Simba

“ Mufasa: ''You have forgotten who you are and so forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life.'' Simba: ''How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be.'' Mufasa: ''Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king."''
 * —Mufasa and Simba

Simba is an adult male lion, the king of Pride Rock, and the only son of Mufasa and Sarabi. He is the mate of Nala, with whom he has four cubs: Three sons, Tanabi, Kopa, and Kino as well as a daughter, Kiara.

As an adult, Simba encountered his childhood friend, Nala, who begged him to return to the Pride Lands and reestablish his birthright as king. Retaining guilt over the death of his father, Simba refused. However, an encounter with his father's ghost prompted him to return home, where he found the Pride Lands in disarray under Scar's tyrannical rule. Along with the lionesses, Simba confronted Scar and engaged in a battle against his hyena minions. After defeating Scar, Simba ascended Pride Rock and established his place as king of the Pride Lands.

In the wake of Scar's death, Simba exiled those who were still loyal to Scar to the Outlands, where they fostered a grudge against the Pride Landers and the royal family. Despite the enmity between the two prides, Simba's daughter Kiara befriended an Outsider named Kovu, who had been Scar's heir before his untimely death. Simba begrudgingly allowed Kovu to stay with the pride, but after the leader of the Outsiders, Zira, framed Kovu for an Outsider ambush, Simba ended their agreement. With tensions high between the prides, the Outsiders and the Pride Landers met in battle on an open field until Kovu and Kiara arrived and implored their leaders to end the bloodshed. The Outsiders assented and switched sides, and Simba welcomed them back into the pride.

Cubhood
At the beginning of the film, a newborn Simba lies curled in his mother's paws. For the ceremony, Rafiki cracks open a gourd and makes a red mark on Simba's forehead, naming him the future king. He sprinkles sand on the newborn's head, making Simba sneeze, and then picks him up, presenting the cub to all the animals in the Pride Lands who are gathered to see him.

Simba soon grows into a lively, playful cub. He is the first to wake up one morning, coming to the edge of Pride Rock to see whether it is dawn yet. When he sees that the morning is approaching, Simba runs into the royal den, where all the lions are fast asleep. When he finds his parents asleep at the back, he starts to wake them up. He recalls that Mufasa had promised to show him the kingdom. Finally, Mufasa gets up. Simba happily scampers ahead of his parents, rubbing affectionately against his mother's leg before following his father to the summit. Simba and his father climb to the top of Pride Rock, where Mufasa explains to his son that everything the light touches is their kingdom. He goes on to say that after his passing, Simba will become the new king. The cub questions the "shadowy place," and Mufasa explains that it is beyond their borders, so he must never go there. As they go on a walk through the Pride Lands, Mufasa tells Simba about the Circle of Life, explaining that every living thing "from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope" is connected and exists together in a delicate balance. While they are walking, Zazu, Mufasa's majordomo, gives the king a morning report. Simba, bored, tries to practice pouncing. After some instruction from his father, Simba succeeds in pinning down Zazu. As Zazu is on his back, a mole pops up beneath him and informs Zazu and Mufasa that there are dangerous hyenas in the Pride Lands. Mufasa leaves to deal with the threat, forbidding Simba to come with him. Disappointed, Simba returns to Pride Rock to find his uncle Scar moping in the shadows. He gleefully informs Scar that he will one day be the king of Pride Rock, irritating Scar, who unenthusiastically tells Simba to forgive him for not leaping for joy, since he has a "bad back." He then flops down in depression, but Simba, unaware of why his uncle is in a bad mood, asks Scar what he will be once Simba is king. Scar replies, "A monkey's uncle," making Simba laugh. The cub tells his uncle that he is so weird, and Scar tells him that he has "no idea." Scar then asks Simba whether his father had shown him what lies beyond the northern border. Simba admits that he has been forbidden to go there, and Scar acts relieved, claiming that only the bravest lions go there. Objecting, Simba says that he's brave and demands to know what's out there. "Accidentally," Scar lets it slip that there is an elephant graveyard in the shadows, aware that Simba's curiosity will lead him there. Simba is excited at the prospect of an adventure but promises his uncle that he won't visit the graveyard.

Leaving Scar, Simba goes to his best friend Nala, who is being bathed by her mother Sarafina, opposite Simba's own mother Sarabi. Simba tries to get Nala to accompany him somewhere without giving away the location of their adventure. When asked where they are headed by his mother, he lies, saying, "Around the Water Hole." Sarabi sends Zazu to accompany the cubs, much to their dismay.

On the way to the Water Hole, Zazu makes a nostalgic comment about how the two are "betrothed, intended, affianced," meaning that they are set to be mates and rule the Pride Lands together. Since they are just children, they find it weird. The duo then sing the song "I Just Can't Wait to be King", during which they lose Zazu.

Simba, Nala, and Zazu are cornered by a trio of hyenas, who plot to eat them

After losing track of Zazu, Simba brags to Nala, claiming that he is a genius for getting rid of Zazu. Nala opposes him, arguing that she deserves credit since she came up with the plan. Simba jumps on her to make her admit that he is the best, but she flips him onto his back, teasing him for getting pinned.

