Kiara
Kiara is the main protagonist of the 1998 film, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, the sequel to The Lion King. She is the daughter of Simba and Nala, sister of Kopa, granddaughter of Mufasa, Sarabi, and Sarafina,
and thus is the princess and future queen of the Pride Lands. She was
voiced by Michelle Horn as a cub, and by Neve Campbell as a young adult.
Character Information:
Name: Kiara (Kee-are-uh)
Meaning: Clear, Bright, Famous Species: Lioness Affiliation(s): Pridelanders Position/Title(s): Princess (birth) Queen (presumed) Personality:
As a cub, Kiara is every bit as mischevious, more so some would say, as her father, and blantantly disobediant. Where Simba goes to the elephant graveyards merely because he was curious what was there, Kiara goes to the Outlands because she was told not too. Despite all this, she is very friendly, attempting to make friends with Kovu and Outlander cub she should be wary of. Unlike Simba however, she has no desire to be the future Queen. As an adult, Kiara doesn't change much. However, she isn't as approving as Simba's supervision as she once was, and wants to be on her own. She's still friendly and a bit rash in her actions.
| Appearance:
Strongly resembles her mother, Nala. Young, beautiful lioness with light peach-ish fur, warm, brown eyes, and a light pink-ish underbelly.
Information:
Kiara first appears at her presentation to the Pride Lands. She is carried to the edge of Pride Rock in her mother's mouth before being taken into the arms of Rafiki. She is raised up for all the animals to see and the gathered Pridelanders erupt into cheering before bowing before their new queen. After the presentation is over, Rafiki marks Kiara's forehead and her parents nuzzle her affectionately. Pumbaa and Timon are excited about the young cub and start to talk about all the things they'd do with "the little guy." Rafiki laughs and informs them that Kiara is a girl. They are both shocked and dismayed at the turn of events, and fall over in a dead faint.
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Kiara's Life:
The Lion King II (Simba's Pride):
Kiara grows into a strong-headed young cub. She is first seen atop Pride Rock, ready to embark on an adventure. But Simba, who is extremely over-protective of her, gently asks her where she's going in such a hurry. A bit annoyed, Kiara tells him to let go of her, and Simba reminds her that he just wanted her to be careful. Kiara is distracted by a butterfly and Simba struggles to get her attention, once again reminding her that accidents can happen. He starts to name off a bunch of dangers, but Kiara finishes for him. She then asks if she could just go, but Nala comes up to join them and reminds Kiara to mind her father. Kiara acknowledges her mother's words and Simba adds that she had to stay away from the Outlands. Zazu flies up to join them and comments that there was nothing there but "a bunch of backstabbing, murderous Outsiders." Simba comments that "you could never turn your back on them." Kiara is curious, but Simba promises that she'll understand when she's older. With a final nuzzle, he sends Kiara off, yelling after her to stay on the path he'd marked for her.
Kiara runs into the open savanna and begins chasing a butterfly through the tall grass. It lands on a rock and she sneaks forward and pounces. As the butterfly flutters away, Kiara peeks over the rocks and sees the intimidating form of the Outlands stretching before her. She is awestruck and wonders what's out there. But as she's staring at the land beyond, she doesn't notice Timon and Pumbaa, who had been sent by her father to keep an eye on her. After a huge fright, Kiara falls off the rock and lands in the pool below. Pumbaa jumps in after her, but accidentally sits on top of her. Kiara eventually splutters to the surface and begins limping toward shore. As she shakes out her fur, Pumbaa reminds her that she knew better than to go off all alone; she could've been hurt.
Timon exclaims that Simba would kill them if she ever got hurt. He then goes off on Kiara, asking her if she's hurt or sick. Kiara is annoyed, but Timon persists and hangs a fern over her head to keep the sun out of her face. Kiara swats it away and asks them to just listen to her. For once, Timon is quiet and Kiara explains that she was more than just a princess; that was only half of who she was. Pumbaa asks who the other half was, but Kiara is unable to answer. Timon then goes to dig up some grubs, "while she's figuring it out." He shows the insects to Kiara, who is disgusted and turns down his offer to snack on one. He then gets into an argument with Pumbaa over which grubs were tastiest, and Kiara, grasping the opportunity, sneaks away from her bumbling babysitters to set off down the path into the Outlands; away from the path her father marked.
