Pride Animals are background characters in Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. They are the animals that reside in Pride Lands.
During the reign of Scar, due to the overhunting of The Hyena Clan, the animals left the Pride Lands and as the rightful king Simba returns and defeats his uncle, the herds come back.
Background[]
- Main article: Pridelanders
Elephants appear in the Pride Lands, led by Ma Tembo and speak their own language, Elephantese (which Simba has a hard time speaking) alongside having a deep care for song.
After Scar's treacherous reign ended, Ma Tembo's father Aminifu returned first to the Pride Lands leading to the other animals of the Pride Lands to also come back.
Some Members of the Elephants Are:
- Ma Tembo (leader)
- Aminifu (former leader)
- Zito
- Mtoto
- Mtoto's Mother
- Zigo
Hippopotamuses also appear in several groups in the Pride Lands, some led by Basi, the father of Beshte, who is strongest of the patrol group, Lion Guard. They are also shown, other than Basi's Pod to have a singing group called The Bellow Fellows.
In The Rise of Makuu Basi's Pod are kicked out of Big Springs by Makuu the new crocodile leader, though after intervention from the Lion Guard, Makuu's Float leaves Big Springs and return it to the hippopotamuses.
Some Members of the Hippopotamuses Are:
Giraffes also appears, led by Twiga. They are shown bowing at Simba's presentation and also are shown attending several celebrations.
At the Savanah Summit, Twiga joined up with Vuruga Vuruga to trap Makuu (who they didn't like as he is a crocodile), however with some play by Kion they both admit and joyous to see him alive.
Some Members of Giraffes Are:
- Twiga (leader)
- Shingo
- Juhudi
- Main article: Crocodiles (The Lion King)
- Main article: Makuu's Float
Many species of antelope also appear, with the sable antelopes led by Bupu. Although the Pridelanders eat the antelope, upon the lion's death they become the grass with the antelope eating the grass, connecting them both within the Circle of Life, with Mufasa using the phrase to teach is son, a young Simba.
The sable antelopes shown to be rather stubborn (especially Bupu) such as when the Lion Guard (Fuli mostly) tell them how to stay safe, they refuse. They are also shown in the original film with lighter skin, though in The Lion Guard they are shown darker.
Some Members of the Sable Antelope Are:
- Bupu's Herd
- Bupu
- Boboka
- Boboka's Son
- Mzhana
Zebras also appear and they are led in different herds. There is Dhahabu's herd, Muhimu's herd and Thurston's herd.
They are shown to have the catchphrase of "Panic and Run!", and like the antelope, they are shown to be very stubborn, not instantly willing to listen to the Lion Guard.
Some Members of the Zebras Are:
- Dhahabu
- Muhimu
- Thurston
- Their herds
- Hamu
- Kwato
- Raha
- Starehe
Buffalos also appear and they are lead by Vuruga Vuruga. They are shown to be decently to be aligned with the other animals, all having a distain for Makuu.
During the Savanah Summit, Vuruga Vuruga along with Twiga tried to get Makuu by trapping him in a hole, however Kion finds them out and are joyous to find out that Makuu wasn't dead and that he had lived.Appearances[]
The Lion King[]
The Pride Animals are first seen during the Circle of Life sequence. They approach Pride Rock to attend the birth of Simba, the son of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. They are shown ecstatic when Rafiki presents Simba, giving the future king cheers of joy. They are then seen bowing, respecting the future king and his family.
- “Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass. And the antelope eat the grass. And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life.”