Simba tells her to let him go but then jumps on her again, and the cubs roll down a cliff. Nala again flips Simba, but then a geyser beside them shoots skyward, and they realize that they are in the Elephant Graveyard.

After the cubs make a quick exploration, Zazu catches up with them, though Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed soon show up. Simba tries to be brave in front of the hyenas, but, realizing the danger, he makes a frantic effort to escape, with the hyenas in hot pursuit. The cubs manage to get away from the hyenas, but Zazu is caught and thrown into a geyser. Simba and Nala come back to defend Zazu from the hyenas, and Simba tells the hyenas to fight someone their own size. Shenzi suggests that Simba is just the right size, and Simba realizes that he has overstepped his authority. It proves to be too late for the cubs, because the hyenas come for another attack. The cubs flee again and use the backbone of an elephant like a roller coaster that sends them flying from the hyenas. While climbing a mountain of bones, Nala slips, and Simba runs back to save her, swiping Shenzi in the face and helping Nala climb back to the top of the hill. The chase leads to Simba and Nala being cornered in a cave. Simba tries to protect Nala by making a roar to scare the hyenas away, but he is unsuccessful.

Mufasa teaches Simba about their ancestors, the Great Kings of the Past

Just then, Mufasa arrives and pins down the hyenas, who flee in fear. Simba approaches his father and tries to speak, but Mufasa interrupts, accusing Simba of deliberately disobeying him. Simba quietly apologizes, but Mufasa just says, "Let's go home." Simba follows him, bowing his head, as Nala whispers to him that she'd thought he'd been very brave.

En route to Pride Rock, Mufasa stops on their way through the savanna. Simba bows his head in the grass when he hears that Mufasa wants to speak with him. Zazu then comes to the cubs and says that he will take Nala home. Putting his wings on Simba's shoulders, he wishes him good luck. A little scared, Simba sends one last look at Nala, who leaves. Mufasa then calls Simba to come to him. Going to his father, Simba accidentally steps into his father's pawprint, realizing just how much bigger and wiser Mufasa is.

Scar instructs Simba to wait for Mufasa in the gorge, claiming that the cub will soon receive a surprise

Once by the king's side, Simba is admonished by his father, who expresses disappointment in him and anger that he'd disobeyed. Simba says that he had been trying to be brave like him, but Mufasa explains that even kings get scared, just as he had been that day because he'd almost lost Simba. No longer so scared, Simba jokes that the hyenas had been even more scared.

In response, Mufasa playfully says, "Because no one messes with your dad!" He then picks Simba up and gives him a playful noogie. After playing together under the sky, Mufasa tells Simba about the Great Kings of the Past, who are looking down on them from the stars. He reminds Simba that whenever he feels alone, the stars will always be there to guide him, as will Mufasa.

The next day, Scar, who had been planning to kill Mufasa and Simba in order to become king, takes Simba with him to the Gorge, saying that Mufasa has a "surprise" for him. Simba begs his uncle to tell him what it is, but Scar walks away after teasing him about practicing his "little roar." Unknown to Simba, Scar signals Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed to start a stampede of frightened wildebeests into the gorge below.

Simba is trapped amidst a wildebeest stampede

While Simba practices his roar a little louder than usual, the wildebeests charge down the cliff face in the direction of Simba. Terrified, the young cub runs for his life. Meanwhile, Scar, pretending to be terrified and nervous, runs to Mufasa, panting that Simba is in the Gorge. Immediately, Mufasa rushes to the Gorge to save his son, who desperately manages to jump and cling on to a branch while the wildebeests thunder below him. While Mufasa fights through the stampede, one of the wildebeests collides with the branch and breaks it, sending Simba flying into the air. Mufasa leaps up to catch his son, but he drops him upon impact with one of the wildebeests. Becoming stuck in the stampede again, Simba dodges a few wildebeests before again being picked up by Mufasa, who then gets him to safety. Pulled back into the herd, Mufasa fights until he can throw himself onto a ledge, where he clings for dear life.

After Mufasa is trampled to death by the wildebeests, Scar advises a hurt and confused Simba to leave the Pride Lands

Seeing this, Simba runs to the top of the cliff. As he reaches the top, he sees his father plummet into the stampede below, not knowing that he'd been thrown by Scar. He cries out and races down to the bottom of the Gorge to find his father's body under the branch that he had been clinging to. Hoping that his father isn't dead, he tries to revive him. Realizing that Mufasa is neither moving nor breathing, he calls for help but starts to cry and crawls underneath his father's forepaw when he realizes that there is no hope.

Scar approaches and manipulates Simba into believing that he is responsible for his father's death, claiming that Simba's roar had caused the stampede and that if it hadn't been for Simba, Mufasa would still be alive. When asked what his mother will think, Simba doesn't know what to do, so Scar tells him to run away and never return. After Simba scampers away, Scar sends Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed to kill the cub.

Simba is taken in by Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him about their worry-free way of life

Panicked, scared, and now chased by the hyenas, Simba runs out of the Gorge and comes out at the top of a steep cliff. With a patch of sharp thorns below, Simba has no choice but to jump down the cliff to escape the predators. He tumbles down and forces himself through, but the hyenas don't follow, thinking that Simba is as good as dead out in the barren desert anyway.

