Who is the real villain of the picture?
Sure, Disney would like us to think it's Scar what with the parade of hyenas looking like something from Nazi or Stalinist Russia and being played by Jeremy Irons (because only British people can properly play evil characters), but is the real villain someone else?
Notwithstanding the obvious fact that Scar did basically contribute to Mufasa's death by causing him to fall into a stampede and get trampled, which I suppose is akin to pushing someone in front of a train and the subsequent lying and manipulation of Simba's emotions, but if Simba survived and Mufasa didn't because of the operation of chance, then Scar's actions are more criminally negligent and causing harm, than actually causing harm itself.
That aside, I think that the real villain of the picture is Nala.
What?! You've got to be kidding me?
It is normal for Lions when asserting dominance over a pride to attack each other. When Scar takes over, then this is perfectly normal within Lion society. Simba would normally be forced to leave the pride at age 2 or 3 anyway.
Nala upon realising that she has the opportunity to ascend Lion society, manipulates Simba into returning; citing that the kingdom is a terrible place to live under Scar. There actually appears to be no other reliable witnesses other than Zazu to corroborate her story. Unlike say Animal Farm where the animals are directly oppressed under the reign of the pigs led by Napoleon, there isn't really any evidence that the animals in the Pride Lands are being oppressed either.
There is a point made in the story suggesting that Scar turned the land from a lush paradise to a barren wasteland but given that lions do not engage in farming or industry, is that even technically possible?
Basically Nala's story is similar to Lady Macbeth, in that she goads her mate into going through with an act of regicide; perhaps motivated by her own wish to ascend through Lion Society which would happen as a result of a new king taking over. From Simba's prospective he is motivated by revenge, which scarcely seems better than Scar's original lust for power in the first place.
Nala however rather than acting on her own, motivates Simba to act out that course of revenge; thereby leaving her with no blood on her hands (paws) at all.
The moral to Nala's story is that manipulation and entrapment are acceptable methods of getting what you want; likewise Simba teaches us that revenge is an acceptable justification for regicide.
And you all thought it was a nice G-Rated story... have I just ruined your childhood?
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