Zira

*"Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kind of works for me."*

―Zira
**Zira** was a female lion. She was the queen consort of Pride Rock through her marriage to Scar and the queen of the Outsiders. She was the youngest cub of Bianka and Kuzimu, the younger sister of Azola and Ujanja and the mother of Mrithi, Akiki, Nuka, Nunka, Shetani, Adanna, Ojore, Vitani and Kovu.

## History

### Early life

Zira was born to Queen Bianka and King Kuzimu of the Outlands and the younger sister of Princess Azola and Prince Ujanja. Her named meant 'hate' referencing her mother's hatred for her.

### Cubhood

Zira was a part of The Outlander Pride, known for their violence, aggression and plain evil acts. Zira never quite understood why her Pride was the way it was..why there were so many different rules and how they were never as well-established and communicating as other Prides. Zira spent a lot of her time with her older sister Azola, who usually protected Zira from their mother who was heartless and wanted nothing but to hurt her children, thinking it would make them strong and powerful in the long-run. Zira once noticed that Ujanja had a fresh scar over right eye to which he stated "it's just training Zi Zi" but Zira did not like the idea of her brother getting hurt in training as neither did Azola. Zira had a close relationship with her father King Kuzimu, whom was kind and loving towards his children unlike the lioness who he took on as his mate Queen Bianka, known for being heartless and hateful, who wanted to raise her cubs to be cold-hearted killers. Zira knew her mother wasn't always like that through stories of her mother and her father but she still disliked her mother.

Zira was put through incredible amounts of Physical, emotional and physiological abuse by her mother during Zira's 'training' causing the young cub to see her mother as nothing more than a brute who wanted to hurt the family.

### Banishment of Azola

At some point during Zira's cubhood, Azola was banished by Bianka for having a rogue lover whom resided in the Pride Lands. Azola was expected to have disappeared by dawn of the next day and would no longer hold the title of future leader of the Outlander Pride which was then given to Zira. In the night, Azola picked up the sleeping Zira and fled to the Pride Lands as Azola wanted to save Zira from 'the same cruel fate' but knew that Ujanja and her father were strong enough to protect themselves from Bianka, begging King Ahadi and Queen Uru to see her rogue lover and to accept Her and Zira as members of their Pride Ahadi and Uru smiled and accepted Azola and Zira as one of their own.

### Becoming Friends with Sarabi

The next day, Azola and Zira were introduced to the other lionesses of the pride. Azola left Zira with the cubs of the Pride and went out hunting with the lionesses. Zira didn't bother to interact with the other cubs, whom she deemed curiously annoying but one lioness decided to spark a conversation. The lioness introduced herself as Sarabi and they soon became the closest of friends, Sarabi introduced Zira to her sisters and parents and helped Zira warm up to the lionesses of the group as well as the other cubs.

### Meeting Taka

**Taka**: *i'm sorry, I promise I didn't mean it, I didn't know. I'm Taka, by the way..*

**Zira**: *Zira. My name is Zira.*

*-Taka introducing himself to Zira*

One morning Taka was taking a morning walk in the Pride Lands when he accidentally bumped into Zira and Sarabi who were play fighting which caused an argument between him and Zira as Sarabi ran to go find Ahadi, Uru and Azola to stop the argument between them.

After The Argument, Taka and Zira wouldn't talk to one another and would often ignore each others presence.

Taka went to go and tell him mother about the little lioness who he was convinced wanted to "eat him alive" while Zira told Azola all about the "lanky and stinky cub who tried to challenge her".

Taka was encouraged to Apologise to Zira by Uru as she explained that the pride Zira was raised in saw an 'innocent bump' as a way of challenging someone for the highest power and for whom was the strongest so Zira could have thought that Taka was challenging her and her dominance in the Pride. Taka promised his mother he'd find the lioness and make a proper apology. Azola tried to explain to Zira about how the two prides are very different and how her being bumped into could have just been an accident, but the angry little lioness refused to listen to her big sisters reasoning.

Zira was resting in the son when she sensed Taka come up behind her. He gave Zira the flower and apologised if he made a bad introduction for himself and Zira soon forgave him, They spent most of the day getting to know one another as well as Taka giving Zira a tour of the Pride Lands.

