Scar
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Scar was the main antagonist of The Lion King. He stands as one of Disney's best villains. Haughty, cultured, and intelligent, he was the archetypal British villain and was originally voiced by Jeremy Irons, who had a history of playing film villains.
He lacked power, but he suffered no shortage of pride. Consumed by a desire to be important, Scar's bitterness ran rampant in his ambition to claim Pride Rock's throne. Scar was witty, slimy, seductive, and willing to do anything to rule, even if it meant employing the evil hyenas and killing his brother Mufasa and his nephew Simba.
Scar personified the Deadly Sin of Pride and Envy. He received spot #3 in the top 30 Disney villains (one better than the Evil Queen but one place under Jafar).
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Lion King novels
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Scar, who was once named Taka, he had became upset when he learned that his brother Mufasa was chosen to be king over himself. He wanders off to talk to three hyenas named Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, who tell him that if Mufasa is made to look like a failure, then he will look kingly in comparison and soon take the throne.
This leads to Taka tricking his 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 must move by order of the Lion King, or fight Mufasa, Boma then charges out of the water at Mufasa. Mufasa escapes with the aid of a Mandrill called Rafiki, and Boma goes after Taka instead.
Mufasa runs back and finds Taka being attacked by Boma's herd. A large buffalo slashes Taka with his horns, knocking him unconscious. Mufasa leaps in to save his brother and the buffaloes prepare to attack again. Before they can do so, King Ahadi father of Taka and Mufasa appears with a large herd of animals that surrounds the Buffaloes. It was during this attack that Taka got a scar on his eye, and re-named himself Scar.
Role in The Lion KingEdit
Scar became more and more jealous over time of his nephew Simba's position as the next king of the Pride Lands, and formed a plot to kill both his brother and nephew in order to take the throne for himself. He started recruited hyenas including Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, to build an army. He used bribes of food to get them on his side. The first attempt the hyenas made was to kill Simba when the young cub and his best friend Nala entered their territory, but Mufasa foiled that plan. Scar lined up his ranks of hyena troops promising that under his rule, they would never go hungry again. With their help, he triggered a wildebeest stampede meant to kill both Simba and Mufasa. Instead, Mufasa saved his son and ended up clinging to a cliff. He then spots Scar and pleads with Scar to help him. However, Scar pierces Mufasa's paws with his claws, and whispers "Long live the king" then throws his brother off the cliff to his death. Scar finds that Simba is still alive, and convinces him that it is his fault Mufasa is dead. He told the cub to "run away, and never return."
Added by Gregory MoralesScar went on to take the throne and sent Shenzi, Banzai and Ed to finish Simba off. This was a task they failed, allowing the cub to flee into the desert to apparent death. Under Scar's rule, the Pride Lands became a dry, barren place and the animals left leading to food becoming scarce.
Simba returned years later, to Scar's surprise, and Scar belives Simba to be the ghost of his murdered brother, Mufasa. Scar pushes Simba over the edge of Pride Rock's peak but Simba used his fore-paws to cling for his life and Scar pierces Simba's paws with his claws just like he had previously done to Mufasa. Scar leans in and whispers to Simba that he really killed Mufasa and Simba leaps on Scar and he was forced to reveal the truth that he himself had killed Mufasa. This lead to a battle that ended with a fight between Scar and Simba. Scar tried to blame the hyenas, not knowing that Shenzi, Banzai and Ed had followed him and heard Scar blame them. Scar (who was offered the chance to leave the Pride Lands) attacks Simba managing to score a few strikes on him and knock him onto his back, but as Scar leaps to deliver the final blow Simba uses his hind legs to send Scar flying over the edge of Pride Rock. Scar survives the fall but the hyenas, wishing to get revenge on Scar for betraying them, began to surround him. Scar pleads for his life, but the hyenas have had enough of him,they close in leap on Scar and devour him alive.
Scar also appeared briefly in a nightmare of Simba's in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride where Jim Cummings voiced him. Scar is also featured in the game Kingdom Hearts 2 voiced by James Horan.
