Who Remembers The Lion King Well Enough To Get Over 80% On This Quiz?
- by Lucas Wesley
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Released in 1994, The Lion King was instantly declared one of the greatest films The Walt Disney Company had ever produced. The story of a young prince betrayed by his uncle into believing he was unwanted, only to return like the prodigal son and reclaim his kingdom, has resonated with audiences of all ages. Throw in a few outrageously catchy pop songs, and there's no wonder audiences keep coming back to this 2D classic even in the age of CGI.
Beloved by critics as much as it was by the public, The Lion King was a rare animated film to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy (although in this case, it could be called a musical AND a comedy). Of course, there was also plenty of drama inherent in the young cub's journey, not to mention the romance found in the scenes featuring the best friend with whom he's "betrothed."
Clearly, The Lion King was a hit in every way possible, and the appeal is hardly going to vanish any time soon. Even audiences who weren't born in 1994 probably saw it at some point in their childhood, or perhaps more recently than that, hoping to look back on an old favorite with more mature eyes. Either way, anyone who calls themselves a fan should keep reading for a quiz on The Lion King few people will be able to pass.
Which song opens The Lion King?
Truly a musical in every sense of the word, there's no dialogue in The Lion King for the first few minutes. Instead, audiences are greeted with an overture of sorts, by way of one of the film's several classic pop songs. All animals in the jungle congregate in front of the king's throne, prepared to witness the presentation of his new child for the first time. The song and scene also express one of the movie's main themes, that all creatures in the jungle are somehow connected through powerful forces that predate them all.
Who is the original king of the jungle?
As the title would imply, The Lion King is obviously about a lion who is king. Actually, it's about three lions who become king, though one of them obviously has to sit on the throne first. When the film begins, it's this booming, powerful leader, who rules his kingdom with compassion and understanding befitting of royalty. While he still eats certain smaller animals like the antelope, he nonetheless has great respect for every creature in his kingdom, and will do anything to keep them safe.
What is the King's newborn son named?
Every great king's reign must one day come to an end, leading the original Lion King to proudly raise a son with hopes he'll one day take over the kingdom. At first, the rambunctious youngster may be a little too immature for this job, ignoring his father's demands and lessons about how royalty should act. After a long journey away from home where he learns the nature of responsibility, though, he's ready to make a thrilling comeback and take the throne he's rightfully deserved all along.
Which of the following songs is NOT from The Lion King?
Like most classic Disney films, there's no shortage of great pop songs throughout The Lion King. Taking advantage of the movie's status as a musical, several of these tunes also provide a good deal of the exposition, offering the thoughts and motivation of the main characters while also moving the plot forward during the animation sequences. That said, because so many Disney films use this method, it might be easy for a person whose heard the songs without seeing the movies to forget what tracks were in which film.
From where does The Lion King rule?
From a broad perspective, The Lion King simply takes place in the jungles of Africa, from the rainforests, to the desert plains, all the way to darker areas that not even lions dare to tread. However, when it comes to the land ruled by Mufasa, one area in particular could be considered his true kingdom. It's from this perch that Simba is first presented to the world, and it's also where the entire lion family spends most of their time when not out adventuring or hunting for food.
Who is Simba's mother?
Even amongst animals, every king must have his queen. More importantly for Simba, every young cub needs a mother, and this female lioness proudly fulfills both of those roles. At first, she mostly protects and nuzzles her son, also offering him a bath to prepare for a day of adventuring. Once things in the kingdom start taking a dark turn, she also proves she's hardly the type to quietly sit on the sidelines and let her people suffer, leading the charge when hunting for food.
Which mandrill presents the King's son to the tribe?
While there's no denying Simba's parents are immediately proud of their newborn son, it's this colorful mandrill who first raises the cub high above his head in presentation to the kingdom. Later on in the story, he also plays an integral role in getting Simba to accept his role as the new leader, albeit in rather confusing fashion. After dancing around and speaking an odd chant, he calls Simba a "baboon," castigating the immature cub for having refused his position until that point. Eventually, this is just the kick needed for Simba to take charge.
Who is Simba's best friend?
As the young prince of a bustling kingdom, in certain respects, every one of Mufasa's followers could be considered Simba's ally. However, from the very beginning, there's a young female cub who takes up the mantle as his best friend, going on adventures with him and playfully joking around like the goofy young animals they are. Initially, she and Simba are both shocked to learn they've become "betrothed" through a strange tradition, only to gleefully accept the idea once they get a little bit older.
Which relative of Mufasa is plotting to usurp his throne?
Every hero needs a villain, and both Mufasa and Simba are given one of Disney's greatest in this vain, power hungry relative. Despite being the king's brother and prince's uncle, he refuses to attend Simba's presentation ceremony, and then immediately begins plotting to destroy them both and find a way to usurp the throne. The reason relates entirely to jealousy, having grown enraged that his position of being second in line to power was suddenly leapfrogged by an immature child. Of course, that hardly justifies the extent of his vicious schemes.