They spend more and more time together to eventually become best friends, he was also nicknamed 'Princey' by Zira.

### Kuzimu finds his daughters

One Day, when Zira is playing with Taka and Sarafina, she sees a lion who looks incredibly familiar but she finds out that the lionesses are going out hunting and she decides to join them with Sarafina so she'll be able to show off her skills. The lion she saw turned out to be her father, Kuzimu, who asked to reside in the Pride Lands so he would be able to be with his daughters, Azola and Zira. when Zira and Azola came back from the hunt, they saw Kuzimu talking with Ahadi about their two Prides and backstories between one another. Zira was in great delight knowing her father would be able to be with her and Azola as she saw it nothing more as them being together as a happy family with a loving Pride.

### The Attack

Zira soon became a part of a friend group consisting of Mufasa, Taka and Sarabi as well as herself and sometimes Sarafina when she's not bothering Tanzu and They all agreed to go and play in the waterhole. This leads to Taka tricking his big brother into going down to the waterhole, where a Cape buffalo called Boma is refusing to share the water with the rest of The Pride Lands which, at the time, is having a terrible drought. While there Mufasa starts to try to reason with Boma and Taka roars and tells Boma that he should move by order of the Lion King, or fight Mufasa, Boma charges out of the water at Mufasa afterwards. Mufasa gets away with the aid of a mandrill called Rafiki, and Boma goes after Taka instead. Mufasa runs back and looks for Taka being assaulted by Boma's herd. A large buffalo slashes Taka with his horns, causing him to be knocked unconscious. Zira begins to get angry and charges at the Cape buffalo, whom she pounces on and slices his eye. Mufasa leaps in to rescue his younger brother and the buffaloes make ready to attack again but Mufasa covers Taka, Sarabi and Sarafina with his body. Zira continues to fight with Boma, Boma biting down onto her ear and ripping out a chunk, causing the young lioness to cry out in pain but Boma was more bruised and bloody then the young lioness. Before they can do so, King Ahadi, father of Taka and Mufasa, appears with a large herd of animals that surrounds the buffaloes. Boma is told his place and the buffaloes move away. Ahadi tells Zuzu, the Majordomo, to get Uru and Azola.

Uru and Azola eventually arrive, seeing Ahadi cuddling three crying cubs. Uru asked where Taka and Zira were and Ahadi moves his head to the corner, where two bloody cubs are cuddled unconscious in the corner, causing both Uru and Azola to run to their aid. Azola took a look at the bloody and hurt Boma realising those scars and marks on his body is a violence shown only by her little sister. Uru drags young Taka and Zira over to the water hole, where their faces and bodies are cleaned, using the water to wipe off the blood resting on their fur.

A few days later, Taka wakes up next to a whimpering Zira cuddling up next to him. He looks at her ear and points to the new notch left in her ear to which she explains that when Boma hurt Taka something inside her stirred and she pounced on him, injuring him but losing a bit of her ear in the process. Taka felt butterflies knowing Zira would protect him and the two cubs cuddled together as they fell into a comforting nap. Knowing, they both have someone who will protect and understand one another.

### Snapped

*"When I think of what that brute did... I get a little TENSE."*

-Zira in My Lullaby

Kuzimu was taking a morning patrol with Zira and Ahadi when Bianka appears in front of them. Ahadi is ready to attack until he realises the affection between Bianka and Kuzimu but Zira stays hidden behind the kings leg, looking past her mother's shoulder to see if her brother is near. Ahadi leaves believing Kuzimu is safe when him and Bianka begin to fight, causing Zira to hide in a secret hole in a cave and close her eyes as she is only being able to listen to the roars and claws of her two parents. She could her her brother who was hiding in the cave beside her so she slowly crawled out of the cave she was in and barely fit herself into the cave her brother was in. Ujanja told the afraid lioness to be quiet. She rubbed her face into his mane, both of their eyes were closed as they only heard the violence outside of their safe space.

Suddenly there was silence.

