Lion King Part VII

Introduction to three characters, the major hyenas: Shenzi, the oldest and only female of the trio.Bonzai, and Ed, not best known for his mental capacity. They are introduced coming out of the eyesockets of the gigantic elephant skull behind Simba in his moment of over-selfconfidence. Zazoo places his mall frame bravely in front of the two cubs. Shenzi speaks first, "What have we here?" Bonzai with, "I don't know, what do you think, Ed?" Ed merely laughs in response. Bonzai says, "just what I was thinking... a delicious trio of trespassers." We get a hint of their morbid sense of humor as they torment and tease the three they have caught. Zazoo tries to excuse them and says, "my, my, my look at the sun! It's time to go." (After Simba has already insulted them with Zazoo's own words.) Shenzi jumps in and blocks them while saying, "Wait, we'd love to have you stick around for dinner." this starts a battle of puns between the two. "Yeah, we could have whatever's... lion around." Shenzi retorts with, "wait, wait, wait I got one, make mine a cub sandwich. What' chu think?" Ed jumps in and awkwardly tries to tell them something, Shenzi grumpily asks, "What, Ed?" Bonzai seeing and folloeing Ed's motions asks, "hey, did we order this dinner to go?" "No, why?" Bonzai shouts, "'cause there it goes!"

The two cubs followed by Zazoo make their escape as the threesome play a game of puns. The cubs are fast enough to get further away while Shenzi, Bonzai and Ed are destracted by "dancing" Zazoo over to the "birdy boiler". After he is launched off in a burst of geyser steam the trio are interrupted in their gleeful laughing by Simba asking, "hey, why don't you pick on someone your own size?" This leaves it wide open for Shenzi, "like you?" Simba recognizes his mistake pretty quickly, "oops." And thus commences the chase scene.

This seen effectively covers what is recognized at the persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ. For thousands of years the prophets and disciples of God have been mocked, persecuted, and martyred for their beliefs. Among the names of the prophets; Noah, Moses, John the Baptist, Paul, John the Beloved, Jesus Christ Himself. And more modernly is Joseph Smith and the missionaries have similar stories of such persecutions. 1 Nephi 13:9 "And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity." The hyenas are trying to capture and kill Simba and Nala, much like those against the disciples of Jesus Christ target the saints.

Lion King Part VI

Simba and Nala, now having effectively trapped Zazoo and gotten away excitedly head to the elephant graveyard. Simba boast with, "I'm a genius." Nala retorts, "hey, genius it was my idea." Simba says, "yeah, but I pulled it off." "With me!" "Oh, yeah?" they wrestle and Nala ends up on top. "Pinned ya!" Simba pushes her off and initiates yet another bout of wrestling. They tumble over an edge and Nala yet again beasts Simba, "pinned ya again." A burst of steam alters the two to the new location. They both look around, each with a different expression. Simba with excitement and Nala with fear and nervousness. She realizes the danger of the location and feels a need to leave. The Holy Ghost has another role, that of warning, often felt as a great fear or confusion. 2 Nephi 5:5 is a good example of such a warning. Nala feels such a fear and should have left.

Just as Simba gets ready to "check it out" Zazoo unexpectedly shows up. Simba, disappointed that his ploy did not last as long in keeping Zazoo away says, "aw man." But as Zazoo starts expressing his concer about them leaving eh safety of the Pridelands. Simba mocks him with,"Look, banana beak is scared." Zazoo doesn't even take true offence at the comment, "That's Mr. Banana Beak to you, Fuzzy!" He tachinges the topic to, "we are in very real danger." Simba, with his naive bravado says, "I laugh in the face of danger!" After his showing laugh his is joined with that of three others. Whom we get to know very well in the progression of the movie. Startled Simba jumps to relative safety behind Zazoo and Nala.

This time the kids come face to face with the natural enemy to lions, the hyena, or really three of them at once. Not a very good looking situations.

Lion King Part VI "I Just Can't Wait to be King"

"I'm gonna be a mighty king,
So enemies beware!"
      Simba shows his naiveté with this statement, he doesn't understand what's important with the role of being king. He doesn't understand the need of so many things before he can claim the title.
"I've never seen a king of beasts,
With quite so little hair."
      Zazoo ties to being Simba down a peg by showing something he does not have, though he does it without charity. That disappeared when Simba proved rather stubborn.
"I'm gonna be the mane event,
Like no king was before.
I'm brushing up on looking down,
I'm working on my roar."
      It's shocking sometimes to see how much of a brat a kid can seem to be. Simba is showing every sign of budding arrogance. He shows his personal pride by boasting in himself and not being willing to listen to those with more experience. His respect for his father, Mufasa, can easily be seen; but he forget to take the previous lessons to heart.
"Thus far a rather uninspiring thing."
      Zazoo is not impressed by Simba's show of bravado.
"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"
      The sad thought that comes to mind is that Simba doesn't understand that something would have to happen to Mufasa for  him to gain the title of king.
"No one saying do this,
No one saying be there.
No one saying stop that,
No one saying see here."
      I understand that kids don't very much enjoy rules or regulations, but at this point they speak of no control, only being controlled by their desires. This would lead to anarchy and general chaos. Rules and regulations are there for the protection and organization of the people. The effect of such a choice will later be seen though Scar's control over the Pridelands.
"Now see here!"
      Zazoo, having failed to even get a word in edgewise in frustration tries to speak out and get the attention of the two cubs, but to no avail.
"Free to run around all day!"
      A kid's joy comes from playing and running. Simba believes as a king he will have all the time to do the things that are fun and easy to do. Once again ignoring the rules and lessons from before.
"Well, that's definitely out."
      Zazoo, having more experience in such times knows that the way of government as imagined by young Simba would not be functional.
"Free to do it all my way."
      Simba shows a little of the arrogance mentioned before as well as the young and simple mind of a child. Every kid wants it done their way.
"I think it time that you and I,
Arranged a heart to heart."
      Zazoo, though angry still says in a nicer way that he would like to talk to Simba boaut some of his misconceptions.
"Kings don't need advice from little hornbills for a start."
      Simba jabs low for Zazoo, both speaking of stature and of placement. I don't blame Zazoo for throwing all charity out of the window at this point.
"If this is where the monarchy is headed count me out!
Out of service,
Out of Africa,
I wouldn't hang about!
This child is getting wildly out of wing!"
      Zazoo is recognizing there is much that Simba needs to learn. The need for discipline seems pretty strong, and if that doesn't work Zazoo plans to get out of the entire situation.
"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"
      Simba's whole goal is repeated many times int he song, his goal of one day ruling the kingdom of his father. In reality all people can and in a way rule a kingdom of their own in a life after this. If we strive to obey the commandments and serve God with all our might, we can and will have kingdoms like unto His.
"Everybody look left,
Everybody look right,
Everywhere you look,
I'm standing spot light!"
      Prid is one of the seven deadly sins as often they are called, in fact, it is the foremost and first of all of them. The pride of one always precedes one or another of the sins. As is stated in the movie The Testaments produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "pride is the seed of destruction." As spoken by Helam. With his actions caused by Simba's pride he is later humbled strongly.
"Not yet!"
      Simba had "not yet" reached his status of king, so the things that he says about his obtaining the glory of the position has "not yet" taken place.
"Let every creature know ... to sing,
Let's here is in the herd and on the wing.
It's gonna be King Simba's finest thing!"
      Pulled into Simba's exuberance the other animals sing together and pull together in the job of distracting Zazoo from is course of guiding and protecting the two youngsters.
"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"

