental version happens between Simba and Nala. When Nala tries to hunt Timon and Pumbaa, Simba ends up fighting her to protect them, but neither of them realises that they are fighting their old friend at first because it has been years since they last saw each other. As soon as Simba realises he is fighting Nala when she beats him using the same move to flip and pin him when they were cubs, they immediately stop and happily reunite.
Final Battle: The rightful king Simba and his allies, against Scar and his army of hyenas, warring amongst the flames of a burning Pride Rock, to decide the fate of their kingdom and lands.
Fisher King: When Mufasa is in charge, his wise leadership makes the land around Pride Rock a beautiful place of peace and plenty. When Scar is the king, the same land turns into a dark and dying graveyard due to his poor leadership and the hyenas eating and taking almost everything there is, reflecting his own dark personality. Once Simba assumes the throne, everything goes pretty again.
Flat Joy: Scar does the sarcastic version.
Simba: Hey, Uncle Scar, guess what.
Scar: I despise guessing games.
Simba: I'm gonna be king of Pride Rock.
Scar: (deadpan) Oh, goody.
Floating Head Syndrome: The cineplex posters mostly consist of Mufasa's face floating over Pride Rock. This is a unique case of it pertaining to the events of the story.
Forbidden Fruit: The elephant graveyard and anything beyond the borders of the Pride Lands, despite not being an ideal place.
Foreboding Fleeing Flock: Invoked when Scar has the hyenas cause a wildebeest stampede as a trap for both Simba and Mufasa.
Foreshadowing:
- A subtle one but, at the beginning, Zazu tells Scar "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?", something an adult would tell a child rather than a fellow adult. This implies Zazu knows how childish Scar can really be underneath his charming facade, which is shown once he takes power.
- Mufasa in general seems to have a gift of providing these.
  - "There's more to being King than getting your way all the time." Considering the disaster that arose under Scar's rule when he took the helm, from the lack of food to the ire of his own subjects, Mufasa was onto something there.
  - "A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here and will rise with you as the new king." Mufasa's reign ends at sundown following his death, and the sun rises as Simba ascends as the new king.
- At the climax of "I Just Can't Wait to be King" when the tower of animals collapses, it can be interpreted as either Played for Laughs (as a rhino had fallen on top of Zazu) or foreshadowing how Simba's whole self-image is about to come crashing down thanks to Scar's frame-up.
Forgiveness: Despite initially chewing out Simba for his reckless decision to go to the graveyard — neither lion knows of Scar's involvement — Mufasa forgives him on seeing that Simba really is sorry and was doing it out of a misguided attempt to prove to his father that he was brave.
Fourth-Date Marriage: This is played with between Simba and Nala. They were both childhood best friends, and Zazu revealed to them that they are betrothed to be married. They are both disgusted by this idea though, since they find the idea of marrying their best friend too weird. Years later, they reunite as adults after Nala previously believed Simba was dead, and they instantly fall in love with each other. Simba takes Nala on a tour of the jungle, with it essentially being their "first date" together, where they have a Falling-in-Love Montage of playing around and flirting together and ends with it being heavily implied they have G-Rated Sex together. By the time Simba defeats Scar and becomes king, he and Nala are now properly married, which was originally planned for them.
Frameup: After Scar kills Mufasa, he gets Simba to believe he's responsible, leading to Simba's running away. Simba believes this until the Just Between You and Me moment in the final act, even to the point of confessing himself to his mother and the rest of the pride.
Freeze-Frame Bonus:
- When Simba first pounces on Nala and she uses her famous flip and pin trick on him, it is blocked from view slightly due to some plants in the foreground obscuring its view, making it difficult for viewers to fully understand what just happened the first time. It also briefly blocks Simba's face from view, where pausing shows his face change from confidence to confusion and shock as Nala flips him over and slams him down.
- When Timon reaches his arm into a log during the Hakuna Matata number, a red beetle with a hidden Mickey Mouse symbol on its back can briefly be seen escaping along with the dozens of other bugs.
- At the end of the Hakuna Matata number, when Simba shakes his mane dry, as it unfurls to fluff out, a single frame shows his mane completely spiked out and standing on end.
