The saddest moment in the tlk franchise (besides that)

[Elton John]

Outside of mufasa death I mean. Please, no joke responses or blatant trolling.

I choose lil nala crying over simbas 'death'. It shows just how much she cared for him, and at that moment she thought she'd never see him again.

[MiKuna Matata]

When Simba lay on the desert, it seemed his heart had no motivation to live longer. That wasn't only for Mufasa's death but also for what Scar told him. Such a little soul couldn't take that much. ( Luckily, Timon and Pumbaa was there)
Well, Mufasa's death is the most part of "sadness" in TLK. I couldn't think up what other parts contain sad elements.

[DGFone]

Dat moment right after Mufasa's death.

Okay, okay, here is my reasoning for it, and what I am talking about specifically: As soon as Scar exiles Simba, he then immediately sends in the hyenas after him, just to make sure that any loose ends will be tied up and can be safely forgotten about.

And no, I am not talking about the chase scene. Right after showing Mufasa's death, I somehow doubted, even in my first viewing, that Simba would be caught as well. Plus, we already saw that the hyenas failed to catch Simba and Nala once before. Immediately after the chase, we are given a short comedic reprise in seeing the hyenas try and fail miserably to catch Simba once more before the scene fades to Scar delivering a tearful and mournful eulogy to Mufasa and Simba.

However, I am not talking about that. I am talking to the very end of the supposedly comedic scene with the hyenas. Imagine you're Simba: You just saw your dad die, and you are now convinced by your trusted uncle that it was all your fault, who then exiles you, and you just narrowly escaped being Hyena chow.

Crossing the border of the Pride Lands, most likely for the second and last time in your life, you are fleeing the only home you ever knew, and what do you hear getting shouted at you from behind?

"Yeah! You hear that! If you ever come back, we'll kill ya!"

---

Remember: This was the last thing Simba got to experience of the Pride Lands.

Although to be honest, I am not even sure if this counts as a sad scene or just as a heart-wrenching scene. Very powerful nevertheless, which is why I posted it here.

[TheLionPrince]

Mufasa's ghostly visitation to Simba is another highlight that I have read people admitted to crying to. Hans Zimmer's "Busa" score is reprised from Simba finding his father's dead body, which gives it a melancholy, somber mood. Mufasa's encouraging words that "You are more than what you have become" and "Remember who you are..." really strikes a chord in people.

Kovu's exile and the "One of Us" is another scene that is treated seriously and very sad that makes you sympathize with him. Like Simba, Kovu was framed for an ambush attack and a loved one's death that he didn't commit and betrayed by someone he trusted and that includes both Zira and Simba. On top of that, he is realizing everyone he was told about Scar was lie and trying to better himself by removing himself from his shadows. At the end, he's rejected by both sides and forced to live on his own. Overall, it was "one step forward, two steps back" for him.

[SimbaPrescott]

If we're talking about the whole franchise - including deleted scenes - I'd say it's Nuka's death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Nbt9Mr-Ss

Whilst the original scene didn't invoke much of a reaction with me (though I did feel sad), this version really gets to me. That one extra line really makes you sit back and think about what his life must have been like. He spent every day just wanting his mother's approval and attention, but she was so focused on her youngest son that she had no time for him. And only when he reaches his demise does he finally get it. In all the other sad scenes in the movie (bar Mufasa's scene), there is a chance for redemption or a shot at true happiness, which the other characters get (even Scar at least had his time as King). But for Nuka, it all ends there.

[Troll Berserker]

Nuka's death definitely. It's my top saddest moment especially when you consider the deleted scene.
It makes you realize that all the things he did was to impress Zira. When he went after Simba, he said it's for his mother and for himself. Nuka was acting selfish in the film but that's because he saw himself as someone better, stronger and smarter than everyone though him to be. All he wanted is to stop being threated as useless and unworthy and he tried everything to make Zira happy and satisfied, but you can also see in the film that even if Nuka acompanied Zira, she never really noticed him. And you realize that he died in vain just because he wanted to appear as worthy son in Zira's eyes.

[Tsuki]

Nuka's Death was sad but even sadder in the deleted scene. But for me....the scene that always breaks my heart is when Simba starts crying after he's shouted for help after he sees his father's body. Oh gosh .

[ScarsLove]

I think the scene where Simba confronts his dead fathers corpse and pleads for him to come back alive is the saddest point in the movie to me. At the point his voice cracks when he says 'Dad?!' I instantly feel sad. Maybe it's the look on Simbas face that does it for me. That pure mortification and reality hitting him all at once that his father, whom up to this point has been his whole entire world ( along side his mother, but that's beside the point ), will never come back. Parental death would be a tragedy for anyone ( with a decent relationship with their parent, that is ) would be heart-breaking, but to actually witness it would be horrific.

Nuka's death is also notable. I really wish Disney would have kept the deleted scene instead of their rehashed scene. The original had so much more anguish and sadness in it. Especially when you come to realize that Nuka's only reason to live ( imo ) was to please his mother and gain her attention.

ALSO.....

Spoiler: show

Unpopular Opinion: I feel bad for Scar when he dies. His death doesn't really cause sadness in me. But I do empathize with him, even if he is a misunderstood monster. I understand that he was a murderous, manipulative tyrant who would sooner lead his pride to death than bruise his pwn pride. I understand he set his nephew up and lead him into self exile after blaming his fathers death on him and trying to turn him into the hyenas next meal. And I also understand he backstabbed his only followers when the truth finally came out. BUT....I still feel bad. However, my reasonings involve lots of my own particular head-canon and theories, so don't mind me... the crazy Scar obsessed lady of the forum.

[Hatari05]

Nuka's death definitely comes to mind, and I did like the extended version though I understand why it was cut Nuka's reasons for doing what he did were clear already, we already knew all he wanted was a chance to make his mother proud they're are numerous moments that show this.

Other sad moments that come to mind for me are when Simba screams to the sky after his argument with Nala and Kovu's exile.

Of course the king will always be Mufasa's death the moment that changed many a childhoods.

[Squeely]

Does the musical count? Because Endless Night is just such a sad song, brings the tears to my eyes every now and then.

Other than that, definitely Nuka's death. Especially with that deleted line...