Mufasa and Scar’s relationship is a central part of theLion Kingfranchise, andMufasa: The Lion Kingcomplicates their status as brothers. In the original 1994 animated movie, Mufasa and Scar are pitted against each other due to the balance of power at Pride Rock.Mufasa: The Lion Kingtakes the story back to when they were both just lion cubs, andScar was only known as Taka. The movie explores their earlier adventures together before Mufasa becomes the king of the Pride Lands and Scar’s jealousy grows as he’s next in line to the throne before Simba’s birth.
Mufasa: The Lion Kingis a wholly original story created by Jeff Nathanson and Barry Jenkins that is able to add depth to the nature of Mufasa and Scar’s relationship. However, this also meant changing what many viewers thought was firmly established in the franchise canon about them. This is becauseThe Lion Kingsuggested that Mufasa and Scar were brothers, and viewers accepted that as fact for decades. Now that the 2024 prequel is out, here’s howMufasa: The Lion King’s exploration of Mufasa and Taka’s brotherhood fits into the franchise history.
Mufasa & Scar Are Not Biological Brothers In Mufasa: The Lion King
They Come From Two Different Families
It is blatantly confirmed throughoutMufasa: The Lion Kingthat Mufasa and Scar are not biological brothers. The movie begins with Mufasa as a young lion cub with his parents, Masego and Afia, as part of a prideless group of lions. Mufasa’s life changes when a flood occurs and is separated from his birth parents. All alone, Mufasa is discovered by Taka and his mother, Eshe. They are part of a completely different pride led by Taka’s father, Obasi. Through this setup,Mufasa: The Lion Kingmakes it clear that Mufasa and Taka are not related by blood.
Mufasa and Taka do become like brothers inMufasa: The Lion Kingafter the future king of the Pride Lands is allowed to be part of Obasi’s pride. The two young cubs grow close as they get older and form a relationship that goes beyond a typical friendship. They both view the other as their brother even if they are not biologically related in any way.Mufasa: The Lion Kingfurther establishes this feeling with the song “I Always Wanted A Brother,” which shows a montage of Taka and Mufasa growing up together, strengthening their brother-like relationship.
This is why Taka and Mufasa repeatedly refer to themselves as brothers. Neither of them has biological siblings, so the friendship that they form at a young age and as they grow older fills the void. The fact that they spent most of their lives growing up together in the same pride further makes them feel like brothers. Essentially,Mufasa is adopted into Taka’s family. So, even though they are not related by blood, they are siblings, just as is the case for any adopted child.
The Original Lion King Movies Suggested Mufasa & Scar Were Blood Brothers
There Were Many References To Mufasa & Scar Being Related Originally
Although the originalThe Lion Kingnever got too specific about the nature of Mufasa and Scar’s relationship, the idea that they were blood brothers was heavily implied. The movie repeatedly has Mufasa and Scar refer to each other as brother, whileScar is even repeatedly referred to as Simba’s uncle. There’s even one point early on when Scar hints at his and Mufasa’s family tree when he says,“I’m afraid I’m at the shallow end of the gene pool.“Zazu also says,“There’s always one in every family,“when talking about Scar to Mufasa.
2019’s live-action The Lion King changed Scar’s gene pool line to move away from the idea that Scar and Mufasa are blood relatives
In hindsight,The Lion King’s implications are a bit less concrete when takingMufasa: The Lion King’s change for Mufasa and Scarinto account. Still, there was little reason not to believe that Mufasa and Scar were biological brothers - other than their very different appearances. Disney movies are known for often revolving around family dynamics, andThe Lion Kingis no different. With the father/son focus between Mufasa and Simba,Scar being Mufasa’s biological brother and the heir to the throne seems obvious. No wonder that’s what most viewers believed to be true.
The Lion King’s Original Director Didn’t Think Scar & Mufasa Were Brothers
Mufasa’s “Retcon” May Have Been The Original Plan All Along
The original animatedThe Lion Kingis largely responsible for the belief that Mufasa and Scar were biological brothers beforeMufasa: The Lion King. While the 2024 film was thought to beretconning Mufasa and Scar’s relationshiponce this plot detail was first revealed, the truth is that it appears to be clarifying something that has long been misunderstood. This is because not even the director of 1994’sThe Lion Kingthought that Mufasa and Scar were related by blood.
In a 2017 interview withHello Giggles, it was confirmed thatMufasa and Scar were not brothers inThe Lion King. The outlet spoke to producer Don Hahn and director Rob Minkoff about the movie 23 years after its release and asked them about the topic. Hahn said,"[While making the movie] we talked about the fact that it was very likely [Scar and Mufasa] would not have both the same parents.“Hahn went on to say,“We sort of figured Scar and Mufasa couldn’t really be from the same gene pool,“basing their logic on how animals act in real life.
This confirms that not even the lead creatives onThe Lion Kingthought of Mufasa and Scar as biological brothers. It would seem that audiences have misconstrued the original intent of the animated movie when looking at their dynamic. As a result,Mufasa: The Lion Kingis not retconning the franchiseat all. It’s righting the ship and making audiences fully realize something that was always meant to be.
How Mufasa & Scar Not Being Brothers Changes The Lion King
It Puts The Lion King In A New Light
The fact that Mufasa and Scar are not biological brothers inThe Lion Kingis a big deal, and it does have some ramifications on the original animated film, the 2019 “live-action” remake, and so on. The biggest is how it completely shifts the presumed lineage thatThe Lion Kingestablished for Mufasa and Simba.There was an idea that Simba was the latest in a long line of great kingsfrom the same bloodline as his father. However,Mufasa: The Lion Kingmakes Mufasa the first king to truly rule over the animal kingdom.
Previously, Scar was set up as a jealous brother who wanted that power for himself. That is still true even afterMufasa: The Lion Kingmakes them not related by blood, but the prequel explores that the reason he missed out on this power is largely his fault. This is not a case where Mufasa got the claim to the throne because he was the oldest or strongest sibling, leaving Scar to be bitter and scorned due to factors beyond his control.
Scar’s actions make a bit more sense now.Taka was the heir to Obashi’s powerand would have one day become the king of the jungle if not for Mufasa’s arrival. Mufasa even gets the girl - Sarabi - that Taka was first interested in. This could actually enhance Scar’s arc and motivations inThe Lion Kingfor some when thinking of it through his perspective. Ultimately, Mufasa and Scar not being brothers does not completely change the meaning or impact ofThe Lion King, withMufasa: The Lion Kingfleshing out more details of their backstory.
