Here's some food for thought: do you think that "Pumbaa" is our lovable warthog's real name?
I read a pretty decent fanfic once that revealed that he went by another name as a child and only adopted the one we know after losing his family to predators and repressing his memory of the event due to the trauma.
But within the context of your story, I like to think that "Pumbaa" started out as a cruel nickname the other warthogs gave him that he could never really shake off. The sole exceptions, of course, being Kanisha and his mother. (I doubt she'd ever name him something as callous as a word that means "stupid" or "foolish", anyway...)
But after his mom got killed and he got kicked out of his sounder, he took on the name because he felt like he deserved it...
On that note, do you think that one day, eventually, he might consider going by his old name again? Or maybe starting fresh and picking a new one?
(A fun idea you can play with if you want: Kanisha remembers him by his old name and that's what she calls him.)
(…I freaking love your Asks btw because they are always so insightful and delightfully angsty HAHAHAHA.)
That’s a fascinating idea, and I’ve often wondered about the nature and origin of Pumbaa’s name, as well. Because you’re right, what loving parents would name their child something that means such a cruel thing.
But I also struggle with the fact that I am JUST SO DAMN ATTACHED TO THE NAME “PUMBAA.” Like… it’s so freaking cute sounding and I can’t imagine ever parting with it. 😭😭😭
So maybe, if this is true, over time Pumbaa RECLAIMS the name?? And wears it proudly, since it’s something that the people he loves the most know him by?
But yeah, it would be FASCINATING to have Kanisha refer to him by a his old name and just… stun Timon and Simba and everyone into silence. Timon would be sitting there like… “whoa, you really had an entire life before me, didn’t ya?”
And Pumbaa would be just flooded with memories that he had long buried.
Ahhh yes. Juicy, succulent angst. 😮💨
