Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Mufasa: The Lion KingA new detail revealed in Mufasa: The Lion King makes the death of Simba’s father much more tragic 30 years later. Revealing the origins of Mufasa and his brother Taka, the new prequel offers an intriguing look back at how Mufasa became king of the Pride Lands, and why his brother came to hate him, so much so that the future Scar orchestrated his brother’s death (and tried to kill his heir). However, a new reveal sheds light as to why Mufasa never saw it coming.
Mufasa: The Lion King is directed by Barry Jenkins, starring Aaron Pierre as a young Mufasa and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka who would come to be known as Scar. Beginning with their lives as young cubs, it’s revealed that Taka was meant to become king of his own pride before meeting Mufasa, a young cub like himself who’d recently become separated from his own family after a flood. However, the new prequel reveals a key reason why Mufasa never saw a betrayal coming, making Scar’s murder of his brother even more tragic 30 years later after the releasee of the original Lion King.
Mufasa’s Prequel Shows Scar Saved Him In A Similar Instance As The Lion King’s Gorge
Taka Saved Mufasa’s Life More Than Once
Following the flood that separated Mufasa from his parents, the young lion cub was saved from a pair of crocodiles by young Taka. With Taka pulling Mufasa to safety with his claws, this mirrors and darkly foreshadows their future and final encounter when Taka/Scar digs his claws into Mufasa before letting him go to be trampled by the wildebeest stampede in the gorge. That said, Mufasa was taken in by Taka’s pride in their past, despite the objections from Taka’s father and his belief that Mufasa would one day betray his son, the future king of their pride.
Years later, a group of white lion outsiders and their king named Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen) kill Taka and Mufasa’s pride before hunting the two brothers who escaped. Journeying to the fabled land known as Milele aka the Pride Lands, Mufasa and Taka meet Rafiki, Sarabi, Zazu. Amid their conflict with the outsiders, Sarabi chooses Mufasa over Taka, which Taka takes as a betrayal. This leads to Taka betraying his brother and leading the white lions right to Mufasa to have him killed, believing that he’d been hurt first.
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That said, Taka eventually regrets his actions enough to stand with Mufasa, saving his brother once more after Mufasa defeats Kiros (and Taka receives his iconic scar). This again mirrors how Taka saved Mufasa when they were cubs and his future betrayal in The Lion King. However, Taka’s resentments return after the animals of the Pride Lands choose Mufasa to be their king. It also doesn’t help that Mufasa had no choice but to punish his brother for his attempted betrayal, refusing to banish his brother as other animals proposed but still giving him the name “Scar”, a lasting reminder of his dishonor.
Scar’s Previous Actions Mean Mufasa Fully Believed He’d Be Saved In The Lion King
He Thought His Brother Would Save Him Again
Tragically, it seems as though Mufasa couldn’t have known that Scar would betray him in The Lion King. Considering the duo’s history, both brothers saved each other’s lives multiple times in Mufasa. Likewise, Scar digging his claws into his brother was exactly how he was able to pull Mufasa to safety twice before in their past. Mufasa knew Scar had saved him before, so he would have thought his brother would have done so again above the gorge in The Lion King.
“The element of surprise was very much on Scar’s side once he chose to reveal his true colors and murder Mufasa in order to finally claim the throne…”
Likewise, Scar played his part well at the end of Mufasa: The Lion King. His head low while submitting to the new king, Scar appeared to be everything like a remorseful brother who regretted his weakness and failed attempt to get rid of his brother. It also helped that he chose to fight with Mufasa before saving him. As such, the element of surprise was very much on Scar’s side once he chose to reveal his true colors and murder Mufasa in order to finally claim the throne.
Mufasa’s Death Is More Tragic For Him & Scar Now
A Complete Betrayal (And Scar’s Vindication)
Given Mufasa’s new context, one of the darkest animated moments in Disney history is now even more tragic. Mufasa and Taka had been in the same position more than once, including the moment they first met and became brothers. Unfortunately, Mufasa held far more trust in his brother than he should have, though Scar had been playing the role of the deferential brother for some time. In truth, Scar’s plans to kill his brother was a form of justice from his twisted perspective, believing Mufasa had turned on him first, “taking” the lioness he wanted and the rule he believed was his by right.
Mufasa: The Lion King is now playing in theaters.
Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar’s relationship and how it became as strained as it did. In the film, Timon and Pumba will return, with Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen reprising their roles.
- Release Date
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December 20, 2024
- Main Genre
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Adventure
- Director
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Barry Jenkins
- Writers
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Jeff Nathanson
, Linda Woolverton
, Irene Mecchi
, Jonathan Roberts
