WhileMufasa: The Lion Kingmight not have been a prequel anyone asked for, there were certainly aspects of the film that made it a worthwhile watch. The movie follows the origin story of Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and chronicles his days as a young cub before he became the king everyone remembers. After losing his parents during a flash flood, Mufasa finds himself far away from home where he meets Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), the prince of a nearby pride. Alone and without his family, Mufasa is adopted by Eshe (Thandiwe Newton), Taka’s mother, which subsequently made the cubs de facto brothers. Elated with their new sibling, Mufasa and Taka grow up side by side and remain loyal to one another for most of their lives. However, Taka eventually grows to become Scar, which ultimately casts a sad shadow on the entire narrative of the film.
Told in a series of flashbacks, Rafiki (John Kani) details Mufasa’s life to Simba’s (Donald Glover) daughter, Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter). Tasked with watching over her while her parents are away, Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) join Kiara and continuously offer their comedic commentary throughout Rafiki’s tale. Arguably the most entertaining parts of the prequel, the scenes with everyone’s favorite meerkat and warthogmake the movie worth watching. They might be mere side characters, but Timon and Pumbaa are without a doubt the best part ofMufasa: The Lion King.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Timon and Pumbaa’s Humor Distracts Viewers From Mufasa’s Fate
While Timon and Pumbaa don’t add anything necessary forMufasa’snarrative to progress, they provide enough humor to keep the audience interested in the story. In many ways, Timon and Pumbaa are the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern ofMufasa: The Lion King. The story certainly would have developed without them there, but the movie would have been missing something had they not been included. Learning about Mufasa’s childhood with Taka is certainly appealing at times. However,given what the audience knows about the eventual outcome with Scar and Mufasa, watching the brothers develop a loving relationship is simply sad. No matter how delightful their origin story might be, Scar will always be the one who killed Mufasa in the end. Timon and Pumbaahelp to curb that sadness.
In a film that has drawn a lot of criticism from audiences and critics for simply existing,the type of comic relief Timon and Pumbaa provide keeps the story interesting and ultimately distracts viewers from the sorrow of Mufasa’s fate. By refocusing attention on themselves whenever they can, Timon and Pumbaa offer viewers a bit of a reprieve from what’s to come. Their quick wit offers a slew of meta humor about the larger world ofThe Lion Kingmany in the audience didn’t even know they needed. Whether they’re joking about watchingThe Lion Kingon Broadway or taking jabs atDisney’s history of live-action remakes, Timon and Pumbaa are endlessly hilarious.
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Timon and Pumbaa Deserve Their Own Movie
IfMufasa: The Lion Kingdid nothing else, it showcased that Timon and Pumbaa deserve their own movie. Offering audiences a new story without already knowing the eventual outcome is something everyLion Kingfan would benefit from. Plus, given viewers were introduced toanother one of Simba’s cubsat the end of the latest film, there are various stories that could be told from Timon and Pumbaa’s perspective.With new cubs comes new adventures, and Timon and Pumbaa can interject themselves in plenty of amusing ways. The animated world ofThe Lion Kingis rife with stories focused on the lovable meerkat and warthog. Why not do the same for the live-action world?
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Timon and Pumbaa might not be everyone’s favorite characters, but there’s no denying the pair have solid comedic chemistry. Due in part to Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s perfect humorous timing, Timon and Pumbaa would flourish in a film of their own. While some have argued that their role inMufasa: The Lion Kingactually hijacked the film’s narrative in a negative way, their ability to steal the show should only serve to bolstertheir claim for a stand-alone movie.Under the right circumstances, audiences would undoubtedly fall in love with Timon and Pumbaa’s ridiculous misadventures. They might be mere side characters inMufasa: The Lion King, but they would successfully hold the reins as main characters in their own story.Mufasa: The Lion Kingis currently playing in theaters.
