Think about the last time you watched The Lion King. You probably remember the trauma of the stampede or the catchy rhythm of "Hakuna Matata," but honestly, the hyenas—Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed—sorta carry the tension of the entire film. They aren't just background muscle. They are a desperate, starving proletariat.
People usually dismiss them as bumbling idiots who couldn't catch a cub in a graveyard. That's a mistake. When you look at the biology, the voice acting, and the actual Shakespearean roots of these characters, you realize Disney was doing something much darker than just "silly sidekicks."
The Casting Genius Behind the Mobs
Disney didn't just pick random voices. They snagged Whoopi Goldberg for Shenzi, Cheech Marin for Banzai, and the legendary Jim Cummings for Ed. This trio wasn't originally planned this way. Early scripts actually had Banzai and Shenzi as a more generic pair of thugs. Then Whoopi got involved.
Whoopi Goldberg actually approached Disney. She wanted to be in the movie. Her casting changed the dynamic from "scary monsters" to "outcasts with a point." You’ve got this sharp, cynical female leader in Shenzi, the hot-headed Banzai, and the chaotic neutral energy of Ed.
Jim Cummings, who voiced Ed, basically just laughed for the entire recording session. But here's a weird bit of trivia: Cummings also had to step in for Jeremy Irons during "Be Prepared" because Irons threw out his voice. So, technically, Ed's voice actor sings the big finale of the villain's anthem. Wild, right?
Why Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed Represent a Real Ecological Nightmare
The movie frames the Elephant Graveyard as a wasteland because of "bad vibes" or whatever, but the real story is resource scarcity. Hyenas are apex predators in real life. In the Pride Lands, they were segregated.
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Scar didn't just "hire" them; he exploited a starving population. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed are the face of a marginalized group that was pushed to the edges of a fertile ecosystem. When they sing about "dangling at the bottom of the food chain," they aren't joking. They are hungry.
The Social Hierarchy
- Shenzi is the brains. In spotted hyena clans, females are dominant. Disney actually stayed scientifically accurate here. She makes the calls. She negotiates with Scar.
- Banzai is the enforcer. He’s the one who takes the physical hits—remember the thorn bushes?
- Ed is the wildcard. He’s often coded as having a disability or just being "crazy," but his lack of speech makes him the most observant. He’s the first one to realize Scar is betraying them at the end.
That "Controversial" Biology Lesson
Biologists actually hated this movie back in 1994. Laurence Frank, a hyena researcher, actually sued (well, tried to) Disney for defamation. He thought the movie would make people hate hyenas even more. He wasn't entirely wrong. Hyenas have a PR problem.
But if you watch the trio closely, they exhibit real pack behavior. They test the perimeter. They wait for a moment of weakness. The scene where they corner Simba and Nala in the graveyard? That’s how spotted hyenas hunt. They use psychological intimidation.
Interestingly, the "laughing" isn't because they find things funny. In nature, that sound is a signal of stress or submission. When Ed is laughing while being chewed out by Scar, he’s actually exhibiting a high-stress vocalization. Disney turned a fear response into a character trait.
The Shakespearean Parallel You Probably Missed
The Lion King is basically Hamlet with fur. If Simba is Hamlet and Scar is Claudius, then Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed are the equivalent of the commoners or, more specifically, a twisted version of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
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They are the "little people" caught in a power struggle between royals. They don't actually care about the "Circle of Life." Why would they? The Circle of Life essentially says, "You stay in the dirt and we eat the grass that grows from you."
What Happened in the 2019 Remake?
The 2019 "live-action" (CGI) version changed the names. We got Shenzi, but Banzai and Ed were replaced by Azizi and Kamari. Honestly? It lost some of the magic.
In the original, the trio had a vaudevillian chemistry. They were a comedy troupe. In the remake, they tried to make them "realistic" and "scary." Shenzi became a more traditional, menacing villain. But the fans missed the banter. People missed Banzai complaining about "dangling" and Ed chewing on his own leg.
The original trio worked because they were relatable. We've all been the person at work who is underpaid, overworked, and led by a boss who is clearly a psychopath (Scar).
The Final Betrayal: Who Really Won?
The most important moment for Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed is the very end. Scar tries to throw them under the bus. He calls them the "real enemy" when he’s cornered by Simba.
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They hear him.
The look on Shenzi's face in that moment is better than any monologue. They didn't kill Mufasa because they were "evil." They did it for a sandwich. When the "sandwich" (Scar) lied to them, they ate him. It's the most visceral ending to a Disney villain ever. They didn't fall off a cliff and disappear; they actively tore the antagonist apart in the shadows.
Actionable Takeaways for Lion King Fans
If you're revisiting the franchise or introducing it to someone new, keep these points in mind to appreciate the depth of these characters:
- Watch the 1994 original vs. the 2019 remake specifically to see the shift in hyena dynamics. Note how the loss of the "trio" dynamic changes the stakes of the final battle.
- Look for the "Be Prepared" nuances. Focus on the choreography of the hyenas. It’s modeled after 1930s propaganda films, highlighting how easy it is for a desperate population to be radicalized by a charismatic leader.
- Read up on spotted hyena matriarchies. You’ll realize Shenzi wasn't just "the girl one"—she was biologically destined to be the boss of Banzai and Ed.
- Listen to the "Lion King 1 1/2" commentary. It gives a lot of insight into how the animators used the hyenas as a Greek chorus to explain the world's darker side.
Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed aren't just lackeys. They are the cautionary tale of what happens when a society ignores its most vulnerable members. They are the hunger that eventually consumes the tyrant.