Nala: Queen of Pride Rock

 Nala. Such a pretty name, huh? It means "gift" in Swahili. I am naming my first daughter Nala. Because babies are gifts from God! I've got so many names lined up.

1. Nala, "gift" in Swahili
2. Kiara, "day/bright" in Italian
3. Sarabi, "mirage" in Swahili
4. Sarafina
5. Laura, meaning "Laurel"
6. Savannah
7. Moira Kelsey
8. Mirabelle
9. Joseph
10. Aden
11. Lebo
12. Carmen
13. Jeremy (like Jeremy Irons)
14. Heidi
15. Heavenly
16. Ariel
17. Karen "Kay Kay" (like my aunt)
18. Megan
19. Kiersten
20. Rosemary
21. Megara
22. Jane
23. Phillip

Tada! Within ten minutes of typing, Hope has already managed to get off-topic! Is there an award for that?

Maybe there isn't. 

However, today we are going to talk about my favorite Disney character ever.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... NALA!!!!!


Yes, today we are talking about this lioness. She is the girl that most of us female Disney lovers aspire to be. Smart, persistent, curious, beautiful. In a word (or four), queen of Pride Rock!

Then again, who wouldn't wanna be Simba's wife?

But. I am getting ahead of myself. Now, I'm ready to start.

Simba and Nala were the best of friends when they were young. They were like "little seeds of romance blossoming in the savannah." I don't know if I'm the only one who noticed, but I think they began falling for each other long before the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" sequence. You can't fall in love with someone over night. Not true love, anyways. I can see small hints. For example, the way Nala's face brightens when she speaks to Simba. The way they wrestle (not perverted, I swear). How they made sure no one was left behind when they were being chased by the hyenas. And honestly, they didn't seem all that disgusted when they found out they were betrothed. This is true love, but maybe not romantic.

This is friendship.

They were the best of friends even before they became lovers.

I think that is what matters the most. When they actually did fall in love, it was a slow and steady progression. Just the way it's supposed to be.

The video above is a highlight of their moments as cubs up until Simba's "death." Notice, Nala is the only lioness who is literally crying. I mean, think about it this way. The day before she was hanging out with her best friend and getting in trouble with him, and now he's suddenly gone. Now she has no friends, no real king, and no man. Forever alone, literally.

So you'd imagine seeing him again would be like he rose from the dead.

When she finds Simba again, she is full of several emotions at once. Sadness, happiness, love, excitement. I mean, seriously. Your best friend is supposedly dead and then after the equivalent to, say, seven to ten years, you randomly stumble upon him while hunting (mm... who else is in the mood for some warthog?). She barely remembered him at first. Why, when she was a young lioness (when I was a young lioness!!!!!) he disappeared and then suddenly appeared again. Doesn't make sense. Once again, her life changes over night. No wonder one minute she's like, "WHOA!!!" and the next she's all like, "I've really missed you." It's an emotional roller coaster ride.

These two share a bond that many do not because they are most importantly, friends. No one knows you better than your oldest friend. They can see when something's wrong. How many times does Nala try to get to the bottom of things?

"He's holding back, he's hiding. But what? I can't decide. Why won't he be the king I know he is, the king I see inside?"

SIMBA: "No one needs me."
NALA: "Yes we do! You're the king!"
SIMBA: "Nala, we've been over this. I'm not the king, Scar is."
NALA: "Simba, he let the hyenas take over the Pride lands. Everything's destroyed. There's no food, no water--- Simba, if you don't do something soon, everyone will starve!"
SIMBA: "I can't go back."
NALA: "Why?"
SIMBA: "You wouldn't understand."
NALA: "What wouldn't I understand?"
SIMBA: "It doesn't matter. Hakuna matata. Look, sometimes bad things happen..."
NALA: Simba!
SIMBA: "...And you can't do anything about it! So why. worry."
NALA: "Because it's your responsibility!"
SIMBA: "And what about you, you left."
NALA: "I left to find help. And I found YOU. Don't you understand? You're our only hope."
SIMBA: "Sorry."
NALA: "What's happened to you? You're not the Simba I remember."
SIMBA: "You're right. I'm not. Now are you satisfied?"
NALA: "No. Just disappointed."
SIMBA: "Y'know, you're starting to sound like my father."
NALA: "Good. At least one of us does."
SIMBA: "Look! You think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through!"
NALA: "I would if you'd just tell me!"

Several, several times has Nala attempted to get it out of him. It never worked. Ever tried to get someone to open up to you but they just wouldn't and still you were relentless until you got to the bottom of it? You are a lot like Nala, then. Betcha no one was feeling the love tonight during that scene.

Nala is a crucial character (in the first movie, anyways) because she believed in Simba. She sees in him what he could never see in himself ("The king I see inside..."). Maybe she doesn't always know when to shut her mouth ("Good. At least one of us does"), and knows how to push his buttons, but if she weren't like that, he would have never returned to Pride Rock. She knew that he was using "hakuna matata" as an excuse to run away from his past and she tried to show him that he was needed. Eventually he had a change of heart, thanks to Rafiki.

When he returned to the pride lands, she was close behind him. She was willing to fight with him.

SIMBA: "It's my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"
NALA: "I will."
SIMBA: "It's gonna be dangerous."
NALA: "Danger? I laugh in the face of danger! Ha ha ha ha!"

And this is why we all love this girl. She seriously is Simba's better half. I mean, he's one of my favorite Disney characters, too, but he definitely needs someone like her. She sees the best in him. She reminds him of who he is (like when speaking of Kiara: "Simba, who does she remind you of? Hmm? She's just like you were when you were young"). She keeps him in line. She loves him more than anyone ever could. She is willing to fight for him. They are the perfect pair.

