| 1 | [[WMG:[[center:''Characters/TheLionKing'' [[Characters/TheLionKing franchise character index]]\ |
| 2 | [-'''[[Characters/TheLionKingFirstFilm First Film]]''' ('''Scar''') | [[Characters/TheLionKingSecondFilm Second Film]] | [[Characters/TheLionKingMidquelFilm Midquel Film]] | ''Characters/TimonAndPumbaa'' | ''Characters/TheLionGuard'' | [[Characters/TheLionKingExtendedMedia Extended Media]] | [[Characters/TheLionKing2019 2019 Film]]-]]]]] |
| 3 | ---- |
| 4 | |
| 5 | !!Scar |
| 6 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/scarnobg.png]] |
| 7 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Long live the king."'']] |
| 8 | [[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see him in ''The Lion Guard'']]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/scarthelionguard.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 9 | |
| 10 | -->'''Voiced in English by:''' Creator/JeremyIrons (''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'', ''Once Upon a Studio''), Creator/{{Jim Cummings|1952}} (''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKingIISimbasPride Simba's Pride]]'', ''Simba's Mighty Adventure'')[[note]]Also fills in for the last verse of "Be Prepared", including the EvilLaugh at the end[[/note]], Creator/JamesHoran (''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', ''TabletopGame/SorcerersOfTheMagicKingdom'', ''VideoGame/DisneyDreamlightValley''), Creator/DavidOyelowo (''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'') |
| 11 | -->'''Voiced in Latin American Spanish by:''' Carlos Petrel (''TLK''), Sebastián Llapur (DVD/BD version onwards) |
| 12 | -->'''Voiced in Japanese by:''' Creator/HaruhikoJo |
| 13 | -->'''Voiced in French by:''' Creator/JeanPiat; Guy Chapelier (''Simba's Pride'' and ''The Lion Guard'') |
| 14 | -->'''Voiced in Brazilian Portuguese by:''' Jorgeh Ramos; Ricardo Rossatt (''The Lion Guard'') |
| 15 | -->'''Voiced in Hebrew by:''' Eli Gorenstein |
| 16 | -->'''Voiced in Italian by:''' Tolo Solenghi (''TLK''), Neri Marcore (''Simba's Pride''), |
| 17 | -->'''Voiced in Zulu by:''' Robert Dlamini (speaking), Victor Masondo (singing) |
| 18 | -->'''Voiced in Swedish by:''' Rikard Wolff (''TLK''), Johan Hedenberg (''Simba's Pride'') |
| 19 | -->'''Singing by:''' Jim Cummings (''TLK'', final verse of "Be Prepared") |
| 20 | |
| 21 | 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, as he has a [[PsychopathicManchild child's understanding of being king]], 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. |
| 22 | ---- |
| 23 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 24 | |
| 25 | [[folder:#-F]] |
| 26 | * ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Downplayed. By the time Simba returns, even the ''hyenas'' of all animals confess that Mufasa was a much better king than Scar could ever be. Though, as revealed in the sequel and ''The Lion Guard'', Scar ''did'' have some supporters, Zira included, all of whom were banished from the Pridelands when Simba took over. |
| 27 | * AdaptationPersonalityChange: In the Broadway show, he's far more overtly insane. He's also portrayed as significantly more camp in demeanor, to the point of coming off like a psychopathic Creator/PaulLynde at times. |
| 28 | * TheAllegedBoss: Prior to becoming king, he was this to the hyenas. His plan required recruiting them with the promise of good food and care and they had no problem snarking and back-talking him. After the plan goes through they seem more fearful of him, until his fateful double cross where they make quite clear he is still ''very'' much this. |
| 29 | * AlwaysSecondBest: He subconsciously feels that he is this to Mufasa and utterly ''[[BerserkButton hates]]'' being compared to him. |
| 30 | ** In the semi-canon book ''A Tale of Two Brothers'' (and in the numerous fanfics that have followed in the years since), it's implied that their father, King Ahadi, favors Mufasa because he understood the responsibilities that come with kingship, whereas Scar only cares about power and authority. |
| 31 | ** Sarabi calls him out on this prior to the Battle of Pride Rock, stating that he is [[BerserkButton 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. |
| 32 | ** 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, his 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]] |
| 33 | * AmbitiousButLazy: His plan to become king essentially boils down to "make the hyenas do all of the hard work while I reap the benefits." During his tenure as king, the whole kingdom went to pot becomes he was too negligent to actually ''rule'' his kingdom. |
| 34 | * AndNowYouMustMarryMe: Did not make it into the final version of the film, but this trope was ''very'' heavy in one scene that was cut from ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}''. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0WATOVmLtQ Scar was planning to attempt to force Nala to propose to him.]] Later, a similar scene found its way into the Broadway version. |
| 35 | * AndThenWhat: Scar clearly did not think about what to do after taking over the Pridelands. It is clear he only cared about the title, not the responsibilities. |
| 36 | * AnimalisticAbomination: Became one in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard''. Now he's an incorporeal, destructive entity. |
| 37 | * AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Mufasa regards him as this due to Scar's bitterness and lack of respect towards him. It proves to be a great underestimation. |
| 38 | * AnythingButThat: His reaction to Zazu singing "It's a Small World". |
| 39 | * AppropriatedAppellation: He was nicknamed "Scar" by Mufasa after [[spoiler:being bitten by a snake. He took this as a great affront against him, driving him to overthrow his sibling, but he adopted the name for himself afterward permanently.]] |
| 40 | * ArchEnemy: To the Pridelanders in general after his time as king, but he is this especially to Simba and Mufasa due to his very [[EvilUncle personal]] connection [[CainAndAbel to them]]. |
| 41 | * BackingAwaySlowly: After Scar realized the hyenas overheard his plot to double-cross them, [[spoiler:he tries backing away, but the hyenas quickly maul him to death right away.]] |
| 42 | * BackstabBackfire: [[spoiler:He tries to blame the hyenas before his final confrontation with Simba. Unfortunately for him, they overheard him plotting and are NOT very pleased about it.]] |
| 43 | * BadBoss: |
| 44 | ** Lets the hyenas run rampant over the Pridelands until even they run out of food, casually manipulates all of them into helping his selfish scheme, and eventually tries to pass the blame onto them when he tries to weasel his way out of justice. He also physically abuses them throughout his VillainSong. |
| 45 | ** ''The Lion Guard'' shows that Scar was asking the other lions in his Lion Guard to assist him take down Mufasa. When they refused, he used The Roar to eliminate them. |
| 46 | * BaitTheDog: While he comes across as being openly resentful of not being a ruler due to Mufasa and Simba's existence and even admits this to Mufasa's face, it initially seemed that he in his own way, had become a treasured uncle in Simba's eyes and had given up on his ambitions to support his family. However, it quickly becomes obvious that not only Scar hasn't given up on being king, but he is willing to stoop as low as to lure an unsuspecting Simba to his death via hyenas. When this plan fails, he then orchestrates the successful murder of his brother with a sadistic relish and then guilt trips Simba into accepting the blame for the crime, causing the young cub to be traumatized for years. |
| 47 | * BatmanGambit: Scar pulls a fairly sadistic one on Mufasa when he puts Simba in danger. It ends up getting Mufasa killed. |
| 48 | * BeardOfEvil: His muzzle looks like a devilish goatee. |
| 49 | * BeingEvilSucks: After killing Mufasa and usurping his throne, Scar finds that the power doesn't bring him nearly as much joy as he'd hoped. His vanity and short-sightedness lead him to quickly turn his newly-conquered territory into an uninhabitable wasteland, and he's haunted by the knowledge that his subjects will never respect him the same way he did his brother. By the time of his climactic confrontation with Simba, the stress has driven him to the brink of madness. |
| 50 | * 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]] Or he’s a manchild, who also happens to be very suave and sophisticated. |
| 51 | * BerserkButton: When Scar takes over as the new king after announcing Simba's alleged death, just ''mentioning'' Mufasa' s name, much mentioning less how much better of a king his late brother was, enrages 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. |
| 52 | --> '''Sarabi:''' If you were ''half'' the king Mufasa was... |
| 53 | -->'''Scar:''' I'M '''''TEN TIMES''''' THE KING MUFASA WAS!!! |
| 54 | * BewareTheSuperman: As shown in ''The Lion Guard'', he was once bestowed with the Roar of the Elders, but used it for malicious purposes, namely to usurp Mufasa's position as heir. Because the Roar was never meant to be used for evil, Scar was stripped of it. |
| 55 | * BeyondRedemption: |
| 56 | ** At first, Simba was content to force Scar to abdicate the throne for his perceived incompetence of ruling the Pridelands. But when Scar admitted that he killed Mufasa all this time, Simba flew into pure rage, declaring his uncle to be a murderer who doesn't deserve to live. Even when [[ThouShaltNotKill Simba ultimately decided to spare Scar's life]], it's only to not stoop down to his level, and he still ordered Scar to be permanently banished from the Pridelands with an unforgiving IronicEcho. |
| 57 | ** Zigzagged in ''The Lion Guard''. [[spoiler:Kion has every reason to hate Scar and use the Roar of the Elders to destroy his spirit. But Mufasa warns Kion that fighting fire with fire is not the solution, and Scar's fiery spirit wants to corrupt Kion by making him give into his hate. Ultimately, Kion finds enough will and courage to do the unthinkable and forgives Scar for his evil actions. Then he uses the Roar to summon the Lions of the Past to pass judgement on Scar with gentle rain. This peaceful action is what ultimately destroys Scar as his entire spirit is completely made of fire, symbolizing that he's irredeemable to the core even when he's granted forgiveness and love.]] |
| 58 | * BigBad: The main antagonist of the first movie. Killing Mufasa and ruining the Pridelands. Returns as this again in ''The Lion Guard''. He was the GreaterScopeVillain in Season 1, when [[TheHeavy Janja]] tries to finish what he started in the past. He returns as this in Season 2. |
| 59 | * BigNo: Scar just before he is [[spoiler:devoured by the hyenas]]. He has one in Season 3 of ''The Lion Guard'' when [[spoiler:the kings of the past unleash a rainstorm which destroys his fiery spirit permanently]]. |
| 60 | * BigWhat: [[spoiler:He cries out, "You what?" when Kion tells him he forgives him, just before he defeats him permanently]]. |
| 61 | * BitchInSheepsClothing: He pulled this off with Simba by pretending to be a caring uncle when Scar truly wanted Simba and Mufasa no longer alive so he would claim the throne. |
| 62 | * BitchSlap: He gives one to Sarabi when she attempts to compare him with Mufasa. |
| 63 | * BondVillainStupidity: After telling Simba to exile himself from the Pride Lands, he orders the hyenas to kill him soon after rather than do it himself, and doesn't bother to make sure that they actually do the job. During the climax, his BreakingSpeech toward Simba would have worked... had Scar not decided to twist the knife even further and confess to Simba that ''he'' was the one who killed Mufasa. |
