Simba is a mess. Honestly, when you look at the trajectory of his life across the 1994 Disney classic and its 2019 photorealistic counterpart, it’s a miracle he turned out as well as he did. People always talk about the tragedy of the gorge or the catchy tunes, but the real heart of the story—the thing that keeps us coming back—is how the Lion King raise Simba arc serves as a crash course in conflicting philosophies. You have the "Circle of Life" on one side and "Hakuna Matata" on the other. It’s a tug-of-war between duty and escapism.
Most of us remember Mufasa as the gold standard of fathers. He’s booming, wise, and literally glows in the dark when he’s dead. But was he a perfect parent? Not exactly. He was raising a king, not just a cub. That’s a heavy burden for a kid who just wants to practice his pounce.
✨ Don't miss: You'll Never Walk Alone Carousel Lyrics: Why This Broadway Ballad Became a Global Anthem
The Mufasa Method: Tradition and the Weight of the Crown
Mufasa’s approach to the Lion King raise Simba narrative is rooted in legacy. He isn't just teaching Simba how to hunt; he’s teaching him how to exist within a delicate ecosystem. When they stand on Pride Rock and look out over the "shadowy place," Mufasa is setting boundaries. He’s teaching the "Circle of Life" as a series of checks and balances.
It’s heavy stuff.
Think about the scene where Mufasa reprimands Simba after the elephant graveyard incident. He doesn’t just yell. He talks about his own fear. That’s a massive moment in cinematic parenting. By admitting he was scared of losing Simba, Mufasa pivots from an untouchable deity to a vulnerable father. It’s effective because it builds empathy, but it also creates a standard Simba feels he can never quite meet.
James Earl Jones’s voice carries a weight that makes every lesson feel like a law of physics. But when Mufasa dies, his parenting style leaves Simba with a crushing sense of guilt. Because he was raised to believe his actions affected the entire kingdom, Simba believes his "mistake" caused the end of the world. That’s the downside of the Mufasa method: when the mentor is gone, the pupil is left with a mountain of responsibility and zero coping mechanisms.
Enter the Outcasts: How Timon and Pumbaa Saved the King
If Mufasa is the "Law," then Timon and Pumbaa are the "Grace"—or maybe just the "Distraction."
When we talk about how the Lion King raise Simba story develops in the second act, we have to acknowledge that the meerkat and warthog are basically accidental foster parents. They find a traumatized, dehydrated cub and decide to keep him. Why? Mostly for protection. "He’ll be on our side," Timon says. It’s pragmatic, it’s selfish, and it’s exactly what Simba needs.
They provide a safe space for Simba to stop being a "Future King" and just be a person (well, a lion).
The Hakuna Matata philosophy is often criticized as being lazy. Sure, it is. It’s about ignoring your past and eating bugs. But for a child who just witnessed his father’s murder, a period of total detachment was probably the only thing that kept him sane. Timon and Pumbaa didn't pressure him. They didn't ask about his dad. They just gave him a hammock and some grubs.
They also taught him a different kind of survival. Mufasa taught Simba how to rule others; Timon and Pumbaa taught Simba how to live with himself. They are the ultimate "low-stakes" parents. There are no expectations. In the wild, that kind of freedom is a luxury, but in terms of psychological recovery, it was a necessary bridge between the trauma of the Pride Lands and the eventual return to duty.
The Conflict of Diet and Nature
One of the weirdest parts of the Lion King raise Simba process is the diet. Lions are apex predators. Simba grew up eating "slimly yet satisfying" insects. While this is played for laughs, it’s a massive plot point. It shows Simba’s willingness to suppress his very nature to fit into a community.
- He learned to adapt.
- He learned that "family" isn't always biological.
- He learned to survive in an environment that should have killed him.
Rafiki’s Intervention: The "Correction" Phase
You can’t discuss the Lion King raise Simba journey without the baboon with the stick. Rafiki represents the bridge between the two parenting styles. He uses Mufasa’s memory to break through the Hakuna Matata shell Simba built around himself.
The "Past Hurts" lesson is arguably the most famous part of the film. When Rafiki whacks Simba on the head, he’s teaching him that you can’t just run away. You have to learn. This is where the childhood "raising" ends and the adulthood "becoming" begins. Rafiki isn't a parent, he’s a catalyst. He forces Simba to synthesize Mufasa’s duty with the resilience he learned in the jungle.
Why This Dynamic Still Matters in 2026
We are still obsessed with this movie because it mirrors the internal struggle everyone feels. Do we live for our responsibilities, or do we live for our own peace?
Modern viewers often debate if Scar was right about the hyenas or if Mufasa was too elitist. But the core of the Lion King raise Simba story is about the different voices that shape a child. Simba is a product of three very different "dads":
👉 See also: Where to Watch A Dog's Purpose Right Now Without Getting Tricked
- The Heroic Ideal (Mufasa): Values, duty, and sacrifice.
- The Fun Uncles (Timon/Pumbaa): Joy, presence, and simple living.
- The Spiritual Guide (Rafiki): Perspective, history, and healing.
Without all three, Simba would have either been a tyrant or a hermit. He needed the structure of his father and the chaos of his friends.
Actionable Takeaways from the Lion King Arc
If you're looking at the Lion King raise Simba story as more than just a movie, there are actual "lessons" here that apply to leadership and personal growth.
First, acknowledge that trauma requires a change of scenery. Simba couldn't have healed in the Pride Lands. He needed the jungle. Sometimes, to move forward, you have to step entirely out of your context.
Second, recognize the "Ghost in the Clouds." We all have internalized voices of our mentors or parents. The trick Simba pulls off is realizing that Mufasa "lives in him," but he doesn't have to be Mufasa. He can be a king who also knows how to relax and value the outcasts of society.
Finally, face the past. The movie ends not when Simba kills Scar, but when he chooses to climb the rock. The climb is the acceptance of everything—the guilt, the bugs, the duty, and the love.
The best way to appreciate the Lion King raise Simba narrative is to watch the 1994 version and the 2019 version back-to-back. Note the subtle differences in how Mufasa delivers his lessons. In the original, it’s more mystical; in the remake, it’s more grounded in animal behavior. Both versions, however, emphasize the same truth: raising a leader takes a village, even if that village is just a warthog and a crazy monkey.
To dive deeper into the themes of the film, look at the Broadway musical’s "He Lives in You" sequence. It provides a much more rhythmic and ancestral look at how Simba finally internalizes his father's lessons. It’s a masterclass in how we carry our upbringing with us, for better or worse.