As she's crossing a log, Kiara trips and accidentally bumps into an Outlander cub. The cub immediately bares his teeth at her and begins backing her up against the log. Remembering her father's advice to never turn her back on an Outsider, Kiara tries to maneuver her way around the cub without turning her back on him. He asks what she's doing and Kiara determinedly tells him what her father had explained to her. The other cub mocks her and accuses her of "always doing what Daddy says." Kiara tries to defend herself, but the cub just laughs and calls her "Daddy's little girl."
The cub then brags that he can take care of himself, and walks confidently onto a stone in the middle of a swamp. Kiara follows, unaware that the stones are actually crocodiles. The Outlander cub then turns and sees a crocodile about to swallow Kiara whole. The two cubs are terrified and begin bolting across the swamp. A chase instigates and the cubs manage to find a dead tree sticking out of the swamp. They scramble up its branches and Kiara barely makes it back to dry land. When they're finally safe, she is ecstatic, and spits rudely at the crocodiles straining to reach them from the swamp below.
Kiara runs into the open savanna and begins chasing a butterfly through the tall grass. It lands on a rock and she sneaks forward and pounces. As the butterfly flutters away, Kiara peeks over the rocks and sees the intimidating form of the Outlands stretching before her. She is awestruck and wonders what's out there. But as she's staring at the land beyond, she doesn't notice Timon and Pumbaa, who had been sent by her father to keep an eye on her. After a huge fright, Kiara falls off the rock and lands in the pool below. Pumbaa jumps in after her, but accidentally sits on top of her. Kiara eventually splutters to the surface and begins limping toward shore. As she shakes out her fur, Pumbaa reminds her that she knew better than to go off all alone; she could've been hurt.
Timon exclaims that Simba would kill them if she ever got hurt. He then goes off on Kiara, asking her if she's hurt or sick. Kiara is annoyed, but Timon persists and hangs a fern over her head to keep the sun out of her face. Kiara swats it away and asks them to just listen to her. For once, Timon is quiet and Kiara explains that she was more than just a princess; that was only half of who she was. Pumbaa asks who the other half was, but Kiara is unable to answer. Timon then goes to dig up some grubs, "while she's figuring it out." He shows the insects to Kiara, who is disgusted and turns down his offer to snack on one. He then gets into an argument with Pumbaa over which grubs were tastiest, and Kiara, grasping the opportunity, sneaks away from her bumbling babysitters to set off down the path into the Outlands; away from the path her father marked.
As she's crossing a log, Kiara trips and accidentally bumps into an Outlander cub. The cub immediately bares his teeth at her and begins backing her up against the log. Remembering her father's advice to never turn her back on an Outsider, Kiara tries to maneuver her way around the cub without turning her back on him. He asks what she's doing and Kiara determinedly tells him what her father had explained to her. The other cub mocks her and accuses her of "always doing what Daddy says." Kiara tries to defend herself, but the cub just laughs and calls her "Daddy's little girl."
The cub then brags that he can take care of himself, and walks confidently onto a stone in the middle of a swamp. Kiara follows, unaware that the stones are actually crocodiles. The Outlander cub then turns and sees a crocodile about to swallow Kiara whole. The two cubs are terrified and begin bolting across the swamp. A chase instigates and the cubs manage to find a dead tree sticking out of the swamp. They scramble up its branches and Kiara barely makes it back to dry land. When they're finally safe, she is ecstatic, and spits rudely at the crocodiles straining to reach them from the swamp below.
The cubs race away from the cliff and Kiara starts to go on and on about how fierce the crocodiles were and how scared she had been. Then, she softens and tells her new friend that he had been really brave. He compliments her as well and introduces himself as Kovu. Kiara tells him her name, then playfully tags him. Kovu doesn't understand what she's doing, and she picks up on this. She responds by growling playfully, and Kovu growls back. But as he does so, Simba leaps out of the grass and jumps in front of his daughter, roaring fiercely at the strange cub. At the same time, Kovu's mother, Zira, leaps in front of her own cub. The two parents roar in protection of their offspring, but the cubs are horrified at the turn of events.
