Oh I love Sarabi!
I wish she had a bigger role in the movie (and
any role in the sequel). Her character is so complex, like there's a whole new story waiting in the shadows. What she had to experience when she thought Simba was dead is unjust unfathomable. She reminds me of Mary Tyler Moore's character in
Ordinary People. In that movie, MTM plays a mother who loses her son and goes through an emotional rollercoaster. Unfortunately, The Lion King skips from
Sarabi's initial grieving to
her reunion with nothing in between. So much character developement left unexplored. It's a good thing fanfic writers have picked up the slack. Now if only Disney would decide to do a prequel (I can dream, can't I?)
By the way, Ordinary People is an
extraordinary film. Highly recommended. It's in my Top 20 movies. Anyone else seen it and see a connection?