Shenzi

―Shenzi to Simba, when he trespasses in the Elephant Graveyard[src] | ”

**Shenzi Marie Predatora Veldetta Jaquelina Hyena**, better known as **Shenzi**, was a female hyena. She was the leader of a clan of hyenas.

Initially, Shenzi and her clan lived in exile from the Pride Lands. They formed a friendship with a member of the royal family named Scar, who recruited them to assist in the murder of Mufasa, the kingdom's reigning monarch, and his heir, Simba. On Scar's orders, Shenzi and her clan instigated a stampede that led to Mufasa's death. The hyenas then made an attempt on Simba's life but failed. However, they reported to Scar and his pride that Simba had died, which allowed Scar to take the throne.

With Scar as the king of the Pride Lands, the hyenas were allowed entry. During Scar's reign, a famine struck the kingdom, stripping the Pride Lands of its former glory and starving both the hyenas and the lionesses. Eventually, a full-grown Simba returned to the Pride Lands to take his place as the rightful king. Shenzi and her clan opposed Simba, supporting Scar's claim to the throne, but Scar betrayed the hyenas to Simba to save his own life. This led them to turn on and kill him.

Years later, Shenzi and her clan were confronted by Scar's spirit and the Outsiders. When she attempted to defeat Scar, Zira snapped Shenzi's neck, killing her. As a result, Shenzi's spirit entered the Astral Dimension, but was captured by the Ndona Pride, claiming her alliance with Scar was a crime. Shenzi became recruited by Mheetu to hunt down a rogue hyena, only for her to discover that the hyena was Baasho, whom Shenzi soon formed a partnership with.

Having learnt that the Ndona Pride had been built on lies, Shenzi had helped Baasho to track down the Great Spirits, only to discover that they were servants created by the Great Spirit. Shenzi and Baasho were warned by the Great Spirit that if he was killed, all his relatives would conquer, only for Baasho to betray Shenzi and murdering the Great Spirit. Shenzi then discovered that these actions had caused Leo to rise up and take up complete control of the Ndona Pride.

## Biography

### Early life

Shenzi lived in the Elephant Graveyard due to her clan's exile from the Pride Lands. At some point in her life, she became the leader of her clan. She was close friends with four fellow hyenas, Kamari, Azizi, Banzai, and Ed, as well as a lion named Scar.

### Attack on Timon's colony

―Shenzi, as Timon dances while on sentry duty[src] | ”

While on sentry duty for his colony, Timon began to dance and sing. With the meerkat distracted, Shenzi and her cohorts, Banzai and Ed, snuck up behind him. At the conclusion of his song, they clapped and cheered sarcastically, after which they shoved him aside and launched an attack on his colony. The hyenas nearly managed to catch Uncle Max, but he escaped down a hole just in time. Afterward, the trio walked away, guffawing.

### Attack on Simba and Nala

―Shenzi to Simba, Nala, and Zazu[src] | ”

When Simba and his friend, Nala, ventured into the Elephant Graveyard, Zazu attempted to get them to leave. However, Simba insisted that he was not afraid and laughed mockingly in front of an elephant skull. Just then, Shenzi, Banzai, Azizi, Kamari, and Ed echoed his laughter and emerged from within the skull, while Simba hid behind Zazu in fear. The hyenas approached and remarked that the three were trespassing. Shenzi recognized Zazu as Mufasa's "little stooge," and Zazu clarified that he was the king's majordomo. Simba then asserted his own title as the future king, but the hyenas were not impressed. The five began to plot how they would eat the cubs, during which Simba, Nala, and Zazu managed to escape.

Eventually, the hyenas caught up to Zazu and grabbed him by the tail. They stuffed him into a geyser and watched it erupt, which caused them to burst into laughter. Simba and Nala approached, and Simba told the hyenas to pick on someone their own size. Shenzi pointed out that Simba was their size, and the hyenas gave chase. At one point, Shenzi nearly caught Nala, but Simba stopped her by clawing her across the face. Afterward, the hyenas cornered the cubs against a rock wall and mocked Simba for his piteous roar.

Just then, Mufasa arrived and fought off the hyenas. Though Shenzi and Banzai tried to insist that they had been unaware of Simba's relationship to Mufasa, Ed clarified that he had known, which infuriated Mufasa. The hyenas promptly fled the scene.

