Genre: Animation/Adventure/Family
Director: Peter Ramsey
Writer: Jacob Jones
Voice Cast: John Boyega, Kevin Hart, Anna Kendrick, Gael Garcia Bernal, Vanessa Hudgens, Dusan Brown, Roman Reigns, John DeLancie
Plot: As the sun rises over the plains of Tanzania, Africa, a giraffe makes her morning trek among the land, observing all the creatures that live in this enormous conglomerate. As she does so, a narrator (John DeLancie) gives a brief explanation about the continent of Africa, calling it home to several of Earth’s finest creatures. From the shiniest of birds to the proudest of mammals, you are bound to find at least one animal that is proud to call this home.
The focus shifts to a herd of zebras led by family patriarch Khumba (John Boyega) as they walk towards their favorite watering hole. He lets his son Kala (Dusan Brown) walk by him to take the first sip. One by one, all the zebras join Kala by the water hole, Khumba staying by his son and mate Aziza (Vanessa Hudgens). Khumba looks around the area, seeing all the creatures that surround their home, quietly telling Aziza that they are living in paradise.
All of a sudden, the peace and serenity of the moment is ruined when Khumba sees a zebra push around another. He steps in, trying to break up the conflict and finds Mahki (Kevin Hart). Mahki tries to explain that the zebra was trying to worm into ‘his spot’ while the other zebra claims that he’s hogging the water. Khumba tells Mahki that he has to let others have their turn. Mahki tries to debate this, showcasing his physical attributes and grace. Khumba is unimpressed and sternly tells him that he has to step aside.
That evening as Aziza tucks Kala in, Khumba heads off to explore the land. Before he can get far, he spots a loris swinging from a tree. He smiles, greeting his friend Tiki (Anna Kendrick). Tiki greets him back and flips onto Khumba’s body, causing him to wheeze. Seeing his pained expression, Tiki apologizes. Khumba chuckles in good-nature, saying he’s a strong zebra in spite of his recent aches.
The two friends begin their trek among the African plains, coming across a nice rock to sit and relax. Tiki looks up at the sky, noticing all the stars, and asks Khumba what he thinks they mean. Khumba glances up, believing that the stars represent the light that guides us in times of uncertainty. They bring us comfort in darkness and remain by your side, even in your darkest hour. And sometimes, when you least expect it. The stars will align, shining a beacon of light and giving you a new opportunity. Tiki and Khumba both hope that one day, this will happen to them.
The next morning, Khumba and the rest of the zebra herd return to the favorite watering hole, only to find it currently being occupied by a pride of lions. Respecting the pecking order of the animal kingdom, Khumba alerts his herd to turn course. They will have to find another watering hole. As they begin to make their way, Aziza notes that Mahki is missing. Khumba looks around, horrified to find that Mahki is fighting with another lion over the hole. To make matters worse, several lions are surrounding him.
In a flash, Khumba gallops toward the group, trying to break up the situation when all of a sudden, he collapses to the ground, screaming in agony. The rest of the herd rushes toward Khumba, a panicked Aziza and Kala coming closest towards him and making sure he’s okay. With a pained expression, Khumba tells Aziza to get Tiki. Aziza runs off, finding Tiki by her favorite tree and alerting her of the news.
Tiki then joins the herd, examining Khumba’s entire body, and finds several large scars on the sides of Khumba’s body that weren’t there before. Khumba cannot recall where they came from. Tiki suggests visiting a good friend of hers. The wise hornbill named Coco (Gael-Garcia Bernal). But first, he must rest. Tiki and Aziza stay by him, Aziza singing him to sleep with a lullaby.
Later that afternoon, Tiki and Khumba ride off the back of an elephant, searching for several miles until Tiki spots a large tree filled with an assortment of birds. At the bottom branch, however, lies Coco. After explaining their problem, Coco examines Khumba’s body, expressing great surprise over the large marks on Khumba’s body. After carefully observing them, he flies up to his branch and declares that these are not ordinary marks. These marks are the size of Pegasus wings, revealing that Khumba has a genetic advantage that makes him eligible to have these wings.
Stunned, Khumba asks Coco how this could be. He discusses the Grecian myth of pegasus and explains that while the pegasus isn’t real, it shares many common traits of the Equidae family. It is unknown as to how Khumba obtained this genetic advantage, chalking it up to him being the first of a kind. He alerts Khumba that the lines will continue to deeper inside the body for three days with the wing growth process taking at least one year. During this time, intense physical movement is forbidden.
The next day, Khumba gathers the herd together and relays the news to them. During this time, he will be stepping down as leader of the herd and giving said duties to his wife Aziza. As he exits, Mahki protests the ruling, saying that he is the second-in-command after Khumba. Aziza answers this by saying Khumba is doing what he feels is best. Angered by this, Mahki declares that he is leaving the herd and storms off.
