Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Mufasa: The Lion King.
Mufasa: The Lion King provides a new origin story about how Scar got his scar. In fact, Scar was not always the name of Mufasa's brother. When the younger versions of Mufasa: The Lion King's characters are introduced, Scar is revealed to have originally been known as Taka. He is the son of Queen Eshe and King Obasi. After Mufasa is separated from his parents, Afia and Masego, during a flood, he crosses paths with Taka, who saves Mufasa from a pair of crocodiles.
Taka and Mufasa grow up together and are brothers in all but blood. However, their brotherly bond is forever changed by the arrival of The Lion King's white lions, known as the Outsiders, led by the villainous Kiros. They destroy Obasi's pride after Mufasa kills Kiros' son and continue hunting Mufasa and Taka. Mufasa: The Lion King's ending sees the titular lion, Taka, and their allies defending the land of Milele from the Outsiders, during which Scar sustains his injury and his new name.
Taka Gets His Scar By Saving Mufasa From Kiros
Taka Does Not Maintain His Alliance With Kiros
Taka's jealousy of Mufasa, especially because of Mufasa's romantic relationship with Sarabi, leads Taka to forge an alliance with Kiros and the Outsiders. Taka leads the Outsiders to Milele, where Kiros nearly kills Mufasa. Just as Kiros is able to strike Mufasa down with his razor-sharp claws, Taka leaps between them, which saves Mufasa's life and gives Taka the scar above and below his eye. Taka puts aside his jealousy and reneges on his alliance with Kiros, refusing to let the brother he loves die.
Mufasa: The Lion King reveals a lot more about Mufasa and Simba's pride, so here is every member of their family tree from throughout The Lion King.
This is the second time that Taka saves Mufasa's life. Soon after this, he saves Mufasa's life for a third time after the cave-in that kills Kiros and that nearly drowns Mufasa as well. The story comes full circle as Taka saves his brother's life by pulling him out of the water, mirroring the beginning of the movie when he pulled Mufasa out of the water and away from the crocodiles. These scenes are also meant to foreshadow Scar not pulling Mufasa up and letting him fall and be stampeded to death in The Lion King.
Taka Chooses To Become Known As Scar To Remember His Betrayal
This Comes After Mufasa Decides His Brother's Fate
After the Outsiders' defeat, Mufasa becomes the Lion King, and Taka's fate is decided. Mufasa decrees that as long as he is the king, Taka will always have a place in his kingdom. After Taka's betrayal, though, Mufasa says that he can never call his brother by his name again. Taka suggests that he be named Scar as a reminder of his betrayal, which Mufasa accepts. This decision is one that lasts, as years later during the events of The Lion King, Taka still goes by the name of Scar, and is called this by Simba and all other characters.
Agreeing to call Taka by the name of the injury he sustained while saving Mufasa's life is a more questionable decision.
Mufasa's decision to spare Taka's life and not exile him is a merciful and honorable decision that sets the tone for Mufasa's prosperous reign. Agreeing to call Taka by the name of the injury he sustained while saving Mufasa's life is a more questionable decision, especially given how the story ultimately ends between the two brothers. The prequel does not put the entire onus of this on Mufasa, with Taka being the one to choose the name of Scar, but it is still a questionable decision on Mufasa's part.
How Scar's Origin In Mufasa Compares To The Lion King
The Narrative Beats Are Similar To Scar's Original Backstory
In The Lion King, Scar is established to be Mufasa's brother, who wants the throne for himself. Scar's real name, Taka, and his backstory, was first explored in greater depth in The Lion King: Six New Adventures, a collection of six spinoff short stories released in 1994. One of these stories, "A Tale of Two Brothers," features similar story beats to Scar's origins in Mufasa: The Lion King. Both stories reveal Scar once being called Taka and that he previously betrayed Mufasa due to jealousy.
The Lion King: Six New Adventures Story Titles
Author
"A Tale of Two Brothers"
Alex Simmons
"Nala's Dare"
Joanne Barken
"Vulture Shock"
Judy Katschke
"A Snake in the Grass"
Leslie McGuire
"Follow the Leader"
Page McBrier
"How True, Zazu?"
Leslie McGuire
In "A Tale of Two Brothers," Mufasa and Taka are biological brothers, with both being the sons of King Ahadi. Taka is jealous of Ahadi always favoring Mufasa over him. This is different from the dynamic in Mufasa: The Lion King, where Obasi only recognizes Taka as his son, and spends most of his life treating Mufasa with resentment. In the short story, Taka gets his scar when attacked by a water buffalo during a plan to hurt his family that goes wrong. After this, Taka also chooses to be known as Scar in the short story.
How Mufasa: The Lion King Improves Scar's The Lion King Story
The Brothers' Relationship Is More Complex Now
Mufasa: The Lion King improves Scar's story by making the relationship between Taka and Mufasa more nuanced. In The Lion King and in "A Tale of Two Brothers," it seems as though Taka has always been conniving and only ever cared about his own selfish desire for power. This is quickly dispelled in the character's first scene in Mufasa: The Lion King,whenhe takes initiative to save Mufasa's life. He brings Mufasa into his pride and insists on him staying, even though this is a threat to Taka's potential future power, and despite this angering Obasi.
Eshe also wanted Mufasa to be part of the pride and taught him to hunt.
Their relationship becomes more nuanced when they grow older, and Mufasa is the one who tries to bolster Taka's confidence and sense of self-worth. In spite of his jealousy and betrayal, Taka rises to the occasion and saves Mufasa when it matters most at three different points. Two of these instances involving Taka grabbing Mufasa's paws are a callback to The Lion King. These moments add more tragedy to Scar's final betrayal in The Lion King, as based on a history of similar instances, Mufasa expects his brother to once more pull him to safety.
Mufasa: The Lion King's soundtrack includes several new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda that thematically connect the prequel to The Lion King.
Instead of Scar getting his scar in a scheme gone wrong, he gets his scar by fixing his mistakes. In the past, Scar's injury and his name were seemingly meant to be an eternal reminder of shame. Choosing to be called Scar instead of Taka adds to this narrative, but it does not feel entirely fair, since the injury is rooted in Taka righting his wrongs. Mufasa: The Lion King deepens the relationship between Mufasa and Scar, making it less clear-cut, while still planting the seeds for Scar's ultimate betrayal that is yet to come.
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Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the live-action remake of the original Disney animated film, The Lion King. The film will follow Mufasa in his early days; further plot details are currently under wraps. The film will likely explore Mufasa and Scar's relationship and how it became as strained as it did. In the film, Timon and Pumba will return, with Billy Eicher and Seth Rogen reprising their roles.
Custom image by Yailin Chacon
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