- As Simba slumps at the edge of the cliff, the dust clouds spell out “SFX”. Most people thought it read “SEX”, however, so this bonus was removed from the Platinum edition DVD, Diamond Edition Blu-ray, and assumedly all subsequent releases of the film.
Full Moon Silhouette: During the Age Cut, Simba and his two new-found friends walk across a tree trunk with a Gigantic Moon in the background.
Funny Afro: At the end of Hakuna Matata, Adult Simba’s mane briefly poofs into a giant sphere almost as big as his entire body (as a result of shaking it dry) before falling back to normal.
Funny Background Event:
- Timon and Pumbaa swing on a vine in the background during young Simba's solo in "Hakuna Matata". Pumbaa does this at the beginning of the theme song in the TV series.
- During "Be Prepared", Scar scares Shenzi and Banzi onto geysers, which blast them up off the top of the screen. As Scar keeps singing, the two hyenas plummet down half a verse later in the background. In the sing-a-long version, some of the text is also blasted off-screen with the hyenas and comes plummeting back down with them as well.
- During the last part of "Be Prepared" while Scar is going on about why he should be king the hyenas are actually singing about how much food they'll get under Scar's rule.
  Scar: Meticulous planning
  Hyenas: We'll have food!
  Scar: Tenacity spanning
  Hyenas: Lots of food!
  Scar: Decade of denial
  Hyenas: We repeat.
  Scar: Is simply why I'll
  Hyenas: Endless meat
Furry Reminder: While the lions mainly talk and treat their problems like a person would, there are several times they start growling or roaring especially when they fight or threaten someone^note. Plus, like real animals, they eat the other animals in The Pridelands and constantly talk about doing so^note. Also, when Nala is hunting Pumbaa, she is portrayed completely as a wild animal chasing after her prey while Pumbaa's reactions are more anthropomorphized.

Gag Echo:
Simba: When I'm king, what does that make you?
Scar: A monkey's uncle.
...
Nala: No, no, no, it's his uncle.
Timon: The monkey's his uncle?
Generational Saga: Mufasa tells Simba that even when he's gone he'll always be there in the sky with the great kings to look down on his son. Once he is gone, Simba abandons the Pride Lands to his uncle Scar, but after talking to his father in the sky he realizes that he needs to come home and be king.
The Genie Knows Jack Nicholson: Not a time variant, but location; the characters are all animals of the African savanna who have no known interactions with humans. Yet, the hyenas make puns based on human entrées, and Timon, Pumbah, and Zazu all sing our songs.
Getting Crap Past the Radar: Pumbaa very nearly gets away with singing a naughty word for his flatulence that wouldn't fly for a 1994 Disney movie, which Timon stops and lampshades (although the MPAA were lenient enough to let Disney imply it, keeping the film "G" instead of raising it to a "PG" for crude humor):
Puumba: And I got downhearted...
Timon: How'd you feel?
Pumbaa: Every time that I --
Timon: Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!
Pumbaa: Oh... Sorry.
Get Out!:
- After he kills Mufasa, Scar tells Simba to do this, telling him to "run away and never return". Once Simba has run off, Scar sends the hyenas after him. This gets reversed in an Ironic Echo later.
- Scar tells the hyenas this when they complain that they're hungry, showing how little he really cares about them. He then shortens it to "OUT!" when Banzai says they're still hungry and Scar has done nothing about it.
Gilligan Cut: When Timon is offered as live bait, he sarcastically asks if they want him to dress in drag and do the hula. In the next scene, he does exactly that.
Glad I Thought of It:
- Simba calls himself a genius after he and Nala escape Zazu, and Nala points out it was her idea they used. Simba simply says he's the one who pulled it off, but Nala once again claims he did it with her.
- Pumbaa suggests that they should adopt Simba since "When he grows up, maybe he'll be on our side." Timon first dismisses the idea as stupid but then presents it as his own.
Good Animals, Evil Animals: The lions and hyenas. With the exception of Scar, the lions are always portrayed as noble and honourable while the hyenas are portrayed as scummy and subservient to Scar. However, Timon & Pumbaa implies that Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed settle for neutrality following the movie, and The Lion Guard introduces Jasiri's clan, who claim that Shenzi's clan is the exception rather than the rule when it comes to hyenas.
