Zira

**Zira** is the secondary antagonist of Disney's The Lion King franchise, serving as the main antagonist of the 1998 Disney direct-to-video film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and The Lion Guard episode Lions of the Outlands.

She is a loyal follower of Scar who sought to avenge him after his defeat/death by having his youngest son Kovu kill Simba in order to have him become the new king of the Pride Lands. She is also Nuka, Vintani, and Kovu's mother, and the former leader of the Outsiders

In The Lion King II: Simba Pride, Zira was voiced by the late Suzanne Pleshette while in the Lion Guard, she was voiced by Nika Fitterman.

## History

### The Lion King II: Simba's Pride

Zira is first seen spying at Kiara and Kovu in which they were talking in the grasslands. Just then, Simba arrives and steps in front of Kovu and roars at him. Zira comes out of her hiding spot just to defend Kovu and roars at Simba as well as preparing to fight him, only to see that he is accompanied by his wife Nala, his friends Timon and Pumbaa and two lionesses. Timon tells Zira to get out of their "Pride Lands", to which Zira replies "Your Pride Lands and roars at Timon in which scares Timon and Pumbaa. Simba then reminds Zira that she was banished from the Pride Lands and tells her and Kovu to get out and go back to the Outlands.

Zira tells Simba that her son Kovu was hand chosen by Scar to follow in his paw prints and become king of the Pride Lands and that Kovu was the last born before Simba banished Zira and her pride to the Outlands where there was little food and water in which Timon doesn't find him as the new king of the Pride Lands and just sees him as a fuzzy maraca. Simba is unmoved by Zira's movement and says that she knows the penalty for returning the Pride Lands. Zira replies that Kovu does not know the penalty and offers Kovu to Simba to face the penalty. Simba however lets Kovu go knowing that he couldn't bring himself to hurt or kill a cub. Simba then tells Zira to take Kovu and leave the Pride Lands, saying that they are finished here, before picking Kiara. Zira replies that they barely begun and glares sinisterly at Kiara before picking up Kovu and return back to the Outlands.

When Zira and Kovu return back to the Outlands, the former scolds at Nuka for not watching him, in which Kovu told Zira that it wasn't Nuka's fault and he went off by himself. Zira questions Kovu on what he was doing during the time he went to the Pride Lands as well as on who made them Outsiders and killed Scar as well telling him about Simba and his family/friends, to which Kovu says its nothing, and it was Simba who did those things as well as also saying that he thought that he and Kiara could be friends. At first, Zira scoffs at this, but then realizes that idea can work since if Kovu befriended Kiara, he could earn Simba's trust and able to kill him. Zira congratulates Kovu and says that he is brilliant and has the same conniving mind that made Scar so powerful. Nuka responds in disgust at the statement, Zira snares angrily at him before taking Kovu to bed. Zira states that she can now see the path to their glorious return to power. When Kovu tries to tell Zira that he doesn't want to have any part in her plan, Zira silences him and coos the cub to sleep as well as then says that tomorrow, his training intensifies. Zira then sings about her plan through "My Lullaby".

By the time Kovu and Kiara are now teenagers, Zira tells Kovu about his mission which is avenging Scar by killing Simba in order to become king as well questing him about what did he teach Kovu about which is Simba being the enemy. Zira and the other lions were very happy when heard those words.

Zira then sends Nuka and Vitani to the abandoned Elephant Graveyard in order to fetch fire which will be used to start a wildfire during Kiara's first hunt in order for Kovu to rescue Kiara just so gain Simba's trust, so that Kovu can kill him. Once Zira sees that her plan is in motion, she orders Kovu to rescue Kiara in order for the plan to succeed. Zira and Nuka are then seen spying on Kovu and Kiara and during that, Nuka is annoyed that Kovu didn't attack/kill Kiara (indicating that Zira also plans to have Kovu kill Kiara as well) but Zira hushes him, noting that the wildfire plan worked as well as Simba felling for it as well as the fact with Kovu and Kiara growing closer, the goal of Simba's death is close to being reached. Zira then swipe her paw at a tree branch pretending that was Simba.

One night, Zira is informed by Vitani that she saw Kovu and Simba together at Pride Rock, but Kovu did not attack/kill him. An outraged Zira declares that Kovu cannot betray her.

One day, when Simba and Kovu go out for a walk talking about Scar, Zira and the Outsiders ambush them with Zira congratulating Kovu for believing that he got Simba alone just as she planned. This angers Simba believing that Kovu is luring him into a trap despite Kovu denies having anything to do with it. Zira then order her minions to attack Simba, but Simba got out of it and was able to escape from them. When Kovu leaves despite Zira ordering him to get Simba, Nuka decides to get Simba all by himself in order for Zira's plan work, but Nuka however dies after logs began falling on him during the time, he is pursing Simba, much to Zira's shock. After mourning for Nuka, Zira lashes out at Kovu and strikes him in the face with her paw, making Kovu yelp in pain. When Kovu looks back up at her heavily breathing, Zira is shocked to see that she scratched Kovu's left eye, leaving a scar over it like Scar's. After that, Zira angrily calls out Kovu for betraying her and Scar for not killing Simba and taking over the Pride Lands. When Kovu stands up to Zira and says that he wants nothing more to do with Scar (having been told about his true nature by Simba and Kiara), Zira replies that Kovu cannot escape it and Nuka is dead because of him. After Kovu storms off, Zira tells Vinati and the other Outsiders to let Kovu go, and Simba has hurt her for the last time as well as Simba being injured and weak and corrupting Kovu and they shall attack the kingdom. Zira also reveals that she will take over the Pride Lands by herself.

During a thunderstorm, Zira and the Outsiders arrive to the Pride Lands and battle Simba and the Pridelanders (in which Simba was warned by Zazu). Just as Simba and Zira are about deliver the final blow to each other, Kiara and Kovu arrive to stop the battle. Zira tells Kovu to get out of her way, but he refuses by saying that she will never harm hurt Kiara or Simba while he is here. Kiara manages to convince Simba to give up the feud by saying that a wise king once told her that both prides should be together and put their differences aside for the future of the Pride Lands, which cause both prides to realize their mistakes (expect Zira). Zira then orders Vintani to kill Simba, Kiara and Kovu, but Vintani, realizing that Kiara is right about what she said and turns against Zira, who vows to kill her, if she will not fight.

However, this threat causes the Outsiders, who are shocked and disguised by Zira's words, to turn against Zira and join the Pridelanders. When Zira sees that her minions are turning against her, she orders them to get back on her side, but Simba tells Zira to let go of her past and it's time to put the past behind them, but Zira refuses and in last attempt to avenge Scar, leaps to kill/attack Simba only to be knocked down a cliff by Kiara. As the two lionesses fell down off the cliff, Kiara lands on a ledge while Zira clings on onto it. Kiara attempts to save Zira (despite her actions toward her and the other Pridelanders), the evil lioness, not wanting Kiara's help tries to attack her with her claw. As Zira can't hold on the ledge for long, she falls into the river screaming much to Kiara and Kovu's dismay.