Kiara

"A wise king once told me we are one. I didn't understand then, but now I do."

- Kiara to her father Simba

Princess Kiara (simply known as Kiara) is the protagonist of the 1998 film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and a supporting character in its 2016 midquel TV series The Lion Guard.

She is Simba and Nala's daughter and eldest child, Kion's older sister, Kovu's best friend and later, his wife, Mufasa, Sarabi and Sarafina's granddaughter, Scar's great-niece, Zira's daughter-in-law and Nuka and Vitani's sister-in-law.

She is voiced by Neve Campbell (Liz Calloway, singing) in Simba's Pride and voiced by Eden Riegel in The Lion Guard.

Description
Kiara shares many traits with her parents and grandparents. Like Nala, her fur and belly are both a cream color with a noticeable tinge of gold given to her by Simba, which results in a light creamy gold pelt.

She has brownish-red eyes, which she inherited from Simba and Mufasa. The only other features Kiara seems to get from Queen Nala are her build and eye shape.

Unlike most of the lionesses in The Lion King universe, Kiara stays one consistent color throughout the film, instead of darkening with age like her predecessors. She closely resembles an adolescent Sarabi.

She isn't very large in terms of height either, only coming up to Nala's shoulder and Simba's chesKovu easily dwarfs her in size, as well as every other leonine character in the movie. This is probably because, as an adolescent, she hasn't finished growing yet.

Personality
As a cub, Kiara is a bit mischievous as her father was when he was a cub, and disobedient. She gets ignorant and annoyed with her father's overprotective parenting and Timon and Pumbaa's babysitting.

Where Simba goes to the elephant graveyards, merely because he was curious about what was there, Kiara goes to the Outlands because she was told not to.

Despite all this, she is very friendly, trying to make friends with Kovu, an Outsider cub she should be wary of. Unlike Simba, however, she has no desire to be the future Queen.

At some point later in her cubhood, Kiara became more accepting of her destiny as future Queen and became very stubborn and snarky. This attitude would cause her to clash with her younger brother Kion, though she still cared about him.

As an adolescent, Kiara retains the personality of her younger cub self. However, she isn't as approving of her father's supervision as she once was, and wants to be self-sufficient and make her own decisions, thus putting her into a conflict with her father.

She's still friendly and a bit rash in her actions. As the film develops her personality changes.

Kiara saw no problem with Kovu, for she saw his kind character, befriending him when he was an cub, and strongly supporting him when he is an adolescent.

She is also much more calmer as an adolescent, as shown when she is dealing with her husband and her father late in the film, and later standing up to him and talking sense into him, showing her dedication to the task at hand and also her loyalty to her family and kingdom.

Kiara also was very charismatic as she convinced both prides that they were better unified than fighting each other.

She also proved herself to be incorruptible for despite her desire to avoid being queen, and her feelings for Kovu, she chose to return to her pride, thinking and putting the needs of both prides above her own goals.

She forgave Kovu and the Outsiders, and tried to save Zira even when she was threatened by her, showing no intent to kill her or any of the Outsiders no matter their acts of cruelty. She also possessed a large amount of heroism and bravery, blocking her mother in law from killing her father, and then trying to save her. Upon the reunification, she asked for no reward for her actions.

This proves that although she does not want to lead, Kiara possesses the qualities, traits, personality and vision to be the best queen there is, giving her the characteristics of a true heroine.

Cub
In the beginning, Simba and Nala bring a newborn Kiara to Rafiki who presents her to the animals of the Pride Lands and also Mufasa's ghost. Pumbaa and Timon begin to discuss about teaching Kiara and mistakenly believe that she is a male, but Rafiki corrects them causing them to faint. Months later, Kiara now a young cub prepares to go off to play but is stopped by Simba who tells her to be careful and to stay away from the Outlands, the home of the Outsiders. After Kiara leaves, Simba, against the advice of Nala, sends Timon and Pumbaa to keep an eye on her. Kiara starts to chase a butterfly which leads to the Outlands but then Timon and Pumbaa appear behind and she falls into water and Pumbaa drives in to save her but ends up landing on her. After getting out of the water Kiara sneaks away whilst Timon and Pumbaa are arguing about what grubs are better slimy or crunchy. Eventually Kiara reaches the Outlands where she mets another cub named Kovu.

In the lands, she and Kovu get attacked by hungry crocodiles until they escaped. After escaping the two cubs start to play but then Simba appears then Kovu's mother and the Outsiders' leader Zira who talks of how Kovu was chosen by Scar to be his heir, prior to Simba banishing the Outsiders. After returning to the Pride Lands, Simba scolds Kiara for wandering off and says that she has to be careful as future Queen. Kiara then asks what if she doesn't want to be Queen to which Simba replies saying that it like saying she doesn't want to be a lion and it's in her blood as he is before singing We Are One, which means about how the species they are.

