by Mike » July 15th, 2010, 8:19 pm
Depends on your definition of tyrant. With the classical definition Zira is the very definition of a tyrant, seeking to take power by her own means rather than by legitimate succession. I'm guessing you didn't mean that definition though, because there's no debate about it =3
The other aspects of a tyrant including placing oneself above the interest of one's people, and I think in that category, Zira does not fit the definition. She's trying to gain her people the food, land, and dignity that they lost when they were exiled.
Whether or not she'd be a cruel ruler, the final common characteristic of a tyrant, I'm not sure. I think it's safe to assume that the pridelanders would be treated badly, but I don't think Zira would be cruel to her own pride. She's always been as good to them as circumstance allowed before, even if her motives and methods were a bit off =3