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| Scar | |
|---|---|
 Scar watching the hyenas marching during the song "Be Prepared" |
|
| First appearance | The Lion King |
| Created by | Jonathan Roberts |
| Voiced by |
Jeremy Irons (The Lion King) James Horan (Kingdom Hearts II) James Avery (Animated Storybook: The Lion King) |
| Aliases | Taka, King Scar, Uncle Scar, A Monkey's Uncle |
Scar is a Disney character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney Pictures' popular 1994 animated movie The Lion King. He was voiced by Jeremy Irons in the English version of The Lion King and his supervising animator was Andreas Deja. He is also one of the three characters to not have a Swahili name.
Scar is one of four Disney characters to be nominated for "Best Villain" in the MTV Movie Awards (the other three being the White Witch, Captain Barbossa and Davy Jones), and is also the only animated character to have achieved this.
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The Lion King
Scar is the younger brother of Mufasa, the uncle of Simba, and second in line to the throne after Simba is born. Scar is jealous of Simba's position as the next king of the Pride Lands, so he plots to kill his brother and nephew, in order to seize the throne.
To carry out his plans, Scar recruits three spotted hyenas; Shenzi, Banzai and Ed — who gladly do his bidding in exchange for food. At first, there seem to be only three hyenas, but eventually it becomes apparent that he has influenced an entire army of them. Mufasa foils their first attempt to kill Simba, so Scar calls up his troops and promises that when he is king the hyenas will "never go hungry again".
With the help of the hyenas, Scar triggers a wildebeest stampede meant to kill both Simba and Mufasa. Mufasa manages to save his son, but is badly injured in the process and as he tries to escape by climbing up the gorge, Scar is waiting and grabs his paws. Maliciously taunting him with "Long live the King", Scar throws Mufasa from the cliff into the stampede, where he is trampled to death. Scar then pretends to be caring towards the now-fatherless cub, but then convinces Simba that he caused the stampede (he had let out a loud yowl, while practicing roaring, seconds before the stampede began, and had not seen Scar throw his father to his death) and in turn killed Mufasa. Simba runs away, overwhelmed by guilt and fear. Scar then orders Shenzi, Banzai and Ed to chase the cub and kill him. Unknown to Scar, however, the hyenas do not succeed because of a thorn bush, as Simba evades them and escapes into the desert. Scar then returns to Pride Rock and assumes the throne, letting the hyenas into the Pridelands and leading the other lions to believe that both Mufasa and Simba died in the gorge.
During Scar's reign, the kingdom rapidly declines as droughts hit and food becomes scarce. Years later, to Scar's surprise, Simba returns to challenge his uncle for the throne. Scar forces Simba to reveal the "truth" about Mufasa's death and backs him towards the edge of Pride Rock's promontory. Scar taunts Simba by admitting that he killed Mufasa, and prepares to kill Simba before the rightful heir can tell anyone. As lightning and rain starts to fall on to the parched plains, Simba leaps upon Scar and forces him to admit his guilt out loud, so all the other listening lionesses can hear. A fierce battle ensues between Scar's forces and Simba's friends and family while Simba alone fights Scar.
Eventually, Simba traps Scar on Pride Rock's summit. Terrified, Scar pleads for his life, blaming his crimes on the hyenas; unaware that Shenzi, Banzai and Ed have followed him and can hear Scar's condemnation. Simba, not willing to sink to Scar's level, spares his uncle's life and banishes him from the Pride Lands. Believing that Simba would pull the same trick on him, Scar begins to walk off, but then suddenly flings some burning embers into Simba's eyes, temporarily blinding him. Then leading to engage in a quick final battle with Simba, Scar tries to pounce upon his semi-incapacitated nephew. But after Scar leaps, Simba finally defeats him by flipping Scar over a cliff where the hyenas are waiting just below.
The hyenas, determined to get revenge on Scar for denouncing them as "the enemy", surround their fallen leader. Scar, pleading for his life, tries to explain to the hyenas that he didn't really mean what he said about them, but his pleas fall upon deaf ears. Fueled with anger at Scar for his betrayal (as well as, presumably, hunger, from his broken promise of them never going hungry again), the hyenas leap upon Scar and begin to maul him alive shortly before they are all surrounded by the blazing flames. Scar, it is assumed, dies at this point; whether or not Shenzi, Banzai and Ed do as well is debatable.