Simba and Zira confront, revealing to be long-lasting enemies. The argument grows heated, until Simba finally growls, "We're finished here." Zira smiles menacingly and replies, "Oh, no, Simba. We have barely begun." She then stares down at Kiara and laughs sinisterly. Kiara is horrified, but Simba quickly picks her up by the scruff and carries her home. Kovu is given the same treatment, and as the cubs are separated, they whisper good-bye to each other.
On the way home, Simba stops with Kiara and lets Nala and the rest of the pride go on ahead. He sets his daughter on a rock and Kiara looks up at him and smiles innocently. But she quickly sobers at his serious expression. Simba then asks what she'd thought she'd been doing, and reminds her that she could have been killed. Kiara starts to protest, but Simba interrupts and tells her that he loved her and didn't want to lose her. If anything happened to her, he wouldn't know what he'd do. He reminds her that one day he wouldn't be there, and she'd need to carry on in his place. He reminds her about the "great Circle of Life," but she tirelessly finishes his sentence. He starts to go on about the responsibilities of being queen, but Kiara interrupts him and spits out that she didn't want to be queen; it was no fun. Simba replies, "That's like saying you don't want to be a lion." He reminds her that they are part of each other, and starts to sing, "We Are One."
Simba and Zira confront, revealing to be long-lasting enemies. The argument grows heated, until Simba finally growls, "We're finished here." Zira smiles menacingly and replies, "Oh, no, Simba. We have barely begun." She then stares down at Kiara and laughs sinisterly. Kiara is horrified, but Simba quickly picks her up by the scruff and carries her home. Kovu is given the same treatment, and as the cubs are separated, they whisper good-bye to each other.
On the way home, Simba stops with Kiara and lets Nala and the rest of the pride go on ahead. He sets his daughter on a rock and Kiara looks up at him and smiles innocently. But she quickly sobers at his serious expression. Simba then asks what she'd thought she'd been doing, and reminds her that she could have been killed. Kiara starts to protest, but Simba interrupts and tells her that he loved her and didn't want to lose her. If anything happened to her, he wouldn't know what he'd do. He reminds her that one day he wouldn't be there, and she'd need to carry on in his place. He reminds her about the "great Circle of Life," but she tirelessly finishes his sentence. He starts to go on about the responsibilities of being queen, but Kiara interrupts him and spits out that she didn't want to be queen; it was no fun. Simba replies, "That's like saying you don't want to be a lion." He reminds her that they are part of each other, and starts to sing, "We Are One."
Teenage Kiara:
Years pass and Kiara grows into a young lioness. On the day of her first hunt, the pride gathers on Pride Rock. The lionesses line up on either side of the rock face and the royal family walks down in between them. The lionesses are all impressed with how Kiara's grown, and Nala assures her daughter that she'll do fine. But Simba is downcast and worried about his daughter. Kiara suspects that he's anxious and tells him to promise her that she could do this on her own. Simba finally submits and Kiara nuzzles him affectionately. She leaps to the edge of Pride Rock and gives the Pride Lands a determined smile. She then looks back at her father and he nods. But as she bounds away, Simba turns and whispers to Timon and Pumbaa to make sure she didn't get hurt.
Kiara emerges into the Pride Lands and begins to hunt. Trying to be quiet, she sneaks up on a herd of antelope, but accidentally steps on a branch. It cracks and the herd of antelope dash away. Kiara runs frustratedly after them. Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa are stealthily trying to keep pace with her. They spot the young lioness fail to bring down an antelope, as she accidentally kicks over a rock and frightens the herd. But the antelopes run right into Timon and Pumbaa, and Kiara soon spots them hiding in the grass. She demands to know what they're doing, and Timon tries to make up an excuse. But Kiara realizes the truth; that her father had lied to her, even though he'd promised to let her do this on her own. Timon gently tells her that Simba just didn't want her to get hurt. But Kiara states that she should've known he wouldn't have given her a real chance. Angry, she runs away and yells over her shoulder that she was going to hunt, away from the Pride Lands. Timon and Pumbaa try to catch up with her, but Kiara soon disappears into the grasslands.