| 64 | * BrainsEvilBrawnGood: ZigZagged. He certainly is a great deal more fond of using manipulation and cunning to get what he wants, and he's very talented at both of these things. In addition, he admits that he is physically far weaker than Mufasa. Whenever it comes to actually ''ruling'' a kingdom, however, he has ''no idea what he is doing'', and the Pride Lands goes from a lush savannah to a barren wasteland in a matter of a few years, all because of his shiftlessness. Upon Simba's return, however, he shows himself to be no less adept at the cunning manipulation that got him into power... and this trope is played with again when Scar proves himself to indeed be a viciously competent (if [[CombatPragmatist dirty]]) fighter whenever he's got no other options. |
| 65 | * BrainyBrunette: His fur is dark brownish-red and he's quite the seasoned schemer. |
| 66 | * BreakingSpeech: Gives a ''nasty'' one to Simba upon his return. It's so effective, if he did not fall for the VillainBall trap, he'd have won with ''only'' this. |
| 67 | * BreakoutVillain: Scar has been featured rather prominently in Disney's mobile games, to the point where he's appeared before [[TheHero Simba]] numerous times. These appearances include ''VideoGame/DisneyHeroesBattleMode'', ''VideoGame/DisneySorcerersArena'' and ''VideoGame/DisneyMirrorverse''. Even within the franchise itself, [[spoiler:his ghost returns as the GreaterScopeVillain in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'']]. |
| 68 | * BriarPatching: He deliberately uses ReversePsychology to trick a young Simba into visiting the elephant graveyard, knowing full well that Simba's ego and curiosity will get the better of him. |
| 69 | * BrilliantButLazy: Deconstructed. While he provides the page quote for BrainsEvilBrawnGood and is clever enough using manipulation to overthrow and assassinate Mufasa, he doesn't even try being responsible once he becomes king, leaving his hyena minions to work with the lionesses. He even openly stated he only cares about the title of king out of pure vanity. |
| 70 | ** [[spoiler:He could have asked about a cure for the cobra bite he received, given that he knew that it existed. But because Mufasa called him a demeaning nickname, when said nickname was clearly playful and not intended to be malicious, Scar just left it.]] |
| 71 | * BrokenPedestal: Zigzagged. When Simba interacted with Scar as a cub, it was clear he genuinely looked up to his uncle and found him eccentric. After learning Scar killed his father and turned the Pride Lands into a barren hellhole due to his ineffectual rule, Simba has nothing but distrust for him. Even then, Simba laments that his uncle couldn’t let go of his hate and it destroyed him in the end. |
| 72 | * BroughtDownToNormal: As revealed in ''The Lion Guard'', he once had the [[MightyRoar Roar of the Elders]], but after using it to kill his Lion Guard for refusing to help him overthrow Mufasa, the Great Kings of the Past stripped him of it, as the Roar [[BewareTheSuperman was never meant to be used for evil]]. Of course, Mufasa [[GoodCannotComprehendEvil did]] not [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter think]] he would still be a threat after that. |
| 73 | %%* CainAndAbel: Scar is the Cain to Mufasa's Abel. |
| 74 | * TheCaligula: He is an absolutely toxic ruler who threatens or intimidates anybody who tries to tell him so. The mere mention of Mufasa is enough to [[BerserkButton send him into a rage]]. |
| 75 | * CantTakeCriticism: Whenever someone compares him to Mufasa or criticizes his rule, [[BerserkButton he promptly explodes in anger.]] |
| 76 | * CardCarryingVillain: He's aware of what he is and doesn't even try to justify his actions. For example, when Simba affectionately states "You're so weird", Scar tells Simba "You have no idea". In ''The Lion Guard'', he refers to his scar as "the mark of evil", and taunts Kion after [[spoiler:giving him a scar of his own]] by saying that now he too has the mark of evil. |
| 77 | * CatsAreMean: As the villain of a movie where most of the cast are cats anyway, he fits this trope to a T. |
| 78 | * CessationOfExistence: [[spoiler:In the season 3 premiere of ''The Lion Guard'', Scar's spirit is destroyed when Kion summons the great kings of the past, who use spiritual water to extinguish his fiery spirit. Scar himself confirmed that this would cause him to cease to exist.]] |
| 79 | * CharactersMostHatedSong: when Scar is in command, he commands Zazu to sing something more upbeat than "Nobody Knows". He begins singing "[[EarWorm It's a Small World After All]]", and Scar yells, "NO! No. ''[[AnythingButThat Anything]]'' [[AnythingButThat but that!]]" It's a TakeThat to the Disney World ride. |
| 80 | * TheChessmaster: His whole plan of getting rid of Mufasa and Simba. In fact, the plan would've worked had the hyenas gone after Simba. |
| 81 | * ChildishVillainMatureHero: Unlike Simba or Kion, Scar is a spoiled toddler who proved inept in running a kingdom, let alone the Lion Guard. |
| 82 | * TheChooserOfTheOne: Scar chose Kovu to defeat Simba. Likely a lie as the creators have confirmed that Kovu is an orphan and has no biological connection to either Scar or Zira. |
| 83 | * ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: He betrays his own family, killing his brother and trying to do the same to his nephew, and later sells out the hyenas to save his own life. Heck, he even destroyed ''his own Lion Guard'' with the Roar of the Elders in rage when they didn't support his plot to overthrow Mufasa. |
| 84 | * CirclingMonologue: Scar does this in an effort to guilt-trip Simba as he confronts him for being responsible for Mufasa's death. |
| 85 | * ClassicVillain: Resentment, wrath, and pride, with a little [[BrilliantButLazy Sloth]] in there as well. [[DrivenByEnvy Enraged]] at Mufasa naming Simba as his successor, Scar kills his own brother and tricks Simba into believing he was responsible for his father's death. While he was cunning when it came to [[TheUsurper usurping the throne]], he proved really inept at ruling a kingdom, as the Pride Lands become a hellhole through a mix of his shiftlessness and faint-heartedness. He knows his rule was disastrous, but his pride prevents him from fully acknowledging it and [[BerserkButton lashes out violently]] whenever someone compares him to Mufasa. When confronted by Simba for his crimes, Scar tried to weasel away by blaming his hyena minions, but they overheard his betrayal and mauled him to death. |
| 86 | * ColorMotifs: Green. First, he is the only character in the film (possibly the franchise) to have green eyes. Second, his VillainSong, "Be Prepared", has green in the form of lighting and smoke. And thirdly, green can represent envy, which is Scar's main reason for his evil deeds. |
| 87 | * CombatPragmatist: Starts off his fight with Simba by [[AHandfulForAnEye throwing burning embers into his eyes]]. |
| 88 | * CompositeCharacter: The feline equivalent of [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Claudius]] crossed with Theatre/{{Macbeth}}. Though he shares a lot of similarities with Theatre/RichardIII as well: shunned by society for his physical weaknesses, conspires against his king, suave and manipulative, willing to kill little princes. |
| 89 | * CoolUncle: Scar plays himself up as this with Simba in one scene, telling him about the elephant graveyard and doting over his [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative "favorite nephew"]]. Except it's all just a front to send Simba to his demise with no actual affection on Scar's end. |
| 90 | * ConsummateLiar: Part of his [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstabbing personality.]] He will double-cross family and lackeys to [[DirtyCoward save his own skin]]. |
| 91 | * CorneredRattlesnake: He'd rather weasel his way out of a fight, but when he realizes he's fixing to lose his throne, he resorts to battling Simba with ferocious vigor. |
| 92 | * CorruptedCharacterCopy: Of ''[[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Claudius]]'', believe it or not. Claudius, though still a villain, was a ''lot'' less wicked than Scar (or at least, a lot more ''[[AffablyEvil pleasant]]''). He's genuinely warm-hearted to the queen (whom he married after taking the throne), told Hamlet to stay in Denmark so that he can succeed him as king (although YMMV on whether Claudius was sincere or just trying to keep an eye on the rightful heir), apparently showed genuine concern for Hamlet's [[ObfuscatingInsanity apparent madness]], was a relatively [[VillainWithGoodPublicity competent ruler]], and at least had the decency to feel ashamed over murdering his brother. Scar, on the other hand, mistreats Sarabi after taking the throne, tries to get Simba killed because he doesn't want the competition, proves to be an utterly ''poor'' king, and shows absolutely no remorse over murdering Mufasa. If anything, Scar’s personality has more in common with that of Theatre/RichardIII, another of Shakespeare's kingslayers who was more callous and merciless. |
| 93 | * TheCorrupter: |
| 94 | ** To his nephew, Simba. Though it doesn't work when Simba becomes a grown up. |
| 95 | ** [[spoiler:The season 3 show of ''The Lion Guard'' shows him attempting to do this to Kion. It doesn’t work either.]] |
| 96 | ** [[spoiler:He himself was corrupted by the unknown lion in the past, though it is also made clear that his ideas for becoming king were constantly there and his mentor just caused them to emerge.]] |
| 97 | * TheCoup: Overthrows Mufasa in order to become the king of Pride Rock. [[spoiler:Simba finally launches a counter-coup to regain his rightful status as king.]] |
| 98 | * CowardlyLion: No pun intended. While he favors brain over brawn to defeat his foes, and when his first instinct while confronted with a fight is to run, while he is backed on top of Pride Rock, he proves to be a strong CombatPragmatist. Even though he's younger, Simba almost lost against him. |
| 99 | * CruelAndUnusualDeath: At the end, he is devoured alive by his former hench-hyenas, and if you know how hyenas murder in real life, it means they started devouring him ''while he was still alive''. Given Scar's occasional cameos in the questionably-canon Timon and Pumbaa series, some fans think that he [[HesJustHiding survived and is in hiding]]. In ''Lion Guard'', [[spoiler:he returns as a demonic fire spirit.]] |
| 100 | * DarkIsEvil: Scar has the darkest fur of the lions and is the BigBad. In ''Lion Guard'', [[spoiler:he returns as a demonic fire spirit, contrasting the more heavenly apparition of his brother.]] |
| 101 | * DarkMessiah: The animals of the Outlands begin to see him as this in Season Two of ''The Lion Guard'', remembering how he helped Shenzi's clan in the original film and seeking his aid to help them rise up against Simba and the Lion Guard. |
| 102 | * DeaderThanDead: [[spoiler:In the season 3 premiere of ''The Lion Guard'', his soul is permanently destroyed when the great kings of the past use spiritual waters to extinguish his fiery spirit.]] |
| 103 | * DeadpanSnarker: This line stands out: |
| 104 | -->'''Simba:''' Uncle Scar, when I'm king, what will that make you?\ |
| 105 | '''Scar:''' A monkey's uncle. |
| 106 | * DeathByCameo: His skin appears as a rug in ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}''. |
| 107 | * DeathByIrony: Scar won the loyalty of the hyenas by promising them they'd never go hungry again. He [[DevouredByTheHorde dies by getting eaten alive by them]]. |
| 108 | * ADeathInTheLimelight: [[spoiler:The same episode that Scar is defeated in ''The Lion Guard'' is the same one which actually reveals most of his backstory.]] |
| 109 | * DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: He deconstructs TheCaligula. Being king means enormous responsibilities and the possibility of a revolt if said duties are neglected. Scar gets a ZeroPercentApprovalRating for his incompetence, including the hyenas of all animals, for letting the Pridelands become a wasteland. As Mufasa tells Simba, "There's more to being King than getting your way all the time." Scar eventually ends up in major trouble as his final attempt to [[NeverMyFault blame]] the hyenas for everything becomes the last straw [[TheDogBitesBack for them.]] |
| 110 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Quite happy to let the Pridelands go to hell in a hand basket if that means he can be King. He's also pretty upfront that he wants the job for the power and refuses to even acknowledge that he's supposed to have duties to go with them. |
