Which moment marks the Road Back in The Lion King narrative?

• A. The Pride Lands become lush again.
• B. Simba is crowned king.
• C. Simba returns to Pride Lands to reclaim his throne.
• D. Simba's cub is born.

Answer: (C)

The Road Back is the moment when the hero decides to return to the ordinary world with what they’ve learned, beginning the final leg of the journey. In The Lion King, that turning point is Simba’s decision to go back to Pride Lands and reclaim his throne. He leaves exile behind and chooses to bring his new sense of responsibility back to the world that needs him. The rest of the story—the final confrontation and the land’s revival—play out after that return has begun, as the culmination of his journey. The other events described are outcomes that occur once the return is under way or after it’s completed, not the moment that marks the road back.