Therapist Reacts to THE LION KING

I like that they acknowledge that Hakuna Matata on it’s own isn’t bad advice. It’s not bad to not let the past drag you down and move on from it, but it is bad to do so to the extent that Simba goes where he dodges his responsibilities

Raffiki tells him what he needs to know, not what he needs to hear. He lets simba come into himself and doesn’t push. He’s the best therapist ❤

What you said about adults telling things to children and it getting internalized "in our identity DNA" really struck me. Mom told me that a teacher once told her, *to her face,* that she was stupid. She was in *grade school.* She believed it into *college* when she found out she has dyslexia. Even now, over 40 years later, she seems to have a hard time believing anyone who compliments her about *anything.*

The thing that I love most about Rafiki is that he never just shoves his opinion on Simba; he lets Simba come to him and make his own observations before offering his own (or smacking him on the head). Even after that amazing line about the past, Rafiki never says, "Now go fulfill your destiny!" He ASKS Simba what Simba will do next, giving Simba full power of agency.

I like to think that "Hakuna Matata" is great advice for situations/circumstances that exist or occur *outside of your control,* but the opposite is also true (ie. it's terrible advice for when things are *within* your control). Great video you two! 💕

My absolute favourite moment is when Timon tells Simba something to the effect of "If it's important to you, it's important to us." I think it's a great example of expression of love between friends.

I always admired how open Mufasa was about his fear that something would happen to Simba, and that he was terrified of losing him. In a society which preaches "Men Don't Cry", it's really realistic to depict a male character openly showing vulnerability, and how it's a sign of strength, not weakness.

Rafiki whacking Simba with the staff reminds me of a story of when my hubby went to therapy as a teen. He had a lot of internalized anger at his biological father for being abusive and it manifested in unhealthy ways. His therapist took him outside and told him to vent his pent up frustration by taking a bat to a tree for a few minutes. Hubby wound up for one solid swing, the bat hit the tree, rebounded, and nailed him right in the back of the head.
As he lay on the ground looking up at the sky, the therapist leaned over and said, "Well this wasn't the lesson I wanted you to learn today, but if you take away anything from it, just remember that entertaining all this rage will ultimately result in you hurting yourself."

My mom told me about my father's death while we were watching The Lion King. She said that even despite the death of his father, Simba had a bright life and a good ending. Of course, the death of a loved one left a scar on me, but I was relieved that the character from my favorite cartoon went through the same thing that I was going through
I was 6 years old when my dad died. I'm 18 now and Lion King is still one of my favorite movies

I am shocked you guys haven't done The Princess Bride yet there are so many angles. Revenge, romance, how to treat kids and their ideas, problem solving, Billy Crystal, the list goes on. Would love to hear you guys talk about Andre and what went into making the movie

I never realized until Johnathan pointed out the similar messages to 'Hakuna Matata' and 'Let It Go' that Elsa and Simba have similar if not the same character arc.
Both were raised to take over as rulers for their kingdom, but tragedy struck that pushed that pressure over the edge in different ways, but both came to the same idea; running away and never returning was in their, and everyone else's, best interests.
Both of them being raised and taught to follow the rules and how to act to become good rulers, they had their moments of fun with friends (Elsa with Anna, Simba with Nala) but the two know when they're adults what's expected of them. Suddenly with the notion that no one would want to follow them as leaders (for Elsa, out of fear from her powers; for Simba, out of fear to the news he's the reason his father is dead)
They both have songs that regard this new philosophy that having no responsibilities and a carefree lifestyle may not be so bad. They even love it for a time until they are confronted by someone important to them that they are the only one who can save their respective kingdoms.
They even react the same way to receiving the message! At first being happy to see the messenger (Anna, Nala) then being apprehensive or even scared at the notion of going back. Trying to convince them that their new plan of never returning is what's best so they can avoid further hurting those they love, and finally snapping at the messenger causing them to leave.
Once alone again, someone else comes along to bring them home, (though Hans forced Elsa back whereas Rafiki convinced Simba where Nala failed).
At the end after saving their kingdom, I suppose you could say it's the distance that helped them since Elsa was able to learn more about her powers to help find herself and Simba lost himself for awhile but returning home to see how it's fallen apart emboldens him to fight back
TLDR; Simba and Elsa are one and the same

Honestly, this advice is exactly what I needed right now. After being emotionally abused as a kid, I've been trying to figure out navigating a relationship with the abusive parent. Frankly it's hard for me to not be tense all the time around them, because I want to be the better person but I'm scared of messing up and making mistakes in my process of trying to set boundaries. So, I'm still very submissive and only quietly setting boundaries with tons of fear every time, because I worry I will make mistakes and that they will have more ammunition against me. However, I think that it's important for me to recognize that I'm doing the best I can, and that my worth is not tied to this parent's opinion of me, or because I'm learning from the failures as I figure out how to stand up for myself and set boundaries.

