Baloo

**Baloo** is the deuteragonist of the 1967 film The Jungle Book.

## History

### The Jungle Book

Baloo is first seen eating and taking a stroll in the jungle. All of a sudden, he sees the strangest thing. Baloo takes a closer look at this "thing." The boy slaps him in the nose. He tells Baloo to go away, eventually starting to punch and kick, although Baloo cannot even feel it. He does the boy a favor and begins teaching him how to be a fighter. Eventually, the boy and Baloo become friends. That boy's name is revealed to be Mowgli. Bagheera, who is supervising Mowgli, is ready to take him back to the Man Village. Meanwhile, Baloo offers Mowgli the opportunity to stay with him, which he accepts gladly, but Bagheera does not. Baloo then begins to teach Mowgli about "The Bare Necessities". Baloo gives Mowgli lessons about eating ants and relaxing. He tells him to never work hard and to not waste time looking around for something he may want but cannot be found.

During his swim around the river, Mowgli is kidnapped by monkeys, Baloo tries to fight them off to save his "bear cub", but they taunt him and escape, taking Mowgli with them. Baloo shouts for Bagheera, and the two know exactly who is responsible for this, and they head off. The plan was from none other than King Louie, the king of all primates. Louie desires the power of Man, and dreams over the creation of Man's "Red Flower". He asks Mowgli, whom he tries to convince by singing "I Wanna Be Like You". Mowgli claims he does not know, but Louie refuses to believe him. Baloo and Bagheera devise a plan: Baloo distracts the monkeys and Bagheera will rescue Mowgli. Baloo dresses as a female orangutan, dancing with Louie. They are discovered after Baloo's costume falls apart, and a chase begins. The ruins begin to collapse just as Baloo, Bagheera and Mowgli make their exit, which left Louie at his destroyed kingdom.

That night, Baloo and the others rest. Bagheera takes the time to explain the reasons as to why Baloo cannot adopt Mowgli as his own son. Baloo is reluctant to listen until the mention of Shere Khan, the tiger who seeks to kill Mowgli only because he is a human. Baloo sadly agrees to take Mowgli to the village, knowing it will save his life. In the morning, Baloo and Mowgli begin to travel to the village, although Mowgli does not know where they are going. Baloo tries to break the news gently but becomes angry when Mowgli speaks ill of Bagheera. Mowgli then runs away, heartbroken and bitter, and Baloo and Bagheera separate to find him. Baloo then regrets at what he done and he never forgives himself if something happened to Mowgli.

Baloo searches in the wasteland home of the vultures, and just in time, as Shere Khan and Mowgli are about to fight. Baloo grabs Khan's tail, holding him back a bit. Shere Khan spins in circles with Baloo holding on until they wrap around a tree where the tiger faces Baloo's behind and, in a fit of anger, takes a massive bite into Baloo's butt, causing him to yelp loudly in pain. Soon, Shere Khan starts clawing him to death. Mowgli scares Khan away with fire, and when all seems well, darkness falls on Mowgli as Baloo lies unconscious and presumed dead. Just as Bagheera and Mowgli depart, Baloo woke up, revealing he is alive and reunites with Mowgli. They go back to the jungle. During the trip, Mowgli becomes enchanted by a beautiful girl from the Man Village. He follows the pretty maiden to the village. Baloo, initially imploring Mowgli to come back to him, eventually lets him go, and he and Bagheera return to the jungle, singing "The Bare Necessities" together once more.