As we all know, Simba's Pride is a very, very vague movie. Unlike the original which firmly establishes all the Character relations for the most part, Simba's Pride is again, not to firm in what it's trying to say.



The only thing truely established in the film is that Kovu isn't Scar's son. It's said twice, by Nuka and then Kovu himself.



So if Scar isn't his father, then who is? Most people I know that actually give some thought as to who Kovu's father could be instead of slapping their OC in the spot usually conclude Chumvi the sire. It makes sense, I mean they both share dark fur and eventually grow up to grow dark brown manes. Also, Kovu's only real 'outlander' traits(all inspired by Scar by the way) are his black nose, small pupils, the way his paws are colored, sharp nose bridge. Everything else is Pridelander, hell, even his claws don't extend permanently upon reaching adulthood, unlike his two siblings Nuka and Vitani.



Despite being a male, therefore a threat to Scar's position as king, Chumvi is not killed immediately. Is he Scar's son? No, their mane colors don't match, and while this may not seem to be much of a reason, the Directors of Simba's Pride seem to think so as well: http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110405231255/lionking/images/3/3d/KiaraKovuConcept

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c36/crimsonpeach/ff7%20and%20other%20anime/tlk/zzstuff.png?t=1309370422

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/12100000/The-Lion-King-2-Concept-Art-the-lion-king-2-simbas-pride-12182516-538-404.jpg





As you can see, Kovu(or Nunka)'s mane originally used to black, flowing and slick like his intended father at the time, Scar. Actually, he's much richer in red than he is now and his eyes are brighter green as opposed to the dark emerald/forest green they alternate between. His mane still appears black in some books of SP:

http://www.lionking.org/sequels/TLK2/Outlanders1.jpg



However, when his relation to Scar was changed in the middle of production all his colors dulled, his mane went from smooth very scruffy and from black to brown.(Fun fact: When Kovu goes "Who're are you Pridelander" keep an eye on his mane tuft. It flashes black for almost imperceptible moment. http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/lionking/images/f/f2/346px-Nalainlionking.png )



Why Scar keeps Chumvi alive in unclear, but the fact that he DOES live makes him being sired by Chumvi extremely probable, but there is one question that needs answering:



If Zira is so loyal to Scar, why would she go an cheat on him?



I'm starting to rethink my idea of Zira using Chumvi to get even with Scar since he starts trying to seduce Nala, which would explain the short but bitter exchange between the two females in the movie.



How Scar and Zira WERE mates. Various Simba's Pride merchandise mentions her as his "widow" ("As a dark storm brews over the Savannah, the mystical Rafiki communicates with the spirit of Mufasa. We learn that after becoming king, Simba exiled all lions loyal to Scar to the desolate Outlands. A dangerous rift has developed between Simba's Pride and these Outlanders, led by Scar's murderous widow Zira. Rafiki learns that only one lion can heal this wound-- Simba's newborn daughter, Kiara..."- http://www.lionking.org/sequels/TLK2/ ) and this book:http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110717170925/lionking/images/c/cc/2365877.png outright says she was the mate of Scar.



The movie itself reveals Scar and Zira raised Kovu until the former's death("Scar is gone but Zira's still around, to love this little lad"), so it is canon they were at least Semi-mates since they raise a child together for a time. This corresponds nicely with the Kovu's comment: "He wasn't my father, but he was still...a part of me". Scar was a part of his life, because while he was alive he helped raise the kid, his heir.



Zira probably thought she was helping Scar by cheating on him with Chumvi. His genes were bad, he admits this himself, and Nuka was proof of this. He desired a better heir, and so Zira seeks to provides him with one when his attentions shifts from her to the younger lionesses. They aren't interested in him, because he's infinitely older and kinda screwing them over, so he returns his sights to Zira. Zira gives birth to Kovu, son of Chumvi and Vitani, daughter of Scar.



One could say Scar preffered males over females, after all Vitani was just as capable to rule as Kovu, but he doesn't pick her, favoring Kovu. She could've tried to pass Kovu off as Scar's but something, namely the color of his brown, not black, tail tuft, gave it away. Besides the mane, Kovu could easily be passed off as Scar's son but for some reason Nuka knows he's not and is more than happy to point this out.



Kovu is Scar's Protege, according to Darell Rooney, and the one he chooses to carry on his vision of lions and hyenas coming together for a, and I quote, "great and glorious future."



Kovu HAS met Scar, as he fully recognizes the reflection and the lines "Born in Grief raised in hate" Tells he was born during a time of greif(Scar's reign) and raised in hate(In the outlands). This is a fact, and it is not debatable.



I don't see why Scar and Zira would find some random cub not related to either of them and groom him to be the next heir when they could just have children of their own.



<will later edit more write>

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Continuation

Kovu calls Zira "Mother" as a cub and she calls him her "son", but not as an adult. I fail to see how this is important. Scar calls Simba his nephew when he's a cub, but not as an adult. Does this mean he's not truly Simba's uncle? No..