Simba is a great character to relate to in terms of overcoming trauma and PTSD. When he reunites with Nala, she says (about being alive all of this time): “and your mother, what will she think?” Simba, in response, panics and deflects to “no one has to know.” I think that was a direct callback to when Scar said the same thing after Mufasa died “What will your mother think?” An excellent example of a PTSD flashback/response!

When you two spoke about parents having said things in a moment of frustration that they wish they could take back, it made me think of Del Toro's Pinnochio. I would highly recommend covering it on this channel! There's Geppeto's grief, Pinnochio not wanting to be a burden, Candlewick wanting to make his father proud, and Death herself talking about mortality and immortality.

It's been so long since I've seen this movie and as a kid Rafiki's stick metaphor definitely would've flown over my head. Seeing it again now it has to be one of the best ways for a movie to deliver a message I've ever seen. They don't even comment on it, it doesn't even last 30 seconds, yet the impact it has on Simba is evident. It's incredible!

I was born in 94' so I've watched this movie literally my entire life. It is my fav animated movie because I can relate to Simba in a deeper way and I'm happy you both tall about grief and guilt and how he doesn't know who he is until the right moment comes.
I cannot express how much I love this movie and how Mufasa is one character I'll never forget since he reminds me of my own dad.
I love the friendship between Simba and Nala, Timon and Pumbaa. Rafiki gives the best advice but ultimately, they all have a powerful teaching in Simba's journey to become king.
And Alan is right. Thanks to Hans Zimmer for creating one hell of a soundtrack. I cannot listen to it without weeping. Even now, 29 y/o, i still cry in the same way when I was a kid.

It would be interesting to see a therapist's reaction to Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.
There's so much psychology in that masterpiece.

One thing that always confused me about the meeting with Nala and Simba, is why exactly she thought Simba coming back would magically fix the drought they were clearly going through. I mean, it clearly did, but I always thought she was putting the blame of something that's no one's fault on him.

Here's a fun fact about Hans Zimmer:
He wrote the music for the stampede scene (and the motifs that follow it) specifically as a requiem for his own father that he lost. The reason why the music around Mufasa is so powerful is likely due to Zimmer's own emotional connections with it.

"Awful people watch for moments to manipulate." Great way to phrase it, and a good thing to remember when judging someone's character, and if they really have your best interest at heart or are good/bad to be around.

Thank you for mentioning Hans Zimmer and his immense impact on the emotionality of this movie (and all of the other masterpieces he has been a part of). Movie scores make moments so much more powerful. I feel blessed to live in an the same era as John Williams and Hans Zimmer.

I'm so happy that you guys did Lion King, it's one of my top three favourite movies ever! Could you do a video on Howl's Moving Castle? There's some interesting stuff there with Sophie's struggles with self-esteem and Howl's avoidance of things that scare him, but also how they learn to be vulnerable with each other.

Rafiki's words truly impacted a whole generation of kids. In fact the whole lion king movie did. there is a lot we can learn from this movie all the while enjoying the amazing story being shown to us.

I’m 33, saw this at 4 years old the first time and made my parents take me 4 times to see the movie. I will never not cry during Mufasa’s death, and I’ll always sing all the songs.
On an emotional note, when I lost my mom at 9, my grandmother was the one to tell me. She said she had no clue what to say but when she started talking she used Mufasa as her talking point. She told me that my mom was gone, like Simba’s daddy, but she would always be with me like Mufasa was with Simba.
This truly helped me understand, and in some ways come to terms with my trauma. And for that I love this movie all the more. No other animated movie means as much to me.

Yall made me realize some of my issues with anxiety and loss were normal and that I couldn't just rely on myself to get through them. Since I found y'alls channel I've been able to identify and eliminate toxic friendships, and overall have become a better and happier person. I love you guys, keep up the great work and keep changing lives. Bless you and thank you

Reminds me of something a therapist told me ages ago when it comes to interpersonal conflict. "Do you want to win or do you want to be happy?"

I love the “everyone is learning” and “worth ties” message. As someone in my late 20s, I’ve been on my own for a while as an adult, but am still learning. But then I see friends and my fiancé knowing so much more than me about how “adulting” works (i.e. finances, insurance, buying a house, etc.), and I feel so behind, like I should know everything about it already. But with my ADHD, I don’t think to learn it until it’s right in front of me. That helps in the not worrying about it too much aspect, but then when it comes time to do some of these things, if there was supposed to be any sort of prep, I sometimes get a lecture of how I should have started the process months ago. Especially for long term stuff. It feels like I’m constantly playing catch up with other people my age and is frustrating…

Thank you for this episode. Lion King is, and always will be my most favorite movie!

I remember sitting in front of the TV and watching the Pride Rock scene on a loop BECAUSE of the music. I also sat through the credits every time because I wanted to hear the song from the man with the prettiest voice :). I was around 5 years old and it remains one of my clearest memories even though I'm 33 now. This is why I never mention TLK when ranking Disney movies. It exists outside of any ranking, floating atop the even the highest peaks of greatness. Like potatoes in relation to every other vegetable :D

I cannot adequately express just how much I love you guys and what you’re putting out into the world. Love you both! And thank you…we’re dealing with one of the hardest seasons of life right now. And my oldest son and I…you have helped us cope, make sense of so much, and move forward as best we can. Truly, thank you.