Any questions as to why she is my favorite Disney female?

Nala's best lines (some of which are from "Simba's Pride")
"So where are we going? Better not be any place dumb."
"The water hole? What's so great about the water hole?"
"Hey genius, it was my idea!"
"Pinned ya! Pinned ya again."
"I wonder if its brains are still in there."
"We could get in big trouble!"
"I thought you were brave."
"Wait until everyone finds out you've been here all this time. And your mother... what will she think?"
"What else matters? You're alive! And that means.. you're the king."
"It's like you're back from the dead. You don't know what this will mean to everybody. What it means to me."
"I've really missed you."
"He's holding back, he's hiding. But what? I can't decide. Why won't he be the king I know he is, the king I see inside?"
"I left to find help, and I found YOU. Don't you understand?"
"What's happened to you? You're not the Simba I remember."
SIMBA: "You're starting to sound like my father." NALA: "Good. At least one of us does."
"I laugh in the face of danger!"
SCAR: "They think I'm the king." NALA: "Well, we don't. Simba is the rightful king."
"So how are we gonna ditch the dodo?"
"Simba, who does she remind you of? Hmm? She's just like you were when you were young."
"Simba, you want too much to walk the path expected of you. Perhaps Kovu does not."

Timon & Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata!

What is the phrase that most commonly accompanies The Lion King? Everybody, sing it with me...

Hakuna matata!

I think everyone knows what this means, but just in case...

It means no worries, for the rest of your days! Well, specifically... it means, "there are no worries." It is Swahili for those that don't know (after all, this movie has more Zulu in it than Swahili).

My question here is: Is this problem-free philosophy really that problem-free?

If you've seen this movie recently, you know there are two sides to it all. See what happened to Simba, for example.

There is a difference between having no worries and no responsibilities.

(I believe this is the right video. I am at school and couldn't preview it, so I am sorry if this is a fandub.)

Simba uses "Hakuna Matata" as a way to run from his troubles. He seems to have issues dealing with the past from when he's a cub all the way up to when he returns to the Pridelands.

PUMBAA: "Is there anything we can do to help?"
SIMBA: "Not unless you can change the past."

RAFIKI: "Change is good."
SIMBA: "But it's not easy. I know what I have to do, but going back means facing my past. I've been running from it for so long."

"So many things to tell her but how to make her see the truth about my past? Impossible! She'd turn away from me!"

NALA: "What wouldn't I understand?"
SIMBA: "It doesn't matter. Hakuna matata."
NALA: "Huh?"
SIMBA: "Hakuna matata. Sometimes bad things happen..."
NALA: "Simba!"
SIMBA: "...And there's nothing you can do about it! So why. worry."

"I can't go back. What would it change anyway? You can't change the past! YOU SAID YOU'D ALWAYS BE THERE FOR ME! But you're not. And it's because of me. It's my fault. It's my... fault."

MUFASA: "You must take your place in the circle of life."
SIMBA: "But how can I go back? I'm not who I used to be."

Anyone else see a pattern here? Anyone else notice how much he holds onto his past? He also has a problem with change in this movie. He has trust issues in the second one. Which I understand.

Hakuna matata has a great effect on me. It helps me keep my sanity. For me, it really is a problem-free philosophy. Why? Because I don't use it to run away from my troubles. And I also don't have PTSD. Sure, you might argue that Simba doesn't have it either, but when you think about it, he does.

His father died when he was just a cub. Even worse, he saw him die. And even worse, he was tricked into believing he killed his father. Then he was banished from the Pridelands, never to return. If you are going to tell me you wouldn't be suffering emotionally, stop before you start lying. Maybe this philosophy worked for Timon and Pumbaa as it does for me. But in Simba's case, the only thing that can help him is facing his troubles.

Hakuna matata was his way of saying, there are no worries. I don't have any responsibilities. No one needs me. I'm just one person. I can't change anything. If I can't change the past, why should I care?

He was avoiding reality. While that may have worked for a few years, he couldn't really run from it for too long before he had to face it. What can we pull from this?

You can't run from your past. Because before long, it catches up with you. Don't use a carefree lifestyle to avoid your troubles, it'll only get you into deeper trouble.

Well, hakuna matata, everyone!

Timon's best lines
"When the world turns its back on you... you turn your back on the world!"
"You mean a whole bunch of royal dead guys are looking after us?"
"Why do I always have to save your AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
"You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's... okay with this? Did I miss something?"
"It starts.. you think you know a guy..."
"Carnivores! Oy!"
"I can see what's happening. And they don't have a clue! They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line: our trio's down to two. Ze sweet caress of twilight. There's magic everywhere. AND with all this romantic atmosphere, DISASTER'S IN THE AIR!"
"We're going to fight your uncle... for this?"
"You're the king? And you didn't tell us?" Simba: "I'm still the same guy." Timon: "But with power!"
"What am I supposed to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?"

Pumbaa's best lines
"Timon, you better look! I think it's still alive."
"It's just a little lion! Look at him, so cute and all alone!"
"When I was a young warthoooooooooggggggggg!!!!"
"I'm a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned. And it hurt and my friends never stood downwind. And oh the shame! I thought of changing my name! And I got downhearted every time that I---"
"I ate like a pig!"
"Oh, gee. I always thought they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away."
"SHE'S GONNA EAT ME!!!!!!!!!"
"King? Your Majesty, I gravel at your feet."
"They call me MR. PIG!!!!!"