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
Scar does not return as the villain in the direct-to-video sequel The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride, but it is revealed that Scar had a group of lioness followers whom Simba exiles after he becomes king. They are led by Zira who is still fiercely loyal to Scar (their exact relationship is not clear, but it is implied to be romantic). Zira has three offspring: Nuka (an incompetent, slightly bitter son who is almost grown), Vitani (an aggressive, borderline vicious female cub) and Kovu (also a cub, and another son). All three are Zira's biological offspring, but it is stated more than once that Scar had "adopted" Kovu as his heir apparent. In the film, Zira attempts to use Kovu, who was "selected" to be Scar's heir, to kill Simba and become king. Kovu, however, is not Scar's son, as he later explains to Kiara, (Simba and Nala's daughter, and Kovu's eventual mate). It is implied that Nuka is Scar's son, by his resentment of Kovu being chosen over him; it is also possible (but not certain) that Vitani is Scar's daughter, (her highly aggressive, "butch" character makes this plausible).
Scar only appears twice, the first time in Simba's nightmare. In the nightmare, Mufasa clings to the cliff above the stampede as in the first film, and Simba tries to reach down to help his father. However, Scar appears on the ledge and grabs Simba's paws, preventing him from reaching Mufasa. Scar laughs, suggesting Simba trust him and let Mufasa fall. Mufasa falls into the stampede and the cackling Scar morphs into Kovu. Kovu flashes an evil grin and throws Simba into the stampede, as Scar had done to Mufasa in the first film. He appears again when Simba banishes Kovu from the Pride Lands. As Kovu looks into a stream, he sees Scar's reflection rather than his own. Given that Kovu had rejected defending his legacy, the young lion flees the vision in panic.
In Simba's nightmare, Scar was voiced by Jim Cummings, who had previously sung the finale of the song "Be Prepared" when Irons had been unable to complete it.
The Lion King 1½
In the direct-to-video "midquel" The Lion King 1½ (2004), Scar makes a few brief, non-speaking appearances in the scenes for which he was present in the original film.
The Lion King musical
In the Broadway musical based on the original film, Scar is portrayed by a human actor in an African-style costume with a lion-face headpiece that comes down over the actor's face using a hidden remote control. Scar also uses a cane. Scar was originally portrayed in the Broadway production by John Vickery, and is currently played by Patrick Page. Dan Donohue portrays this character on the Broadway tour.
Scar's role is expanded upon with the song "The Madness of King Scar". In it, Scar begins doubting his reign, fearing that he might be losing the respect of the lionesses and that he needs a queen. He attempts to seduce Nala, who rebukes him by scratching his face.
Kingdom Hearts II
Besides appearing in various The Lion King video games, Scar (スカル Sukāru) also appears in the Disney and Square Enix game Kingdom Hearts II as the primary villain of the Pride Lands world. Much like in the film, Scar murders Mufasa to become king, and under his reign the Pride Lands suffers a drought and food becomes scarce.
Prior to the game's main protagonists' (Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy) arrival at the Pride Lands, Pete (in the form of a lion) offers Scar use of the Heartless to maintain his hold on the throne. Sora (in the form of a lion cub, a change brought on by his magical clothes) attempts to confront Scar in order to save the world, but is turned down by Rafiki due to the latter's prophecy. Soon afterwards, they are confronted by Scar. Scar attempts to persuade the lionesses to hunt and kill Sora, Donald, and Goofy and nearly attacks them, but is pinned down by Nala in order to allow Sora and friends some time to escape. Later, Sora locates Simba and brings him back to the Pride Lands so he can challenge his uncle for the throne. The confrontation between Scar and Simba that follows is almost identical to that in the original film, the only noteworthy exceptions being no hyenas for most of it and Sora and his group replacing the lionesses. Sora's group saves Timon and Pumbaa from Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, while Scar and Simba fight. As in the film, Simba eventually triumphs over his uncle; though Donald initially wants to help him, Sora prevents him from doing so, believing that it is Simba's fight, and they should not interfere.
Thinking Scar to be defeated, the protagonists are surprised when, as Pete explains, Scar returns to battle once again as a Heartless. Scar's anger and jealousy were so strong they lingered after death and consumed him. During the battle Scar uses a series of swift and strong physical attacks and powerful magic against Sora and company. Sora and his friends defeat Scar again. Scar is the only character in the Kingdom Hearts universe - excluding Xehanort - to keep his original form as a Heartless. Whether or not a Nobody will be fleshed out in Kingdom Hearts continuity is debated.
