Rafiki is a supporting character in Disney's 2019 remake of The Lion King. He is a mandrill who lives in the Pride Lands.
He is based on the character of the same name from the 1994 original film.
Background[]
Personality[]
In his younger years, Rafiki was more high-spirited and eccentric. He would often speak in riddles and say cryptic things, sometimes in regards to his mystical visions. He possessed the power to see into others' hearts, such as when he picked up on Sarabi's memories of her late father, and frequently had visions of the future. He was unwaveringly faithful and wise, and clung to his visions despite them rarely coming true.
Rafiki shows a wise and solemn personality. He rarely speaks and would interfere with the doings occurring within the Pride Lands if a dire matter occurred such as when the Circle of Life was broken when Scar allowed hyenas to inhabit the Pride Lands. In spite of his old age, he would assert his opinions with a strong will such as urging Simba to remember who he is. As evidenced in Simba and Nala returning to Pride Rock to fight against Scar, Rafiki would think first before engaging into conflicts. He is also shown to be fearless when he uses a staff as a weapon.
Physical appearance[]
As a young adult, Rafiki had thick brown fur, with a short ruff, brown eyes, and a long, narrow face that was marked by patches of blue and red skin. He also had a short tail. Upon growing older, his pelt thinned, and his mane grew to be long, wiry, and gray, covering his head and extending down to his chin, where it formed a short goatee.
Appearances[]
The Lion King (2019)[]
Rafiki arrives at Pride Rock during the birth of Simba where he presents Mufasa and Sarabi's newborn cub during the presentation. Later, Rafiki goes to his tree where several bugs help him complete a painting of Simba (instead of using gourd juice to complete the painting like in the original film). He later appears sitting next to Zazu in which both of them feel disappointed upon hearing Scar's plans on becoming the new king following Mufasa and supposedly Simba's deaths in a stampede.
After Simba grows up as a young adult lion, Rafiki sees a part of his mane delivered by each animal that finds it as he discovers that Simba is alive. After Simba feels upset about his refusal to return to Pride Rock and not listening to Nala's advice, he encounters Rafiki, who reminds him that he is the son of Mufasa. Rafiki then tells Simba to look into the pool of reflection where he explains that Mufasa still lives in Simba's heart even though he died during the stampede. Simba then decides to return to Pride Rock, thanks to Rafiki's plan on helping him remember his father, who tells him to take his rightful place as the new king.
As Simba returns to Pride Rock, Rafiki sets out to find his staff and calls it an "old friend" to help Simba stop Scar from ruling the Pride Lands (this scene was not in the animated version, because in the original film, Rafiki tells Nala that Simba returned to Pride Rock to take place as King). During the final battle against Scar, Rafiki uses his staff to save Zazu from the hyenas, whereas in the animated version, he saves Simba instead of Zazu.
After Scar's death, Rafiki and the other Pridelanders are proud of Simba who stopped Scar's tyranny. Rafiki then tells Simba that it is time to take place as the new king of Pride Rock. Later at the end of the film, Simba and Nala give birth to a new cub as Rafiki presents the new cub in front of the animals.
Mufasa: The Lion King[]
Rafiki in Mufasa: The Lion King.
Rafiki initially lived with a troop of primates and became good friends with a baboon named Junia. He would frequently have mystical visions, which sometimes aided his fellow primates. Over time, however, they came to fear his powers and exiled him from their troop, despite Junia's protests.
On his own, Rafiki sought Milele, as he had had a vision of his "brother" awaiting him there. Along the way, he was ambushed by Mufasa, Taka, Sarabi, and Zazu, only for them to halt the attack when he mentioned Milele. Mufasa proposed that they let him live if he led them to Milele, but he refused and retorted that he would let them live instead. Impatient, Taka tried to attack Rafiki, but Mufasa ordered him to let the mandrill live. Afterwards, the five formed a partnership, with Rafiki agreeing to lead them to Milele.
Along the way, Rafiki meditated in a pool. Though Mufasa questioned why he would not catch fish for them, Rafiki commented that it was not the fish's time. He also picked up on Mufasa's fear of water.
Continuing on, the group reached a ravine, and Mufasa determined that they should climb down rather than walk across. As the group entered the ravine, the Outsiders approached, and Sarabi used a beehive to incite an elephant stampede. Though the stampede hindered the Outsiders' pursuit, Sarabi got knocked unconscious, and Mufasa dragged her to safety. Meanwhile, Rafiki barely managed to hold on to a tree branch, which he decided to keep as a staff. Once the elephants had run off, Rafiki revived Sarabi and remarked that "he" had saved her. She questioned who specifically had saved her, but before Rafiki could answer, Mufasa claimed that Taka had saved her.
The group's journey continued, and they ascended a snowy mountain. In order to throw the Outsiders off their scent, Mufasa instructed Zazu to cover their tracks. As they climbed higher, Mufasa carried Rafiki on his back. Eventually, the group kept going and reached Milele. There, Rafiki located the baobab tree from his vision and realized that Mufasa had been the "brother" he had been seeking all along.
At that moment, the Outsiders attacked, and Mufasa rallied the animals of Milele to fight alongside him. Together, the animals defeated the Outsiders, and Mufasa killed their leader, Kiros. After the battle, the animals hailed Mufasa as their king. Though he protested that he was nobody, Rafiki pointed out that it was his destiny to reign, and he at last relented. With the gathered animals as witnesses, he ascended Pride Rock and roared over his kingdom.
Trivia[]
- This incarnation of Rafiki is depicted as notably less eccentric and playful than in the original film.
- Rafiki frequently mutters to himself in Xhosa.
- In the Lion King-inspired comic Bad Omens, Rafiki is said to have a cousin named "Tonga".
