History Characters / TheLionKingScar

* {{Hypocrite}}: He begs for mercy with Simba despite killing his older brother and tried killing his nephew without batting an eye.

* RuleOfSymbolism: There's a reason Scar has [[GreenEyedMonster ''green'' eyes.]]

* AlwaysSecondBest: He feels that he is this to Mufasa and utterly ''[[BerserkButton hates]]'' being compared to him.

** Sarabi calls him out on this prior to the Battle of Pride Rock, stating that he is nowhere near the king that Mufasa was, causing Scar to knock her to the ground, roaring "I am ten times the king Mufasa was." Likewise, Zazu and Banzai were threatened when they mentioned Mufasa under their breath.
** What's more, in "The Madness of King Scar" (deleted from the movie, and resurrected for the Broadway show), the delusional tyrant laments, "Even in death, [my brother's] shadow looms over me." In the same scene, Zazu lists all the things that Mufasa had which Scar lacks: "[A]doring subjects; the respect of his species; a loving family; a devoted queen..."[[note]]"Shall I go on, sire?[[/note]]

* BeneathTheMask: Throughout the first act of the film, Scar gives off the façade of being a suave, charismatic, sophisticated lion. Once he becomes king, though, he starts acting like a [[PsychopathicManChild child]], throwing temper tantrums and whining about his lot in life, to show that, at heart, he saw being a king the way a child would. However, when trying to get Simba to "admit guilt" and later when he tries to get him to show mercy, he goes right back into being the suave character he was beforehand, implying the suave, sophisticated personality was no more than a mask for the ManChild he really was.[[note]]It's implied it was always a mask when the movie literally begins with Scar moping about like a sullen teenager only for Zazu to come and flat out tell him "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?", something an adult would tell a ''child'', which not only indicates how childish he really is but also implies he (and possibly Mufasa) always knew he was a ManChild[[/note]]

[-'''[[Characters/TheLionKingFirstFilm First Film]]''' ([[Characters/TheLionKingSimba Simba]] | '''Scar''') | [[Characters/TheLionKingSecondFilm Second Film]] | [[Characters/TheLionKingMidquelFilm Midquel Film]] | ''Characters/TimonAndPumbaa'' | ''Characters/TheLionGuard'' | [[Characters/TheLionKingExtendedMedia Extended Media]] | [[Characters/TheLionKing2019 2019 Film]]-]]]]]

* ChildishVillainMatureHero: Unlike Simba or Kion, Scar is a spoiled toddler who lacks the maturity needed of being the leader of the Lion Guard or even running a kingdom.

* DiligentHeroSlothfulVillain: He's the lazy villain to Simba, Mufasa, and Kion's diligent heroes. Under Scar's rule, the Pridelands turn into {{Mordor}} once he lets the hyenas to run amok and overhunt, but turn back into the GhibliHills savanna they used to be once Simba reclaims the throne. Justified because Scar was a slacker who lacked the maturity to even be a king despite boastfully proclaiming he's "ten times the king" Mufasa was.

** It is clear he only cared about being king for the title and nothing else. (Greed)

** Scar's time as a tyrannical dictator shows what Simba could have been without the moral guidance on how to be king. Simba eventually outgrew his belief that being king is all about the power and prestige, but Scar embraced it to the full extent, not caring about the royal duties.

** He loses his patience and starts yelling while Mufasa is mentioned.

* VillainSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0AiN8vrn9Y&feature=related "Be Prepared"]] were he explains to the Hyenas how he intended to murder his brother and nephew to become king. There is also a cut [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEBOYTGy3mY reprise]] to "Be Prepared" where he expresses his desire to make Nala his queen, and introduces the Hyenas as his 'executive staff.' ''The Lion Guard'' gives him two more: "I Have A Plan", in which he lays the groundwork for assembling a legion of antagonistic Outland animals to take over the Pride Lands, and "When I Led the Guard", in which he explains to Ushari how he got his scar.

* VillainousWidowsPeak: Scar has one that complements his dark, evil character.

* SpiritualSuccessor: He's basically a more serious and competent version of Prince John from ''WesternAnimation/RobinHood''. Like John he's an effeminate lion whose jealous of his brother's success as king and finds a way to take over the throne. Also, like John, they are both [[PsychopathicManchild overgrown cubs]] who care more about the power of being king than doing anything worthwhile with the power and constantly throw temper tantrums whenever things go badly for them.

The BigBad of ''The Lion King'' and Simba's paternal uncle. Displeased with being removed from the succession of rule by his elder brother and later his nephew, he starts the entire plot by [[LateArrivalSpoiler killing his brother and attempting to do the same to his nephew]]. He then achieves his goal as being king- only to prove to be completely unfit for the title and leave his nephew to resume ruling, with events leading to Scar's death. He returns in The ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'' as a spirit to plot his vengeance.

* BerserkButton: Mentioning how much better of a king Mufasa was than him, probably because deep down, he knows that it's true. He can't stand hearing his dead brother's name to the point of making a law against saying it in his presence. Zazu and Banzai were threatened by this after mentioning Mufasa under their breath, while Sarabi was struck by him for blatantly comparing the two lions.

-->'''Scar:''' I'm '''''ten times''''' the king Mufasa was.

* {{Narcissist}}: He harbors deep resentment that Mufasa and not ''him'' has been named the heir to the throne of Pride Rock (even before Simba's birth and before Mufasa assumed the throne). He thinks he's a better king than Mufasa, but given his disastrous reign, he is really incapable of even realizing that he could be wrong. If he does, he'll instead [[NeverMyFault accuse]] others. This verse from his VillainSong says it all:

* TheBully: He like to "play" with his food with taunts, sarcastic jabs, and physical abuse before actually eating it.
* CainAndAbel: Scar is the Cain to Mufasa's Abel.