Meanwhile, Zira instructs her two eldest cubs, Nuka and Vitani, to set the Pride Lands ablaze in an effort to trap Kiara. Kiara, who is still hunting, once more fails to be silent and frightens the herd away. As they disappear over the crest of a hill, Kiara gives up the chase. But the next moment, she sees them running back toward her, crying out in fear as they are chased by a wall of blazing flames. Kiara realizes what's going on and runs after the retreating animals. But she is soon trapped in the raging flames and makes a last desperate attempt to escape. She jumps onto a ledge, nearly falling off, and manages to haul herself onto the ground above. She lies on her side, too weak to move. She sees a young lion stalk up to her, but is too weak to run away. The lion growls and Kiara faints from exhaustion. The lion examines her, unimpressed, then picks her up and puts her onto his back. He carries her through the burning forest and throws himself off a cliff into a lake below. He sees Kiara disappear under the water and hastens to bring her to the surface and haul her back to land.
Kiara emerges into the Pride Lands and begins to hunt. Trying to be quiet, she sneaks up on a herd of antelope, but accidentally steps on a branch. It cracks and the herd of antelope dash away. Kiara runs frustratedly after them. Meanwhile, Timon and Pumbaa are stealthily trying to keep pace with her. They spot the young lioness fail to bring down an antelope, as she accidentally kicks over a rock and frightens the herd. But the antelopes run right into Timon and Pumbaa, and Kiara soon spots them hiding in the grass. She demands to know what they're doing, and Timon tries to make up an excuse. But Kiara realizes the truth; that her father had lied to her, even though he'd promised to let her do this on her own. Timon gently tells her that Simba just didn't want her to get hurt. But Kiara states that she should've known he wouldn't have given her a real chance. Angry, she runs away and yells over her shoulder that she was going to hunt, away from the Pride Lands. Timon and Pumbaa try to catch up with her, but Kiara soon disappears into the grasslands.
Meanwhile, Zira instructs her two eldest cubs, Nuka and Vitani, to set the Pride Lands ablaze in an effort to trap Kiara. Kiara, who is still hunting, once more fails to be silent and frightens the herd away. As they disappear over the crest of a hill, Kiara gives up the chase. But the next moment, she sees them running back toward her, crying out in fear as they are chased by a wall of blazing flames. Kiara realizes what's going on and runs after the retreating animals. But she is soon trapped in the raging flames and makes a last desperate attempt to escape. She jumps onto a ledge, nearly falling off, and manages to haul herself onto the ground above. She lies on her side, too weak to move. She sees a young lion stalk up to her, but is too weak to run away. The lion growls and Kiara faints from exhaustion. The lion examines her, unimpressed, then picks her up and puts her onto his back. He carries her through the burning forest and throws himself off a cliff into a lake below. He sees Kiara disappear under the water and hastens to bring her to the surface and haul her back to land.
He drags her to shore, and she wakes up, gasping for breath. She asks where she is, and the young lion tells her that she's "safe in the Pride Lands." Kiara is stunned, but soon becomes angry. She demands to know why he had brought her here and who he thought he was. Her rescuer is offended and reminds her that he had just saved her life. Kiara tells him that she had had everything under control, but the stranger replies, "Not from where I'm standing." Kiara retorts, "Then move downwind." She attempts to walk away, but the other lion blocks her. She tries once more, but the stranger jumps in front of her again. Kiara prepares herself for a fight, but the young lion suddenly asks, "What are you doing?" Kiara then realizes that the young lion is her childhood friend, Kovu.
