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I'm your mother. I know everything. Now, where have you been?
―Kala to Tarzan


Kala is a major character in Disney's 1999 animated feature film, Tarzan. She is the adoptive mother of the film's title character and the widow of Kerchak.

Background[]

Personality[]

Kala is calm, gentle, kind, and loving. She loves her son Tarzan so unconditionally, although she said that she knew Tarzan wouldn't replace her firstborn son who was killed by Sabor. Although she is usually a gentle gorilla, Kala is capable of aggression when necessary and is also very brave, like when she fights against the deadly leopard Sabor in order to protect the baby, Tarzan. Kala often disagrees with her mate Kerchak (though both want is best for the tribe), but despite this, they love each other, and Kala is sad when Kerchak dies.

Physical appearance[]

She's beautiful!
―Jane meets Kala for the first time

Kala is an adult female gorilla with brown fur and brown eyes. Her skin, visible on her toes, the soles of her feet, fingers, the palms of her hands, face, and belly, is light tan in coloration.

Appearances[]

Tarzan[]

Tarzan-disneyscreencaps

Kala in Tarzan.

In the movie, Kala is a member of a troop of gorillas and is the mate of Kerchak, the leader. At the beginning of the film, she has a son with Kerchak, but their baby is killed by a leopard. Devastated at the loss of their son, Kala sobs in Kerchak's arms as he comforts her.

A day later, Kala hears a crying baby. She follows the noise to a treehouse, where she discovers a human baby. Sabor suddenly appears and attacks and attempts to kill the baby, but she is stopped by Kala, who correctly assumes that Sabor killed the baby's parents (by noticing their dead bodies and Sabor's bloodied paw prints), and takes the baby back to her home. Kerchak allows her to keep the baby after confirming that no other humans are around but notes that the baby will never replace the one they lost. When Kala tells Kerchak that she knows the baby will be a good son, Kerchak sternly says, 'I said he could stay. That doesn't make him my son'. She is hurt when Kerchak refuses to accept the baby as his son. Kala chooses to name her new son Tarzan.

Tarzan grows into a young boy but is aware that there are differences between him and the other gorillas. One day, while playing with Kala's niece, Terk, Tarzan unintentionally causes a stampede of elephants. The stampede runs through the gorilla nests, putting a baby gorilla in danger. Kerchak is angered and berates Kala for defending him. Kerchak tells Tarzan that he will never be one of the gorillas, which hurts Tarzan. However, Kala consoles Tarzan by telling him that he is the same as them because their hearts are the same. Inspired, Tarzan vows to be the best ape ever, and she playfully responds by tickling him all over.

Tarzan improves himself, and as an adult, kills Sabor, which makes Kala and the other gorillas very happy. Later on, Kala rushes off to find that Tarzan is with another group of humans who have come to the jungle. Kala, along with Kerchak, escorts Tarzan away. Kala asks Tarzan to listen to Kerchak's warning to stay away from the humans, but Tarzan gets angry with Kala and asks her why she never told him that there were creatures who looked like him (this is the only time in the Tarzan-franchise where Tarzan's actually mad at Kala for something).

Later on, Tarzan brings the humans: Jane Porter and her father, who have come to study the gorillas and meet them. Kala is afraid of them at first but accepts them after seeing Jane play with some baby gorillas. Kala is surprised when Tarzan teaches Jane to speak the gorilla language and wants her to stay with him. However, Kerchak arrives and attempts to attack the humans due to them being a threat, but Tarzan holds him off. Kerchak then berates Tarzan for betraying the gorillas and disowns him. In response, Kala reveals to Tarzan the treehouse she found him in as a baby. Kala shows Tarzan the picture of his birth parents and tells him that she wants him to be happy wherever he decides to go. Before Tarzan leaves, however, he tells Kala no matter where he goes, she would always be his mother. In tears, Kala replies back that he would always be in her heart.

Tarzan-disneyscreencaps

Kala with Tarzan and Jane

Tarzan chooses to go to London with Jane, whom he has come to love, and he sadly says goodbye to Kala, reassuring her that she will always be his mother. After he leaves, Kala, along with the other gorillas, is captured by Clayton, who had secretly intended to capture the gorillas to sell. However, Tarzan soon arrives, and with assistance from Jane, Mr. Porter, Terk, Tantor, along with a group of animals, rescue Kala and the gorillas and defeat Clayton. Unfortunately, Kerchak is shot by Clayton during the fight and is fatally wounded. As he dies, Kerchak apologizes and accepts Tarzan as his successor. Tarzan chooses to stay in the jungle, alongside his gorilla family. Jane and her father also stay and are accepted by Kala and the other gorillas. The final scene shows Kala receiving flowers from Jane and Tarzan.

