Baasho

> "*What if we ain’t meant to be kings?*"
> ― Baasho queastions Banagi
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**Baasho** is a male spotted hyena. He is the most trusted of Banagi's cronies and a follower of Scar's.

## Biography

### Backstory

Baasho is a hyena who lived in the Pride Lands during Mufasa's reign. He served as the lieutenant or second-in-command of Banagi's clan, only under Banagi himself.

### King of the Jungle (January 1990)

> "*Baasho: But how do we know he won't turn on us after we get rid of Mufasa?*
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> Banagi: Because he's so dumb, he wouldn't know how.
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> Baasho: And how do we know none of us will get hurt?*"*
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> ― Baasho shows his mistrust of Scar
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Baasho is first seen alongside his leader, Banagi, after Mufasa gives the other animals permission to eat from his pride's catch. While Banagi is resentful of Mufasa for taking claim to the work of the lionesses, Baasho is more neutral, unwilling to make the matter into a conflict. After the lions leave, Baasho and his companions take their fill of what's left of the meal.

Years later, a stranger named Scar enters the savanna, and Mufasa confronts him over a piece of stolen prey. As the two lions engage in a fight, Baasho and his fellow hyenas watch the brawl. After the stranger's defeat, Banagi is outraged and follows the rogue to the border, offering to help him defeat Mufasa.

The hyenas delegate over whether they should trust Scar, with Baasho hesitant to help the rogue in case he turns on them once Mufasa is dead. Banagi, however, is persistent and works his clan into a frenzy over the idea of them becoming kings once Scar is ruler of the savanna.

The plan goes underway, and Baasho joins his clan in building ranks around Scar as he challenges Mufasa. The hyenas join the attack, driving Mufasa back with Scar gaining the upper paw. With no chance of defeating his foes, Mufasa dies, and the hyenas run in pursuit of Simba.

The chase lasts for days, with the hyenas cackling at Simba's heels, until the young lion finally gives up and attacks Baasho head-on. In the midst of the tangle, Simba runs into a rock, which turns out to be a rhinoceros. In answer to Simba's pleas, the rhino chases the hyenas, including Baasho, who bites through a section of Simba's tail in an attempt to keep from falling off a cliff. The tail snaps in his mouth, and Baasho falls alongside his fellow hyenas down the high cliff.

Bruised and defeated, Baasho returns to Banagi with Simba's tail still hanging in his mouth. In a rage, Sarabi lunges at him, but Scar jumps between the two and pulls Sarabi off Baasho, demanding she hunt for him as punishment for her recklessness.

The demented reign of Scar only intensifies, and the hyenas prosper under his terrible power. However, their fears are aroused when Scar begins to grow close to Nala, a fine young lioness who threatens to wedge herself in-between the king and his cronies. In an attempt to see how fast their relationship is growing, Baasho and a few of his friends spy on the two in the forest, but a storm uncovers their deception, and Scar lashes out in anger.

Banagi begs Scar for forgiveness, and Baasho lies, claiming to have never been in the forest in the first place. He then makes the mistake of blaming Nala, who becomes the butt-end of Scar's rage and, as a result, a convict in flight from the pride.

When Nala is used by Simba as bait for Scar, Baasho and his fellow hyenas try to warn their king that it is a trap, but Scar is fooled, and the hyenas are captured by the lionesses, who give them to Simba for a final decision regarding their fate. Mercifully, the new king lets them go, though he banishes them to the desert with the threat of death if they are ever to return.

### King of the Beasts (May 1990)

> "*Stop them! If they hurt each other, they can't hunt!*"
> ― Baasho about the lionesses
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Baasho makes his first appearance alongside Banagi, who is attempting to intimidate a rogue hyena into joining their ranks. In the midst of the meeting, Simba makes a surprise appearance, bursting into the hollow with a warthog hot on his trail. Taking advantage of the moment, Banagi instructs Baasho to chase the warthog away from his prey.