Tired and dehydrated, Simba wanders into the desert. In the burning heat, he eventually faints. Waiting for him to die, vultures circle overhead, but a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa to scare away the vultures and save the unconscious cub. They revive him and ask him if he is okay. He shakily replies and starts to wander off. Timon and Pumbaa ask what he'd done to be so sad, but Simba doesn't want to talk about it. Timon and Pumbaa then take the cub into a jungle to teach him to forget the past and live by "Hakuna Matata." During the song "Hakuna Matata", the duo have Simba eat bugs, explore his new home, and live without worry. The trio walks across a log, which represents a few years, during which Simba transitions from a cub to an adolescent to an adult.

Adolescence

Simba's adolescence is only briefly shown during the log sequence of "Hakuna Matata." Simba is older than in The Lion King 1½ (in which his adolescent self makes a longer appearance), evident by the mane that begins to run down his neck and the mane that begins to appear on his chest and lower body, as well as longer fur on his elbows

'''Young adulthood'''

Hurt by Timon and Pumbaa's disbelief in the Great Kings of the Past, Simba mourns his father's absence

Growing up in the jungle, Simba learns to be carefree and forget about his past and responsibilities with Hakuna Matata. Although seemingly happy in the jungle, he feels homesick when stargazing with his friends, recalling what his father had told him years ago when they'd looked up at the stars together. He is upset when Timon's comments mock the Great Kings of the Past. Hurt by his friends' comments, Simba leaves to flop down on a rock in grief over his dead father.

A few days later, Simba hears Timon and Pumbaa yelling for help and immediately rushes to their rescue, finding himself face-to-face with a hungry lioness. After wrestling ferociously with the lioness (with Timon cheering him on), Simba is flipped onto his back, a move that he instantly recognizes as belonging to Nala. When he mentions Nala's name, the lioness becomes surprised and backs away. When she asks who he is, Simba tells her his name, and the lioness is surprised to recognize her childhood friend.

As they rejoice, Simba introduces Nala to his new friends, and she tells Simba that he is the rightful king. Simba rejects his responsibility and refuses to go back, still believing that he is guilty of killing Mufasa. Still, he comforts Nala as she struggles with the reality of him being alive after all these years.

Enjoying a peaceful sunset evening together, the two lions realize that their childhood friendship has blossomed into love. However, that evening, Nala tries to explain to Simba the fate of the Pride Lands under Scar's reign, trying to persuade him to go back, since he is their only hope. Despite her desperation, he refuses. Disappointed with Simba's new behavior, Nala tells him that he isn't the Simba she knows and remembers, to which he admits that he isn't. Then Simba asks Nala if she is now satisfied, and Nala declines, saying that she is just disappointed.

Nala urges Simba to return to the Pride Lands, but he stubbornly refuses

Simba tells Nala that she is starting to sound like his father, to which she replies, "Good! At least one of us does!" Enraged, Simba yells at her and then marches away in a huff. Alone in a grassy field, he yells to the sky at Mufasa for not being there for him when he'd promised years earlier that he would. Simba then labels the blame on himself, hanging his head in shame.

Soon, Simba notices Rafiki singing in a tree. Trying to get away from him, Simba goes to lie down away from the baboon. Rafiki refuses to leave him alone, so Simba asks him who he is. However, in response, Rafiki asks Simba who he is. Simba doesn't know anymore, and after Rafiki chants in his ear, the baboon tells Simba that he is Mufasa's boy. Surprised to hear Mufasa's name, Simba chases the wise baboon and asks him if he'd known his father, to which Rafiki corrects Simba and tells him that he knows his father. After Simba sadly tells him that Mufasa had died a long time ago, Rafiki tells Simba that he is wrong again and explains to him that Mufasa is still alive. The baboon leads Simba to a stream, and as he remarks that he only sees his reflection, Rafiki tells Simba to look harder. The reflection ripples and becomes Mufasa's face. At the same time, Simba hears Mufasa calling to him from the sky, and Simba looks up to see him again.

Simba encounters the ghost of Mufasa, who urges his son to take his rightful place as king

Mufasa's spirit appears in the sky, and Simba instantly recognizes him, astonishingly asking, "Father?" In answer, Mufasa accuses his son of forgetting him, to which Simba denies him and asks how he possibly could.

Mufasa tells his son that he has forgotten who he is and his own place in the Circle of Life. He then reminds Simba that he is his son and the one true king. Simba chases Mufasa's disappearing form in the sky, begging him not to leave him, with his father repeating, "Remember." Rafiki approaches Simba again and listens to him discussing how he will have to face his past if he is to return. Rafiki then whacks him on the head with his stick, causing Simba some pain, and teaches him the lesson that even though things are in the past, they can still hurt, but one should learn from them. As Rafiki swings his stick again, Simba dodges it. Rafiki notices this and asks Simba what he is going to do, to which Simba tells the baboon that he is going to take his stick first.