When Zira and Ujanja left the cave, Zira broke down at what was in front of her eyes. Kuzimu was on his back, covered in blood. Her mother was covered in various wounds and huddled into the corner away from Kuzimu, Zira and Ujanja. Zira could only cry as she screamed for Ahadi, holding her little paws against her fathers open wounds. Ujanja ran away, calling himself a rogue as he abandoned his father, mother and sister. Zira nuzzled with her father until he took his last breath and something about that last breath made something snap in the little cub, Zira cried as her mother cradled her but all Zira could do was shove her claws into the lionesses chest, causing two new wounds to leak blood and for her mother to fall unconscious.

Ahadi soon arrived, finding a traumatised young lioness sobbing over a lifeless Kuzimu while Bianka was slowly dying of blood loss in the corner. Zira cradled with Ahadi and just watched as her mother slowly bled to death. Ahadi carried the deceased Kuzimu on his back and Zira in his mouth as he carried them back to the safety of the Pride Lands. A funeral was held for Kuzimu and he was buried under his favourite tree, where he'd spend his time resting in the sun or sleeping.

### Love

One sunny day, Zira asked Taka if he wanted to hang out and they went down to the "better water hole" where they played in the water and had a picnic. Taka saw Mufasa and Sarabi in the distance and wanted something his brother had but he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Zira, whom he loved very much but he grew the courage to tell her. Taka was incredibly embarrassed and was ready to accept defeat but instead Zira licked his cheek and they spent the rest of the day nuzzling and watching the sunset, to which he knew he found his lioness.

### Quite a scandal

*"Do you bear the spawn of that prince?" - Azola asking Zira if Scar fathered her cub*

During Their Adolescence, Zira and Taka conceived a cub without much thought of the situation at the time.

Ahadi did not approve to the Outsiders reputation which caused hatred in Taka, as Taka believed that Ahadi never wanted him to be happy but he allowed Mufasa to be with the person he loved, Sarabi, but not allow him to be with Zira because he hated him and never wanted him to experience happiness also because Zira and Taka's heir would have provided a threat to Mufasa's throne and any heirs that Mufasa may end up having.

Rumours were spreading around the Pride Lands that the adolescent lioness was pregnant causing Taka to rush to her aid. Taka swore to protect his love and his cub although he was terribly afraid of his father's approval of their relationship and their offspring.

When Ahadi found out about the unborn cub he was threatening to banish Taka causing Uru to argue with her king.

Ahadi and Uru fought when Ahadi considered banishing Taka as whispers were heading around the Pride Lands that He fathered Zira's unborn cub, to which was found to be True when the young cub was born.

### Marriage

Uru and Ahadi soon agreed, after long arguments, to betroth Scar and Zira and they both soon married but when Zira and Scar married Zira had already gave birth to their cub, whom they named Mrithi which meant 'heir'.

Ahadi hated the Scandal as Scar and Zira were only adolescents when they had their first cub, Mrithi. Ahadi told Uru that because Mrithi was Illegitimately Conceived Mrithi's Conception and Birth became quite a scandal and Ahadi had the right to banish Scar from the Pride Lands but Uru soon betrothed Zira and Scar so Mrithi would be considered their heiress and A Princess of the Pride Lands.

### Changes

Taka adopted the name 'Scar' which everyone soon called him but Zira was the only one allowed to refer to him as 'Taka'. Scar became known to be very resentful of Mufasa as Scar believed he had a lower chance of becoming king and was resentful of the love Mufasa got that he didn't. Scar and Zira soon had Akiki, their second daughter, seasons before Sarabi and Mufasa had their heir, Simba. Scar was easily at war with Mufasa around the idea of Simba and Akiki and often placed them against each other. Zira loved her daughters but when Scar became very resentful of Mufasa and Simba, the latter for essentially ruining any chance of him legitimately becoming king, his resentment and anger towards Mufasa were strong enough that, he planned to usurp Mufasa's place on the throne by murdering him. Zira was afraid for her daughters safety but she was Scar's mate and she knew that Scar loved her and their daughters in his very peculiar way and she agreed that she'd remain loyal to him, no matter what he did to get what he wanted.

### Reign over the Pride Lands

That night, Scar delivered a eulogy to the grief-stricken pride. At the end of his speech, he welcomed the hyenas into the Pride Lands, then began to ascend Pride Rock to become king and appointed Zira as his queen but Scar soon had a obsession for an heir as he already had two heiress and needed a strong male heir to take his place if anything ever happened to him or his two daughters if they were ever crowned.

