So how does He actually bring his meerkat colony to paradise

[Timon the great]

I've been thinking about for at least a little while now, it's something that I don't even think is remotely explained on the film how Timon convinces and brings his meerkat colony (excluding Ma and Uncle Max), to the promised land.

I've only seen one idea from a fan fic on FFn.net that describes this, but nothing else or that's official and nothing from the deleted scenes either. I'm mostly neutral on the matter since Timon's colony members wouldn't have known about his experiences after leaving them near the beginning of the film and assuming they would've stayed put where they were already at. And then again, it's questionable exactly how far his original home is from Pride Rock and the jungle paradise he finds.

Though, I can understand Timon being open to bringing them to his new home and wanting to change how a meerkat lives from what is seen of him near the beginning of the film when he's still in the colony.

Any thoughts?

[DGFone]

Perhaps it's a simply case that it wasn't simply Timon doing all the work. Seeing as he was always remembered as the colony clutz, I doubt many would choose to follow him, let alone his dear ol' Uncle Max.

But it Timon got Simba and Pumbaa to help him out in convincing the colony to pack up and move, I think he would have a much easier time. After all, who would say no to a lion?

[TheLionPrince]

The meerkat colony was near the borders of the Pride Lands, and it is possible the drought affected the livelihood of the meerkats with little food and water to find. Also, it's questionable whether the hyenas still hunted for meerkats during Scar's reign, but given the lionesses were tasked with the responsibility of finding food, it's unlikely the hyenas traveled that far for meerkat meat. But since the hyenas were hungry and defeated after the battle, the stakes for survival probably heightened for the meerkats now that the hyenas have been expelled from the Pride Lands.

Based on the movie, Timon showed Ma (and Uncle Max) the jungle paradise first, and it is likely their testimony helped the colony to trade the burrows for jungle life. The more cynical, untrusting of Timon, and traditional meerkats were probably the first to witness for themselves and that convinced the colony, or the last to leave the burrows given the popular phrase "if you can't beat them, join them".

[SimbasGuard]

I also think that during the actual move of the Colony Simba acted as an escort and protector. Thus insuring a safe trip.

[Timon the great]

[quote="TheLionPrince"]The more cynical, untrusting of Timon, and traditional meerkats were probably the first to witness for themselves and that convinced the colony, or the last to leave the burrows given the popular phrase "if you can't beat them, join them".[/quote]
What exactly do you mean by cynical and untrusting? Do you mean coming from Timon's colony members or himself?

Very honestly though, I see this as the least believable explanation out of the other replies so far. Especially about "traditional" meerkats. Which I'm assuming you mean those that we see that are non-humanized and non-characters like from the beginning of the first LK film, or not Timon's type.

Considering that Timon is the protagonist of this film and in some way or another, he would Have to be involved in his colony's decision to move to the jungle since he is a member and they already know who Timon is from the beginning, and also finds the jungle paradise first.

[TheLionPrince]

[quote="Timon the great"][quote="TheLionPrince"]The more cynical, untrusting of Timon, and traditional meerkats were probably the first to witness for themselves and that convinced the colony, or the last to leave the burrows given the popular phrase "if you can't beat them, join them".[/quote]What exactly do you mean by cynical and untrusting? Do you mean coming from Timon's colony members or himself?[/quote]

Yes, I was referring to some members of Timon's colony. Timon left the colony on bad terms, and the colony was most likely more than happy to see him gone given his reputation as a "tunnel klutz". Fast forward a few years later, not everything about Timon was probably forgiven, and given Timon was very untrustworthy in the past (since he failed to notify the colony of the invading hyenas) and the meerkats being reluctant to live anywhere else that's not their home (which I explained more below), it's possible some meerkats had a "trust but verify" approach about living in the jungle.

[quote="Timon the great"]Very honestly though, I see this as the least believable explanation out of the other replies so far. Especially about "traditional" meerkats. Which I'm assuming you mean those that we see that are non-humanized and non-characters like from the beginning of the first LK film, or not Timon's type. Considering that Timon is the protagonist of this film and in some way or another, he would Have to be involved in his colony's decision to move to the jungle since he is a member and they already know who Timon is from the beginning, and also finds the jungle paradise first.[/quote]

Well, that's a blow to the gut. I at least put a lot of thought and effort into my post, and it is based on the context of the movie. During the movie, Timon questioned his mother about what's wrong with dreaming of a better home. While it is parodying the original, Ma (who has been in the colony for a questionable number of years and knows enough about the functions and rules of the colony) stated that "everything the light touches...belongs to someone else." So, the meerkats in the film most likely feared stepping outside of their territory given Uncle Max's following statement about the fear of being eaten by predators if they do so.

