Do we like Simba?
A character from The Lion King (1994)
Our score: 7 out of 10. A cocky kid with a big heart who stumbles badly and runs from his problems. He's easy to root for, because his flaws are the very human kind and he can learn from them.
Simba is the son of King Mufasa and heir to the Pride Lands. The 1994 Disney musical follows him from his presentation to the animal kingdom as a newborn to the day he has to grow up. As a cub he's cheeky, impatient and desperate to be king, and he sings about it in "I Just Can't Wait to Be King". His scheming uncle Scar sees how easy he is to manipulate.
Simba's reckless trip to the elephant graveyard sets a tragedy in motion. Mufasa dies, and Scar convinces Simba it was his fault. Simba runs away and is taken in by Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him "Hakuna Matata". He grows up carefree, and he avoids his past and his responsibilities.
Simba is finally pushed to face who he is when Nala finds him and Rafiki helps him see what he's been running from. He goes home to confront Scar and take back the Pride Lands.
We score him a 7. He starts out as a brat and later hides from his responsibilities, and both are real faults. But he's brave, loyal and fundamentally decent, and his arc is about taking responsibility for his mistakes. He's a flawed lion we'd happily back.