Mufasa

Infobox character
name = Mufasa


caption =
first ="The Lion King"
last = Kingdom Hearts II
creator = Jonathan Roberts
portrayer = James Earl Jones
Samuel E. Wright
Cornell John (London)
Nathaniel Stampley(presently)
aliases = King Mufasa
relatives = Ahadi (father),
Uru (mother),
Sarabi (wife),
Nuka (possible nephew),
Vitani (possible niece),
Simba (son),
Nala (daughter-in-law),
Scar (younger brother),
Kiara (granddaughter),
Mohatu (grandfather)
Kopa (grandson),
Zira (sister in-law)
Kovu (grandson in-law)
friends = Rafiki, Zazu, Nala, Sarafina
rivals = Scar, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed

Mufasa is a fictional lion who first appeared in Disney's popular 1994 animated feature film "The Lion King". He was voiced by James Earl Jones. The name "Mufasa" means "King" in the Manazoto language. He is notable for being one of the few Disney "good guys" to die from a fall, a fate that usually befalls Disney villains such as Gaston or Judge Claude Frollo.

"The Lion King"

A huge, powerful, male lion, Mufasa is the King of the Pride Lands at the start of the "The Lion King", father of Simba and mate of Sarabi. He is shown to be a wise and fair ruler, who follows the "Circle of Life". However, his brother Scar is jealous of him and forms a plan to kill Mufasa and Simba so he can be king. Mufasa is ultimately portrayed as an "ideal king", strong, powerful, and kind-hearted, which is contrasted to the deceitfulness and lust for power of Scar.

Scar's first attempt to kill Simba is foiled when Mufasa interferes, but he succeeds the next time by triggering a large-scale wildebeest stampede. Mufasa successfully saves Simba and struggles to climb up a cliff. Scar, waiting for him at the top, pierces Mufasa's paws hard with his claws and lets go after saying, "Long live the king." Simba doesn't see this happen and Scar makes him believe that he (Simba) had caused Mufasa's death.

Ridden with guilt, Simba runs away from the Pride Lands and befriends Timon and Pumbaa. After many years, Simba meets his old friend Nala, who tries to persuade him to return and take his place as king. Simba refuses and runs away from Nala to a field where he encounters the wise mandrill Rafiki. Rafiki takes him to a small, magical pool which brings upon Mufasa's ghost, up in the sky. The ghost tells Simba that he is his only son and has to take his responsibility to be King of the Pride Lands. Simba then returns to his homeland, defeats Scar and takes his rightful place as king. In the final scene of the film, Mufasa (again in the clouds) says, "Remember" as Simba stands triumphant on Pride Rock.

"The Lion King II: Simba's Pride"

Mufasa also makes a couple of brief appearances and dialogue in the 1998 direct-to-video sequel '. He first appears as an image in the sky again in the beginning of the film, overlooking the presentation ceremony of his granddaughter Kiara. His next appearance is in Simba's nightmare, where he is seen again clinging to the cliff right before his death. Simba tries to save him but is stopped by Scar, who morphs into Kovu (Kiara's lover and Scar's chosen heir.) However, he also makes more indirect appearances; it is Mufasa who inspires Rafiki to attempt to bring Kovu and Kiara together in order to avert war between the Pride Landers and Scar's group of loyal lionesses, and, once this plan has been achieved, his voice congratulates Simba as he, Nala, Kovu, and Kiara stand on Pride Rock ("Well done, my son. We are one!"'). Mufasa also tells Simba that everyone has a place in the circle of life and his place is to be the next lion king.

"The Lion King 1½"

In the 2004 direct-to-video interquel "The Lion King 1½", Mufasa is seen in three scenes: One at the presentation of Simba, one in the elephant graveyard on the way to save his son and Nala from the hyenas, and one when his ghost is forming from the clouds above the grasslands at night. Unlike the first two films, he doesn't speak any lines, instead, he just roars.

"The Lion King (musical)"

Mufasa's role is somewhat expanded in the musical based on the movie. He sings "They Live in You" ("He Lives in You" with the lyrics slightly changed) to young Simba in the scene when the two of them are looking up at the stars and discussing the Great Kings of the Past.

There is also an added scene in which Mufasa tells Zazu of his concerns about Simba's daring behavior. Zazu then reminds Mufasa of his early years as a rambunctious cub.

The role of Mufasa on Broadway was originated by Tony award nominee Samuel E. Wright in 1997 and is currently played by Nathaniel Stampley.

Backstory

Mufasa was the first son and heir of King Ahadi and Queen Uru, as evidenced in a set of prequel books released after the success of "The Lion King". In , Scar tried to make a fool out of Mufasa when he was young (see more at Scar's Backstory). The storybook reveals how he met Zazu, his trusted hornbill "majordomo": he saved the bird when he was caught by none other than the three hyenas Shenzi, Banzai and Ed in the elephant graveyard. However, this conflicts with another book , in which Zazu becomes steward to the king after Zazu's mother, Zuzu, retires.

"Kingdom Hearts II"

In the popular video game "Kingdom Hearts II", Mufasa appears in Simba's flashback sequences and as a god in the sky like in the film. Archive recordings of James Earl Jones were used.

Appearances in Other Media

At the Disney theme parks, Mufasa was also one of the main characters in Legend of the Lion King, a former Fantasyland attraction in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, which retold the story of the film using fully-articulated puppets. His face can also be spotted in the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It's a Small World.

In the Simpsons episode Round Springfield Mufasa appears alongside Star wars character Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, and Bleeding Gums Murphy.

References