But before she can react, Simba jumps in front of her and roars at Kovu. Nala, who had come with Simba, rushes up to Kiara, relieved to see that her daughter's alright. Kiara asks Simba why he'd broken his promise, and Simba replies, "It's a good thing I did." He laments on how he'd almost lost her, then tells her that there would be no more hunts for her; not ever. Kiara protests and points out that she had been doing just fine, even before Kovu intervened. At the mention of Kovu's name, Simba roars at the young lion and Kovu roars back. Nala is surprised by Simba's ferocity, but before the argument can get worse, Rafiki appears on a nearby hill and indirectly tells Simba that Kovu had saved his daughter's life. Simba questions Kovu's motives for saving her, to which Kovu replies that he had left the Outsiders and was now a rogue. He asks to join Simba's pride, but Simba forcefully reminds him that he was banished with the rest of his kin. Kovu tells Simba to judge him for what he was, or to accuse him of a crime he didn't commit. Simba growls, thinking over the proposition. Nala reminds him that Kovu had saved Kiara's life and Zazu adds that "royal protocol demanded all debts be paid." But the bird adds under his breath that Simba might want to make an exception. Simba reluctantly agrees to Kovu's request, following the law of his father, but decides to reserve judgment until he can see who Kovu really is. Kiara is delighted at the news.
That night, the pride returns to Pride Rock with Kovu. Simba notices Kovu about to go into the inner cavern with the lionesses, but quickly jumps in front of him with a growl and intimidates him away from the cavern opening as he goes inside. Kovu smirks at Simba before walking to the rocks outside the cavern to sleep. Kiara is the last of the lionesses to reach Pride Rock and sees Kovu lie down beside the rocks. She approaches him and thanks him for saving her life. Kovu smugly asks her what kind of a hunter she thought she was and points out that she could've been killed. He tells her that she couldn't last three days on her own. Provoked, Kiara asks if he could teach her how to hunt, to which Kovu is confident. Simba then yells for Kiara and she quickly tells Kovu to "impress her;" they'd start at dawn. Kovu smiles smoothly as she walks away and says that he would be looking forward to it.
The next morning, Kovu sees Simba taking a drink at the waterhole. He prepares to attack, but is interrupted by Kiara, who jumps in front of him and cheerfully tells him good morning. She excitedly jumps around him and tells him that she was ready for her first lesson. Kovu looks at the waterhole and sees that Simba is gone. He growls to himself as they walk away, frustrated that his first attempt to kill the king has failed.
While tirelessly training Kiara, Kovu waits in the grass for Kiara to pounce on him by surprise. He rolls his eyes and counts to three. He then ducks and Kiara leaps full over his evasion, landing on the ground a few feet away. Kovu steps toward her and looks down at her. Embarrassed, she asks if he had heard her, to which Kovu replies, "Only....a lot." He then tells her that she was breathing too hard; he urges her to feel the earth beneath her paws, so it wouldn't shift beneath her. He then decides to show her an example. He sees a flock of birds alight on a nearby hillside and runs up the side of the hill. He roars and unintentionally pounces on Timon, who cries out in fear and begs Kovu not to eat him. Kiara rushes up after Kovu and asks Timon what he's doing. Timon is relieved to see her and explains that he was not following her for once. He tells the lions that the birds were eating all their grubs, and gestures to the numerous birds poking at the ground. He asks Kovu to lend a voice, but the Outlander doesn't understand. Kiara shows him what Timon means by roaring at the birds, scattering them into the sky. Kovu tries, and together, the two lions follow Timon and Pumbaa down the hillside, scattering birds in all directions. Kovu is still confused and asks Kiara what the point of this training was. Kiara laughs and tells him that it was just for fun. Kovu is flustered, but Kiara's laughing and Timon and Pumbaa's whooping eventually bring him out of his shell and he whoops and yells right alongside them.
But the group accidentally runs into a rhinoceros herd, with the birds sitting atop the creatures' horns. The rhinoceroses snort loudly and Kiara and her friends race back the way they came, with the rhinos in hot pursuit. But the four friends manage to squeeze into a crevice and the herd of rhinos shoot past. They all laugh uncontrollably and even Kovu seems to be having fun. But as they're struggling to get out, Kiara and Kovu accidentally touch muzzles. They're both a bit flustered, and smile in embarrassment, but it is perceived that the two secretly enjoyed the tense moment. All the friends climb out of the crevice and begin making their way out of the gorge.
