Desert

"Do you see any other big, lovable chunk of warthog here?" This article is about the desert in The Lion King. You may be looking for the desert in The Lion Guard.

Desert
General information
Type	Desert
Fauna	Vultures
Societal information
Notable visitors	•  Pumbaa  •  Simba  •  Timon

The desert is a dry and barren landscape on the border of the jungle and the Pride Lands.

History[]

Simba's self-exile[]

Following the death of his father, Mufasa, Simba fled the Pride Lands and wandered aimlessly through the desert. Eventually, he collapsed from exhaustion, and a parliament of vultures began to circle his body.^[1] Meanwhile, on the edge of the jungle, Pumbaa spotted the vultures and begged Timon to go "bowling for buzzards" with him. Though Timon refused at first, he eventually gave in, and the two charged at the vultures, scattering them.^[2]

Once the vultures had cleared, Pumbaa stumbled upon Simba's unconscious body and informed Timon that the vultures' prey was still alive. Disgusted, Timon examined Simba's body, only to flee in fear upon realizing that he was a lion. Pumbaa protested that Simba was too small to be a threat and asked if they could "keep" him. At first, Timon dismissed Pumbaa's idea as foolish, but then, he claimed the idea as his own and reasoned that having a lion around was not such a bad idea. A delighted Pumbaa picked Simba up in his tusks and carried him to a pool on the border of the desert and the jungle.

Using water from the pool, Timon and Pumbaa revived Simba. To their confusion, he thanked them for their help, then walked back out into the desert. Sensing his distress, the two followed him into the desert and pressed him for more details, but he merely revealed that he had done something terrible and wished that he could change his past. At this, Timon and Pumbaa led him back into the jungle and taught him about their problem-free philosophy: "Hakuna Matata".^[1]

Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa's journey to the Pride Lands[]

Seasons later, an adult Simba ran across the desert en route to the Pride Lands.^[1] Hoping to join Simba on his quest to reclaim his homeland, Pumbaa pursued him across the desert. Unexpectedly, Timon caught up with Pumbaa and declared that friends stuck together to the end. After the two embraced, Timon hopped onto Pumbaa's back, and Pumbaa continued the journey to the Pride Lands.^[2]

Appearances[]

Trivia[]

• In the 1990 draft of The Lion King, Simba banished the hyenas to the desert.^[3]

References[]