| 111 | * DevilInPlainSight: Mufasa has no idea that his brother is plotting against him, and by the time he realizes it, it's already checkmate. |
| 112 | * DevouredByTheHorde: After Simba defeats him in a fight, [[spoiler:he gets surrounded by his former hyena henchmen and he gets eaten alive by them when they overheard that he betrayed them.]] |
| 113 | * {{Deuteragonist}}: While the first movie is about Simba, it's also as much Scar's story as he's the BigBad, especially the differences on the leaders they become. |
| 114 | * DidISayThatOutLoud: Invoked by him when he "accidentally" mentions the Elephant Graveyard to Simba. |
| 115 | * DidntSeeThatComing: He's left bewildered [[spoiler:when Kion forgives him despite his crimes]]. |
| 116 | * DidntThinkThisThrough: He did not realize that there's more to being king than power and glory, as even the hyenas think Mufasa was a better ruler. |
| 117 | * 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 is a sleaze who lacked the maturity despite boastfully proclaiming he's "ten times the king" Mufasa was. |
| 118 | * DirtyCoward: He does everything he can to snivel his way out of justice when confronted by Simba about Mufasa's murder, from making an inaudible "confession" to the lionesses to trying to pass the blame onto the hyenas to save himself. PlayedWith in the sense that he's still a badass fighter despite all this. |
| 119 | * DirtyOldMan: A deleted scene reveals that he makes moves on the young adult Nala, desiring to make her his queen and banishes her from the Pride Lands when she rejects him. Especially creepy considering he was already a full adult when she was just a cub. This scene is incorporated in the musical. |
| 120 | * DisneyVillainDeath: {{Double Subverted|Trope}}. When he plummets from the summit of Pride Rock, the fall itself doesn't kill him. [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath It's the creatures he falls among that do]]... |
| 121 | * DissonantSerenity: [[spoiler:He is relatively calm and collected when he comes back as a spirit, despite having been mauled to death by hyenas]]. |
| 122 | * DrivenByEnvy: Resents his brother for naming Simba as the heir to the throne. ''The Lion Guard'' reveals that he resented Mufasa for being the king even before Simba was born. |
| 123 | * TheDreaded: Has firmly established himself as this in ''The Lion Guard''. The animals fear him so much that they even consider leaving the Pride Lands to escape him after learning of his return. |
| 124 | * DrunkWithPower: According to ''The Lion Guard'', this is why Scar tried to overthrow Mufasa; having the power of [[MightyRoar the Roar]] went to his head and led him to believe ''he'' should be king. [[spoiler:The influence of the unknown lion just enabled his thoughts to emerge.]] |
| 125 | * DudeWheresMyRespect: He had this attitude when he led the Lion Guard, as he believed that he should have been given a hero's welcome for [[spoiler:killing the strange lion]], completely ignoring that the fact that his job was protecting the Pride Lands and he shouldn't have expected that treatment for doing his job. |
| 126 | * EpicFail: His entire tenure as king was even more disastrous than one would’ve easily predicted, with the hyenas having hunted ''everything'' into nothingness and the entire land now a barren wasteland. ''Not even the river was spared''. As Sarabi stated, living under his rule had truly become a death sentence. His hyena lackeys bellyache that Mufasa was a better ruler even if he did not permit them to live in the Pridelands. |
| 127 | * EqualOpportunityEvil: Scar has no qualms about siding with hyenas. As shown in ''The Lion Guard'', he assembles an army of various animals such as snakes, crocodiles, jackals, vultures, and lizards, in addition to hyneas once again, in order to take down Simba and Kion. |
| 128 | * EstablishingCharacterMoment: His first scene in the first movie has him capturing a mouse and planning to devour it. While this alone isn't evil, as lions have to eat meat to live, the way he toys with the mouse shows his [[{{Sadist}} sadistic nature,]] and Zazu seems noticeably freaked out by it. |
| 129 | * EtTuBrute: His treachery towards Mufasa, his sibling, by throwing him to his death. Judging by Mufasa's reaction, the latter had ''absolutely'' no idea that Scar was plotting against him. |
| 130 | * EvenEvilHasStandards: He can't stand "It's a Small World". It’s PlayedForLaughs. |
| 131 | * EveryScarHasAStory: [[spoiler:Season 3 of ''The Lion Guard'' explains how Scar obtained his trademark facial scar.]] |
| 132 | * EvilAllAlong: Towards Simba and Mufasa, who only think of him as their loyal brother and uncle, respectively. Although the two of them do not realize his true intentions. |
| 133 | * EvilBrit: He was voiced by Jeremy Irons in the first film. ''The Lion Guard'' has him voiced by David Oyelowo. |
| 134 | * EvilCannotComprehendGood: Being the sociopath that he is, Scar is full of this. |
| 135 | ** He [[StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred attempts to guilt-trip]] Simba into killing him by using the relative card, thinking it'll make him no better than the lion [[CainAndAbel who assassinated his own brother]]. Simba instead makes it clear that he won't stoop so low to murder his own kin and asks Scar to leave the Pridelands forever. |
| 136 | ** As discussed by Mufasa in the episode ''[[Recap/TheLionGuardS1E14NeverRoarAgain Never Roar Again]]'' of ''The Lion Guard''. Despite being bestowed the Roar when he was the Fiercest of the Lion Guard, Scar thought of it as a tool for power, unaware he'd be stripped of it if used for evil. |
| 137 | ** Even when he led the Lion Guard, he [[DudeWheresMyRespect had a sense of entitlement]], [[spoiler:as he [[WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency thought]] he deserved a hero's welcome for killing the strange lion, ignorant of the fact that his job was to protect the Pride Lands, which meant he shouldn't have expected that treatment for doing his job]]. |
| 138 | ** In the episode ''[[Recap/TheLionGuardS2E17TheScorpionsSting The Scorpion's Sting]]'', his entire plan relies on trapping Kion at the volcano, who can't use the Roar without causing an eruption. Scar never factored the idea of using the Roar with restraint as demonstrated by Kion. |
| 139 | ** During the final battle in the Season 3 opener, [[spoiler:he's baffled when Kion forgives him. Realizing he's doomed for good when the Great Kings of the Past permanently extinguish his fiery spirit, Scar even tells Kion that the Roar is a "curse"]]. |
| 140 | * EvilCounterpart: |
| 141 | ** Scar serves as a [[ShadowArchetype "dark mirror"]] of sorts for Simba, with most of his flaws being exaggerated versions of Simba's own. One needs to just look at their big song numbers (''I Just Can't Wait to be King'' and ''Be Prepared'') next to each other to see this. Both crave becoming the king of the Pride Lands largely for the recognition that comes with it and gloat over how great they will be as king. Both are even showing not being above "bullying" so to speak, with Zazu being the biggest victim in that regard. However, Simba ultimately manages to "grow up" and accept responsibility, which leads to his ultimate victory, whilst Scar's apparent refusal to truly do either ultimately leads to both his downfall and death. The film seems to consciously acknowledge this during the climax where when tempted to kill him and Scar asks what he is going to do, Simba eventually refuses, asserting, "No, Scar. I'm not like you." Heck, both even have sidekicks in the form of outsiders with an obsession for food, but whereas Simba sees his sidekicks as true friends, Scar ill-treats his own like crud and double-crosses them to save his own skin at long last, [[spoiler: which results in the hyenas crucifying him]]. |
| 142 | ** While Mufasa is a selfless and responsible king who genuinely cares for his subjects and family, Scar only wants the power and glory of being king, not the duties that come with it. He would also abandon anybody at the drop of a hat to save his own hide, as shown by him pinning the blame on his hyena minions. The way they rule the Pridelands also shows the difference between the two, with the kingdom turning into a hellhole under Scar's disastrous reign. In ''The Lion Guard'', Scar even comes returns as a demonic, malevolent entity who plans to destroy the Pridelands out of spite compared to his brother's Messianic appearance. |
| 143 | * EvilEyebrows: He has distinctly long and wicked-looking eyebrows, with one being marred by his scar. |
| 144 | * EvilGenius: At least in the first part of the film on how he plotted to get rid of Simba and Mufasa. |
| 145 | * EvilGloating: During the climax, when Simba, still blaming himself for his father's death, is dangling from the edge of Pride Rock, Scar can't resist indulging in this and freely confesses to Simba that ''he'' killed Mufasa. At this revelation, Simba pulls off his HeroicSecondWind and literally ''chokes'' Scar to get him to admit the truth to everybody else. |
| 146 | * EvilIsBurningHot: In comparison to the much more heroic Simba and Mufasa, who are associated with the sun, Scar is associated with fire. [[VillainSong "Be Prepared"]] takes place in an area with geysers and lava. During the final battle, Pride Rock is lit ablaze by lightning. [[spoiler:Even when he returns in ''The Lion Guard'', his spirit is coated in flames]]. |
| 147 | * EvilIsHammy: Zig-zagged. On the one hand, he can be very quiet and soft-spoken, which is more prominent throughout the first act (barring his VillainSong). On the other hand, he can chew the scenery as much as any other Disney villain, especially when excited or angry. |
| 148 | * EvilIsNotAToy: |
| 149 | ** [[spoiler:Implied when Scar is unimpressed with Ushari declaring his kind will rule the Pride Lands. Scar rather insincerely reassures him that they'll rule together before quickly vanishing.]] |
| 150 | ** [[spoiler:The lion who corrupted Scar offered to heal him if he did what he asked, but Scar simply killed him with the Roar of the Elders.]] |
| 151 | * EvilIsPetty: [[spoiler:The Season 3 opener has Scar arrange for Kion to get an identical scar to his one in order to corrupt him and become just like him out of nothing but sheer sadism. Scar also decided to commit regicide against Mufasa over a belittlement that evidently happened years ago, and it is made pretty clear that Mufasa's remark was likely just a joke rather than deliberate meanness]]. |
| 152 | ** Already in the first film, Scar takes the time to manipulate Simba into thinking he is responsible for Mufasa's death, in spite of intending to send the hyenas after him immediately. He wasn't content to just murder his nephew for power; no, the poor kid had to go to his death believing he was responsible for his father's death. |
| 153 | * EvilIsSterile: While he proved to be competent in overthrowing Mufasa, he wasn't cut out for the job. He only cared about the personal glory and under his reign, the Pridelands became a corrupted wasteland. |
| 154 | * EvilLaugh: Gives a pretty frightening one at the end of "Be Prepared." He also throws fits of laughter in ''The Lion Guard''. |
| 155 | * EvilMakesYouMonstrous: He returns as a [[AnimalisticAbomination demonic entity]] in ''The Lion Guard''. |
| 156 | * EvilOverlord: His reign as king was quite disastrous, as the Pridelands quickly turned into {{Mordor}}. He even [[BerserkButton explodes in anger]] whenever others complain about his rule or compare him to Mufasa. |
| 157 | * EvilPlan: Kill Mufasa and Simba, and take over the Pridelands. [[spoiler: Once he came back as an evil spirit in ''The Lion Guard'', Scar now wants to destroy the Pridelands and get his revenge on Simba.]] |
| 158 | * TheEvilPrince: Was evil even before taking over the Pridelands. |
| 159 | * EvilSlinks: He moves in an almost serpentine manner. |