What's more, while Zira doesn't think twice about threatening to kill Vitani, she NEVER EVER threatens to kill Kovu when he opposes her and it's not because, traitor or not, he's still Scar's "chosen one".  After blaming him for Nuka's death, because he did nothing to stop Simba and allowed Simba the killing blow(She blames both of the evenly by the way), she doesn't send anyone after Kovu. At this point she lets him go, even instructs the outlanders to do so, and decided to forcefully take the Pridelands herself, Kovu or no Kovu. He's Betrayed Scar, and as far as she's concerned, he's not the chosen one. Not anymore. When Zira dies, Kovu is genuinely sad, not glad to be out of her manipulating claws, and he assumes leadership of the outlanders because HE'S HER SON. The roaring at the end of the movie symbolizes the two Pride's joination. 

Similar articles :

• Cub Confusion
• Vitani and Kovu's parents???
• The Confusion Of Zira's Cubs
• Lineage of Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu--Their Parents
• Was Scar and Zira really Vitani's parents
• Nuka, Vitani and Kovu...
• Tama Tojo = Vitani ?
• outlander traits
• Kovu's fear
• About the Lion King 2

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Last comments

Werebere us	December 01, 2011

But Zira isn't his mom, according to Darell Rooney, who says Kovu is an orphan.

Cooper	September 25, 2011

I do think Zira is Kovu's biological son, it makes plenty of sense. But I'm not sure that out of all people, Chumvi would be Kovu's father. I mean yea Kovu doesn't carry all of Scar's outlander-like traits, but what you need to remember is that a child's DNA is a 50/50 split between both parents and that he also must carry half his traits from Zira as well. And even at that Zira is female which is sometimes hard to see in the child of the opposite gender. I mean look at Vitani, Scar was her father (at least I beleave that) and she looks way more like Zira. So I beleave Zira is Kovu's real mother, but who ever his father is is still a mystery. I agree with ElChivato, Kovu is the SP Nala. Also I don't think Scar's vision was to join the lions with the hyenas. He just wanted to be king but lacked in the physical health so he pretty much just used the hyenas to do his dirty work with the promise of entering the pridelands.(Since a large packs of hyenas was stronger than one lion)

ElChivat o	September 20, 2011

@ Brown Wolf: I never said Chumvi's a bad idea in itself. I just said that he's feeble for a THEORY. There's a fine difference between a theory and a vision. Vision/idea is inspired by something and simply exists with no intentions to prove anything. Theory is inspired by something AND trying to prove itself to be true. In this case a theory is trying to prove what the film's makers most likely would've done/meant and that's why Chumvi is not so good choice because he's from a book those film makers have ignored. But a s a simple fanfiction vision Chumvi is as good as anything and as right as anything.

Brown Wolf	September 20, 2011
	Global moderator

El Chivato -- Oh yeah, Chumvi is a book character. Actually Chumvi isn't TLK, he's TLK:SNA. ** My theory is that Kovu is SP's Nala, as in that he has no officially intented father but it's officially intented as just an empty hole in a family tree which hole in question fans can fill up with whoever they want and nobody's wrong. ---- Really? Well, if someone uses Chumvi to be Kovu's father, then how can you say that using Chumvi is a bad idea, because he has no part in the movies? Isn't that being hypocritical? Yes, Chumvi is a book character, but in The Lion King world as a WHOLE - Movies and books combined -- and Chumvi being Kovu's father, like all other fan theories, is possible. Chumvi is part of The Lion King universe, whether he's in the movies or not. Same with all the others.

ElChivat o	September 20, 2011

Oh yeah, Chumvi is a book character. Actually Chumvi isn't TLK, he's TLK:SNA. And all the more reason why Chumvi theory is feeble. Chumvi is from a book from which SP definitelty ignored a character, so chances are they did not pick up any other from it either. My theory is that Kovu is SP's Nala, as in that he has no officially intented father but it's officially intented as just an empty hole in a family tree which hole in question fans can fill up with whoever they want and nobody's wrong.

Werebere us	September 20, 2011

Well someone had to be his dad, and i chose chumvi. Besides, SP leaves such glaringly large plot holes in the franchise and most use their theories to patch it up. Also, Chumvi isn't from a comic. Same ^^ I focuses more on Kovu and Zira, but Chumvi and Scar, who are also mentioned, are all TLK and no SP.

ElChivat o	September 19, 2011

I don't agree on Kovu's possible father because: 1.) SP's makers ignored all the books - even the well known movie novelizations - so I see no reason why they would've used any characters from little known german comics. Especially without bringing them up in their movie. 2.) What the movie doesn't say, didn't happen. Kovu is to SP's creators what Nala is to TLK's creators: a cub whose father's identity they didn't bother to determin. Apart from how it's not Scar. I kinda wish TLK's creators would've done the same in TLK film. Have Nala or someone bring up that her father is not part of the current pride. But I agree that Kovu is definitely Zira's biological son. You made a good reasoning in that last paragraph, but to me the fact that he called her mother and she called her son and the movie did not contradict it in any shape or form, has always been enough. PS. Would these Zira related articles belong to the TLK2:SP articles and not to the original movie's? Although the movie's mesh and are one entity, the point of the articles wright on the sequel's new information.