Aaron Pierre, who plays the titular character in Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King , went viral for his entrance video at the Jennifer Hudson Show, which enamored many fans. The fan frenzy became extreme to the point where the show had to turn off the comment section of his video across all their social media platforms. The unintentional social media impact was helpful for the movie’s publicity, which made some fans even more eager to see this live-action sequel story. Mufasa: The Lion King did not disappoint when approaching the topics of matriarchy and intuition as the grounding tools for Mufasa’s journey. The heart of the story is about the brotherhood between Mufasa, who has a matriarchal background, and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr), who has a patriarchal upbringing, which was impactful in showcasing the power of belief, maternal guidance, and intuitive knowledge through the distinction of these two characters.
The story of Mufasa begins in childhood, growing up in a pride where he is raised by his mother, Afia (Anika Noni Rose), and father, Masego (Keith David). The family grows up envisioning a mystical haven called Milele, which means forever in Swahili. When Mufasa asks how his mother knows what Milele looks like, she encourages him to go within and tap into his intuition. This introduces the first musical breakout in Mufasa: The Lion King, where the bare and dry land Mufasa stands on transforms into a vibrant green landscape filled with various lifeforms. Unfortunately, this joy is short-lived when Mufasa is swept away by a flood, which displaces him from his family and home.
The seed of belief that Afia plants in Mufasa as a child proves to be instrumental because Mufasa carries that vision into his new life when Taka’s family reluctantly adopts him. Her maternal guidance is long-lasting because Mufasa shares this vision with his new pride, later confirmed to be a prophecy by Rafiki (John Kani).
Despite Taka’s immediate affection for Mufasa, his father, Obasi (Lennie James), does not believe in allowing strays into the pride. Taka allows Mufasa to win during a race, securing his spot in the pride, but Obasi makes it conditional on the fact that Mufasa will be raised by the females. As the leader of the pride, Obasi is keen on securing Taka’s succession, so he takes on the responsibility of raising him, while his wife Eshe (Thandiwe Newton) is responsible for Mufasa.
Through their upbringing, we learn through Taka’s perspective that the male lions act as the leaders of the pride but spend a lot of time sleeping around. Mufasa: The Lion King showcases the illusions of patriarchy through the leadership of Obasi, who encourages Taka to lie by taking credit for saving his mother. Meanwhile, Eshe teaches Mufasa to hunt skillfully by intuitively listening to the sound vibrations of the prey and predators in his distant surroundings. Eshe also affirms Mufasa’s vision of Milele and believes that it is a real location and that he is still capable of reuniting with his family.
Despite forming a strong bond from childhood into adulthood, the contrast between the Taka and Mufasa is evident when they are forced to flee from their pride due to an attack from a vigilante pride of lions. The maternal guidance from both Eshe and Afia highlights the power of matriarchy when Mufasa decides to head toward Milele despite not knowing the way.
Mufasa: The Lion King introduces Rafiki as a character who is also a stray and was kicked out of his home due to the belief that his visions were demonic. Even though he is considered a prophet, not everyone respected his gift because they quickly dismissed what they could not understand. Upon meeting Taka and Mufasa, Rafiki shares his prophecy about meeting his brother in Milele and they are also joined by Sarabi, a stray lioness. Initially, Taka wants to eat Rafiki and disregards his prophecies, while Sarabi is also weary about trusting his visions. Mufasa is the only one who chooses to follow Rafiki, a confirmation of his belief in spiritual knowledge due to the matriarchs who shaped him.
Mufasa also tapped into his intuitive knowledge through his hunting skills, which allowed him to alert the rest of the group about the distance of their predators and plan accordingly. Through his keen senses, he can smell a specific flower scent off Sarabi and allows his brother to take credit for it when Taka tries pursuing her. Eventually, the gang does reach Milele, but the safety of this paradise is at risk due to the invasion of the vigilante lion pride, who received help from Taka.
Initially, the rest of the animals in Milele are not interested in helping Mufasa but he reminds them that they are not exempt from future attacks, empowering them to work together. Using the titular character, Mufasa: The Lion King displays the importance of collectivism and honoring what everyone has to offer, a societally matriarchal trait. After defeating the threat to their home, the animals unanimously make Mufasa their leader, and despite not feeling worthy, Rafiki reminds him that his heart made him deserve the role.
Despite Mufasa being displaced twice from his home of origin and adopted family, Mufasa: The Lion King also highlights the idea that home is where the heart lies. Mufasa reunites with his mother, Afia, in Milele, a full circle moment where he finds his way back home through the seeds planted by his mother. The skills Taka learned from his father proved ineffective in leading, while the knowledge gained from the matriarchs in Mufasa’s life made him a great king. This prequel proved that Mufasa’s core character, who is just, empathetic, and wise, stemmed from the matriarchs in his life who emphasized intuitive guidance.
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