### Plot to kill Mufasa

―Shenzi on Simba, after she and her clan drive him from the Pride Lands[src] | ”

That night, Shenzi and Banzai lamented how lions ruled over hyenas. They proceeded to insult lions, calling them such names as "pushy," "hairy," "stinky," and "ugly." Just then, Scar emerged, and the hyenas commented that he was their friend and not nearly as "important" as other lions. They went on that Mufasa was a true example of power, with Shenzi adding that his mere name made her shudder. To tease her, Banzai repeated Mufasa's name over and over again until she was shivering uncontrollably. This disgusted Scar, who called the hyenas "idiots" and chafed at them for calling him their friend.

Though Scar chided the hyenas for their failure to kill Simba and Nala, he still dropped them a haunch of meat for their trouble. As the hyenas began to gorge themselves on the food, Shenzi reminded Scar that the cubs had not been alone, and Banzai questioned if they were expected to kill Mufasa. To their shock and confusion, Scar answered, "Precisely." He then proceeded to outline his plot to assassinate both Mufasa and Simba, and seize the throne of Pride Rock for himself. In exchange for the hyenas' help, he promised to let them enter the Pride Lands and eat to their hearts' content.

The next day, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed waited for Scar's signal to start a stampede of wildebeests. Though Banzai wanted to eat a wildebeest, Shenzi forbid him from interfering and insisted that they must wait for Scar. Once Scar appeared on a nearby ridge, the hyenas attacked the herd and drove them down into the gorge where Simba was. The plan was a success, as Mufasa died in his attempt to save Simba's life. Afterward, Scar commanded the hyenas to kill Simba. They chased him through the gorge but lost him when he fell into a thorn patch. Assuming that he would die of exposure, they let him go and lied to Scar that they had finished the job.

### Scar's reign

―Shenzi, during the famine[src] | ”

Under Scar's reign, the Pride Lands suffered a severe famine, and the herds moved on. This left the hyenas and lionesses without anything to eat. One day, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed confronted Scar about the problem, but he reminded them that it was the lionesses' job to provide food. Banzai pointed out that they were not hunting, so Scar offered up Zazu as food. This only irritated the hyenas and made Banzai remark on how much better Mufasa's reign had been. Incited, Scar asked Banzai to repeat himself, and Shenzi nudged him, which caused him to pretend that he had not mentioned Mufasa. Scar then ordered the hyenas out of his den.

### Battle of Pride Rock

―Shenzi on Scar's betrayal[src] | ”

A full-grown Simba returned to the Pride Lands and challenged Scar for the throne of Pride Rock. Upon recognizing Simba, Scar expressed shock that he was still alive, then glared up pointedly at the hyenas. They gulped nervously and backed away into the shadows.

Later, when a battle broke out between the hyenas and the lionesses, Shenzi and Banzai chased Timon into Scar's cave. There, the meerkat took shelter with Zazu in a bone cage. Just before the hyenas could eat Timon, Pumbaa showed up, and Banzai asked who the "pig" was. This antagonized Pumbaa, who insisted that he was "Mr. Pig," after which he charged at and beat up the hyenas.

Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed attempted to stop Simba from chasing Scar, but Timon and Pumbaa distracted them by telling an offensive joke about hyenas. The trio fell for the trick and chased Timon and Pumbaa until they had cornered them against a rock wall. While Timon and Pumbaa attempted to stall the hyenas, Ma and Uncle Max dug a trap tunnel beneath them. At one point, Timon got so desperate that he proposed to Shenzi, but she rejected him and declared that their relationship would violate "so many" laws of nature.

Just then, the trap tunnel failed, and Timon decided to jump in and finish it himself. He managed to kick down the last tunnel support, which opened up the ground beneath the hyenas and sent them plummeting to the base of Pride Rock.

Toward the end of the battle, Shenzi witnessed Scar betraying the hyenas to Simba. After Scar was thrown to the base of Pride Rock, the hyenas met him there and revealed that they had overheard his betrayal. As one, the clan advanced on Scar, attacked him, and ate him alive amidst a fiery blaze.

### Death

While in the Elephant Graveyard, Shenzi and her clan were attacked by the spirit of Scar and the Outsiders. After wiping out half of the hyenas, Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu ate Ed, Kamari, and Azizi amidst the flames of the Elephant Graveyard. While Scar overpowered Banzai, Shenzi pretended to swear allegiance to Scar, only to be killed by Zira by snapping her neck, leaving her body cradled.