What animals help Scar in his villanous schemes?
As anyone to venture into the real jungle (or just watch a nature documentary on the subject) is surely aware, not all creatures in the animal kingdom are quite as altruistic as Mufasa and his family. Some are mischievous, destructive souls who not only prey on others as food, but also enjoy simply toying with their emotions, and their very lives. That's definitely the case with Scar's three main minions, who menacingly threaten Simba and company each time they cross paths. Naturally, it's this very quality that makes Scar choose them to do his bidding.
To which forbidden area does Scar lead Simba?
Cat's aren't the only animals who can meet their demise due to the danger of curiosity. The same thing very nearly happens to Simba and his friend Nala after the nefarious uncle Scar tries tricking the boy into going someplace he shouldn't. In doing so, Scar is also driving a wedge between Simba and his father, convincing the cub to go somewhere Mufasa had already direly warned him against ever venturing. Turns out Mufasa was right to do so, as Scar's plan is for Simba to meet his end while there.
What animal is Scar toying with as Simba is presented to the pride?
Because he's so bitter about being passed over as next in line to the throne, Scar refuses to attend Simba's presentation ceremony, perhaps being the only animal in all of Pride Rock to do so. Not only that, but in order to make his villainy extra clear right from the start, he's "playing with his food" by toying with a terrified, much smaller animal instead of witnessing the historic event. Only by way of Mufasa arriving to scold him does the would be prey make its escape.
Finish the lyric: "I'm brushing up on looking down, I'm working on my ______."
Perhaps understandably, the minute Simba realizes he's destined to one day become ruler of the jungle, as the song goes, he "just can't wait to be king." Despite his father's warning that being the man in charge isn't entirely all it's cracked up to be, Simba only manages to get more excited at the prospect as time goes on, soon bursting out into song about the fact when discussing it with his friend Nala. Surprisingly, though, even the young prince realizes he needs to prepare a little before taking the throne.
Who is Mufasa's assistant and messenger?
Admirable as Mufasa is at the role, being in charge of any large kingdom is hardly a one man job. To help him keep track of the chimps going ape, high and mighty giraffes, and eternally memorable elephants, not to mention that rascally son of his, the king has this playful hornbill delivering morning reports and following the prince around on his dalliance. It's a good thing he does, too, as the bird is directly responsible for saving Simba's hide on more than one occasion.
What animal do the Hyenas chase into a stampede?
Joyous and uplifting as many parts of The Lion King are, it's also one of the saddest films Disney has ever made in respects to certain scenes that deeply tug at the heartstrings. The most emotional of all is definitely the prolonged, deeply intricate sequence in which Simba loses his father, all due to Scar's vicious plotting. First, the evil uncle convinces his nephew to wait for a "secret" at a very dangerous location, then leading his father there after an unstoppable stampede of giant animals begin hunting them down.
Which two characters does Simba meet after leaving the kingdom?
The only thing worse than Scar's plotting to destroy his own brother is the fact he then convinces his nephew Simba it was all the young cub's fault. Granted, there's an upside, in that Simba's decision to leave the jungle afterwards eventually leads him to two of his greatest allies in a goofy meerkat and his jovial warthog partner. These two soon teach Simba about living a carefree life, or at least one in which he can move on from his past struggles and relax a bit before regrouping and saving the day.
What does "Hakuna Matada" mean?
Speaking of the carefree life Simba lives with his new friends, nothing better explains Timon and Pumbaa's philosophy on the world than their joyous theme tune, "Hakuna Matada." In some respects, it goes against everything Simba's father had previously taught him, convincing the young lion to completely give up his duties as king of the jungle in favor of lying in hammocks made of vines and simply having a good time. Not that it's entirely filled with bad values, as the tune also pays a big role in Simba's eventual ability to move on from the past and start over.
Who is Nala's mother?
In all fairness, we've got to admit, this might be the toughest question on our quiz. Important as Nala is to Simba's life, her mother only makes a few small appearances, and has a grand total of one single line in the entire film. That said, she's obviously very important to the young lioness, in the same way Simba's mother Sarabi made a huge impact on his own life. On that note, it's also worth pointing out she's probably Sarabi's closest friend as well, with the two lionesses always seen together while raising their cubs.
Which of the following is NOT one of the hyena's names?
Villainous as they are, there's also a respect in which younger fans watching The Lion King might find the hyenas some of the funniest characters in the movie. If nothing else, the trio certainly laugh a lot, with one of them even reaching a point where it's pretty much all he can do. Throw in two famous comedians in Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin as voice actors, and these annoying little scamps were perhaps some of the most memorable characters in the whole film.
How does Mufasa describe the lion's kingdom to Simba?