Simba and his friends return to the famine-ravaged Pride Lands

The lion snatches it away from him and throws it into the grass. However, as soon as Rafiki gets it and turns back, Simba has already left to fight Scar and take back his place as the king of the Pride Lands. Overjoyed, Rafiki proceeds to cheer Simba on from a distance, encouraging him to go back.

Arriving back home, Simba is shocked at the dry, barren condition that the once green and fertile land is in. As Simba moves through the Pride Lands, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa catch up to help him battle Scar. As they make their way to Pride Rock, they find their way blocked by hyenas, and Simba instructs Timon and Pumbaa to divert the hyenas so that he and Nala can slip past them. Simba then tells Nala to look for Sarabi and rally the lionesses while he searches for Scar. He freezes in horror as he hears his mother's name yelled out by Scar, then watches as Sarabi and Scar argue.

Simba rallies his pride against Scar and the hyenas

Upon seeing Sarabi get struck down by Scar, Simba runs out of hiding to his mother's side. At first, Sarabi mistakes him for Mufasa, but she eventually realizes that it is her son when he tells her that he is home. He and his mother briefly embrace. Simba then confronts his uncle, giving him a choice to either step down from his position or fight, to which Scar promptly refuses. Feeling trapped, Scar resorts to accusing Simba of killing Mufasa, and the young lion doesn't deny it. This news greatly shocks everyone, especially Sarabi.

With Nala and the other lionesses watching, Scar corners Simba on the edge of Pride Rock, mocking him that his father isn't alive to save him. As Simba slips from the edge, lightning starts a fire below the promontory. While Simba clings to the edge desperately for life, Scar remembers seeing Mufasa in a similar position before he'd died. Scar latches his claws into Simba's paws and whispers into his ear that he is the one who'd killed Mufasa. Filled with shock and rage, Simba immediately leaps from the edge and pins Scar to the ground. Simba forces his uncle to confess out loud, which leads to a tremendous battle. The hyenas ambush Simba, prompting Nala, the other lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki to charge in and wipe out the hyenas.

Simba and Scar battle for the throne atop Pride Rock

Simba then chases his uncle to the summit of Pride Rock, where he finally corners Scar. The old king pleads for mercy as he puts the blame on the hyenas, unaware that they have heard everything. Fed up with all the lies that his uncle has told him, Simba chooses not to kill Scar, because he doesn't want to become the monster that Scar is. Instead, he spares his life by telling Scar to run away and never return, the same words that his uncle had used when Simba was young. Seemingly obeying Simba's orders, Scar begins to slip away slowly, but he suddenly turns around and throws burning embers into Simba's eyes.

The two lions fight ferociously until Scar delivers a hard smack that knocks Simba to the ground. As Scar leaps to finish Simba off, the young lion thinks quickly and flips Scar over the edge of Pride Rock, sending him tumbling down the ledge. Simba looks down and sees that Scar has survived the fall, though he is slightly dazed from the attack. However, the hyenas, having had enough of Scar's lies and betrayal from earlier, ignore Scar's pleas for forgiveness and jump on him, devouring him alive.

Simba accepts his destiny as king of the Pride Lands, at last taking his place in the Circle of Life

After rain falls on the Pride Lands and extinguishes the fire, Simba walks down to greet Sarabi, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and the rest of the pride. Rafiki rattles his stick to get Simba's attention and motions for him to ascend Pride Rock. Simba then walks over to Rafiki, and as Rafiki bows down to him, Simba embraces him before Rafiki tells him that it is time. Simba then climbs up Pride Rock, and as he reaches the promontory, he looks up at a break in the clouds to see a patch of stars, one of which is shining brightly. Upon hearing Mufasa's voice telling him to "remember," Simba gains courage, confidence, and strength, roaring out over his reclaimed kingdom. The rest of the pride roars back in approval.

Sometime later, when the Pride Lands flourish once again, Simba and his mate Nala, along with their friends Timon and Pumbaa, stand on the promontory of Pride Rock, proudly looking down at the animals who have assembled below Pride Rock. Rafiki then comes in, cradling their newborn son, Tanabi in his arms, and Simba and Nala watch happily as Rafiki lifts the cub up for all the animals to see.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
In the second film, all the animals return to Pride Rock to welcome the birth of Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala. While the king and queen look on proudly, Rafiki holds their cub up for all the kingdom to see.

As Kiara grows up, Simba turns out to be extremely overprotective of her. One time, when Kiara goes off to play, he warns her to stay away from the Outlands and to stay on the path that he has marked for her. Nala teases Simba about Kiara's likeness to Simba when he was a cub. Simba confesses his feelings to Nala about how much trouble they'd get themselves into, to which Nala pins him and teases him, telling him that he means the trouble that he'd gotten them into. She and Simba then chuckle as they nuzzle each other in a loving manner, and Simba smiles warmly at her.

Nala assures him that Kiara will be fine and goes back into the cave, with Simba watching with an unsure expression. However, as soon as Nala is out of earshot, he sends Timon and Pumbaa after Kiara to watch her anyway. After he realizes that Kiara has sneaked away from her babysitters, he, along with Nala, Pumbaa, Timon, and two Pride Landers, goes out for her, finding her near the outskirts of the Outlands with an Outsider cub named Kovu. Immediately, Simba jumps in front of Kiara, protecting her. At the same time, Kovu's mother Zira launches herself in front of her son to protect him. Simba snarls at her, and Zira mockingly gives a cover-up for straying into the Pride Lands. Simba orders Zira to take Kovu and get out since they are now finished with their conversation. Zira laughs menacingly and tells Simba that they have barely begun.

