♪♪ -This is a king.

For 13 years, he ruled his wild home in Africa.

♪♪ A warrior... his roar is the epitome of might.

[ Cecil roaring ] ♪♪ Protector of a pride... [ Cubs mewling ] ...father to a new generation... he was a hero... a brother... and a symbol.

♪♪ His name was Cecil.

A fearsome predator, wherever he went, those around him heard his call.

And when his life was taken by a hunter's arrow... [ Protesters chanting indistinctly ] ...the world answered.

His death sparked fury and sadness in all who heard his tale.

♪♪ A glorious life and a remarkable legacy.

♪♪ Born to rule.

♪♪ [ Animals calling ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park region.

Cecil is born.

♪♪ Like all young males, Cecil and his brother Leander start life as small fluff balls, spending their days eating, sleeping, and inspecting anything that moves.

♪♪ ♪♪ From the very beginning, he flaunts a distinctive personality -- ♪♪ -- a fearless cub ready to take on the world.

♪♪ Few lion cubs make it past their first year.

♪♪ Cecil's fighting spirit and his mother's dedication stack the odds in his favor.

♪♪ Even his father falls for his confident charm.

Not many cubs would dare to be this rambunctious towards male lions, who notoriously have low tolerance for being pestered.

♪♪ As time moves onward and his little mane develops, his brother Leander is his constant companion.

♪♪ Their playful sparring becomes more intense -- preparation for adulthood.

Leander is slightly submissive towards the larger Cecil.

♪♪ He's the little brother.

But behind the boisterous roughhousing, a deeper bond is growing.

A day will come when they must fight at each other's side.

♪♪ Cecil always has his brother's back when it counts.

♪♪ As the brothers grow, Cecil begins to show all the signs of a born leader -- the quiet confidence, the regal stare.

He eats first, and only when he's had his fill does his brother claim his share.

♪♪ As the months pass, their father, a regal, old lion, begins to see them as potential threats to his dominance.

♪♪ ♪♪ The brothers must learn the ultimate law of male lions -- ♪♪ -- a king's crown never sits easy.

♪♪ A pride male must do whatever it takes to protect his turf and his females... ♪♪ ...even against his own sons.

♪♪ [ Lions roaring ] ♪♪ Their mother turns on them.

[ Roaring continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The message is clear.

♪♪ Leander and Cecil must go.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The banished brothers linger close by.

An unfamiliar and dangerous world lies beyond the safety of their pride's borders.

♪♪ But their father's patience wears thin.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Lions roaring ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ It's official -- adulthood has begun.

♪♪ [ Birds chirping ] They're all alone.

Their pride has turned its back on them.

♪♪ They wander an unfamiliar wilderness with empty bellies.

♪♪ [ Buzzards screeching ] ♪♪ Discarded scraps are a rare windfall.

♪♪ Stealing from scavengers will do.

♪♪ ♪♪ Only one in eight male lions make it to adulthood.

♪♪ At this age, they're clumsy, inexperienced hunters with enemies at every turn.

♪♪ Wherever they wander, they intrude on another male's territory.

♪♪ Older lions pose a constant threat.

♪♪ It's not just other lions that they need to watch out for.

Drawn to the smell of a dead giraffe, the promise of an enormous meal is too good to pass up for the hungry brothers.

They cannot let their guard down for a moment.

Another equally dangerous foe lurks here -- ♪♪ -- hyenas.

[ Lion growling ] [ Hyenas vocalizing ] Cecil and Leander, still young and lacking confidence, don't dare take on the clan.

[ Hyenas vocalizing ] There is no such thing as a free lunch when hyenas gather, and the brothers retreat with empty bellies.

[ Hyenas vocalizing ] ♪♪ The feast falls to the clan.

Scavenging meals won't be easy with hyenas around.

♪♪ To live, they must learn to hunt for themselves.

♪♪ Cecil and Leander must hone their skills as hunters or starve.

♪♪ Cape buffalo are their first target.

Tangling with them takes teamwork.

♪♪ ♪♪ And their best bet is to create a stampede.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The buffalo can sense their inexperience... ♪♪ ♪♪ ...turning the tables with a potentially deadly counteroffensive.

♪♪ The brothers are in way over their heads with such large prey.

♪♪ But a calf makes the perfect consolation prize.

[ Calf lowing ] Cecil brings down the calf alone, but his brother quickly steps in to help silence their prey.

A distress call attracts competition.

The long-awaited feast can begin.

♪♪ With every hunt, the brothers form a seamless hunting unit.

Like their father, they've transformed into monster-sized lions.

♪♪ And now they're ready to claim a territory of their own.

♪♪ And that means starting a war.

♪♪ ♪♪ The grizzled, old male in the northern region of Hwange is no stranger to a fight.

♪♪ Cecil and Leander know this mature male lacks one thing -- each other.

They prepare for battle.

[ Lions roaring ] ♪♪ The old guard has met his match.

He cannot overpower two brothers.

He surrenders.

♪♪ For their coup to succeed, they must clear one last hurdle -- the lionesses.

