A Disney trademark has always been the absence and/or deaths of parental figures, but never before had we actually seen it happen. The death of Mufasa is one of the saddest and most traumatizing, and viewers young and old alike still break down every time that a weeping Simba curls up under his fathers motionless body. Seriously. Its worse than when Bambis mom was shot. Thankfully, the plot provides some pretty high highs thereafter to counteract the devastation. Timon and Pumbaa supply the comic relief, Simba and Nala fall in love, and Simba resolves to return to the Pride Lands and take his place as king. Then, there is one of the emotionally draining climaxes of any Disney production ever. Simba ascends Pride Rock to the strains of Hans Zimmer at his best. Rain pours down on the decimated kingdom, and the clouds part slightly to allow Mufasas voice to echo down from the sky. Simba opens his jaws and roars his dominance over the land, leaving viewers to laugh or cry or choke as we try to do both at once.
Fiction buff and writer. If it's on Netflix, it's probably in my queue. I've bought DVDs for the special features and usually claim that the book is better than the movie or show (and can provide examples). I've never met a TV show that I won't marathon. Follow on Twitter @lah9891 .