Adolescence
Years later, Kiara, now an adolescent, is preparing to go on her first hunt and is assured by Nala that she will do just fine. Noticing her father's uneasiness, Kiara asks Simba to let her do it on her own. Though he promises to, he goes against his word by sending Timon and Pumbaa after her when she is gone. After running into Timon and Pumbaa, Kiara guesses that her father sent them and is angered that he broke his promise and then goes off to hunt away from the Pride Lands. Just as Kiara is about to hunt antelope they run off and Kiara notices fire (which was set by Kovu's siblings Nuka and Vitani) and eventually falls unconscious. Kovu on Zira's orders goes into the fire and saves Kiara. After waking up Kiara is at first angry at Kovu for bringing her back to the Pride Lands but changes her mind when she recognises him just as Simba and Nala arrive who had noticed the fire. At first Simba is reluctant to allow Kovu to join the pride because he is an Outsider but has to go by the law of owing debts but makes him stay outside Pride Rock where Kiara thanks Kovu for saving her and makes a deal with him to teach her to hunt.

The next day, Kiara and Kovu meet Timon and Pumbaa and help them chase away birds that are eating the bugs, then running into a herd of rhinos on a gorge. Later that night, Kiara and Kovu are stargazing where Kiara tells Kovu about how Simba told her about the Great Kings of the Past, to which Kovu asks if Scar is up there. Kiara replies that Simba had said that there was a darkness in Scar that he could escape, making Kovu wonder if he himself has a darkness in him. Soon after, the two are taken to an imaginary world called "Upendi" by Rafiki where the two young lions fall in love.

The next day, Kovu comes to Kiara to talk to her, but Simba arrives saying he wants to talk to Kovu. Later that day, whilst out with Timon, Pumbaa and Zazu, Kiara sees Simba limping in the distance and tells Zazu to get help. She, Timon and Pumbaa rush over to Simba who upon being asked what happened to him, he spits out Kovu and Ambush before collapsing, which Kiara can't believe as Pumbaa carries Simba back to Pride Rock. Back at Pride Rock, Kiara tells Simba that it can be true about Kovu being part of Zira's ambush. Upon seeing Kovu coming towards Pride Rock, Kiara goes to greet him, but is stopped by Simba who confronts Kovu for coming back before banishing him from the Pride Lands. Kiara tries to protest against this but is held back by two lionesses, but she is able to push them aside only to be stopped by another two. After Kovu is gone, Kiara asks Simba to reconsider his decision to which he replies that she will not go anywhere without an escort from now on and that Kovu had used her to get to him. Kiara denies this saying Kovu loves her for herself but Simba claims it's becuse she is his daughter and tells Kiara that she will not leave Pride Rock so he can keep on eye on her away from Kovu. Kiara tells Simba that he doesn't know Kovu but Simba replies saying that he knows that Kovu is following in Scar's paw prints and that Simba himself must follow in his own father's unknowingly he already failed to followed his father's and completely broke the Circle of Life. Angry at her father's attitude, Kiara tells Simba that he will never be Mufasa (suggesting in Kiara's eyes, Mufasa would've seen that the ambush wasn't Kovu's fault) horrifying him before running into Pride Rock in tears, whilst being watched on in shock by the other lionesses while Simba turns away. Kiara cries to herself, before noticing a hole and crawls through it to get out of Pride Rock, without Simba and the pride noticing.

Kiara then sets out to find Kovu and eventually finds him and they have a heartfelt reunion. When Kovu suggests that they run away to start their own pride, Kiara convinces him to return with her to reunite their prides. The two then stop the feud between two prides during the final battle and Kiara tells Simba that the Outsiders are like the Pridelanders which convinces Kovu's sister Vitani and the other Outsiders to rejoin the Pridelanders. Only Zira refuses peace and she tries to attack Simba but Kiara leaps in to defend her father and crashes into Zira and the two lioness fall over the edge of the cliff side. Kiara lands on a ledge whilst Zira hangs onto it, Kiara attempts to save her but the evil lioness falls to her death just moments before Simba arrives to pull Kiara back up to the top of the cliff where she is reunited with her mother and Kovu and Simba allows Kovu and the other Outsiders to rejoin the pride. The day later, the Outsiders and Pridelanders are rejoiced and peace is restored. Kiara and Kovu are seen on the top of Pride Rock and Mufasa's ghost congratulates them, "We are one" She later accompanies her husband and parents to the top of Pride Rock and all four roar in unison.