Zira eventually provided Scar with a male heir nine months into his ruling. They named their son, Nuka. To their disappointment, Nuka wasn't the healthiest cub but their two daughters came out perfectly strong and healthy which confused Scar as Nuka should have came out just the same as his older sisters but Zira and Scar promised to still love their three cubs the same and to train them to rule over the Pride Lands over Scar's blessing, ideas, rule and order.

Nunka was the second born son of Zira and Scar and was much stronger and healthier than his older brother. Nunka was close with Nala since he was a cub and they planned a rebellion to overthrow Scar but they were unsuccessful and was banished from the Pride Lands and both Zira and Scar began to get impatient, especially when Zira gave birth to another girl whom they named Shetani.

At some time under Scar's kingship, they had another cub whom they named Adanna.

Under Scar's kingship, the Pride Lands suffered a famine, as the herds moved on and left the pride with nothing to eat.

Hyenas were beginning to drive prey away and Zira needed food when she found out she was pregnant, once again. Zira's pregnancies caused stress on her as she wanted to provide a strong male heir but she gave birth two cubs. An heiress named Vitani and an heir named Ojore. Scar began to believe that something was wrong with him because he could only produce strong female heirs and could only provide weak or rebellious male heirs, although Ojore seemed to be very healthy and well-built.

Despite Scar's unpopularity among the pride, he gained a small entourage of followers.

During A Fight, Scar argued with Zira that Nuka was too weak and blamed Zira for Nuka's condition and they no longer had their other son, Nunka, because of his rebellious nature. Although they had strong daughters, Scar didn't want an heiress and cursed Zira for only providing strong female daughters and the one strong male they had became warped by Mufasa's lionesses for Nunka being sheltered by Zira from Scar during his cubhood.

Zira was infuriated that Scar could talk so down about his cub but she was also infuriated because she found out that Scar had fathered Tama, Chumvi and Kula behind her back so She went behind Scar's back and mated with A rogue named Cerberus who came across the Pride Lands.

Zira gave birth to Kovu, who was strong and healthy and bared a strong resemblance to Scar enough to be called Scar's son, Scar presented Kovu to the Pride Lands to prove he could provide a male heir.

### Mourn

**Rafiki**: *After Scar was gone, Simba became king. But Zira told Simba he could not rule the Pride Lands. Because Scar had chosen her son, Kovu, to be king.*

**Bunga**: *But Scar was never the real king!*

**Rafiki**: *Correct, honey badger! And that is what Simba told Zira. But Zira would not listen to reason. Instead, she attacked Simba! Of course, Simba won quickly. But after that, he had no choice. He had to banish Zira and her family from the Pride Lands...forever.*

—Rafiki tells the story of the Outsiders to Bunga
Mrithi mourned her father before being taken in by Sarabi, taking Mrithi back up to the Pride. Vitani found her fathers dead body and pushed her body under his lifeless arm, allowing herself to cry in his embrace. Zira and Nuka also mourned Scar separately to Vitani but Zira, full of grief, kept her promise to Scar and promised to raise Kovu to overthrow Simba and take Scar's place as King.

After Scar's demise, Simba became the new king of the Pride Lands. Though most of the lionesses accepted his reign, Zira insisted that her son, Kovu, had been Scar's hand-picked heir. Simba reminded Zira that Scar had never been the true king, which, out of heartbreak, enraged her and caused her to attack him. She was swiftly defeated, then banished to the Outlands alongside her family and those lionesses who would not submit to Simba's rule.

### Confrontation with Simba

*"Oh! Haven't you met my son, Kovu? He was hand-chosen by Scar to follow in his paw prints and become king!"*

―Zira to Simba
One day, Kovu met Kiara and followed her into the Pride Lands. As the cubs played, Zira watched disapprovingly from the sidelines. At one point, Kovu growled playfully at Kiara, and Simba emerged, roaring, in the defense of his daughter. In answer, Zira roared and leaped to Kovu's defense. The two parents faced off, furiously addressing each other by name, and Zira readied to attack Simba, only to pause when she realized that he had brought his pride with him. Grudgingly and with cordial politeness, Zira greeted Nala, who returned the greeting coldly.

