THE LION KING

DEPARTURE (Separation)

The Ordinary World The hero’s home environment where his family and friends are located The place where the hero feels comfortable Simba was born in the Pride Lands and lives there with his mother, father, and friends

Call to Adventure Chance reveals an unexpected world There is an awakening of one “self” to an unknown world Scar tells Simba about The Rise of the Northern Border and how only brave lions go there to face danger Simba wants to be brave and visit the unknown world

Refusal of the Call Hero views present system, ideas, virtues, goals, and advantages as fixed and secure Simba wants to venture out of Pride Lands and into the unknown world he learned about He wants to see what else is out there

Supernatural Aid Supernatural figures represent a benign, protecting power of destiny This can come in the from of a protective figure Simba was born into a monarchy and will become king when his father passes and he becomes old enough Mufasa, Simba’s father, saves Simba and Nala from the Hyena’s when they were in the elephant graveyard Mufasa saves Simba from the stampede of antelope Rafiki smells the scent of Simba and realizes he is really alive and not dead

Crossing the Threshold The hero ventures into unknown world and meets some dangerous presence Simba and Nala both leave the Pride Lands and enter the elephant Graveyard together where they are met by 3 mean Hyenas

In the Belly of the Whale The hero goes inward in order to be reborn Simba thinks he killed his father and runs far away from Pride Lands never to return again Simba doesn’t know where he is going as long as he gets away from Pride Lands

Initiation INITIATION

The Meeting with the Goddess The meeting of the goddess who offers promise of perfection, everything Represents the totality of what can be known After Simba runs away he is found and saved by 2 animals named Timone and Pumba Timone and Pumba teach Simba Hakuna Matata and guide him to survival

The Woman as the Temptress The woman is evil and may lead the hero astray Simba’s uncle, Scar, tells him and Nala about the elephant graveyard tempting them to go there in the face of danger Scar kills his own brother, Mufasa, on purpose and blames it on Simba, who he is hoping to kill as well Scar then tells Simba to run away and never return and replaces Mufasa as king of the Pride Lands

Atonement with the Father Father symbolizes judgment; the hero overcomes fear and judgment This stage shows growth and the ability to take on adult abilities Mufasa tells Simba (when he was alive) that he will never again be lonely and should never be scared because he will be watching him from above Simba sees his father in himself when he looks at his reflection and talks to his father who appears in the clouds as a spirit Simba is no longer afraid to face Scar and his old friends after deserting them

Apotheosis The hero realizes the “big picture” The here becomes free from all fear, beyond the reach of change Simba realizes that he must return to “his kingdom” and restore it not only for himself but for his father, mother and old friends Simba figures out that Scar was the one that killed his father in order to become king of Pride Lands

The Ultimate Boon The hero receives the reward he/she is after The hero partakes of the sustaining substance that makes his mind/body imperishable Simba returns to fight Scar and defeats him and manages to get the Hyenas to convert to the good side Simba steps into his throne and takes control of his kingdom and restores back to what it was before

RETURN

Refusal of the Return Her can refuse a return The hero often wishes to remain in isolation Simba believes he is not the lion he used to be and does not wish to return to the Pride Lands when Nala finds him He wishes to stay in isolation with Timone and Pumba away from is old friends and family and is scared of disappointment Simba rejects the fact that the Pride Lands are in trouble and thinks that no one needs him back

Magic in Flight If the hero has the blessings of the goddess or god, his final adventures will be supported by all the powers of his patron Timone and Pumba support Simba in returning and agreed to help him defeat Scar and the hyenas Timone and Pumba say they are with Simba till the end and help him a great deal

Rescue from Without The world may have to come to save the hero The hero loses and then regains his ego Mufasa saves Simba from the stampede of antelope which Scar set up to kill both of them Mufasa also rescues Simba and Nala from the hyenas that were attacking them at the elephant graveyard just in time

Crossing the Return Threshold There is difficulty in the hero’s return; the world has changed and so has the hero The hero conquers the difficulty in returning, showing that he/she is able to adapt. The returning hero must survive the impact of the world; he may not be able to verbalize the wisdom he has gained through his journey. Simba knows he has to face his past and return home only to see an ugly, broken kingdom that is barely surviving and overrun by hyenas He sees his family and friends hungry and hurt starving for some good

Master of Two Worlds Hero has attained wisdom in both the spiritual and material world The hero gives up all his personal limitations, fears and hopes Simba has a son with Nala His son will grow up just like Simba and step into the throne to take over, hopefully to run Pride Lands just as well as Mufasa and Simba did

Freedom to Live The hero learns never to be afraid of the next moment The hero reconciles the fact the every creature lives on the death of another. The hero understands that it was only through the "death" of his/her former self that the new life was able to surface. Simba knows now he belongs in his kingdom and has outgrown the fear of fear itself