Simba then takes Kiara and walks away, sending Nala and the rest of the pride ahead so he can have a word with Kiara. Simba reminds her that she has to be queen someday, even though she may not want to be. He reminds her of the great Circle of Life. Simba then tells his daughter that they are a part of each other, with Kiara responding, "Hmph!" This makes Simba playfully smile and nudge her. After embracing her, he sings to her that they are one.

Years later, Kiara pleads with Simba to let her hunt on her own. He promises this to her, but he once again sends Timon and Pumbaa to watch her anyway, thus deliberately breaking his promise. A few hours later, Simba paces nervously on Pride Rock, where Zazu reassures him that Kiara will be fine. Suddenly, Simba notices smoke on the horizon as Zira's plan goes into action. He and Nala race to Kiara, only to find her talking to Kovu.

After Kovu saves Kiara from a fire, Simba agrees to let the young lion temporarily join the pride

Simba roars menacingly at Kovu as Kiara reminds him that he has broken his promise, to which Simba, out of fear of losing her again, forbids any more hunting trips for her.

Just then, Rafiki appears and brings up the fact that Kovu has saved Kiara's life. When Simba asks him why, Kovu asks to join his pride. Simba initially refuses, but Zazu tells him that his father's law demands all debts be paid. In repayment for his daughter's life, an agitated Simba reluctantly lets Kovu join the pride, but he doesn't allow him to sleep with the pride. That night, Simba has a nightmare about the stampede. In the nightmare, Simba tries to save his father, who is hanging on to a cliff face. As Simba reaches down, he realizes that Scar is looking over him. Mufasa slips

away from Simba and falls to his death, which makes Simba cry out for a brief moment. He then turns on Scar, who morphs into Kovu, shocking Simba. Then Kovu lets Simba fall to his death, and the king snaps out of his dream. Simba is frightened at first but starts to calm down once he looks outside the den, realizing that it's still night. He then looks at Nala, who is happily asleep. So Simba goes back to sleep, still uneasy but more relaxed.

The next morning, Simba has a drink at a water hole. Unknown to him, Kovu is behind him, ready to kill. Luckily, Kiara turns up, wanting her hunting lesson, so Kovu is drawn away. That night, Simba looks down on Kiara and Kovu stargazing together and asks Mufasa for guidance. Nala walks up beside him and tells him to trust Kovu more. That evening, Simba lets Kovu sleep with the rest of the pride in the cave, as it is a fairly cold night.

The next morning, Simba walks in on Kovu about to tell Kiara about Zira's plan, telling his daughter that he doesn't want her talking with him, only to say in a much calmer tone that he wants to talk with him. This makes Kiara brighten up, and Simba smiles and winks at her before walking off with Kovu, with Kiara watching from a distance. During the long walk, Simba explains to Kovu his side of the story about Scar. As they are walking, Zira, Nuka, Vitani, and the other Outsiders surround them. Zira teasingly asks Simba what he is doing outside "so alone." Zira then congratulates Kovu for bringing Simba with him and adds, "Just like we've always planned."

Feeling betrayed, Simba angrily snarls at Kovu, now believing him to be behind the plan. In response, a scared Kovu denies this and tries to reason with Simba that he really didn't have anything to do with Zira's plan. Simba is then attacked by the Outsiders on Zira's orders. Simba slides down a cliff, and the Outsiders attack. He runs into a gorge and climbs up a dam. Just as he's climbing, Nuka grabs his ankle, pulling him down. Simba pushes himself up, dislodging logs, which tumble down and crush Nuka to death. This greatly shocks Zira and Vitani. The entire pride mourns the death of their family member. Simba escapes and weakly makes his way back to the Pride Lands, where he manages to whisper to Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa about what has happened before he collapses due to extreme exhaustion. They help him back to Pride Rock, where he recovers.

When Kovu returns, Simba confronts him, asking why he's come back. Kovu asks for forgiveness, but Simba doesn't believe Kovu. Kiara tries to persuade Simba to listen to Kovu, but he tells her to be silent and then exiles Kovu, to Kiara's dismay. Kiara then quarrels with her father, pleading with him to reconsider, but Simba replies by forbidding her to leave Pride Rock unescorted, saying that Kovu used her to get to him and that he knows Kovu is following in Scar's pawprints and that he must follow in his father's. Kiara angrily yells at him that he will never be Mufasa. This comment hurts and shocks Simba immensely, as he looks away sadly while Kiara runs into Pride Rock before sneaking away to find Kovu.

That night, rain descends on the Pride Lands, and Simba asks Timon and Pumbaa where Kiara is. Just as he finds out she is missing, Zazu informs him that the Outsiders are on the attack. Simba commands Zazu to find Kiara and assembles the lionesses, ready for battle. When they approach the Outsiders, Simba gives Zira a final chance to go home. Zira tells Simba that she is home and commands her troops to attack.