| 160 | * EvilSoundsDeep: Thanks to the throaty baritone of Creator/JeremyIrons. Of course, his voice is considerably ''less'' deep than Mufasa's. Creator/DavidOyelowo in ''The Lion Guard'' also gives him a very deep voice. |
| 161 | * EvilSoundsRaspy: He practically ''hisses'' some of his lines, including "Long live the king!" |
| 162 | * EvilUncle: To Simba, whom he tries to kill to get rid of Mufasa's sole heir. |
| 163 | * EvilWillFail: His plan turns out this way. He succeeds in becoming King, but the once-bountiful Pridelands quickly goes downhill under his disastrous and self-serving leadership. Even the ''hyenas'' of all animals think Mufasa's reign was better for them. |
| 164 | * FacePalm: After all, he's SurroundedByIdiots. |
| 165 | * FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: The hyenas [[spoiler:tear him apart and eat him]]. Of course, it's [[GoryDiscretionShot all shown in shadow]]. |
| 166 | * FascistButInefficient: He's an effective schemer right up until he actually gains power, at which point his disregard for anyone but himself runs the entire kingdom into the ground. Even the hyenas think Mufasa was a better ruler than Scar could ever be. |
| 167 | * FatalFlaw: Three. |
| 168 | ** [[GreenEyedMonster Envy.]] Scar's entire fall into villainy was caused by his jealousy towards Mufasa and Simba. He wanted everything his older brother had: kingship, respect, admiration, love. This pushed him to murder Mufasa and steal the throne for himself. |
| 169 | ** {{Pride}}. Scar took great pride in himself, which was highly emphasized in his song 'Be Prepared', during which he simultaneously glorifies himself as a great leader and paints himself as a victim whose been wrongly denied what's his. When he becomes king, his pride has caused him to become delusional, refusing to see the severity of the damage his rule has done and instead stubbornly sticks to the belief that he is a mighty king. This cruel disregard for the Pride Lands pushes Nala to run away in search of help, knowing her homeland will die under Scar's reign. |
| 170 | ** Sadism. Scar is monstrously sadistic and takes great joy in the suffering of others, shown when he smiles at Simba going to the Elephant Graveyard (knowing he'd be devoured by hyenas if not for the intervention of Mufasa) and taunts Mufasa before murdering him. However, in two instances did his sadism come back to bite him. The first is after Simba finds Mufasa's dead body, he manipulates Simba into thinking he's responsible for his father's death to torment him instead of sending the hyenas to kill Simba. By pushing Simba to run away after psychologically scarring him, Scar gave his nephew the head start he needed to outrun the hyenas. The second time is when Scar is about to kill Simba after he returns to Pride Rock; instead of simply killing him, Scar whispers in his ear that he killed Mufasa to sadistically torture his nephew. However, this backfired and Simba pounced onto Scar, forcing him to expose his lies and lead to his death. |
| 171 | * FauxAffablyEvil: He puts up a civilized CoolUncle façade around Simba at first, but it's only to manipulate his nephew for his own benefit. |
| 172 | * FieryLion: He returns in ''The Lion Guard'' as an enormous, flaming head in a volcano. |
| 173 | * FisherKing: He turns Mufasa's lush and green GhibliHills into a barren hellhole. Justified in that he allowed hyenas into said lands, who over-hunted with the lions restrained by Scar from keeping them in check. Fewer grazing animals from overhunting means more leftover vegetation, more vegetation means more fuel for brush fires once the dry season sets in. One spark from lightning and the whole savannah went up during the climax. |
| 174 | * {{Foil}}: |
| 175 | ** Simba and Scar start the movie sharing the same goal, but over the course of the movie, Simba eventually learns to take responsibility and learn what it truly means to be a king, while Scar squanders his potential by being very unhelpful during his reign. |
| 176 | ** He's also one to Mufasa, as while Mufasa is a wise king who genuinely cares for his subjects and family, Scar [[ItsAllAboutMe harbors no loyalty to anyone but himself]]. Scar's disastrous reign turned everything upside down in the Pridelands with every animal voicing their dissent about his ineptitude. In ''The Lion Guard'', Scar even returns as a hellish abomination compared to his brother's Messianic theme. |
| 177 | ** He's also one to Kion, as while both of them were gifted with [[MightyRoar the Roar of the Elders]] and led the Lion Guard, Kion genuinely cares for his friends and regulates the Roar's use after learning how Scar abused its power for selfish purposes. Scar sees others as beneath him and values power over anything else. |
| 178 | * ForebodingFleeingFlock: Invoked when Scar has the hyenas cause a wildebeest stampede as a trap for both Simba and Mufasa. |
| 179 | * FreudianExcuse: The 2023 ''Scar'' comic establishes him as consumed with bitterness and jealousy at having been raised as Mufasa's SpareToTheThrone, feelings that were only amplified once Simba was born and took what Scar believed should have been his spot. |
| 180 | [[/folder]] |
| 181 | |
| 182 | [[folder:G-N]] |
| 183 | * TheGeneralissimo: Scar is your stereotypical fascist dictator. He murders his way to power, crushes all dissent, and annihilates his land's natural resources. |
| 184 | * TheGenieKnowsJackNicholson: Unusual for a mostly serious villain; a lion in the savana with no (known) interaction with human culture; yet reacts with [[TakeThat knowing disgust]] when Zazu sings "It's A Small World After All". |
| 185 | * GeniusBruiser: Unlike his openly intimidating sibling, Scar seems physically unimpressive. However, when the chips are down, he mauls Simba in the last battle. He's also TheChessmaster. |
| 186 | * GenreBlindness: He sends his amateurish minions to assassinate someone ''whom they've already failed to kill'', and just look at the results of the aforementioned EvilGloating. |
| 187 | * GetOut: Scar tells the hyenas this when they bellyache that they are hungry, showing how little he truly cares about them. Then he shortens it to "OUT!" when Banzai says they are still hungry and Scar has done nothing about it. |
| 188 | * GloryHound: He truly wanted to become king simply for the sake of glory, not interpreting what's required of being a ruler. Because of his disastrous reign and selfishness, the Pridelands turn into a hellhole, while he earns a ZeroPercentApprovalRating from all of the animals for his shiftlessness. |
| 189 | * GoodHairEvilHair: The slicked-back variety which reveals his widow's peak. |
| 190 | * GoodScarsEvilScars: Is the BigBad and has a scar over his eye. [[spoiler: In ''The Lion Guard'', he describes said scar as the "mark of evil" and arranges for Kion to get an identical one. Of course, the "evil" part is largely due to the wound being inflicted by a cobra bite; the venom is seeping into the target's mind and corrupting their rational thought. However, while said bite can seep into the target's mind, the person bitten still possesses control of their actions and can voluntarily get a cure, so Scar's attempt to justify why he acts like he does falls flat, especially given how much he relishes in his actions]]. |
| 191 | * GoryDiscretionShot: His death is shown only in shadow. |
| 192 | * GreaterScopeVillain: |
| 193 | ** In ''1 1/2'', where the main conflict is essentially the same as in the first movie, but because they're telling from Timon and Pumbaa's point of view, the primary villains are the hyenas, and Scar's machinations serve only as the background. |
| 194 | ** ''The Lion Guard'' shows that even after his demise, his sinister influence still casts its shadow, as Kion [[HeWhoFightsMonsters fears he'll end up like Scar]]. He then appears as the BigBad of Season 2. |
| 195 | ** In turn, [[spoiler:[[TheCorrupter the unnamed lion]] who [[TheManBehindTheMan served as Scar's mentor]] planted the seeds which drove Scar to villainy in the first film (and, by extension, was behind all evil wrought by anyone allied with Scar).]] |
| 196 | * GreenEyedMonster: Several lines in "Be Prepared" show how he resents Mufasa's success as king and the "injustice" that he's no longer next in line for the throne after Simba's birth. He's a literal example as well since he really does have green eyes. Also notice that, in RealLife, lions don't have green eyes, making the use even more metaphorical. |
| 197 | * AHandfulForAnEye: During the last battle between himself and Simba, Scar kicks it off by throwing burning embers into Simba's eyes. |
| 198 | * HandStomp: Scar ''claws'' Mufasa's paws while the latter is hanging from a cliff. He also does it to Simba during the last battle, but Simba gets the strength to lunge back after the "I killed Mufasa" revelation. |
| 199 | * HatedByAll: Downplayed. He's loathed by all animals for caring more about his power. Even the hyenas confess that Mufasa was a much better king than Scar ever could be. The sequel and ''The Lion Guard'' reveal that he ''did'' have some supporters, Zira included, all of whom were banished from the Pridelands when Simba took over. |
| 200 | * TheHedonist: He simply became king for the prestige and gorges himself at the expense of others. |
| 201 | * HerosEvilPredecessor: He led the Lion Guard under Mufasa's regime and was blessed with the power of the Roar of the Elders one time. And yet, the power went to his head and he vainly believed he should be king instead of Mufasa. But when the rest of the Lion Guard said no, Scar angrily used the Roar to destroy them. Due to using his powers for evil, Scar lost his power completely and descended further into depression, becoming shriveled and horrible. Kion fears that [[HeWhoFightsMonsters he may end up becoming]] like Scar but regularly makes sure to regulate his use of the Roar. |
| 202 | * HeroKiller: Kills Mufasa to become King. |
| 203 | * HiddenDepths: |
| 204 | ** It's heavily implied that killing Mufasa has consumed him with much insane grief, if his utterly losing it anytime his name is mentioned in his presence is any indication. [[InferioritySuperiorityComplex Deep inside]], Scar also knows that he'll always be second best to Mufasa no matter how many times he proclaims he's "10 times the king [his brother] was." |
| 205 | ** Made more explicit in the musical when he begins to imagine Mufasa's ghost stalking him. |
| 206 | ** In the sequel, he handpicked a cub who wasn't his biological son as an heir and despite his evil legacy, Kovu still sees Scar as a part of him. He also apparently loved Zira. [[note]] It can be assumed this is a different continuity from the one where he tried to make Nala mother cubs for him. [[/note]] |
| 207 | * HisOwnWorstEnemy: In ''The Lion King 2'', both Simba and Kiara lament that Scar's hatred is what eventually consumed and destroyed him. |
| 208 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: |
| 209 | ** He is mauled to death by his own hyena minions after they overheard his betrayal. |
| 210 | ** In ''The Lion Guard'', it is revealed that he told Zira that if he roared directly at a cloud, it would rain. Zira later tells this to Kion, and he uses this to [[spoiler:finish Scar off for good]]. |
| 211 | * {{Hypocrite}}: |
| 212 | ** He begs for mercy with Simba despite killing his older brother and tried killing his nephew without batting an eye. |
| 213 | ** He has the nerve to call Sarabi and the other lionesses lazy for being unable to find any food on their hunts, when all he does as king is slack off instead of properly ruling. Additionally, the real reason they can't find any food is because there is no food left due to Scar allowing the hyenas to run rampant and eat it all, essentially blaming his subjects for his own decisions. |
| 214 | * ICanExplain: When Scar faces his demise by the jaws of the hyenas, he tries the "Let me explain" line to no avail. |
| 215 | * IThoughtYouWereDead: The initial reaction of shock when Scar sees Simba return from exile, thinking him at first to be Mufasa. Then, the reaction of sadistic delight when he realizes it is his nephew, who he feels he can easily manipulate into confessing to a crime he did not commit. |
