Pumbaa (2019 film)

Pumbaa is a male warthog.
When a young Simba fled his homeland, Pumbaa and his best friend, Timon, took the cub in and taught him to adopt a "Hakuna Matata" lifestyle. Seasons later, Simba's childhood friend Nala found him in the jungle and implored him to return home and reclaim his birthright. Simba did so, and Timon and Pumbaa assisted him in the battle against Scar and his hyena army. After Simba and his allies emerged victorious, Timon and Pumbaa witnessed him ascend Pride Rock and take his place as the rightful king of the Pride Lands.
==Biography==
===Early life===
As a piglet, Pumbaa had a major flatulence problem, which repelled his friends. The abandonment saddened and scarred Pumbaa, who would continue to lament the situation into his adulthood. At some point, Pumbaa took up residence in the jungle, where he lived with several friends, including Timon.
===Friendship with Simba===
Pumbaa and his best friend, Timon, were chasing off vultures when they stumbled upon Simba's unconscious body. Timon implored Pumbaa to run for his life, but Pumbaa expressed interest in adopting Simba as a pet. He begged Timon for permission, and the meerkat eventually relented.
The two brought Simba to their jungle home, where they taught him to embrace a "Hakuna Matata" lifestyle. They introduced him to their animal friends and told him that he must eat grubs in order to live with them. Simba agreed, and the two accepted him as their friend.
Over the seasons, Simba grew up with Timon and Pumbaa. One day, he asked his friends about the Circle of Life, and they explained that life was more like a line and that everyone was out for themselves. Pumbaa insisted that his actions did not affect anyone but himself.
That night, Pumbaa stargazed with his friends. He wondered if the stars were balls of gas, but Timon merely poked fun at him for obsessing over gas. Simba repeated his father's story about the Great Kings of the Past, only for Timon and Pumbaa to laugh at him. Simba wandered off sorrowfully, and Timon blamed Pumbaa for the situation. Pumbaa, in turn, felt guilty.
===Meeting Nala===
One day, Pumbaa and his friends were wandering through the jungle when they were attacked by a lioness. The lioness targeted Pumbaa and chased him through the jungle. Just before she could catch him, Simba came to his aid and fended her off. The two fought until they recognized each other as childhood friends, after which they had a joyous reunion.
Simba introduced Timon and Pumbaa to Nala. He then left with her to explore the jungle, which made Timon disapprove. Pumbaa was clueless as to why Timon was upset but understood once Timon explained that Simba would fall in love with Nala and leave their trio.
===Battle for Pride Rock===
The next day, Timon and Pumbaa journeyed across the desert and caught up with Simba, who had left to reclaim his birthright. They distracted the hyenas, which allowed Simba and Nala to sneak into the kingdom undetected. After escaping the hyenas, the duo joined Simba and his pride in the battle against Scar and his hyena minions. When the hyenas called Pumbaa "chubby," he attacked them and declared that though he may run from hyenas, he would always fight bullies.
After the battle, Pumbaa watched Simba ascend Pride Rock. Seasons later, he and Timon witnessed the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub.
==Physical appearance==
Pumbaa is a large and stout warthog covered in wiry brown hair. He has a long, wide snout from which twin white tusks protrude. He also sports pointed cheeks, shiny black eyes, and a disheveled mane of hair that runs down the back of his neck. He tends to hoist his tail upright when he walks.
==Personality and traits==
Unlike the more cynical Timon, Pumbaa is generally upbeat, cheerful, and optimistic, although he also tends to speak the truth bluntly. He has a big heart and is protective of those in need of help, as evidenced when he pled with Timon to let him take in a young Simba. Pumbaa is naturally skittish and will instinctively flee when threatened by a predator. Despite this, he will fight when provoked, as seen when he reacted with anger and indignation to being called "chubby" by a hyena.
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
* Pumbaa was voiced by Seth Rogen.
* Pumbaa's name means "be foolish" or "be dumbfounded, be astonished" or "be weak-minded" or "be negligent, be careless, be thoughtless" or "be ignorant" in Swahili.
* Pumbaa's piglet version is not a warthog; rather, it is a red river hog.
* In the novelization of the film, Pumbaa teaches Simba to chase off vultures in order to collect their eggs. Simba comments that Pumbaa is a stealthy hunter.
==References==
Category:Characters
Category:The Lion King (2019 film) characters
Category:Males
Category:Mufasa: The Lion King characters
Category:Pride Landers
Category:Warthogs