Simba's Heroic Journey In The Lion King

The film The Lion King has entranced audiences young and old alike since its release in 1994. The story follows protagonist Simba, a young lion cub, on his journey to find himself and restore peace in his homeland. Simba is the true embodiment of an epic hero. Cunning, brave, humble, and a natural leader, he encapsulates the spirit of a hero in almost every way. Simba is an epic hero because of his ability to overcome obstacles and his strong moral compass. A chapter of the hero’s journey that is clearly exhibited in The Lion King is step one, the call to adventure. In this step of the monomyth, the quest officially begins and the hero “crosses the threshold” into the adventure. In The Lion King, Simba crosses this threshold when Scar, his evil uncle, murders Simba’s father, Mufasa. Simba, believing he is responsible for Mufasa’s demise, flees the Pride Lands. This is an important step in Simba’s heroic journey because it shows the beginning of his “quest” to avenge his father’s death and restore peace in the Pride Lands. …show more content…
“The ordeal” describes the point in a hero’s journey where a hero alone must face the greatest challenge of all. In the case of The Lion King this step takes place during Simba’s final confrontation with Scar. The two lions battle for control over the kingdom, atop a jagged cliff. In a bout of self-defense, Simba deflects Scar’s blow, knocking him off the precipice in the process. Scar falls to the ground below, where a pack of hungry hyenas await. This is arguably the most important part of the movie, because it shows the monumental changes that Simba has undergone in the past few years. Simba is a hero because even when faced with abhorrent violence, he manages to retain his empathetic and compassionate demeanor. Simba’s completion of his quest to restore peace and freedom in the Pride Lands communicates to the audience that he is truly a strong, strategic