Outsiders

Outsiders (also known as Outlanders) are an offshoot of Pridelanders. They are a pride of lions who remain loyal to Scar after his death. Because of their ties to the former tyrant, Simba banishes them to the Outlands, where they remain until the pride is disbanded, and its members become Pridelanders again.

Common Physical Traits

 * Eye dots are a fairly common trait amongst Outsiders. They appear and disappear on many of the lionesses quite frequently, so it is hard to tell how many actually have them.


 * Red eyes are a common trait among both Outsiders and Pridelanders. This is because the Outsiders are an offshoot of the Pridelanders, though it is worth noting that, unlike the Pridelanders, Outsiders never have orange eyes.


 * Extended claws are meant to show their dangerous and vicious natures.


 * Dark eye shades are given to the Outsiders to give them a menacing look, especially when their dark eye shades are compared to the lighter eye shades of the Pridelanders.


 * Elbow tufts (amongst males) are common among the Outsiders.


 * Angular noses are present in every member of the Outsiders. Unlike a Pridelander nose, which is flat and round, an Outsider nose is thin and curved downward on either end.

Lesser Physical Traits

 * Freckles are a rare trait among Outsiders, observed only in Nuka, Vitani, and one other lioness.


 * Blue eyes are very rare, as most Outsiders sport red eyes.


 * Glowing eyes have been seen only in Nuka and Vitani. They have a luminous quality to their eyes when around their pride members, who are all dull-eyed.


 * Head tufts are only observed in Vitani and two other lionesses.


 * Ear rims have only been seen on Vitani.


 * Ear stripes appear only in Nuka and Zira.


 * Dorsal stripes have only been seen on Zira.


 * Cheek tufts are borne only by Nuka.


 * Colorless paws have been seen on only one Outsider, who is present during the final battle.

Types of Lionesses
Throughout the film, the lionesses appear to look the same, but some resemble the more prominent lions and lionesses in the pride.

Zira-esque Lionesses
Though most Outsiders assume duller-colored pelts, they do share physical similarities with Zira. Like Zira, some have pointed chins, though all are sharp-featured and appear far more menacing than the other lionesses.

These lionesses can be seen watching Zira endearingly as she talks about her dream during the musical number "My Lullaby." They are the most dominant type of Outsider during the war.

Nuka-esque Lionesses
Despite the fact that Nuka is male, some of the lionesses do share his features. Most Ousiders share Nuka's grayish coloration but lack the tint of red that he has. Their eye shades mimic his shape and sometimes share his color. Like Nuka, their faces are long but are not sharp like Zira's, and they look far more emaciated than the other lionesses do.

These lionesses appear during Zira's ambush and later fight in the final battle.

Vitani-esque Lionesses
Mainly absent throughout the film, some of these lionesses are colored lighter than Vitani herself. However, like Zira, they can also be darker.

These lionesses can be seen during Nuka's death and as Kovu receives his scar. They are last seen when Zira rallies her pride and prepares them to fight against Simba's pride.

Pridelander-esque Lionesses
There are Outsiders who resemble the Pridelanders far more than the Vitani- or Zira-esque lionesses. They appear in the war, a few of them getting a few detailed seconds of screen-time when they chase and corner Timon and Pumbaa. Though they resemble the Outsiders in color, they have the filled-out heavy builds of a typical Pridelander lioness.

Temperament
Outsiders are just the opposite of Pridelanders; they live for conflict, more specifically, conflict with Simba's pride. They are a determined and uncouth breed, willing to wade through rain-stirred mud in order to start a war. When Simba offers them a chance to go home and avoid conflict, they refuse and attack.

However, they aren't all mindlessly violent. When offered a chance to enter the Pride Lands peacefully, they eagerly accept, even submitting to Simba, their once sworn enemy. Only Zira refuses, still consumed by hatred.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
When Kiara, the young daughter of Simba and Nala, expresses interest in romping the Pride Lands, Simba warns her to stay away from the Outlands, where the Outsider pride dwells. Overhearing the conversation, Zazu flutters up to the king and warns Kiara that nothing inhabits the Outlands but a "bunch of backstabbing, murderous Outsiders." Simba then warns his daughter to never turn her back on them.



The first Outsider seen in the film is a young cub named Kovu. Upon first meeting him, Kiara takes her father's advice, never turning her back on the stranger. Intrigued by her behavior, Kovu questions her and then mocks her for always following her father's rules. He then boasts that an Outsider is self-reliant and can take of himself.

Not long after their encounter, Zira shows up to defend her son, and Simba jumps up in his own cub's defense. The two have a stand-off, during which Zira laments the poor conditions of the Outlands, where her pride is deprived of food and water. Unsympathetic, Simba reminds her that an Outsider is to be killed if he strays into the Pride Lands. Testing Simba, Zira pushes her intruder son forward, but Simba takes pity on the cub, ordering Zira and Kovu away.

Once home again, Zira yells at Kovu for associating with a Pridelander, reminding him that Simba has banished their pride from the Pride Lands for staying loyal to Scar. She then gets a marvelous idea to make an older Kovu woo Kiara in order to gain Simba's trust and then kill him. She then sings "My Lullaby," during which her vengeful pride echoes her murderous intentions.

Years later, the plan goes underway, and Nuka and Vitani set fire to the Pride Lands, making way for Kovu to save Kiara and wedge his way into Simba's pride. While the Outsiders wait excitedly for Simba's downfall, Kovu begins to fall in love with Kiara and refuses to kill the king. Sensing Kovu's betrayal, Zira and her pride ambush Simba, leaving him severely wounded. Though Simba escapes, Nuka dies during the attack, leaving Zira in a fury.



The vengeful lioness leads her pride into battle against the Pridelanders, and the Outsiders exert well-honed battle strategies and skills. Despite the ferocious tussle, the fight is soon stopped by Kovu and Kiara, who convince Simba to treat the Outsiders as one with the Pridelanders. First Vitani, then the other lionesses see Kovu and Kiara's point, betraying Zira and coming to Simba's side in favor of peace.

After Zira's death, Simba welcomes the Outsiders back into his pride. Once back at Pride Rock, the Outsiders turned Pridelanders witness the union of Kovu and Kiara. They then bow their heads as first Simba and Nala, then Kovu and Kiara stride past and roar out over the kingdom.

Trivia

 * The very existence of the Outsiders contradicts the events of the first film. During the first film's climax, all the lionesses are allied with Simba, and only the hyenas side with Scar.




 * The term "Outlander" is never used in the film. However, it can be found on the back of the VHS cover for The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.


 * At first, there were no plans for Zira to be allied with other Outsiders. Instead, she was going to be accompanied by the hyenas, but they were scrapped due to the hyenas being the real ones to have killed Scar.


 * The lions in DreamWorks' Madagascar franchise have the exact same Outsider noses as Scar and most of the Outsiders, angular and black.