Hunting

[Kopalover]

So I see it that Kiara's lack of hunting ability was forced in so that she can bond with Kovu.

Agreed.

If Kiara was a skilled hunter, she would've never went off with Kovu, would've finished her hunt and avoided the fire. As well as avoiding the bond with Kovu.

[PrincessKiara]

I have actually never considered Kiaras hunting skils (or lack thereof) being a deliberate move on the writers part in order to bring Kiara and Kovu closer together. *is dense*

I think that Nala (perhaps also with the help of other excperienced lionesses from the pride) has taught Kiara how to hunt, and like it was mentioned, I have no doubt that Kiara is younger than Nala was in TLK. Plus, considering how Scar made the lionesses overhunt, one can assume that Nala gained more excperience quicker. I think Kiara would have done well if she had had more time to prepare/more training.

Regarding how Simba`s over-protectiveness comes into it, I imagine he would feel nervous about his daughter learning to hunt due to the risks involved, but I also hope that he actually stayed out of it for the most part, considering that it`s the lionesses who do the hunting, so it`s not like he`d be able to train her himself. (he grew up eating bugs anyway, he`s most likely never learned to hunt at all)

I do not think that Kiara would refuse to learn how to hunt, though. It is clear that she (as a cub, in any case) had reservations about becoming queen because of the immense responsibility, and being given a role she never asked for. I personally don`t think she would resist learning about hunting. She was very excited and seemed confident about her first hunt, I think she was looking forward to showing her parents (Simba) that she was capable of doing things on her own, and hunting would give her a sorely needed freedom and excperience of mastering a skill.

[KentuckyWildcat]

I tend to agree with the theory that Kiara was an akward teenager at the time of her first hunt and would have eventually improved. The discussion in this thread brought up an entirely different question that's bugging me now though.

Where on earth did Kovu learn how to hunt larger game? I know that Zira trained him to kill Simba, but fighting skills and hunting skills are not the same, and it seems that the Outlands were lacking in large prey for him to hone his skills against. Therefore, it doesn't make much sense to me that he could have tuaght Kiara very effectively when he shouldn't have been very experienced himself. Any thoughts on this?

[cleargreenwater]

I actually assume that the Outlanders made forays into the Pridelands before much like the hyenas had in Mufasa's reign, because for that matter all of them involved in starting the fire seemed to navigate their enemy's turf with confidence and ease.

Albeit it's been a very long time since I last watched SP, I seem to have recollection of Kovu, Vitani & Nuka all contributing as if the directions around the place were pretty down pat. I could be completely, totally wrong though. Like I said, it's been a VERY long time for me.

[Regulus]

^ But didn't Kiara run away from the Pridelands for her hunt?

But the Outlanders would have had no way of being able to predict that, so I guess they did plan to set fire to the Pridelands.

Although, if the fire was in the Pridelands, what prevented it from spreading all the way to Pride Rock?

And how did the Outlanders know that Kiara was starting her hunt?

[PrincessKiara]

Where on earth did Kovu learn how to hunt larger game? I know that Zira trained him to kill Simba, but fighting skills and hunting skills are not the same, and it seems that the Outlands were lacking in large prey for him to hone his skills against. Therefore, it doesn't make much sense to me that he could have tuaght Kiara very effectively when he shouldn't have been very experienced himself. Any thoughts on this?

Like cleargreenwater said, I too think that the Outlanders have crossed the border several times before, in order to know the land as well as they do. Some lionesses were probably Ziras age when they were banished, and would remember the surroundings of their old home, I should think. But Nuka, Kovu and Vitani were cubs/infants at that time, and would have had to visit the Pride Lands themselves in order to learn the different locations and the movements of Simba`s pride.
I imagine that the Outlander pride did some hunting close to the border in order to bring down large game, or else it seems highly unlikely that they would have been able to survive.

But didn't Kiara run away from the Pridelands for her hunt?

Although, if the fire was in the Pridelands, what prevented it from spreading all the way to Pride Rock?

And how did the Outlanders know that Kiara was starting her hunt?

1 - she said she was going away from the Pridelands, but we don`t know how far she went. From the looks of things, she couldn`t have reached the Outlands, and the other things we know surround the Pride Lands are the desert and the Elephant Graveyard. So my guess is that she was still within the Pride Lands borders, but perhaps further out that she`s been before, at the edge of a border, perhaps.

2 - I don`t know what could have prevented the fire from spreading, the only thing I can think of is a rainfall during the night? (as no change in weather is shown)

3 - that is a very good question. Perhaps the Outlander pride had a mole in Simba`s pride?

[cleargreenwater]

I assumed her hunt was still taking place within the Pridelands when I watched it, but like I said, I haven't seen often, I could be mis-remembering something. Which leads me to your next incongruity:

And how did the Outlanders know that Kiara was starting her hunt?

You know......I would've guessed it would have been talked about within the Pridelands like someone's kid's graduation ceremony is mentioned around a workplace, but then **IDK** what--Hide yo' kids, hide yo' wife?

Come to think of it maybe Kiara wasn't all that horrible at hunting, the animals all just had advanced notice XD

[cleargreenwater]

2 - I don`t know what could have prevented the fire from spreading, the only thing I can think of is a rainfall during the night? (as no change in weather is shown)

3 - that is a very good question. Perhaps the Outlander pride had a mole in Simba`s pride?

....Maybe the moles dug a fire break trench!!

[SlayerOfLight]

Nala looked too much like a lazy boring housewife to be teaching her daughter how to hunt, and Simba looked too much like an overprotective douchebag. Hence the reason why the ''kitty'' princess sucks at hunting.

[PrincessKiara]

Bumping this as I would like to see more opinions.

I would think it natural that Nala would teach her daughter how to hunt, but Simbas overprotectiveness might come into play here as well.