Film Review: The Lion King - The Hero's Journey

The 1994 Disney film The Lion King is is commonly seen as one of the many films that uses elements from The Hero's Journey that was set out by Joseph Cambell. The Hero's Journey is the basic steps taken by the main character throughout the story from start to finish, sometimes not all the steps are used, some happen out of order or they are repeated.

The story of The Lion King is about a young Lion named Simba who is the son of the King, Mufasa. Simba lives a carefree life with not much to worry about untill his father is killed by Scar, Simba's jealous uncle. Scar makes Simba believe that it was his fault that Mufasa died as he had to rescue him from a stampede of Wildebeest, but really it was a trap set by Scar, and tells him to run away as he would by shunned by his family.

Simba grows up in exile with Timon and Pumbaa, two other outsiders who saved him from death. He thinks that he has found a new home where can forget about his past and live in peace until years later he runs in to his childhood friend Nala. She tells him that Scar said that Simba died along side Mufasa leading to him taking over as King which has lead to the Hyenas moving into the Kingdom and it becomeing a wasteland.

Nala begs Simba to come back home as he is the rightful King but he refuses still thinking that he was the one who killed Mufasa. Afterwards he runs across Rafiki, the shaman who presented Simba to the animels of the Kingdom after he was born, who tells him that the past can not be changed but he can learn from it. He also comes across the ghost of his father who reminds him who he really is and that Simba must take his place in the Circle of Life.

Going back to Pride Rock, Simba faces Scar who still calms that it was Simba's fault Mufasa died. They fight and just before Simba loses Scar reveals that it was never Simba's fault in the frist place, angered Simba fights back and makes Scar tell everyone and turth about his father's death, he also tries to blame it on the Hyenas to try and save himself. Simba lets him live and tells him to leave forever but Scar attacks one more time but is killed by the Hyenas after they heard him blame them for what has happen. After all of this Simba finally beomes King and returns peace to the Kingdom.

By going over the plot of the film I have been able to pick out what I felt fits in with some of the steps of the Hero's Journey.

Ordinary World

The world the hero knows as being normal

In The Lion King the world that Simba knows is his home at Pride Rock and the Circle of Life. Here he feels safe and thinks nothing can hurt him.

The Belly Of The Whale

A place of danger that the hero must try to break free from

There are two points in the story that can be seen as this, the first being Simba and Nala being in the Elephants' Graveyard and having to be rescued by Mufasa from the Hyenas. The second being the Wildebeest stampede that Simba gets stuck in ends in Mufasa's death.

Crossing The First Threshold

The point when the hero leaves what they know and enters the unknown
 After the death of Mufasa, Scar convinces Simba that it was his fault and that he should leave the Kingdom to save himself from his family disowning him.

Rescue From Without
The person or thing that saves the hero just as they are about to give up or die

Timon and Pumbaa find Simba after he has left the Kingdom and take him in. He lives with them up untill adulthood leading a carefree life like he did when he was younger.

Meeting With The Goddess
The main female focus of the hero who most often is the love interest

Simba is reunited with Nala as an adult and starts to have feels for her, he also learns that someone does miss him.

Women As Temptress
Something that will lead the hero away from their quest or information that they want to disbelieve

After being reunited with Nala she tells him that Scar told everyone that he was dead and so took the throne, which has lead to the Kingdom to becoming a wasteland. She asks Simba to come back home to Pride Rock as he is the rightful King.

Refusal Of The Call
The hero tries to talk them selves out of going on the quest becuase something is holding them back

The Refusal Of The Call happens straight away with Simba telling Nala he can't go back (he still believes that he killed his Father and that everyone will hate him for it) and that he is happy where he is.

Supernatural Aid
 The appearance of the mentor

Simba has two mentors who show up at the same time. Rafiki, who tells him that he needs to stop letting the past rule his life, and Mufase's ghost, who reminders Simba who he really is inside.

The Crossing Of The Return Theshold
Returning to the world that they left behind

Simba finely decides to go back to Pride Rock and faces his family.

Atonement With The Father
The final battle with the figure who holds some type of power over the hero

Simba battles Scar.

The Ultimate Boon
The treasure or prize that the hero seeks

I had abit of trouble trying to work this one out as I felt that Simba didn't know what he was aiming for untill near the end of the film when the truth about Mufasa's death comes out. He forces Scar to tell everyone what he has done and that it was his fault the whole time, thus making this the Ultimate Boon.

Freedom To Live
The Hero can live inpeace again

With the guilt of his father's death lifted Simba can become King and live happly with his family again, and even starts a family with Nala.