Graceful Loser: Downplayed. During "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" Simba finally manages to pin Nala when they tumble down a hill and he lands on top of her. She rewards him for "beating her" with a lick on the cheek and a seductive look.
G-Rated Sex: At the end of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", Nala gives a suggestive look toward Simba and it's implied that they do it offscreen (which would explain why they have a cub of their own at the very end of the film). It's all the more obvious in the original, pre-production version, where there's very little room for doubt about what happens. The intent was confirmed by Disney itself; from the DVD audio commentary narrated by directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and producer Don Hahn:
"This is probably the most steamy love scene in a Disney film ever!"
"Wooooooooooooooo!"
Gratuitous Latin: Scar uses the phrase "quid pro quo" during his big Villain Song.
Green Gators: The crocodiles in "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" in the 2002 special edition of the movie are green. Averted in the theatrical version and in ‘’The Lion King II: Simba's Pride’’, however, with the crocodiles being depicted as gray.

Hair Flip:
- Scar's mane flips rather seductively during "Be Prepared".
- At the end of Hakuna Matata, after his mane bursts into a frizzy halo, Simba swoops his head down and back up as the mane falls back away from his muzzle.
Hair Reboot: An amusing double subversion at the end of Hakuna Matata. After Adult Simba splashes into a swimming hole, he climbs out with his mane sopping wet and disheveled with his bangs flattened over his eyes. He shakes it dry in robust fashion… which results in it briefly fluffing up into a giant mass of red frizz… before it cascades back to its normal, finely coiffed style.
Hakuna Matata: This trope is referred to by name when Timon and Pumbaa tell Simba, who has just run away from his responsibilities and his life, that he doesn't need to worry about the past, because a carefree existence is much less trouble. Deconstructed: This mentality ends up becoming an obstacle Simba must throw off before he can start serving the kingdom and rescue it from Scar, who never outgrows this attitude and tries to take the benefits of being king without taking any of the responsibility that goes along with the job. When both Simba and Scar shun this responsibility, the kingdom suffers greatly from Scar's neglectful approach. It's only when Simba grows and learns to take responsibility that prosperity returns. In fact, the song shows him being apathetically cynical. "Bad things happen and there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?"
Hammy Villain, Serious Hero: Mufasa and his evil brother Scar. Mufasa is a stern and dignified ruler, whereas Scar is hammy and snarky. This is less pronounced at first with the hero Simba, who is a more carefree spirit than his dad, but he becomes very serious by the final confrontation with Scar.
A Handful for an Eye: Right before their fight, Scar blinds Simba by kicking hot coals into his face.
Hand Stomp:
- Scar claws Mufasa's paws while the latter is hanging from a cliff.
- He also does it to Simba during the Final Battle, but Simba gets the strength to lunge back after the "I killed Mufasa" revelation.
Hanging by the Fingers:
- Scar sets a trap for Simba and Mufasa, luring Simba into a gorge and having the hyenas drive a large herd of wildebeest into a stampede to trample him. Mufasa saves Simba but winds up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge; he begs for Scar's help, but Scar throws Mufasa back into the stampede to his death.
- Simba spares Scar's life but, quoting what Scar told him long ago, orders Scar to leave The Pridelands forever. Scar refuses and attacks his nephew, but after a brief battle, Simba throws him off the ledge to the ground below: with Scar clinging briefly to the ledge before falling.
Hates Baths: Simba as a cub. He presumably grew out of it during his time with Timon and Pumbaa, since the midquel shows him playing about in the water while living with them as a cub. Of course, there's a big difference between playing in the water and being licked clean by your mother.
Held Gaze: Simba and Nala gaze deeply into each other's eyes at the end of their Falling-in-Love Montage of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" before nuzzling each other in a manner that resembles a kiss.
Heroic Rematch: Played with between Simba and Nala. Despite both of them being best friends, the two of them also seemed to have a slight rivalry with each other as cubs due to their Bratty Half-Pint nature. When one of their arguments escalates into the two of them playfully fighting over it, Nala easily flips and pins Simba with little effort twice while laughing at him.
- The two of them end up fighting again much more seriously years later as adults, and though Simba does much better against her, holding his own despite her having more experience, it being his first real fight of his life, and managing to briefly startle her and hold her down for a moment, it ends up subverted when Simba still ultimately loses to Nala again against the same flip and pin move she used to beat him as cubs.