Tarzan II[]

The midquel, Tarzan II, goes in-depth into Tarzan's childhood. One night, at bedtime, before and after explaining to Tarzan about how different certain families can be, she ticklishly plays with his toes. An accident leads Kala to assume that Tarzan had died, much to her devastation. Later on, she learns that Tarzan has survived but has run away, as he had overheard some gorillas talking about how glad they were that he was gone. Kala goes on a journey to find him. She finds Tarzan at the home of Mama Gunda, another female ape. Kala is able to convince Tarzan to come home, but she is attacked by Gunda's son, Kago. Thankfully, Tarzan is able to rescue her, which helps Tarzan to realize that he is part of the family, Kala then returns home with Tarzan.

Tarzan & Jane[]

Kala has no prominent storyline or even lines of dialogue in Tarzan & Jane, but appears at the end of the film during the celebration of Tarzan and Jane's first anniversary.

The Legend of Tarzan[]

In the series, The Legend of Tarzan, Kala serves as an advisor to Tarzan. A sympathetic ear when Tarzan needs someone wise to talk to, Kala acts as the voice of the apes, always reminding Tarzan of his unique obligations to the family. Despite Kerchak's death, she is highly respected for her wisdom. She is also Jane's closest confidant. The two share a warm, strong bond, and Jane regards her mother-in-law as her only kindred spirit in the jungle. From Kala's point of view, Jane is the human daughter she never had.

Video games[]

Kingdom Hearts[]

Kala has a minor role in the game, staying by Kerchak's side while Tarzan asks them to trust Jane, Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Later, Kala is captured by Clayton and the Heartless but is saved by Sora and Tarzan. She never speaks any lines.

Disney Parks[]

Disneyland Resort[]

Kala can be seen in the Tarzan's Treehouse attraction at the Disneyland park; this also appears in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Walt Disney World[]

In 2013, Kala made her first appearance as a walk-around character during the Florida portion of the Disney Dreamers Everywhere! event.

Gallery[]

Wiki
The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Kala/Gallery.

Trivia[]

  • In the original novels, Kala was the mate of Tublat, not Kerchak, who was more violent and also responsible for the death of Tarzan's father and Kala's son instead of Sabor in the film (Tarzan's mother died of natural causes in the books). Kala was killed by a native hunter, who, in turn, was killed by Tarzan for revenge whereas she is still alive in the film.
  • Sigourney Weaver was considered for Kala before Glenn Close was cast.


v - e - d
Tarzan logo
Media
Films: Tarzan (soundtrack/video) • Tarzan & JaneTarzan II (video) • The Legend of Tarzan

Television: The Legend of TarzanHouse of Mouse
Video Games: Disney's TarzanTarzan: UntamedReturn to the JungleKingdom HeartsDisney's Extreme Skate Adventure

Disney Parks
Disney Animation BuildingTarzan's Treehouse

Entertainment: Disney Adventure Friends CavalcadeFantasmic!Festival of Family & FriendsHakuna Matata Time Dance PartyOne Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives On!Rivers of Light: We Are OneTarzan Rocks!Tarzan: The EncounterThe Forest of Enchantment: A Disney Musical AdventureThe Golden Mickeys
Shops: Professor Porter's Trading Post
Parades: Parade of the StarsFlights of Fantasy ParadeMickey's Soundsational Parade
Fireworks: Believe... There's Magic in the StarsCelebrate the MagicHappily Ever AfterMomentousRemember... Dreams Come TrueTree of Life AwakensIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationWondrous Journeys
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy Parade

Characters
Original: TarzanTerkTantorKalaKerchakKerchak and Kala's BabyFlynt and MungoSaborTarzan's ParentsManuJane PorterArchimedes Q. PorterClayton and his menBaboonsThe Captain

Midquel: ZugorMama GundaKago and Uto
TV Series: Robert CanlerNigel TaylorTublatHistaZuthoGozan and HungoIan McTeagueThaddeus HuntJake & SamMabayaGobuFungiCount Nikolas RokoffLady WalthamQueen LaLeopard MenMuviroKajDr. DoyleEleanorGreenlyHazelIanLieutenant Colonel StaquaitRenard DumontJohannes NielsSamuel T. PhilanderTheodore RooseveltHugo and HooftNura and SheetaEdgar Rice BurroughsManganiJabariDaniaGerman PoacherBasuliNaohChief KeewaziFemale Tyrannosaurus RexVelociraptorsTriceratopsWaziri TribeStanley ObrowskiAbby Markham

