Nala is also supportive of Kion, but unlike Simba at first, Nala knew that her son was ready to take on responsibilities as the leader of the Lion Guard. She supports Simba in his decisions, always standing by his side, no matter the consequences. Nala is one of a few who is able to see past Kovu's rough exterior to the hero who is longing to claw out and she is not one to judge him for his past. Her gentle words and sound advice serve as a softener to Simba's hard edge. Unlike Simba, she is very relaxed in her dealings with Kiara, trusting her daughter to take care of herself. Once Nala becomes a queen, she grows much more reserved and wise, no longer as sassy as she used to be. She is also encouraging and complimentary of her daughter and son, Kiara and Kion and mate, Simba. Nala was the lioness who brought Simba back to Pride Rock, to save them from Scar's tyranny. No amount of yelling and accusations can beat Nala down. Nala is not one to be stamped down with words as she can hold her own in a verbal battle, parrying each of Simba's defenses with offenses of her own. She often tries to speak sense to Simba, standing as his voice of reason, firm, and resolute in her beliefs with a cutting edge to her argument.
Scar's poor reign has made her realize the importance of accountability, as she has seen firsthand what Simba's lack of interest in the Pride Lands has caused. Once adulthood came, Nala grew more mature, practically built on persistence and responsibility. Despite this, Nala is an encouraging friend, kind to Simba even when he makes an error, no matter what he says or does, she maintains the friendship, grieving heavily when he supposedly dies. Though Simba sometimes tries to claim her ideas as his own, Nala will not stand for being overlooked and is clever and strong enough to do something about it. This scene is largely included in the musical version, minus Scar banishing Nala.Īs a child, Nala is sassy, defensive of her own accomplishments, and giving her best friend cheek when prompted. He then summons the hyenas and banishes her as punishment for rejecting him. Scar then demands Nala to be his queen, which she refuses.
Just then, Nala arrived to complain about the Pride Lands' wasteland appeal. In an earlier draft of the film, there was initially meant to be a scene where Scar felt that to be a beloved ruler and continue his monarchical legacy, he will need a queen to ensure that children will be born. He is mentioned in the book The Art of The Lion King where he is referred to as "Mee-Too". Nala's main animators were Bob Bryan and Gilda Palinginia and her supervising animators were Aaron Blaise whilst she was a cub and Anthony de Rosa upon becoming an adult.ĭuring early production, Nala was given a younger brother named Mheetu.