Sarabi is a supporting character in The Lion King franchise.
She is the former Queen of the Pride Lands and widow of Mufasa. She is the mother of Simba and the sister-in-law of Scar. She later is also the mother-in-law of Nala, and the paternal grandmother of Kiara and Kion.
In The Lion King: Six New Adventures books (which are non-canon to the film), she is the paternal grandmother of Simba and Nala's son Kopa and Ahadi and Uru are her parents-in-law.
She was voiced by the late Madge Sinclair in her final film role.
Not much is known about Sarabi's early life apart from the fact that she and Mufasa were betrothed to each other at a young age. Prior to the events of The Lion King, she became the queen of Pride Rock, reigning alongside her husband, Mufasa, who became the king of Pride Rock.
The Lion King[]
Sarabi gives birth to her and Mufasa's son Simba. Sarabi and Mufasa embrace as a mandrill shaman named Rafiki presents Simba to the other animals of the Pride Lands. Sarabi is later mentioned later that day by Mufasa when he confronts his brother Scar for not attending Simba's presentation by saying that he and Sarabi did not see Scar at there.
Months later, Sarabi wakes up when Simba (now a young cub) wakes up Mufasa so he can be shown The Pride Lands. When they exit their cave, Sarabi gives Simba a playful nudge and happily watches him and Mufasa go up to the top of Pride Rock.
Later that day, Sarabi is seen sleeping on a rock across from her friend Sarafina, who is cleaning her daughter Nala. When Simba arrives to ask Nala to come with him to a "cool place", Sarabi wakes up and gives a reluctant Simba a bath. Sarabi questions her son on where the cool place is, Simba tells her that it's around the waterhole (but it is really The Elephant Graveyard). Sarabi and Sarafina allow the two cubs to go but as long as the majordomo Zazu goes with them.
Sarabi is later seen one night sometime later with Nala, Sarafina, Zazu and the rest of the pride where Scar informs them that Mufasa and Simba were killed in a wildebeest stampede. The pride mourns over the loss their king and prince and a devastated Sarabi is comforted by Zazu. As Scar steps up to become the new king, Sarabi and the others watch in horror as Scar allows hyenas to roam The Pride Lands.
Sarabi is later seen years later, arguing with Scar over the hunting party not doing their job as the herds have moved on. Sarabi tells Scar that there is nothing left and that they must leave Pride Rock, to which Scar refuses. When Sarabi says that Scar has sentenced the pride to death and that he cannot do that, Scar replies that he is the king and can do whatever he wants. When Sarabi accuses her brother-in-law of not being half the king Mufasa was, Scar (who has made it against the law to mention Mufasa's name in his presence) angerly strikes her, causing Sarabi to fall to the ground, and snarls that he's ten times the king Mufasa was. Just then a young male lion appears and comes to Sarabi's defense. At first, Sarabi and Scar believe the lion to be Mufasa, only to then learn that it is in fact Simba, who had in fact fled the Pride Lands after Mufasa's death and survived. Moments later, Nala arrives with the other lionesses, two of which help Sarabi up. Sarabi along with Nala and the pride are at first shocked when Simba says he was responsible for Mufasa's death but then realizes it was Scar who really killed her husband and had framed Simba for it. Sarabi fights the hyenas when they attack Simba with help from Nala, the other lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki while Simba fights Scar.
After Scar's death, Sarabi lovingly rubs heads with a victorious Simba and watches him do the same to Nala. Sarabi then proudly watches Simba become king and gains a daughter-in-law in Nala and becomes the grandmother of her and Simba's child.
Musical[]
Sarabi's role is the same as in the movie, though she appears with more roles in another song ("The Lioness Hunt").
She along with the other lionesses is seen shedding tears as they gaze down at Mufasa's body.
After Scar is defeated, Sarabi is seen witnessing the presentation of Simba and Nala's cub.
The Lion King ½[]
Sarabi makes a non-speaking cameo during "The Circle of Life" scene as Timon and Pumbaa walk past Pride Rock.
The Lion Guard[]
In the Season 2 episode "Cave Of Secrets", a painting of Sarabi is seen in The Lair of The Lion Guard.
Other media[]
Sarabi makes several book appearances. Sarabi is seen first in The Lion King: Six New Adventures book "How True, Zazu?". After Zazu leaves Sarabi and Mufasa alone, an angry water snake tries to kill them, but Zazu alerts the two about the threat.
In the book "Friends in Need", she is seen as a adolescent lioness trapped in the gorge, but is saved by the then Prince Mufasa after being alerted by Zazu. In this book it is revealed that like Simba and Nala, Sarabi and Mufasa were betrothed to each other.
In the book "Simba's Big Secret", when Nala disappears, Sarabi asks Simba if he has seen her. At first Simba denies as he had promised Nala that he would not tell anyone where she was going. Sarabi tells him that some secrets must be told for the safety of others, causing Simba to reveal that Nala is at a cave at the Red Cliffs. Sarabi goes with the pride to find Nala, which they succeed, after finding her trapped in the cave.
Sarabi makes a cameo appearance in an episode of Timon and Pumbaa's Wild About Safety episode "Safety Smart Goes Green", where she comes to claim back Simba (portrayed as a baby) after Timon uses him as an example of a CFL (which he thought meant cute fluffy lion cub, where in fact it is a light bulb).
Trivia[]
Helen Mirren, Virginia McKenna and Vanessa Redgrave were considered for the role of Sarabi before Madge Sinclair was cast.
Jada Pinkett Smith auditioned for the role of Sarabi before Madge Sinclair got the role.
In the original script to The Lion King, Sarabi had three sisters; Naanda (who later became Sarafina in the final film), Diku and Dwala and would have been Nala's aunt. However, Nala's relationship with Simba would have been considered as incest, due to Nala being Naanda's daughter and Simba's cousin. Because of this, Naanda became Sarafina and was Sarabi's friend rather than her sister, whilst Diku and Dwala were scrapped.
Originally after Simba's encounter with Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, Sarabi was to sing him a lullaby called The Lion in the Moon to relax him. This scene was scrapped from the final film in favor of Mufasa telling Simba about The Great Kings Of The Past.
In the 1993 script of The Lion King, Sarabi was originally going to witness the presentation of Simba and Nala's cub at the end of the film.
According to storyboards at the time where there was no opening song, Sarabi would have been seen with Mufasa and Simba shortly before the latter's presentation. After noticing an angered Scar leaving the presentation, Sarabi expressed her disapproval of Scar's attitude, believing that Scar could at least show a little respect, though Mufasa decides to proceed without his brother. Sarabi mistakes Rafiki as a threat to Simba and roars at him in protection of her son, before Mufasa assures her that Rafiki means no harm.
In the comic "An Unusual Choir", it is shown that Simba has an aunt and uncle who have two newly born sons. As Scar is Mufasa's only sibling, this would mean that Sarabi is the sister of either Simba's aunt or uncle.
With the exclusion of The Lion King 1 1/2, and several novelizations, Sarabi does not return physically return in any of the sequels. It is known that she is the paternal grandmother of Simba and Nala's son and daughter, Kion and Kiara. According to Simba’s Pride co-screenwriter Flip Kobler, Sarabi was excluded from the film due to a lacking of place for her in the story that Nala would not have already fulfilled. Additionally, Sarabi’s voice actress, Madge Sinclair had died before the release of the sequel, and thus the filmmakers wanted to respect the actress. This tradition was upheld in The Lion Guard.
Heroes
