CAPUT XXIV – EPILOGUS

(Scar)

His mother had once warned him that, in life, things happen which are simply unfair. Still, he did not understand.

"It was the right thing to do," said Mufasa in his final words. Not so long ago, he would have dismissed this as nonsense- as his brother's blind obedience to some worthless, ancient law.

He did not understand… and yet, after all that he had experienced in Carthage, it made more sense to him. Saving lives now seemed a far more worthy act than taking them.

He ran, as Mufasa ordered him, leaving his brother's body behind. The guards, unable to stop the fugitive lion, let him go, too concerned with the unrest in their city. Thus, Scar entered the main tract to Carthage, but since there were far too many humans there, he turned toward the farmlands. Once he made his way through the fields, he ventured into the desert.

He rushed ahead blindly, as if the whole Carthaginian army was still at his heels, wishing to leave the terror of the arena behind. Down the wadis to the south, wading through hills and valleys, after long hours of travel, he finally found himself at a small oasis.

Looking down at his own reflection in the water of the pond, he shook, unable to recognize himself. Though he managed to wash off the filth, the scars and injuries he sustained in the amphitheater were not something he would ever be able to hide, and the collar around his neck continued to remind him of his suffering. When he entered the cool water, he felt as if his miserable outward appearance perfectly expressed his internal pain.

After all, Mufasa was dead, whereas he, a murderer, lived.

Perhaps that was what the whole problem was all about. He had never been able to truly understand what was right and what was not. Following his own instincts seemed to work for his benefit usually… but eventually, he learned how wrong he was to only serve himself.

Perhaps, as both the Christians' and his brother's actions showed, sacrifice was indeed better than surrendering one's heart to darkness.

Leaving the oasis behind, he knew what he had to do. He owed his brother a debt that could be paid in only one way. He had to carry out Mufasa's mission, and return home, to the Pridelands.

The path would not be easy, that was certain. Having spent most of the journey to Carthage in a cage, he did not remember the way. All he had, were his instincts.

Able to sustain himself by hunting, he tracked down a human caravan traveling deeper into the desert. Though men had become odious to him, he decided to follow them, knowing that the Arab merchants would lead him to sources of food and water.

Keeping his distance to the caravan, following the tracks of camels and horses, he was able to continue on his way while catching prey in the meantime. But once they entered the Sahara, things got way more difficult.

While the humans were moving from oasis to oasis, he crept up to them at night in order to satiate his thirst. Yet after a few days it was evident that his hunger would kill him if he did not eat.

One stop after another, he began picking out the camels and the pack animals, putting the Arabs in a state of frenzy. Many times they tried to apprehend the devilish nocturnal stalker, yet always failed.

Still, Scar kept himself from consuming human flesh.

After several oases, the lion lost count. He realized that he must have been traveling for a longer period of time than he had spent in Carthage. But he also remembered that he would have to continue for much longer.

He switched caravans at larger oases, always making sure to head south, deeper into Africa, no matter how unforgiving the journey would be. Although many times he suffered from dehydration, exhaustion and starvation, he felt himself guided by some strange forces, and his internal conviction led him to press on.

When his eyes finally beheld lakes and forests instead of the endless ocean of sand, he knew he was getting close.

Bidding the humans farewell without a second thought, he entered the lavish plains, traveling through countless jungles and endless stretches of the savanna. It felt more like home, yet his journey was not over yet. He only breathed with relief and knew for sure that he had been going in the right direction when he saw in the distance the white peaks of Kilimanjaro. That magnificent sight made him raise his eyes toward the azure African skies with joy.

He reached the Pridelands at the end of the rain season. Seeing the home he thought he had lost forever now seemed like a dream. All throughout his journey, he though how it would be to come back, but there was only one thing he knew for sure- that it would not be easy.

Scar entered his land without hesitation, however, and let himself be noticed by the all-seeing eyes of the royal majordomo. He could now lie in the shade of a tree in peace, certain that it wouldn't be long before Zazu would bring to him the ruling monarch of the kingdom.