I’m so glad you guys also talked about how Nala’s approach to getting Simba to return was hurtful to him. It’s easy to see Disney characters as “all good” or “all bad”, and we sometimes tend to generally see rl people this way. I tend to communicate like Nala- extremely earnest and blunt (no sarcasm tho!), so eager to “fix” the situation that I can lose sight of the word-package I’m using. This was a good reminder that the “right thing” can be said in unhelpful ways. Thanks!

Your comment about Simba really taking on the mantle of king when he takes full and true responsibility for what has happened is so paradigm shifting and just great! This is why I come here!

On the subject of Healthy Masculinity, Mufasa is a very good example of that concept in Lion King. I personally would very much like to see an episode about him on your channel.

This was my all time favourite movie growing up. This episode hit me hard. My father told me similar things when I was a child and he was drunk. That I was stupid and useless. I’m 33 and I still have low self esteem and am unable to form friendships effectively. I always avoid it because I fear that people won’t like me or find me interesting,. I never thought it could possibly be related to my father because it was so long ago.

15:03 I feel this. My dad would get impatient/moody with me as a kid. I vividly remember this time when I wanted the pastry at the bottom of the jar but I didn't want to take the others out (I felt weird messing with them incase someone wanted them) and my dad came over and asked what I was doing. I told him, he took the tongs from me, and said "Let's do this the smart way". That hurt so bad bro and I felt so very dumb. I wish he was nicer about showing me another way to get the pastry out. Every now and again I think about it and it just makes me feel bad. I definitely agree with what you say here...

I would say that Hakuna Matata isn't only bad for things you can do something about and good for when you can't. People in our society tend to give the Hakuna Matata advice (though with other words) so much that it makes you think you're *supposed* to be able to just let stuff go and move on; so when the scars are too deep to just do that, you end up suppressing the pain instead, which isn't healthy in the long run

When Mufasa says, "You are more than what you have become..." I always smile because while Simba is not a bad son or person/lion, Mufasa holds him to a higher standard without putting him down (good parenting).

i used to watch this on the daily when i was a little kid, and i think i connected with it and got over a lot of my grief of my dad passing when i was little since i related to simba in a really similar way, almost like someone was there with the same experience that i just went through. im glad to see you guys talking about this movie❤

When I was a kid my little sisters favourite film was the lion king and for years, every time she would do something bad and get told off for it, her response was always, “it doesn’t matter, it’s in the past!” … I think she might have missed to point 😂

It's a small detail, but I love that, before Scar confesses, and Simba has already said the death was his fault, when Simba slips off that cliff, Nala calls out to him and still cares about him. It just... it fills me with warm and fuzzy feelings.

For myself, Simba's walk up Pride Rock and the roar has never been the moment he turned king, but rather, for me, it symbolized the moment that the pride showed their loyalty to him

When I was a young child I witnessed my best friends suicide, despite all the efforts I took he died and his parents immediately rounded on me and began screaming at me that It was my fault. I believed his parents for over a decade and held onto that guilt until I stopped being able to operate without the guilt motivating me. Thankfully after years of therapy I was able to get back on track some what

The “Oh so you haven’t told them you’re little secret” scene:
What came to my mind is that, had Simba told his version of that day on his own terms, it would have become instantly clear to his family that he was not to blame.
But as soon as Scar sees that Simba didnt share anything, Scar 💯 took his chance to leave out context and replace it with insinuation so that Simba’s experience would automatically be seen through a frame that Scar could control.
It hit me that people who want to hurt people use secrets and the best way to combat their manipulations is to always tell our stories/truths

I saw the Lion King in theatres when I was 7 and have never upon rewatching been as devastated as I was the first time. I didn’t want to lose MY dad. I thought he was immortal.

Rafiki's dialogue is something I have leaned on and I shared that with my own therapist last year. It continues to be really helpful in getting me through the tough things! 😊

"Well, that's not what I was taught." from Simba when he first meets Timon and Pumba is one of my (many!!) favorite lines of this movie. I love that as a kid he is strong and brave enough to question adults, even ones that are his food source, and how he even takes wisdom from them without questioning the validity of the source. Part-kid, but part parenting on Mufasa's part, I'd think.
I'd love to get philosophical about the people who always have to be right and know everything about everything, especially as it felt you guys were half-way to explaining exactly why people are that way. We're taught in schools a lot of times that we are only worth what we know, and kids who were accustomed to making high marks are often turned to by both teachers and peers for help in teaching others. AND they're in the cruel jungle that is being surrounded by your age-mates. If on top of that, the kid is parentified or treated similarly at home --- what other trait do we expect for children to gain other than this? Mistakes are unacceptable for children in our current society, and that's really sad. And it really breeds a whole attitude of needing to be right no matter what. There's a lot of reason to love Mufasa's parenting, and Rafiki's guidance, and a lot of it is hidden nuggets all in the children's behavior.