By the time Sora returns to the Pride Lands to see how Simba is faring, rumors of Scar's ghost haunting the Pride Lands have driven Simba into doubt. But once he overcomes this problem, the "ghost" is revealed to be the interaction of Simba's lack of confidence and Scar's spirit. Multiple copies of Scar's "ghost" then combine to form a gigantic Heartless that is eventually killed by Simba and Sora.
As Jeremy Irons was unable to reprise the role, Scar was voiced by James Horan, who gave an almost flawless imitation of Iron's voice and accent.
Backstory
According to the novel series The Lion King: Six New Adventures, Scar's real name is Taka, which is Swahili for "dirt" or "trash", also "want". In A Tale of Two Brothers, one of the books in the set, teenage Taka is angry that Mufasa is chosen to be the heir to the throne. He gets even angrier when his father, King Ahadi, breaks his promise to go hunting with him, choosing to solve the drought problems in the Pride Lands instead. Taka wanders off to talk to Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, who tell him that if Mufasa is made to look like a failure, then he will look good in comparison and take the throne.
Taka then tricks his brother into going down to the waterhole, where a Cape buffalo named Boma is refusing to share the water. The Pride Lands is in a terrible drought and any water there is precious. Mufasa begins reasoning with Boma, when Taka roars and says that Boma must move by order of the Lion King, or Mufasa will face Boma in combat. Boma charges out of the water at Mufasa. Mufasa escapes to safety with Rafiki, but Boma says that his herd will get Taka. Mufasa runs back to find Taka being attacked by Boma's herd. The largest of the buffaloes slashes Taka with his horns, knocking him unconscious. Mufasa leaps in to save his brother and the buffaloes ready themselves to attack again.
Before they can do so, however, Ahadi appears with a large herd of animals. The herd surrounds the buffaloes and ends the fight. Later on, Rafiki examines Taka and finds a deep cut on Taka's left eye, which cannot be fully healed. Taka then asks that he be called Scar from now on as a reminder of how he foolishly allowed his anger to rule him.
Characteristics
Personality
Scar is highly intelligent and charismatic, able to rally the hyenas to his cause and gain fanatical loyalty from Zira and her pride of lionesses. Scar is a Machiavellian individual who is mainly concerned with gaining power and will kill anyone he sees as competition. Despite his ruthless nature he is a somewhat cowardly individual, more likely to run away from violence than confront it. When pressed though, he is portrayed as a fierce fighter who holds his own against and almost defeats Simba at the movie's climax.
Scar's lyrics in "Be Prepared" ("meticulous planning, tenacity spanning, decades of denial, is simply why I'll be King undisputed, respected, saluted and seen for the wonder I am") and his inability to take criticism either from Shenzi or Sarabi establish him as a narcissist.
Family
- Ahadi (father)
- Uru (mother)
- Mufasa (brother)
- Zira (possible mate)
- Nuka (possible son)
- Vitani (possible daughter)
- Sarabi (sister-in-law)
- Simba (nephew)
- Nala (niece-in-law)
- Kiara (great-niece)
- Kovu (heir, possible stepson)
- Kopa (great-nephew)
Other appearances
- Scar makes very brief, non-speaking appearances in a couple of episodes of the animated TV series The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa (1995-1999). He is seen when Timon tries to revive Pumbaa's amnesia after being struck by lightning, and when Zazu cleans out his trashcan.
- Scar appears briefly in the TV series House of Mouse (2001-2003), along with many other Disney characters.
- Scar appears in Festival of the Lion King, an attraction in Disney's Animal Kingdom and Hong Kong Disneyland. The attraction is a shortened version of the Broadway musical, and Scar is also portrayed by a human actor. He also appears as one of the villains the Queen evokes to fight Mickey Mouse in the Disney's Hollywood Studios version of Fantasmic! Nighttime Show Spectacular.
- Scar appeared as one of The Walt Disney Company's lawyers in a Saturday Night Live Saturday TV Funhouse sketch called "The Disney Vault". After the two children try to escape the vault, the lawyers stop them and Scar bribes them to stay by showing them The Lion King 5 & 2/3: Simba fills in on The View, (the actual wording was "Simba sits in for Meredith").
- Scar appears in the Disney World attraction Fantasmic as one of the villains plotting to destroy Mickey Mouse's dream. He says only one line: "Yes, perfect."
- Scar is also seen in Hercules (1997 film). When Hercules is posing for a painting on a pot, he is wearing Scar's skin on his back.
- In Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa the antagonist, Makunga, is extremely similar to Scar.
- A lion resembling him appeared in the Lil' Eightball cartoon which was owned by competitor Universal Studios, Silly Superstition [1]
External links
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