Mufasa

**Mufasa** was a male lion. He was the king of Pride Rock who preceded Scar. He was the elder brother of Scar, and the mate of Sarabi, with whom he had a son, Simba.

After the birth of his son, Simba, Mufasa trained him to respect the Circle of Life and to take responsibility for his kingdom and subjects. While Simba was still a cub, Scar plotted against Mufasa and used a stampede to endanger Simba's life. After saving Simba from the stampede, Mufasa climbed up the side of a gorge, only to be thrown to his death by Scar. Simba found Mufasa's body after the stampede, and Scar convinced him that he was to blame for his father's death, which prompted him to flee the Pride Lands.

For years, Simba grew up in self-exile in the jungle until he encountered the spirit of Mufasa, who urged him to return to the Pride Lands and reclaim his birthright. During his confrontation with Scar, Simba learned that Scar was to blame for Mufasa's death and so exiled Scar from the Pride Lands. After Scar's defeat and death, Simba ascended Pride Rock, with Mufasa's spirit watching from the stars. In the years afterward, Mufasa's spirit continued to watch over the Pride Lands, as he frequently offered advice to Simba's son, Kion, and encouraged the reunification of the Outsiders and Pride Landers.

He had a younger brother. While Mufasa grew up as the heir to the throne of Pride Rock, his brother served as the leader of the Lion Guard.

When the two were young adults, Mufasa's brother returned to Pride Rock after a solo patrol in the Outlands. He informed Mufasa of his victory over a rogue lion who had attempted to take over the kingdom. In response, Mufasa playfully nicknamed him "Scar" after the facial wound he had received from the incident, which embittered him and made him believe that Mufasa did not deserve to be king.

Presumably, Mufasa was betrothed to Sarabi, as per the law of the Pride Lands monarchy. The two were married and had a son, whom they named Simba.

### Simba's presentation

―Mufasa confronts Scar, after Simba's presentation[src] | ”

Before Simba's presentation, Mufasa stood atop Pride Rock, overlooking the arrival of his subjects. His majordomo, Zazu, alighted in front of him and bowed, which prompted Mufasa to smile. The kingdom's Royal Mjuzi, Rafiki, climbed up Pride Rock and embraced Mufasa. Afterward, Mufasa walked to Sarabi's side and nuzzled her. With the parents watching warmly, Rafiki anointed Simba and took the cub into his arms. The mandrill then carried Simba to the peak of Pride Rock, where he lifted him into the air for the animals to see.

After the ceremony, Mufasa went to confront his younger brother, Scar, who had been strangely absent from the ceremony. The king caught Scar with Zazu in his mouth and ordered the younger lion to release his prey. Scar did so, albeit reluctantly. Though Scar spoke sarcastically to Mufasa, the king firmly asked why he had been absent from the ceremony. Scar feigned forgetfulness and called Simba a "little hairball," to which Mufasa reminded Scar that Simba was his son and the future king. Scar quipped that he would practice his curtsy, then turned his back on his brother. Antagonized, Mufasa ordered Scar to never turn his back on him, but Scar shot back that it was Mufasa who should never turn his back on him. This enraged Mufasa, who jumped in front of Scar and asked if that was a challenge. Scar denied this, commenting that he was intelligent but could not rival Mufasa in physical strength. He then strode off into the savanna.

Mufasa watched Scar go and lamented their estranged relationship. Zazu teasingly suggested that Mufasa turn his brother into a throw rug, which made the king laugh.

Mufasa watched Scar go and lamented their estranged relationship. Zazu teasingly suggested that Mufasa turn his brother into a throw rug, which made the king laugh.

### Raising Simba

―Mufasa[src] | ”

One morning, when Simba was a cub, he aroused his father to take him to the summit of Pride Rock. Once there, Mufasa showed Simba the kingdom and informed him that the land would be passed on to him when he became the new king. Simba asked about the "shadowy place," and Mufasa warned him to never venture there, as it was beyond their borders. Simba replied that he thought a king could do whatever he wanted, but Mufasa explained that there was more to being king than getting one's way all the time.

As Mufasa and Simba walked around the Pride Lands, Mufasa taught his son about the Circle of Life, explaining that all living creatures existed together in a delicate balance. In response to Simba's confusion, Mufasa explained that, though the antelope was food for the lion, the lion's body would become the grass after his death. This would in turn feed the antelope. Thus, predator and prey were connected in the Circle of Life.

In the midst of the lesson, Zazu appeared and gave Mufasa his morning report. While Zazu was talking, Mufasa noticed Simba's attempts at pouncing and decided to teach the cub how to pounce properly. Mufasa used Zazu as target practice for his son and laughed when Simba successfully knocked Zazu to the ground.

Just then, a mole reported that hyenas had trespassed into the Pride Lands. Suddenly serious, Mufasa leaped over Simba and ordered Zazu to take the cub home. Though Simba protested and begged to accompany his father on the mission, Mufasa was firm in his rejection and took off to deal with the problem alone.

Later, when Simba and his friend, Nala, ventured into the Elephant Graveyard, Mufasa was fetched by Zazu for help. He arrived in the nick of time to save the cubs from the hyenas, whom he warned to never come near his son again. After the hyenas ran away in fear, Mufasa briefly scolded Simba for deliberately disobeying him, then demanded that they return home.

After ordering Zazu to take Nala home, Mufasa expressed disappointment in Simba for having almost gotten himself and Nala killed. Simba told his father that he had been attempting to be brave, but Mufasa reminded him that being brave did not mean that one should go looking for trouble. He then admitted that he had been scared because he had almost lost Simba. This surprised the cub, who joked that the hyenas had been even more scared. The two briefly wrestled, and Simba climbed onto his father's head. He then asked Mufasa if they would always be together. Mufasa told Simba to listen to something his own father had told him. He went on to talk about the Great Kings of the Past, who looked down on them from the stars and would always be there to guide Simba if he needed them, as would Mufasa.

### Stampede and death

―Mufasa, moments before his death[src] | ”

Unbeknownst to Mufasa, Scar plotted to assassinate him and Simba with the help of his hyena minions. One day, while roaming the Pride Lands with Mufasa, Zazu reported that a wildebeest herd was on the move, which Mufasa found odd. Just then, Scar reported that Simba was trapped in a stampede in the gorge. Terrified for his son's safety, Mufasa rushed to the gorge. After locating Simba, who was clinging to a dead tree in the midst of the stampede, Mufasa jumped into the fray without hesitation. After some struggles, Mufasa retrieved his son and bore him to safety. However, before Mufasa himself could climb out of the gorge, a wildebeest dragged him back into the chaos, and Simba yelled after him in fear. With a powerful leap, Mufasa caught on to and began to scale the side of the gorge.

At the top of the gorge, Mufasa begged Scar to help him, but Scar pierced Mufasa's paws with his claws. He then leaned in and said, "Long live the king." As Mufasa looked on in horror, Scar let go of his brother's paws, and Mufasa fell to his death. The king's broken body was soon found by Simba. Scar arrived and convinced the cub that he was responsible for Mufasa's death and so must flee the Pride Lands. Leaving Mufasa's body behind, Simba fled the kingdom and took up residence in a jungle.