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Simba is a character from the film The Lion King (1994).

History[]

Biography[]

Youth[]

Simba was a lion born to King Mufassa and Queen Sarabi of the Pride Lands. When Simba was a cub, his father was murdered by his uncle Scar so that Scar could inherit the Pride lands. However, Simba did not realize Scar's involvement and instead blamed himself. Scar proceeded to manipulate Simba into fleeing the Pride Lands before sicking his hyena cronies Shenzi, Bonzai and Ed after him.

Simba found refuge in a jungle oasis where he was adopted by a meerkat named Timon and warthog named Pumbaa. Simba grew up with the couple while attempting to hide away from his problems. This was until as a young lion, he was found by his old best-friend Nala who informed Simba of how Scar had disrupted the Circle of Life and caused the Pride Lands to be in ruins.

King of the Pride Lands[]

Simba was later found by the wise baboon Rafiki whom enlightened Simba on the nature of guilt and recognizing the past. After this, Simba saw a vision of his father's ghost who encouraged him to go and fight Scar. Upon returning to Pride Rock, Simba fought Scar and took his rightful place as king while Scar was killed by his angered hyena followers. Simba later became mates with Nala and together they had a daughter named Kiara.

Around the 1990s/2000s, Simba travelled Africa with the human performers Kiume, Nakawa, Kibibi, and Zawadi in a celebration of his rule known as the, "Festival of the Lion King". This troop also included Timon, Pumbaa as well as a giraffe, African and group of, "Tumble Monkeys". This show most notably stopped in the East-African port of Harambe within the Harambe Theatre.

Development history[]

Simba is loosely based on the character of Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeare's 1603 play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. In the film's sequel The Lion King II, he serves as an analogue to the character of Lord Capulet from Shakespeare's 1597 play Romeo and Juliet.

Jungle Cruise appearances[]

Africa (Disney's Animal Kingdom)[]

Festival of the Lion King[]

Simba appears in this attraction within the port of Harambe.

Harambe Marketplace[]

Near this market, artwork of Simba and Nala was added to a gate in 2019. Above them are the words, "Unaweza kuhisi upendo usiku wa leo", translating to, "Can you feel the love tonight?".

Kilimanjaro Safaris[]

The main Kilimanjaro Safari company jeep of this attraction is called the SIMBA-1.

The Lion King Scavenger Hunt[]

Two wooden sculptures of Simba were hidden across Harambe. One was of a young Simba, found on the upper-level of the Harambe Theatre. The other was found on a pole by the Muziki music-stand, depicting him as an adult with Nala and Kiara.[1]

Jungle Cruise[]

A removed shield from the headhunter village in Disneyland showed the logo for the Lion King musical.[2]

Skipper Canteen[]

In the Skipper Canteen's library there is a book titled Hamlet: A Lion's Tale by Shakes Speare. This references the Lion King and its origins as an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Other connections[]

Jungle Cruise: Wildlife Expeditions[]

The song Circle of Life from the Presentation of Simba and his daughter Kiara plays while passing the African veldt in this version of the Jungle Cruise.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom[]

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room[]

Simba's majordomo Zazu co-owned the Enchanted Tiki Room with the parrot Iago.

Other appearances[]

Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable[]

It's a Small World[]

A Mary Blair inspired depiction of Simba appears in Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland, both times as a cub.

Mickey's PhilharMagic[]

Simba appears as a cub in this attraction, singing, "I Just Can't Wait to be King" while Donald Duck is terrorized by the animal performers.

Gallery[]

References[]

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