Sarabi, the queen mother, and all of the lionesses, were in great shock upon seeing someone they thought had died many months ago. Yet as he stood there before his kin, the dark lion assured them that he was indeed himself. The scar on his face provided enough proof.

He could already sense the question which Sarabi wished to ask him in the sadness of her eyes. A sorrow of loss had marred her former regality and confidence, and her brother-in-law could understand, why.

-"The king is dead," – he was forced to announce to them all with a heavy heart. – "Long live the king."

Mufasa's widow wept, naturally, yet she did not fall into despair. Scar could see that she had already buried and mourned her mate, who had been gone for so long. Her internal strength was something which greatly impressed him.

Wiping her tears swiftly, the queen approached him, saying that she actually found this situation to be extremely fortunate, and that she was greatly glad to at least have him back.

Fortunate? – the confused lion thought to himself incredulously. – Glad to have me back?

Such expression of kindness, which was actually also shared by the other lionesses, seemed to him to be some sort of a trick. Yet when Sarabi explained what situation the kingdom was presently in, he understood.

After Mufasa and Scar's disappearance, the Pridelands suffered a great loss, yet after a period of lament, everything pretty much returned to normal, with Sarabi ascending to the throne in substitution for her underage son. But a few month later, problems began to arise. Though no one dared to directly object to the queen's rule, the pride lacked a male leader, which some considered an opportunity for personal gain. Though Sarabi rejected the suitors, staunchly announcing that Simba was the one who would reign as king after Mufasa, not all of them accepted that line of succession.

A certain lion lord, Kimya, the leader of the Marshlanders, had decided to declare war on Sarabi and the Pridelands. He promised that if the queen would not stand down, leaving the throne to him, he and his pride would attack Pride Rock. Then, Sarabi would be left not only dethroned, but also with her son, and perhaps even herself, dead.

It was because of the Marshlanders' rebellion that the lionesses found the sudden arrival of the former leader of the Lion Guard to be a true gift from the Old Kings. And, having survived what he did in Carthage, Scar was inclined to agree.

We will not kill you – Ahadi once told him, speaking for the whole council of the Ancients. - You will live on, and may your scars remind you of your shame.

Now he knew why he was allowed to survive. The past had indeed been grim, tragic, and full of wickedness, but perhaps this shame of his could yet be redeemed. Looking at Sarabi with respect, he admired her strength and responsibility. There was no time for crying over the ones long dead, when those still alive were in danger. He thought Mufasa would have been proud of her.

Though his long voyage had almost drained his strength completely, Scar announced that he wholeheartedly agreed to aid his fellow Pridelanders. Saying that no more time ought to be wasted, he demanded to be taken to Pride Rock.

The sight of his family's domain, the throne of his kingdom, caused a happiness to appear in his heart which he could not recall when he felt last. Yet all of that promptly vanished when he saw a young lion running out from behind the rocks to meet him.

Simba.

The juvenile's short mane and sideburns had a color that reminded Scar of his lost brother. The crown prince beamed with joy upon seeing his uncle again, and calling his name with a smile, he clung to him, nuzzling his haggard, sun-scorched fur.

The dark lion realized that this cub still loved him. True, he didn't know... But still, that was what finally broke Scar's heart.

It fell on him to deliver the tragic news to Simba. There was no time for much explanation. After telling his nephew that his father was indeed dead, feeling his paws shake, he observed the young lion weep, running off to find comfort in the embrace of Nala, his betrothed.

He remembered that he had once plotted to kill this innocent creature. And upon seeing the young lioness, an even more gruesome memory struck him...

That he was personally responsible for the death of Siri, Nala's father, who had once stolen Sarafina from him.

How could I…?

Turning his face away, he felt as tears filled his own eyes. But there was no time for that, either. Wiping them away quickly so that no one would see, he asked Sarabi to aid him in taking off the collar which still adorned his neck. During the long and toilsome process, Scar explained the incredible events of his and Mufasa's human captivity, and their struggles in the arena, to the amazed queen.

