Popular Culture Review Vol. 10, No. 2, August 1999 | Page 89

Disney and Leadership

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appearances no matter how ugly (the hag) or handsome (Gaston), are courageous
in fighting only for causes of merit, and recognize that influence, from whatever
source it is derived, must be honorably exercised.
The Lion K in g

The leadership message of The Lion King is more explicit. The film be
gins with an obvious conflict over leadership. King Mufasa has just presented to
the animal subjects of his kingdom his newly bom heir to the throne, Simba. Mufasa’s
brother. Scar, fails to attend the presentation, thus displaying his lack of acknowl
edgment of the new king-to-be. Had Simba not been bom. Scar would have suc
ceeded to the throne. His opportunity to become the reigning monarch has been
negated, however, as the leadership lineage will now pass to and through Simba.
A subsequent scene depicts Mufasa and Simba having their first fatherson leadership chat. Mufasa tells Simba, “A king’s time as mler rises and falls
like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here and will rise with
you as the new king.” Mufasa takes his role as leading monarch very seriously,
but acknowledges that his role as leader has temporal constraints. Additionally,
he strongly enforces the concept of leadership passing through family lines, im
plying that leadership traits are passed genetically from father to son.
Unlike his father, Simba immediately assumes a despotic arrogance re
garding his future fate but is chastened by his father for doing so. Mufasa ex
plains that unbridled authoritarianism is counterproductive to society and that
leadership comes with the responsibilities of supporting and protecting the lives
of one’s subjects. Simba replies, “I thought a king could do whatever he wants.”
Simba displays similar arrogance in a later scene when he says, “I’m brushing up
on looking down; I’m working on my roar.” Later he describes his future role as
king as being one where there would be “...no one saying do this...be there...stop
that...see here - free to run around all day; free to do it all my way.”
These comments are laughable when expressed by one as young as the
lion cub Simba, yet they are lamentable when expressed by one of maturity.
Through a series of orchestrated malevolence. Scar arranges for the death of
Mufasa, convinces the young and impressionable Simba that he, Simba, is re
sponsible for Mufasa’s death, and counsels Simba to “run away and never re
turn.” After the banishment and intended death of Simba, Scar returns to Pride
Rock to inform the pride of the “unfo rtunate event” and to announce himself as
their new reigning monarch. During a subsequent conflict with one of his sub
jects he boldly states, “I’m the king. I can do whatever I want.”
During Simba’s absence from the pride, his family and friends believe
he is dead. In reality, he has been rescued by two creatures best characterized as
social dropouts. They live lives of unending leisure and subscribe to the motto