My Lion King Forum

In TLK, Zazu is appointed the rather ungrateful task of watching Simba and Nala on their way to "the waterhole."

In SP, it`s a running theme/joke in the movie that Timon and Pumbaa are sent out by Simba to watch Kiara.

Who do you think would do a better job of watching Kiara? Timon and Pumbaa, or Zazu?

And why do you think Simba never asked Zazu to watch his daughter? He does have the advantage of flying, so he could watch her from the air without her even knowing...

I'd say there's no contest -- Zazu would be at least marginally better at keeping an eye on Kiara than Timon and Pumbaa. Even though Zazu did lose Simba and Nala, it seemed mostly due to the two of them working together to outsmart him. I'm sure Zazu would have at least a little more luck with just one cub to watch.

On the subject of Timon and Pumbaa, though -- the way Simba keeps asking them to keep an eye on Kiara makes me wonder about his mental health. He asks them to watch her as a cub, they lose her; he asks them to watch her as she goes hunting as a young adult, they lose her; after Kovu is exiled, they either ask to or are asked to watch her (Simba straight-out orders them to do so in the SP comic), and they lose her yet again...

Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?

EDIT: As to why Simba never asked Zazu to watch Kiara -- since he spent most of his life with Timon and Pumbaa, he probably trusted them much more than that silly bird that he and his best friend were easily able to evade as cubs. Still, he did ask Zazu to find Kiara when the fire started (which Zazu quickly did). When he asks Zazu to find her before the battle, though, we never see how Zazu fares, and he doesn't show up again until the ceremony at the end (probably feeling very confused about why the lionesses that were out to declare war on the Pride Lands are now sitting happily on Pride Rock).

I think Zazu would of been better. Timon and Pumbaa aren't that serious to be honest, and I think Zazu could handle Kiara. Simba and Nala were a handful, but I think Kiara would of been easier definitely.

Zazu

Zazu. By far, Zazu.

But do you think that maybe, just a little, he might've been trying to keep Timon & Pumbaa out of HIS way? I can only imagine that two professional slackers would be dead weight in a productive pride--maybe like what tribal societies do with old people, he threw the kid at 'em and made 'em babysit just so they'd be *doing* something?

Cause that is like the worst feeling in the world, being busy & stressed while your friends are not doing very much of anything.

Zazu clearly would have done a better job watching Kiara than Timon and Pumbaa did. Zazu lost Simba And Nala, but he tracked them down. Timon and Pumbaa never managed to recover Kiara.

As for why Simba never had Zazu watch Kiara, perhaps with The Outsiders being an ever present threat, Simba preferred to have Zazu scout The Pride Lands Borders more often in order to warn him of potential Outsider attacks. Rather than have Zazu babysit when (like cleargreenwater said) Timon and Pumbaa probably had nothing to do anyway.

Zazu was able to keep track of Simba and Nala for the most part, and when he finally did lose them, he knew where to search, coming into the graveyard before things got too out of hand. And when he wasn't enough, he was able to get Mufasa right away.

Timon and Pumbaa... only grubs fear them.

Simba making Timon and Pumbaa babysit because they had no real duties makes a lot of sense. Plus, considering they practically raised him, he must trust them completly.

Zazu does actually have a position in the Kings employment, and as such he has certain duties to attend to. Cub sitting is probably not something he usually does.. I reckon Zazu only watched Simba and Nala on special occasions.

As for who would make the better sitter, I`m for Zazu all the way.
He`s able to watch Kiara from the air, and so he can guard her from a distance without her even knowing (so she doesnt feel stalked or pestered) and he`s able to fly quickly and alert Simba or lionesses from the Pride should Kiara be in danger.

Timon and Pumbaa lose Kiara constantly, and I`m honestly surprised at Simba.. that he never realized what a truly crappy job they were doing at guarding his beloved daughters life.

It's funny. I thought this was going to be a discussion on whether Timon or Pumbaa made the better babysitter. Anyway, Zazu wins wings down.