Rewatching this movie as an adult feel even better than before watching this as a child, when you no longer just enjoy the movie but your acknowledge how great it truly is.

I would love to see you guys talk about the Christopher Robin movie! I think it’s great at covering the importance of making time for family and not loosing your inner child.

Scar really is a perfect example of the monologuing villain causing his own demise. All he had to do was let him fall and die, but he just HAD to give him that burst of righteous fury to turn the tables

I'd love to see your reaction to Mulan (1998). It's a fantastic animation and speaks a lot about gender equality, about friendship, trust, honor and self-discovery. Plus the scores are spot-on and really elevate the whole film. As an Asian girl I resonate with the things Mulan had gone through and I'd love to see your reaction to the movie.

There is a moment in someone's eyes when you can see sadness and guilt turn traumatic (Simba when told his father would be alive if not for him), and it destroys me every time.
Exceptionally well-animated. Perhaps too well.

Loved this! Lion King is one of my favorite movies.
Speaking of Luke Skywalker and James Earl Jones I’d love to see you guys take on Luke and Vader’s relationship cause it’s so fascinating how Luke arrives at a place of forgiveness and love

I personally love the scene where Rafiki shows Simba that his father might not be there, but its just through him, his son, he's still there. And that's personally what I love. I miss my grandparents and some who passed on in my life. Knowing that that scene is just reminding me, they'll be there no matter what. I am descended from them, as their grandchild they hoped the best for, that they will be apart me, their lessons, personality, and habits. Like some that my own grandparents have taught me, I carry some of that from them. That's one of the things I drew from the lion king as a kid and something I remind myself of as I grow older.

The score of this movie is a huge part of what makes it so iconic. I can hear just a snippet of music from it and I get chills or tear up.

I am grateful to have been raised by a father who is not afraid to be emotionally vulnerable, to cry in front of his children.
But it gives me hope to consider just how many people have found your channel and witnessed two wonderful men to look up to as role models for their own health. I can only imagine how much healing you have influenced just in being yourselves. God bless you two! 🤍

This video breaking down Simba’s confession scene at the end is the first time I’ve noticed that the part right after with Scar keeping Simba spinning while he calls him a murderer *perfectly* captures what it’s like to be spun in a manipulator’s web of lies. It’s impossible to get a clear perspective or ground yourself in reality because abusers like him are masters of keeping you disoriented so that their lies don’t fall apart. As someone who was emotionally abused by a master manipulator for years as a teenager, that really hit me deep. I’m so thankful to have that visual to help me explain to people why it can be so hard to expose your abuser even when the things they say are demonstrably false.

Someone once asked me which Disney film has the saddest death scene in it and my answer was and always will be The Lion King of 1994. Mufasa's death and the manipulation from Scar will always make me cry even though I know it's coming.

When y'all talked about how things with kids hit you harder as parents, I felt that. I'm pregnant right now and this past Christmas I heard a song at service from Mary's perspective and it just left me absolutely bawling.

I used to watch this movie obsessively when I was a kid. Then I didn’t watch it for like 10 years and my wife and I watched it together and I sobbed the whole movie. Not even just the sad parts.
One time we were in the car singing Disney songs and “can you feel the love tonight” came on. We began singing and as the chorus hit I began crying so hard I nearly had to pull over.
Please tell me why I weep every time simba runs home. That shot of his feet running across the desert overlayed on him running triggers something deeeeeeep inside me.
My wife is convinced (half jokingly) that I experienced some trauma as a child while this movie was on in the background. But to this day. At 27 years old with 2 kids I can’t even listen to the score in the car without bawling.
Help me 😂

I find it so beautiful and so interesting that when Simba is face to face with his father (in the storm cloud), Mufasa doesn't say anything about blaming Simba for his death. He doesn't even mention his death at all. That part isn't an issue for him. What matters to him is his son being true to himself and living a fulfilled life. Mufasa, you magnificent stud, you!

"When adults tell us things when we're children and we internalize those messages, we have a hard time challenging them once we're adults"
Wow, that really got me. Like, this is literally what I've struggled most in therapy. I have huge problems with my mother because she has undiagnosed/untreated mental health issues, and it took me going through hell and developing Borderline personality disorder to realize I'm not the things she told I am when I was a child. With border, I really hold things from childhood (the ones I remember, at least) as the truth.
I thank therapy everyday because of the things its taught me. I really do. Actually, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for it. But sometimes, when the cracks in my mind are a little open... My mother's voice comes to me.
So yeah. It's hard. But not impossible. It might take some time and healing, but I'm living proof that you can overcome this. As someone I once knew used to say, we are not our parents.
And thanks Jonathan. You always know what to say

I've always been fond of the phrase, "Don't let your message get lost in the mess."