Added by Mayan PeoplePersonalityEdit
Scar was known to be resentful of Mufasa and Simba because Simba's birth ruined any chance of him becoming king. His resentment and anger towards Mufasa was strong enough that, after he usurped Mufasa's place on the throne by murdering him, he outlawed Mufasa's name being uttered, especially not in a favorable light. He also seemed to possess somewhat of an inferiority complex, which presumably also acted as another reason for his resentment for Mufasa, as evidenced by his sad resignation to the fact that he was passed over in the gene pool regarding brute strength. He also prides himself on his intellect, and was also somewhat of a narcissist, the latter trait being especially prevalent when plotting for the murder of Mufasa after the hyenas failed attempt at murdering Simba at the Elephant Graveyard where he mentions that when he becomes king, they'll "see him for the wonder that he is." He seems to have some odd quirks that he is also aware of, as, when Simba states in response to Scar's sarcastic reply of his being a "Monkey's Uncle" regarding what Scar will be when Simba's king that Scar's weird, Scar tells Simba that "[Simba] has no idea." Scar at one point mentioned having a bad back, although given that he said it to Simba after the latter's statement that he'll rule Pride Rock, he was likely being sarcastic. After taking over Pride Rock, Scar's overall demeanor took a turn for the worse, becoming somewhat deluded in believing that he is still an efficient ruler despite evidence to the contrary, apparently being unwilling to admit even to himself that Mufasa was a better king. He seemed to also develop serious paranoia after Simba returned regarding what Simba was going to do with him, as he tried to attack Simba after Simba repeated the same words Scar told him when Simba planned to exile Scar for murdering Mufasa due to fear that Simba would pull a similar stunt that Scar himself pulled on Simba after he said those words. In addition, when Simba first revealed himself upon his return to Pride Rock before Scar realized it was Simba, Scar backed away while in disbelief that Mufasa survived, implying some guilt or at the very least fear of his role in Mufasa's death. Regarding his treatment of Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, he was somewhat harsh with them, as evidenced by his berating them regarding their failure to kill Simba, and his angrily throwing them out after they made the mistake of mentioning Mufasa. Despite this, however, he seemed to value them as friends, as evidenced by his remark when he finds the Hyenas waiting for them before he realized they intended to kill him for his remarks, as well as his attempts at apologizing to them on deaf ears when he realized too late. In addition, he also got a few ideas (with the hyenas either knowingly supplying them or otherwise) regarding how to become king from them.
Critics have also noted allegorical resemblances between Scar and Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler which are particularly apparent during the Be Prepared musical number. Even the hyenas walk like the Nazi army.
Physical AppearanceEdit
Scar is elegant and poised but unkempt and wild-looking. He is perhaps the most evidently feline lion in the film, lithe and melanistic in appearence with a sleek, black mane, dusty brown fur and distinctive, almond-shaped green eyes. He has large, white paws with long, curving black claws that unlike those of other lions in the film are always bared and never retracted, perhaps alluding to his vicious nature. Scar also sports a white goatee beard, characteristic of villains, particularly the evil twin archetype which is fitting given his relationship with Mufasa. Finally Scar has a thin, white gash over his left eye, earning him his name.
BroadwayEdit
Added by DisneyvillainmanIn the Broadway musical based on the original film, Scar is portrayed by a human actor in an African-style costume with a lion-face headpiece that comes down over the actor's face using a hidden remote control. Scar also uses a cane. Scar was originally portrayed in the Broadway production by John Vickery, and is currently played by Patrick Page. Dan Donohue portrays this character on the Broadway tour.
Scar's role is expanded upon with the song "The Madness of King Scar." In it, Scar begins doubting his reign, fearing that he might be losing the respect of the lionesses and that he needs a queen. He attempts to seduce Nala, only to be met with a scratch to his face from an angry Nala.