- ―Mufasa lecturing Simba on the Lion's and the Antelope's relationship
The leaping antelope are then seen while Mufasa lectures Simba on the relationship of the Lion's and the Antelope's relationship, stating that they are connected in the Circle of Life. Upon Zazu's arrival, he gives the morning report, mentioning the bees, leopards, baboons, elephants, and cheetahs, among other animals (in the Special Edition version during the musical number "The Morning Report", he mentions the chimpanzees, giraffes, elephants, crocodiles, hornbills, vultures, buffaloes, warthogs, flamingos, secretary birds, and beetles), though it is interrupted by Mufasa teaching Simba to pounce, and later with Gopher informing them that hyenas are in the Pride Lands. Simba asks his father to know if he can join with him, but Mufasa tells him to stay in the Pride Lands to keep him safe from the hyenas.
The Pride Animals making a tower during I Just Can't Wait to be King
Some Pride Animals are then seen at the watering hole as Zazu flies, watching Simba and Nala, they are then subsequently appearing during the song I Just Can't Wait to Be King. An elephant is seen smacking Zazu upon wiping himself on his ear, flamingos flocked as Simba and Nala run through the flock just as the two cubs later ride on ostriches while Zazu crashes into a rhino. A herd of zebras appreciate Simba and Nala though rejecting Zazu as the cubs pass through a large herd of elephants and other animals. As the animals take part in the chorus, Simba talks to a hippo, which later talks to a giraffe, who tells a monkey in a plan to distract Zazu. Two monkeys grab Zazu as crocodiles sing in chorus with plovers coming out in their mouths. As the monkeys slow down Zazu, giraffes hurl Simba and Nala in the air as the animals make a tower, with them though falling down, and a rhinoceros crushing Zazu, the hornbill seeming unpleased.
Later on after Simba scares off a chameleon with his loud roar thanks to Scar's devious plan, a herd of wildebeest are seen stampeding into the gorge (which was caused by Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed under the orders of Scar), which resulted in Mufasa's death, alongside a young wildebeest, catching up (since he was behind). It is mentioned and seen, that throughout Scar's reign that due to the Hyenas, the land has become unbearable, with there being no food or water, leading to the herds leaving the Pride Lands. They then appear at the end of the film, during the final scene, the animals have returned to the Pride Lands as Scar's reign has ended and Simba's has begun, they are seen attending the presentation of Simba and Nala's cub, Kiara, as doves fly past the two lions with peace restored in the Pride Lands. Rafiki then presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub in front of the animals.
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride[]
The Pride Animals in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
The Pride Animals return for the sequel. They are first seen during the "He Lives in You" sequence. They are seen going once again to Pride Rock to celebrate the birth and presentation of Kiara, and upon her presentation, again receiving a tremendous praise.
During Kovu and Kiara's meeting, crocodiles attack them, with them (with teamwork) escape them, though their parents then confront each other and one another.
- “Tears of pain, tears of joy, one thing nothing can destroy is our pride deep inside We are one”
- ―Simba lecturing Kiara on Pride
The Pride Animals then appear, such as children in their parents as Simba lectures Kiara while he sings We Are One, such as a baby antelope, failing to walk being helped by his mother, teaching Kiara a lesson.
Years later, and during Kiara's failed hunt on a group of topi, she was forced to flee from a fire (started by Nuka and Vitani as part of Zira's plan for Kovu to infiltrate Simba's pride) along with the topi, flocks of egrets, and a pair of zebras.
Later the next day, Kiara and Kovu help Timon and Pumbaa chase off flocks of spotted thick-knees that were eating Timon and Pumbaa's bugs with their roars until they run into a crash of rhinoceroses that defended the thick-knees and charged after them until they hid from the crash. Pride Animals are seen at Pride Rock, though not for celebration, as they assist in the exile of Kovu, telling him that he is not one of them (with gazelles, giraffes, zebras, and a hippo singing, snakes hissing and snapping, ostriches pecking him, monkeys throwing stones, and marabou storks dive bombing). Subsequently after Kiara escapes to be with Kovu, animals in couples are seen, bringing them back together.