The hyenas are later seen gathering around a kudu, freshly caught by the Ndona lionesses. Mufasa appears and asks Baasho where his leader is. Banagi himself appears, and Mufasa offers to give the hyena clan his pride's prey in repayment for saving Simba. With the pride gone, Baasho and his companions tuck in, though they are immediately chased off by a rogue lion named Scar, who, in turn, is driven out by Mufasa.

Baasho is later seen delivering news to Banagi. Shortly afterward, the hyenas meet with Scar and offer him their allegiance. When the rogue lion gets into a fightwith Mufasa, Baasho and several of his companions attempt to help the stranger in defeating their king, but Scar is outraged that he is receiving help, so Banagi calls off Baasho and his helpers.

When Mufasa is at last defeated, Simba attempts escape, and Banagi sends Baasho after the young lion. Several times, Baasho comes close to killing Simba, but Zazu drives him back each time, protecting his prince. At last, Baasho has Simba hanging by his tail over a cliff, and the tail snaps, sending Simba reeling to his death while Baasho troops away with what's left of Simba's tail in his mouth. Still holding his prize, Baasho returns to the pride and reports the deaths of his fellow hyenas, who'd joined Simba in the plunge over the cliff.

Many days later, Baasho is hired by Banagi to spy on Scar, who is getting dangerously close to Nala. The two decide to make Nala "disappear," and Baasho is hired to do the deadly task himself. At night, he takes a group of hyenas in search of Nala, but the mission ends up a failure.

Nala later shows up and starts a fight with Sarabi, pretending that Sarabi has stolen Scar's attention from her. Afraid that the lionesses will hurt each other, Baasho attempts to break up the fight, but Banagi pulls him out of the fray and orders the clan away.

The hyenas later return during the confrontation between Scar and Simba, during which Banagi instructs Baasho to kill the winner. When Simba emerges the victor, the hyenas attempt to kill him, but he drives them off one by one, before finally throwing Banagi to his death. The remaining members of Banagi's clan submit to Simba, as he is their new king.

## Personality and traits

### *King of the Jungle* (January 1990)

> "*Baasho: I was right here, I swear.*
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> Banagi: There was no one. No one has followed you since that time you caught Baasho. I couldn't make them follow you if I wanted.
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> Scar: Whoever it is, I'll kill 'em.
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> Baasho: Maybe it was one of them. Did you ever think of that?*"*
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> ― Baasho frames the lionesses
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Much less impulsive in nature than his wild-hearted leader, Baasho is fairly even-tempered and level-headed, unlikely to jump into a conflict without first thinking through the outcome of the situation. He is somewhat quiet by nature, rarely lending an opinion unless the matter is of great concern to the future of his clan. His natural instincts are cautionary, and he rarely takes to trusting strangers.

Also unlike his leader, Baasho is more tolerant of his enemies than his fellow hyenas, as he is willing to accept Mufasa dominance over the clan. He is timid in the presence of higher-ranking animals and would much prefer to stay in the background. This is most likely due to his subordinance to Banagi, who is somewhat abusive of his second-in-command and prone to scoffing at Baasho's tentative precautions. The script describes Baasho as being Banagi's "obsequious pal," rendering them friends but not equals.

### King of the Beasts (May 1990)

> "*Hyena: I coulda' swore I heard somebody.*
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> Baasho: Don't crack up on me.*"*
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> ― Baasho and a fellow Hyena
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Baasho is much more cunning and ruthless in this version of the film, having dropped his more timid nature from the first draft. He still retains a quiet demeanor, though it is a more devious quiet than before. He is often seen as a spy, deceptive and slick, able to play the part of an innocent bystander while keeping tabs on the pride he helps control.

Humor was not an aspect of the old Baasho's personality, but this new Baasho makes several sarcastic comments, rendering him a more confident character than before. He seems more attuned to his leader, a closer friend, who is viewed as not quite an equal but on a closer scale than the former Baasho. An increase in intelligence is also apparent, though Baasho's cautionary nature has been considerably toned down.

## Trivia

* “Sho” has no meaning in Swahili, but “Baa” means Disaster.
* Baasho is described as having a voice like that of Peter Lorre.

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