The fact that Kiara was in *Mufasa* and that the sequel's live-action remake is most likely in development (I just I hope the writers stick to the source material and don't change Zira, Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu too much) makes it nothing short of disappointing that Zira wasn't in the movie. It's supposed to be Mufasa and Scar's past. So, where's Zira?

I never even understood the point of making Scar all enamored with Sarabi in the first live-action remake, either. Like, it made no sense whatsoever and came out of nowhere. Unless it was because of the deleted scene "The Madness of King Scar" from the 1994 movie, but that still doesn't add up. That was Nala. Not Sarabi. And even so, if Scar was so in love with another lioness, for what reason would remake Zira be so devoted to him? He wanted Sarabi to be his queen and it didn't seem like there were other lionesses in the remake besides those loyal to Mufasa just like in the original. So, where is Zira?

I watched the movie and while I thought it was good I know it could've been so much better. Especially for being James Earl Jones' final film role ever.

I've said it before but I'll repeat it. Zira should've been in the prequel and it would've made sense to have her be Kiros' daughter. It could've helped expand on Kiros' character just a bit if not showed a kinder side. One thing about Kiros is that he did, in fact, love his son. So, I can picture Kiros being worried about losing Zira after Shaju's death, like how Simba worried so much about Kiara (hint, hint), which would've made Kiros a more complex, understandable villain. And on the mountain, after Mufasa and Sarabi's little love fest, I can picture Scar finding Zira, who perhaps is just a cub at this  time, like when Kiara met Kovu, and threatening to kill her just like how Kiros murdered Obasi and Eshe, since it would be Scar's "pound of flesh", but he chooses to spare her instead, though not without nicking her ear with a claw, leaving a "scar", and uses that "mercy" to help secure his alliance to Kiros and his place in Kiros' pride since Kiros would owe him his daughter's life. Sound familiar?

And after the final battle, after Mufasa defeats Kiros and takes over as king, Scar begs for Mufasa to let Zira live despite her being an Outsider since she's just a cub. Perhaps it's because he's learned to care for her if not just tolerate her even though his alliance with Kiros is gone. Or perhaps he thinks that, one day, she can help him reclaim his "rightful" throne from Mufasa.

And poor, poor at the time sweet and kind and probably naive little Zira has lost everything. Her home, her brother, her father, her mother (probably), her aunts, her pride. Everything. And all she has left is the lion who saved her on the mountain. Perhaps to further cement her undying fidelity to him, he does it when there's an avalanche and not just because he catches her wandering off from her pride so that it's not just about political reasons and keeping himself alive, but because he wanted to make up for not having helped his mother. Because he was still Taka at the time. Not yet Scar. Then he realizes she's an Outsider and no less Kiros' daughter, the last of his bloodline, and returns her to the Outsiders and acts as if he'll take her life, right in front of Kiros, like how Kiros took Obasi and even Eshe from Taka. But then... he doesn't. He saves her from an avalanche, and then he spares her, and then he begs for her life after the battle of Milele even though she's an Outsider, a strange white lion, and he has no real reason to now that she's of no real use to him. And perhaps the two of them are all that each other has left, though Scar's feelings for Sarabi never fade (though I still don't where they came from), and Zira promises to avenge her father and her pride and to carry on both her father's bloodline and Scar's to unite them as one. And throughout the years, Zira may or may not feel true love for Scar, though he never returns these feelings because of Sarabi, even though Zira bore him a beautiful son, Nuka, which could result in resentment towards both Sarabi and even Scar. Thus creating a complex, understandable, and likeable character. A true villain with a reason.

And perhaps Zira's absence in *The Lion King* could've been explained if she was searching for the remaining Outsiders after they scattered once the battle of Milele was over. Most of her family was gone but not all of them. And Zira and Scar knew that to take back Milele, Mufasa would have to die. But the two of them couldn't do it alone. They needed an army. Scar chose to ally himself to the hyenas, which turned out to be a big mistake, while Zira sought out the surviving Outsiders despite being pregnant with Kovu at the time and took Nuka with her just in case the plan went south. But by the time they had returned, Scar killed Mufasa, but then Simba had defeated Scar and the hyenas even killed him, and Simba had taken over as king, which would've shocked and infuriated Zira to the point of lashing out at Simba, resulting in her exile and the exile of the remaining Outsiders. Therefore, Kovu was born in the Outlands, not Milele/The Pridelands.

Vitani's backstory could go either way. She could be Nala's daughter who Nala cast out because she was Scar's daughter and forced on her, who Zira took in because of her devotion to Scar and his bloodline, or she could be Zira's and born in the same litter as Kovu but a few minutes sooner.

Regardless, the fact that Zira wasn't in the prequel will forever bug me to no end. Especially since, if all of this rant were the case, there could be a scene in the inevitable live-action remake of the sequel where Zira ambushes Sarabi and blames Mufasa for all of the bad that happened in her life and points out that Scar was all she had left after Mufasa killed Kiros, hence her devotion to him, and even though Scar, at one point, was kind and good, enough to save lives (Mufasa's, Zira's), Sarabi still rejected him over and over again even after Mufasa was gone. Whether or not Zira kills Sarabi afterwards is up for debate but it would certainly raise the stakes compared to most of the other live-action Disney remakes. Plus, there could be a moment where Zira mentions that she plans to avenge each and every last member of her pride, Scar most of all, and that she started with the hyenas (Shenzi, Kamari, Azizi), and even took out Kopa to avenge Shaju and show Simba what it's like to lose a son like how Kiros did (since Kopa is supposed to be Simba's son and Kiara's older brother in the literary works who we never see in the movies or even The Lion Guard but there's a fan theory that Zira killed him, hence why Zazu refers to them as "backstabbing, murderous" Outsiders and why Simba points out that you can't turn your back on them) and that she'll finish with Simba if not Kiara.

And when Nuka dies, perhaps Zira doesn't ask Scar to watch over him, since Scar didn't favor him as much as he favored Kovu, perhaps because Nuka was too weak at birth but Zira loved him too much to let him go, but rather asks Kiros and Shaju to watch over him since he is "one of them" before setting her sights on taking Simba down once and for all. But she doesn't.

Kiara and Kovu end up falling in love and uniting the two prides and the rest of the Outlanders are sick of fighting and just want to be welcomed, and when Simba finally accepts them, and even Vitani wants to end the fighting, Zira attacks Simba one last time, only for Kiara to get in the way, and then Zira's fate is sealed at the river. Whether or not Disney keeps the original death in is up for debate but it'd make a lot more sense to keep Zira's suicide since, in that moment, Zira would realize that, one, she'd be with her brother, her father, her mother, her aunts, and her son again, and, two, Kovu, Scar's "Chosen One", will become king once Simba dies, which means both Scar and Kiros' plans had succeeded. Both of their bloodlines will continue on. Not in the way they expected but good enough, and so, she lets go and accepts her fate.

Look, I know this was a long ass rant but I can't help it. I just love these movies and wish the writers would add things like this since it's what makes a movie good when it cares about the characters and makes them compelling in every meaning of the word. Imagine sitting in the movie theater when the sequel comes out and feeling the shock of realizing that Shenzi, Kamari, and Azizi are all gone because Zira killed them and then realizing that Zira don't mess around and that this is a legit villain straight from Disney's Renaissance Era who can and will kill whoever she must to see her goals be met. Makes "My Lullaby" even more brutal when you think about it.

Zira Really Should've Been In Mufasa