Over the next few months, Khumba keeps a low profile, rarely being seen in public while Aziza runs the herd. One night, Khumba is ready to rest for the night when he sees his son Kala come up to him, wanting to ask a question. Nervously pacing around the area, Kala asks his dad if he’s going to get wings like him. He pauses, before gently taking him aside and admitting that he doesn’t know. But no matter what happens, it will not change the bond their family has made. That night, Khumba and Kala sleep together. As this is happening, Mahki is discussing something with one of the birds up on a tree.
The next morning, Mahki stands over another group of zebras, giving a speech initiating them to the Mahki Herd, or as he calls it “Yote Kwa Moja”. He paces the ground, eyeing the curious zebras, saying that they have let Aziza and Khumba boss them around for far too long. It is time for them to take back their rights and roam free like the animals they are. The message seems to resonate as the rebel herd begins to form.
Later that day, Khumba explores the outside world for the first time in months, walking slowly as to not aggravate his not yet grown wings. As he does so, he watches as several animals observe his marks, looking at him in a confused and curious matter. He wonders if this will be his life now that he set to have wings. Aziza however remains hopeful that other animals will come to understand his genetic advantage and respect him more than they have before. As the two zebras are about to begin their mating call, Tiki calls them over from afar. exclaiming she has a surprise for them. Upon arriving at Tiki’s tree, they find that Tiki and Coco have decided to host a concert for Khumba to celebrate the halfway point in Khumba’s wing growing period. After the performance, several birds begin to do tricks in the air, including Falco (Joe Anoa’i), the peregrine falcon.
The concert is spoiled when Mahki (now flanked with an elephant bodyguard) and several of his herd mates roll in. He spots Khumba and mockingly asks him how the ‘scars’ have been. Khumba addresses his disappointment with the former second-in-command for leaving the herd, but Mahki sees it as an opportunity to show the world what a true zebra is meant to be. He flaunts his ever-growing coalition and incredible agility, much to the chagrin of everyone else. Before Mahki can finish his demonstration, the rest of the animals leave, Khumba being the last to do so. Mahki watches as he does, enraged at this insubordination.
Over the next few months, Khumba and Mahki continue their cold war against each other with it spreading over to his herd, resulting in several defections. Mahki’s herd begins to reap havoc among the savannah, getting into multiple fights with other groups and getting lucky victories every time. Eventually, a full year has passed since the initial diagnosis and Tiki and Coco wake Khumba up to deliver the good news. His wings are finally full-grown.
This celebration doesn’t last long as Khumba soon hears noises of distress. He rushes over to the water hole find that Mahki’s herd has started an altercation. Seeing that his son and wife have been placed in great danger by Mahki, he runs to the scene, leaping into the air and revealing himself with wings for the first time. Shocked, the other zebras retreat, leaving only Khumba and Mahki in a stalemate. Khumba tells Mahki that the waterhole is not something that can be taken willy-nilly, it’s first-come, first-serve. To Mahki, it is another example of Khumba’s strict, unrelenting nature. The zebras are sick and tired of having to listen to his drivel when there is now a worthy alternative. Wanting to finally prove that he is the best, he challenges Khubma to a duel in one-week’s time for the rights to the waterhole. Out of fear of repercussions, Khumba accepts the challenge.
Khumba walks off with Aziza and Kala, listening to them protest the decision. Khumba claims that he had no choice, to refuse a challenge is a sign of weakness. He does admit however that he does not wish to fight his former second-in-command and promises to find another way to confront Mahki. That evening, he consults Coco on what to do next. Coco tells him that in order to defeat Mahki, he must show them the one talent he now has over him and sets up flying lessons with Falco for tomorrow. The next day, Falco helps show Khumba how to fly with his wings, showing him how to stay in the air and travel. Throughout the course of a week, Khumba steadily improves until finally he is ready to confront Mahki. Before he does so, Falco takes his by the wing, reminding him that he’s got the capability to do something great. If he believes in it, it will happen.
Mahki and his herd stand by the waterhole, awaiting the arrival of Khumba. Seeing the sun go down, Mahki is about to write the duel off when he spots Khumba flying high in the sky. He swoops down, grazing his hoofs onto the water before taking off into the air. Mahki can only watch in shock as Khumba showcases much elegance and grace in flight. When he finishes, all the zebras gravitate towards Khumba, including those from Mahki’s group. Realizing he has been defeated, Mahki concedes the waterhole while vowing that he will return someday. Khumba celebrates his victory with his family and Tiki, who had seen the entire duel from afar.
One year later, Khumba steps out into the savannah, Kala right behind him. The two take a step back before leaping into the air and taking flight. As they fly all across the savannah, the rest of the animals watch in delight, finding that Kala now has wings.
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