Kingdom Hearts IIEdit
Added by DisneyvillainmanBesides appearing in various The Lion King video games, Scar also appears in the Disney and Square Enix game Kingdom Hearts II as the primary villain of the Pride Lands world, voiced by James Horan. Much like in the film, Scar murders Mufasa to become king, and under his reign the Pride Lands suffers a drought and food becomes scarce.
Prior to the game's main protagonists' (Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy) arrival at the Pride Lands, Pete (in the form of a lion) offers Scar use of the Heartless to maintain his hold on the throne. Sora (in the form of a lion cub, a change brought on by his magical clothes) brings Simba back to the Pride Lands so he can challenge his uncle for the throne. The confrontation between Scar and Simba that follows is almost identical to that in the original film, the only noteworthy exceptions being no hyenas for most of it and Sora and his group replacing the lionesses. Sora's group saves Timon and Pumbaa from Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, while Scar and Simba fight. As in the film, Simba eventually triumphs over his uncle.
Thinking Scar to be defeated, the protagonists are surprised when, as Pete explains, Scar returns to battle once again as a Heartless. Scar's anger and jealousy were so strong they lingered after death and consumed him. During the battle Scar uses a series of swift and strong physical attacks and powerful magic against Sora and company. Sora and his friends defeat Scar again. Scar is the only character in the Kingdom Hearts universe - excluding Xehanort and Kairi - to keep his original form as a Heartless. Whether or not a Nobody will be fleshed out in Kingdom Hearts continuity is debated.
By the time Sora returns to the Pride Lands to see how Simba is faring, rumors of Scar's ghost haunting the Pride Lands have driven Simba into doubt. But once he overcomes this problem, the "ghost" is revealed to be the interaction of Simba's lack of confidence and Scar's spirit. Multiple copies of Scar's "ghost" then combine to form a gigantic Heartless that is eventually killed by Simba and Sora.
Disney's Extreme Skate AdventureEdit
Scar appeared as the main villain of the Lion King story of Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure. He is the only one of the main Disney villains that appears on each of the levels of his story. At Pride Rock, Scar has begun causing mischief by clogging up the springs on Pride Rock, cutting off the Prideland's water supply. After un-clogging the springs, the skater (either Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbbaa, Rafiki or a custom skater) must grind a log holding back a huge boulder. Once this is completed, the rolling boulder chases Scar right out of the Pride Lands.
At the Elephant Graveyard, Scar returns to test the skater once more by scattering the letters of S-K-A-T-E around the Elephant graveyard. Upon completion of this goal, Scar mocks you and leaves the Elephant Graveyard.
The final showdown with Scar occurs at the gorge where the wildebeasts stampeded (known as Scar's Canyon in the game). After Nala revives an old, dried out watering hole, Scar makes his prescence known once more. The skater must then grind away several boulders in order to scare away Scar's hyenas guards. Once this is accomplished, Scar is left open. Thinking quickly Scar challenges Simba (the player has no choice in the character for this goal) to a race for control of the Pride Lands. Scar is fast, but Simba's skating abilities are faster and Simba is named the true king of the Pride Lands. Defeated, Scar runs away and never returns.
TriviaEdit
- While Jeremy Irons voices Scar for most of the movie, he blew out his voice recording "Be Prepared" (specifically the line "You won't get a sniff without me!"), and the rest of the song is sung by Jim Cummings. Ironically, "Be Prepared" is also where Ed (also voiced by Jim Cummings) has his only line that is not laughter.
- Scar is very similar to fellow villain Shere Khan both are big cats, both talk with an English accent, they have the same goal of killing the film's main protagonists (for Shere Khan, Mowgli, for Scar, Simba) and both of their defeats results in falling. The main differences are that Scar is a Lion and Khan is a Bengal Tiger, and when Scar falls, he is killed by the hyenas, and when Khan falls, he survives and is trapped in a giant statue in the shape of a tiger's head.
- Scar is also similar to Ronno, both are the only deepest color in lion/deer group, same senses that fighting their enemy (for Ronno, Bambi, for Scar, Simba) , then falls a great distance. Also both have a strong heart of jealousy, Scar is jealous that his nephew Simba can be king of pride rock but he can't, however Ronno is jealousy that his rival Bambi falls in love with Faline but he fails.