| 216 | * IncomingHam: He's introduced giving a soliloquy to a mouse he caught and ''would have'' eaten if not for Zazu's intervention. |
| 217 | * InkSuitActor: Animator Andreas Deja watched Jeremy Irons's movies to put more of him into Scar - [[http://www.jeremy-irons.com/press/archive/18.html "Not that he looks like a lion"]] - and even added the actor's baggy eyes. |
| 218 | * InferioritySuperiorityComplex: He always hated Mufasa for being the king even before Simba was born, though the semi-canon book ''A Tale of Two Brothers'' implies their father favored Mufasa, as Mufasa knew what's required of being a just ruler, while Scar only cared about the title. Deep inside, Scar also knows he'll always be second best to Mufasa no matter what despite claiming he's "10 times the king [his brother] was." This sense of inferiority drives Scar [[BerserkButton to lash out angrily]] whenever someone brings up Mufasa's name. |
| 219 | * InternalReveal: Scar, engaging in one last bit of EvilGloating as he thinks he's finally about to kill Simba for good, leans in and finally tells him the truth: "I killed Mufasa!" This turns out to have been a mistake, as it gives Simba a HeroicSecondWind and he immediately pins Scar and forces him to repeat it to the rest of the pride. |
| 220 | * {{Irony}}: In the movie, Scar is the runt of the litter and is self-admittedly not as strong as Mufasa. In real life, male lions with black manes are typically considered the alpha lions of all who also attract the most females and will more than likely rule the pride. ''The Lion Guard'' shows that Scar actually was more powerful than Mufasa, until he used the Roar for evil and lost the power forever. |
| 221 | * IRejectYourReality: Sarabi, the hyenas, and, by extension in the Broadway musical, Nala try to convince Scar to do better, but their pleas fall on his deaf ears. In what is perhaps his most stubborn moment, Scar refuses to leave Pride Rock for greener pastures, probably out of respect for his home. |
| 222 | * IShallTauntYou: Openly ridicules Simba for being naïve about his motives when he reveals himself in ''The Lion Guard''. |
| 223 | * ISurrenderSuckers: During the climax, he begs Simba for mercy. Simba agrees on the grounds that he goes into exile. Scar starts to leave... but then kicks burning embers into Simba's eyes and ambushes him. |
| 224 | * ItsAllAboutMe: |
| 225 | ** Deconstructed. "I am the king, I can do whatever I want" sums his rule up, but this view on life results in the Pridelands going to hell and him having a ZeroPercentApprovalRating. Whenever he claims his rule will be UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans, it's actually the opposite: he is perfectly willing to let everything go to hell just to cling on to power. He's also pretty upfront that he only cares about the title. |
| 226 | ** The Lion Guard reveals that he took Mufasa's relatively playful and harmless decision to call him "Scar" as an insult and this caused him to begin to scheme to get Mufasa off the throne. He also lost the Roar of the Elders permanently when he selfishly exploited its power by destroying his own Lion Guard after they refused to back his plot to overthrow Mufasa. |
| 227 | * IWorkAlone: A {{Flashback}} in "Battle For The Pridelands" shows that Scar, despite being the leader of his Lion Guard, would often go on patrol by himself. |
| 228 | * {{Jerkass}}: Even when he's not being manipulative, backstabbing, and self-centered, Scar is just plain spiteful and unpleasant overall. He tries to devour Zazu for chasing away a mouse Scar was trying to devour, and dismisses his own nephew as a "little hairball". After becoming king, he's even worse, being ready to let the Pride Lands go to hell, let all his subjects starve, and even physically assault Sarabi for comparing his rule unfavorably to Mufasa's. |
| 229 | * JustBetweenYouAndMe: When Scar has Simba trapped on the ledge of a gorge, instead of simply throwing him to his death like he did with Mufasa, he gloats at the moment and, thinking he's finished him off and about to celebrate victory, whispers to him that he really masterminded Mufasa's death. [[StupidEvil Huge mistake]] and huge aversion as Simba gains a huge HeroicSecondWind, forces Scar to spill the beans to the lionesses, and eventually defeats him in a fight. |
| 230 | * JustDesserts: [[spoiler:He gets EatenAlive [[GoryDiscretionShot in-shadow]] by the hyenas he abused for years, if not, decades]]. |
| 231 | * JustGivingOrders: After Simba gets his HeroicSecondWind and corners Scar, the latter tries weaseling out of his comeuppance by placing all blame for the coup on Mufasa and the subsequent overrun of the Pridelands on the hyenas. "It was the hyenas - they're the enemy." While this excuse does avert being killed outright by Simba, this defense also proves to be quotable last words. |
| 232 | * KarmaHoudini: Played with. Not exactly his murder of Mufasa, as detailed in the below KarmaHoudiniWarranty but his apparent murder of his own Lion Guard in the past is a different matter. He was apparently able to get away with (seemingly) killing them prior to the original film, seeing as he was still present in the Pride Lands at the start of the film. He of course dies at the end of the first film, but it would seem no one knew about his murder of the guard until after the fact. |
| 233 | * KarmaHoudiniWarranty: He finally pays for his fratricide and years of tyranny when Simba returns home. Ironically, it's not Simba who kills him, but the hyenas, whom he accused as the real enemy, this unintentionally restoring the natural balance. |
| 234 | * KarmicDeath: |
| 235 | ** [[spoiler:He's killed by the hyenas that he threw under the bus while pleading for his life to be spared.]] |
| 236 | ** [[spoiler: More specifically, he promised the hyenas that he'd ensure they'd never go hungry -- [[JustDesserts they ensure Scar]] keeps up that bargain.]] |
| 237 | ** [[spoiler:In the Season 3 opener of ''The Lion Guard'', he meets his final end when Kion forgives his great-uncle and uses the Roar to bring gentle rain to heal the land. Scar, whose spirit is made of fire and feeds on hatred, couldn't thrive under such forgiving rain and ends up being extinguished forever.]] |
| 238 | * KickTheDog: So many times, but these three moments stand out. |
| 239 | ** When he backhands Sarabi just for standing up to him. |
| 240 | ** When he gloats at Mufasa and rubs it in his face just before tossing him down the gorge. |
| 241 | ** When he plays the "it's all your fault" card on Simba after Mufasa's death. He was planning on killing Simba anyway, but decided to break his nephew's spirit first just to be a dick. |
| 242 | * KillItWithFire: Scar's intent when he is about to throw Simba off Pride Rock, into a wall of fire; averted when Simba unexpectedly fights back. In the end, Scar is the one swallowed by a fireball, shortly after he is thrown off Pride Rock and is cornered and attacked by the hyenas. |
| 243 | * TheKingslayer: Violently murders Mufasa to seize control of the throne. |
| 244 | * KinslayingIsASpecialKindOfEvil: He assassinates his own brother in order to seize power and [[WouldHurtAChild tries to have a young Simba]] killed off as well. Even after returning as a demonic entity in ''The Lion Guard'', he shows a willingness to kill his own grandnephew Kion. |
| 245 | * KnightOfCerebus: The tone of the preschool-aimed ''The Lion Guard'' usually darkens quite a bit whenever he is mentioned, and [[spoiler: he is resurrected for the series as it began to delve into a much more serious storyline. The entire series takes a much darker turn, moving out of preschool territory when Kion and the Guard meet him in person.]] |
| 246 | * KnowNothingKnowItAll: Played with. He effectively manipulates Simba and the hyenas and is successful at staging a plan to kill Mufasa. However he claims his intelligence would automatically make him a much better king than Mufasa, but once he gets the job, he has no idea what to do with the power. |
| 247 | * LackOfEmpathy: You're looking at someone who's willing to murder his brother and cub nephew, as well as gorge himself at the expense of others without even a shred of remorse. He'll do anything ''and'' everything to maintain the crown. |
| 248 | * LargeHam: In true Disney villain fashion. Producer Don Hahn even said part of Scar's hilarity is due to Irons adding disdain/insanity to lines that were by right delivered straight. |
| 249 | * LastVillainStand: By the end of the film, he's been outed as Mufasa's killer and has lost everything, but when Simba corners him on Pride Rock, he still makes one of these and attacks Simba. |
| 250 | * LazinessCallout: He actually does this to Sarabi at one point, claiming that her hunting party's inability to find food is a result of them not looking hard enough. It's also untrue, since the ''real'' reason no one can find food is because Scar allowed the hyenas to gorge themselves without restraint, which naturally led to there being no food left. |
| 251 | * LazyBum: When he becomes king, he slacks off and willingly lets the land go to waste, not caring if his subjects suffer. It's also implied that, when he wasn't planning on killing Mufasa and getting the throne or getting the hyenas on his side, he spent most of his time laying around in his cave. |
| 252 | * LeanAndMean: In contrast to Mufasa's HeroicBuild (and to a far lesser degree, Simba's). |
| 253 | * LifeIsntFair: Scar has this to say to a mouse he was catching: |
| 254 | -->'''Scar:''' Life's not fair, is it? You see, I ... well, I shall never be king. And you... shall never see the light of another day. ''[[GratuitousFrench Adieu.]]'' |
| 255 | * MakeAnExampleOfThem: His VillainSong is punctuated at one point by him backing one of his hyenas into an open fissure in order to assert his dominance over them in his [[EvilPlan master plan]] ([[spoiler: which makes his later death at their hands as a result of his exploitation of them [[HoistByHisOwnPetard all the more ironic]]]]). |
| 256 | * MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: This is part of Scar's bastardry when he murders [[SiblingMurder his brother Mufasa]] and convinces Simba that his father died in an accident for which Simba was to blame, then tells the rest of the pride that Simba also died in the same accident after driving him away. |
| 257 | ** [[spoiler:Before he reveals himself in the Lion Guard, he usually makes all of the events completely random, which is greatly aided by the fact no one in the show can make any connections to these strange occurrences.]] |
| 258 | * ManipulativeBastard: One of the classic movie examples and fitting for a villain in a Shakespearean-style film. There are very few characters in the story whom he does not deceive, and he sometimes manipulates others purely for [[ForTheEvulz his own amusement]]. |
| 259 | * MarkOfShame: The scar on his eye that even downright became his "name" because of this trope as punishment from his and Mufasa's father according to the books. In ''The Lion Guard'', while it wasn't really a cause of shame for him, he became enraged after Mufasa nicknamed him "Scar" for it. |
| 260 | * MaskOfSanity: In the first part, he's able to cover his sociopathic nature beneath a charming veneer. Once things start going awry, he undergoes a severe SanitySlippage. |
| 261 | * MeaningfulName: He was re-named "Scar" because of the permanent scar on his left eye. According to the books, his real name is ''Taka'', which means "trash" or "wanting" in Swahili, though they weren't canon. ''The Lion Guard'' gave his real name as Askari, which is Swahili for "police", "guard", or "soldier". |
