Zazu

Zazu is a red-billed hornbill and supporting character in Disney's1994 animated feature film The Lion King. Uptight and dignified, Zazu served as majordomo to Mufasa, Scar and later Simba.

Appearance
Small and almost delicate-looking, Zazu boasts a tiny but colorful array of feathers. His chest is small and oval-shaped, and his neck is long and thin, with his tail being tall and pluming. His beak proves to be his most prominent feature, colored a bright red with a patch of yellow near his nostrils. His feathers are light blue, tipped with lines of white and navy at the wingtips and the tailtip. His chest is pale blue, almost white, while his eye shades are a clear shade of sky blue. A dark blue feather protrudes off the back of his head, and thick bushy eyebrows grow above a set of small dark eyes. Despite his age, Zazu is a handsome bird, in good shape and radiant in color.

Zazu bears many resemblances to his mother, echoing her slim body type and coloration schemes. Like Zuzu, he is small and slight with a bright red beak, though his feathers are royal blue as opposed to her more violet shades.

Personality
Although trying to appear proper and dignified, Zazu seems to be a nervous wreck. As majordomo to King Mufasa, his proper, dignified, nervous, and easily-rattled personality is the polar opposite in temperament of most of the rest of the cast. He tends to panic during emergencies, such as the wildebeest stampede. But it is implied that he can be brave when given the chance.

Zazu is also shown to have a sense of humor, as he was able to make a joke about turning Scar into a throw rug (to which he adds that Mufasa can beat him "whenever he gets dirty").

Backstory
Zazu has two conflicting histories as to how he became the King's majordomo.

According to How True, Zazu? Zazu's mother, Zuzu, was a steward to Kopa's great-grandfather Ahadi. When Zazu was young, Zuzu trained him to take her place before Mufasa's rule began. One day, Zazu reports everything he sees and tends to jump to conclusions. He ends up reporting false stories to Mufasa as three young animals make up stories to trick Zazu. Zazu redeems himself though as he spies an army ant attack and alerts Mufasa to the problem.

Accoring to the book Friends in Need, a young hornbill named Zazu is about to be cooked and eaten by the hyenas Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, until Mufasa comes along, scares the hyenas away and saves him. Zazu is thankful and hopes that he can be of service to the Lion King someday. Mufasa is doubtful of this. How could a small bird be of any use to a lion?

Zazu follows Mufasa around and watches over him. Mufasa tires of this quickly as Zazu disturbs his hunts and his private time with his betrothed Sarabi.

One day Zazu notices some vultures hovering. He asks Mufasa if he wants him to fly over and see what's happening, but Mufasa is not concerned and lies down for a nap. Zazu flies over to where the vultures are anyway and sees that Sarabi has fallen into a pit and can't get out. Zazu flies back to tell Mufasa who leaps up and runs to the gorge. But Mufasa can't find a way to rescue Sarabi. Zazu finds a tree trunk that Mufasa drags over to the pit, allowing Sarabi to climb out.

Mufasa realizes that the little hornbill is really useful after all and appoints him as royal adviser.

The Lion King
Zazu is first seen flying over the animals heading toward Pride Rock to see the newborn Simba, and bows before Mufasa when he lands on Pride Rock.

Zazu is next seen telling Scar about playing with the prey that he has caught. He also warns Scar that he'd better have a good excuse for not attending the presentation of Simba. Annoyed, Scar jumps the bird and temporarily eats him. Just in time, Mufasa shows up to chastise his brother, who reluctantly spits Zazu onto the ground. Now with Mufasa to protect him, Zazu continues berating Scar, reminding him that as the king's brother, he should have been first in line at the ceremony. Unaffected by the chastising, Scar acts rudely toward Mufasa, who asks him if he's proposing a challenge. Scar replies that he would never dream of fighting with Mufasa. Zazu comments that that's a pity and asks why Scar did not want to face his brother in combat, to which Scar replies that his strongest weapon is the brain, and then leaves. Zazu tells Mufasa that every family has one unruly member (and adds that his family has two) and that such family members always spoil special events. Mufasa thoughtfully wonders what to do with Scar, and Zazu jokes that Scar should be made into a good rug. He then adds cheekily that Mufasa should throw him out and beat him whenever he becomes dirty. The two friends leave the cave, chuckling.

Months later, Zazu can be seen telling Mufasa the morning report and is pounced on by Simba, who was being coached by Mufasa on pouncing. Then the mole appears and informs Zazu that the hyenas have illegally entered the Pride Lands. Zazu informs Mufasa about it, and Mufasa leaves to intervene in this regard, telling Zazu to take Simba home. Simba is disappointed that he can't attend the fight, but Zazu tries to raise his morale, reminding Simba that he will one day be king and will be able to chase the hyenas from morning till evening.

When Simba and Nala agree to go to the Water Hole, Sarabi instructs Zazu to accompany them. Along the way, the cubs perform "I Just Can't Wait to be King", temporarily losing Zazu, but the hornbill finds them again at the Elephant Graveyard. During the encounter with the hyenas, he is captured by the hyenas and exploded out the top of a geyser. He reappears as Mufasa fights off the hyenas, implying that he must have warned the king about the cubs being in danger. He is later frowned down upon by Mufasa for not protecting the cubs.

That evening, Zazu, Nala, Simba, and Mufasa return home. At one point, Mufasa stops and angrily calls Zazu to him. Zazu fearfully asks him what he wants, and Mufasa tells him that he needs to take Nala home while Simba will stay with Mufasa for a father-son talk. Zazu comes to cubs and tells Nala that they should go. He then turns to Simba and puts his wings on the cub's shoulders, wishing him luck. He and Nala then go home.

Later, Zazu is with Mufasa near the Gorge and is alerted by Scar that a stampede of wildebeests is occurring with Simba in danger. Zazu flies down to the Gorge and finds Simba hanging from the edge of a dead tree. In a panic, he informs Mufasa, who throws himself into the stampede after his son. As Zazu watches the stampede, he reacts in panic and tries to look for help before he is struck by Scar into a wall and rendered unconscious.

When Scar gives his eulogy to Mufasa and Simba, Zazu is shown comforting Sarabi. He also briefly appears in a scene after Scar assumes the kingship of the Pride Lands. In this scene, Zazu is imprisoned and is being forced to entertain Scar by singing songs. First, he tries "It's a Small World," only for Scar to interrupt, asking for another song, to which Zazu sings "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." As Scar enjoys singing this new tune, Zazu laments not having to do this for Mufasa, and Scar quickly interrogates him and warns him never to mention that name in his presence. When the hyenas come in to complain about the lack of food and water, Scar casually tells them to eat Zazu, but the hornbill frantically insists that he'd be too tough and gamy.

Later on, Simba returns to reclaim his throne. Simba, the lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki battle the hyenas. Zazu pleads with Timon to let him out of the ribcage he is imprisoned in, but Timon shoves his way inside the ribcage instead as he is pursued by the hyenas. Pumbaa comes to the rescue and chases away the hyenas after Banzai accidentally insults him. Zazu is freed along with Timon. Finally, Zazu witnesses Simba's ascension to the throne and flies around Pride Rock during the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub.