sithi uhm ingonyama.

Canon & multiverse Simba from The Lion King

[thepaststillhurts]

“But, going back means I’ll have to face my past. I’ve been running from it for so long.”

Canon & multiverse Simba from Disney’s The Lion King franchise | Rules | Verses | Headcanon |

Clawed by Alex

[doodle-beeez]

☀️ Happy Lion King day! ☀️

Last year Disney posted an adorable Lion King animation, and it served as the inspiration for this project. I picked my 3 favourite scenes from it to reanimate, and tried to capture that nostalgic Disney movie feel.

I digitally painted the backgrounds using reference from the original film, and animated each character myself frame by frame. This had been an on and off project for many months, and I am so thrilled it worked out to be finished for the movie’s release anniversary!

Hakuna Matata! 🌺🐞

[coffeemusings]

Nala remained silent as Simba recalled what happened to him, every detail about the ambush. Something seemed... off about it. Something that made Nala reluctant to believe Kovu was truly involved. Not that she was disbelieving Simba's story or what he believed, but... she was starting to wonder if Zira knew how close Kovu was getting to their daughter and if she knew he wanted be with her and not against her. Nala witnessed the two of them together that night underneath the stars and Simba had witnessed it, as well. He seemed to genuinely care about her and if he really wanted to hurt her, if he really wanted to hurt Simba... Nala sighed.

"Do you think it's possible, Simba, that Kovu didn't have anything to do with the ambush? The place where it happened, Kovu didn't lead you there, did he? The two of you simply... ended up there?" Unless Simba, himself, took them that way. She was trying to make sense of it all, including Kovu disappearing during the attack. Perhaps because he was trying to find a way to help him or because he was scared and wasn't part of the attack. It didn't sound like Kovu lead Simba there, but it did sound like Zira was watching and waiting... she was smart, ruthless, cynical and manipulative. That they knew. Perhaps she was that way even with her own family.

"What we saw between Kovu and our daughter that night, Simba, it's difficult to believe that it wasn't real." The way they were leaning against one another, nuzzling affectionately, smiling and laughing - it's exactly how she and Simba were together. "Do you think it's possible Zira planned the entire thing? Without Kovu even knowing? He was with us all night." She remembered, frowning. He and Kiara came home together, after having spend almost the entire day together according to Kiara, and Simba invited him inside of their den that night. He stayed with them. At what point would he have been able to even discuss an ambush with Zira?

Nala sighed and leaned against her husband, nuzzling him affectionately.

[thepaststillhurts]

"No, he... he didn't lead me there. We were just ... wandering." Simba admitted. Yes, now as he recalled, Kovu wasn't actually leading him to that place. As Nala said, they just... ended up there.

Hm. Zira planning the whole thing? Like a trap?

Nala came up with an interesting idea that hadn't crossed his mind. Simba started thinking, looking down, frowned. For the first time he realized that something was messed up in this line, and finally opened his ears a little to hear. He had to admit Nala had a point here. She came up with potential explanations that he had never thought about before. And if that's the case, that Kovu was just a victim like him, then he wasn't being fair in his judgment.

Still, Simba couldn't ignore the fact that Kovu was Scar's heir. If not biological son, but still, Zira had appointed him as his heir. This was one reason why it was difficult to see his daughter with him. Also, the other reason it was hard to see that his little princess had grown up. However, that was his problem alone and he would never have banished Kovu just because of it. That wasn't the reason why he exiled him. He was much more concerned with protecting the kingdom.

"I remember that night too, Nala." Simba rested his chin on her head as she leaned against him and nuzzled him. "You suggested that I should get to know Kovu and see. Well, this is what I wanted to do by inviting him for a walk. But look at how it all turned out." Here Simba didn't mean to blame Nala for the advice, on the contrary, he was trying to highlight something. "We both see that Kiara fell in love with him, no doubt. But do you really want our daughter to have a mate like Kovu? The lion Kiara one day chooses as her mate is going to be the king of the Pridelands. Even if he had no intention of luring me into a trap, he is Zira's son. Scar's heir. And we must not forget that."