Then, finally free of his loathsome shackles, he called for Zazu.

Announcing his return to the kingdom, Scar demanded to meet with a delegation from the Marshlands. Yet he specifically requested to see not the domain's rebellious prince, but his mate.

The lioness arrived on that same day. Her fierce, dark-furred female bodyguards were halted at the entrance to the Lair of the Lion Guard by the Pridelanders, as she was informed that Scar wished to speak to her there, alone.

Entering the shade of the cave, making her way through the thick vegetation which had grown there throughout the years since the Lion Guard's destruction, she finally found the queen's brother-in-law lying atop of a boulder overlooking the pond in the middle of the lair, with the painted wall which depicted this place's long history behind his back.

Already by the scent she could recognize that it was truly him, as unimaginable as it seemed. Yet his appearance had changed so dramatically. It was clear that he had suffered from undernourishment and extreme strain during the time of his absence. Scars could now be seen not only on his face, but pretty much on every part of his body that was not covered with his now molted mane. He had a notch in his ear, much like her own.

Still, that was not the most significant change. The lioness experienced the greatest disappointment when she saw that Scar no longer addressed her in the same way he had for all those years they knew each other. His attitude had completely changed. No longer were his lips curled in a sarcastic, cunning grin, exhibiting a sense of superiority and jeer. The merriment that he usually shared with her had vanished, replaced by a dark shadow which haunted the gaze of his green eyes, signifying something so gruesome she wouldn't even understand. His face was stoic and grim.

Still, Scar's claws were surprisingly retracted, for some reason, and he did not appear to be in any way hostile.

The female approached slowly and carefully, unsure of how to react to his nearly miraculous, yet so odd, reappearance. He fixed his eyes on her intently, and she heard him speak.

-"Ah, my little fox."

Mentioning this old nickname he had given her ages ago, when as leader of the Lion Guard he saved her life from a rogue, was undoubtedly supposed to soften her. Yet he spoke the words in such a dry and passionless manner, so much differently than before, that it caused her to remain alert and formal.

-"Scar! I did not think I would ever see you again! And yet, here you are. Have you also brought your brother back with you from this rather long stroll?"

He could sense that she was dissatisfied with him. As he lay there without a words, the two lions continued to stare into one another's eyes.

-"Well? Did someone bite off your tongue? Will you not apologize for abandoning me like that without a word?!" – she finally burst out angrily, bearing her fangs at him.

He could see this coming.

-"For your information, Mufasa is dead," – the lion announced to her, rising slowly. – "And you are in open rebellion, young one."

As he stood face to face with her, turning her own accusation against her, the female's ears drooped. Still, after no more than a second, she responded with a disdainful snort.

-"Hmph. Not me. It's my mate, Kimya, prince of the Marshlands…"

-"Do you take me for a fool, Zira?" – now Scar raised his voice at her like he had never done before in his life. – "I've known you since you were smaller than a jackal's whelp. I used to carry you in my jaws. I listened patiently to all your wails and woes, when you had no other before whom you could pour them out. And I am aware of what you are, my precious. You cannot lie to me. Now, admit that you are the true instigator of this uprising!"

Stiffening like a rock and as mad as a hornet, Zira slowly yet reluctantly nodded.

-"Good," – Scar continued, circling around her as if he were rebuking a misbehaving cub. – "Now, you shall go back to the Marshlands, and make all of the lionesses in your pride reconfirm their allegiance to Pride Rock-"

-"And why should I do such a thing?!" – she cut him off abruptly, no longer able to hide her rage. – "As you said yourself, your brother is dead! The throne of the Pridelands is free for the taking!"

Scar stood before her so close she could almost touch him, and looked her straight in the eyes. His powerful gaze made her silence.

-"It no longer is," – he said.

Zira's face was instantly covered with an expression of confusion.

-"What?!"

Now he knew he had her cornered. It was time to reveal his little secret.