♪♪ This pride of experienced huntresses and warriors won't allow weaklings to father their cubs.

♪♪ These are the true leaders of the pride.

♪♪ ♪♪ Their acceptance solidifies the brothers' status.

♪♪ ♪♪ For the first time since they left their birth pride, the brothers are no longer alone.

♪♪ They found what male lions spend their entire adult lives fighting for -- a family.

♪♪ Protecting their pride from intruders falls squarely on their shoulders.

In return, they have the privilege of siring the next generation.

♪♪ Cecil is now a black-maned giant.

His darker mane is a signal of testosterone and prowess, and it drives the females wild.

♪♪ ♪♪ Their first litter of cubs -- a new generation.

♪♪ This growing pride needs food -- ♪♪ -- lots of it.

♪♪ Buffalo are big, but slow.

They require the strength of a male to catch.

♪♪ Cecil and Leander have the muscle it takes to succeed.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Buffalo lowing ] While the brothers pin the buffalo to the ground, the lionesses go for the throat.

Cecil and Leander will claim the lion's share of this kill, but there is enough for the entire pride.

Well-fed and with the females at their side and a litter of cubs at their feet, Cecil and his brother live the good life.

Few would dare challenge them.

Fewer would defeat them in a fight.

♪♪ But a new threat has begun its campaign for power, and it's right around the corner.

♪♪ ♪♪ A new coalition of male lions has its eyes on Cecil's territory.

Four members strong... ♪♪ ...the largest and strongest is named Jericho.

♪♪ [ Jericho roaring ] His roar, loud and strong, is a battle cry.

♪♪ ♪♪ Jericho is big, but he's a year younger than Cecil, and his lighter mane marks him as inferior among darker-maned lions.

♪♪ ♪♪ But with his coalition at his flanks, he's no lightweight.

[ Jericho roaring ] Jericho's challenge is clear.

[ Roaring continues ] ♪♪ Cecil and Leander will not back down from younger males.

To protect their kingdom, they fight.

♪♪ In the chaos, Cecil and Leander get separated.

[ Lions roaring ] Fighting a war on two fronts, each must fight two opponents.

♪♪ Leander's two adversaries pin him down.

♪♪ Like a gladiator, Cecil fights and defeats the other two males, mortally wounding one.

♪♪ He rushes to defend his brother.

♪♪ But it's too late.

Leander is dead... ♪♪ ...leaving Cecil alone and injured.

♪♪ Utterly defeated, he must flee his own territory.

♪♪ Wounded and alone, this is how most male lions die.

♪♪ ♪♪ He disappears without a trace.

♪♪ Jericho's victorious coalition, now three members strong, establishes itself as the new territorial males, killing all of Cecil and Leander's cubs.

♪♪ ♪♪ But their glory days don't last.

♪♪ Before they can sire their own generation, Jericho's remaining two brothers are lured from the reserve and killed by hunters.

♪♪ Jericho's borders are now in jeopardy.

New threats and rival coalitions loom nearby.

♪♪ Alone, he cannot defend his territory.

Like Cecil, Jericho becomes an outcast and disappears.

♪♪ Both presumed fallen warriors, they are unseen for months.

Cecil's pride of lionesses are alone and without a king.

♪♪ The void they leave behind them ripples across Hwange -- two fierce rivals, two mighty lions, both lost.

♪♪ But not for long.

From the hinterland, a dark-maned giant appears.

♪♪ Cecil's regal swagger is unmistakable -- the return of a King.

♪♪ But he's not alone.

♪♪ Against all odds, at his shoulder is Jericho.

♪♪ Once sworn enemies, now an unusual alliance.

♪♪ From this day on, Cecil and Jericho are where they belong -- at each other's side.

Flanked by his new brother, Cecil's confidence returns, as does his hunger to rule.

Cecil now walks with a royal stride and a stare that commands respect.

♪♪ They have returned to reclaim their old territories and their pride.

♪♪ Pride takeovers are hostile affairs.

♪♪ Wary females can act aggressive towards a new regime.

♪♪ Though they were all once a happy family, too much time has passed since the lionesses saw Cecil or Jericho, and never together.

♪♪ The males must watch their step.

They're outnumbered.

♪♪ [ Lions roaring ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Cecil is in the prime of his life and possibly the biggest wild lion in Africa.

♪♪ He and Jericho are the obvious choice for the females.

♪♪ They welcome the old guard back.

♪♪ Cecil and Jericho share the responsibilities of patrolling borders, hunting, and siring cubs.

♪♪ They are now brothers in every way.

♪♪ The lionesses indicate they're ready to mate, solidifying their return to the pride.

♪♪ Again, thanks to his size and mane, Cecil is chosen more often over Jericho as the female's choice of partner.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Months later, and no sign of the adult females.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cubs mewling ] The warrior brothers are now fathers, and not just one litter.

[ Cubs mewling ] ♪♪ As the days go by, each lioness emerges from her secret birthing den to introduce her cubs to the pride.

♪♪ They're a few weeks old, and the time has come for them to meet their fathers.