That night, Kovu and Kiara are lying on the grass, gazing up at the stars. Amid trying to decipher pictures in the stars, Kiara spots a baby rabbit and Kovu sees two battling lions. Kiara grimaces, but Kovu laughs and admits that he's never done this before. Kiara is surprised and tells Kovu that she used to do it all the time with her father, who told her that the "great kings of the past" looked down on them from the stars. Kovu wonders if Scar is up there, but Kiara doesn't answer. Troubled, Kovu tells her that, even though Scar wasn't his father, he was still a part of him. Kiara tells Kovu that Simba had said there was a darkness in Scar that he couldn't escape. Kovu quietly wonders if that darkness was in him, too. Kiara doesn't answer, but puts her paw on Kovu's and they nuzzle. Simba and Nala watch them from a nearby hillside, and Simba seeks counsel with the great kings. He is hesitant to trust Kovu, especially around his daughter, but Nala urges him to give the Outlander a chance.
Kovu then pulls away from Kiara and she asks what's wrong. Kovu starts to tell her his part in Zira's plan, but decides against it and starts to walk away again. Kiara softly urges him to stay and Kovu hesitates, then starts to leave again. But Rafiki appears out of the grass and asks where he thought he was going. Kovu is flustered and replies, "Nowhere." Rafiki laughs and says, "That's what you think." He then disappears into the grass and Kovu searches frantically for him. He then asks who that was, and Kiara laughs nervously and explains Rafiki as "a friend of the family." Rafiki then appears on Kovu's back. The baboon slips off him and pulls his tail, telling him that "Rafiki knew the way." Kovu asks, "The way to where?" And Rafiki tells him that if he'd follow, he'd see. The baboon then springs away and Kiara follows after him, giggling. Kovu runs after her and Rafiki sings, "Upendi" to the lions, encouraging them to like each other more. They sing to themselves afterward as they make their way back to Pride Rock.
They give each other an affectionate goodnight and are both disappointed when they remember that Kovu can't sleep with the pride. But as Kiara goes into the cave, she looks back at Kovu and sighs pleasantly. The next day, Kovu is debating whether he should tell Kiara his part in Zira's plot or not. He finally convinces himself to do so, and to also tell Kiara that he loves her. But just as he's about to talk to her, Simba interrupts them and tells Kovu that he'd like to talk with him. Kiara is both surprised and pleased to see that her father wants to talk to Kovu, but Kovu is a bit suspicious and still anxious to talk to Kiara.
Later, Kiara sees her father limping back to Pride Rock. Immediately worried, she sends Zazu for help, then rushes out to aid her father with the help of Timon and Pumbaa. Timon asks Simba what happened, but the king can barely speak and wheezes painfully, "Kovu....ambush." He then falls onto his side in pain. Kiara stares at him in horror as she realizes what Kovu has done. Timon and Pumbaa then help carry Simba back to Pride Rock.
After Simba has recovered, Kiara can't believe that Kovu would ambush her father. But just then, Kovu comes back to Pride Rock with a fresh scar inflicted by Zira. Kiara is delighted to see him and starts to run out to him, but her father snarls and jumps in her way. Kovu approaches down the narrow aisle between the congregated animals gathered around the base of Pride Rock. Simba demands to know why he had come back, and the young lion starts to explain that he had nothing to do with the ambush, but Simba interrupts him and forcefully tells Kovu that he didn't belong in the Pride Lands. Kovu asks for Simba's forgiveness, and Kiara begs her father to listen to him. But Simba yells at Kiara to be silent, then turns back to Kovu and says that he had told the Outsider that he would wait on judgment, but would pass it now. Kiara is terrified and Simba shouts, "Exile!" The animals on Pride Rock then sing, "Not One of Us." Kiara tries to reach Kovu, but the lionesses in her pride block her path, keeping her away from him.