-"You underestimate my ambition. According to law, my nephew is still too young to rule on his own, and that makes me first in line to the throne of Pride Rock. I've already discussed this with Sarabi. Tomorrow, at the break of dawn, I will be crowned the interim king of the Pridelands."

He could hardly believe it himself. Thus, Zira's complete incredulity was no surprise to him.

-"You?!" – the lioness sneered mockingly. – "Taka the Cruel, as they used to call you? The exiled and roundly despised prince Scar? In this land, I was the only one who mourned your disappearance, while everyone else bewailed the loss of Mufasa."

Though that revelation pained him, he knew that it was both true and just. He deserved his fate. Yet, as it appeared, his return to the kingdom was for the very purpose of redeeming himself for his crimes.

-"As you can see, the Pridelanders are desperate," - Scar continued to negotiate with the persistent lioness. –"I've told Sarabi that my reign would be much different than the one of my deceased brother. That changes would have to be introduced, and that they would not be pleasant, at least not for her and her lionesses. And even in spite of that, my sister in law agreed. I must commend you, Zira. You did a splendid job creating a confusion within their ranks. It is because of your little insurgence that the Pridelanders turned to me for help. But now, you must listen to what I tell you, and let it go."

She did not like this idea, Scar could clearly see that in her eyes. In spite of all his sharp wit, however, he couldn't figure out, why. Finally, she revealed it to him herself, as she turned her face away angrily, and hissed-

-"Are you going to marry Sarabi now?"

Always defiant – he thought.

Zira's reaction made him laugh internally, though he did not show it on the outside. Seeing that she would not look at him, he approached her even closer.

-"My little fox," – he spoke softly, shaking his head. – "You do not seem to understand what my proposition to you entails."

The lioness glared his way in the corner of her eye.

-"What do you have in mind?"

Leaning over and lowering his tone to a whisper, he continued-

-"I shall indeed need a queen. Yet Sarabi is… not within the realm of my interests."

She understood perfectly what he was suggesting. Still, moving away, the female looked at him with faked loathing.

-"I already have a mate. You know that."

It was then that Scar smiled openly before her.

-"Yes. An… unfortunate fact, as it was from the very moment of your betrothal. Wouldn't you agree?"

The astonished lioness looked at him with increasing interest.

-"As you once said to me yourself, there is no greater power than to rule over the land," – he went on, and his grin grew wider. – "As king of the Pridelands, I will possess the authority to declare your betrothal to Kimya null and void. You were coerced to marry him against your will after all, were you not? Moreover, your mate is a traitor, a dangerous outlaw. If you convince the Marshlander lionesses to turn against him and drive him out, not only will all of you be completely free of the guilt of joining him in the first place... but you will also gain great merit in the eyes of the king."

Zira's lips shook. A deep longing could now be seen in her eyes.

-"A-and what will be my reward if I obey?" – she whispered.

Scar looked at her again in the same manner in which he had as they once laid on top of Pride Rock, away from the others, as if they themselves were one another's only escape.

-"Have I not once promised you that I would be your guardian forever?" – he responded. – "I shall make you my mate, Zira. And the queen of this land."

After all, he had a debt to pay to her, as well.

Immediately, Zira fell into his embrace, and he knew that she had agreed without reservation. Unlike with Zidi and Jo, his charm and trickery had worked. But there was a great difference in the way in which he referred to them, and to this peculiar lioness.

That difference was that, when it came to Zira, he was being sincere.

-"I missed you so much, my beloved…" – the vicious lioness breathed with relief, touched to the core, placing her head on his chest.

-"I have missed you also, my little fox," – Scar responded, dreadfully recalling his captivity among the humans. – "You have no idea…"

Offering her a smile, he surrounded her with his arm. He could not wish for more, though he doubted if he was even worthy of such luck.

Yet, after the initial euphoria, Zira still raised her eyes at him with concern.

-"But… what about Simba?" – she asked.

Luckily, that he had also already considered.