Episodes
Season One: "Race Against Time" • "Trading Post" • "Lost Cub" • "Lost City of Opar" • "Fugitives" • "Rogue Elephant" • "Poisoned River" • "Enemy Within" • "Fountain" • "Hidden World" • "Rift" • "Giant Beetles" • "Jungle Madness" • "Protege" • "Leopard Men Rebellion" • "Rough Rider" • "Seeds of Destruction" • "Silver Ape" • "Challenger" • "Outbreak" • "Silver Screen" • "Beast from Below" • "All-Seeing Elephant" • "New Wave" • "Lost Treasure" • "Return of La" • "One Punch Mulligan" • "Missing Link" • "Prison Break" • "Eagle's Feather" • "Face from the Past" • "Caged Fury" • "Gauntlet of Vengeance" • "Mysterious Visitor" • "Tublat's Revenge"

Season Two: "British Invasion" • "Volcanic Diamond Mine" • "Flying Ace"

Songs
Film: Two WorldsYou'll Be in My HeartSon of ManTrashin' the CampStrangers Like MeSinging to the Song of LifeWho Am I?

Musical: Who Better than MeNo Other WayI Need to KnowSure as Sun Turns to MoonWaiting for this MomentDifferentLike No Man I've Ever SeenFor the First TimeEverything that I Am

Locations
AfricaJunglePellucidarDark MountainSkull Cave
See Also
The Disney AfternoonDisney RenaissanceMusical/SoundtrackQueen La's Staff


v - e - d
Kingdom Hearts utilized logo
Games
Kingdom Hearts (HD I.5 ReMIX/Soundtrack/Soundtrack Complete/HD I.5 ReMIX Soundtrack) • Chain of MemoriesKingdom Hearts II (HD II.5 ReMIX/HD II.8 Final Chapter Prologue/Soundtrack/HD II.5 ReMIX Soundtrack ) • 358/2 DaysBirth by Sleep (Soundtrack) • codedDream Drop Distance (Soundtrack) • χ [chi]Unchained χ/Union χ [cross]Kingdom Hearts IIIDark RoadMelody of MemoryMissing-LinkKingdom Hearts IV
Other media
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyAgrabah (Kingdom Hearts pilot)
Incorporated Films and Shorts
Aladdin/The Return of JafarAlice in WonderlandBeauty and the BeastBig Hero 6CinderellaFantasiaFrozenHerculesThe Hunchback of Notre DameLilo & StitchThe Lion KingThe Little MermaidMickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three MusketeersMonsters, Inc.MulanThe Nightmare Before ChristmasPeter PanPinocchioPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl/Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's EndSleeping BeautySnow White and the Seven DwarfsSteamboat WillieTangledTarzanToy StoryTron/Tron: LegacyWinnie the PoohWreck-It Ralph
Characters
Main Characters: SoraRikuKairiKing MickeyDonald DuckGoofyRoxasAxel/LeaNaminéXionAquaTerraVentus