### Legacy

―Nuka on the Elephant Graveyard[src] | ”

While gathering fire at the Elephant Graveyard with his sister, Vitani, Nuka mentioned that the hyenas had run off.

## Physical appearance

Shenzi is a moderately sized hyena. She has gray fur, with a pale gray underbelly and dark gray spots on her flanks. While her ears and paws are black, her eye rims and inner ears are dark gray. Her eyes are black with yellow sclerae. Unlike most hyenas, she has a long black mane that ends in bangs over her forehead.

## Personality and traits

Of the hyena trio, Shenzi is the most cunning and even-tempered. She rarely loses her composure and is far more focused than her friends, as seen when she did not let Banzai hunt before the assassination of Mufasa. She carries herself with authority, charisma, and drive, and does not struggle to keep her clanmates in line, even when they disagree with her decisions. Though she was initially subservient and loyal to Scar, she changed allegiance once it became clear that he was not looking out for her clan's best interest, and her fellow hyenas were quick to follow her lead.

Shenzi is somewhat sassy and snarky, and tends to make light of situations. She can have a dark sense of humor, such as when she and Banzai exchanged quips about how they were going to eat a young Simba and Nala. Additionally, she made fun of Timon and cracked jokes about his fellow meerkats shortly before trying to eat them. Like most hyenas, she has a voracious appetite and will not easily give up the hunt. Even so, she knows her strengths and will not take unnecessary risks. She refused to fight Mufasa due to his overwhelming physical power and did not pursue Simba into a thorn patch for fear of getting harmed.

Initially, Shenzi considered Scar to be her friend and was willing to follow his every order. However, her trust in him began to waver when the Pride Lands suffered a severe famine, and it shattered completely when he betrayed her clan to Simba. Ultimately, Scar's treachery pushed her to turn on him and enact her vengeance by eating him alive.

## Relationships

Allies* Shenzi's clan
	+ Banzai - Best Friend
	+ Ed † - Best Friend
	+ Kamari † - Close Friend
	+ Azizi † - Close Friend
* Mheetu - Former Enemy and Friend
* Bhati - Former Attempted Killer
* Kwashi
* Baasho - Temporary Enemy and Love Interest
* Banagi † - Savior
* Iggy
* Mabu
* Tesma
	+ Timon - Unrequired Love Interest
	+ Buzz † - Victim
	+ Uncle Max † - Attempted Victim
	+ Ma
* Simba's pride
	+ Simba - Attempted Victim
	+ Nala - Attempted Victim
	+ Scar † - Former King and Victim
	+ Mufasa †
	+ Sarabi
* Zazu
* Rafiki †
* Pumbaa - Attempted Victim
* Outsiders
	+ Zira † - Killer
	+ Nuka †
	+ Vitani
	+ Kovu
* Ndona Pride - Temporary Allies
	+ Naanda - Attempted Killer
	+ Binti
* Great Spirits †
* Herr Rhino - Attempted Killer
* Great Spirit †
* Leo †
* Mbala Pride - Situational Enemies
	+ Diku
	+ Dwala

## Appearances

* *Six New Adventures*
	+ "A Tale of Two Brothers"
* *The Lion King: Revisited*
	+ "New Acquaintances for Timon"
	+ "Be Prepared"
	+ "Stampede"
	+ "The Famine"
	+ "Battle for Pride Rock"
	+ "Battle for the Pride Lands"
	+ "Epilogue: An Important Coronation" (flashback)
* *Shenzi*
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 1"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 2"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 3"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 4"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 5"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 6"
* *The Lion King: Revisited*
	+ "Zebra Crossing" (post-credits scene)
* *Shenzi*
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 7"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 8"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 9"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 10"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 11"
	+ "Shenzi Chapter 12"
	+ "Lion Guard: The Leo Dynasty"
	+ "Lion Guard: Wild Schemes and Catastrophes"

## Trivia

* Shenzi was voiced by the following:
	+ In *The Lion King: Revisited*, she was voiced by Whoopi Goldberg.
	+ In *Six New Adventures*, she was voiced by Tress MacNeille.
		- MacNeille also voiced Tatiana.
	+ In *Shenzi*, she was voiced by Whoopi Goldberg.

* Shenzi's name means "barbaric, uncouth, uncivilized, savage, barbarous" in Swahili.