4 times ‘The Lion King’ hit me in the (adult) feels

As a child, ‘The Lion King’ was just another fun story about cute animals singing catchy songs in rebellion against their parents. I remember watching the movie with friends who cried when Mufasa died. As awful as this sounds, I didn’t feel a thing. As a child of a ‘Tiger Dad’ I resonated so deeply with Simba’s desire for autonomy and independence.

In fact, ‘I just can’t wait to be King!’ became my childhood anthem. I couldn’t wait for the day where I could be the queen of my own life and to be free of the ‘Do this!’ and ‘Be there’s!’ I thought ‘The Lion King’ was a story about breaking free from my kingdom’s rules. Clearly, I missed the point of the whole movie.

Rewatching ‘The Lion King’ remake as a thirty year old was an interesting experience. I didn’t expect to grieve Mufasa’s death. I didn’t expect to be so horrified by how maniplatively evil Uncle Scar was towards his family. I didn’t expect to disagree with Timon and Pumba’s philosophy for life. I didn’t expect to feel disappointed in Simba when he disrespected his father. Behind the cute characters and catchy tunes was a story that left me hungry for redemption.

4 times the ‘Lion King’ hit me in the (adult) feels:

1. When Mufasa admits that even kings get scared.

After Simba is rescued from a pack of hyenas by Mufasa, he is taken aside to be disciplined. Mufasa had instructed Simba not to venture into the elephant graveyard but Simba directly disobeyed. He wanted to explore the darkness and break boundaries because he wanted to be like his dad who is, ‘not scared of anything’.

Instead of enforcing discipline and punishment, Mufasa uses this honest confession as an opportunity to tenderly teach his son a valuable lesson: even kings get scared. In a ruthless world that expects us to always have our best foot forward, Mufasa’s humility and authenticity was a breath of fresh air.

This scene reminded me that even powerful people have to face inner demons and that as you grow older, you learn to accept the limitations that have been weaved into the fabric of humanity. Mufasa’s character showed me that courage is born when we choose to do the right thing in spite of our insecurities and fears. That is what makes a good leader.

2. When Queen Sarabi courageously rebukes Scar’s misuse of power.

We live in a world that is sceptical of powerful people because as the saying goes, “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” You don’t need to live very long to get a taste of this truth. After Scar takes the throne, he and the hyenas immediately go on a hunting spree, using their power to kill all the animals in the kingdom in order to quench their insatiable appetites.

Scar and the hyenas take over the Pridelands. Photo: Walt Disney Studios

He also tries to intimidate Sarabi into becoming his Queen, claiming he’s more powerful than Mufasa. Like a true queen, Sarabi reminds Scar that “a king’s true power is his compassion”. As the animal at the very top of the food chain, Mufasa led the kingdom in a way that showed compassion to weaker and more vulnerable animals. Mufasa was a selfless king who died not because of his lack of power, but because he was protecting the son he loved.

3. When I realised Nala and Zazu are true friends who will speak difficult truths for Simba’s good.

As attractive as it sounds, the care-free “Hakuna Matata” philosophy is not the solution to life’s problems. We can try to run and hide from our mistakes but escapism will never give us the peace of mind that we long for. It’s only a matter of time when our skeletons will return to haunt us and to make us feel like a lost little lion again.

Simba with Timon and Pumba in the 2019 remake. Photo: Walt Disney Studios.

When I watched ‘The Lion King’ as a child, I longed to have friends like Timon and Pumba – party animals that could fill my life with song, laughter and ‘no worries!’ Truth be told, I wouldn’t be where I am today if all of my friends embodied Timon and Pumba’s care-free spirit. While I appreciate the lively spirits of such friends, I have also learned to appreciate the friends around me who embody seemingly more ‘serious’ or ‘restrictive’ traits displayed by Nala and Zazu.

A true friend will be committed to speaking the truth in love if they see me veering off the narrow path. A true friend will sometimes say ‘no’ to my demands for freedom and establish boundaries for my good. A true friend won’t encourage me to ‘Hakuna Matata’ my sorrows with superficial laughter. Instead, they will courageously step into my mess and be committed to walking (or dragging me) through the valley together. I am thankful for such friends.

4. When the kingdom was united under a good and powerful king.

The movie begins and ends with creatures of all colours, shapes and sizes celebrating the birth of the new king. The image gives me goosebumps because it’s such a comforting picture of peace, unity and flourishing. The movie begins with the kingdom united around a good and powerful king, and by the end of the movie, the threat to the throne has been defeated!

The iconic ‘Circle of Life’ scene. Image comparison supplied by Sowick.

As the iconic ‘Circle of Life’ theme song plays in the background, I couldn’t help but leave the cinemas longing for a better world; one where humanity is united around a worthy king who is committed to goodness and human flourishing.

Hungry for Redemption

‘The Lion King’ remake left me hungry for redemption and yet I know that redemption has come in the person of Jesus. Like Mufasa, Jesus was a compassionate leader who never used his power for personal gain. In fact, his life was an example of the best way to use power. Although he was the very ‘nature of God’ (Philippians 2:6), he humbled himself at the cross and died to save powerless people. In a world where ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’, Jesus withheld his power to redeem humanity’s corruption.

But unlike the devastating death of Mufasa which brought an end to his kingship, Jesus didn’t stay dead. Although human and spiritual authorities tried to humiliate his rule with a crown of thorns, Jesus made a public spectacle of his enemies by raising from the dead and triumphing over the cross! (Colossians 2:15) The resurrection of King Jesus is the ultimate plot twist that our broken world longs for.

These days, when I find myself in life’s valleys, instead of running away from my problems I can now run towards a sovereign King who promises to use his power to work out all things for my good. (Romans 8:28) Even though I’m tempted to Hakuna Matata, I can now face my problems with hope. After all, if I belong to a King who has defeated death, who or what shall I fear?