- This is later played straight but downplayed between them. During their Falling-in-Love Montage while teasing each other, Simba chases Nala into the jungle and the two begin to playfully wrestle with each other again, resulting in them accidentally tumbling down a hill together. Simba ends up landing on top of Nala, finally pinning her. Despite this being a complete accident, it is still Simba's only win against Nala, and Nala herself seems to acknowledge it as a win for him, acting as a Graceful Loser and giving him an affectionate lick on the cheek as a reward for finally "beating" her.
Heroic Second Wind: When Scar has Simba right where he wants him (desperately trying to keep his grip on the ledge of Pride Rock but about to fall off), and he admits that he killed Mufasa (in what he thinks will be a Just Between You and Me moment, before throwing Simba to his death) ... Simba (who relives watching his father being thrown to his death in what could well be his final moments) instead lunges up the rest of the cliff, pinning his evil uncle and forcing him to reveal the truth to the others.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Scar spends his relationship with the hyenas lying and constantly breaking promises about bringing food to them, and their impatience and irritation boil over when Scar tries to pin the blame for Mufasa's death on them. He ends up getting eaten by his own hyenas in a well-deserved Family-Unfriendly Death.
Hollywood Healing:
- During the Elephant Graveyard chase, Simba uses his claws to scratch Shenzi on the cheek when she almost catches Nala. Despite receiving a fresh wound, the cuts on Shenzi’s cheek are instantly gone once she, Banzai, and Ed corner the lion Cubs.
- After encountering Mufasa, Banzai’s butt is left with several cuts from the lion’s claws. Banzai even complains that he won’t be able to sit for a week. His scars disappear after he fights Ed.
Hope Spot: After disappearing into the stampede, Mufasa leaps onto the cliffside and is seemingly about to claw his way back up to safety. And then Scar shows up to finish what he started...
Human Ladder: Zazu at the end of "I Just Can't Wait to be King" ends up at the bottom of an animal version, with a group of animals standing on top of each other to raise up Simba as he sings.
Humanlike Hand Anatomy: Rafiki the baboon has hands, understandably given that he's a primate. Zazu the bird has Feather Fingers and Timon the meerkat has Humanlike Hand Anatomy, for some reason. And the lions have rather large thumbs on their front paws, with which they can sometimes make humanlike gestures.
Hurricane of Puns:
- Zazu's morning report. The Special Edition's new song has even more of them.
  "Well, the buzz from the bees is that leopards are in a bit of a spot. The baboons are going ape... I told the elephants to forget it, but they can't... Cheetahs never prosper".
- To cap that off, after Zazu finishes his report and gets pounced by Simba, a groundhog pops up to deliver "news from the underground".
- Also, with the hyenas.
  Banzai: We could have whatever's... lion around!
  Shenzi: Wait wait wait. I got one. Make mine a cub sandwich. (Ed tries to get their attention) WHAT, ED?!
  Banzai: Hey, did we order this dinner to go?
  Shenzi: No. Why?
  Banzai: 'Cause there it goes! (points to Simba, Nala, and Zazu running like crazy)
Hypocrite: Scar tries to tell Simba not to kill him because they're family, even though Scar himself already killed one of his own family members and tried to kill another.
Simba: You don't deserve to live.
Scar: But Simba... I am family.

I Can Explain: When Scar faces his demise by the claws of the hyenas, he tries the "Let me explain" line to no avail.
Identical Son: As an adult, Simba looks exactly like his father did (a little darker, but that's besides the point). "In your reflection, he lives in you."
Idiotic Partner Confession:
- Simba when he questions why Zazu is acting so afraid of the hyenas when he said earlier that they were "slobbery, mangy, stupid poachers". Said hyenas are, of course, right in front of them. Downplayed, since Simba isn't so much an idiot as an innocent and silly child. Also, Simba is puffed up with his royal importance. Though this is technically right since, as a crown prince, he would be worth A LOT as a hostage; he forgets that those savage hyenas have zero diplomatic relations with his country.
- A second example later on, when Mufasa corners the three Hyenas after they tried to kill Simba. Shenzi and Banzai immediately insist that they had no idea Simba is Mufasa's son; then Ed, interrogated in unison, spills the beans.