[thepaststillhurts]

(Simba) How will you spend Father’s Day with the cubs? (And possibly Timon and Pumbaa?)

"Kiara and Kion have some surprise for me at the Water Hole. We are going there and I'll see."

[coffeemusings]

"Timon and Pumbaa love to talk about how they taught you all about hunting bugs." Kiara laughed, shaking her head. "Is that really all you ate for so long? Bugs?" She asked, head tilted. "Timon constantly tries to get me to eat them but they look so gross." She made a face and shuddered at the mere thought of eating bugs, but if her father liked them at some point, maybe they weren't that bad? And if it's all he had to eat while living in the jungle with them, well bugs and smaller animals maybe, then she could understand why he did like them. There were still some things she didn't know about his time away from the Pride Lands after Mufasa died and some of what Timon has told her she was sometimes hesitant to believe simply because he liked to exaggerate. Especially when the stories involved himself.

But she loved him. Her Uncle. Well, one of two uncles, anyway.

Kiara's face lit up when Simba accepted her challenge to race to the watering hole and she gave him a grin. "Pretty sure that'll be me." She chuckled, lowering her body to the ground as she readied herself. "Ready? 3... 2... 1..."

-----------------

"GO!" Kiara shouted as she took off in a mad dash for the watering hole. She wasn't anywhere near as fast as her mother, or her father, but she practiced every day! She was going to be the best and fastest hunter in the Pride Lands, just like her mother!

The cub giggled loudly as she ahead of her father, trying to resist the urge to look behind her. She needed to focus on what was ahead, on the watering hole closing in! If she looked back, it might slow her down or she might run into something and she couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't.

The watering hole closing in, Kiara pushed herself to run faster, speeding by the animals resting nearby, prompting strange looks from some and amused looks from others, especially seeing the King run by after her.

"Almost there... I can do this!"

[thepaststillhurts]

"Yes, I have to admit I was raised on bugs. It's a wonder I'm a lion and not something else, and that I can still roar. But your mother was not a fun of it at all. She was angry with me when I tried to eat any bugs in the Pride Lands after I returned." Simba laughed. "But what could I do? I got so used to it, that eating meat itself was strange at first. But then I easily got used to meat again, of course." The lion continued walking, getting lost in the memories for a short time. "Nala even made it clear that if we ever had a cub, I wasn't allowed to give them bugs for lunch. Well, in your case, it was not an option actually. You don't like bugs anyway." Simba giggled.

They walked side by side, and soon their walk turned into a playful run to the Water Hole. As Kiara took off, old memories began to flood his mind that took him back like a flashback to the days when Kiara was just a cub...

... years ago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Simba gave Kiara a little head start before going after her. He ran behind the cub; he could have easily outrun her, but instead he matched his pace to hers, making the game more exciting and to build her confidence. Seeing his daughter so happy reminded him of his own cubhood, and moments like this healed those old wounds in his heart caused by the events of the past; and if he couldn’t have the opportunity to spend much time with his father as he lost him very soon, then at least now he could enjoy these kind of moments with his daughter he so lacked.

Where does she get so much energy from? - Simba pondered. And indeed, Kiara was an energy ball. But why is he surprised, she was exactly like him, Nala told him so.

Despite the final burst of speed (of course he was careful not to overtake) it was his daughter who reached the Water Hole first. What a great race! Father and daughter championship, haha!

"I have to admit, it was a nice run."

"Maybe I should start fearing this mighty hunter?" The lion put himself into 'get-ready' position, just in case if this little cub mighty hunter wanted to attack.

[peacefulemoyearnings]

like mother, like father, cub edition

[panda-pal]

The Lion King (1994) Directed by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

[panda-pal]

The Lion King (1994) Directed by Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

[coffeemusings]

Kiara's smile turned a little sad when he mentioned Sarabi and how weak she's grown. But even then, she wasn't giving up and Kiara admired that about her Grandmother. "She still insists on joining in on the hunts, though, and she's taught me so much. It's... hard to see her like that. But she's so happy when she gets to come with us, even if it's just to watch." Kiara loved having her there. She loved still learning from her and most of all, she loved getting to spend time with her. "And she always has a story to tell." Kiara grinned. "Especially about you, Daddy." She giggled, bumping her head against his mane as they walked towards the watering hole in the distance.