Timon's meerkat colony know nothing of this new home, whether it exists or not, its former inhabitants before Timon and Pumbaa, and if it has the food needed for meerkats to survive. And the same guy telling us of this new home is the same guy who nearly had us killed a few years before. Not to mention, it's a long journey to get there in which they run the risk getting spotted by predators. (I do like SimbasGuard's idea that Simba acted as an escort for the meerkat exodus.) It's possible an eyebrow was raised, and once they discovered the jungle was fine and dandy, all doubts can finally recede.

[Timon the great]

[quote="TheLionPrince"][quote="Timon the great"][quote="TheLionPrince"]The more cynical, untrusting of Timon, and traditional meerkats were probably the first to witness for themselves and that convinced the colony, or the last to leave the burrows given the popular phrase "if you can't beat them, join them".[/quote]What exactly do you mean by cynical and untrusting? Do you mean coming from Timon's colony members or himself?[/quote]

Yes, I was referring to some members of Timon's colony. Timon left the colony on bad terms, and the colony was most likely more than happy to see him gone given his reputation as a "tunnel klutz". Fast forward a few years later, not everything about Timon was probably forgiven, and given Timon was very untrustworthy in the past (since he failed to notify the colony of the invading hyenas) and the meerkats being reluctant to live anywhere else that's not their home (which I explained more below), it's possible some meerkats had a "trust but verify" approach about living in the jungle.[/quote]
From what I have seen from this film on its own, not everything of the colony members suggest that they simply wanted Timon out of the colony. Especially given that Timon technically has a higher standing in his colony since the film suggests a good amount that Ma and Uncle Max are its leaders.

Where he fails to notify his colony of the hyenas, in technical terms, yes, he does. But at the same time, his actions also "gave" a warning to Uncle Max when Shenzi hits Timon off the rock where he's on sentry duty and bumps into Max and right after, Max then sees the approaching danger.

[quote="TheLionPrince"][quote="Timon the great"]Very honestly though, I see this as the least believable explanation out of the other replies so far. Especially about "traditional" meerkats. Which I'm assuming you mean those that we see that are non-humanized and non-characters like from the beginning of the first LK film, or not Timon's type. Considering that Timon is the protagonist of this film and in some way or another, he would Have to be involved in his colony's decision to move to the jungle since he is a member and they already know who Timon is from the beginning, and also finds the jungle paradise first.[/quote]

Well, that's a blow to the gut. I at least put a lot of thought and effort into my post, and it is based on the context of the movie. During the movie, Timon questioned his mother about what's wrong with dreaming of a better home. While it is parodying the original, Ma (who has been in the colony for a questionable number of years and knows enough about the functions and rules of the colony) stated that "everything the light touches...belongs to someone else." So, the meerkats in the film most likely feared stepping outside of their territory given Uncle Max's following statement about the fear of being eaten by predators if they do so.[/quote]

I just hope you know up-front that I'm not meaning my response as an attack to your view. It was simply not clear to me until I saw your explanation in your second reply. I would maybe suggest taking a little more time to write out your thoughts on something like this.

While I can agree about what you wrote about what you see from the colony's thoughts being equivalent to those of Max, the quote from Ma about "Everything the light touches...", also has elements of comedy to it. I don't think there's any doubt to noticing this when anyone watches this scene. So it's not meant to be taken completely literally or to the point that nothing could be done in this case, with Timon's situation and desire.

[quote="TheLionPrince"]Timon's meerkat colony know nothing of this new home, whether it exists or not, its former inhabitants before Timon and Pumbaa, and if it has the food needed for meerkats to survive. And the same guy telling us of this new home is the same guy who nearly had us killed a few years before. Not to mention, it's a long journey to get there in which they run the risk getting spotted by predators. (I do like SimbasGuard's idea that Simba acted as an escort for the meerkat exodus.) It's possible an eyebrow was raised, and once they discovered the jungle was fine and dandy, all doubts can finally recede.[/quote]

I completely agree that the colony would have no idea about the paradise. But there's no clear indication of how much time exactly it is after Timon leaves the colony (same thing with the distance of his original home to the pride lands, because the horizon in the scene where Ma tells him about everything the light touches, also gives no indication that the pride lands are within the range of his home). It could simply be 1 or 2 years of time or whatever people want to think since this isn't made clear on the film.

Realistically, if you want to see it as a couple of years, many people tend to forget or let go of grudges in order to move on in their life. So not all of the colony members are still going to hold the same grudge they did to Timon before he decides to leave his original home, and may actually decide to step forward and risk entering a new lifestyle especially if their current one of basically trying to survive in life has go on for years. Remember, these characters are people. Despite their physical form of not exactly a human being.