I Kiss Your Foot: Pumbaa, after learning Simba is the king.
Pumbaa: King? Your Majesty! I gravel at your feet. (begins kissing Simba's paw)
Simba: (pulling it away) Stop that!
Timon: It's not gravel, it's grovel.
I'll Kill You!: The hyenas' threats to a pursued Simba.
Shenzi: He's as good as dead out there anyway. And IF he comes back, we'll kill him.
Banzai: Yeah! D'you hear that? If you ever come back, we'll kill ya!
I'm Taking Her Home with Me!: When Timon and Pumbaa first run across Simba in the desert, Timon's first reaction is to panic because of, well, the food chain. Pumbaa meanwhile thinks Simba's such a cute little guy that he asks, "Can we keep him?"
Informed Species:
- Although Pumbaa is a warthog, he looks more like a tanned domesticated pig with a mane and tusks. To be fair, he did look like an actual warthog in early concept art.
- Timon looks almost nothing like an actual meerkat. Timon is peach-yellow when meerkats are sand-coloured, has upturned ears when they have downturned ears, and a head full of red hair like a human would have. Plus, real meerkats walk on all fours and have black eyes.
Insult Backfire:
Simba: Hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size?!
Shenzi: Like you?
Simba: Oops.
Insult Misfire: Zig-zagged:
Simba: Zazu, you told me they were nothing but slobbering mangy stupid poachers.
Zazu: Ixnay on the upidstey.
Banzai: Who you calling 'upidstey'?!
Internal Reveal: Scar, engaging in one last bit of Evil Gloating as he thinks he's finally about to kill Simba for good, leans in and finally tells him the truth: "I killed Mufasa!" This turns out to have been a mistake, as it gives Simba a Heroic Second Wind and he immediately pins Scar and forces him to repeat it to the rest of the pride.
Ironic Echo: After killing Mufasa, Scar tells Simba to "Run. Run away and never return." Then at the end of the film, when Scar seemingly pleads for mercy, Simba accepts but tells him, "Run. Run away, Scar, and never return."
Irony: Simba constantly failed to beat Nala in any fight, to the point it almost seemed like a Running Gag. He was easily beaten by her twice in a row as cubs, even when he tried to cheat against her to gain an advantage. As an adult, he manages to do much better but still ultimately loses to her against the same move she used to flip and pin him as cubs. However, during their Falling-in-Love Montage when the two begin to playfully wrestle again, they end up accidentally tumbling down a hill together with Simba coming out the winner when he happens to land on top of Nala by complete accident. Thus, the only time he was ever able to "beat" her was when he wasn't even trying to. Simba and Nala both seem to realize this, and briefly laugh in amusement together over it.
I Take Offense to That Last One: Banzai only seems to have a problem with being called "stupid" after hearing a bunch of insults. Even then, he doesn't pick up on it until Zazu explains this in Pig Latin.
It Was with You All Along: Rafiki tells Simba that his father is still alive. When Simba tells Rafiki that his father is dead, Rafiki shows him that his father still lives on inside him.
It's All About Me: It's pretty obvious early on that Scar cares for no one except himself. He wants the throne for himself, is perfectly willing to kill his brother and try to kill his nephew to get it, and drives the Pridelands to ruin because of how he only wants the power of the throne and not the responsibilities that come with it.
It's All My Fault: Simba spends most of the movie believing that he killed his father mostly due to his Uncle's manipulations and tries to hide from the rest of the pride in shame.
I Was Beaten by a Girl: Simba is visibly frustrated at being handily pinned by Nala in their scraps, glaring at her in annoyance and immediately trying to get revenge on her by cheating. He uses this fighting tactic to recognise her as an adult and later uses it against Scar. Though he does eventually pin her himself, it is actually the least like a "fight" out of them all, being while they were romantically rolling down a hill together, and she still leads him 3-1.

Job Title: The title The Lion King describes the job at the heart of the story, the one the hero learns how to undertake.
Just Between You and Me: When Scar has Simba trapped on the ledge of a gorge ... instead of simply throwing him to his death, he gloats at the moment and, thinking he's finished him off and about to celebrate victory, whispers to him that he really masterminded his (Simba's) father's death. Huge mistake and huge aversion, as Simba gains a huge Heroic Second Wind and eventually defeats Scar in a fight.