When the Outsiders and Pridelanders prepare for war, groups of guineafowl, zebras, gazelles, topi, okapis, and giraffes evacuate the area that will be the battlefield while vultures circle in the sky for the aftermath. After the war, the death of Zira, and when the Outsiders rejoining the Pride Lands, the Pride Animals are seen attending the wedding ceremony of Kiara and Kovu, cheering.
The Lion King 1½[]
The Pride Animals staring at Pumbaa in The Lion King 1½
The Pride Animals also appear in the midquel, thought mostly throughout the beginning. They are first seen when Timon and Pumbaa are watching the original, with the iconic shots of the rhino, antelope, meerkats, cheetah, and marabou storks.
They then appear as they are all gathered at Pride Rock to celebrate Simba's birth, with Timon and Pumbaa needing to cross to the other side for there dream home, with Pumbaa letting out gas, causing some animals to faint and others to bow thinking the former were doing the same.
They then appear as Timon and Pumbaa wake up, realizing they have noisy neighbors, with them seeing the animals making a tower out of themselves (this is during "I Just Can't Wait to Be King"), with Timon banging on them to stop, with them all tumbling down on Timon. Afterwards, only the wildebeest from the stampede are seen, with Timon and Pumbaa running away from them, finding Hakuna Matata. Afterwards, they aren't seen again.
The Lion Guard[]
Several species of animals living in the Pride Lands appear in numerous episodes in the Disney Junior animated series based on The Lion King franchise. Most episodes deal with Kion, accompanied by Bunga, Fuli, Ono, and Beshte in protecting the animals of the Pride Lands from predators (mostly Outlanders) preying on the animals. Aside from predator situations, the series also features non-predator situations that the Pride Animals face which the Lion Guard encounters, occurring in certain episodes such as a drongo bird mimicking other animals to get food from them, a termite infestation in the Pride Lands, or even an argument centering on a relationship between a tickbird and a rhino.
Since the events of "The Rise of Scar" in Season 2, the Pride Land animals live under the tyranny of Scar thanks to Janja and the other Outlander animals who have successfully revived Scar in a plan to take revenge against Simba, leading in Kion and his team to deal with the predators who are behind this plan. Scar's plans to take over the Pride Lands became a failure thanks to Kion and his team who have managed to prevent Scar from taking over the Pride Lands.
By the events of "Battle for the Pride Lands", various Pride Animals participate during a battle against the Outlanders. Although the battle between the Pride Animals and the Outlands animals was successful with the rest of the Outlanders accepted into Jasiri's leadership with Scar defeated for good, Kion, however, returned with a scar on his face with a venom inflicted by Ushari who attacked him during battle and it is found out that there is no cure for the venom in the Pride Lands, leading him and the rest of the Guard to seek the Tree of Life far away from the Pride Lands (this time with Makini and Anga joining in) just as Kion and his team leave the Pride Lands to seek the Tree which Rafiki has spoken of so that Kion can be completely healed.
Sometime later after Kion was completely healed during his stay at the Tree of Life, the Lion Guard and Makini, who are accompanied by Jasiri, Azaad, and a now-reformed Janja, return to the Pride Lands during the events of "Journey to the Pride Lands" due to Jasiri's worry of Zira's plan to take revenge against Simba; on their way to stop a dispute between Zira and Simba, it was later found out that Zira already finished her journey through the Circle of Life as revealed in the next episode "Return to the Pride Lands". Various Pride Animals feel very happy of Kion and his team who have returned to the Pride Lands. Later during a dispute between Kion and Vitani, several Pride Animals are present during the Battle of the Lion Guards where Kion and Vitani participate to know whose Lion Guard is better. However, Kion allows Vitani to win the competition after remembering of what Askari taught him by letting go of the Roar, which Askari feels happy of what Kion did. Upon doing so, various Pride Animals, along with many other animals of the Tree of Life, are present during the coronation of Kion who becomes the king of the Tree of Life where the animals attending the coronation cheer for Kion who has become the new king, followed by Kion marrying Rani serving as the queen of the Tree of Life.