Timon ordered Zira to get out of their Pride Lands, but she merely roared at him and declared that the Pride Lands belonged to Scar. Simba ordered her and Kovu to leave, reminding her of their banishment, but Zira ignored him and introduced Kovu as Scar's chosen heir and protégé. She went on that Kovu had been the lastborn cub before the Outsiders' exile and lamented her pride's lack of food and water in the Outlands.

Simba reminded Zira of the penalty for returning to the Pride Lands, but she retorted that Kovu had not known. She then offered Kovu up to Simba as his "pound of flesh." Instead of taking the bait, Simba commanded Zira to leave and declared that they were finished. However, Zira chuckled and clarified that they had barely begun. She then picked up Kovu in her jaws and carried him back to the termite mounds.

### Plot against Simba

*"You thought you'd get to the daughter and Simba would welcome you with open arms?! What an idea! What an idea! You brilliant child. I'm so proud of you! You have the same conniving mind that made Scar so...powerful."* ―Zira to Kovu

Upon returning to the Outlands, Zira scolded Nuka for having let Kovu wander off on his own. To save his brother from their mother's wrath, Kovu confessed that he had wandered off on his own, and Zira demanded to know what he had been doing. She continued to pepper him with questions about whose fault it was that Scar was dead and who had made them Outsiders, and Kovu continually answered that it was Simba's fault. Finally, he admitted that he had not thought that Kiara was so bad, but Zira merely mocked him for wanting to be friends with her.

Zira began to circle Kovu and taunt him for believing that he could win Simba's trust through his relationship with Kiara. Suddenly, she paused and praised Kovu for his "idea," likening him to Scar. Nuka reacted with disgust, but Zira growled at him to be silent. She then picked up Kovu and carried him inside the termite mounds.

Once inside the termite mounds, Zira deposited Kovu in a nest and plotted to use him to infiltrate Simba's pride, assassinate Simba, and become the new king of Pride Rock. She passed on the plan to the rest of her pride, who roared their consent and approval.

### Conflict with Kion

*"It's your choice, Kion: with me or against me. But if you're against me, you'll never leave the Outlands!"*

―Zira
When the Outsiders drove Jasiri and her clan from their watering hole, Jasiri appealed to her friend, Kion, for help. Together, Kion and Jasiri entered the Outlands, where they got into a confrontation with Kovu and Nuka. During the course of their conversation, Kion learned that Kovu and Nuka's family was not welcome in the Pride Lands. Confused, he asserted that his father would likely welcome them into the kingdom, and Nuka asked who his father was. Jasiri answered that Kion was the son of Simba, and Kovu and Nuka began to wonder excitedly if they really could return to the Pride Lands. Kovu pointed out that Kion must first speak with their mother, Zira, and Kion and Jasiri agreed to visit the watering hole.

Once at the watering hole, Nuka announced Kion as Simba's son, and Zira introduced herself and Vitani. She then questioned Kion on why he was in the Outlands, and Jasiri explained that she had brought Kion to the watering hole to sort out their dispute. Zira wondered how Jasiri could be friends with royalty, and Jasiri pointed out that Kion was more than royalty, for he was also the leader of the Lion Guard.

Kion asked Zira why she and her family lived in the Outlands instead of the Pride Lands, but she deflected the question by asking Kion why he had not used the Roar of the Elders to give his friend water. In the face of Kion's confusion, Zira explained that she knew all about the Roar of the Elders and that all Kion had to do to help Jasiri was to roar at a small cloud. Though confused, Kion did as he had been requested, and the cloud swelled into a brief rainstorm.

Awestruck, Kion asked Zira how she had known what the Roar could do, and she commented that she would rather speak of the Roar without Jasiri listening. As Zira walked off to speak to Kion privately, Jasiri commented that she did not trust Zira. Kion agreed with her but pointed out that Zira knew more about the Roar than he did and that there was still a possibility that he could convince her to share the watering hole.

Once in private, Zira assured Kion that she was pleased to meet him, for it did not matter where they lived, only that they were both lions. This sparked an argument between Zira and Kion over whether lions should rule the other animals or be benevolent to them. After the fight, Kion told Zira that they had very different ideas about how lions should act.