-"Let's not talk about him now. We shall deal with my nephew… at a later time," – he assured her, holding her more closely.

The next day, Kimya, the rebellious prince of the Pridelands, was overthrown and driven into exile by the lionesses from his own pride. Under Zira's leadership, the Marshlanders returned to Pride Rock in peace, declaring their unswerving allegiance to the new king.

The shaman Rafiki was called upon, and though no one had informed him of anything, he did not seem surprised when Sarabi tasked him with crowning Scar as the interim monarch. Instead, the mandrill strangely smiled when he looked at him- an emotion Scar had not seen in the old sage since he were a cub.

The animals gathered for the ceremony, and when Scar stood before them atop of Pride Rock, he could hardly believe that this was all real. What he had always wanted became true, yet without violence or bloodshed. At least not on his part.

Sarabi, the widow queen, stepped aside relinquishing her reign to make room for him. On his right, there stood the young Simba, wishing his uncle the best of luck. Soon, he was to rule himself, and Scar would make sure that the crown prince would indeed ascend the throne peacefully after he came of age. That much he owed to Mufasa.

Looking to the other side, he saw Zira, his happy new mate. The young queen did not look down on her subjects, however, unable to take her eyes off him. He knew it would be hard to convince her to abandon the throne for Simba's sake… but he also knew that he would succeed, eventually. For though Zira loved power, there was one thing she loved even more. And that was Scar.

Being the lord of the Marshlands, Zira's inheritance, would have to suffice for him after his abdication. But he had a feeling that, by that time, he would already be tired of ruling. Living in the Roman Empire had caused the taste of power to turn bland for him.

Scar could sense upcoming struggles even now, as he watched the consternation of the kingdom's animals, who were shocked by the fact that he allowed hyenas to return to the Pridelands. Yet, though he knew that this would cause problems, he had a debt to pay even to those wretched creatures. And they were the ones who applauded his ascension to the throne the most.

Perhaps now, in order to secure the peace, it was the right time for the Lion Guard to be restored. He could take care of that personally, as another way of redeeming his crimes from the past. The only problem was the lack of male lions in the kingdom. Yet, as he looked at his beloved mate, he also suspected that this could easily be resolved, as well.

He was the king. He was overwhelmingly happy, although he felt sorry for it. He could still feel the biting sting of remorse deep in his heart. It was as if Mufasa sacrificed his life so that he could be here, though it seemed completely unjust.

Raising his eyes toward the sky, he felt the breeze playing with the hair of his mane.

How is this possible? – he asked. – I do not deserve to be standing here.

High in the clouds, he saw the face of his father. With him, there appeared others, as well- the one of Mufasa, and the one of Upesi the Wise, the old leader of the Lion Guard, his beloved mentor and uncle…

They all looked at him in approval, though he could still not understand, why. That sensation made tears appear in his eyes.

-"Though you were once unworthy," – spoke king Ahadi, - "We trust that you will be, in the future. Earn this honor with a noble life, and you shall redeem your past transgressions. For you are more than what you have become. You are my son, Taka, and I will watch over you always, because you are the pride of my heart."

Now he understood. He was spared in order to save the kingdom, but also that he himself could be saved. For the first time in years, the lion looked toward heaven with gratitude, thanking both the Old Kings, and the powers that were even above them, for bestowing this mercy upon him.

-"Asante, baba," – whispered Taka the Scarred, king of the Pridelands, with a heart overflowing with emotion. - "I will earn this... I promise to you. To all of you."

And then he roared.

THE END

AN: Alexa, play Sanctuary by Joji (wipes away tear).

Thus, after nearly two years (or over two, if you count "Taka's Guard"), we have this- a redemption story. Something rare in Disney, yet similar to what I did in 'From behind Bars'. But not completely. Again, this chapter ties in with both the first one, and "Taka's Guard", so if you want to know what the heck is going on exactly, I suggest you read that next.

