Vitani/History

## The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride

Vitani was born a Pride Lander shortly before the fall of Scar and was exiled to the Outlands along with her mother, brothers, and Scar's band of loyal followers by Scar's nephew Simba following Scar's defeat and death. Unlike Nuka, Vitani never resented Kovu for being the "chosen one." Instead, she expressed pride in Kovu and supported his role as Scar's chosen heir.

As a cub, Vitani battles with a dry tree root, sparing her approaching older brother Nuka a glaring glance when she hears his jeering taunts. She ignores him and continues to tug on the root, only truly acknowledging him when he cuts it with his claw.

Growling, Vitani rises and asks Nuka about Kovu's whereabouts. She is displeased when the older lion makes it clear that he doesn't care about Kovu's well-being but smirks when he complains about how *he* should have been the chosen one, not Kovu. Vitani scoffs, daring Nuka to tell this to Zira before pointing out that their mother has arrived. Zira ignores Nuka, depositing Kovu onto the dry, cracked ground, where Vitani goads Kovu into a playful fight.

Shortly after Zira's return, Vitani is seen singing *My Lullaby*, accompanying her mother and brother in song. While Nuka clearly disapproves of Kovu becoming king, Vitani doesn't mind, protecting him from Nuka and enthusiastically cheering upon Zira's request.

Vitani is then seen as a young adult side-by-side with her brother Nuka in the Elephant Graveyard. The two overlook the area, and Vitani scoffs at Nuka's discomfort. She then leaps down ahead of him, setting two sticks over a geyser, and smirks at Nuka when he is scared by the rising steam. Rolling her eyes, she picks up her lit stick, and the two head into the Pride Lands, setting it on fire when they spot Kiara hunting. During their arsoning, Nuka accidentally surrounds himself in the flame, and after he comically escapes, Vitani snatches him from view.

Much later, following Kovu's acceptance into the enemy pride, Vitani witnesses Kovu entering the royal den with Simba's approval under the cover of the night sky, at first enthusiastically and silently urging Kovu to attack. When he enters peacefully, she snarls, turning tail and fleeing from the Pride Lands to report the news to Zira. Her mother asks for definite confirmation about Kovu's betrayal, and Vitani sticks to her story, reminding Zira that she saw it with her own eyes.

During Zira's ambush, Vitani takes up a position on Simba's back, sinking her teeth in his back and her claws into his shoulder and hindquarters. When Kovu starts swatting some of the Outsiders away in an attempt to help Simba fend them off, she notices his interference and delivers a powerful kick directly to his head, sending him flying into a nearby boulder, which knocks him unconscious. When Nuka tackles Simba off the ledge, Vitani is the first to lunge at him, missing by a hair.

As Simba begins to climb the logs clogging the gorge and kicks some down in the process, Vitani watches angrily as their target gets away. Kovu appears, and she waits for him to push Simba down to his death, but he refuses, so Nuka pursues Simba instead. Both Zira and Vitani watch in horror as a log gives under Nuka's hind paw, and he plummets toward the bottom of the dam to his death.

Vitani looks on as her mother savagely digs Nuka's head out from underneath the rubble, revealing his gasping form. He says his last words, and Vitani delivers a final "Nuka..." before hanging her head. After Nuka dies, Zira directs her rage at Kovu, giving him a scar, and Vitani snarls alongside her mother at Kovu's treacherous act. After Kovu runs off, she eagerly listens to her mother for further instructions as to how they can claim the Pride Lands as their own.

Vitani stays close by Zira as they invade the Pride Lands and chooses Nala as her main opponent. They have a brief exchange and then lunge for one another, rolling in the mud (though Nala is the one who comes out on top). The fighting goes on until Kovu and Kiara arrive, standing in-between their warring parents to keep them from fighting. Kiara speaks reason to Simba, telling him that the fighting must stop. Simba tries to argue with his daughter, but Kiara explains that the Outsiders are just like the Pride Landers.

Vitani is the first of the Outsiders to realize what this means and refuses Zira's order to attack, joining the Pride Landers alongside her brother. At Vitani's refusal to fight, Zira threatens her daughter's life. With clear shock and disbelief at the lengths Zira is willing to go to defeat Simba, the remaining Outsiders disgustedly leave her side to join Vitani with the Pride Landers. Following her mother's death, Vitani joins the Pride Landers and witnesses her brother Kovu's marriage to Kiara.

## The Lion Guard

### Lions of the Outlands

When Vitani and her family drive Jasiri's Clan from their watering hole, Jasiri, goes to her friend Kion for help. Kion and Jasiri are brought to Zira by Nuka and Kovu, and Zira introduces herself and Vitani, who is skeptical of Kion for being friends with a hyena, but does display some curiosity over their friendship.

Eventually, Zira and Kion move off to talk about the Roar of the Elders, and Vitani is left behind with Nuka, Kovu, and Jasiri. After her talk with Kion, Zira returns to her children and lies to Jasiri that Kion has allowed the Outsiders to keep the watering hole. She then takes her cubs to where she has surrounded Kion with her lionesses.

During the confrontation, the rest of the Lion Guard arrives to fight the Outsiders. Vitani prepares herself to fight, but gets pinned down by Fuli. They back the lions up against a wall, and Kion uses the Roar of the Elders to blast them away. The pride lands in a termite mound, which Zira declares to be their new home.

### Return to the Pride Lands

After hearing that Zira is planning to attack the Pride Lands, the Lion Guard returns to their homeland. Not recognizing Kion because of his scar, Vitani and her lionesses mistake the Lion Guard for enemies. A fight ensues between the two groups, and Kion attempts to use the Roar against Vitani and her lionesses. However, Kiara and Kovu interject and reveal that Vitani and the rest of Zira's pride have joined the Pride Landers.

The next day, Vitani and her lionesses meet Kion and his friends at the Lair of the Lion Guard. Vitani explains that as the future king's sister, she believes that it is her responsibility to protect the Pride Lands, so she has formed her own Lion Guard in their absence. Kion argues that he is the future queen's brother and has the mark of the Guard along with the Roar of the Elders, but Vitani and her guard still refuse to back down.

They start a competition to decide which one is more worthy to become the defender of the Pride Lands. After both sides have two wins, Vitani suggests that the last competition for the fiercest should be a mashindano. This shocks Kion, who tells Vitani she has no chance of winning since he has the Roar, but Vitani tells Kion that she doesn't need the roar because she believes that she's fierce enough to lead the Lion Guard.

Kion deems Vitani worthy to lead the Lion Guard and bestows her the mark of the Lion Guard along with the Roar of the Elders. Vitani demonstrates the Roar, and the mark of the Lion Guard disappears from Kion and his friends, officially establishing Vitani's Lion Guard and ending Kion's Guard. Vitani then witnesses Askari's spirit appearing and commending Kion for his mastery of the Roar. She asks Kion what it means to master the Roar, and Kion replies by using the Roar to lift Pride Rock, which astonishes Vitani.