My Lion King Forum

Mufasa and Scar were brothers yet they look extremely different. I'm not talking about their bodies but about their facial features. Zira also looks similar to Scar, and we know that she's not related to Mufasa's family in any way but was just a lioness who followed and supported Scar. Then we have the whole outsiders group of lionesses who look similar to Zira, and there's NO way that they're all Scar's cubs.

I don't really understand it, I never did honestly

The reason why Scar and Mufasa look different is not one that I know of (nor anyone else outside of Disney for that matter as far as I am aware), except that it was needed for the plot: It had to be made clear that on a 1-on-1 fight between Scar and Mufasa, Scar would lose because he is much weaker and smaller. But Scar considered himself to be smarter, and came up with the stampede plan to kill off Mufasa, which worked.

As for the Outsiders and Zira, there's always the fact that there is much less food in the Outlands, so they don't have as much muscle and bulk. The ultimate reason I think again lies in the plot: Zira and the Outsiders needed to look like Scar as a visual cue for the audience to readily identify them as the antagonists in the movie.

Their faces are contorted from spending all their time being pissed off and generally doing evil things. It's not genetic, its environmental.

That's my theory, at least.

From a production standpoint, the artists of Simba's Pride simply used what was established in the previous movie. Scar's black nose, extended claws, and a scar (or facial injury) was used to distinguish him as the villain. For Simba's Pride, the artists reused those templates to tell the audience that the Outsiders are the villains for the movie.

From a within-the-universe perspective, the Outsiders have those facial features because of genetics and how their bodies adapt to their environments. Other facial features like Zira's ear chuck or whatever facial deformity the Outsider lionesses are probably a result of the fights they encountered.

I think Disney just wanted to illustrate the differences between protagonists and antagonists. In fact it's like that in most Disney movies. Of course, their personalities stand out but it will be harder for younger viewers to tell who's "bad guy, good guy". Have you ever noticed that the heros look strong, handsome and seem to possess reflexes of a kung-fu master? Whereas the villains have a scary, wicked, and weak build in contrast to the proagonist. (If they aren't shown physically it is emotionally)

The Outsiders could be suffering from malnutrition. In the scene where Zira and Simba have their confrontational standoff in front of their cubs, Zira briefly describes the Outlands as having "little food, less water". So naturally their going to be scraggly looking. The evil gleam in their body could have something to do with their personalities.

Now about Scar. Although he possessed traits with the Outsiders he had no affiliation (because he was presumably eaten by his henchmen) with the exception that they wanted to do away with Simba. (Although Zira wanted to for revenge purposes) But perhaps the reasoning for Scar's weak appearance is to distinguish the difference between protagonist and antagonist.

Obviously because the outlands is not a nice place to live. Little food and less water (and possibly a lack of sunlight) is what made those lionesses appear so underfed and unhealthy looking. An alternative or second reason is simply to tell the diffrence between prideland lionesses and outland lionesses.

Because they`re supposed to be evil, and this needs to be porrtayed clearly enough for the dumb little kids to get the message. Notice how they all morph into prideland-looking lions at the end..

[quote="PrincessKiara"]Notice how they all morph into prideland-looking lions at the end..[/quote]

I also think in the beginning they must look different than pridelanders, there has to be differences between them. And it's true they look all same in the end

It's actually quite simple. Disney does that in most of its movies, wanting "good guys" to look more attractive, and stronger, so they would get all the sympathy from the beginning. Scar looks amazing (in my opinion =P), but he still does seem evil, and that's what gives kids directions who's on right side, and who isn't.

It's also likely that Outlanders looked weaker because of their living conditions, which were pretty bad. Don't forget they had no normal resources of food and water. Kovu looked really strong, though.

^ Exactly. Disney has a fondness for obvious symbolism.

As for Kovu having a good strong build, I assume Zira made sure he was well fed throughout cubhood so he could build muscles and become a strong, skilled fighter and killer.. scraps wouldn`t have gotten the job done.