The whole discussion in this video was wonderfully insightful! The Lion King is one of my go-to nostalgic films from my childhood, and I just wanted to say thanks for giving me a completely new, enlightening perspective through it. Love this channel! Keep doing what you all do.

I love watching your videos so much; one, because your hilarious commentary has me in stitches, and I value a good sense of humour - it's my primary coping mechanism in social situations. Secondly, your advice helps me to analyse things about myself that I never have before. It's reassuring to have the opportunity to dip a toe in the water before deciding to seek out help. I think, your videos are my 'Therapy Canoe'. Thank you for your amazing content - it's helping ❤️

When Jonathan said "When people ask me 'I don't know who I am' I always ask them 'who do you want to be.' It hit me like a truck I almost teared up lol. I did not need this paired with my morning coffee sir

I am very grateful for the work you are doing. It really helps to realize thoughts that are sometimes scary to think about. And it's really important to understand that showing emotions is normal for all people and that toxicity is not good. Also, when I watch your videos, I learn to analyze films more deeply and they become much more interesting and useful for me. (There could still be a whole treatise about how you all are cool.) In any case, thank you for your cinema therapy. ❤❤❤

Just thought to give my opinion about the scene where Simba takes a breather from Nala to privately grieve. Was happy you guys highlighted the impact that scene had even though it could have gone sideways with the delivery. From the animation perspective, just thought how much that part Sumba screams to the stars how he thought his father would always be there for him, the shot shows Simba even though he is physically bigger and older, the contrast of the big open sky reveals just how lost he feels. That shot conveys so much of how in reality Simba felt small and helpless just as he did when he ran away, carrying that scar and trauma. To then reframe the shot closer in a vulnerable moment of anguish so close up of an angle of a Simba feeling conflicted and humiliated that he couldn’t blame his father cause he redirected it all onto his shoulders. So glad you guys brought up the importance of how it was set up, cause if it wasn’t handled with care that delivery of emotions could have been easily missed.
It’s a chef’s kiss moment of media entertainment and do subtly done 👏

This is wonderful! Lion King was one of my favorite movies as a kid and still is. I really connected with your discussion about identity and having to counter negative voices that you absorbed as a child by seeing that those people are not good sources. I didn't think about identity as something you create as you grew. It was great to hear your analysis of all the different pieces of advice too. Alan you are right about about Hans Zimmerman's music when Mufasa appears in the sky. I listened to the piece when you cut out the dialogue with my eyes closed and I still teared up.

Rafiki is the most underrated character in TLK, imo. He's got the funniest moment and one of the best bits of wisdom for Simba. And let's be honest, he was going SO easy on those hyenas. I don't know what a baboon/mandrill hybrid is like in real life, but mandrills can be utterly terrifying, and baboons aren't exactly Labrador puppies themselves.
You should consider doing a reaction to Avatar: The Last Airbender. You'd probably have to choose a selection of episodes, but the three I'd love to hear your thoughts on are Zuko Alone, Sokka's Master and all of Sozin's Comet. The Storm and the Southern Raiders are two more backstory and character arc focused episodes that people love to analyze the heck out of.

I honestly never comment anywhere, but I just have to get this off my chest:
I grew up with quite a few negative messages and abuse through my childhood till late adolescence, that really shaped me to the core.
And just as you mentioned, the motives of guilt, grief, trauma, fear, the past and the quest for acceptance and identity had been the loudest and most consuming in my life to date. Fortunately I am learning (and that probably still for quite some time) how to deal with them in a healthy way, so someday I will get to a point where harmony, contentment and having faith in my own capabilities and identity will be stronger and more present.
And this video right here just really, really helps.
I knew that this would hit me deeply, especially as soon as I saw the thumbnail, but I never had thought that some of Jonathan's sentences would give me goose bumps all the way down to the back of my knees. The Lion King was THE most watched, most formative and most tear-inducing ✨cinema movie film✨ of my childhood; I experienced so many feels through it. (THAT part still makes me sob to this day and I'm from 94')
This movie has always had a special place in my heart and I'm so grateful that you covered these topics, praised it so much and gave us these immensely healing and instructive insights. And so this video will now have a special place in my heart too 💗
Thank you so much to the Internet Dads and everyone who stands behind CT; what you do is sooo helpful and appreciated, I hope you know how much ❤

I always loved Simba and Mufasa's strong relationship, and how devastating his death was for both Simba and the audience. It was likely our first experience of death in the media, and James Earl Jones did a fantastic job of bringing this lovable, charismatic father character to life.

AUGH thank you guys for doing tlk. my fav movie of all time. so grateful you put into words why it's such powerful writing i cry for the entire runtime, lol. love that you point out that even though scar was already planning on killing simba, he said those horrible things just to be malicious and cause emotional harm. and that you talk about how different and how much harder it hits as an adult than it did as a child.

