1. THE
LION
KING

2. DEPARTURE (Separation)

3. The Ordinary World
The hero’s home environment where his family and friends are located
The place where the hero feels comfortable
Simba was born in the Pride Lands and lives there with his mother, father, and friends

4. Call to Adventure Chance reveals an unexpected world
There is an awakening of one “self” to an unknown world
Scar tells Simba about The Rise of the Northern Border and how only brave lions go there to face danger
Simba wants to be brave and visit the unknown world

5. Refusal of the Call
Hero views present system, ideas, virtues, goals, and advantages as fixed and secure
Simba wants to venture out of Pride Lands and into the unknown world he learned about
He wants to see what else is out there

6. Supernatural Aid
Supernatural figures represent a benign, protecting power of destiny
This can come in the from of a protective figure
Simba was born into a monarchy and will become king when his father passes and he becomes old enough
Mufasa, Simba’s father, saves Simba and Nala from the Hyena’s when they were in the elephant graveyard
Mufasa saves Simba from the stampede of antelope
Rafiki smells the scent of Simba and realizes he is really alive and not dead

7. Crossing the Threshold
The hero ventures into unknown world and meets some dangerous presence
Simba and Nala both leave the Pride Lands and enter the elephant Graveyard together where they are met by 3 mean Hyenas

8. In the Belly of the Whale
The hero goes inward in order to be reborn
Simba thinks he killed his father and runs far away from Pride Lands never to return again
Simba doesn’t know where he is going as long as he gets away from Pride Lands

9. Initiation
INITIATION

10. The Meeting with the Goddess
The meeting of the goddess who offers promise of perfection, everything
Represents the totality of what can be known
After Simba runs away he is found and saved by 2 animals named Timone and Pumba
Timone and Pumba teach Simba Hakuna Matata and guide him to survival

11. The Woman as the Temptress
The woman is evil and may lead the hero astray
Simba’s uncle, Scar, tells him and Nala about the elephant graveyard tempting them to go there in the face of danger
Scar kills his own brother, Mufasa, on purpose and blames it on Simba, who he is hoping to kill as well
Scar then tells Simba to run away and never return and replaces Mufasa as king of the Pride Lands

12. Atonement with the Father
Father symbolizes judgment; the hero overcomes fear and judgment
This stage shows growth and the ability to take on adult abilities
Mufasa tells Simba (when he was alive) that he will never again be lonely and should never be scared because he will be watching him from above
Simba sees his father in himself when he looks at his reflection and talks to his father who appears in the clouds as a spirit
Simba is no longer afraid to face Scar and his old friends after deserting them

13. Apotheosis The hero realizes the “big picture”
The here becomes free from all fear, beyond the reach of change
Simba realizes that he must return to “his kingdom” and restore it not only for himself but for his father, mother and old friends
Simba figures out that Scar was the one that killed his father in order to become king of Pride Lands

14. The Ultimate Boon The hero receives the reward he/she is after
The hero partakes of the sustaining substance that makes his mind/body imperishable
Simba returns to fight Scar and defeats him and manages to get the Hyenas to convert to the good side
Simba steps into his throne and takes control of his kingdom and restores back to what it was before

15. RETURN

16. Refusal of the Return Her can refuse a return
The hero often wishes to remain in isolation
Simba believes he is not the lion he used to be and does not wish to return to the Pride Lands when Nala finds him
He wishes to stay in isolation with Timone and Pumba away from is old friends and family and is scared of disappointment
Simba rejects the fact that the Pride Lands are in trouble and thinks that no one needs him back

17. Magic in Flight
If the hero has the blessings of the goddess or god, his final adventures will be supported by all the powers of his patron
Timone and Pumba support Simba in returning and agreed to help him defeat Scar and the hyenas
Timone and Pumba say they are with Simba till the end and help him a great deal

18. Rescue from Without The world may have to come to save the hero
The hero loses and then regains his ego
Mufasa saves Simba from the stampede of antelope which Scar set up to kill both of them
Mufasa also rescues Simba and Nala from the hyenas that were attacking them at the elephant graveyard just in time

19. Crossing the Return Threshold
There is difficulty in the hero’s return; the world has changed and so has the hero
The hero conquers the difficulty in returning, showing that he/she is able to adapt.
The returning hero must survive the impact of the world; he may not be able to verbalize the wisdom he has gained through his journey.
Simba knows he has to face his past and return home only to see an ugly, broken kingdom that is barely surviving and overrun by hyenas
He sees his family and friends hungry and hurt starving for some good

20. Master of Two Worlds
Hero has attained wisdom in both the spiritual and material world
The hero gives up all his personal limitations, fears and hopes
Simba has a son with Nala
His son will grow up just like Simba and step into the throne to take over, hopefully to run Pride Lands just as well as Mufasa and Simba did

21. Freedom to Live The hero learns never to be afraid of the next moment
The hero reconciles the fact the every creature lives on the death of another. The hero understands that it was only through the "death" of his/her former self that the new life was able to surface.
Simba knows now he belongs in his kingdom and has outgrown the fear of fear itself