It was one of Kiara's favorite things! Hearing stories about her parents when they were young. Not just from Sarabi, but from Timon and Pumbaa, too. They had all sorts of stories about Simba's time with them. She sometimes still couldn't believe he ran away for so long and grew up mostly eating bugs. She made a face just thinking about it. Timon and Pumbaa, to this day, still tried to convince her to try them. Gross.

"I don't get it, though, Daddy. Scar, he... he did so many horrible things. And Zira knew that and yet she sided with him." It didn't make sense to Kiara. How could she think Scar was the rightful ruler when he killed the King and stole the Pride Lands? Love was truly a powerful thing. And so was hate.

When he asked if she was thirsty, Kiara nodded. "A little." Then she got an idea. She grinned. "Race you!" And with that, she took off towards the watering hole with a laugh.

[thepaststillhurts]

"Oh, I can imagine." Simba giggled, too. He wondered whether what stories Sarabi could tell about him. Yet, he understood this feeling because he was like Kiara when he was a cub. He loved listenening to those old stories of the Great Kings that Mufasa always told while they gazed at the starry sky. As cub, he had always found these stories interesting and inspiring, feeding the feeling that he wanted to be like them, to be a mighty king.

"She taught me a lot, too." He admitted. "Since I got separated from my mother and the pride relatively soon, I didn’t have the opportunity to be taught on how to hunt. Later, after I returned to the Pride Lands, mother and Nala gave me lessons about how to hunt properly. I can't say I was a quick-learner." He laughed as he pictured the funny scenes and bloopers vividly in his mind. (And wondered if Sarabi told those stories too?) Simba had learned nothing but bug hunting in the jungle, but that was completely different from real hunting.

"Like attracts like." The king explained. "Those who think alike will act alike as well. Zira had always considered Scar as the rightful king, even when father was the king." In Simba's eyes, both Scar and Zira were consumed by darkness that neither of them could escape.

"Ah, so be it? Okay, challenge accepted." A naughty smile appeared on his muzzle and started running after Kiara, although his body, still not fully recovered from the injuries that he had got from the battle, wouldn’t move the way he wanted it to. Yet, it didn't bother Simba, because by these playful moments he could relive that old days when Kiara was just a cub. Once his little girl and princess (although Kiara didn't like this title, he knew), now the future queen.

"We'll see who wins."

[coffeemusings]

Nala knew he was just trying to keep his Pride safe. It's what he was supposed to do as King, but it went beyond just duty. It's because he cared. He cared about his family, he cared about his Pride, and Nala loved him for it, but this was... complicated. Because, yes, they were Outlanders, but Nala couldn't help but wonder if given the choice, would they leave Zira and choose to become a Pridelander? Did they all truly want to follow Zira? In Nala's eyes, because of what she's seen between Kovu and her daughter, she couldn't help but wonder if given the choice, he would leave his mother's Pride.

"I know, Simba. You're doing everything you can to protect our lands, to protect our pride," she told him, nuzzling his mane and leaning against him with a soft sigh. Her hazel eyes looked out at the lands before them, their lands and the shadowed lands beyond where Zira's pride resided. Where Kovu had been exiled back to. "But I think perhaps we should have allowed Kovu a chance to explain himself. The fact that he came back, after what happened..." She sighed. "If he had truly been part of it, Simba, I don't think he would've come back here." But the fact that he did was telling. At least to Nala.

"Are you sure he was part of the ambush?" She wasn't asking in a way that she disbelieved Simba and she hoped he'd know that. "Tell me exactly what happened. From the moment you and Kovu left Pride Rock.