Just Desserts: The ending has a chilling case. When Simba corners Scar, Scar shamefully tries to get Simba's sympathy by by saying it was the hyenas' idea. Unbeknown to him, the hyenas had overheard his attempt to throw them under the bus. After Simba throws him off a cliff, the betrayed hyenas decide to devour him out of spite.
Just Giving Orders: After Simba gets his Heroic Second Wind and has the villain cornered, Scar tries to weasel out of his comeuppance by placing all blame for the coup on Mufasa and the subsequent overrun of The Pridelands on the hyenas. "It was the hyenas; they're the enemy." While this excuse does avert being killed outright by Simba, this defense also proves to be quotable last words.
Just in Time: At the beginning, Scar traps Zazu in his mouth and is about to eat him, when Mufasa enters at just the right moment and orders Scar to drop him. Zazu lampshades it, poking his beak out of Scar's mouth to do so: "Impeccable timing, your majesty!"
"Just So" Story: There's an In-Universe example with Timon's theory about how stars form, which involves them really being fireflies, and is true in The Princess and the Frog. This movie, however, rolls with the explanation of them being spirits of lion kings of the past.

Karmic Death: Scar spent his life betraying family and allies, and this finally bites him big time as the Hyenas descend upon him for trying to blame them for Mufasa's death. Doubly so that he is only swarmed after being thrown off a cliff, the same way he killed Mufasa.
Karmic Jackpot: Timon and Pumbaa come to help in the climax, despite being outcasts who spend their time chasing buzzards. They say it's worth facing danger for Simba's sake. Simba smiles and, in the end, makes them part of the Pride.
King of Beasts: It is about a lion’s monarchy, after all, and so lions are portrayed as the rulers who oversee all of the other animals.

Leave The Two Love Birds Alone: When Simba and Nala reunite, she asks for the two of them to be left alone. When Simba repeats that request, Timon realizes what is about to happen and laments the two will fall in love.
Left Hanging: Although 'Hakuna Matata' vaguely explains why Pumbaa became an outcast, why Timon did does not get addressed. Made up by the fact that there's an entire midquel dedicated to it.
Leitmotif upon Death: When Simba finds his father Mufasa dead, "This Land" plays in a very somber tone. While this piece is mainly used for The Pridelands, Mufasa was in most of the scenes where the score was played. It is also used when Simba is visited by Mufasa's spirit.
Lethal Negligence: When Scar takes over the Pride Lands, he ends up turning it from a lush wilderness teeming with life to a barren wasteland with barely any food, because while Scar desired the power and perks that came with being king, he was too lazy to perform the actual responsibilities that came with it.
Let Me Get This Straight...: Timon when Nala shows up: "Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody is okay with this? Did I miss something?!"
Let's Get Dangerous!: Pumbaa, the friendly and kind warthog, and Rafiki, the eccentric monkey shaman, both show surprisingly good fighting skills during the climax. Rafiki takes down four hyenas at once while Pumbaa sends Banzai, Ed, and Shenzi running. Sarabi also fights the hyenas when Scar confesses that he killed Mufasa and tosses them like ragdolls.
Life Isn't Fair: Said by Scar in a creepy tone. It is the first spoken (not sung) sentence in the movie.
Light/Darkness Juxtaposition: The film contrasts the brightly-lit, beautiful Pride Lands with the Elephant Graveyard, a shadowy, miserable wasteland. Simba and Mufasa's rule is generally associated with light (eg. the Natural spotlight when a new heir is born, the warm light that surrounds Simba when he arrives to reclaim the throne, their own red-and-gold color scheme); meanwhile, when the dark-colored Scar usurps the throne, the Pride Lands are cast in shadow.
Simba: Everything the light touches... What about that shadowy place?
"Lion King" Lift: The Trope Namer and Ur-Example happens in “Circle of Life”, wherein Rafiki grandly lifts the newborn Simba up so everyone can see the new prince on Pride Rock.
Literal-Minded: Pumbaa, sometimes.
Timon: Gee, he looks blue.
Pumbaa: I'd say brownish-gold.
Literally Falling in Love: During "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", Simba and Nala accidentally end up tumbling down a hill together while playfully wrestling. Simba ends up pinning Nala, and she gives him a surprise lick on the cheek before they both share a romantic seductive gaze.
