Nala

"Timon, this is Nala; she's my best friend!"

- Simba introducing Nala

Nala is the deuteragonist of Disney's 1994 animated film The Lion King. She is the lifelong best friend of Simba, and later would become his wife. Upon entering adulthood, she would have two children with him; Kiara and Kion.

Development
Nala's main animators were Bob Bryan and Gilda Palinginia and her supervising animators were Aaron Blaise (cub) and Anthony de Rosa (adult).

During early production, Nala was given a younger brother named Mheetu. He is mentioned in the book The Art of The Lion King where he is referred to as "Mee-Too". He was designed by Thom Enriquez.

In an earlier draft of the film, there was to be a scene where Scar felt that to be a beloved ruler and continue his monarchical legacy, he will need a queen to ensure that children will be born. Just then, Nala arrived to complain about the Pride Land's wasteland appeal. Scar then demands Nala to be his queen, which she refuses. He then summons the hyenas and banishes her as punishment for rejecting him. This scene is largely included in the musical version, minus Scar banishing Nala.

Personality
As a cub, Nala is playful, spirited, and spunky. She and Simba are best friends. As cubs, the two were nearly inseparable. Unknown to them, they were betrothed at an early age, and both agreed that friends marrying each other was too weird once they discovered this fact.

They got into many adventures, but when they were being chased by the hyenas, Shenzi was about to kill Nala when Simba saved her. Simba and Nala nearly died when the hyenas trapped them,but were saved by Mufasa.

Nala was heartbroken when Scar claimed that Simba died with Mufasa in the wildebeest stampede.

As young adults, Nala was the lioness who brought Simba back to Pride Rock, to save them from Scar's tyranny. In the midst of all this, they finally realized their friendship had grown into a relationship, and eventually marriage as originally intended.

In the sequel, Nala has become much more mild-mannered and motherly. She acts as the voice of reason to Simba, who is now being very protective of Kiara, and reminds him that their daughter Kiara would be fine. She also seems to be less judgmental than Simba. When Simba refused to trust Kovu simply because of his outsider status, Nala and Rafiki are able to change his decision and Simba reserves his judgment to see if Kovu could be trusted.

Physical Appearance
Nala appears as a slender cream colored lioness with teal eyes (though her eyes are a much bluer color in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and green in The Lion King 1½). As a cub, she had a pink nose, as an adult, her nose is brown. Both the inside of her ears and the small tuft of fur on her tail are tan.

The Lion King
Nala is first seen as a cub, fast asleep in her mother Sarafina's arms when Simba goes to wake up Mufasa. She is then seen later that day being bathed by her mother.

Simba, who has been tricked by Scar into visiting the Elephant Graveyard, asks her to accompany him to a great place. Initially, told the trip was to the watering hole, she is allowed to go on the condition that Zazu accompany them, after which Simba reveals the true destination.

As they travel, it's revealed by Zazu that Nala and Simba are not only best friends, but were betrothed at a young age by their parents. As a result they're expected to marry in the future, a revelation which scares and disgusts both of them. Simba and Nala come up with a plan to lose Zazu along the way by traveling through many different animal herds (the "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence), which succeeds. Simba and Nala journey to the Elephant Graveyard where they encounter Scar's hyena minions Shenzi, Banzai and Ed. Nala attempts to escape alongside Simba, but the two are chased by the hyenas. After trapping the cubs, the three hyenas are attacked and scared off by Mufasa, who has come to rescue the cubs. Afterwards, while Mufasa lectures Simba, Zazu is tasked with taking Nala home, not to see her friend again for a long time.

The following night, after Scar informs the pride of Mufasa's and Simba's deaths in a stampede, she is seen mourning with the other lionesses and later seen shocked at the hyenas' takeover of Pride Rock.

Years later, as a young adult, she attempts to hunt Pumbaa. However, she becomes entangled in a fight with a young adult lion, who is actually Simba. She manages to pin the lion using a trademark move in which she flips the lion onto his back. But she doesn't recognize him as her friend Simba until he introduces himself; Simba recognizes her by the flip move, which she had often performed on him as a cub. She is ecstatic to learn Simba is alive, as it means he is the rightful king of the Pride Lands.

After being alone with Simba, she falls in love with him, but grows angry when Simba refuses to return to Pride Rock to put an end to Scar's reign. At this point, she reveals that she left Pride Rock in an attempt to find help, as Scar had become a tyrant and the pride was suffering due to a drought, and the lack of both food and water as well as from the hyenas overrunning the Pride Lands. The two argue, and storm off in separate directions.

