Questions about the blessing ceremony

[SuperBabySimba]

Do you think they blessed and presented all the royal babies to the Pride Lands or just the first born son or daughter as in the future queen/prince? Especially if the litter had more than one cub.

I would think only that one as it would seem a rather... unlikely the animals would cheer and bow down to each and every one of them in a ceremonial situation... Or gather together for many seperate ceremonies... But I guess it's possible.

Rafiki seemed old enough to be the family friend at least from Mufasa's father's times and thus may have presented Mufasa's father as a baby and baby Mufasa to the Pride Lands. Then he presented baby Simba and then baby Kiara. I don't think that job was any kind of from parent to child thing but Rafiki just was the family friend. And even if it was such a job, Rafiki didn't seem to have children.

So, who blessed and presented the king's/queen's heir to the kingdom before Rafiki or was the blessing/presenting ceremony just not a custom before Rafiki became the family friend? And even more importantly; who would be doing it after Rafiki dies?

It would have to be someone with strong and secure hands and feet to hold an infant lion off of a cliff like that.

[xLilacVixenx]

You prove to produce an interesting topic here, and I'll try my best to answer most of your questions.


This question is kind of hard to answer, and I'm sure nobody really knows, but it could be either. For instance, if they presented just one cub, in the earlier comics, that could be part of the reason Scar/Taka was jealous at Mufasa, he was presented at the ceremony and not him. (Although he was just a baby then, I'm sure his parents or some another told him so) In the same case, however, both royal cubbies could be presented because of royal birth. If you listen closly at the movie, you notice that Scar said that he was next in line (Until the little hairball was born!) to begin with, so the plan could have been that they presented both because he would be king next.


To your next question, I think it's an ancient tradition that the baboons present and guide the kings/queens at Pride Rock. Rafiki is greatly known for his wisdom and very responsible and knowing. Rafiki was also able to talk to the Great Kings of the Past, and that might be an honor spread down generations; though no one really knows.

Did this help any? Sorry, I get carried away when speaking of such matters.

[SuperBabySimba]

[quote="xLilacVixenx"]For instance, if they presented just one cub, in the earlier comics, that could be part of the reason Scar/Taka was jealous at Mufasa, he was presented at the ceremony and not him.[/quote]

Scar's name is not Taka. It's Taka only in a profit fanfiction story. But otherwise, yes, I agree and I actually thought of that myself too last night when I tried to get some sleep but all I could think of was this topic.

[quote="xLilacVixenx"]If you listen closly at the movie, you notice that Scar said that he was first in line (Until the little hairball was born!) to begin with, so the plan could have been that they presented both because he would be king next.[/quote]

That's a good point. Never thought of it that way. I mean, I did understand that the next in line means the kingship but not that it might have been made literal from infancy in a ceremonial way. But yeah, it could've been! (:

As for the second question, also you made a good point. But assuming that's the case, how do you think they pick the baboons who get the honour - or rather what do they do if there isn't a baboon of enough trustworthiness and wisdom around? Or perhaps the current baboon is required to search for and suggest a follower for himself.

[xLilacVixenx]

[quote="SuperBabySimba"]Scar's name is not Taka. It's Taka only in a profit fanfiction story. But otherwise, yes, I agree and I actually thought of that myself too last night when I tried to get some sleep but all I could think of was this topic.[/quote]

Whoops, sorry, lol. Though I'm not sure if they would have gotten that precise when thinking of the movie. I always thought Scar was jealous of his brother just because he got more attention, but if you really follow the comics, it also could be part of where Scar got his scar. (Lol) Although I don't follow the comics so much when I try to write these things.

[quote="SuperBabySimba"]
That's a good point. Never thought of it that way. I mean, I did understand that the next in line means the kingship but not that it might have been made literal from infancy in a ceremonial way. But yeah, it could've been! (:

As for the second question, also you made a good point. But assuming that's the case, how do you think they pick the baboons who get the honour - or rather what do they do if there isn't a baboon of enough trustworthiness and wisdom around? Or perhaps the current baboon is required to search for and suggest a follower for himself.[/quote]

Well, the ceremony is about kingship, so I could only expect they would present both (Or if they had more) cubs at the ceremony. It could also be that they would later promote the new king when he actually became king, like in the first movie when Scar is on the throne.

I believe they would only choose a baboon that was wise and has a good knowledge of life; and if there weren't any baboons around, I would suppose they would ask the Great Kings for guidance. I also think it would be pretty logical if, like you said, the former baboon would search for a follower. (:

[Kianga]

I think just the future king/queen would be presented. Rafiki had a nephew in a Timon and Pumbaa episode. Perhaps Rafiki could train him to take over for him. Before that, perhaps the one who presented the future kings and queens was another baboon who in turn mentored Rafiki.

[SuperBabySimba]

Which episode? o.O I don't remember Rafiki even appearing in the Timon & Pumbaa TV Series. o.O Unless there are more episodes than I know of. I have the DVD box which has three movies that I think are collected from the episodes.

[KopsTheTerminator]

I think they presented all the newborns.. because if the future King died, then one of them would have to be the future King.

About Rafiki, I think his ancestors served the King as well, and Rafiki's child will be the next Shaman.

"I always thought Scar was jealous of his brother just because he got more attention, but if you really follow the comics, it also could be part of where Scar got his scar."

They were books. :B

"Scar's name is not Taka. It's Taka only in a profit fanfiction story."

People may still follow what the books say, profit fan-fiction or not.

[SuperBabySimba]

[quote="Kopa23"]"Scar's name is not Taka. It's Taka only in a profit fanfiction story."

People may still follow what the books say, profit fan-fiction or not.[/quote]

Yes but fanfiction stuff should always be clearly seperated from canon when discussing the fandom's world in depth.

Besides, there was no reason to bring up the fanfiction name Taka like that in this discussion as this has nothing to do with those fanfiction books where the name exists. Thus, bringing the name up like that made it seem canon, when it's not. That's why I pointed it out.

[FlipMode]

Just going to give my opinion on the first question for now since i'm running a bit short on time ;).

Nope. I would think it will only be royal heritage ceremonies so only for like future prince / princess. As if to say "Hey look, this is your future leader".
I think it would take planning / organising and generally just not be done for any cubbies born into royalty.

[Kianga]

[quote="SuperBabySimba"]Which episode? o.O I don't remember Rafiki even appearing in the Timon & Pumbaa TV Series. o.O Unless there are more episodes than I know of. I have the DVD box which has three movies that I think are collected from the episodes.[/quote]

He appeared in several episodes. I don't remember the name of the one the nephew is in but he was in another called Beauty and the Wildebeest where he tries to help a hideous wildebeest clean himself up to impress a beautiful gazelle.

Then there's another episode with a white mouse that's tired of the elephants picking on him and Rafiki helps him turn into this strange mouse/bird/fish/ creature.

He even helped Timon and Pumbaa sort out a squabble over a fallen meteorite in one episode.

And the last one I remember was a two part episode in which Rafiki was telling Zazu about Timon's origins (which are pretty different from his origins in TLK 1 1/2). He still fudged up on guard duty though.