Simba's Journey: A Flawed Hero

Intro


We all know the story of the Lion King. Simba, a traumatized lion faces his past and becomes the hero of the pride lands, claiming his rightful place in the circle of life. But what if I told you that there is a lot more to uncover about our hero than you think? What if I told you that Simba is one of Disney's most emotionally, deeply flawed heroes?

Let me take you into the deep and explore his character and story fully as a writer. We will be exploring the full movie of the Lion King, following Simba’s journey and growth.

What we will explore in this analysis:

  • Simba’s want to be brave like his father, and his fear of disappointing him, combined with his reckless behavior and ignorance of what bravery really means.
  • His trauma at a young age, shaping him into how he is as an adult, while denying the past and using ‘Hakuna Matata’ as a coping mechanism
  • His avoidance of responsibility; He knows what he has to do, but is still running from the past.
  • Identity crisis; Realization that he doesn’t even know who he is anymore.
  • Final Confrontation; Grown into a new hero, not only facing the enemy, but himself and his past as well.