King or not, there's obviously a limit to Mufasa's power, as well as that of both other lions who eventually replace him. Obviously, lions don't exactly pay attention to man-made borders, and even the concept of miles or other ways to measure distance are a little bit beyond their abilities. However, to make up for these issues, Mufasa created a powerful way to describe his kingdom, which he imparts to his son when explaining what will one day be his. More importantly, the phrase also explains what doesn't belong to them, suggesting where they should never venture.
Where does Simba pretend he's taking Nala when they go to the graveyard?
Knowing that his parents would never let him venture to the elephant's graveyard, yet also being way too curious to possibly pass up on the opportunity, Simba immediately comes up with a lie that would allow him and Nala to go wherever they so please. A little bit slow on the uptake, Nala is entirely uninterested in the proposition, until Simba explains to her they aren't actually going where he tells their mothers they'll be. Once she realizes his ruse, however, she's more than game for the adventure.
What animal does Scar feed the hyenas to get them on his side?
Being gleefully mischievous agents of chaos, one might expect the hyenas to jump on Scar's side the second he begins his nefarious plotting. In a manner of speaking, this is true, considering they already seem to be the evil lion's allies the second he shows up on their turf. However, it still takes a slight amount of convincing to get the free spirited interlopers to actually do his bidding. To convince them to help in his vicious plans, Scar feeds the hyenas a certain animal's leg.
What character does Nala try eating before Simba stops her?
While it's more or less a foregone conclusion that Simba will eventually make his return to the Pride Lands and stop Scar, several full years take place between his decision to go into exile and the prodigal son's actual return. During the elapsed time, things back home seriously fall apart, leading the people Simba left behind to resort to some desperate measures in hopes of survival. Included amongst them are Nala's attempts at hunting, which indirectly leads her back to her old friend when she tries hunting one of his new ones.
What does Scar say to Mufasa before failing to save his life?
The Lion King might be an animated Disney movie, but that didn't stop Scar from becoming one of most viciously evil characters of all time. His actions really say it all in terms of what a monster he is, yet there's also a few brilliant bits of writing that truly put the dark lion a grade above the rest when it comes to sheer villainy. Obviously, his most evil moment of all is when he sends his own brother Mufasa plummeting to his grave, and he delivers one heck of a biting line when doing so.
Which animals do Timon and Pumbaa eat?
Okay, so Timon and Pumbaa seem to have a pretty good life most of the time, but things clearly aren't perfect for the meerkat and warthog. From the very beginning, they both admit they've been outcast from society for one reason or another, and living life on the fringes means giving up some of the niceties that Simba had previously been accustomed to as a royal. For one thing, he won't be eating antelope anymore, forced to subside on a significantly smaller sort of organism. On the plus side, Pumbaa says it tastes like chicken.
What song does Scar sing with Zazu?
Once Scar takes over Pride Rock, things predictably start to suffer for virtually every animal in the kingdom. That said, few have it worse than Zazu, formerly Mufasa's right-hand man, now confined to living in a small cage near Scar's thrones. Worse than that, Scar won't even let the poor bird sing out his frustrations with emotional songs like "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen." Surprisingly, though, after a few tries, the bird and the lion actually find a novelty tune they can both enjoy.
Who takes care of scar once and for all?
It should go without saying that the way Scar rules his kingdom, he doesn't exactly make a whole lot of friends. In fact, virtually every single resident of Pride Rock hates the guys guts, even the more villainous types he set up in positions of power. The only surprising thing about the situation is that no one really does anything about it, simply sitting back and waiting for Simba to return before making a concerted effort at deposing him from power. Once they fight back, though, it isn't long before Scar is brought to justice.
What is Zazu's official title in the kingdom?M
Throughout this quiz, we've been using terms like "messenger," "assistant," and "right-hand man" to explain Zazu's duties, and technically speaking, all of these are completely accurate, reasonable ways to describe what the hornbill does for Mufasa. According to the bird himself, though, his title is a bit more regal and official sounding than any of those. Of course, when he says it to the hyenas, all they do is laugh at him, but anyone with respect for the crown would probably use his real signifier.
Which animal traps Zazu when Simba and Nala head to the graveyard?
Watchful as Zazu's eyes can be, he's still just a little bird in a giant jungle. Even his closest friends Mufasa and Simba will pick on the poor guy now and again, so bigger, meaner animals are basically going to treat him like a toy without second thought. When Simba and Nala try visiting the elephant's graveyard only for Zazu to follow them, the duo break out in song, leading to a chorus line of animals helping them make their escape. One creature in particular pins Zazu to the ground, allowing the two cubs to scamper out of sight.
What does Mufasa tell Simba the stars represent?
