My Lion King Forum

Where did all the Outlander lionesses come from? Were all of them banished for being loyal to Scar, along with Zira and her cubs? (If they were, wouldn’t that mean Simba banished half his own pride?)
Did Zira "recruit" lionesses from other prides to join her?
How many of the Outlanders do you think were born in the Outlands?

That's a very good question! I always thought they were born as Outlanders, but I suppose there wasn't enough time for so many to be born and grow up...

I’ve always reckoned a few were born there, and a couple were probably cubs when they were banished along with their mothers. To me, some the Outlander lionesses look quite young, around Vitanis age. But that’s just my impression.

If some lionesses were cubs at the time they were banished, their mothers could have died while they were growing up. They could have gotten injured (and gotten infected wounds) or simply starved to death.

Of course, the lack of food makes the Outlanders look small and scrawny, and that could be why they look younger compared to the muscular, well-fed Pridelands lionesses.

I always assumed that the Outlander lionesses were partly former Pridelanders that were banished along with Zira, perhaps for holding some inclinations toward Scar's rule. Then again, it's also very possible that, upon her banishment, Zira might have traveled to distant prides to rally support for her cause, with the Outlands being the base of operations given its proximity to the Pridelands. I guess I'd imagine it would be one of those two things; I don't see them having already been in the Outlands prior to Zira's arrival, but that said, it certainly isn't impossible.

i allways thout that they were all banished for being loyal to Scar

Ya im not sure about that maybe they were banished but maybe disney didnt overthink that part...

Asking this question raises a good point. I guess a lot of us assumed that they were loyal to Scar and followed Zira, and I'm sure that that was true in more than a few cases from the way Zira talks. She always implies that she and the rest of the pride have a personal stake in taking back the pridelands. Having said that, it's more than possible that others came from somewhere else.

I don’t think any lions were living in the Outlands before Zira and friends were banished.. Why would anyone live there unless they were forced into exile, right?

Like YFWE mentioned, I think it’s quite possible that Zira recruited lionesses from other prides, or rogues, promising them a bright future in a lush land..

So I think that a certain group of the Outlanders were banished together with Zira, making up the hard core of the Outlander pride, and some were recruited.

Makes sense to me. ^^

Maybe some of them left because they agreed with Scar and Zira.