She is seen the next morning with Timon and Pumbaa looking for Simba, and they discover from Rafiki that Simba has returned to the Pride Lands. She, along with Timon and Pumbaa, follow Simba, and offer to help him reclaim his kingdom. While Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas, Simba sends Nala to look for his mother and rally the rest of the pride. She does so and later appears with them, as Simba confronts Scar. Like the other lionesses, she is shocked when Scar forces Simba to admit his guilt in Mufasa's death. But she is one of the first lionesses to join in the battle after Scar reveals his identity as the true murderer of Mufasa. When the hyenas attack Simba she, Sarabi, Sarafina and the rest of the pride attack them furiously and rage together with Timon, Pumbaa and Rafiki to avenge the fallen Mufasa. After the battle, she is seen looking on as Simba reclaims his throne, and becomes Simba's wife and had a cub with him.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
In this film, Nala is both Simba's wife and Kiara's mother. She seems to have aged and has a more built frame. Her eyes also appear to be more blue in color. She is first seen at Kiara's presentation, looking on proudly. She later appears as Kiara is going out to play, reminding Kiara to mind her father, and reassuring Simba that she will be fine. She accompanies Simba as he goes to retrieve Kiara when she wanders off, and confronts Zira when the exiled lioness is discovered in the Pride Lands with her son Kovu whom Kiara befriended.

Nala next appears when a young adult Kiara is planning her first hunt, and Nala subtly encourages Simba to allow Kiara to hunt on her own. She later argues on Kovu's behalf to allow him in the Pride Lands. Since Kovu saved Kiara's life, Simba owes him a debt and so must grant Kovu's request to join the pride. The following night, she encourages Simba to give Kovu a chance, pointing out that Kovu may not want to follow the path expected of him. Later, the next day, when Simba is injured after being ambushed by the Outsiders, she nuzzles him, but then, like Kiara, she also seems shocked at Simba's decision to banish Kovu, even though she isn't at all vocal about it, perhaps believing that like previously, Simba wouldn't listen to her if she tried to say anything. When Kiara tells Simba that he will never be his late father, she is not shown, presumably because she went back into Pride Rock believing it was not her place to get involved, while the rest of the Pride now realize that Simba has broke the Circle of Life and failed to follow Mufasa's paw prints

During the battle between the Pridelanders and the Outsiders, she is seen leading the lionesses, and briefly fights Vitani. She later directs Simba as he attempts to rescue Kiara, warning him about the river dam breaking up. Finally, she is seen roaring with Simba after Kiara and Kovu are united in marriage.

The Lion King 1½
Nala plays a minor role in this midquel. Unlike the previous movies, she has green eyes in the film instead of blue, and only makes an appearance near the latter half of the film (aside from archive footage from "I Just Can't Wait to Be King").

She is seen during the Can You Feel The Love Tonight sequence and in an extension of the scene in the original film where she explains to Timon and Pumbaa about Simba's whereabouts. After several failed attempts, she rushes off to help Simba.

Although Nala played a minor role in the film, she was still voiced by Moira Kelly.

The Lion Guard
Nala appears in the 2015 TV movie, The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, and the subsequant series The Lion Guard that follows. In this storyline (set in the middle of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride), she and Simba have a second cub, a son, named Kion, who serves as the protagonist.

In the film, Nala is present when Kion's "Roar of the Elders" ability has been revealed, indicating that it is his time to become the new leader of group known as the Lion Guard. Though Simba feels Kion is not yet ready for such responsibility and requests more time time to prepare him, Nala shows confidence in Kion's newfound role within the Circle of Life, and advises Simba to listen to Rafiki and immediately teach Kion the ways of the Lion Guard. During the climax, Nala returns and witnesses Kion's unconventional team save the Pride Lands from Janja's pack of hyenas. She is also present when Kiara becomes endangered due to a gazelle stampede (caused by Janja and his clan), though she is rescued by the Lion Guard; much to Nala's relief. In the end, after Kion has successfully proved his worth, both Nala and Rafiki show unsurprised pride, while a developed Simba follows suit. In the series she is shown to be a wise and good mother to both her cubs.