The Lion King (2019)[]
The Pride Animals in The Lion King (2019 film)
The Pride Animals also appear in the 2019 CGI remake, with the same role as they had in the original film, first appearing in the Circle of Life sequence. Like in the original, they go to Pride Rock to celebrate the birth of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi's son, Simba, celebrating upon his presentation.
The leaping antelope are then seen just like in the original, with Mufasa telling Simba the relationship of the lions and the antelope, with Zazu coming and telling him the morning report, then finding out that hyenas are in the Pride Lands.
They then appear during the "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence as Simba and Nala rush through the Pride Lands, passing through several herds, though unlike the original film, they do not make a tower of themselves and subsequently fall down. Throughout the song, Simba and Nala frolic past three cheetah cubs who want to run like him as their mother watches her cubs passing by, followed by the two passing by a flock of flamingos and trotting by zebras. Later, they arrive by the watering hole facing Zazu who is behind some ostriches to which upon trying to lose him, two ostriches peck at the hornbill to ward him off and later lands on a hippo which submerges as Simba and Nala trot by a rhino calf and its mother to which the two go past by elephants, ostrich chicks, giraffes, wildebeests, kudus, buffaloes, mongooses, and an aardvark. During the plan to distract Zazu, a giraffe uses its tail to get Zazu off its back. Zebra foals trot and follow Simba as hippo calves sing in choir to which the animals race past Simba as they all sing in choir alongside Simba and Nala to which they all pass by a flock of weaverbirds which chase and confuse Zazu.
Years later, the Pride Lands became a deserted wasteland after Scar became the new king of the Pride Lands, allowing lions and hyenas to live together, causing the Circle of Life to be broken in a massive famine. The surviving wildebeests and oryxes in the Pride Lands retreat, due to Scar's tyranny in overhunting much to Sarabi's worry that Scar is destroying the Pride Lands to his destructive plans of overhunting after noticing that Scar delivered an oryx carcass atop Pride Rock.
Noticing of what Scar is doing to the Pride Lands, Nala manages to escape the Pride Lands without getting caught by Scar with help from Zazu. Simba, however, returns to the Pride Lands, confronts and defeats his uncle, and becomes the new king of the Pride Lands in order to take his place as rightful king. Thanks to this, the animals happily return to the Pride Lands and attend the birth of Simba and Nala's newborn cub, alongside Timon, Pumbaa, and the neighboring jungle animals.
Musical[]
Because the musical productions are based on the original 1994 film, the musical needed the Pride Animals appearing in certain scenes throughout the show. The Pride Animals have been portrayed by numerous actors throughout the show and are prominently featured as background characters. Though they reprise the same role they did for the film, certain scenes not in the film also included Pride Animals.
In Act One, the animals appear to attend the birth of Simba. Additionally, antelopes appear when Mufasa explains to Simba how the Circle of Life works. Later, antelopes appear during the musical number "The Lioness Hunt" where one of the Pridelander lionesses successfully hunts an antelope to which the song stops when Simba talks to Nala. Like in the film, they participate during "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" in a plan to trick Zazu. Additionally after the musical number "They Live in You", it includes a brief scene where a cheetah encounters a nearby giraffe to which as the giraffe passes by, the cheetah halts as he follows the giraffe just before the scene loops into the part where Scar tells Simba to practice his roar only to cause a wildebeest stampede.
In the opening of Act Two, a few surviving antelopes are seen leaving the Pride Lands as a deserted wasteland, due to Scar taking over as the new ruler of Pride Rock, to his tyranny. Like in the film, Simba manages to defeat Scar by engaging in combat as the two lions fight to know who is the king; after Scar is defeated, Simba becomes the new king of Pride Rock and the Pride Animals happily return to attend the birth of Simba and Nala's newborn cub. They are then seen during the curtain call where they bow at the audience praising the actors for all their hard work in the Lion King production.
Gallery[]
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