Are Timon & Pumbaa Really Important?

[SilverSimba01]

every character has a propose in this movie, even if some seen one as a useless or non-sense of existing character, they all play an role

[SummerSnowLeopard]

I suppose...

[Harvs]

As characters, yes. They raise Simba, save him, and keep him safe. As comic reliefs, no. The story would have been just fine without that role. Look at Wreck-It Ralph. That movie didn't have a comic relief, and it worked out fine. Disney, you don't always need a character just to crack a joke.

[PrincessKiara]

The fact that they saved Simbas life makes them important. I think they`re in the movie, not purely for comic relief, but to underline the point that it wasn`t right of Simba to abandon his teachings and turn away from his obligations and responsibilites. Obviously, he couldn`t have overthrown Scar before growing up anyway, but without the help of Nala, Rafiki and Mufasas ghost, it seems to me as if Simba would never have gathered the courage to return - Timon and Pumbaa and their lifestyle of no worries would have proven more tempting than facing his past.
And, of course, as it has already been mentioned, their intro scene provides a light-hearted contrast to the death scene preceeding it.

[Lauren]

I also agree that they do seem important since they raised Simba themselves in order to help him out. Like they mentioned, Simba could have died if they didn't save him and despite Timon not agreeing at first to take him in, I still love that they did care for him a lot, especially Pumbaa since he was concerned about why Simba was so depressed. That was very sweet. <3

[Kopalover]

They were their for comic relief. If it was more of an adult movie, they probably wouldn't have added Timing and Pumbaa, but made Simba live on his own. They're important to children, but less important for adults ^^
In my opinion.

[DGFone]

They are very important. After all, they are the ones who rescued Simba - as well as be the ones who taught him to forget his past, and therefore, abandon his pride. Plus, it was Timon and Pumbaa who, without realizing it, would do something by accident that will remind Simba of his old life, and yet, at the same time, without hesitation, they will come along and help him in times of need.

In a way, they are very important, because until Nala showed up, the two of them saved Simba's life, while at the same time, ruining it as well.

[Ninaroja]

They were important, in my opinion, because they had a huge impact on the outcome of the story.

Without Timon and Pumbaa:
1. Simba would have died in the desert, been eaten by vultures, or both.
2. Even if he had managed to survive alone, he wouldn't have run into Nala in the jungle were he not living with Timon and Pumbaa.
3. This means he would never have met Rafiki or Mufasa's ghost.
4. Simba would never have been introduced to hakuna matata, and subsequently would never have gone through the character growth needed for him to see the right thing to do and return to Pride Rock to face his past.

Also, I feel like TLK could have been TOO dark without them, not to mention pretty much all of the Disney movies made before/around the time of TLK's release contained comic relief of some sort
(e.g. Genie, the enchanted objects, Sebastian, the gargoyles, Mushuu etc.)

[ScarsLove]

They're important in keeping Simba alive and healthy. As for everything else, they could've been left out. You never know who else he might've been found by or what else might've happened. Maybe he would've returned sooner if he met someone else. I'm not saying they ruin the movie but I felt they could've been left out, except for raising Simba.

[MrTitans]

They helped simba grow into what he is, but they are not that important