Villains: XehanortAnsemXemnasMaleficentPeteVanitasXigbar/BraigXaldinVexenLexaeusZexionSaïx/IsaDemyxLuxordMarluxiaLarxeneTerra-XehanortYoung XehanortXehanort's Guardian
Other Characters: Jiminy CricketAnsem the Wise/DiZYen SidMaster EraqusDilanEvenAeleusIenzoLingering WillHaynerPenceOletteKairi's GrandmaRiku ReplicaJiminy's JournalForetellersMaster of MastersLuxuEphemerSkuldChirithyStrelitziaLauriamYozoraVorHermod
Original Monsters: HeartlessNobodiesUnversedDream Eater
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Queen MinnieDaisy DuckPlutoChip and DaleHuey, Dewey, and LouieMagic BroomsAliceWhite RabbitDoorknobCheshire CatQueen of HeartsCard SoldiersTarzanJane PorterClaytonTerkKerchakKalaSaborHerculesPhiloctetesHadesCerberusRock TitanIce TitanAladdinAbuJasmineGenieCarpetJafarIagoPeddlerCave of WondersPinocchioGeppettoMonstroCleoArielFlounderSebastianUrsulaKing TritonFlotsam and JetsamGlutJack SkellingtonZeroSallyOogie BoogieLock, Shock, and BarrelDr. FinkelsteinMayor of Halloween TownPeter PanTinker BellCaptain HookMr. SmeeWendyCrocodileMerlinWinnie the PoohTiggerPigletEeyoreRabbitOwlRooBeesBeastBelleSnow WhiteCinderellaFairy GodmotherAuroraPongoPerditaDalmatian PuppiesSimbaMushuDumboBambiChernabog
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts II: Flora, Fauna, and MerryweatherMaleficent's RavenScrooge McDuckMulanLi ShangShan YuHayabusaYao, Ling, and Chien PoThe EmperorLumiereCogsworthMrs PottsChipWardrobePegasusMegaraPain and PanicHydraHorace HorsecollarClarabelle CowClara CluckJack SparrowElizabeth SwannWill TurnerCaptain BarbossaBo'sunJacobyTwiggCursed CrewPrince EricAttinaAndrinaSanta ClausSkeletal ReindeerTimonPumbaaNalaRafikiScarShenzi, Banzai, and EdMufasaKiaraPridelandersHyenasTronMaster Control ProgramCommander SarkKangaGopherStitchChicken Little
Disney Characters introduced in Birth by Sleep: Prince PhillipMaleficent's GoonsDocGrumpyHappySleepyBashfulSneezyDopeyThe PrinceEvil QueenMagic MirrorPrince CharmingJaqLady TremaineAnastasiaDrizellaLuciferGrand DukeGrand CouncilwomanCaptain GantuJumbaExperiment 221Lost Boys
Disney Characters introduced in Dream Drop Distance: QuasimodoEsmeraldaPhoebusJudge Claude FrolloVictor, Hugo, and LaverneKevin FlynnSam FlynnQuorraCLUBlack GuardsBlue FairyBeagle BoysChernabog's MinionsJulius
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts χ: Mad HatterMarch HareRazoulRoyal GuardsMauriceGaston
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts Union χ: SultanSamsonVanellope von SchweetzFix-It Felix Jr.Sergeant CalhounKing CandySour BillCy-BugsHero's Duty Troops
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts III: ZeusApolloAthenaHermesLava TitanTornado TitanLittle ChefWoodyBuzz LightyearRexHammSargeGreen Army MenLittle Green MenRapunzelFlynn RiderPascalMaximusMother GothelSulleyMike WazowskiBooRandall BoggsChild Detection AgencyTrailer FolkElsaAnnaKristoffOlafSvenMarshmallowHansMr. GibbsTia DalmaDavy JonesKrakenCutler BeckettDavy Jones' Locker CrabsBaymaxHiro HamadaGo Go TomagoHoney LemonFredWasabiLumpyWreck-It Ralph
Disney Characters introduced in Kingdom Hearts Dark Road: Tweedledee and Tweedledum
Disney Characters introduced in the manga: CaterpillarChi-Fu
Square Enix Characters: LeonCloudMoogleOthers

Elements
Plot Elements: Kingdom HeartsHeartKeyblade WarDark Seeker SagaMore

Game Elements: Gameplay in Kingdom HeartsMagic

Objects
Sea-salt ice creamWayfinderDoor to DarknessKeybladeX-bladeMorePixar BallA113Pizza Planet Truck
Locations
Original Worlds: Destiny IslandsTraverse TownRadiant Garden/Hollow BastionDisney Castle/Disney Town/Timeless RiverDive to the HeartEnd of the WorldRealm of DarknessTwilight Town/Mysterious TowerThe World That Never WasCastle That Never WasLand of Departure/Castle OblivionKeyblade GraveyardDaybreak Town/Scala ad Caelum

Disney Worlds: WonderlandDeep JungleOlympus Coliseum/Underworld/OlympusAgrabahAtlanticaHalloween Town/Christmas TownNeverlandHundred Acre WoodThe Land of DragonsBeast's CastlePort Royal/The CaribbeanPride LandsSpace ParanoidsDwarf WoodlandsCastle of DreamsDeep SpaceLa Cité des ClochesThe GridPrankster's ParadiseCountry of the MusketeersToy BoxKingdom of CoronaMonstropolisArendelleSan FransokyoGame Central Station/Niceland/Cy-Bug Sector/Candy Kingdom

Organizations/Groups
Organization XIIIPrincesses of HeartDisney Villains Council
Songs
"Dearly Beloved" • "Simple and Clean" • "Sanctuary" • Face My FearsDon't Think TwiceMickey Mouse Club MarchSwim This WayPart of Your WorldUnder the SeaUrsula's RevengeA New Day is DawningDestatiThis is HalloweenHe's a PirateBeauty and the BeastBibbidi-Bobbidi-BooIt's a Small WorldNight on Bald MountainWinnie the PoohThe Sorcerer's ApprenticeThe Pastoral SymphonyNutcracker SuiteYou've Got a Friend in MeHealing IncantationPut That Thing Back Where It Came From or So Help MeLet It GoDo You Want to Build a SnowmanYo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)A Whole New WorldCircle of Life
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