Love Redeems: Simba may have seemingly killed his father and happily let the pride become a desert while he sings "Hakuna Matata", but he meets Nala again and returns.
Love Theme: "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is about the budding relationship between Simba and Nala, from simple friends to something more than that. It ends with the two sharing G-Rated Sex.
Lying on a Hillside: Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa when stargazing, although it isn't actually a hillside they're on.

Malaproper: Pumbaa, occasionally, for example saying "I gravel at your feet" instead of "grovel" and messing up Timon's saying "You've gotta put your past behind you" as "You gotta put your behind in your past". Timon corrects him both times.
Mama Bear: When Simba forces Scar to confess that he killed Mufasa, Sarabi roars and follows Nala into battle. She suddenly understood that Scar framed Simba for Mufasa's death and launched a coup.
Manchild: Timon & Pumbaa (and occasionally the hyenas) can act very immature at times.
Man Hug: Rafiki and Mufasa at the beginning before Simon is revealed (both to the audience and then to the Pridelands) and then Rafiki and Simba at the end before Simba ascends Pride Rock.
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: It's left ambiguous whether or not animals can speak human In-Universe. It's also left ambiguous whether or not the "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence and Mufasa appearing in the clouds are really happening or are just Simba's imagination.
Mean Character, Nice Actor: In-Universe example: In the Outtakes short in the 3D release, Scar and the hyenas get in on the fun. The hyenas are also frequent guests in House of Mouse.
Meaningful Echo:
- "Run... Run away... and NEVER return." Scar to Child!Simba, then Adult!Simba to Scar once he catches on to the deception.
- "Danger? Ha!... I laugh in the face of danger! Ha ha ha ha!" Child!Simba, later quoted by Adult!Nala
- "...MISTER Banana Beak/Pig..." Respectively by Zazu and Pumbaa.
- "What will your mother/she think?" Scar to Child!Simba, then Adult!Nala to Adult!Simba.
- "a king/I can do whatever he/I want(s)" Scar sticks with the puerile misconception of royalty by Child!Simba, though it's doubtful that the latter would let his pride starve to death.
- The hyenas rhetorically question each other about the cubs' presence in the graveyard scene, Ed concluding with a hysterical laugh. They echo themselves at the end when discussing the fate of Scar, but with a much darker overtone:
  "Ed?" ( Evil laughter)
Meaningful Name: Several names can be translated from Swahili (except Ed, Timon, Scar, and Mufasa), but it is more or less meaningful for each character:
- Simba means lion in Swahili and, indeed, Simba is a lion.
- Scar, who has a very obvious one across the left eye. There may be a heavy background behind this, but it is never detailed in the film. According to The Lion King: Six New Adventures, his Swahili name is Taka, meaning both "garbage" and "want". He certainly wants his brother's kingdom, and being named garbage his whole life might explain his envy of his brother, see below.
- The origin of Mufasa's name is not certain, either meaning king in manazoto or being a tribute to an ancient Kenyan king, but with no proofs for both.
- Pumbaa means foolish. It's right that he's not especially smart and gets often fooled by Timon, although he has also moments of perspicacity.
- Rafiki means friend. He looks like he is a precious adviser to the king, and his advice is indeed decisive in resolving Simba's inner conflict.
- Zazu means movement. Of course, since he is a bird, he moves a lot and fast by flying.
- Shenzi means barbarous. She is part of a species excluded from the "civilized" Pride Lands because they don't respect its rules.
- There is no certainty about the three lionesses:
  - Nala means gift. It can be speculated that's because she is a foreign princess given to the Pride during some diplomatic exchange, but there are no canon indications (although her father is now clearly established to not be Scar or Mufasa).
  - Sarabi means mirage and Sarafina means bright star. Hard to tell without more backstory.
Melancholy Musical Number: Zazu begins singing "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen" while moping in a ribcage in Scar's lair. Scar objects that the song is too maudlin and commands Zazu to shift to one with "more bounce to it." Mockingly, Zazu shifts to "It's A Small World After All", which Scar finds even worse.
Metaphorically True: Almost nothing Scar says to Simba before or after the stampede is untrue, which has the dual effect of covering his tracks and appealing to his twisted sense of humor.
