Shere Khan

**Shere Khan** is the main antagonist of Disney's 1967 animated feature film, *The Jungle Book* and the 2003 sequel. A powerful Bengal tiger, Shere Khan is considered suave and charming, yet is deeply feared as the most ferocious predator in the jungle. His reputation was such that he needed only to show himself to intimidate his victims. Khan is equally notorious for his animosity toward man, due to his fear of guns and fire. As such, he has vowed to kill any human that steps foot in the jungle.

## Background

As a cub, Shere Khan was best friends with Baloo, Bagheera, Louie, Hathi, and Kaa. However, he was egotistical and cocky which sometimes led to situations where his friends had to bail him out. Nonetheless, he was fond of his friends and was often protective of them when there was danger. In many episodes he even saved their lives. He was also quite affectionate and loving toward his old grandmother. However, as a predator, Khan acted tough as he thought the other animals wouldn't respect him if he showed his soft side. He and his friends went on many adventures together but, at some undetermined point in time, Shere Khan became vicious and belligerent, feared by all the inhabitants of the jungle. He lost the esteem of his friends and they regarded him with distrust from that moment forward.

Despite this, in the DVD scenes of Jungle Cubs: Born to be Wild, Baloo, now an adult, says that, while Khan would "first eat and then ask questions", he doesn't do it out of malice. This implies that, like any other predator, Khan's ways of hunting are merely to survive.

## Personality

Shere Khan, as a tiger, is the physical embodiment of power and composes himself with grace. Carrying himself with a dignified manner and possessing a strong sense of regal pride and elegance, the ruthless tiger is viewed as the uncorroborated lord of the jungles of India. He is well aware of this reputation and asserts it with sadistic pleasure to the best advantage. Most, if not all, residents of the jungle fear Shere Khan, and for reasons apparent: he is physically imposing and arguably the strongest predator in the jungle; his charm and stoic expressions bely an unpredictable and ferocious nature with a hair-trigger temper; and his sharp teeth and claws are unmatched in battle. He speaks rather politely, even to potential victims, with a soft tone, though he interjects with subtly condescending comments. He also seems fond of taunting and emotionally taunting his prey until he's ready to make the killing strike.

There is no creature Shere Khan holds a deeper burning hatred and resentment for than mankind. It is strongly implied that Shere Khan sees humans as unforgiving, soulless creatures who continuously cause havoc on nature, using narcissistic entitlement as justification for such acts. According to Bagheera, Khan "hates man with a vengeance...because he fears man's gun and man's fire"; these two weapons being the only things capable of challenging Khan's authority and power. His fear of fire is the most dominant; a crippling phobia capable of driving the tiger to immediate panic. As such, Shere Khan has vowed to kill any human that steps foot within the jungle. His rage is such that he is devoted to killing Mowgli, and any creature willing to protect him, to prevent the man-cub from growing up to wield the weapons he fears.

In *The Jungle Book 2*, Shere Khan's personality and aura take a somewhat darker turn, no doubt a result of his humiliating defeat at the hands of Mowgli. In contrast to the first film, his polite mannerisms and calm monologues are a rarity. His bitterness and hatred for Mowgli have removed any patience or refinement. He is quick to action with no mood for distractions or foolishness and behaves in a more feral way, constantly growling, roaring, and lashing out at anything that pesters him, including a jokester vulture as punishment for mocking him.

## History

### In the movies

Like in the book, the tiger had killed Mowgli's parents and hunted him down. According to Bagheera, he fears man's gun and fire and wouldn't wait until Mowgli had either.

## Sora’s Adventures in Kingdom Hearts

Shere Khan is a recurring Disney villain often revived by Pete, Maleficent, and Xehanort. His role is largely like in the movies, with the exception of his first death being at the hands of Riku's Oblivion Keyblade. His Nobody, the Jungle Shadow, his Heartless, The Man Hating Tiger and his Unversed remained after their first departure and sealing of the Keyhole. He team up with Vanitas. He used the Heartless to find Mowgli in Sora’s Adventures in Kipling Jungle