Technically speaking, Pumbaa is entirely correct when he calls stars "big balls of gas burning billions of miles away." However, that explanation lacks a certain poetry, so it's just as well Simba and his friends believe Mufasa when he said the brilliant lights shining in the night's sky represent something else. Either way, Timon is definitely wrong when he assumes they're tiny fireflies. In fact, in The Lion King's universe, it might be Mufasa who knows the real truth, evidenced when Simba finds long sought answers by looking to the sky.
Which Disneyland ride does Zazu reference, much to Scar's annoyance?
Before Scar and Zazu find common ground singing silly tunes about coconuts, the bird tries two other songs of which his new, evil boss isn't entirely appreciative. First up is an old blues standard few kids in the audience probably recognized, but there's no doubt Disney fans of all ages are were all too familiar with his second melody. Scar had certainly heard it before, echoing the feelings of most adult viewers by immediately shouting back in anger "anything but that!" Thankfully, Zazu immediately stopped singing, before the irritating song was stuck in everyone's heads.
Who provides the voice of Simba as an adult?
While he's very much a member of the animal kingdom, Simba's voice provides an incredible amount of humanity to his every action. Even before the young cub accepts responsibility and returns to his throne, Simba's inflection and tone suggest a creature with a very large heart, with a great capacity for emotion. Naturally, this is both through the great efforts of the animators and the human being behind Simba's voice, who was already well known with audiences for being a fun loving guy who would do anything for his friends.
According to Scar, what will he become when Simba is king?
Not that we would ever condone his actions, but there's almost a way in which one could understand why Scar became the way he is. Throughout the lion's entire life, he played second fiddle to his brother, and the best he could hope for once Simba was born was to stay in the background while the younger lion became the new king. There's just nothing special about being an older relative to royalty without a title of his own, so Scar makes up his own mocking honor when Simba asks what he'll become.
What is Nala doing when Simba approaches her about the elephant's graveyard?
Had Simba and Nala waited a few years before venturing out to the elephant's graveyard, it's possible they never would have encountered the same level of terror they did. While the two cubs themselves would need to wait a few years before understanding this fully, audiences probably realized it right away based on what they were doing right before taking off on the journey. Without giving it away, we'll just say they were very much being babied by their mothers at the time, the exact opposite of showing the maturity necessary to venture to the unknown.
How do Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas when Simba approaches Scar?
Once Simba is finally convinced that Scar's atrocities must be stopped, he immediately sets forth to be the one to take matters into his own paws. There's still one small problem, however, in the fact Scar's caporegimes the hyenas are very much at large, guarding Pride Rock from anyone who would threaten the new king's authority. Theoretically, Simba probably could just make a charge and fight them all, but this could leave him too tired to face his uncle, and it would also slightly delay his plans. Instead, he has Timon and Pumbaa create a decidedly silly distraction.
Who provides the voice of Mufasa?
Deep, booming, and powerful, few actors possess the oratory skills of the man behind Mufasa. The thespian in question had proved this many times over throughout his career, making appearances in films and advertisements whenever an authoritative voice needed to get its power across in just a few words. By introducing his deep tones to children, it could be said The Lion King is the first performance of his that most people would ever hear. That said, an earlier stint as a villain might be better known overall.
Who is Simba and Nala's child?
As the song suggests, life in the jungle is very much a circle, a fact The Lion King sets out to prove in it's opening and closing scenes. In addition to the same musical motifs from the overture repeating as the film ends, the basic plot also seems to repeat itself. This time, instead of a young Simba being presented to the masses, it's his new daughter with Nala that receives her royal debut. Technically, she doesn't get named until The Lion King got a sequel, but we're betting a few die hard fans know what it is anyway.
What character sings the song "Be Prepared?"
Based on the titles alone, it's pretty easy to guess who sings each song from The Lion King (aside from the two sang by unseen choruses, of course). "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is obviously crooned by the crown prince, and "Hakuna Matada" comes from the mouths of the two goofy, carefree spirits he meets on his journey. However, "Be Prepared" is a vague enough title that almost everyone in the movie has a reason to utter it...well, until you actually read the lyrics, and it becomes a bit more clear.
Which Shakespearian play shares many of its themes with The Lion King?
On a basic level, The Lion King is a movie about a prince who must fight his uncle after he discovers the latter figure eliminated his father to usurp the throne and insult his mother. While this probably seemed like an entirely new idea to the kids in the audience, adults should have recognized it as a pretty familiar concept. Sources differ on how intentional this was, but there's no denying the parallels between The Lion King and one of the most famous works of one William Shakespeare.
Which rock musician wrote the songs to The Lion King?
Disney had already been including bombastic pop songs that adults and kids could sing along to in harmony for years prior to The Lion King, yet never before did they hire one of the world's most iconic rock musicians to write them. The idea worked several times over for the company, in that not only did his amazing pop sensibilities lead to some seriously powerful tunes, but he was also able to flesh out the soundtrack a bit with original versions of his compositions.