I wanted both brothers to survive… but, no. That was impossible. Not after what Disney had done. If you want to know my thought on the remake, go ahead and read my review below. Or just skip to my explanation of the final chapter, which is even belower. And in case you don't care about that sh*t, let me just say this-

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! If it weren't for you guys, I wouldn't have finished this story. Literally. At some point, I became so exasperated with the whole Lion King franchise that I even deleted this fanfic completely. Twice. But then, you turned to me and asked if I would continue... And so, after a looong hiatus, I did. That's why I dedicate these final chapters to you, and I hope you enjoyed your read. Once again, you have my sincere thanks.

Now...

MY THOUGHTS ON LION KING 2019.

Well… At least it's not as bad as "Cats", amirite? ;)

Here I must strike my breast saying 'mea culpa'. I did, in fact, feed the Disney Empire with my dollars, and went to see the remake in the cinema. I knew it would be a cash-grab spectacle... But what can I say. The Lion King is my childhood, and my favorite movie of all time. I have a lion tattooed on my arm. Did I jump on the bandwagon of Lion King nostalgia, prepared for us by Disney? Yes, yes I did. Sorry if that seems hypocritical. But was it worth it?

First off, after watching it, do I think that this remake was necessary? No. It was not. But was it bad?

Opinions online are mixed, to say the least. Viewer scores are mostly positive, while the Tube is flooded with videos expressing how awful, terrible, and in other ways disgusting the whole thing was.

(Sigh) I will be honest. I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would. But is it as good as the original? Nooo, no no, and no. Still, it's not terrible, either. If it attracts the younger audience to see the original, which I think it will, I take that as a win.

First off, the CGI is amazing, which goes without saying (though through radically excessive realism, it totally robs the characters of human-like emotions). The movie begins with a shot-for-shot carbon copy of the original, seeing which made my heart rejoice. Oh, if only they'd kept it that way...

When the remake follows the original, it's fine. Problems start with the changes they introduced. For example, changing the voice cast was an absolute fail. Most of the time, they either try too hard (flippin' Beyonce as Nala, Zazu, Timon and Pumbaa... Those two do okay for the most part, but why the forced relevant jokes? Why the farts?), or not try hard enough at all (Simba, also flippin' James Earl Jones sounds like he is annoyed that he had to do this again! What is up with that?! They should have just reused the old voices, then!). And then there's Scar. Ohhh boy...

To be honest, his re-design grew on me with time. He is the only lion in the whole franchise who is shown actually eating meat, blood and all! I thought that was kinda ballsy. But still, the final execution was very disappointing. My gosh, why did they make him into such a soulless, bland, run-of-the-mill villain? And where in the seven circles of hell is Jeremy Irons?! If it ain't broken, don't fix it! Be prepared? Oh, don't even get me started...

To sum it up. The Lion King is like pizza. Even if it's bad, it's still pretty good. The remake is like a slice of excellent pizza that someone put in the fridge for three days... and then took out, reheated, and threw some extra sliced of cheese and spices on it, thinking he'd make it better that way. Oh, and one more thing- the cheese and spices on the reheated pizza are kind of meh, but... a ball of sh*t?!

Who on God's good earth thought that a photorealistic ball of manure would be a good idea?! Like, seriously? That is exactly what the problem is with this movie. You wanna recreate it just as it was, but prettier? Fine. But why throw extra sh*t on it?!

I liked the extended 'In the jungle' song. I liked that they put in some of the music from the musical. I thought the stampede was pretty decent. I even liked the twist in the 'live bait' scene. But the rest? The freakin' social-justicy female empowerment theme? Forced, unnecessary, and stupid. (The way I see it, Hollywood is saturated with feminism. I've nothing against women. What I am against, is twisting beloved classics to push your questionable agenda). I get it, Shenzi's the matriarch of her pack. But her conflict with Nala is as artificial as all hell. All in all, the hyenas are unfunny, unscary, and ugly as mortal sin (maybe on purpose?). I think that, for Shenzi's sake, they were trying to portray them as more formidable than even Scar himself. But they failed. Also, where my boys Banzai and Ed?!