Meanwhile, Rafiki learned from Bunga that Kion was going to meet the Outsiders. He took the Lion Guard to a wall of paintings and explained that Simba had banished the Outsiders to the Outlands after they had retained loyalties to Scar. Rafiki then warned the Lion Guard that there would be trouble if Zira found out that Kion was Simba's son, and the team took off to save their friend.

Back in the Outlands, Kion insisted that Zira tell him more about the Roar, but she deflected the question by asking whether he would side with hyenas or lions. Kion argued that he was on the side of the Circle of Life, which prompted Zira to note the similarities between Kion and his father, Simba. She led Kion into a large pit and lamented his decision to not side with lions.

Suddenly, Kion realized that he was surrounded by Zira's lionesses, and Zira explained that if he did not side with their pride, then he would never leave the Outlands. Kion challenged Zira to call off her lionesses or else he would use the Roar of the Elders, but Zira pointed out that when Scar had used the Roar against his fellow lions, he had lost it forever. She then blamed Simba for Scar's fall from the throne, and Kion yelled that Scar had never been the true king. Furious, Zira ordered her lionesses to attack. However, just before the Outsiders could harm Kion, Zira offered to forgive him if he joined her. She then left him with her lionesses while she went to fetch her cubs.

Meanwhile, Nuka lost his patience waiting for Zira and tried to attack Jasiri, only for Zira to call him off. She explained to Jasiri that she and Kion had come to an agreement that the watering hole belonged to lions only. Jasiri retorted that Kion would never agree to such a thing, but Zira pointed out that lions must stick together and intimidated Jasiri into leaving the watering hole.

As Kion continued to fend off the Outsiders, Zira arrived and mocked him for being unable to use his Roar. A befuddled Kovu questioned his mother on what was going on and wondered why they could not be friends with Kion. Zira countered that Kion had left her no choice, for he had sided with Jasiri and her clan over the Outsiders. Nuka asked whether they should be afraid of Kion's Roar, but Zira explained that Kion could not use his powers without losing them forever.

Zira warned Kion that this was his last chance to join her. Just then, Kion caught sight of Ono overhead and, filled with renewed confidence, yelled out the start of the Lion Guard's catchphrase. His team finished the call as they and Jasiri rushed into the pit to confront the Outsiders. Together, the Lion Guard and Jasiri fended off the Outsiders and cornered them against a wall of the pit.

Realizing that this was Kion's Lion Guard, Zira mocked the team for only having one lion and asserted that her pride outnumbered them. Bunga urged Kion to use his Roar, but Kion worried that he would lose the Roar as Scar had for using it against other lions. Despite Kion's fears, Bunga insisted that Scar had not lost his Roar because he had used it against other lions, but because he had used it for evil.

Sensing Kion's change of heart, Zira claimed that she knew the Roar's powers better and that Kion must listen to her. Kion, however, was not swayed and told her that she was not welcome in the Pride Lands so long as he was around. He then used the Roar of the Elders to blow the Outsiders into the termite mounds. Once they landed, Nuka asked where they were, and Zira replied, "Our new home."

### Kiara's first hunt

*"The fire rescue worked perfectly, and Simba fell for it. Now, the closer Kovu gets to the daughter, the closer he gets to Simba! And once he has Simba alone..."*
―Zira
Seasons passed, and Kovu trained under Zira to become a powerful and cold-blooded killer. One day, when Kovu was a young adult, Zira circled him approvingly and questioned him on his destiny. Kovu replied that he would avenge Scar and take his place as the king of Pride Rock by killing Simba. This made the Outsiders roar in approval.

On the day of Kiara's first hunt, Zira tasked Nuka and Vitani with setting fire to Kiara's hunting grounds. They did so, and Kiara got trapped amidst the flames. Zira ordered Kovu to enact her plan, and he obediently charged into the flames, located Kiara, and bore her to safety. Afterward, Simba reluctantly accepted Kovu into his pride and reserved judgment on the rogue's character.

That night, Zira and Nuka watched as Kovu and Kiara talked on Pride Rock. Nuka fretted that Kovu had let Kiara go and insisted that he would have done differently, but Zira pointed out that Kovu had tricked Simba. She added that as he got closer to Kiara, he would get closer to Simba and that he could attack once he got Simba alone.