Like I said, if they already know Timon from the very beginning since the entire film media also shows that he was already a member from the beginning of his life in terms of story, there's a definite possibility they could consider what he tells them about a new home free from digging instead of one where they always had to survive and not truly able to live life.

I also understand that there would be a risk involved moving the colony to another place and so I can definitely believe what SimbasGuard and DGFone said about Simba being a bodyguard and Timon not having to do all the "moving" in this case, because of them being friends.

[TheLionPrince]

[quote="Timon the great"]While I can agree about what you wrote about what you see from the colony's thoughts being equivalent to those of Max, the quote from Ma about "Everything the light touches...", also has elements of comedy to it. I don't think there's any doubt to noticing this when anyone watches this scene. So it's not meant to be taken completely literally or to the point that nothing could be done in this case, with Timon's situation and desire.[/quote]

I disagree. After Timon states he was hoping Ma was going to go a whole different direction with the statement, Ma replies back, "What can I say? It's nature's design." Uncle Max pops up from the grass, and states she's right. Her statement was parodying the first film, but by saying it's "nature's design" for the meerkats to stay in their territory means she's being literal and serious about it. Uncle Max being in agreement with her concludes it's mutually agreed among meerkats that they don't step outside of their boundaries.

[quote="Timon the great"]I completely agree that the colony would have no idea about the paradise. But there's no clear indication of how much time exactly it is after Timon leaves the colony (same thing with the distance of his original home to the pride lands, because the horizon in the scene where Ma tells him about everything the light touches, also gives no indication that the pride lands are within the range of his home). It could simply be 1 or 2 years of time or whatever people want to think since this isn't made clear on the film.[/quote]

The first twenty minutes or so in 1½ clearly takes place before Simba's presentation, and its continuity parallels with the first film from there on. We can judge a measure of years has passed by witnessing how long it takes for Simba to mature from a young cub to an adult.

[quote="Timon the great"]Realistically, if you want to see it as a couple of years, many people tend to forget or let go of grudges in order to move on in their life. So not all of the colony members are still going to hold the same grudge they did to Timon before he decides to leave his original home, and may actually decide to step forward and risk entering a new lifestyle especially if their current one of basically trying to survive in life has go on for years. Remember, these characters are people. Despite their physical form of not exactly a human being.[/quote]

When Ma tells Uncle Max that she's leaving to find Timon, he screams "Are you nuts?!" Judging by his comment, he clearly hasn't forgiven Timon's previous actions when he was living in the colony. In your post, you claim based on the film, Uncle Max is one of the colony's leaders so if Max hasn't forgiven his nephew's actions, it's probable that the colony's followers share his sentiment.

[KionofTheLionGuard]

When i first watched it, i had the same thought. But i just assumed because it's Disney, that he just "magically" transported them there XD

[Timon the great]

[quote="TheLionPrince"][quote="Timon the great"]While I can agree about what you wrote about what you see from the colony's thoughts being equivalent to those of Max, the quote from Ma about "Everything the light touches...", also has elements of comedy to it. I don't think there's any doubt to noticing this when anyone watches this scene. So it's not meant to be taken completely literally or to the point that nothing could be done in this case, with Timon's situation and desire.[/quote]
I disagree. After Timon states he was hoping Ma was going to go a whole different direction with the statement, Ma replies back, "What can I say? It's nature's design." Uncle Max pops up from the grass, and states she's right. Her statement was parodying the first film, but by saying it's "nature's design" for the meerkats to stay in their territory means she's being literal and serious about it.[/quote]

Not necessarily. The expression from Ma when she says that quote suggests otherwise that she was only being half-serious about it at best from this screencap of that scene:



Even Max's response right after this part, "She's right! We're food for other animals- a moveable feast. Feared by no one and eaten by all!", is still significantly comical in nature, as well. There's really nothing from both Ma's and Uncle Max's responses during this part of the film that says Timon can't do anything about their problem as complete prey at all.

[quote]When Ma tells Uncle Max that she's leaving to find Timon, he screams "Are you nuts?!" Judging by his comment, he clearly hasn't forgiven Timon's previous actions when he was living in the colony. In your post, you claim based on the film, Uncle Max is one of the colony's leaders so if Max hasn't forgiven his nephew's actions, it's probable that the colony's followers share his sentiment.[/quote]
True. Most of the colony members probably would to a certain extent. But I'm not going to agree that every single one of them would share those exact same feelings like Max. And he's also different in some aspects from them in this because he's portrayed to be old, grumpy, and the like.

Quite frankly, I see that the main issue with Timon's colony members away from Ma or Max is the fact that they have trouble understanding why Timon does what he does, in which I can share feelings with him on this and in how he thinks differently from the rest.