After a bitter battle, Zira jumps down off her rock, ready to attack Simba herself. Just as they are about to go into a one-on-one duel, Kiara jumps in front of her father, and Kovu jumps in front of Zira. Simba tells his daughter to stay out of the fight, but Kiara tells him that the fight has to stop. Concurrently, Zira tells Kovu to move, and Kovu tells Zira that he won't let her hurt Kiara or Simba. Kiara reminds Simba that they are "one" and asks if he sees any differences between his pride and the Outsiders.

As Simba realizes his daughter's words, the rain stops, and sun shines down from the clouds. Simba then nuzzles his daughter as they reconcile. Zira orders Vitani to attack Simba, but she refuses to do so and crosses onto his side, as do the rest of the Outsiders. Zira, realizing that she is losing, tries one more time to attack Simba, but as she jumps for him, Kiara leaps in her way and fights her off.

Shocked, Simba jumps down after them just as Zira slips away into the water below. Simba reaches his daughter and helps her back up the cliff, where she is hugged by a relieved Nala. When Kiara is reunited with Kovu, Simba studies him and apologizes to him, finally admitting that he was wrong. He accepts Kovu and the Outsiders into his pride, and they all go home together.

Back at Pride Rock, Simba, Nala, and all the other lionesses watch as Rafiki blesses the union of Kiara and Kovu. Simba, Nala, and the new couple make their way to the top of Pride Rock and roar over their kingdom, with the rest of the pride roaring back in reply. As Simba looks down proudly at the rejoicing animals who have gathered around Pride Rock, the sky opens up and Simba hears his father say, "Well done, my son. We are one."

The Lion King 1½
During Timon and Pumbaa's first attempt at a new home, they witness Simba's birth ceremony. The two later find a small cave in the Pride Lands, which they live in until Simba and Nala sing "I Just Can't Wait to be King," driving them out. Although not seen

, we can hear Simba say, "I'm okay," after the animal pyramid falls down. Later, after Mufasa is murdered by Scar and Simba runs away from the Pride Lands, he wanders into the desert, ridden with guilt and thinking that he killed his own father. Simba collapses out of fatigue and exhaustion, lying under the sun with buzzards circling overhead. Simba is found by Timon and Pumbaa, who carry him to shade and water and eventually let him live in the jungle with them. Growing up without worries, Simba soon proves to be a difficult cub to handle, and Timon and Pumbaa find it hard to be adoptive parents. Living carefree in the jungle, Simba gets into all kinds of mischief that Mufasa and Sarabi would have never allowed, such as jumping down from dangerously tall trees, swimming down steep and deadly waterfalls backwards, and spinning Timon around like a play toy. He also keeps Timon up all night having to go to the bathroom, wanting a drink of water, etc. One night, Simba is awakened by a nightmare and begs to sleep with Timon, who begrudgingly agrees.

Months pass, and Simba grows into an adolescent, with half a mane on his head, who seems to beat Timon and Pumbaa at all kinds of alliterative bug-eating contests, including the longest bug belch, slug swallowing, cricket crunching, grub gulping, maggot munching, and the snail slurping contest shown in the film. He has grown a small mane on his head and looks even more hot-headed than as a cub.

After some years pass, Simba grows into a young adult lion who enjoys his life with Timon and Pumbaa in the jungle. Simba has an interesting conversation with Pumbaa about dung beetles before Nala appears and chases Pumbaa, making Simba attack her. He later realizes that it's his old childhood friend. In the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" sequence, we see that Simba takes Nala on a romantic evening walk around the jungle, unknowingly hurting Timon while the meerkat attempts to split the two lovers apart. After the familiar scene of Simba arguing with Nala about whether or not he should return to the Pride Lands commences, Simba runs off to encounter his father's ghost.

Later in the film, when Simba challenges Scar, he is seen several times echoing his role in the original film.

For example, he is seen slipping off the cliff when Scar corners him and later leaping up to force the truth out of Scar about Mufasa's death. Simba is also seen when he chases Scar up Pride Rock and flips him to the ground below. Once the violence is over, Simba thanks Timon and Pumbaa for their help against the hyenas before he climbs Pride Rock, roaring for all of the Pride Lands to know that they have won. At the end of the film, Simba is lying down in the jungle water with Pumbaa, Timon, and Ma. A silhouette of Simba also appears in the theater while Ma rewinds the movie.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
Simba can first be seen teaching his daughter Kiara about life as a future monarch atop Pride Rock. Not long after this, he and Rafiki overhear Kion's roar, and the two come to realize that it is time for him to lead the Lion Guard. When Kion and his best friend Bunga return to Pride Rock, Rafiki leads them and Simba to the Lair of the Lion Guard, where he explains that Scar used to lead the Lion Guard until he lost his powers. Simba then tasks Kion with gathering a new Lion Guard to protect the Pride Lands. When Simba arrives to meet Kion's team, he reacts in horror to Kion's choice of teammates. He insists that the Guard must be made of lions only and then berates Kion for treating his role as leader like a game. However, after watching Kion and his Guard defeat Janja's clan, Simba realizes that his son was wise to have chosen who he chose, and he congratulates his son on the victory, accepting this new, brilliant assembling of loyal animals.

