Simba (2019)


 * For his animated counterpart from 1994, see: Simba (Disney).

"You can't win Scar!"

- Simba fighting his uncle Scar.

Simba is the main protagonist of the 2019 CGI/live-action epic film The Lion King, a remake of the 1994 animated classic film. He is based off his original incarnation with the same name.

He is voiced by JD McCrary as a cub and Donald Glover as a young adult, who also played Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

The Lion King
Simba is first seen as an infant at Pride Rock nesting in his mother Sarabi's arms before being presented to the other animals of the Pride Lands by Rafiki.

Many months pass and Simba grows into a lively young cub. One morning, he wakes his father Mufasa and begs to be taken on patrol around the Pride Lands. Mufasa takes Simba to the top of Pride Rock and shows him their kingdom. Mufasa then says that Simba will become king someday and that everything the light touches will be his to protect. Simba wonders how far the kingdom's borders extend, and Mufasa forbids him to ever visit the shadowy place.

The two leave Pride Rock and walk through the open grasslands, with Mufasa teaching Simba about the Circle of Life. Just then, Mufasa's majordomo Zazu arrives and begins to give his morning report to Mufasa. As Zazu drones on, Mufasa encourages Simba to practice his pouncing. Simba pounces on Zazu, knocking him to the ground, and Mufasa congratulates him for a job well-done. Zazu then reports that there are hyenas in the Pride Lands, to which Mufasa promises that he will take care of the threat. He orders Simba home, despite the cub's protests.

With Mufasa gone, Simba follows Zazu back to Pride Rock. He attempts to catch a beetle, but fails. Simba's uncle Scar comments on his hunting skills, and Simba declares that he will someday become the king of the Pride Lands. Scar then subtly informs Simba that there is an Elephant Graveyard beyond the borders of the Pride Lands, where only adult lions are allowed to venture.

Simba hastens to where his friend, Nala, is being bathed by her mother Sarafina and urges her to come play with him at the water hole. However, before the cubs can depart, Sarabi instructs Simba to bring Zazu with them.

With Zazu flying overhead, Simba and Nala journey to the water hole. Along the way, Zazu informs them that they will someday be married, to which both cubs react with disgust. Simba then asserts that he will not have to marry anyone, as he will be the king. Zazu argues that Simba cannot break tradition, to which Simba declares that he can do everything his way. The cubs race away through a crowd of animals at the water hole.

After losing Zazu, Simba and Nala scuffle and accidentally fall into the Elephant Graveyard. They begin to explore the area, though Nala warns Simba that they should return home. Just then, Shenzi and her clan of hyenas arrive and surround the cubs. Zazu intervenes, warning Shenzi that she will be starting a war with Mufasa if she hurts Simba, but Shenzi declares that hyenas and lions are already at war.

The hyenas attack Simba and Nala, who flee into a network of tunnels. Eventually, they break free and find themselves once more surrounded by hyenas. However, before they can be eaten, Mufasa arrives and fends off the clan. He warns Shenzi to never hurt his son again, then leads the cubs away to safety.

Once back in the Pride Lands, Mufasa orders Zazu to escort Nala home. He then chastises Simba for disobeying him and tells him that he is only brave when it is necessary. Simba asserts that Mufasa is not scared of anything, to which Mufasa admits that he is afraid to lose Simba. The two then have a playful scuffle, and Simba asks his father if they will always be together. Mufasa answers by teaching Simba about the Great Kings of the Past, who live among the stars and watch over the lions of the Pride Lands. He then promises to always watch over his son.

The next morning, Scar brings Simba to a gorge and tells him to practice his roar in order to impress his father. After Scar leaves, Simba roars loudly, scaring off a lizard. No sooner has he done this when a stampede of wildebeest bursts into the gorge. Simba flees the stampede, taking refuge on a dead tree.

Shortly afterwards, Mufasa arrives and rescues Simba and places him on a small ledge out of harms way. Just then, Mufasa is knocked down by a wildebeest, much to Simba's shock. Fortunately, Mufasa jumps out and starts to climb up another ledge. Relieved, Simba starts to climb up the ledge he is on in an attempt to join his father at the top. However, seconds later, Simba looks around and sees Mufasa fall back into the stampede (unaware that Scar had thrown him off).