♪♪ The lion's share of the cubs likely belonged to Cecil.

[ Cecil growls ] ♪♪ Before long, he finds himself surrounded by a rapt audience of little Cecils.

♪♪ They're growing fast, along with their curiosity and confidence.

♪♪ Cecil is now their favorite target in a game of poke the bear.

♪♪ [ Cecil growling ] [ Cub growls ] [ Cecil growling ] Cecil and Jericho have fought in battles to the death, but fathering 24 cubs between them is a different challenge entirely.

♪♪ Cecil and Jericho, battle-scarred from hunting and fighting, have limited patience for multiple sets of razor-sharp teeth.

♪♪ ♪♪ His offspring take after him in more ways than one.

They've even inherited his cheeky disposition.

[ Cecil growls ] ♪♪ [ Cecil growls ] The lionesses are always on guard with males around their cubs.

Permissive moms are quick to jump to the defense of their mischievous offspring... [ Lions growling ] [ Lions roaring ] ...even if they are just like their dad.

[ Cecil bellowing ] Cecil's bellows to keep the peace are quickly shattered by a herd of trumpeting elephants.

[ Elephants trumpeting ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Elephants trumpeting ] Hwange's elephants don't trust lions.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Elephants trumpeting ] ♪♪ ♪♪ The cubs are in real danger of being squashed under a protective matriarch's enormous foot.

♪♪ [ Elephants trumpeting ] ♪♪ A family outing to the water hole is a new level of herding cats.

♪♪ With the elephants nearby, the lionesses cannot let their guard down for a second.

♪♪ But they have a security detail.

♪♪ While Jericho escorts the family, keeping a wary eye on the matriarch, Cecil plays bodyguard.

[ Cecil growling ] Even the biggest creatures don't intimidate him.

If they want to harass his family, they'll have to get past him first.

The elephants have reason to be suspicious.

♪♪ These brothers are elephant hunters.

♪♪ At the height of the dry season, this pride notoriously targets elephant calves, sometimes killing a calf a day.

If the herd sticks together, they are untouchable, but a stray or lost youngster is fair game for Cecil and his family.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Calf trumpets, lion roars ] [ Calf trumpets ] [ Lion roars ] [ Calf trumpets ] ♪♪ Hwange is one of few places in Africa where lions regularly prey on elephants.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Elephants trumpeting ] The herd knows it's too late to save the calf.

♪♪ But they still trumpet their disapproval.

[ Elephant trumpets ] ♪♪ In the crucial circle of life, the body of one feeds the mouths of many.

♪♪ Four of Cecil's most recent cubs are female.

This is their first kill.

♪♪ They're vulnerable and tiny.

♪♪ ♪♪ But they have the biggest lion in Africa as their protector.

In this refuge where hunting is forbidden, Cecil does not see man as an enemy.

But his size, mane, and beauty put a price on his head.

This was the last time he was seen alive.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Jericho bellowing ] ♪♪ For days, Jericho's contact roars reverberate across the grassland, calling for his brother.

[ Jericho bellowing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ They go unanswered.

His and his pride's future now hangs in the balance.

♪♪ With Cecil gone, his fate known only in the human world, his loyal lieutenant Jericho must carry on and keep the pride safe alone -- a lone lion against all the odds.

♪♪ Days bleed into weeks after Cecil's disappearance.

Jericho stands strong.

♪♪ He is now the sole father and protector.

♪♪ Jericho's care for his fallen brother's cubs is unlike any seen before.

He plays with them and nurtures them as they continue to thrive.

The four little lionesses are his constant shadow.

Under his care, they grow fast and strong.

♪♪ Weeks become years as Hwange's unstoppable seasons turn.

And at sunrise at Ngweshla Pan, Cecil's legacy begins to stir at the water's edge -- ♪♪ -- his four daughters, transformed from adoring cubs to lithe beauties.

And with them... Cecil's grandchildren.

♪♪ ♪♪ At 6 weeks old, they are learning the ways of the world.

Hwange's next kings and queens.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The pride is thriving and with fast-growing cubs always hungry.

♪♪ [ Buffalo lowing ] ♪♪ Their mothers are adept, nimble hunters.

♪♪ ♪♪ They move in synchrony... ♪♪ ...their communication silent, yet perfect.

♪♪ [ Calf lowing ] ♪♪ Cecil's genes shine through in them.

They are big, fearless lions.

[ Lion roars ] Their rippling muscles echo their father's strength -- ♪♪ -- a new generation of warrior queens.

♪♪ To the east, a coalition of four young males begin their journey into adulthood.

♪♪ [ Lion bellows ] These are Cecil's grandsons -- ♪♪ -- a brotherhood of strong lions fighting their own battles for survival.

Cecil's bloodline lives on.

[ Lion bellowing ] ♪♪ Perhaps his death heralds some change for the protection of his grandchildren and the world's dwindling lion population.

♪♪ Like all great stories, Cecil's tail lit a spark that started a fire, casting a light across the globe about the plight of lions -- ♪♪ -- a single lion that changed the world.

This is his legacy.