In the episode Can't Wait to be Queen, Nala accompanies Simba and Zazu in attending Amanifu's funeral, leaving Kiara in charge of the Pride Lands. Simba expresses concern about Kiara, but Nala believes that he is actually worried about his tribute to Amanifu, as he has to say a line in elephantese. Upon arriving at the funeral, Nala and Zazu express worry when Simba accidentally says "he had poop on him" instead of "he had good on him" in elephantese, luckily Amanifu's daughter Ma Tembo the other elephants see the funny side. Afterwards, Nala, Simba and Zazu return to Pride Rock.

In Fuli's New Family, Nala teaches Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri how to track gazelles.

In Paintings and Predictions, it is revealed that Nala's father as a cub fell from a tree branch, but was saved by The Lion Guard of his day.

In Bunga and the King, Nala, Simba, Kiara and Kion prepare to go to Mizimu Grove to attend a concert performed by Ma Tembo's herd. However, Kion has to leave after been informed by Ono of antelope being stuck in mud. Kiara runs on ahead but a sinkhole appears, but Simba is able to throw her over to Nala, before falling into the sinkhole. Kion and the Lion Guard arrive at the scene and try to help Simba, who sends Nala and Kiara to go to the concert as it is traditional for the royal family to attend.

Nala and Kiara watch the concert, just before Simba, Kion, Bunga, the Guard, Timon and Pumbaa arrive. Nala joins in with her family, Timon, Pumbaa and the Guard in singing "Hakuna Matata".

Cameos and other appearances
Nala makes cameo appearances usually as a cub in the series, House of Mouse. She was always seen aside the cub Simba. She also makes an appearance in the opening of Mickey's House of Villains, where she and Simba's dinner was stolen by Ed. She was seen as an adult in the episode "Timon and Pumbaa" and Mickey's Magical Christmas.

Nala also appears in the animated blooper reel featured in the The Lion King: Diamond Edition special features. Her outtake featured the lioness botching her line during the final confrontation with Scar, during the film's climax.

Kingdom Hearts II
In Kingdom Hearts II, Nala was seen as a resident of Pride Lands, with a similar role to the film. She was a noble lioness and met Sora, Donald and Goofy when they saved her from a group of Heartless. She requested their help in overthrowing Scar, although this request was later rebuked due to Rafiki's advice. She and the group find Simba at the oasis and convince him to return to Pride Rock to defeat Scar, which ended with Scar's death and Simba becoming king. Nala later became Simba's mate and to-be mother of their daughter, Kiara. Scar's ghost returned to haunt the land, causing everyone to flee, however Nala stayed behind under Pumbaa's protection, until Simba returned to face his fear.

Musical
In the musical based on the film, Nala's role is considerably expanded, with the events leading up to Nala leaving the Pride Lands under Scar's tyranny depicted in detail.

Nala first appears in the musical as she is hunting with the other lionesses, replacing the scene from the film where she is being bathed by her mother Sarafina. Later, during the song "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", she sings quite a few extra lines that do not appear in the film version.

In the scene "The Madness of King Scar", the lonely, mentally ill Scar decides to take Nala as his wife and queen consort, despite the fact that she is angrily opposed to the idea and that she is much too young for him. This leads to the song scene "Shadowland" where Nala's character sings the lead about her need to leave the Pride Lands and find help. The other lionesses sing supporting choir and Rafiki sings a blessing. At the end of the song, Nala bids her pride a sad farewell and leaves.

Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley portrayed her in the original Broadway cast. In the London West End production, she was originally portrayed by Paulette Ivory.

The song "Shadowland" was based on the song "Lea Halalela (Holy Land)" from the Rhythm of the Pride Lands CD.

Disneyland Resort
In Disneyland, Nala was seen on The Lion King's float in Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams.

Walt Disney World Resort
Nala made an appearance as an animatronic puppet in former Magic Kingdom show, The Legend of the Lion King. She also makes an appearance in the Celebrate the Magic castle show.

In Disney's Hollywood Studios' version of Fantasmic!, Nala can be seen with Simba and Zazu during the bubble montage.

Nala is also prominently featured at Disney's Art of Animation Resort.

Trivia

 * Her name is of Tanzanian origin and means 'luck' and in African, means 'successful'.
 * In an earlier draft, Nala was supposed to be banished from Pride Rock after she rejected Scar's proposal to be his queen. However this is incorporated into the Broadway play The Lion King instead.
 * Originally, Nala had a younger brother named Mheetu, but his character was dropped because of time constraints.
 * Nala's fur seems to be brighter in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride than it was in the previous film.
 * Although she is the deuteragonist, Nala has little screen time, as a majority of the film focuses on Simba's scenes with either Mufasa, Timon or Pumbaa.

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