The Lion King was an incredibly successful movie for a reason. With a tremendous story, that teaches some excellent life lessons, mixing in comedy and sheer emotion, it is easy to see why audiences love the film. It's one of Disney's greatest successes and that really is saying something.
Of course, as the lead character, Simba certainly plays a huge part in the movie. Whether he's a cheeky young lion or the eventual leader of Pride Rock, Simba really is a great character. He goes through a lot within the film and that is showcased by the range of his greatest quotes.
"I Just Can't Wait To Be King."
Young Simba is certainly a character full of charisma and confidence and that is clear with his big number early on in the movie. He showcases all the sass of a youngster by claiming that he cannot wait to be king, bragging about everything he will do, and how great he will be.
It's a really funny song and he doesn't mean it in a cocky way, it's just part of his confident bravado that he puts on. It works for this part of the movie and helps create the cheeky character that audiences love.
"But I Thought A King Can Do Whatever He Wants?"
Throughout The Lion King, there are some valuable life lessons learned and Simba is the character that learns the majority of them. One of them is that with power comes responsibility and that just because someone is a king, that doesn't mean they have run to do anything they like.
That's why this quote is so great, especially in times like this. It is great to know that people cannot just do anything and that there are rules in place, even for the most important people, which even Simba is shocked by at a young age.
"Mom! Mom, You're Messing Up My Mane!"
There's nothing more embarrassing as a young person than having your mom make a big fuss over you in front of people and it seems that is the case in the lion world as well. This hilarious quote comes when Simba's mother is trying to clean him, but he thinks it is leading to others laughing at him.
Simba is clearly embarrassed by the whole ordeal and tells his mom off for messing up his mane. It's just a really funny quote that is really relatable, especially for adult audiences.
"Dad, Come On, You Gotta Get Up."
While The Lion King is a very positive and happy movie, there is no doubt an element of the film that is incredibly sad. Of course, that moment comes when Mufasa dies. It makes everyone incredibly emotional and a big reason for that is the reaction of Simba.
The young lion sees his own father dead, and then when he provides this quote it is impossible not to feel a sense of heartbreak. It's unbelievably emotional and while it is sad, it is still one of his best quotes from the film, purely because of how memorable the moment is.
"Run. Run Away, Scar. And Never Return."
While Mufasa's death is incredibly upsetting, it does lead to an amazing moment in the end when Simba finally gets his revenge. He learns the truth about Scar's involvement in his father's death and it provides him with the chance to drop the exact same line that Scar says to him in return.
Instead of killing Scar, Simba refuses to go down that same villainous path, and instead, he makes it clear that Scar should just run away. It's a perfect line and teaches a great lesson at the same time.
"Somebody Once Told Me That The Great Kings Of The Past Are Up There, Watching Over Us."
Mufasa imparts a lot of fantastic wisdom onto Simba in his early years, and this life lesson is one that he clearly keeps with him. While staring into the stars might be crazy to some people, it clearly provides an element of comfort to Simba.
The belief that all the greatest kings are watching him is something that pushes him to always be his best self and to try and live life in the right way, by being kind to others. It also showcases how highly he respects his father and the words he said.
"But Going Back Means I'll Have To Face My Past. I've Been Running From It For So Long."
Even though Simba has everything wrong about his father's death, as it wasn't his fault at all, this quote still provides a great life lesson. Rather than hiding from negative issues and problems, it is always better to attack them head-on and try solve things as soon as possible.
Simba is more worried about what people might think of him than being able to deal with the issue at hand, and this quote addresses that problem. It's a good life lesson and a pivotal point for the character which makes it even more important.
" Timon And Pumbaa. You Learn To Love 'Em."
Timon and Pumbaa are certainly very full-on as characters, especially for those who have never met them before. They might not seem like the type of people that Simba would normally associate with, which is why he really has to explain their charm.
But instead of being complex and over the top about it, Simba just makes a point that you learn to love them, which is absolutely the case. They're great characters and Simba saying this shows how proud he is to be friends of them.
"I Laugh In The Face Of Danger."
When Simba is young, he is fearless and is happy to attack anything head-on. Of course, he quickly learns that isn't always the best approach and while he is confident to brag that he laughs in the face of danger, the reality of it is that he's actually quite scared when the hyenas surround him.
However, baby Simba showing off and acting cool is certainly a lot of fun, and while he isn't trying to brag or be nasty, he is just a confident youngster. It's a fun quote and it showcases the belief that he really is tough like his father straight away.
"It Doesn't Matter, I'm Home."
Because Simba spends so long away from Pride Rock, everyone who lives there just presumes that he's dead. It's a simple conclusion, so when he returns it is a huge deal and it is certainly treated like one. His comment about how it doesn't matter how he got back is perfect, as it proves the only important thing to him is being home.
Being back with his friends and his family is exactly what it's all about for Simba and that's what he showcases in this quote. This is his big moment of returning and it is something that audiences really enjoy seeing, with this quote working perfectly for that.