She is voiced by Michelle Horn (speaking) and Charity Sanoy (singing) as a cub and Neve Campbell (speaking) and Liz Callaway (singing) as an adolescent.

The Lion Guard
Kiara appears as a supporting character in the 2016 TV series The Lion Guard which serves as a midquel to Simba's Pride (taking place after Kiara first meets Kovu and before her first hunt). In this series, Kiara is shown to have a younger brother named Kion (whom she has a on and off sibling rivalry with) and is friends with two lioness cubs named Tiifu and Zuri.

Kiara first appears at the start of the series's 2015 pilot film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar where Simba is teaching her about being future Queen, only to be interrupted by Kion and his honey badger friend Bunga playing Baobab Ball, much to Kiara's annoyance. Simba tells Kion that Kiara is going to track gazelles with her friends before Kiara starts to remind Kion that she's going to be Queen, only for an annoyed Kion to butt in and finish the sentence for her. Kiara replies that at least she has her life figured out and questions Kion on what he is going to grow up to be (since he is second born and won't directly inherit the throne unless Kiara abdicates or doesn't have cubs) to which Kion replies "Happy". The two siblings are then sepreated by Simba, who sends Kion and Bunga to play their game elsewhere. As she watches her brother leave, Kiara tells Simba that she can't believe she and Kion are related, to which Simba replies that he hopes Kion will grow up someday.

Kiara is later seen when she and her friend Tiifu look on as her other friend Zuri gets her claws stuck in a log (as she had been sharping them, which she had been doing on every tree she passed), but Timon and Pumbaa are able to free Zuri. Bunga then reveals that Kion is has been made leader of The Lion Guard by Simba and has made Bunga the first member. Kiara questions Kion if Simba knows about this (putting Bunga on the team) to which Kion replies that Simba told him about The Lion Guard and for him to find the Pride Lands best. Kiara along with Kion, Tiffu, Zuri, Timon and Pumbaa listen to Bunga singing "Zuka Zama".

She later tells Simba about Kion putting Bunga in The Lion Guard and proves this to him when Zazu leads them and Tiifu to Kion, Bunga, Beshte, Fuli and Ono. Simba thanks Kiara before sending her and Tiifu to track gazelles while he has a word with Kion. Kiara and Tiifu are later seen tracking gazelles with Kiara telling Tiifu that they can't take more than their fair share as it would break The Circle of Life. Kiara notices Janja and his clan going into the heart of the gazelle herd, suspicious Kiara sends Tiifu to get Simba while she keeps an eye on the herd.

But eventually, Kiara gets caught up in a stampede in the herd started by Janja and his clan. However, Kion and The Lion Guard come to her rescue by chasing the hyenas away while Bunga farts which causes the gazelles to go in another direction, before Kiara is delivered to safety next to Simba, Nala, Tiifu and Rafiki (who had been watching from afar) and witnesses Kion defeat Janja.

"The Rise of Makuu"
When Kion returns to Pride Rock and admits his misgivings about the mashindano between Makuu and Pua, Kiara asks her father if there is anything he can do since he is the King. Simba gently replies that as King, he must recognize and respect the traditions of other animals.

Kiara later witnesses the mashindano between Makuu and Pua, with her friends Tiifu and Zuri at her side. After the fight, she informs Kion that Zazu has reported that the giraffes have encroached on the baboon's forest.

After Kion deals with the problem, he returns to Pride Rock, where Kiara informs him that the baboons have taken over Pride Rock. She expresses annoyance at the antics of the baboons and chastises Ono for sweeping Bunga's stink toward her.

"Can't Wait to be Queen"
Kiara is first seen arguing with Kion over a tree, which both cubs want to sharpen their claws on. Simba approaches and informs them that Kiara is going to temporarily become the queen of the Pride Lands, to both of their surprise. Simba goes on to explain that he, Nala and Zazu are going to attend the funeral of an elephant named Amanifu (who was the first animal to return to the Pride Lands after Scar's defeat), and says that he has faith in Kiara and The Lion Guard.

Later, Kiara watches her parents leave the Pride Lands. Simba expresses concerns about her, but Nala dismisses them. After her parents leave, the Lion Guard goes to Pride Rock in search of Ono. They discover that he is preparing to give Kiara his morning report. Tiifu and Zuri then announce Kiara's presence, and she emerges to listen to what Ono has to say. Upon hearing that new beehives were sighted along the path that the Eland herd was moving along, Kiara sends the Lion Guard to change the elands' course. Kion is irritated at this order, but consents. However, he decides to move the bees rather than the elands. This plan backfires, and the Guard returns to Kiara, tired and stung. Kiara becomes slightly annoyed that Kion didn't listen to her, and reminds him that she's the queen. Kion replies that it's hard to forget.