- Scar is very similar to Prince John from Robin Hood being that during his reign, Scar becomes angered when his brother's name is mentioned. Similarly, their final battles with their respective enemy also involved fire caused via unnatural methods, they are both lions, and they both have older brothers who are kings
- In an original draft for the ending of The Lion King, Scar was to be shown burned alive when Simba hurls him off the ledge, with Scar laughing as he did so (presumably due to completely losing his sanity over losing everything), which also results in Pride Rock's destruction. Although it was ultimately cut, Simba's Pride nonetheless implied that fire was partially involved in Scar's death.
- The Nostalgia Critic listed Scar as Number 9 on his "Top 11 Disney Villains" list while his song "Be Prepared" was listed as Number 3 on his "Top 11 Villain Songs" list. This song, along with another from the list, was brought up again when it was mentioned that Jim Cummings was singing the song though mentioned that Jeremy Irons sang most of the song. His female counterpart, The Nostalgia Chick, listed Scar as Number 8 on her "Top 10 Evil Nostalgia Characters" list.
- In the 1997 Disney film Hercules, Scar makes a brief cameo appearance in the scene where Hercules is posing for the painting wearing the skin of what's supposed to be the Nemean Lion, but is actually Scar.
- During the song "Be Prepared", Scar leaps off a high cliff, and upon landing causes the ground to crack apart as well as the various pieces to rise with him and the Hyenas on it (and one of the hyenas falling through the cracks), hinting that he either possessed Terrakinetic abilities or had an uncanny ability to predict the precise moment portions of the ground (such as that at the Elephant Graveyard) would change drastically.
- Scar is the first Disney villain to be biologically related to one of the main protagonists in the Disney canon. The previous villains such as the Queen and Lady Tremaine were related to the main protagonists only by marriage, and although Ursula was intended to be Ariel's aunt, the concepts relating to it were cut, and it is now only considered semi-canon.
- There is a t-shirt with Scar on it that has his famous quote, "I'm surrounded by idiots."
- Originally, Scar was going to send adult Nala away from Pride Rock because she ignored his romantic approaches, after which she finds Simba alive and well with Timon and Pumbaa. This idea was ultimately abandoned, as sexual harassment was considered improper in a family movie. However, the stage musical adaptation includes this plot development as part of director Julie Taymor's efforts to expand the female characters' presence in the story. This deleted scene can be seen in the Blu Ray's special features.
- The same scene, The Madness of King Scar, also gave further credence that he held remorse for murdering Mufasa, where he was often haunted by his ghost a'la Macbeth, something that was subtly implied in the final film itself when Scar initially mistook Simba for Mufasa and backed away in disbelief.
- Originally, Scar would chase Simba out of the Pridelands himself.
- Originally, Scar would have been a rogue lion who was not related to Mufasa.
- The final version of Scar's death (being killed by the Hyenas in revenge for pinning the blame of Mufasa's murder on them) was based on an original draft for Gaston's demise in Beauty and the Beast, in which the Wolves would have attacked him after surviving the fall from Beast's castle with a broken leg.
- Scar is also similar to Hades. Both are the brother of the hero's father, both try to kill the main character, both try to take over their home (and succeed), both send away the main character elsewhere and when they return their home is under the villain's control
- Scar's death is perhaps one of the most graphic Disney deaths ever, even with the flames obscuring the screen as the hyenas tear him apart.
See Also Edit
- Zira
- Nuka
- Vitani
- Shere Khan
- Sabor
- Lion (George of the Jungle)
- Jaguar (In Search of the Castaways)
- Nemean Lion
- Prince John
- King Leonidas
- Outlanders
- Hopper
- Professor Ratigan
- Bruce
- Alpha,Beta and Gamma
- Muntz's Dogs
- Omega
- Roscoe and DeSoto
- The Wolves (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe)
- Peg Leg Pete
- Kazar
- Si and Am
- Ronno