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar
During the musical sequence "Fujo", Simba can be seen atop Pride Rock with Nala, surveying the Pride Lands.

Later, Kion talks to Simba about his concerns on Ma Tembo, who has been unsuccessful in her search for water, but Simba assures his son that life is full of responsibilities and that one must face them head-on. Simba and Kion then sing "Path of Honor", during which they discuss the joys and burdens of being leaders.

Some time later, Simba is present for Makini's official introduction to the royal family. He then looks on as Kiara and Makini head off together to help Ma Tembo look for water.

Simba also appears amidst the crowd of animals following Ma Tembo as she searches for a water source.

The stage musical
Following the success of the film, Julie Taymor created a musical version of The Lion King. In this production, we have an insight into events that weren't explored in the original film, as Simba, young and old, is in nearly all the musical numbers. In the Broadway production, we see a slightly extended role, including scenes that explore Simba's guilt as well as an additional song called "Endless Night."

Jason Raize played adult Simba in the original production while Scott Irby-Ranniar assumed the role of young Simba.

A Tale of Two Brothers
When Simba is too busy to take his son Kopa to the top of Pride Rock, Rafiki tells a story about Mufasa and Scar when they were cubs, convincing Simba that keeping promises is important. Simba ends up taking his mate and son to the top of Pride Rock for some quality family time.

Vulture Shock
After failing to explain what a "family tree" is to Kopa, Simba finds out that his son has been kidnapped by a flock of vultures. Together, he and his mate Nala lead a group of Pride Landers to the flock of vultures to get their son back.

A Snake in the Grass
In a story told by Timon and Pumbaa, Simba is tricked by Joka into abandoning his friends. He later comes back for them and saves them from the coils of Joka.

Follow the Leader
Simba helps Rafiki save his former troop.

A Little Help From a Friend
With his daughter Kiara a lively young cub, Simba promises to take her on a walk around the Pride Lands. Before the two can depart, the king catches wind of Outsiders invading his kingdom and so must cut the walk short in order to dispose of the problem. He later praises Kiara for her quick thinking in saving Timon's life.

All Mud and Motor Mouth
At the start of the story, Simba asks his friends Timon and Pumbaa how they first came to meet.

Comics

 * A Gift from the Heavens


 * A Great Team


 * A Heroic Dirty Cub


 * A Kinglike Hair-do


 * A Royal Fib


 * An Unusual Choir


 * At the Last Second


 * Completely Safe


 * Dream Child


 * Dry Season


 * Elephant Walk


 * Finding Food


 * Friends Again


 * From Shadow to Shadow


 * Fun for the Large


 * Good Advice is Hard to Find


 * Hakuna Matata


 * In the Fur of Another


 * Just Lion Around


 * Mokele Mbembe


 * Monkey Magic


 * On His Own Four Paws


 * Pumbaa's Sadness


 * ROAAAR


 * Rafiki's Cousin


 * Rescuers in Need


 * Royal Duties


 * Save Nala


 * Simba's New Brother


 * Simba Learns a Lesson


 * Simba Runs Away from Home


 * Simba and the Flower of Courage


 * Simba and the Sad Elephant


 * Simba and the Snake


 * Small Giants


 * The Best Sitter on the Savanna


 * The Big Little Prince


 * The Birthday Present


 * The Cheeky Bird


 * The Crocobuffalion


 * The Disguised Zebra


 * The Family Tree


 * The Flying Lion


 * The Funny Monkey


 * The Gigantic Eagle


 * The Journey


 * The Landslide King


 * The Little Prince from the Ice


 * The Orphaned Birds


 * The Shooting Star


 * The Talking Tree


 * The White Stuff


 * Trouble in Paradise


 * Wake Up


 * You're Never Too Young To Learn!


 * Zazu the Heartbreaker

Physical appearance
Like most cubs in the Pride Lands, Simba is small and lithe. His shoulders are slight, though he is in good shape, being slim and moderately well-muscled. His fur is brownish-gold, while his muzzle, paws, and underbelly are creamy tan. His features are rounded like those of his mother's, and although his lower eye shades are the same shade as his pelt, his upper eye shades are brown. His most distinctive features are his ear rims and a tuft of messy fur on his forehead. As a teenager, the only visible differences in Simba's appearance are his size and a new patch of hair on his head, the beginnings of his mane. Come young adulthood, Simba retains the bright colors of his cubhood, though his ear rims have begun to fade. He grows taller, with a muscular build, but never quite reaches his father's size. However, he is slightly larger than his mother and uncle, who are themselves some inches off Mufasa in height. In the sequel, Simba's appearance has changed slightly, as he has further filled out, being closer to his father in size. His eyebrows have thickened, and his muzzle and paws are more pronounced, though still rounded. Simba resembles both his parents in different ways. From Mufasa, he inherited his strong build and pelt coloration, as both lions are gold with red manes, though Simba's mane is a paler dark vermilion. From his mother, Simba inherited ear rims (though he loses these when he reaches adulthood) and similar facial features. Sarabi passed down her orange eyes, as well as features common among Pride Landers. However, Simba's nose is pink, unlike those of his parents.