Not long after, Janja's affiliate Mzingo arrives at Pride Rock and speaks to Kiara, inviting her to a peace meeting from Janja, saying that Janja had always wanted peace, but the Guard had stubbornly prevented it. Kiara asks why he couldn't come over himself, though the vulture reminds her that Janja is not welcome in the Pride Lands, and that she must meet him in the Outlands, in neutral territory. Kiara tells him that she'll think about it, and tells Kion of the proposal. Kion reacts negatively, knowing that the hyena is setting up a trap for her to walk into. Kiara mistakes her brother's concerns for jealousy, over the fact that she might be right once again. When Kion reminds her that she's not really Queen just yet, Kiara disputes his statement, remaking that she is queen, and that she'll do what's best for the Pride Lands. Kion refuses to help her, and runs off.

When Kiara arrives in the Outlands, she is confronted by the hyenas. She realizes that it was a trap after Janja announces his plan to hold Kiara hostage until Simba hands over the Pride Lands, and the hyenas attack. Kiara manages to dodge them at first, but soon Janja pins her to the ground. But Kion (having been convinced by Mufasa to help Kiara) arrives just in time, to Kiara's surprise, and the Lion Guard is soon to follow. The hyenas flee, and Kion and Kiara apologize for not listening to each other.

Kiara, Kion, and the Lion Guard then return to Pride Rock. Simba, Nala, and Zazu return. Kiara asks Simba how the tribute went, but it is Nala who answers, saying that in the end, it went great.

Simba then asks if there was any trouble while he was gone, and Kiara begins to hesitantly respond. However, Kion interrupts, saying it was nothing they couldn't handle, adding that Kiara will make a great queen one day.

"The Kupatana Celebration"
Kiara makes a small apperance in this episode, where she along with Nala, stands beside Kion and Simba during the festivities of Kupatana.

"Fuli's New Family"
Kiara along with Kion, Tiifu and Zuri are being taught to hunt by Nala. Kiara asks Tiifu and Zuri if they are ready to which they confirm. Kiara is soon joined by Kion's cheetah friend Fuli as she tracks a gazelle. Afterwards, Nala complements Kiara on her hunting skills. Kiara then leaves with Nala, Tiifu and Zuri then leave while Kion stays behind with Fuli.

"Bunga and the King"
Kiara, Kion, Simba and Nala travel to Mizimu Grove to attend a concert performed by Ma Tembo and her herd. However Kion is unable to join his family as he is alerted by Ono that due to the previous night's storm, antelope are stuck in mud, so Kiara and her parents carry on the journey without him.

Kiara runs on ahead, just as a sinkhole opens up. Luckily Simba is able to throw Kiara over to Nala to safety, before falling into the sinkhole. Kion and the Guard arrive on the scene, but Bunga without thinking, dives into the sinkhole to save Simba and ends up trapped there too. Knowing that Kion and the rest of the Guard can help him, Simba tells Kiara and Nala to go to the concert as it is traditional for the royal family to attend.

After the concert finishes, Kiara and Nala applaud the elephants on their hard work, just as Simba, Kion, Bunga, Timon, Pumbaa and the rest of the Guard arrive. Bunga confuses everyone by referring to himself as brother to the King and tells Kiara to call him Uncle Bunga. Simba apologies to the elephants for being late and to make up for it, sings "Hakuna Matata" with his family, Timon, Pumbaa and the rest of the Guard.

"Lions of the Outlands"
When Kion believes that Simba might allow the Outsiders back into the Pride Lands, Kovu says to Nuka that maybe he could see Kiara again. Kion is surprised to hear that Kovu knows his sister, to which Kovu says that it was a while ago.

"The Trail to Udugu"
Kiara along with Kion, goes with Nala on a journey in search of Udugu (Swahili for kinship), which all royal siblings take, whilst Simba stays behind to lead The Lion Guard in Kion's place.

A Little Help From a Friend
In this comic (which serves a midquel to the film), Kiara wakes up Simba so he can show her the kingdom. During the tour however, Zazu arrives and alerts Simba of Outsiders being spotted near the Pride Lands's canyon. Kiara is left in the care of Timon and Pumbaa, much to her dismay.

Whilst Timon and Pumbaa are looking for bugs, Kiara (like in the film) takes this opportunity to sneak away where ends up running into another cub. At first, Kiara doesn't recognise him but she on discovers that it is Kovu.

