Simba

[TheRoguePrince]

who has who?

[Harvs]

I'll go ahead and take Cub Simba this time. Just because I'm more knowledgeable about Simba all around, and I can defend him at all ages.

[TheRoguePrince]

you are so lucky I conceded to a Simba v. Simba battle... Cub Simba is obviously the better of the two Simbas, he is brave, fun loving and almost completely fearless, he is trusting of his elders and would not fret at the details of friendship. Simba even tries to stand up for Zazu against the hyenas, and then defends Nala. All in the name of bravery.

[Harvs]

Now that is where you are wrong. Adult Simba is brave because after living in Hakuna Matata for who knows how long, Nala comes out of nowhere and starts a fight. Simba, in light of this, doesn't hesitate once and defends his friends. And don't even try to tell me that adult Simba isn't fun loving. Hakuna Matata means no worries, and in the Lion King 1.5, we see several clips of how Simba is living it up in the lap of luxury. Sometimes, Cub Simba is a bit too trusting of his elders... hint hint Scar. And he deliberately disobeys his father.

[TheRoguePrince]

His trust does get cub Simba into trouble, but the faith of a child should not be abused in the first place. Cub Simba is still a lot more willing to let loose and have fun than his elder version, note "I just can't wait to be king" and his disobedience was due to the fact that he was tricked into trying to prove his bravery to his father and to Nala, his best friend, anyone would have counter attacked the strange, alien lioness invading there home, how could he let her eat Pumbaa?

[Harvs]

This is not about Scar's trickery, Mufasa told Simba that he must never go to the shadowy place. But what Cub Simba doesn't know is that being a king is a lot of work. If he knew that as a cub, he wouldn't have sang a whole number on it. Meanwhile, Adult Simba lives everyday with "three pals and no worries." While you are right about everyone defending their friend, Cub Simba does the same thing for Nala in the elephant graveyard... and then proceeds to flee. Even though Adult Simba wants to run away when he returns to Pride Rock, he stays because he knows that it's what must be done... bringing me to my next point, Simba is much wiser as an adult, and that itself is a necessary trait for any and all characters.

[TheRoguePrince]

Herein lies a problem in your reasoning, adult Simba, though wise in some ways, is completely broken of any kind of trust and refuses wisdom when he sees it. In his attemps to make up for his trusting childhood he completely alienates himself from his daughter and nearly his mate. Is this wisdom? I find that cub Simba, though not as wise in some ways as adult Simba, would never dream of acting like his older counterpart in that way. Though excitable, cub Simba is honorable to a fault, though misguided, and takes responsibility for his percieved crime in a way presented to him as best.

[Harvs]

Broken trust? or Unfathomable love? While he alienates Kovu, he does it out of love for his daughter as well as his entire pride. Let's not forget that Zazu wanted to make an exception in Mufasa's laws to simply exile Kovu without a trial. And who was the one to say no? He might not have dreamed of acting like that but when faced with the challenge of overcoming his father's death at a very early age, and learning that his uncle whom he had trusted for his entire cubhood had been plotting against him, completely changed his future. If my memory correctly serves me (which it usually does when it comes to the Lion King) Cub Simba was just about to give up on life. Is this wisdom? Were it not for Timon and Pumba, Simba would have died. And lastly, Adult Simba takes the blame for something much bigger than simply disobeying his father.

[TheRoguePrince]

Gife up on life? He nearly died in the desert, is that giving up? No, he was only a cub and his entire world had just been rocked by the death of his father and his uncle's words. I am surprised he got as far as he did. Simba didn't go back to Priderock because the best thing for him, according to his trusted Uncle, was for him to run away. The fact that he was able to escape the hyenas was also impressive, and he did well to survive in the jungle.

[Harvs]

He did well to survive in the jungle because Timon and Pumba were like his new parents. They showed him how to survive in the jungle, so it's not his own skill. And his world was still being rocked even as an adult. But it's easier to run than it is to come back. Cub Simba runs away because he doesn't know what else he can do. Mufasa activated this response by his death. Adult Simba returns to Pride Rock, even though he doesn't want to. He simply has to. Mufasa activated this response by the cloud scene.