Banagi's plot

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Banagi's plot
General information
Location	Pride Rock
Participants	•  Baasho  •  Banagi  •  Diku  •  Dwala  •  Herr Rhino  •  Kwashi  •  Mufasa  •  Naanda  •  Nala  •  Sarabi  •  Scar  •  Simba  •  Zazu
Outcome	•  Mufasa is killed  •  Simba flees the Ndona Pride  •  Simba loses his tail  •  Scar becomes king
Guide
Next	Battle for the Ndona Pride

“

So...bone eaters. Is this your handiwork, Banagi? You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. ―Mufasa to Banagi

”

Banagi's plot was the successful assassination of Mufasa by Banagi and his clan. In the wake of Mufasa's death, Simba fled the Ndona Pride, and Scar usurped Mufasa's position as king over the pride.

Information

Background

“

This is not open land, stranger. It belongs to the Ndona Pride, who have lived here since the first sunrise on the plain. I advise you to leave promptly. ―Zazu to Scar

”

Mufasa first caught wind of a conflict when Naanda and her sisters emerged from the grasslands in a panic, clamoring about how Sarabi had been injured by a rogue lion who had stolen their kill. Though Sarabi insisted that she was not injured, Mufasa sought vengeance on the rogue and confronted him over the stolen prey. With Zazu serving as his spokesperson, the king warned Scar away from his mate's stolen prey, but the rogue refused to back down, instead vouching for a conflict. Sensing coming fatalities, hyenas and vultures gathered around the lions, thirsty for spilled blood.

As the fight began, Zazu mocked Scar, distracting him, and Mufasa seized the opportunity to bowl Scar to the ground with a single lunge. Spooked by the king's strength, Scar fled, and Mufasa sent Zazu after the rogue, instructing his tickbird to ensure that the thief crossed the boundary of their lands.

Once out of Mufasa's territory, Scar was confronted by Banagi, who complimented the lion on his lost fight. Thinking he was being mocked, Scar attempted to kill Banagi, but the hyena calmed the rogue's nerves by blaming Zazu for the lost fight. Suddenly more inclined to listen, Scar allowed Banagi to convince him that he could use a tickbird of his own. Banagi then offered his clan's services to Scar, who agreed to an alliance with them.

The battle

“

Baasho, after him! You, you, and you, go with. And don't come back without his tail in your teeth! ―Banagi orders the murder of Simba

”

In the middle of the night, Scar and his hyena allies laid siege to Pride Rock, alarming the lionesses with their sudden appearance over the plateau. Seeing the scavenger army behind Scar, Mufasa instinctively pinned the crime on Banagi, who averted his gaze and sniggered nervously. Not wanting to be caught off guard, the king switched to offense and leaped at Scar, surprising the lion and his hyena allies. A fight broke out, and Mufasa gained the upper hand until Banagi and his cronies leaped into the fight, helping Scar force Mufasa over the edge of Pride Rock.

Horrified, the lionesses watched as their beloved king fell to the earth, where the hyenas wolfishly tore him to pieces. Once the deed was done, Scar emerged over the ridge and found himself confronted by an outraged Simba. Undaunted by the tiny prince, Scar lunged at the cub, only to be averted by Zazu, who distracted the rogue by tearing at his muzzle. With the lionesses and Zazu screaming at him to run, Simba finally came to his senses and dashed off, with Baasho and his companions in hot pursuit.

Baasho flees Herr Rhino while chasing Simba.

While the hyenas combed the bushes and trees for their quarry, Simba hid with Kwashi, who advised the young prince to flee the kingdom. Broken and terrified, Simba heeded the old baboon's advice, but the hyenas soon picked up on his scent and dashed after him. With the hyenas hot on Simba's trail, the cub fled, tiring with each rising sun. The chase persisted for days until Simba could take no more and turned on the hyenas, not wanting to go down without a fight. A brief skirmish ensued, during which Simba managed to break free, smacking headfirst into a rock that turned out to be Herr Rhino. Desperate, Simba begged the giant for help, and the rhinoceros turned his fury on the hyenas, who turned tail and fled.

With Herr Rhino on his heels, Baasho continued to stubbornly pursue Simba, biting into the cub's tail and keeping his jaws clamped tight as he ran. Suddenly, Simba spotted a cliff up ahead and skidded to a halt. This sent Baasho flying past him, over the cliff, with the cub's tail still in his teeth. With the hyena pulling backward on Simba's tail and Simba struggling to keep from falling over the edge, the tail snapped in Baasho's mouth, and the hyena fell, screaming, to the bottom of the cliff. In pain but relieved to be alive, Simba clambered over the edge of the cliff to safety.

Appearances

• The Lion King (1990 draft)