The princess is delighted and proceeds to invite her friend to come to the canyon with her so they can watch her father drive away the Outsiders together. To her disappointment, Kovu declines the offer as he wouldn't be welcomed. Dejectedly, Kiara begins to walk away, but then she realizes that it would be much more fun to stay and play with Kovu, so she turns around and starts up a game of tag with her former playmate.

As the cubs are playing, Kiara hears Pumbaa cry out for help. The two friends immediately race to the source of the voice and find that Timon is hanging unconscious from a vine in a tree. Quickly, the two formulate a plan. While Kovu climbs up the tree and frees Timon, Kiara clambers onto Pumbaa's back and catches the meerkat as he falls. After laying Timon gently in Pumbaa's tusks, Kiara bids her friend farewell, as they both agree that he would not be welcome in the Pride Lands.

On the way back to Pride Rock, Timon revives and thanks Kiara for saving his life. The three friends then agree not to tell anyone about their encounter with Kovu, but to merely mention him as a friend. The story is later recounted to Simba, who praises his daughter for her quick thinking. Kiara accepts the thanks and then adds cheekily that many things are possible, if only with a little help from a friend.

Family

 * Father: Simba
 * Mother: Nala
 * Brothers: Kion (officially; younger) and Kopa (unofficially; older)
 * Uncle: Mheetu (deleted)
 * Grandfathers: Mufasa (paternal) and Nala's Father (maternal)
 * Grandmothers: Sarabi (paternal) and Sarafina (maternal)
 * Great-Uncles: Scar and Unnamed Lion (known as Simba's Uncle)
 * Great-Aunt: Simba's Aunt
 * Second Cousins: Simba's Cousins
 * Husband: Kovu
 * Great-Grandfather: Ahadi
 * Great-Grandmother: Uru
 * Great-Great-Grandfather: Mohatu
 * Mother-In-Law: Zira
 * Brother-In-Law: Nuka
 * Sister-In-Law: Vitani

Songs Performed By Kiara"

 * "We Are One" (The Lion King II: Simba's Pride)


 * "Love Will Find A Way" (The Lion King II: Simba's Pride)


 * "Hakuna Matata" (The Lion Guard)

Similar Heroes

 * Mary Jane Watson (Spider-Man)
 * Jim Hawkins (Treasure Planet)
 * Mavis Dracula (Hotel Transylvania)
 * Princess Anna (Frozen)
 * Cindy Lou Who (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
 * Melody (The Little Mermaid 2)
 * Aurora (Maleficent)
 * Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup (The Powerpuff Girls)
 * Amy Rose (Sonic the Hedgehog)
 * Videl (Dragonball Z)
 * Kairi (Kingdom Hearts)
 * Dana Tan (Batman Beyond)
 * Brittany Miller (Alvin and The Chipmunk)
 * Luke Skywalker (Star Wars)
 * Isabella Garcia-Shapiro (Phineas and Ferb)
 * Lisa Simpson (The Simpsons)
 * Simba and Nala (The Lion King)
 * Queen Elsa (Frozen)
 * Judy Hopps (Zootopia)
 * Scamp (Lady and the Tramp)
 * Aladar (Dinosaur)
 * Pocahontas

Trivia

 * Original names for Kiara were Aisha and Shani.
 * In the original script for The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Kiara was going to fall in love with Scar's son Nunka. But this would count as incest as they would be second cousins so Nunka became Kovu and was instead Scar's adoptive son.
 * Kiara is similar to Scamp and Melody.
 * They are the protagonists of sequels.
 * They have a strained relationship with one of their parents which is repaired at the end of the film (Kiara with Simba, Scamp with Tramp, and Melody with Ariel).
 * They run away from home for a reason after getting punished/grounded by a parent. (Kiara runs away to find Kovu after he was banished by Simba, Scamp ran away from home to be a junkyard dog, and Melody left to be in the sea).
 * They have a love interest (Kovu with Kiara, Alex with Melody, and Angel with Scamp).
 * It can be assumed that Kiara's adolescent self is meant to be the equivalent of a teenager judging by how Simba still acted over-protective of her and after she left to hunt outside The Pride Lands, Timon called her a kid.
 * Originally, Kiara was to have light brown fur, green eyes and a hair tuft. But this was changed to the orange color seen in the final film.
 * It is currently unknown how older Kiara is than Kion. Whether they are twins (with Kiara being the first born twin) or a few months apart, it is yet to be confirmed.
 * In the early drafts of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Kiara was originally Simba and Nala's second-born child and had an older brother named Chaka (who was meant to be the cub seen at the end of the first film). However, Chaka was cut as he made the film too complicated.