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to mention some of the things they took out, too, like the scene with Rafiki whacking Simba on the head with his staff. Very important scene. Gone. So not only did they put new crap on the pizza, but they also took some of the best toppings out. How is this movie longer than the original?!

And another thing- Scar trying to seduce Sarabi. Why not Nala? Ooooh, is that too 'controversial'? But that's what he does in the musical! And where in all of this, I ask, is Zira? Couldn't they have had Scar try to woo Sarabi (and get rejected) right after he took the throne? Why would he wait so long? Or why did they change the last scene at Pride Rock? Bad writing alert, Disney! It's moments like these that make me think- ugh, this could have actually been good. But instead, most of the changes come off as low-quality fan-fiction.

So Scar had challenged Mufasa in the past, right? Was it Mufasa who gave him his scar, then? Does that mean that 'The Tale of Two Brothers' is officially non-canon now?! Ahadi, Uru, Scar having been named Taka and the origin of his scar... all that? If so, it would means that… both this story, and its prequel, "Taka's Guard", also do not follow the canon! Wow, I… I'm not sure how I feel about that! I don't know anything anymore… Disney just doesn't care, do they? XD No, the remake is not canon to me. At least in my 'head-canon', it does not exist. Sorry.

This movie is so bad it's not even properly bad. It's just a painfully mediocre CGI show-off, with most of the magic sucked out of it. After watching the remake (and I highly doubt I'll ever do that again), I went home and immediately watched the original online. I just felt like I had to. To remind myself of what this story really is.

This is why 'The Lion King' will never die- because the original is so good that even a re-make rip-off will rake in millions and attract affection. And, the way I see it, this is why fan-fiction will never die, either. Cause people want these characters to live, and to tell new stories, unlike Disney does.

So...

WHY THIS STORY ENDS THE WAY IT DOES.

As I said before, "From the Sands of the Arena" reflects my thought about the remake. The Roman Empire is Disney. By making this movie, they seriously kicked the characters' asses. I really wished it wouldn't be that way, but it is. This is why, in the last chapter, when he's speaking to Zira, Scar looks like his redesign- no longer conniving and sarcastic, but a grim, skinny, beat-up fiend.

At some point, I knew that at least one of the brothers would die. It fell on Mufasa, unfortunately, because he is the embodiment of the franchise- the best king of the Pridelands, who lives in our memories forever (call him the incarnation of nostalgia, if you will). He is no more, and we will never see his equal, but the story does not end. Scar survives, as twisted as he is.

At some point, I thought that both brothers would die. I was so mad with this remake, I though it would be terrible. But since it came out as only mediocre, one of the prisoners of Carthage escaped with his life.

Had the remake been better, I'd have spared Mufasa. I though about it, and I still think it would make a lot of sense if it was him, not his brother, who attempted to cross the gates of Carthage first. Then, it would have been Scar who'd be killed by the soldiers, thus saving Mufasa and redeeming himself (he had a similar sacrificial redemption in "From Behind Bars", though he did not die). Mufasa would go back home, re-instate his reign, and everything would be pretty much back to normal, with Scar remembered as a hero who saved the king's life, and his former crimes forgiven.

But fate is... whimsical. You are probably asking yourself the same question which Scar had, all throughout his journey back home in this final chapter (from Tunisia to Tanzania, which according to my calculations would have taken over 6 months!). After all, Scar is a murderer. Yes, it is true that throughout the story both brothers are seen slowly slipping into madness. Mufasa is still fighting it, though, and does not even come close to the savagery exhibited by his brother. The Old Kings decided to spare Scar yet another time, however. And now, he ascends the throne as the interim king, with his beloved Zira by his side (note that this is also a way for Ahadi to prove to Scar that he actually does love his younger son). But how did he merit that? And how did Mufasa merit death?

The answer is, they didn't.

I am not the first one to use Christian themes and quotations from the Bible in a Lion King fan-fic. I once read one such similar story, where Scar was given another chance after being attacked by the hyenas. The author used the quote- "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad" (Matthew 5,44n).

