My Lion King Forum

Hey, guys, I wasn't really sure if it was worthy enough to be discussed, but I was reading on the Zira article on The Lion King Wiki, and one of the users there managed to contact Darrell Rooney (director of TLKII) via Facebook earlier this month about whether Zira is Scar's mate or not. His comment is listed below:

http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/File:Darrel_Rooney.png

He's confirmed by stating that "her (Zira) relationship with Scar became obscured".

According to Merriam-Webster, the word, obscured, means, "not clearly seen or easily distinguished", while other definitions state "dim, dark, gloomy".

First off, how can a relationship be described as "not clearly seen"? I would have appreciated if he used the word, "changed".

Second, he also added that Kovu was described as an orphan if he can remember correctly. He didn't evaluate on this, but Zira is said to Kovu's mother as stated in the film.

So, Rooney's statements are really confusing; well at least to me so can somebody explain this to me?

What I gather from this (please keep in my mind this is simply my take on the statement) is that when the film was made and Zira's character was fleshed out, the filmmakers must have wanted Zira to have some type of relationship with Scar. However as the story progressed the filmmakers must have forgotten to decide exactly what kind of relationship Zira had with Scar. Without Zira saying at any point in the move that she was Scar's Mate and given how obsessively devoted to him she was. We (the viewer) are left wondering what Zira's relationship to Scar was. Is she his mate, a obsessively deranged fan-girl, or Scar's most loyal and trusted confidant. Being that The filmmakers never clearly defined what Zira's relationship to Scar was and obviously don't know themselves (which is a major oversight in my opinion). We are left with another unanswered question.

As for how Kovu could be an orphan, well if his birth parents were killed and he was adopted by Zira he could have both been an orphan and is now Zira's son. (Actually, that kind of makes my theory of Zira cub-napping Kovu from another pride, more credible )

But you must also look at the definition again - "not clearly seen or easily distinguished". That could make sense; he might not have meant it in the particular way you've interpreted it. ^^

Other defintions list:

"So faintly perceptible as to lack clear delineation; indistinct."

"Out of sight; hidden."

"Not readily noticed or seen; inconspicuous."

"Not clearly understood or expressed; ambiguous or vague."

"To conceal in obscurity; hide."

"To make dim or indistinct."

[quote="TheLionPrince"]First off, how can a relationship be described as "not clearly seen"? [/quote]

Because Zira had some sort of relationship to Scar, but nobody knows anything more than that.

I think by "obscure", he meant that the relationship between Zira and Scar, while not mates, was about as crazy as Zira herself. In other words, Zira wouldn't tell anyone, not even the Outlanders, about her past with Scar, and all we get to find out about her is that she wants to fanatically follow Scar's paw-steps.

I kinda like this, because Zira is so cray in the movie, that I won't pass it behind her that she made up everything between her and Scar. For all goods and purposes, she could be a lioness who heard about Scar and liked what she heard, and somehow made it up that she was destined to bring someone up to retake Scar's throne.

^ lol, that's very true.

Isn't it confirmed that Nuka is the son of both Zira and Scar? If so, does that not confirm that Zira and Scar were mates?

[quote="Regulus"]^ lol, that's very true.

Isn't it confirmed that Nuka is the son of both Zira and Scar? If so, does that not confirm that Zira and Scar were mates?[/quote]

It is confirmed that Zira is his mother, but as far as I know the films never directly say that Scar is his father. Plus Nuka refers to Scar as, well Scar... If he was his father, do you not think that he would just call him Father?

Ohai double post! Thanks MLK I always wanted to double post! How did you know?!

I interpreted Nuka's quote "Scar wasn't even his father" as evidence that he was the son of Scar, in addition to Kovu not being the son of Scar. Considering how similar Nuka looks to Scar, I thought this was an accurate assumption.

[quote="Regulus"]I interpreted Nuka's quote "Scar wasn't even his father" as evidence that he was the son of Scar, in addition to Kovu not being the son of Scar. Considering how similar Nuka looks to Scar, I thought this was an accurate assumption.[/quote]

If you look at the line from the filmmakers's perspective, they added that line to state Kovu is not Scar's son, and since it was the first major scene with Kovu in it, viewers might think he is because of his outward resemblance to Scar so it was best to tell the viewers early on before the film goes any further into the story. But, the line does somewhat hint he is, though.

And, Rooney basically stated Zira was to Scar's mate, but Eisner wanted it changed (due to incent issues) so neither Nuka nor Vitani are Scar's cubs because Zira isn't Scar's mate. Anyway, you can believe what you want.