The Pridelands from Disney's The Lion King are some of the most beautiful, breathtaking, and majestic landscapes ever created by Disney animation. It's the home of King Simba and the rest of his animal friends where they are all connected in the great Circle of Life. That sounds all well and good on paper, but sometimes it gets a little too idealistic.
Aside from Scar and his hyenas, the population of the Pridelands seems a bit too harmonious & united. That's just one issue that dwells in the lush, African savannah, and many more abound. In fact, here are ten things about the Pridelands that don't make sense.
Everything The Light Touches Means Changing Boundaries
"Everything the light touches is our kingdom." These are some of the first words Mufasa says to his young son, but as poetic as it sounds, it's a bit problematic. As the sun rises and falls, doesn't that mean different shadows are cast at different times of the day? What about at night? Does that mean the king isn't in charge once the sun goes down? Got an answer for that one, Mufasa?
Where Is The Literal Boundary Line?
That brings up another issue. Do the Pridelands have a literal boundary line? One pride of lions can't possibly rule over the entire African continent, right">Simba's Kingdom?
Where do the Pridelands end and the other environments begin? Simba is no doubt a beloved and benevolent ruler, but he's probably due for a territory dispute or two.
Where Do Timon & Pumbaa Fit In?
Who could ever forget the Pridelands' dynamic duo, Timon and Pumbaa? Looking back at the film, their Hakuna Matata paradise doesn't exactly fit in with the rest of the kingdom, does it? In fact, it looks more like a South American rainforest than part of the African savannah. While Scar rules with an iron claw, Simba is shacking up in a tropical wonderland with these two.
What About That Shadowy Place?
The "Shadowy Place" is later revealed to be the Elephant Graveyard and Mufasa directly says it's "beyond our borders." So does that mean those who inhabit it are beyond the king's power?
Other than the hyenas, it makes logical sense that creatures, possibly elephants or other species that might frequent an Elephant Graveyard, might have their own ways and rulings. Maybe there's a Lion King expanded universe?
And The Outlands?
According to the Lion King canon, apparently, there were lionesses who ed Scar banished to The Outlands. Where exactly does that location fit in on the map of the Pridelands? Furthermore, do they qualify as a rival kingdom or conflicting territory? It might not be the lands of Westeros, but there are definitely grounds for a leonine war here.
Why Do the Animals Bow To Their Natural Predator?
Territories and boundaries aside, what about the various species that inhabit the Pridelands? They all seem connected in the Great Circle of life and contently so, but if Mufasa and his clan eat animals like the antelope, why are they obligated to come to Simba's coronation?
Think about it, they are literally celebrating the birth of their potential predator. Where is the logic in that? Social contracts in the Pridelands must be tight.
Are Some Animals More Equal Than Others?
Speaking of prey species, how does a pompous and pretentious hornbill like Zazu get to be the king's majordomo? Granted, birds don't typically have to worry about lions being a frequent predator, excluding a rather moody Scar, but what did animals like Zazu and Rafiki have to do to get their positions?
Are There Other Lion Prides?
Jumping back to the Outlands for a moment, since Scar is technically not Kovu's father, there has to be another male lion aside from Simba. Ergo, are there other lion prides with other Lion kings?
Think about it, there might even be other big cat clans Simba's pride could interact with. That wouldn't just be a logical assumption, but the grounds for a rather impressive spinoff series. Get to work on that, Disney.
What About Larger Animals?
As any zoological aficionado will know, Lions aren't the largest species in Africa. By that logic, why don't species like elephants, hippos, and alligators have their own sagas? This idea has been partially addressed in Disney's The Lion Guard, but Simba still seems to be the big cat on campus.
Who Really Benefits From the Circle of Life?
The Circle of Life seems like a natural and comprehensible natural order of things in the Pridelands. Lions eat the antelope, die and become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass, right? That sounds more like a circular food chain, doesn't it? In fact, one could make the argument that the lions are using Darwinism to maintain their position of power. Truth be told, that's not exactly something one would expect out of Disney.
