Mufasa replaces Lion King's scariest moment with two new terrors

Disney's new prequel, Mufasa: The Lion Kinguses a narrative idea from the original film to repeat the scariest moment in the franchise. 1994 The Lion King is one of the best Disney films of all time, exemplifying the family cinematic excellence for which the famous studio is best known. Despite being made for children to have fun, The classic has its dark moments, most notably Mufasa's death due to a wildebeest stampede. Aside from the horror of seeing a puppy lose its parents, it's an absolutely terrifying way to die and quite brutal for animation.

The 2019 live-action animated remake of The Lion King It wasn't as well-received as the original, but it spawned a new franchise for Disney that could continue with more Lion King spin-offs later Mufasa. The first prequel film, which examines the lives of Mufasa and Scar as they grew up as brothers and traveled to the Pride Lands to start Mufasa's reign, has two moments that reflect that horrific stampede. The film tells a new story set in this world while utilizing the narrative features that made the original so exceptional.

Mufasa Introduces Two New Stampede Replacements for the Lion King Franchise

Mufasa mirrors the original Lion King film

Mufasa: The Lion King The story begins with a young Mufasa being raised by his parents. Unfortunately, he was swept away by a flood that broke a dam, causing several animals to be displaced from their packs. It's sad to know that Mufasa suffered the same horror that Simba sufferedessentially losing his father in a terrible event that no one could prepare for. This sets up the story for Mufasa to find Scar's pride and join them as a stray.

Later in the film, the white lions known as the Outsiders chase Mufasa and his friends. To escape, they cause a stampede of elephants, and this scene mirrors many moments from the 2019 season Lion King film, including a similar soundtrack and nearly identical shotscreating a similar sense of horror. It is not THE Lion King without at least one major animal attack, and the two in Disney's new prequel are even more dangerous than before, invoking a sense of panic and claustrophobia that raises the film's emotional stakes.

Mufasa's Stampede Replacements Are More Dangerous Than Before

The Flood is one of the most terrifying sequences in the Lion King franchise

Mufasa not only attempts to replicate the evocative danger of the original Lion King stampede; he tries to build on that. The flood in the first act of the film is an overwhelming explosion of nature that shows how weak the animal kingdom really isand is not caused by any character's actions like the others. Then, the elephant stampede ups the ante for the wildebeest, presenting the same situation with an even more imposing species.