lions rule over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi present their newborn son, Simba, to the animals by Rafiki.
Mufasa shows Simba the Pride Lands. Mufasa's younger brother, Scar, covets the throne and plots to get rid of Mufasa and Simba, so he may become king. He tricks Simba and his friend Nala into exploring a forbidden elephants graveyard.
Mufasa hears about the incident from Zazu, and rescues them. Mufasa forgives him and explains that the great kings of the past watch over them from the night sky, and he will one day watch over Simba.
Scar informs Mufasa of Simba's perill. Mufasa saves Simba but ends up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge. Scar refuses to help him, sending him falling to his death. He then convinces Simba that the tragedy was Simba's own fault and advises him to leave the kingdom and never return, orders the hyenas to kill him, but Simba escapes.
Timon and Pumbaa rescue Simba, who collapses in a desert. Simba grows up in a oasis, living a life under the motto hakuna matata.
Simba rescues Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry lioness and fall in love, and she urges him to return home, telling him that the Pride Lands have become a wasteland under Scar's reign. He visit Rafiki, who tells him that Mufasa's spirit lives in Simba, visits the ghost of Mufasa.
simba and his friends fight hyenas and Scar. Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn, continuing the circle of life.