Your conversation at the end was very eye opening. I spent the first twenty years of my life being told the only good thing about me was that I was smart. My dad told me that people would be willing to overlook the rest of me if I could just prove myself smart enough. So to get something wrong meant I wasn't doing the only good things about me well enough. I started slowly burning out at university, and I still managed to get a 2:1, and when I told my dad he said I should've stopped being lazy and got a first. Because I "needed" a first to prove I'm smart enough to get a job where my issues won't get me fired. So it was like I'd failed the one thing I was supposed to be good at.
But you know what? I've been at the same job for over a year now. (A year and a week if we're counting, which I am.) It's been rather eye opening too. No one yells at me when they point out a spot of dirt that I've missed, or if I put the sauce on the wrong side of a burger, or if I'm too tired to not frown. Heck, (most of) my coworkers actually like me! I didn't think it was possible. My dad admitted to me that he thought I was going to get fired within the first month, if not week, so I'm actually kinda proud that it's been an entire year.
Sorry this is getting kinda rambley. My point was supposed to be that I'm one of those people who struggles to admit when they're wrong. I hate being wrong so much. And I think what you said at the end is something I probably need to work on with that.

My sophomore year I got the opportunity to go to California for music tour. It was great! We got to go to Disneyland, and as a part of that, the bands and orchestras got to go into a recording studio to see and experience how the scores were recorded. It was beautiful! Our first piece that we did was that last bit as Simba is climbing up Pride Rock at the end. It was actually magical, especially as someone who grew up watching Disney movies.

I think you guys would love to check out the Lion King 3 - it’s less known that the first 2 films cause it acts kind of like a prequel following mainly Timon and his journey. Watched it when I was younger and loved how they tackled Timon finding his own path and I think it would be a great episode for the channel if you guys ever consider it 😊

The Lion King has always been deep even as a child
But I think I understand it on a much deeper level as an adult now
Kinda painful, extremely beautiful and a 100% worth it
Can't wait to see your take on this you guys!
Sending love to whoever is reading this ❤

When i watched this movie in the theatre back in the day, it was during a family event, where local kids were invited to watch it for extremely cheap, and it was late at night, so they had made it so it was encouraged to bring blankets and such, and just cozy up for a nice movie with the kids...
So my mom brought my 7 year old self and my brother for the event, and after Mufasa died, they literally had to stop the movie for almost an hour for parents to get their kids (and themselves) to stop crying!

I’ve seen this movie enough times that I can quote it word for word, but hearing Simba yell for help and seeing him cuddle up to Mufasa’s dead body, still rips my soul apart 😭

I cried enough about this music yesterday... Went for a The Lion King concert kind of thing with my best friend yesterday. It was amazing. We had reservations about going because of the "live action" remake that we walked away from severely disappointed when it was in the cinema. It's THE movie of our childhood given that we're both '94 kids.
I can tell when my best friend is enjoying something and when she is not, she doesn't have to talk to tell me. When something is getting good, she rubs her hands in anticipation. When she's getting really excited, she'll clap. If it sucks, well, there's nothing. During the "live action" she didn't even rub her hands once. Sure it looks pretty but that's pretty much the only good thing I can say about it. Yesterday they had a screen with a ... I suppose it's most accurately described as a drawn and animated puppet show with hand drawn puppets, pretty much just a sped up slide show. Visually it wasn't overwhelming, but it was much more enjoyable to experience. On our way home we considered taking our nature documentary idea a bit further (Because the "live action" just visually feels like a documentary) and consider just stripping it completely of voices and just going visuals and music or approaching it a bit like the Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron move with more or less only Simba's thoughts to guide us. 😆

I love this channel and you two so much. I’m so glad I found you guys a few months ago. Your insights are always so spot on and usually much needed. I love how as a kid, movies mean one thing to us, but then as adults, we see these movies in a new light. “Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” Such wise words from Rafiki that I understand more now as an adult than when I watched this as a teenager. Also, I can’t wait for you guys to react to Shuri’s stages of grief in Wakanda Forever. When I first saw this movie, I thought, man I can’t wait to hear what Jonathan and Alan have to say about this movie and especially about Shuri and her journey throughout the movie.

I think why the death of Mufasa affects Jon more now than before is like what Alan said, he's a parent. As a kid, losing your parents/caregiver is a scary thought, but the idea of actually losing them doesn't seem as possible unless it's already happened to you. But as a parent the idea of dying and leaving your child behind is terrifying and is a very real possibility. I hope that made sense

I would SO LOVE to have you guys react to the French movie "Le fabouleux destin de Amélie Poulain", it's a classic and it's so rich in about everything.
Her isolation, the helplessness towards the grief of her father, her detachment from the world around her and how she overcomes it, her loneliness, her journey towards opening up to the world, the painter with the glass bones, the grief of her neighbor about her husband and how she is idolizing their love, the stalker, the whole topic of heartbreak and longing to be connected, her angst and avoidance towards Nino while trying to get close to him. This movie has carried me through so many hard times and helped me not to stop dreaming, but also to accept that I am not like other people who haven't experienced the pain and trauma that I have and that each of us needs to find a way out of their shell and towards healing, in our own unique.
And that you can touch and even change people's lives, just sometimes not in the way you intended or that the outcome isn't always what you expected. And that it's crucial to find miracles in everyday life and enjoy the small things that carry us through our pain.

