My Lion King Forum

I've been wondering (at times) for a while already, how Max was to his Nephew before the film's time, and especially when he was growing up. I know about Timon's Father's predetermined role in this. But since it was Max who was given his role in the film, let's keep it like that. Shall we?

I think Max was pretty much the same way he was to Timon in the beginning of the film, when Timon started "messing" things up for his meerkat colony. Until the time when he reunites with his Mother and Uncle at Pride Rock, Max never really saw much hope in his Nephew. So that leads me to say that he probably didn't appreciate Timon being part of the colony while he was still growing up.

Although, this could've been different around the time Timon was born. I mean, it's possible that Max didn't mind Ma's newborn, and for a while after that.


But I always wonder how Timon was like, when he first met his Uncle.

It's possible that after what happened to Timon's father (whether he died, got eaten by hyenas, or abandoned his family), Uncle Max stepped in as the father figure for Timon. I see no reason why Max wouldn't appreciated his nephew since he wouldn't have any resentment against a child he just met, but he fell out of his favor when he ruined the meerkat tunnels on a daily basis.

I never would have thought about it in a thousand years prior to this prompting but.

It never says anywhere in the film which side Uncle Max is a relative on, does it? The first assumption is that he's Ma's brother, but if he was Timon's Dad's older* brother, then that could explain Max's negativity & disappointment over and above the recurring tunnel klutz reasons, too. He may have liked Timon well enough as a kid, but compared to having one's little brother and then only having your nephew left? I can see Max displacing & projecting a bit of *extra* deep & abiding disappointment off onto Timon for that reason.

* (I assume Max is older than Timon's parents, he looks older than Ma at any rate.)

Of course it's been like 2 years since I watched TLK3 last so maybe it does specifically say he's Ma's brother, but sometimes fandom assumptions aren't as truthy as they're cracked up to be.

cleargreenwater, the movie never said which brother Max is related. If I'm not mistaken, Ma also called Max "Uncle Max" several times, so it's possible Max could be Ma's uncle therefore he is Timon's great uncle.

And what a nice theory once again on your part!

Like a typical dad, he just wanted him to succeed.