As the son of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi, Simba was next in line to rule the Pride Lands. However, after his uncle Scar murdered his father and convinced him that it was his fault, Simba fled into self-exile and spent years with his adoptive fathers Timon and Pumbaa. Upon entering adulthood, however, and learning the Pride Lands fell into ruins under Scar's rule, Simba was forced to defeat him and take his place in the Circle of Life. After becoming king, Simba married his childhood best friend Nala and had two cubs; a daughter named Kiara and a son named Kion.
As a cub, he is voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas (while speaking) and Jason Weaver (while singing) in the first movie, and Matt Weinberg in The Lion King 1½. As an adult, he is voiced by Matthew Broderick (while speaking), who also voiced Despereaux Tilling in The Tale of Despereaux and Joseph Williams (while singing in the first film) and Cam Clarke (while singing in the second film) and Rob Lowe in The Lion Guard.
He is shown to be a very caring father towards his cubs Kiara and Kion and is also protective of them, trying to follow the same example his own father was to him.
The Lion King[]
He saved his best friend, Nala, from being killed by the hyenas by clawing Shenzi across the face.
He showed remorse for going to the Elephant Graveyard when his father told him not to, though he of course went there in the first place by Scar.
As a cub, he loved his uncle, Scar, even though Scar didn't reciprocate, which he was fully unaware of at the time.
When his father died, he felt remorse for it, even though it was Scar's fault, not his, which he didn't know about at the time.
When he first met Timon and Pumbaa, he didn't try to eat them despite being a lion, which eat animals like them. Instead, he decided to be friends with them.
He protected Timon and Pumbaa when Nala tried to eat them, and he was overjoyed to see her when they reunited.
While he was initially hesitant to return to the Pride Lands, after Nala’s insistence, Rafiki’s wisdom, and encouragement from his father’s spirit, he eventually changed his mind and resolved to confront Scar.
Upon learning that Scar was the one who killed his father, he had him admit it to everyone else. And although he did choke Scar, he only did it to make him reveal he killed Mufasa as his uncle was trying to weasel out of it.
He chose to spare Scar rather than kill him, even though Scar was the one who killed his father.
While he threatened to rip Scar apart for putting the pride and kingdom in jeopardy and assaulting his mother, he didn't act on it since he instead gave him the choice to step down and, even after learning Scar killed his father and deeming him undeserving to live, chose to exile him instead of killing him, only fighting when Scar refused and attacked him first. Defeating Scar via launching him over the edge to his supposed death can also be considered self-defense.
He defeated Scar, thus ending his tyrannical rule over the Pride Lands, and took his place as the Pride Lands' rightful king.
In fact, this act was so admirable that the Pridelanders made a ceremony to celebrate it in The Lion Guard.
While he doesn't save Scar from being killed by the Hyenas, this is justified seeing as Scar lied to Simba and tried to frame the hyenas for his crimes, essentially throwing them under the bus. Simba likely knew that they were betrayed too and let them finish the job seeing as Scar did not deserve to live.
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride[]
While he was shown to be hostile to Kovu, roaring at him as a cub and banishing him from the Pridelands, it was mainly because he thought Kovu served as a threat to the Pride Lands due to his status as Scar's "heir". However, he eventually realizes this shortcoming when the opposite is revealed.
While he was overprotective of Kiara in the second film, this was pretty much due to losing his father as a cub and he didn't want to lose her as well. Furthermore, by the end of the film, he stops being overprotective of Kiara once she convinced him that their pride and the Outsiders were no different from each other.
When Zira tries to goad him into killing Kovu, he becomes disgusted by this offer (along with knowing that he couldn't call her bluff since she knows that he wouldn't hurt a cub) as he choose to spare him and then orders her to take him and get out.
He told Timon and Pumbaa to watch over Kiara as danger could strike anytime.
He felt remorse for banishing Kovu from the Pride Lands after Kiara called him out on it and told him that he would never be Mufasa, getting him to realize he should be himself than someone he’s not.
Before the battle with the Outsiders began he gave Zira one last chance to go home and end things peacefully.
With some encouragement from Kiara, he ultimately redeemed himself by forgiving Kovu and the Outsiders and welcoming them back into his pride. He even offered Zira a chance of redemption.
The Lion Guard would reveal Simba didn't immediately resort to banishing Zira and the Outsiders for being loyal to Scar; when Zira challenged his rule's legitimacy since Kovu, her son, was already chosen by Scar to be his "heir", he had tried to explain Scar was never truly king to begin with (as Scar had usurped the throne unfairly after murdering Mufasa, whereas Simba simply reclaimed his birthright after fairly defeating Scar), doing so solely because Zira unreasonably attacked him.
When Kiara was in danger, Simba risks his life to save her from Zira and when Kiara fails to save Zira, he sympathizes with her sadness of being unable to redeem Zira.
He apologized to Kovu for his behavior towards him and tells him he belongs in the Pride Lands and no longer holds a grudge against him.
The Lion Guard[]
Although he was initially worried about Kion becoming the leader of the Lion Guard, this was most likely because he was a cub at the time and even though he initially disapproved of his choices for whom to be in the group (which are a various animals instead of lions), Simba however came to support his decision and doesn't show behavior like this ever again as shown when Kion choosing Anga to part of the Lion Guard while Ono lost his eyesight.
He is shown to be supportive of Kion's role as leader of the Lion Guard and even helps him whenever he needs it.
He attended the funeral of Aminifu, trying to recite a proper respect in elephant language and being appalled when he seemingly disrespected him publicly.
When Kion was away with Nala and Kiara, he took his position of leading the Lion Guard.
He forgives Kion whenever he makes mistakes.
He invites Makuu to the Savannah Summit, being the only one who believed he wished to change his ways, scolding Kion for suspecting Makuu out of baseless accusations which, along with Mufasa’s wisdom, made his son realize his mistake.
When Scar returned as a spirit, he helped the Lion Guard protect the Pride Lands and its residents from him and his army.
While he insisted Scar’s return be kept secret from the Pridelanders, it was to not cause a panic that would make them leave the Pride Lands. When he is called out for it, he acknowledges he has to respect their decision on whether they choose to stay.
He supports Kion when he becomes concerned about the battle between the Pridelanders and Scar's army.
He called Kion noble when he willingly forgave Janja, even though Janja tried to kill him multiple times in the past.
When Kion still kept Ono, who had lost his eyesight and thus his role as the Keenest of Sight to Anga, part of the Lion Guard with a new role as the Smartest, Simba did not object his son going against tradition and instead supported his decision.
He and his family said goodbye to Kion and the Lion Guard when they left for the Tree of Life to seek a cure for the injuries Kion and Ono received during the final battle against Scar and his army.
He and his family welcomed Kion and the Lion Guard back home with open arms when they returned from the Tree of Life.
He cheered for Kion when he got married to Rani at the end of the series.
Trivia[]
Simba was originally considered Near Pure Good due to the corrupting factors he gained in the second film and The Lion Guard, but he was eventually approved as Pure Good when it was pointed out that he subverted those corrupting factors in the end, just like the ones he had in the first film.
This makes him similar to Captain Phoebus who was Near Pure Good due to gaining negative traits in a sequel only to subvert it by the films end.
Simba is the only Pure Good character in the Lion King franchise to originate from the first film.
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Pure Goods
Pure Goods