Scar is a savage killer. At the point when he starts ripping innocents apart, he no longer possesses a conscience. It would take a miracle to cure his madness and bloodlust, and a miracle does indeed happen. Not just when he is healed. Scar is amazed when he witnesses sacrifice- both that of the Christians, and that of Mufasa. Until now, he lived a completely selfish life, and could not understand that one could live differently. But the Christian who heals his would-be killer, as well as a brother who sacrifices himself for one who wanted to kill him, are events so striking that they finally open his eyes, and make Scar realize that his old teachers were actually right. He lives, because he is given another chance. "They that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick."

Scar, flabbergasted and remorseful, comes back to Pride Rock. Seeing the crisis, he understands that the Old King, now along with Mufasa, sent him there to save the kingdom. He does that by taking the throne, and by making the first sacrifice in his life- promising Sarabi that he will stand down after Simba reaches maturity. Abandoning his hubris, he now knows that his reign will be difficult, and in fact worse than that of his brother. Scar's reign is a portrait of the remake. It will be short-lived, and will disappear like a fart in the wind (like the memory of this CGI cash-grab). Although it is not a complete tragedy in itself, it is the result of one. All we, and the Pridelanders, can do, is hope for a better future.

This is why I called back Zira. She is one of my favorite characters in the franchise, and you all know I love to experiment with describing her relationship with Scar. In the remake, she is completely absent, which was of course to be expected. But what was not expected, was that the movie erases Zira from the canon. If Scar wanted Sarabi as his queen right before Nala left, then Zira wasn't there by his side. He wants cubs, and therefore, he had never chosen Kovu to be his heir.

Man, screw that! Hashtag NotMyLionKing. Zira is, and forever will be, Scar's consort. This is why I made her queen. She deserves it, especially after what she's been through in "Taka's Guard".

But here Scar uses his cunning yet again. He 'tricks' her into becoming his queen in order to stop the insurgence, and obviously, Zira is more than happy to comply. But did Scar tell her that he's planning to abdicate when Simba comes of age? Nooo... (knowing her, she probably thinks they're going to kill Simba as soon as Scar ascends the throne!). If he did, she would have never agreed. But later, when she gets a taste of the burden of actually ruling a kingdom, she might agree to an earlier retirement with Scar and, perhaps, even their cubs. I wanted this to be a redemption story for both of them. Who knows, perhaps Scar will be able to teach her the kindness he had learned himself?

Upon his death, Pardus, the panther prophet, announces that the Roman Empire is on the brink of collapse, which was actually very true in the 3rd century, just before the Barbarian invasion. The way I see it, this signifies the fall of Disney. All great empires eventually implode, if they are built on greed and vice. If they continue making garbage CGI films with no story or charm, people will stop watching them. Hasta la vista, the mouse will finally be eaten by some stronger lion emerging from his lair.

Unless...

Unless they actually start writing new stories? Like, good ones, and not just veiled carriers for politically correct social nonsense? Usher in a rebirth of classic animation? Uh, probably not. But it's okay to dream, right? Just like Scar can dream that, someday, perhaps he will redeem his sins, and be accepted among the Great Kings. After all, they still watch over him, like a light from the past. Just as the old classics remain unharmed, no matter what new monstrosity is being released.

Alright, I need a break from all of this. This has taken long enough. I have no idea if and when I will write again, as this whole 'Lion King remake' event has taken up a lot of my energy. So peace out, and thank you again for your reads, fellow Lion King fans!

PS. HOLY CRAP.

Did you guys see the trailer for the new episode of The Lion Guard that just came out?! This... this is... mind-blowing. It's all about Scar, and his guard! We see him before he got his scar, and how he got it! This is now the official canon, people! And this comes out today, as I finish my story! What are the chances of that?! Wow, I just can't calm down... The new episode will be aired on Saturday. I just can't freakin' wait!

And then... let the new fan-fiction flow XD