| 262 | * MeaninglessVillainVictory: Yes, Scar killed Mufasa, drove Simba into exile, and took over the Pride Lands as king, but what did he gain from it? Considering the Pride Lands' condition at the time of his reign, not much. Bringing lions and hyenas together only allowed the latter to eat practically everything in the land, leaving no food or water for anyone, putting everyone on the brink of starvation, and thus, Scar won't have a kingdom to rule. In fact, Scar's claims of being able to do whatever he wants as king during this period basically confirm that he wants to be king to be in charge and no other reason. His victory doesn't even last, as Simba returns many years later to take back the throne, which he eventually does. |
| 263 | * MightyRoar: As leader of the Lion Guard, he was bestowed with the Roar of the Elders, [[EvilCannotComprehendGood but he came to see it as another tool in his plan to overthrow Mufasa]]. Soon enough, the power went to his head and he asked his Lion Guard to assassinate Mufasa, but when they said no, Scar furiously used the Roar to destroy them. As a result, he was BroughtDownToNormal, but that didn't stop Scar from plotting to overthrow Mufasa one way or another. |
| 264 | * MoreThanMindControl: In Season 3 of ''The Lion Guard'', [[spoiler:he explains his scar was inflicted by a cobra bite, which corrupted him and drove him insane. However, it's implied the cobra venom merely removed his morals and brought out his darker impulses, since it's shown that even before being scarred, he was an arrogant warrior who thought himself the most powerful lion and was tempted by the idea of overthrowing Mufasa. It's also pointed out that said cobra venom has a known cure and he had the opportunity to take it but refused, so his fall into evil is still on him because he could've easily stopped it.]] |
| 265 | * MotiveDecay: [[spoiler:In ''The Lion Guard'', his new goal is to build an army to destroy the Pridelands. This is [[JustifiedTrope justified]], though - as a spirit, he is no longer in a position to rule over the Pridelands, so he will simply wreck havoc as {{Revenge}} for his death.]] |
| 266 | * NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: According to Ford Riley on Twitter, Scar's original name in canon was Askari, named after his ancestor who was the leader of the very first Lion Guard, and it was shortened down to "Scar" after he got his scar. |
| 267 | * NamedAfterTheInjury: His full name is Askari, but everyone calls him 'Scar' for short after he got that eye injury. |
| 268 | * {{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. In ''The Lion Guard'', [[spoiler:it's revealed that his ego was so fragile and immense that he couldn't even handle Mufasa jokingly calling him "Scar" after he got wounded by a cobra bite, allowing its venom to turn him against his brother when he could've resisted its effects until he was cured.]] This verse from his VillainSong says it all: |
| 269 | -->Meticulous planning\ |
| 270 | Tenacity spanning\ |
| 271 | Decades of denial\ |
| 272 | Is simply why I'll\ |
| 273 | Be king undisputed\ |
| 274 | Respected, saluted\ |
| 275 | And seen for the wonder I am! |
| 276 | * NearVillainVictory: He gets everything he wants in the movie and would have gotten away with it if not for a moment of gloating self-indulgence. |
| 277 | * NewEraSpeech: He gives one to the pride when he takes his position as leader. Originally delivered via a song that reprises "Be Prepared." |
| 278 | * NeverMyFault: Scar declines to own up to anything he does, even using the hyenas as a scapegoat while confronted by Simba for his wicked actions. [[spoiler:He regrets it at long last.]] |
| 279 | * NeverSayThatAgain: He can't stand the mere mention of Mufasa's name, [[BerserkButton especially when his rule is compared to the former's]], to the extent he made a law against saying it in his presence. |
| 280 | * NonActionBigBad: Subverted. He complains early on about not having any of the "brawn" genes, relies on the hyenas to do most of the physical work, and he only attempts to kill those who have been incapacitated in some way. But at the climax, it turns out he ''can'' fight and is able to fend off the much younger and more muscular Simba. |
| 281 | * NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Despite being brother to Mufasa, voiced by the American James Earl Jones, Scar speaks in Jeremy Irons' natural British accent. |
| 282 | * NotSoAboveItAll: Scar rolls his eyes at The Hyenas antics when we first see them with him, even saying he's "surrounded by idiots", but, once he becomes king, he proves to be just as if not more childish than they are. |
| 283 | * NotSoDifferentRemark: |
| 284 | ** Gives one to Simba during the climax, but despite being tempted to kill him for Mufasa's death, Simba ultimately refuses, asserting that he will never be like Scar. |
| 285 | ** In ''The Lion Guard'', this is the reason why Kion frequently regulates the use of the Roar of the Elders, aware that Scar was stripped of it for destroying his own Lion Guard when they refused to help him overthrow Mufasa. Kion also asserts to Scar that he'll never be like the lion who murdered his own brother. |
| 286 | * NotSoHarmlessVillain: Let's see, Scar kills Mufasa and is perfectly able to go toe-to-toe with Simba in the climax. A bit out of place considering that he groans about getting the brains and none of the brawn in the beginning, but makes some sense when you consider that Simba has apparently lived only on insects and has been in a total of one fight (that he lost). This plot point makes even more sense when taking into account Scar's original character design as a much more bulky and brawny lion. |
| 287 | [[/folder]] |
| 288 | |
| 289 | [[folder:O-Z]] |
| 290 | * ObviouslyEvil: At the very beginning of the movie, he straight up tells Mufasa to his face that Mufasa should be wary of him, that he covets the throne and is bitter towards Simba, and that if he ever does try something, it won't be through a direct challenge. And then there's Scar's design itself, where it's hard to believe the two lions are even related. |
| 291 | * OpportunisticBastard: Finds every opportunity to deceive and manipulate Simba in order to have him murdered and calculated a whole wildebeest riot just so he would kill Mufasa. |
| 292 | * OrphanedEtymology: Scar uses several turns of phrases reliant on modern human society, such as the "shallow end of the gene pool" or "the lights are not all on upstairs." |
| 293 | * OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: According to a storybook published following the film's release, his birth name was ''Taka'' (Swahili for "trash" or "want"). ''The Lion Guard'' renders this non-canon, though it is clarified that "Scar" is still not his true name. According to Ford Riley on Twitter, his real name was Askari (named after the original leader of the first Lion Guard), and it was shortened to "Scar" after he literally got his scar. |
| 294 | * ThePeterPrinciple: His strongest desire was to become king. However, while he proved deadly and conniving about setting that goal in motion, he proved completely amateurish in actually posing as king, only seeking the benefits and grandeur of the role rather than its important duties. |
| 295 | * PlayingTheFamilyCard: During the battle against Simba, he has the audacity to try and guilt trip Simba by asking if he would kill his own uncle, [[{{Hypocrite}} despite the fact that Scar killed his own brother]]. |
| 296 | * PlayingWithFire: Initially during his reign, the Pridelands caught fire from a lightning spark hitting a dried out branch and were only put out when Simba [[RightfulKingReturns regained his rightful place as ruler]]. When he's revived during ''The Lion Guard'', he embraces it like [[VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2 Zinzolin embraces the cold]], even showing up in fires across the Pridelands without having to be confined to his volcano hideout, as seen in "[[Recap/TheLionGuardS2E28TheFallOfMizimuGrove The Fall of Mizimu Grove]]". |
| 297 | * ThePowerOfHate: Selfishness and resentment fueled his rage, darkened his heart, and drove him to kill Mufasa. If the Roar of the Elders is used with malice, the user loses it permanently, as this is exactly what happened to him when he abused its power to eliminate his own Lion Guard. Upon his return years later as a demonic entity, he is even more wrathful than before, getting enraged whenever Kion foils his schemes, whom he despises as much as he does hate Simba and Mufasa. |
| 298 | * PragmaticVillainy: [[spoiler:The only reason in the Lion Guard that he settles the debates between the members of his army when they disagree is to keep them united on their common enemy, or else he risks them breaking apart through infighting and throwing away their numerical superiority over the Guard]]. |
| 299 | * PredecessorVillain: Serves as this to almost the entire franchise, following the first movie and his death. |
| 300 | ** Of ''Simba's Pride'': the primary villain is Zira, who was one of his sympathizers and seeks to avenge him. |
| 301 | ** ''The Lion Guard'' revolves around his great-nephew Kion forming a new Lion Guard and actively striving to not end up like Scar. [[spoiler:He's later brought back from the dead as a spirit to lead the villains of the series, effectively becoming the BigBad of Season Two.]] |
| 302 | * PreMortemOneLiner: |
| 303 | ** "Long live the king!" He delivers this to Mufasa before killing him to seize control of the Pridelands. |
| 304 | ** Scar tries to have a second with "I killed Mufasa" to Simba, but this gives Simba the HeroicSecondWind necessary to turn the tables. |
| 305 | * {{Pride}}: His FatalFlaw. This arrogance stops him from realizing that he's ill-suited to rule a kingdom or accepting responsibility. |
| 306 | * PrincelingRivalry: He resents Simba for having a bigger claim to the throne than him, being Mufasa's son. To ensure he gets to be king, he plots the death of his sibling and then of his nephew so the throne would belong to him. |
| 307 | * PsychopathicManchild: Best exemplified by his "I am the King, I can do whatever I want!" excuse, because it is essentially the attitude of Simba as a cub, though it's doubtful that Simba would have ever condemned his own subjects to death. However even once you get past the immature reason he wanted to be king, there are some implications that he's actually very childish underneath his suave, charismatic demeanor: |
| 308 | ** When he's ''introduced'' he's seen moping and complaining about not being king like a kid who didn't get what he wanted and is also seen playing with the mouse, his food. Even Zazu, once he sees him, literally compares him to a bratty child by mockingly asking him "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" |
| 309 | ** His nickname is literally Scar, which is more the kind of nickname a teenager would give themselves to sound cool. |
| 310 | ** And his childishness is most clearly shown when he becomes king, throwing temper tantrums whenever Mufasa's name is said and shifting blame for why things aren't going right to others like a spoiled toddler would. |
| 311 | * PuttingOnTheReich: Scar's musical number "Be Prepared" has the [[MillionMookMarch hyenas goose-stepping]] in front of Scar in a sequence inspired by the famous Nazi propaganda film ''Film/TriumphOfTheWill''. The German dub of that scene is rather unnerving because of the Nazi parallels. |
| 312 | * PyrrhicVictory: His original fate in the alternate ending. He wins the fight with Simba by throwing him off Pride Rock but is then burned to death himself when the fires surrounding Pride Rock engulf it. By throwing Simba off Pride Rock, he actually saves Simba from suffering that fate and allowing him to have his happy ending anyway, making Scar's victory in the fight meaningless. |
| 313 | * RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: He has reddish-orange fur and a black mane. |
| 314 | * RedRightHand: His scar and his claws that are always bared (unlike the others). |
| 315 | * RelativeButton: The moment Scar's plans are derailed are when he has Simba at his mercy, savoring his impending fate before gloating that ''he'' was the one who killed Mufasa. Within seconds, a rip-roaringly pissed Simba fights back, pinning Scar down and ''choking'' him into confessing his crime. |
