Finabi

Finabi
GENERAL
The Lion King
Character	Sarafina
Character	Sarabi
Canonical?	Fanon
Status of Relationship	Friends
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Femslash

Finabi is the femslash ship between Sarafina and Sarabi from The Lion King fandom.

Canon

Sarafina and Sarabi are longtime friends and the mothers of Nala and Simba, respectively, in both the original The Lion King film and its 2019 remake. The two, along with Sarabi’s mate Mufasa, agreed that their children would eventually marry. Sarafina and Sarabi were resting together one day when Simba came to invite Nala on an excursion. When Nala asked her mother’s permission, Sarafina asked for Sarabi’s input and apparently agreed with her answer to the request. The two friends later stood together sorrowfully when Mufasa’s brother Scar reported Mufasa’s death and the supposed death of Simba as well.

The film Mufasa: The Lion King depicts Sarafina and Sarabi’s first meeting in the 2019 continuity. Sarafina and a cub of hers had taken up residence in Milele by the time Sarabi arrived there. When the Outsiders invaded, Sarafina became fearful, having fled to Milele in desperate hope of escaping the evil lions. However, Sarabi rallied her and the other inhabitants, making a particular plea for them to fight on behalf of their young. This argument persuaded Sarafina, who joined the alliance against the Outsiders and then the pride founded by Sarabi and Mufasa.

In the novel Be Prepared: A Twisted Tale, the canon diverges from the original 1994 film. Following Simba’s supposed death, Sarafina becomes overprotective of Nala. This leads her to disrupt the pride’s traditional Hunting Games, for which Sarabi demands an explanation. Later, Nala asks Sarabi to speak to Sarafina on her behalf, which Sarabi agrees to do with some reluctance. Sarabi attempts to reason with Sarafina and convince her to let Nala learn to hunt properly.

Unfortunately, Sarafina becomes furious, guessing that Nala has persuaded Sarabi to intervene. Sarabi tries to assuage Sarafina’s anger by expressing Nala’s desire to do what the other cubs do. However, Sarafina cruelly responds that she is protecting her daughter so that she will never experience the grief Sarabi has endured since losing Simba. As a result, the two friends are left estranged. Sarafina remains concerned for her friend, and seeks to go to her after Sarabi had an upsetting experience regarding Simba’s rumored survival.

Later, Sarabi orders Sarafina to stand guard over the pride’s cubs, and Sarafina later reports that Nala and another cub have gone missing. Frantic, Sarafina would ask to join the search, but Sarabi denied her permission for fear that her overwrought emotions would interfere. Eventually, the deepening tension between the two was resolved when Sarabi approached a despondent Sarafina. Sympathizing with Sarafina’s feelings, Sarabi made an offer of reconciliation, and Sarafina promptly dissolved into tears in her friend’s embrace.

When Nala later returned in company with a very much alive Simba, both Sarafina and Sarabi were overjoyed. After apologizing to Nala, Sarafina then expressed her regrets to Sarabi. Sarabi accepted graciously, knowing that Sarafina had motivated by love of her daughter. This, Sarabi felt, was reason enough to offer forgiveness.

Fanon

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Sarafina and Sarabi’s relationship doesn’t receive a great deal of attention in fan works. Sarafina herself, despite being a named character with some dialogue, is only confirmed to appear in two scenes from either the 1994 or 2019 versions of The Lion King. She also has limited appearances in various spinoff media, and a similarly small part in the Mufasa film. However, her most prominent appearances all feature her relationship with Sarabi.

There are 4 works tagged for the friendship on AO3.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Sarafina/Sarabi tag on AO3

Sarafina & Sarabi tag on AO3