[thepaststillhurts]

Simba was fiercely convinced of his own righteousness, he believed only he could know the truth of what had happened because no one else had been there - neither Nala nor Kiara. Although Simba knew Nala did not mean to disbelieve him, he didn't even consider the possibility that she was talking about and tried to highlight.

He needed to gather his thoughts to start telling because the memories were not so clear anymore as there was chaos in his head.

"After we left, we headed to that area of the Pride Lands where had been a savannah fire last time, you know. I don't really know the reason why we went there, but anyway I had a thought in the back of my head that maybe we shouldn't go there because it is near to the Outlands and Zira could take the opportunity to have an attack on us, on me... We were talking when they actually showed up - exactly what I was afraid of - and I also remember Zira saying:

Well done, Kovu. Just like we always planned.

Then they started attacking us.

Then...? Oh, yes, then I got thrown to the bottom of the Gorge and they started chasing me down the canyon as well. I tried to climb up the wall, and I noticed Kovu standing above on the ledge. Zira shouted something like 'Get him, get him!' but I can't really remember what exactly. Then somebody jumped after me, I think Nuka, he grabbed my leg, but soon he let it go, probably because the log under him broke and he fell down. I reached the top and climbed it, and I didn't see Kovu anywhere after. Then I started to limp home alone, Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa found me."

[coffeemusings]

Kiara couldn't help but smile when he told her it was in the past. "Rafiki." She chuckled, because the teachings he taught Simba, he'd taught her, too. And he still was. It was Rafiki that helped bring the Prides together, too. Because he helped bring the two of them together. Her smile widened thinking about that night and she'd often find herself singing or humming the song. Oh, that night with Kovu had been so romantic, and so fun. She hadn't even told her father or mother about it, or about how Rafiki helped them.

At the invite to go for a walk, Kiara's eyes lit up and she nodded, following him down the pathway on Pride Rock and leaping onto the grass at ground level. A couple of the lionesses, one of them a prior Outlander, greeted the King and Princess and Kiara greeted them in return. She caught up to her father and started walking with him, side by side. "Everyone is so happy." Kiara smiled as she looked all around them, loving that everyone was getting along so well. "Did you know that Vitani was the fastest lioness in her Pride? Mother said she was going to go hunting with her later." Vitani had been the first lioness in Zira's pride to switch sides, to see the err of her ways, of Zira's ways. "I'm glad everyone is alright. I just wish that Zira..." Kiara's words trailed off and she sighed, frowning. Watching her fall from the cliff... it was an image Kiara couldn't shake from her mind. She tried to save her, tried to give her a chance. In the end, though, Zira chose Scar.

[thepaststillhurts]

They set out for a walk side by side, father and daughter, king and future queen, answering the call of the savannah. Kiara was right, everyone was so happy and relieved, and it felt wonderful to live in peace at last, without the threat of an old enemy hanging over them. Yet that did not mean danger had vanished forever - the hyenas were still out there, lurking in the shadows, and Simba must not forget that.

The warm wind moved gently through the tall grass, birds sang in the distance on the trees welcoming their rulers, herds wandered peacefully across the plains, and the Circle of Life continued as it always had. Simba walked forward with confidence, and as he looked aside he saw his daughter beside him who carried the hope for the future.

"No, I didn't know that." Simba smiled. "But yes, Nala needs good lionesses in the party, mother had already grown weak and she could no longer endure the huntings anyway. At least now there will be someone to take her place at her post." Simba could not convince Sarabi to stop and retire, and he always had the fear something would happened to her during the huntings. Nevertheless, fortunately the Pride Lands was rich in herbivores, so there was no need to worry that twice as many lions would disrupt the delicate balance.

Kiara mentioning Zira reminded him of the fear that had driven him to jump into the ravine after her. He was so afraid he would lose his daughter! If something happened to her, he didn't know what he'd do. But luckily, she didn't get seriously injured.

"Zira couldn't let go of her hate... and in the end, it destroyed her. Just like Scar." He explained. Then looking aside, he saw animals gathering around the Water Hole.

"Hm, aren't you thirsty?"