"Simba, it's to die for."
If it weren't for you, he'd still be alive.
If it weren't for you, Mufasa would still be alive! Do you deny it?
Mighty Roar: Used a lot by the lions whenever they are about to do something awesome, though Simba as a cub can only give an anticlimatic meow (Truth in Television: lion cubs can't roar, only mewl adorably).
Million Mook March: The goosestepping hyenas in "Be Prepared".
Misophonia Gag: After Mufasa berates Scar for missing Simba's ceremony, Scar expresses mock regret while sharpening his claws on the wall of the cave. The scraping sound makes Zazu cringe and wince.
Mistaken for Romance: When Simba and Nala begin whispering to each other about how to get rid of Zazu and sneak away to the elephant graveyard, Zazu sees the two of them whispering to each other and mistakenly assumes the two of them are flirting together before happily telling them how their "blossoming romance" works perfectly due to their Arranged Marriage.
Misplaced Wildlife:
- Giant anteaters and leafcutter ants — both species endemic to Latin America — appear briefly in "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" and "The Circle of Life", respectively.
- All the other fauna is from Africa, but not all are from East Africa where the movie appears to take place (e.g., meerkats like Timon are from South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia, and mandrills like Rafiki are from the jungles of West and Central Africa).
- Gorillas are also briefly seen amongst the savannah animals at the end of "The Circle of Life" as well as once in "I Just Can't Wait To Be King", even though gorillas are forest-dwelling primates.
- The rodent who warns Zazu of the hyenas' invasion also counts. He's referred to as a Gopher in related media (which doesn't make sense in itself, since gophers are endemic to the Americas), but he's actually most likely a big-headed mole-rat; said species is only found in the Ethiopian Highlands, VERY far-removed from the Serengeti.
Mood Whiplash:
- Perhaps most notably when we go from Mufasa and Simba's funeral and Rafiki crossing out Simba's outline to... bowling for buzzards! (the comic relief was badly needed for some after the past few minutes).
- Just before that, there's Shenzi calling Banzai "cactus butt" right after Mufasa's death.
- Simba's reunion with Nala in the forest is also noticeable. It starts with a fierce battle between the two with Simba trying to protect Timon and Pumbaa, then the two joyfully recognizing each other and them falling in love by hanging out around the forest in what can be considered a date. Then the two get into an argument immediately afterwards about Simba coming back to become king and Simba storming off in anger, resembling a temporary breakup between the two of them.
- After Simba receives a pep talk from his dead father, he and Rafiki talk about change. Simba admits he's afraid of facing his past. Rafiki then whacks him with a stick; he then uses it as an analogy about how the past can hurt, but you can learn from it. As a result, Simba playfully tosses Rafiki's stick and starts running back to Pride Rock, causing Rafiki to howl in joy.
Moral Luck: Scar uses this trope to trick Simba and later the lionesses into thinking he's morally responsible for his father's death. While the audience knows Scar masterminded the whole thing, Simba is tricked into thinking that his "little roar" in the gorge frightened a nearby heard of wildebeest (which he didn't even know were there) into stampeding, which ended up trampling Mufasa. Scar then leads him to believe that accidentally doing something that unintentionally causes someone else's death is morally the same as intentionally killing them.
Scar: Murderer!
Simba: No! It was an accident!
Scar: If it weren't for you, Mufasa would still be alive! Your fault he's dead. Do you deny it?
Simba: No.
Scar: Then you're guilty.
Mordor: The elephant graveyard. The Pride Lands start to resemble it during Scar's reign, partly because he can't be bothered to run it.
More Deadly Than the Male: Simba has never been able to beat his best friend Nala in a fight. He lost to her twice in a row as cubs, and the second time he pounced on her when she was distracted. They fight a third time years later as adults and although they are more evenly match, she still pins him the exact same way, flipping him and pinning him down. She snarls down at him and could have possibly killed him before he says her name. Although Simba does eventually get a "win" against her, pinning her after tumbling down a hill together, it is more of a romantic moment between the two than a "fight".
Multilingual Song: "The Circle of Life", which has lyrics in both English and Zulu.

The Lion King 1994 / Tropes D to M

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The Lion King 1994 / Tropes D to M

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