Uncle Max

Uncle Max

Physical information
Gender	Male
Species	Meerkat
Fur color	Brown, cream, gray, and tan
Eye color	Black
Distinguishing features	• Anvil-shaped head • Flattop
Biographical information
Also known as	Max
Status	Living
Residence	Hakuna Matata
Affiliations	Timon's colony
Titles	• Sentry • Tunnel builder
Relationship information
Family	Timon (nephew) Ma (sister or sister-in-law) Simba (adoptive great-nephew) Bunga (adoptive great-nephew) Kiara (adoptive great-great-niece) Kion (adoptive great-great-nephew)

“

Applaud now, sonny boy! But try clapping when you don't have any hands.

―Uncle Max^[src]

”

Uncle Max is an adult male meerkat. He is the uncle of Timon.

Uncle Max is a member of a meerkat colony, whom he serves as a sentry and tunnel builder. He attempts to teach his nephew, Timon, how to be a proper sentry, but Timon fails, allowing hyenas to nearly eat Uncle Max.

However, when Timon is in need during the battle of Pride Rock, Uncle Max comes to his aid, along with Ma. Together, the meerkats dig a trap tunnel to defeat the hyenas.

After the battle, Uncle Max joins his colony in moving to the jungle.

Biography

The Lion King 1½

“

Uncle Max: She's right! We're food for other animals! Feared by no one and eaten by all!
Timon: But when they die, they become the grass, and we eat the grass...right?
Uncle Max: Not exactly. We can't eat grass. We're grass intolerant.

—Uncle Max and Timon^[src]

”

Max-11 — Uncle Max annoyed by Timon's clumsiness

Uncle Max lives in a colony of meerkats, far from the Pride Lands. Ma asks him where Timon is until the tunnel is collapsed by Timon's "handiwork". Because Ma wants Timon to fit in with the meerkat colony, she requests of Uncle Max to assign Timon to lead sentry duty. At first, he is very reluctant, but he ends up mentoring him. When Timon is caught off-guard singing "That's All I Need" while on sentry duty, Max is nearly eaten by Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, but he recovers.

ZMaxBioskop3 — Uncle Max during the battle of Pride Rock

Later, Rafiki tells Ma that Timon is "looking beyond what he sees." Max follows Ma as they go look for Timon. Near the climax, he is reunited with Timon, and meets Pumbaa as well. Timon and Pumbaa make a plan with him and Ma to build a trap to keep the hyenas away from Simba.

Along with Ma, Max builds a tunnel while Timon and Pumbaa stall the hyenas. The tunnel he builds with Ma initially fails, leading to Timon to finish the tunnel. This leads to the downfall of Scar and the hyenas. When Timon finishes the tunnel, Max hugs him so hard that Timon feels nearly choked. Finally, he is present with Timon, Pumbaa, and Ma as they see Simba take back his throne.

Peaceful Uncle Max — Uncle Max lounging in his new home

Finally, Max is seen demonstrating a pose in a session of tai-chi with other meerkats in the oasis. When Pumbaa states he wants to watch the movie again, Max comments he has brought extra butter to go with his grubs.

Personality and traits

“

Are you nuts?!

―Max^[src]

”

Max is flinchy, irritable, easy to disappoint, a stickler for the rules, and very pessimistic about life in general. He is especially against the concept of being eaten.

Voice actors

The Lion King 1½ - (2004) - (film) - Jerry Stiller

Trivia

Originally, Uncle Max was not a character in the film. He ended up replacing the character of Timon's father.
Max bears an uncanny resemblance to Iron Joe, even getting part of his tail fur bitten off early in the film.
Ma refers to Max as "Uncle," implying that he may be her uncle. However, he is Timon's uncle.^[1]