| 316 | * TheResenter: Scar resents his sibling for being the King and also resents Simba because after his father, ''he'' will be king. |
| 317 | * ReversePsychology: How he tricks Simba into visiting the elephant graveyard. |
| 318 | * RoyalBrat: Beneath his charismatic and refined demeanor, he's a bratty lion who is too proud to realize the damage his ineffectual rule has caused despite the bluster. |
| 319 | * RuleOfSymbolism: Scar's defining trait is his envy of Mufasa being king. It's not a coincidence that he has [[GreenEyedMonster ''green'' eyes.]] |
| 320 | * {{Sadist}}: As much as it can be shown in a Disney film, at least. |
| 321 | ** He doesn't devour the mouse he has trapped right away, preferring to play with him. Judging by Zazu's reaction, it seems that this behavior isn't seen as proper. |
| 322 | ** He takes some moments to savor Mufasa's impending fate, gloating "Long live the king" and making certain his brother fully realizes what his true nature is instead of simply pushing Mufasa to his death. [[OhCrap Also Mufasa's expression while this is happening.]] |
| 323 | *** Scar's behavior in this as well. At first, when Mufasa pleads for help, Scar is seemingly thinking about what to do, as if he knows that there's no reverse gear if he kills his sibling. But to twist the knife even further, he gleefully tosses Mufasa to his death, perhaps indicating that he already planned the events out and knew exactly what he did all along. |
| 324 | ** This proves to be one of the causes of his demise, since attempting to do the same with Simba makes the latter fight back and reveal that he murdered Mufasa. |
| 325 | ** [[spoiler:In ''The Lion Guard'', he goes out of his way multiple times to make Kion look like himself out of petty spite. When he reveals that the Roar would destroy the Pridelands, he can't help but gloat about it and throw it in his face.]] |
| 326 | * SanitySlippage: More obvious in the musical, but still visible in the movie. The musical has a number called "The Madness of King Scar," where he begins to go completely insane. |
| 327 | ** [[spoiler:''The Lion Guard'' reveals that the cobra bite he received sent him insane and caused him to become the monster that he was. However, the show also goes out of its way to emphasize that while the bite sent him insane, it is [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse not a redeeming factor]] as he openly relishes in his darker instincts and seemed quite content at what the venom did to him]]. |
| 328 | * SanitySlippageSong: "The Madness Of King Scar" in the musical version. He grows more insane as the song goes on, eventually seeing the ghost of Mufasa everywhere and becoming desperate to have cubs to continue his line. He also becomes increasingly paranoid, believing that the lionesses hate him (which they probably do) and are plotting to murder him (which, again, they probably are). |
| 329 | * SatanicArchetype: He turns the Pridelands into Hell after killing his sibling, gorges himself at the expense of others, and his personality embodies all of the SevenDeadlySins. ''The Lion Guard'' pushes it further: he returns as an AnimalisticAbomination in stark contrast to the heavenly apparition of his brother. His lust for power remained even when he was [[FallenHero the Fiercest of the Lion Guard]], having killed the remaining members when they refused to support his coup against Mufasa. Just as Satan led an army of evildoers to challenge God, Scar leads a cult of Outlanders to actively oppose Simba and Kion after he was resurrected as a demonic monstrosity. |
| 330 | * ScarsAreForever: [[spoiler: Even when brought back as a spirit in ''The Lion Guard'', he retains the scar on his face.]] |
| 331 | * ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Deconstructed. "I am the king, I can do whatever I want." sums up his critical attitude as king of Pride Rock. However, it also leads him to a ZeroPercentApprovalRating by all of the animals, including his own hyena minions, who even confess that Mufasa was a better king than Scar. |
| 332 | * SelfServingMemory: In his VillainSong "When I Led the Guard", he claims that if it weren't for Simba, he'd still be ruling Pride Rock, obviously forgetting that the Pridelands had become a wasteland and by refusing to allow himself or any of his subjects to leave, he was condemning them all to death by starvation, meaning he would have died anyway. |
| 333 | * SevenDeadlySins: Scar displays every single one of them at one point or another. |
| 334 | ** He believes himself to be deserving of power. What’s more, he refuses to depart the Pridelands, even if it means the death of his subjects. (Pride) |
| 335 | ** He acts shiftless even as the Pridelands fall into ruin. (Sloth) |
| 336 | ** He enjoys food while letting the rest of his kingdom, including his loyal followers, starve. (Gluttony) |
| 337 | ** He is envious of his brother and nephew for getting the throne and plots their deaths for it. (Envy) |
| 338 | ** In a deleted scene, [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil he tries to force himself on Nala]] just to produce more heirs. Going by the Biblical definition, he has a raw lust for power and would ''[[TheUnfettered do anything]]'' to obtain it. (Lust) |
| 339 | ** It is clear he only cared about being king for the title and nothing else. Family or lackeys don't mean anything to him. (Greed) |
| 340 | ** He gets angry whenever someone compares him unfavorably to Mufasa. (Wrath) |
| 341 | * ShadowArchetype: |
| 342 | ** Scar's time as a tyrant 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. |
| 343 | ** Like Kion in ''The Lion Guard'', Scar once led the Lion Guard during Mufasa's regime and was blessed with the power of the Roar of the Elders. But since the Roar was never meant to be used for evil, Scar was stripped of it when he killed his own Lion Guard for not supporting him in his coup against Mufasa. Due to this, Kion constantly regulates the use of the Roar, fearing he may end up becoming Scar should he let anger poison his mind. [[spoiler:In Season 3 of ''The Lion Guard'', Scar arranges for Kion to get an identical scar-like he received from a cobra out of pure spite]]. He represents a Kion who let his bestowed gifts corrupt his mind and seek more power. |
| 344 | * SiblingYinYang: Unlike Mufasa, Scar is a ManipulativeBastard and willing to off his nephew if it means he has a shot at the crown. |
| 345 | * SissyVillain: He's rather effeminate and theatrical and notes that he's not much for physical fighting. The latter point is downplayed however as he'll fight when he needs to and doesn't go down easily. |
| 346 | * SketchySuccessor: JustifiedTrope. His rule over Pride Lands [[TheCaligula proved]] disastrous because of his apathy. As he wasn't properly raised to be king, he is unmindful that there's more to this than just showing off. Due to this, he's too proud to acknowledge the damage his ineffectual rule has caused and earns a ZeroPercentApprovalRating from all animals for his tyranny. |
| 347 | * TheSlacker: Rules with slackness, causing the Pridelands to turn into a literal hellhole. A JustifiedTrope as he was not properly raised to be king. He is too prideful and/or selfish to realize he had been unfit to rule a kingdom. |
| 348 | * SlasherSmile: The creepy smile he gives before tossing Mufasa to his death. |
| 349 | * SmallNameBigEgo: Deconstructed. An egomaniac, he thinks he's a better king than Mufasa, but in truth, he stubbornly refused to acknowledge what his dysfunctional rule had caused, [[BerserkButton lashing out violently]] anytime Mufasa's name is mentioned. |
| 350 | * SmugSnake: |
| 351 | ** After becoming king. Although Scar was a master of manipulating everybody around him to seize the power he craved, he proved to be utterly amateurish at actually ''using'' the power once he had it, though this was more due to laziness and selfishness than a lack of intelligence. He wasn't cut out to be a king, so he had no experience. Like Simba as a cub, he thought that it was just all about the title rather than actual hard work. He originally persuaded the hyenas to support him by promising that they'd never go hungry again. Although the drought in the Pride Lands leads to a famine and causes the hyenas to bellyache about Scar even before Simba returns. |
| 352 | ** Even before becoming King, he showed signs of this. Like [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} Jafar]], he's a supposed ManipulativeBastard with the glaring flaw of being ObviouslyEvil and doing nothing to counteract it. Often meaning that the only reason he has any success whatsoever is that everyone in the movie is a HorribleJudgeOfCharacter. |
| 353 | %%* {{Sssssnaketalk}}: Does this a lot, especially while gloating. |
| 354 | * TheSoCalledCoward: |
| 355 | ** The film describes Scar as a skinny weakling, who openly confesses that he's no match for Mufasa in a fight. During the climax, he begs Simba for mercy, but as soon as said mercy is granted, Scar ambushes Simba at full force and nearly beats him. |
| 356 | ** If you watch the shadows closely, [[spoiler: you'll notice he goes down fighting when the hyenas assault him en masse.]] |
| 357 | * TheSocialDarwinist: He never tried to work in concert with the rest of his Guard or appreciated their skills, boasting that he was so strong he did not need them. This backfired on him when he went out patrolling alone - without his peers around, he was easily distracted by TheCorrupter, and he was scarred by a surprise attack of the kind that the Keenest of Sight is trained to see coming. Even then he did not learn his lesson. |
| 358 | * TheSociopath: Family or lackeys, he'll abandon them at the drop of a hat. He's a highly functioning sociopath, able to hide his true self beneath a veneer of charming manners, by faking his sadness after letting Mufasa and seemingly Simba perish in the wildebeest stampede. However, he has the classic traits of a true sociopath, since he is lazy, irresponsible, uncaring, sadistic, greedy and selfish. ''The Lion Guard'' emphasizes it ''even more'', since his supposed "FreudianExcuse" is nonexistent. He was ''always'' a monster. |
| 359 | * SoftSpokenSadist: He likes to keep a low tone at times. |
| 360 | * StrikeMeDownWithAllOfYourHatred: Attempts to invoke this on Simba during the climax, but despite being tempted to kill him for Mufasa's murder, Simba refuses, asserting that he won't be like the lion who killed his older brother. |
| 361 | * StrongerThanTheyLook: He looks scrawny and admits that he's lacking in the physical strength department. However, while he is backed on top of Pride Rock with nowhere to run, he proves to be forceful enough (and [[CombatPragmatist cunning]] enough) to nearly defeat the younger Simba. |
| 362 | * StupidEvil: |
| 363 | ** You know, Scar, [[RelativeButton telling your nephew about how you killed his father]] doesn't exactly [[VillainBall scream brilliant]]. |
| 364 | ** Also, [[NeverMyFault pinning the blame]] on your hyena minions [[spoiler:was NOT a good idea.]] |
| 365 | * SuddenlyShouting: |
| 366 | ** While addressing the hyenas in "[[VillainSong Be Prepared]]." |
| 367 | --->''The future is littered with prizes''\ |
| 368 | ''And though I'm the main addressee,''\ |
| 369 | ''The point that I must emphasize is:''\ |
| 370 | '''''You won't get a sniff without me!''''' (A random hyena falls into the crack in the ground.) |
| 371 | ** He loses his patience and starts yelling whenever Mufasa is mentioned. |
| 372 | ** When Simba forces him to admit to the rest of the pride the truth about Mufasa's murder, Scar initially tries to weasel his way out of it by whispering an inaudible confession. But when Simba presses down harder on his neck and tells him to say it so they can hear it, Scar shouts "I KILLED MUFASA!" without any remorse. |
| 373 | * SurroundedByIdiots: Stated word for word in regards to the hyenas. It's also his only line in ''WesternAnimation/OnceUponAStudio'' after witnessing [[WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph Ralph]] trip over a garbage bin before being cut off when [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad Mr. Toad]] flies by on [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} Carpet]]. |