After the wildebeest are gone, Simba climbs back down to the floor of the gorge, where he finds his father's body. As he grieves, Scar approaches and blames Simba for Mufasa's death. He then urges Simba to run away, and the cub obeys. Shenzi and her clan then pursue the cub, only to lose him over a ledge. Shenzi orders her lackeys, Azizi and Kamari, to check that the cub is dead, but they do not follow through, as they believe that the fall is too high for a cub to survive. However unbeknownst to the hyenas, Simba had survived the fall by landing on a ledge.

Simba then crosses a desert and passes out beneath the scorching sun. However, just as vultures begin to pick at his body, a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa arrive and fend off the flock. Pumbaa wishes to keep Simba as a pet, and Timon agrees after realizing that Simba can protect them once he is older.

Once Simba awakens, he tells the two that he has done something terrible. They urge him to forget his past and embrace the present with no worries. They lead him to their jungle home and take him in as one of their friends. He grows up with them, leaving his past behind.

As a young adult, Simba attempts to play with his jungle friends, but they deliberately avoid him. Timon and Pumbaa gently explain that he is a predator now and that many animals are afraid to spend time with him. That night, they sit together and wonder what stars are. Simba passes on his father's story about the Great Kings of the Past, only for Timon and Pumbaa to laugh at at this story, unintentionally hurting Simba's feelings. He walks off, saddened.

The next day, Simba saves Pumbaa from a lioness. He battles her, but she gains the upper hand pins Simba to the ground. Recognising this move, Simba realises that the lioness is Nala. The two have a joyous reunion. Nala then tells Simba that he must return to the Pride Lands, as Scar has taken over and become a tyrannical king. Unwilling to embrace his past, Simba instead invites her to take a tour of the jungle. They stroll through the jungle together, with Timon and Pumbaa watching unhappily.

Eventually, Nala confronts Simba about why he has not returned to Pride Rock, and Simba explains that he is not the rightful king. Nala argues that Scar is a tyrant, but Simba refuses to return home with her. Disappointed and angry, Nala bids him farewell and leaves.

Simba wanders off, muttering to himself that he does not need to return to the Pride Lands. Along the way, he runs into Rafiki (who discovered that Simba was alive after finding a piece of Simba's mane), who reveals that he once knew Mufasa. He promises to show Simba that his father is indeed alive, and Simba follows him on a run through the jungle. Eventually, Rafiki stops beside a pool and urges Simba to look into the water. Simba declares that he can only see his reflection, to which Rafiki asserts that Mufasa lives in him.

Just then, Mufasa's ghost appears, speaking to Simba through a lightning storm. He commands his son to return to the Pride Lands and take his place as the king of the Pride Lands. Moved by his father's words, Simba agrees to return home.

Simba races home, catching up with Nala along the way. They arrive in the Pride Lands, with Timon and Pumbaa arriving shortly after. Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas, while Simba and Nala hasten to Pride Rock. Once there, Simba sees Scar demanding that Sarabi be his queen. She refuses and Scar attacks her viciously.

Simba intervenes, protecting his mother and ordering Scar to back off. Scar realizes that Simba is alive and declares that the hyenas recognize him as the rightful king now. Nala argues that the pride stands with Simba, and Simba offers an ultimatum: step down or fight. Instead of giving in, Scar accuses Simba of killing Mufasa and calls him a coward. He backs Simba to the edge of Pride Rock until he is hanging only by his claws and confesses that he had in fact killed Mufasa.

Enraged, Simba attacks Scar and demands that he tell the pride his crimes. Scar refuses, but the pride sees through his lies and attacks. The hyenas jump to Scar's defense, but the lionesses eventually overpower them.

Meanwhile, Simba chases Scar to the top of Pride Rock, where Scar attempts to lay blame on his hyena minions. Simba does not believe Scar's story and instead commands that he leave the Pride Lands forever. In answer, Scar attacks Simba, and the two fight. Simba overpowers Scar and heaves him from Pride Rock.

With Scar dead, Simba takes his place as the king of Pride Rock. The kingdom soon returns to its former glory, and Simba presents his newborn son to the Pride Landers.