Personality and traits
As a cub, Simba is curious, adventurous, and almost foolishly brave, always sniffing for something fun to do. Energetic and rambunctious, he can make even the scariest of places into an adventure, with much bravery on hand, evident in the way he confidently stands up to predators and defends his friends even in the face of death. However, unlike his father Mufasa, Simba is less careful about his bravery, throwing himself in harm's way for no good reason. Still young, he is foolishly brave and too arrogant for his own good, nearly getting himself and his friend Nala killed. Thinking himself strong and capable, Simba has an ego the size of the Serengeti. He is known to claim Nala's ideas as his own and loves to show off his status to the other animals of the Pride Lands, often overstepping his authority in doing so. He basks in the prospect of becoming king and readily looks forward to the day when he can order around his subjects. In this way, he is somewhat stuck-up and pompous. Despite this, Simba is good at heart and longs to become the wise king that his father is. The cub glorifies Mufasa, wanting to be just like him when he grows up, and suffers much grief whenever he disappoints him. When his father dies, Simba suffers severe emotional trauma, thinking the death to be his fault. Following Mufasa's fall, Simba becomes somewhat withdrawn and depressed, no longer putting value in his own life. It takes the efforts of Timon and Pumbaa to make Simba forget his past and move on with life. As an adolescent, Simba picks up a happy, carefree lifestyle, thinking nothing of his responsibilities back home. In addition, Simba's vocabulary changes drastically (as he now says "Father" instead of "Dad", and "Scar" instead of "Uncle Scar"). In the jungle, he develops somewhat grotesque habits, burping and eating bugs alongside his lazy companions. No longer the respected prince of the Pride Lands, Simba becomes sedentary and stubbornly refuting of his past life. Having been tainted in mind by his well-meaning friends, Simba no longer sees the need to help others and would rather lock himself away in bliss than face reality. However, this changes when he grows into a young adult, with his childhood friend Nala reminding him of his responsibilities back home. When faced with his dark past, Simba is prone to reacting defensively, losing his mostly well-controlled temper in bouts of fury. This stems from his sensitivity toward his past, as he thinks himself to be the cause of so much pain and turmoil. Ridden by guilt, Simba will do anything to blame his troubles on someone else, though he ultimately does face the truth. Despite his guilt-ridden conscience, Simba is forced into maturity when he has to face his past, holding himself accountable to the land he once swore to defend. Once accepting of his duties, he becomes a new character, stronger in will than before. Unlike the old Simba, who would rather avoid an argument, this new Simba does not tolerate being bullied and refuses to stand for abuse, being particularly defensive of his mother. When challenged, Simba becomes rough around the edges, determined to have his way and unwilling to stand for compromise. No longer an innocent cub, he is brave when he has to be, standing up for his land and his pride. Despite this rough exterior, Simba is still good at heart, sparing his uncle even after learning that Scar has been framing him his whole life, having killed Mufasa in cold blood. Simba's good will only extends so far, however, as he has a kingdom to think about, and he ultimately sets aside total forgiveness in order to keep his pride safe, sending Scar into exile. This decision proves that he is growing into a leader, learning the importance of mercy within authority. Once a full-grown adult and a father, Simba has matured to a new level, now totally fixated on his duties as a king and a father. For all his benevolence and inherent goodness, Simba is not without fault, as he is overprotective of his daughter Kiara, willing to break a promise to her in order to keep her safe. In this way, Simba shows that he does not fully respect his daughter, seeing himself as the older and wiser pride member. Thinking himself to know better, he often becomes blind to the outside world, focusing only on his family and their safety. In doing so, he comes to harm those around him. Simba is so determined to keep his family and kingdom safe that he sacrifices his slow-to-anger attitude from the first film for arrogance, paranoia, and suspicion, preferring to jump into situations without first coming to understand them. Such decisions frequently lead to clashes with Kiara and occasionally Nala, who recognizes the arrogance that has returned from Simba's cubhood. At times, this attitude gets the better of Simba, as his enemies take advantage of it to bait him into dangerous situations. Toward the end of the film, Simba finally loses his rational behavior and temporarily abandons all reason due to sustained injuries, a growing sense of anger, and the stress of being a monarch. He begins to throw fits of retribution, constantly overrides pleas, and even outright states that he must follow in Mufasa's pawprints, despite acting nothing like his benevolent father. Perhaps because he is so overprotective of Kiara, Simba is paranoid and unwilling to forgive, segregating the Outsiders for supporting the late Scar (though it was later revealed that Zira had attacked Simba). His trust is considerably hard to earn, as he refuses to accept Kovu even after the young lion saves his daughter's life. With the belief that he knows best, Simba is quick to jump to conclusions, not giving others a chance to speak for themselves. Despite this, Simba does later learn his lesson, being willing to accept the words of his daughter. Unlike his enemy Zira, he is eventually able to let go of the past and forgive. Having accepted the wisdom of his daughter, Simba becomes a greater leader, more open to his enemies and willing to give others a second chance.