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| “ | Mufasa: Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope. Simba: But, Dad, don't we eat the antelope? Mufasa: Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass. And so, we are all connected in the great Circle of Life. |
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The Circle of Life (also known as the Great Circle of Life) is an ideology that allows predator and prey animals to live in peace with one another. It is held by many animals in the Pride Lands, Outlands, Back Lands, and Tree of Life.
Concept[]
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The spirit of Mufasa urges his son, Simba, to take his rightful place in the Circle of Life.
The Circle of Life is an ideology based on the belief that every living thing exists as part of a delicate balance. It decrees that every animal ought to treat all others with respect and refrain from consuming more than their fair share, as every animal will eventually be consumed by an animal lesser than it. Because of this, the Circle of Life is an integral part of several kingdoms, as it allows predator and prey animals to live harmoniously with one another. Predator animals in particular are encouraged to follow the principles of the Circle of Life.
Further, each animal has a particular role within the Circle of Life that they are expected to recognize, aspire to, and attain. To fail to do this is to disrespect the Circle of Life and disrupt its balance. The Circle of Life is also referred to as an ongoing individual experience unique to each animal.[1] When an animal dies, it is said that they have completed their journey in the Circle of Life.[2]
History[]
In the Pride Lands[]
| “ | Simba: You are part of the great Circle of- Kiara: Circle of Life. I know. Simba: Exactly. And you need to be careful. As future queen- Kiara: What if I don't wanna be queen? It's no fun. Simba: That's like saying you don't wanna be a lion. It's in your blood. As I am. We are part of each other. |
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In the Pride Lands monarchy, a ruler's royal title is intimately tied to their place in the Circle of Life. Therefore, instruction in the principles of the Circle of Life is a crucial part of a cub heir's training. When raising his young daughter Kiara, Simba chided her on her reluctance to be queen, asserting that to reject her destiny would be to reject her identity as a lion.[3]
Simba receives teaching on the Circle of Life as part of his royal training.
The monarch is expected to uphold and protect the principles of the Circle of Life throughout the Pride Lands.[1] A divinely-appointed Lion Guard, led by either the second-born or the younger sibling of the monarch, is often instituted to assist the monarch with this task.[4] One of the Lion Guard's primary duties related to this task is to keep large foreign predators out of the Pride Lands so as to prevent conflict and imbalance.[5]
Pride Landers who do not respect the Circle of Life—either by overhunting or by disrespecting another animal's place in the Circle of Life—are usually exiled to the Elephant Graveyard or the Outlands.[1][3]
In the Outlands[]
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As queen of the Outlands, Jasiri vows to respect the Circle of Life.
Historically, most of the animals who dwelt in the Outlands, such as hyenas, jackals, and skinks, did not respect the Circle of Life. As such, they often tried to hunt in the Pride Lands despite it not being allowed.[4]
However, there were a few exceptional Outlanders, such as Jasiri and her clan, who did respect the Circle of Life.[6] When Jasiri was appointed queen of the Outlands, she promised to usher in a new era of peace in the kingdom, provided that her subjects heeded the Circle of Life.[7]
At the Tree of Life[]
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The Night Pride bands together to prevent Makucha's army from invading the Tree of Life.
At the Tree of Life, the Circle of Life is treated much like it is in the Pride Lands. As the Tree of Life is a place of peace and healing, the monarch of the Tree of Life is tasked with ensuring the Circle of Life stays in balance. Duties that fall under this task include regulating prey consumption, forbidding hunting for sport, and negotiating with prey animals who have concerns about living alongside predators.[8][9] A group of animals called the Night Pride assists the monarch in these duties.[10]
If the monarch decides that an animal is in violation of the Circle of Life, they may exile them from the Tree of Life or, if they are a visitor, deny them entry.[8]
Appearances[]
Gallery[]
References[]
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