### Ambush on Simba

*"What are you doing out here and so...alone? Well done, Kovu. Just like we always planned."*
―Zira, during the Outsiders' ambush on Simba
One night, Vitani spied on Kovu, only to witness him let Simba go. She reported this to Zira, who roared angrily and demanded to know if Vitani was sure of what she had seen. Upon hearing Vitani's affirmation, Zira lamented that Kovu could not betray them.

The next day, while Simba and Kovu were walking alone on the edge of the Pride Lands, the Outsiders surrounded them. Zira congratulated Kovu for doing as they had always planned, and Simba turned on Kovu, furious, despite Kovu's protests that he had not been involved in the ambush. Zira promptly ordered an attack on Simba, and the Outsiders lunged forward to fight. Though Kovu attempted to protect Simba, Vitani kicked him into a rock, rendering him unconscious.

After a brief fight, Simba fell into a gorge and began running away, with the Outsiders at his heels. Eventually, he found and began to scale a pile of logs. As he did so, Kovu appeared on a ridge above the logs and ignored his mother's orders to finish off Simba himself.

She turned on Kovu and slashed him across the eye, giving him a scar identical to Scar's. She demanded to know what he had done, and Kovu replied that he had done nothing. Zira agreed and elaborated that, in doing so, Kovu had betrayed the Outsiders and the legacy of Scar. Kovu insisted that he wanted nothing more to do with Scar, to which Zira pointed out that he was just like Scar. This made Kovu flee the gorge in horror.

Though the Outsiders were anxious to chase after Kovu, Zira told them to let him go. She then hopped onto a tall rock and reminded her pride that, since Simba was injured and weak, it was the perfect time for them to attack. She continued that they would take his entire kingdom by force, which caused the Outsiders to rear onto their hind legs and roar in approval.

### Pride Lander-Outsider battle and death

**Zira**: *It's over, Simba! I have dreamed of nothing else for years!*

**Simba**: *Last chance, Zira: go home.*

**Zira**: *I* am *home. Attack!*

—Zira and Simba, as the Pride Lander-Outsider battle begins
The Outsiders invaded the Pride Lands, only to be intercepted by Simba's pride near the gorge. Zira told Simba that it was over and that she had dreamed of nothing else for years. Simba gave Zira one last chance to go home, but she declared that she was already home, then ordered her lionesses to attack. The two prides surged toward one another and launched into battle.

In the midst of the fight, the Outsiders swarmed Simba, and Zira took advantage of his distraction to knock him to the ground. The two began to circle one another and were about to fight when Kovu and Kiara jumped in-between them and called for peace. Zira accused Kovu of being weak and ordered him to step aside, but he declared that he would not let her hurt Kiara or Simba. Meanwhile, Kiara convinced Simba to stand down and accept the Outsiders as part of their pride.

Despite Simba's agreement to stop the battle, Zira ordered Vitani to attack. Vitani, however, refused and marched over to stand beside Kovu. Unaffected by her daughter's plea for peace, Zira asserted that if Vitani would not fight, then she would die as well. This disgusted the Outsiders and motivated them to join Vitani on Simba's side of the divide. Simba appealed to Zira to put the past behind her, but she refused and launched herself at Simba. At the last second, Kiara knocked Zira aside and sent them both tumbling into the gorge.

While Kiara managed to catch hold of the side of the gorge, Zira hung precariously over the raging river below. As Zira attempted to climb to safety, Kiara reached down and offered a paw to her. Zira swiped furiously at Kiara's paw and continually rejected her help she let go of the rocks willingly, falling into the river and drowned.

## Physical appearance

*"Zira is sleek. She's a mature woman, you know, which lends perfectly to a feline kind of body movement. She's always got an angle. There's a certain angularity to the way she's designed. Sharp points tell you something about her. It's just sort of psychologically makes you feel a little fearful of her."*

―Darrell Rooney
Zira was a lean, lanky, and powerfully built lioness. Her main pelt was brown tinged with tan, while her underbelly, paws, and muzzle were a paler shade of tan. She had black upper ear rims, brown inner ears, and a dark stripe that ran from her mid-back to her forehead. Her eye rims were bi-colored; while the upper shades were dark brown, the lower shades were cream. Her eyes were red. She had a notch in her right ear from her fight with Boma during her cubhood.