[coffeemusings]

Nala was conflicted.

She watched as her daughter ran crying into the den, her words having hurt Simba. The look on his face made that evident and she hurt for him. But she hurt for Kiara, too. The lion she had fallen in love with had just been exiled after an ambush that nearly killed her husband. That nearly killed the King. An ambush that had happened not long after Simba took Kovu out for a stroll, intending to talk with him, intending on inviting him into their Pride. Into their daughter's life.

But then Zira and her pride showed up. They cornered Simba with Kovu's help, or so that's what she had been told by Simba, himself. Timon and Pumbaa were quick to believe him, Zazu, as well, but Nala? She... was hesitant. It was hard to believe that Kovu had been lying the entire time, especially after watching him with Kiara, after watching the two of them together. She didn't want to disbelieve Simba, either, especially after he'd almost been killed, but Kovu, even being an outsider, even being Scar's heir, was nothing like him.

And the fact that he showed up to Pride Rock after what happened made Nala even more reluctant to believe that he had any part in it. He tried to explain, he tried to apologize, but he'd been given no chance and no choice. It was difficult to watch it take place and she hated that Kiara had to witness it.

Deciding to talk to Simba first, to perhaps calm him down and possibly reconsider his ruling, or to at least hear him out, Nala made her way over to her husband. Gently, she made her presence known by rubbing her head against his mane, trying to offer him some comfort. Letting him know that she was here. As both his wife and his Queen. "Talk to me, Simba."

[thepaststillhurts]

On the surface, Simba looked furious and resolute, but underneath the anger was fear. Kovu meant a threat to the kingdom in his eyes from then on, and by exiling him, he believed he was protecting his family and pride. As king it was his responsibility to do. ~ This is my kingdom. If i don't fight for it, who will? ~ the sentence was once spoken. If anybody knew what it meant, it was Nala.

Nala, his queen and wife, was the one who had gathered all her stenght to leave Pride Rock in those hard times and find help for the Pride Lands. Nala was who had found Simba and tried to knock some sense into his head when he was lost in the jungle. She had been there to fight along with him against Scar’s army. She also had been there to support him under the stars while watching Kiara and Kovu when he was puzzled about the young male.

And now? Whether was she against him, too?

The gentle nuzzle into his mane suggested exactly the opposite, a clear sign that she was there to support him, as always - and it warmed Simba's heart. Now he knew he was not alone.

"Kiara is blinded by her feelings towards Kovu. She is in love, and when you are, it's always harder to think objectively. She can't see Kovu means a big threat, but I can and I have to protect the kingdom from him. I hope as future queen she will admit it..."

[coffeemusings]

There was a smile on Kiara's face as she sat here with Kovu atop of Pride Rock, amber eyes looking over the land below and beyond them. Her home. Their home.

She watched as the lionesses walked together - once on opposite sides of this land, once enemies, now a pride. Now a family. A family she and Kovu helped bring together. She leaned her head on Kovu's main and purred happily and she'd been about to ask him if he wanted to go for a walk when her father came up behind him. Her face lit up watching the two of them greet and she thought to herself: this is exactly how it's supposed to be. She could feel her Grandfather smiling down on them.

"I'll see you in a little while, Kovu." Kiara called out with a smile before turning to look at her father, her smile widening when he thanked her for the unification of the two prides. "Oh, Daddy, it wasn't just me." Kiara said as she turned around to look at the Pride Lands again. She could feel her eyes water hearing him say that he was proud of her and she nuzzled him in return. "Without you, and without Kovu, this wouldn't have happened." Because he listened. He listened to her when Kiara begged him to stop. And he had taught her all about the phrase, after all. Kovu had helped, too. He came with her to stop the fight, to stop the war.

"I'm proud of you, too." Kiara leaned against him. "And I know Grandfather is proud of you." Which she knew was important to her Father. She hated the words she said to him earlier, before she ran away, knowing how much they had hurt him, but she'd just been so... angry. So upset. Her face fell and she looked down, frowning. "I'm sorry. For what I said to you about him."