I only started watching you guys in the last couple of weeks but have been loving your videos. The start of this one really sealed that you guys are my kind of people when you called this one the 'real one' and how other one isn't live action. I got so annoyed when they advertised the other one as live action 😂 ~ I aim to misbehave

I love this movie so, so much. I've now had the privilege and pleasure of watching the stage play as well, which had me in tears from "The Circle of Life" and then on and off throughout the whole thing. Love Hans Zimmer's wonderfully evocative, emotional score, the songs, and the powerful story itself.
Thanks for this exploration!

Can we just talk about the cut in the beginning?! Like HOLY SHIT WOW what a hook! The incredible swelling music in the background with Jono's smooth voice playing over it? The incredible cut of the scenes and the knowledge as to when to let the film speak for itself? The ending on Simba's majestic roar? I need to know how you guys got to be so talented, and can I have some please?

I don’t usually ask for you guys to discuss films but I’d love for you to discuss the relationship between Gepetto and Pinocchio in the Guillermo Del Toro version and welcoming a new child into you life after losing one for both the parent and the child. That film has a beautiful discussion on grief, loss and a sense of self and I’d love for you guys to talk about that. ❤️

As an adult who lost a parent semi-recently (a couple yrs ago), the biggest part I cry now is Cloud Dad part. Mostly because I wish I could have that moment with my Mom (actually came up in therapy that I wanted a Cloud Mom for even 5 minutes). I definitely had to explain what that meant to her, but I cried while explaining it. That song yup makes me cry every time. I love that Lion King provides a way for me (and I'm sure many others) to conceptualize grief because I had loads of trouble explaining my feelings and grief. Also advice for people, DO NOT WATCH this while on lunch break. Co-workers were really concerned.

#jonathen Decker and Alan thank you for doing this channel as I have been working through my past and untangling the lines that have been blurred so badly I have always learned best by analogy and I love this channel I can use these examples to share what I’m feeling about a person in my family specifically my father or grandfather and have a character to base it off of. Thank you for helping me to recognize what I am feeling. I would actually love to come on and do a conversation with you on emotional abuse or something and meet you. But thank you

This movie came out the year my dads mom died. He was only 15, which is how old I am now. My dad has always kept her memory alive, which has made this movie special for me to. It’s not uncommon for people to cry while watching the lion king, but every time I see it with my dad I can’t help but notice he’s remembering his mom.

8:50 It made perfect sense for Elsa to be sick of rules and having to be responsible 24/7, she was expected to act like and adult since she was a child and carried so much guilt, self hate and disgust into her adulthood she HAD to snap eventually. It wasn't healthy and she wasn't happy despite being the queen. It wasn't a random person deciding they want to be a free spirit, it was someone who was miserable for their entire life finally letting themselves do something that made them happy

I think the thing that stuck with me the most video was the comment on how we have a hard time challenging the internalized things we were told when we were children. Most of my mental health issues stem from two things that were said to me when I was very young. The first was from my older siblings, "none of us wanted you to be born" and the second was from my parents, "You're our last chance to get a kid right." I was maybe four or five when I heard these phrases, and I've been dealing with the internalized issues from them all of my life. I don't blame my family for these issues, because there was no malice when they said these phrases, and frankly they probably thought I was too little to really comprehend what they meant. I think children are both more perceptive, and more intelligent than people give them credit for. And at the same time, they don't necessarily understand what you mean, only what you say. What my siblings meant was "none of us really understood our parents' decision to have a baby when there were five teenagers in the house," but what little me understood was "you weren't wanted." What my parents meant was "We feel like failures as parents, and we want to try our best to make sure we do our best to help you grow up and live a good life," but what little me understood was "you have to be perfect or we can't be called good parents." This is why I think very carefully about what I say around little kids. Cuz the fact is, kids are like little sponges, absorbing everything around them and using that to build their identity. And if you give them something that could be harmful, it will get absorbed and integrated just like everything else.

That was an awesome episode! Thank you so much for covering the Lion King. And the straight faced silence after the joke at the end 😂

If you guys aren't already planning on it, I'd love to see yall do a video for the sequel :) I was chatting with my sister about it as we watched this episode, and I think the sequel is a great example of how trauma can still linger after the initial source is gone, and the effects that trauma has on future relationships - especially with family. And something that made me think is the comment about Mufasa's advice being about Simba being the best person he can be instead of trying to be like Mufasa. In the second movie, when Kovu comes into the picture - even as a cub - Simba changes as a father and king because instead of seeing a lion being forced into his mother's revenge plans, he just sees Scar. And this point is really driven after the ambush that then leads to Kovu being exiled, the scratch on his face is all anyone in the kingdom (except Kiara) can focus on and they continue to treat him as a second Scar. And it isn't until Kiara puts herself between her father and Zira that he starts to see things more clearly as they are right now instead of reliving the past.
On the one hand you sympathize with Simba because you know that he grew up without a father and is doing his best to raise his daughter. And while he has good intentions, his methods on top of his lingering trauma is having the opposite effect. It's a growing experience for both father and daughter :)