After Kovu is driven away, Kiara begs her father to reconsider. Simba tells her that she would not go anywhere without an escort from then on. Kiara starts to protest, but Simba interrupts, telling her that Kovu had used her to get to him. But Kiara protests again and says that Kovu loved her for who she really was! But Simba tells her that Kovu "loved" her because she was the daughter of the lion king. He then tells her that she would not leave Pride Rock; she would stay where he could keep an eye on her, away from Kovu! Kiara tries one last time, telling Simba that he didn't know Kovu. But Simba says that he knew that he was following in Scar's pawprints; and that Simba needed to follow in his father's. Kiara then shouts, "You will never be Mufasa!" Simba is horrified and Kiara runs into the cave, weeping.
She then sees a hole in the back of the cave and escapes Pride Rock without her father seeing. She begins searching for Kovu, but can't find him anywhere. She starts to sing, "Love Will Find a Way," in which Kovu finds her and they reunite. They laugh together and lie down next to a pool. Kovu looks at their reflection, which has merged through the ripples, and says to her, "Look, we are one." He smiles at her and she smiles back, then realizes what Kovu has just said and looks shocked. Kovu leaps away from the pool and announces that they should run away together and start a pride of their own. Kiara smiles affectionately and reminds him that they had to go back. Kovu thinks she's kidding and reminds her that they were finally together. She tells him that their place was with their pride and that if they left, their families would be divided forever.
The battle of the prides begins and Kovu and Kiara race back to stop their battling families. They run down an embankment covered with fallen logs; Kovu nearly slips, but catches onto one of the logs and jumps to safety. The logs begin shifting. The battle continues until Simba and Zira start a showdown. But just as they raise their paws to inflict a blow, Kovu and Kiara jump in front of their parents. Simba is shocked and tells his daughter to stand aside. But Kiara tells him that the fight had to stop. He tells her to stay out of the fight, but Kiara reminds him that "a wise king" once told her, "we are one." She didn't used to understand what he meant, but now she did. Simba starts to protest about the Outsiders, but Kiara tells him to look at them. She tells him that "they are us," and asks him what differences he could see. At her words, the clouds part and the rain stops. Simba smiles at his daughter and they embrace.
Zira tries to get her pride to attack, but Kiara's words have hit home. Starting with Vitani, all of the Outsider lionesses cross over to stand with Simba's pride. Simba tells Zira to put her past behind her, but she refuses to let it go. In a last attempt to fulfill Scar's plan, she leaps at Simba; but Kiara jumps in the way. The two lionesses tumble down an embankment and begin falling into the gorge. Simba jumps down the slope, trying desperately to reach Kiara, but she and Zira have already fallen too far down the ledge. Kiara manages to catch a hold on the ledge, slowing her descent enough for her to jump onto a small ledge. But Zira isn't so lucky, and clings to the rocks some distance below. Meanwhile, Simba is still trying to reach Kiara. Nala yells for her daughter, then notices that the logs blocking the gorge have broken and are letting in a flood of water.
The river is rapidly rushing to fill the canyon. Zira hangs precariously from the rock face, while Kiara is above on the ledge. She reaches down a paw and tells Zira to take hold of it. But Zira swipes angrily at it and loses a foot of her hold on the cliff. Kiara urges Zira to take her paw and tells the Outsider that she would help her. She slides further down the rock wall, scrabbling at the rock, but is unable to climb up. Finally, she loses her grip and falls into the churning water below. Kiara is horrified and saddened. As Zira disappears beneath the surface, the river calms and Kiara watches the logs bob away. Simba then reaches her and holds out a paw. Kiara sadly tells him that she'd tried.
Simba then helps Kiara back up the cliff, where she is greeted enthusiastically by her mother and the two prides. Kovu and Kiara embrace, relieved to have fulfilled their mission. Simba watches his daughter embrace the Outsider, and tells Kovu that he had been wrong: Kovu did belong with the pride. The two prides join together and go back to Pride Rock as one. They then gather on Pride Rock, where Rafiki shakes his stick over top Kiara and Kovu's head, blessing their union and hinting that they are now mates. Simba and Nala lead the procession through the pride, who are lined up along Pride Rock with bowed heads; Kiara and Kovu follow behind them. Both couples make their way to the tip of Pride Rock; first Simba roars, then Kovu. Finally, all four roar together while the rest of the pride roars in answer.