| 374 | * SympathyForTheDevil: Posthumously. Both Simba and Kiara lament in ''Lion King 2'' that Scar couldn't let go of his hatred, and when it eventually consumed and destroyed him, he was HisOwnWorstEnemy. |
| 375 | * TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler:After coming back as a spirit in ''The Lion Guard'', he decides that if he couldn't rule the Pridelands while alive, then the Pridelands cannot outlive him, so his endgame was to see the Pridelands burn before him]]. |
| 376 | * TaughtByExperience: He still remembers that blaming the hyenas for Mufasa's death was the final nail that cost him Pride Rock in the movie, so when Janja betrays Scar to help the Guard, he simply feeds him misinformation on how to defeat him, which he gives to Kion and the Lion Guard |
| 377 | %%* TallDarkAndSnarky: A BigBad lion version. |
| 378 | * TheyDiedBecauseOfYou: Right after killing Mufasa, Scar tells Simba that he's responsible for Mufasa's "unintentional" death. |
| 379 | * ThisCannotBe: Scar's reaction in Season 3 of ''The Lion Guard'' [[spoiler:when Kion summons the Elders to bring clouds that rain on the volcano.]] |
| 380 | * TooCleverByHalf: Scar is very cunning and skilled at getting power but proves to be utterly useless at actually ''using'' said power for anything productive and quickly lets the kingdom fall into ruin with his laziness and hedonism. |
| 381 | * TooDumbToLive: Telling Simba he killed Mufasa sets up his downfall. If that is not bad enough, he fibs to Simba about Mufasa's death by blaming it on the hyenas. [[TheDogBitesBack He pays for that dearly]]. |
| 382 | * TreacheryIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Family or lackeys, he'll betray anyone ''and'' everyone to usurp power and/or save his skin. |
| 383 | * TyrantTakesTheHelm: Once he ultimately takes over the Pridelands. His reign proved to be disastrous due to [[WhileRomeBurns his apathy]], and [[ItsAllAboutMe he's too proud to acknowledge]] that he isn't "ten times the king" Mufasa ever was. Even his hyena lackeys grumble about his rule, but the dam breaks when he [[NeverMyFault pinned the blame]] on them. |
| 384 | * TheUnfavourite: Considering that his parents gave him a name that means "[[{{Greed}} wanting]]" or "[[AtrociousAlias trash]]," and gave his brother a name that means "king," it's pretty clear who was their favorite... Subverted in the books, where he ''thinks'' he's this but it's shown his parents actually do care about him. |
| 385 | * UngratefulBastard: At the end of ''The Lion King'', Simba chases Scar to the top of a cliff, causing the wicked lion to beg for mercy and pin the death of Mufasa on the hyenas, to which Simba actually tells Scar to [[IronicEcho "run away and never return"]], but Scar responds by throwing burning embers into Simba's face and ambushing him while he is blinded. [[spoiler:He does survive after his fight with Simba, though thanks to his blame on them, [[BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork the hyenas, mad at Scar for showing treachery toward them and the job was complete.]]]] |
| 386 | * UnknownRival: Simba genuinely liked Scar, and even all those years later has no idea how much his uncle resented him. Scar did not bother to hide his resentment and want for power from Mufasa, even though he did not know that his sibling really loathed and wanted him deceased. |
| 387 | * UsedToBeASweetKid: Implied in ''The Lion Guard'', where a flashback shows him to be brighter-eyed and was led into the path of evil by a mentor, who fed him the idea that him having the Roar shows that he's capable of having more power. But it’s also downplayed because even before meeting his mentor he was arrogant and was inclined to let his power go to his head, which was why his mentor led him into the path of evil. |
| 388 | * TheUsurper: He concocted his whole EvilPlan in order to take over the Pridelands. |
| 389 | * UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Subverted. While he lured his hyena lackeys with the promise of good food and care, it's actually the [[DespotismJustifiesTheMeans opposite]]. Even they realized Mufasa was a better ruler than he could ever be. |
| 390 | * VictoryIsBoring: He learns this after he took care of Mufasa and Simba and claimed the throne. |
| 391 | * VileVillainLaughableLackey: His dynamic with the three stupid and constantly bickering hyena minions. Downplayed, as in the end [[spoiler: they turn against their master and kill him]]. |
| 392 | * VileVillainSaccharineShow: Simply put, he gets the honor of committing the first onscreen murder in a Disney film, among other things. He's also the darkest villain in ''The Lion Guard''. |
| 393 | * VillainBall: Having Simba trapped at the edge of Pride Rock and precariously clinging to the side, an overconfident Scar gloats about his nephew's imminent fate and — sure he will never stand justice, after having coerced him into admitting responsibility for his father's death — whispers that he actually plotted to kill Mufasa. He never thinks to simply throw him off, and is taken by surprise when Simba gains a huge HeroicSecondWind and leaps over the edge of Pride Rock to gain the upper hand. |
| 394 | * VillainDecay: A rare intentional example. Scar manipulates ''everyone'' to make sure he gets what he wants. As soon as he gets it, he acts like a child. This was done to exemplify that he's not as cut out for ruling a kingdom as he thinks he is. |
| 395 | * VillainHasAPoint: Scar "warning" Simba about the dangers of the elephant graveyard was an act of ReversePsychology to lure him in, but if it were played straight, it ''is'' considerably helpful advice to stay out of trouble. |
| 396 | * VillainProtagonist: The film is arguably just as much about him and his character development (or decay) as it is about Simba or any of the other characters. The title could even refer to him, as he's pretty much the king for the majority of the film. |
| 397 | * VillainousBreakdown: |
| 398 | ** "The Madness of King Scar" in the Broadway musical version, a song that really focuses on his shift from MagnificentBastard to SmugSnake in his reign as king. |
| 399 | ** After he seemingly turns to leave when ordered by Simba, he abruptly kicks burning embers onto Simba and attacks him. |
| 400 | ** When he loses the fight with Simba and is thrown off of Pride Rock, he finds his hyena minions, who overheard his plot to betray them. He [[VillainsWantMercy tries begging]] for [[DirtyCoward his life again]] to no luck. |
| 401 | *** The original ending of the film had a far more pronounced one. After his fight with Simba, which ends with Simba being the one thrown off Pride Rock (but lives), Scar is last seen [[LaughingMad laughing insanely]] as the fires surrounding Pride Rock engulf and kill him. |
| 402 | ** In season 3 of ''The Lion Guard'', [[spoiler:he is [[EvilCannotComprehendGood left baffled]] when Kion forgives him and finally breaks down when he is permanently destroyed by rain brought by the Elders]]. |
| 403 | --->'''Scar:''' The roar is a ''curse'', Kion! You'll see! SISI NI SAWAAAA! |
| 404 | * VillainousLegacy: His sinister influence is still felt years after his death, since the primary villains in the sequel and TV show are his sympathizers wanting revenge. In ''The Lion Guard'', Kion often fears that he'll end up becoming like Scar. |
| 405 | * VillainousWidowsPeak: Scar has one that complements his dark, evil character. |
| 406 | * 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. |
| 407 | * VillainsWantMercy: The minute Simba corners him at the top of Pride Rock, Scar starts desperately begging him for mercy, pulling such cards as reminding him they're family and [[NeverMyFault blaming the hyenas for his own actions]]. Simba ultimately opts to let Scar go on the condition that he go into exile; Scar turns to leave, but then kicks burning embers into Simba's eyes and attacks him. When he loses the subsequent fight and is thrown off of Pride Rock, he's met with the hyenas, who overheard ''everything'', and tries begging for his life again. No such luck with the hyenas, and he's ripped apart for it.. |
| 408 | -->'''Scar:''' No! Let- No, let-let-let-let me explain! No, you don't understand! No, I didn't mean- No! No! I-I-I'm sorry! I... N-No! NO! ''(camera pans up to show just Scar's shadow; the hyenas jump on Scar and tear him apart)'' |
| 409 | * WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency: As revealed in "Battle of the Pride Lands," [[spoiler:Scar expected to receive praise "near and far" for killing the rogue lion and his cobra companion, only to be furious when Mufasa just playfully ruffled his mane and nicknamed him "Scar". This is despite the fact that protecting the Pride Lands from such threats was part of Scar's ''job'' in the first place.]] |
| 410 | * WantingIsBetterThanHaving: After killing Mufasa and finally becoming the King of Pride Rock, he ends up turning the paradise to ruins. Scar is obviously too proud to admit that he wasn't cut out for the job. |
| 411 | * WeakButSkilled: He freely admits to not measuring up to Mufasa's level of strength, but he is a good short-term schemer and CombatPragmatist, and he is able to fight evenly with the younger Simba. |
| 412 | * WeUsedToBeFriends: Scar and his Lion Guard trusted each other, only for Scar to become a FallenHero and destroy them. |
| 413 | * WhatsHeGotThatIAintGot: A deleted scene in ''The Lion King'' has Scar asking Zazu what Mufasa has that he doesn't. Zazu then lists off some things that Scar lacks of, like "adoring subjects, respect of your species, a loving family, and a devoted queen." |
| 414 | * WhileRomeBurns: Under his reign, the Pridelands have become a barren wasteland and everyone under his command is facing starvation. He is ''fully'' prepared to let everyone drop dead instead of allowing them to leave all for the sake of preserving his hold on power. And if that weren't enough, the Pridelands actually '''do''' burn as a violent storm sets fire to the long-dead savannah surrounding his domain, and he isn't the least bit fazed by it as he prepares to murder Simba. |
| 415 | * WickedCultured: Not only does he have the most refined speech of any of the characters, but somehow he knows about the gene pool. |
| 416 | * WouldHurtAChild: His sadism shows by putting the cub Simba in extreme danger thrice; first by tricking him into going to the Elephant Graveyard in hyena territory, then by engineering the wildebeest stampede, and finally by ordering the hyenas to kill him after Mufasa's death. Even worse, his original plan was for Simba to die in the stampede along with Mufasa. He was clearly perfectly okay with Nala being in the Elephant Graveyard too. |
| 417 | * WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied: Scar does this during the final battle with Simba, who was blaming himself all movie for the death of his father. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Which is all the provocation Simba needs to turn the battle around and kick Scar's ass.]] |
| 418 | * XanatosSpeedChess: Details from the beginning of ''The Lion King'' strongly imply that his initial plan was to have Simba killed only, so he'd remove competition for the throne. It wasn't until the hyenas' failure to kill Simba due to Mufasa's interference, as well as Banzai's sardonic question of whether Scar should kill Mufasa to get the throne that Scar even considered the idea of killing Mufasa in the first place. Even more impressively, when Simba makes his big return, after getting over his initial shock at Simba being alive, Scar is able to improvise and nearly kill Simba. |
| 419 | * YellowEyesOfSneakiness: While all the lions in the franchise have yellow sclerae, Scar's the only one who plays to the trope by being sneaky, crafty, and the main villain. |
| 420 | [[/folder]] |
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