Lion King Part V

As expected, Simba goes off to find his best friend, Nala. With his great plan to explore the elephant graveyard. He finds Nala with her mother and Simba's mother, Sarabi. Like most kids wanting to have fun while it might be taken wrong by parents Simba side steps around Sarabi's question of, "So, where is this really cool place?" "Around the water hole." Nala objects about possible fun there, Simba then says, "I'll show you when we get there." Nala is intrigued and follows the desire of adventure. With permission they are allowed to go to the water hole, with a stipulation, that Zazoo  goes with them. Again the role of the Holy Ghost comes into place. The warning voice and protector.

As they head toward the water hole the real destination is revealed to Nala. She gets excited and says, "Wow!" As the two lions talk about their plan to get away from Zazoo he mistakes it as a hint of romance between the kids. With a  small swoop down he joins them on the ground. Zazoo uses several words that the two kids don't understand, he further simplifies by saying, "One day you two are going to be married!" They respond with similar expressions of dislike at the idea. Zazoo, unimpressed by this display, repeats this along with a small idea of the role of king. When the duty of a king doesn't sit well with Simba he decides that he would change some things around.
Zazoo rejects the idea vehemently. This leads to the  song "I Can't Wait to be King." Which will be better discussed in the next part. But this whole interaction is showing the effects of both pride and contention. 3 Nephi 11:29 on contention that it is not of Christ but of the devil. Simba's pride of a future king makes it almost impossible for him to se what may be in the future, he fails to realize the importance and responsibility of the role, he can only see the glory of the title at this point. While Zazoo knows the finer points of the job. When he tries to reach Simba the cub rejects the unpleasant sounding parts.

Mother's day

Taking a momentary break from Lion King I turn to the holiday celebrating Mom. With a few memories from some classics. "Your Mother and Mine" from Peter Pan along with the "Women's Suffrage" song from Mary Poppins reminds us of the importance of mothers in our lives.

"Your Mother and Mine" is a song that is performed by Wendy, a song that reminds the boys of the mother they are far away from and they had forgotten about. They are reminded by Wendy's song and realized that they do, in fact, miss their mother and want to go back. Even more so the lost boys realize what they have been missing, even though they have had the time of their lives with Peter Pan they haven't yet really enjoyed the life they could have held with their mothers.

"Women's Suffrage" is based in the time when it was not legal for women to vote, yet Mrs. Banks is fighting for it with all she has. She even says that their daughters will remember and thank them for their tireless fight for suffrage. Having women in my own family fight for what they believe to be right I am grateful for their own tireless fight and struggle with things that have made much possible for us now.

The Movie Hook is a return to Neverland with Peter Pan and Captain Hook. Now Peter Pan is grown up and has two children of his own that are kidnapped and taken to Neverland. His daughter, Maggie, sings a song that was taught to her by her mother.
"When You're Alone"

When you're all alone,
far away from home.
There's a gift the angel send,
when you're alone.

Every day must end,
but the night's our friend.
Angels always send a star
when you're alone.
At night when I'm alone,
I lie awake and wonder,
which of them belong to me,
Which one I wonder.

Any star I choose,
Watches over me.
So, I know I'm not alone,
When I'm here on my own.
Isn't that a wonder,
When you're alone,
You're not alone,
Not really alone.

This song shows one of the roles required of a mother, that of comfort. This song comforts Maggie as she is far away from her home, and mother. She remembers her mother in her time of sorrow and loneliness. As well as it helps Jack, Peter's son, for a moment remember that his mother would sing that song to them when they would get ready for bed.

Toward the end of the movie you see their mother, Moira, waiting for them. She sits in a chair, asleep, with the window open, hoping her little ones will return to her. When she wakes up she thinks that she is dreaming, when in reality they are truly home. The moment she realizes that they are home she collapses and receives the hugs of her loving children. A mother's job is one of love, it is not paid by any other way. Love is enough for a Mother who has joy in her children.

Thank you to Mothers everywhere!