The Lion King is my all time favorite Disney movie. At the time it came out I was 10, I loved the anthropomorphic animals, the beautiful scenery, I had the soundtrack on cassette, played the Sega Genesis game like 72 times, had the merch, etc. But I never really internalized how amazing of a redemption story it was, or felt the full range of emotions while watching it, because I was so young. After being in therapy to work on childhood trauma the movie just hits different now, in a very deep and beautiful way. And watching you guys talk about the themes and remembering some other iconic scenes has made me fall in love with this film all over again. It's just SO GOOD. I love you guys and your channel's work. Thank you!

Even just four minutes into the episode, I already thought it was one of the most epic and most impactful that you've ever done. The rest of the episode only confirmed that for me. (Though I kept getting distracted from your advice by the scene playing out in the background XD)
The whole 'right message, wrong packaging' thing hits me hard as a person who often uses humor and sarcasm as a coping mechanism and a way of communication. Sometimes I'll crack a joke or say something sardonic and people have a bigger reaction to it than I expected, or it ends up being unintentionally hurtful to someone. I'm trying to work on that because I'm definitely very anxious about interacting with people and messing up my relationships, and I don't want to end up taking my own feelings out on other people when I'm upset or hurting them when I want to help them.
P.S. Could you guys react to Home? I feel like there's plenty to dig into there, from Oh's paradigm shift and making mistakes to Tip learning to accept him while trying to find her mom and the whole concept of 'sad-mad'

Watching this video on the day that I'm introducing my "parents" to my 7-day newborn. The scenes plus commentary hit me like a truck, thank you guys.

I honestly kinda resonate with cub Simba. My aunt passed 6 days before my 30th birthday. I was living with her at the time, and her boyfriend, who lived with her as well, was house-sitting for his sister. She had woken me up at 4 am, two hours after I'd gone to bed, complaining of chest pain and nausea. I brushed her off saying she was fine since she had a bad habit of faking illness to get attention and sympathy. She wasn't fine, and died two hours later in her sleep. I didn't wake up until 10 am, and I knew immediately something was off because she always woke me up early, regardless of when she went to sleep. I found her, had to make the call, had to contact her sisters (my mother and their older sister), and tell her boyfriend. Her boyfriend, once he was home, turned to me and said "It's your fault. You should have listened to her. You should have called an ambulance when she woke you up." Those words, over a year later, still haunt me and fill me with guilt and grief. I never had counseling after the death, and still haven't despite it affecting me to this day. This May 25th will be two years. Despite everyone else telling me I'm not at fault, and that I did nothing wrong, I will always blame myself with the "what ifs" that come to my mind.

As someone who grew up with a manipulative father, whenever I see depictions of adults manipulating their kids my first reaction is to be infuriated to the point of crying because you know the struggle that kid will have to go through in order to reconcile how they were raised. Even just seeing the beginning scene where you see in Simba’s eyes the “reality” Scar presents to him sinking in for the first time. This movie doesn’t go into depth the process it takes to really unravel manipulative-based trauma, but it shows him overcoming it very well.

It's important to note where Nala is coming from when she's being so direct with Simba. The lionesses were basically enslaved by the hyenas through Scar's rule. While Simba was living a carefree life of Hakuna Matata, she was hunting for another species before she was even permitted to hunt for herself. So for her, Nala was living an oppressive life, flees from it to find help for everyone (not just herself), and stumbles upon her childhood friend and the king that should have taken the throne by now but he's been literally doing nothing while (in her eyes) HIS kingdom was run into the ground. So even though her approach wasn't the best, it's still a well-written and understandable one when HER PAST is considered.
On a side note: How did Scar cause a drought? If Mufasa is implied to have caused the rain when Simba takes the throne, does that not imply that Mufasa also withheld the rain after Scar took the throne? That "reign" symbolism just HIT me! Mufasa was literally not allowing Scar to reign as king by stopping the rain from falling! And he allowed Simba to reclaim the throne by giving him rain so he could reign over his land! WHOA!!! I just figured out the wordplay while I was typing!!! This movie is SO WELL WRITTEN!!! 🤯🤯🤯

Rewatching a lot of your Disney episodes, so, second time here. Can I ask who scripted and edited this episode? Because the editing on this is just *phenomenal.* I mean, it's the tiny little things, like the timing of the soundtrack to the scenes you picked, while overlaying Jono's narration in the introduction of the video... And the 'subscribe' animation showing 1993 likes turning into 1994 is just -- *chef's kiss* genius.
Also, loved the shoutout to Hans Zimmer at 19:11. I was only 5 when this film came out, but at age 10 I got a bunch of Disney soundtracks and this one in particular turned me on to Zimmer. Ever since then, I've been in love with his work. You might say this was a gateway soundtrack 😅