Like most Outsiders, Zira had sharp features and a curved black nose. She kept her claws unsheathed at all times.

## Personality and traits

"*Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kind of works for me."*

―Zira
Zira was bloodthirsty, hostile, and vengeful. Fanatically loyal, she dedicated her life to avenging Scar's death and putting his chosen heir and protégé, Kovu, on the throne. So dedicated was she to enacting her revenge plot against Simba that she was even willing to kill her own children for standing in her way. It was ultimately her obsessive and neurotic personality that alienated her from the rest of her family and the Outsiders, who saw her as much too extreme.

A natural leader, Zira was able to command the Outsiders with efficiency and ease. She had a good eye for battle tactics and often advised her pride on how to fight, to good effect. She enjoyed the thrill of battle and frequently used her anger to fuel her attacks. Even in the face of an enemy's compassion, Zira never wavered in her convictions but rather clung to her hatred and rage.

As a cub, Zira was curious and loving and was hateful to her mother but was caring, respectful and protective.

As a mother, Zira was emotionally and verbally abusive. She raised her cubs to be hateful and vicious, and reprimanded them harshly whenever they failed her. She was especially neglectful of Nuka, who constantly vied for her affections but got continually ignored and mistreated. Though Zira initially showed favouritism toward Kovu for being the Chosen One, she came to resent him for betraying Scar. Despite her overall disregard for her cubs, she did show uncharacteristic affection and care for her cubs and prayed to Scar's spirit to watch over them if they ever died or if she died.

## Trivia

* Zira was voiced by the following:
	+ In *The Lion King II: Simba's Pride*, she was voiced by Suzanne Pleshette.
	+ In *The Lion Guard*, she was voiced by Nika Futterman.
	+ In *Simba's Mighty Adventure*, she was voiced by Suzanne Pleshette.

* Zira was animated by Kevin Peaty in *The Lion King II: Simba's Pride*.
	+ Peaty also animated Vitani in *The Lion King II: Simba's Pride*.

* Zira's name means "hate, detest, despise, loathe" or "abstain, stop, give up, cease to" in Swahili.

* Like the other Outsiders, Zira keeps her claws extended at all times.

* Zira's ear notch switches sides periodically.

* In "Lions of the Outlands", Zira lacks her dorsal stripe. However, in "Cave of Secrets", she appears with her dorsal stripe in a cave painting.

* In *The Lion King II: Simba's Pride*, the Outsiders already live in the termite mounds by the time Kovu meets Kiara. However, in the "Lions of the Outlands" episode of *The Lion Guard*, the Outsiders move into the termite mounds for the first time, despite Kovu mentioning that his encounter with Kiara has already taken place.

* Zira and Kovu's relationship was inspired by the 1962 film *The Manchurian Candidate*, in which a mother brainwashes her son into becoming an assassin.

* Zira's line, "If you need your pound of flesh..." is a reference to the Shakespearean play *The Merchant of Venice*.

* Zira bears a striking resemblance to the strange lion; both are lions with tan fur, cream markings, red eyes with yellow sclerae, dark ear rims, a dorsal stripe, and a notch in their right ear.

### In development

* Director Darrell Rooney stated that Zira was originally conceived as Scar's mate and queen. However, their relationship was purposely obscured in the middle of production to make her "just a follower" due to the incestuous undertones Kovu's romance with Kiara would have had.

* In a deleted scene, Nuka and Vitani bring news to Zira that Simba's cub is a girl. Zira gloats over the news and speaks to Scar's spirit, calling herself his "loving, devoted queen." This implies that Scar was originally going to be Kovu, Nuka, and Vitani's father.
	+ A portion of this scene is retained in several books inspired by the film, including the Mouse Works edition.

* In a deleted scene, Kiara offers to help Zira climb up the side of the gorge, but Zira, with a twisted grin, replies, "No. Never," then lets go of the cliff and falls to her death in the river below. A vestige of this scene remains in the final version of the film, as Zira can still be seen smiling as she falls to her death.