[thepaststillhurts]

It hit Simba's ear that Kiara called him daddy again and made him smile. To be honest, he had not seen each other since their argument, they parted in anger, and it was the war when they met again. But now, as the sun has risen to a new era, and that he could hear this word from his daughter made his heart happy, as it revealed that deep bond between father and daughter, it seemed, had never truly broken.

Kiara reminding him of that scene between them caused his smile to fade slightly, but not because he was angry with Kiara for that, but because he wanted to forget that as soon as possible.

"It doesn't matter anymore, it's in the past." Simba replied, quoting the line that he learnt from Rafiki. And indeed, the fact that he could finally hear Mufasa's praise from the clouds while standing together on the edge of Pride Rock meant very much to Simba. He wondered if the others could hear, or just he?

"Would you like to go for a walk with me?" He proposed as he made his way towards the pathway that led down to the open savannah. This walk was not going to be just a father-daughter time, but also one between a soon-retiring king and the future queen.

[thepaststillhurts]

The shadow of a decision

~ You'll never be Mufasa!

The line from Kiara was still ringing in Simba's ears as he stood there in the edge of Pride Rock, staring into the distance, frowned. This sentence hit him so hard that it opened those old wounds on his heart. Simba has always wanted to be just like his father, he did everything to follow in his pawprints and one of his biggest fears was disappointing his father...

...again.

Because when he was a cub, he had already disappointed him once by breaking the rules (and thus he also put Nala in danger), and didn't want it happen again.

Exiling Kovu was the most reasonable decision to him. Kovu colluded with Zira and lured him into a trap! He even had to fight! He was there, Kiara was not. The facts spoke; why should he reconsider?

Overwhelmed by a mix of emotional weight, the Lion King let out a long sigh, looking down. What to do next?

@coffeemusings

[thepaststillhurts]

The Peacemaker Princess

It has been a while since there was peace in the Pride Lands. After defeating Scar, Zira and her lionesses had declared war against the Pridelanders for revenge, maintaining a constant threat that had affected the kingdom’s daily life. In the end, the day came and Zira launched an attack on Simba’s family, but the battle didn’t last long: Kiara - and Kovu - helped the prides to gain a better insight.

It was just a few days ago when they all stood there on the edge of Pride Rock and roared into a new era. Everyone in the Pride Lands felt the wind of change.

Simba couldn’t help but smiled as he looked at his daughter who was standing on the peak of Pride Rock with Kovu. Yes, one day these two are going to be the Queen and King of the Pride Lands - and now Simba didn’t mind the king would be Kovu. He had proved to be worthy of his trust.

The lion walked up to the duo, and after a gentle morning greeting the younger male walked away, leaving the father and daughter talk alone.

“Look Kiara, thanks to you our pride got reunited again. You have made peace between our hearts. I was the one who had been talking about ‘we are one’ but you are the one who made me understand the true meaning of it. You will be a great queen one day, and I am very proud of you.” - and he nuzzled Kiara’s head, gently.

@coffeemusings

[lifedeathsnakewolf]

What’s the Greatest Disney Movie of all time?

Zootopia 2 (2025)

Zootopia (2016)

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)

Hercules (1997)

The Lion King (1994)

Voting ended onApr 27

[boombambaby]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I DIDN'T WIN?! DIDN'T YOU ACTUALLY WATCH THE MOVIE ABOUT THE GREATEST EMPEROR OF ALL TIME???

[thepaststillhurts]

"Relax, buddy, Hakuna Matata. Me and you are at the same level. Why don't ya join us in the hot tub? Timon and Pumbaa are gonna come soon, too."

[thepaststillhurts]

*an elephant uses their trunk to suck up water from a nearby pond and sprays it at Simba’s mane*. Did that clean your mane, your Majesty?

Simba squeezed his eyes shut the moment the water hit him. He got absolutely soaked - water dripping off his mane and fur in big, heavy droplets. No doubt - he looked ridiculous.

"Definitely. Thanks."