Ahmed 1

Bilal Ahmed

Language of Film II

Professor Bongiorno

March 21, 2016

The Fascist Rise to Power of Scar in The Lion King

A radical figure with a dangerous and devout support base stages a coup to obtain power

and rule the kingdom. No, this isn't Donald Trump and his campaign for the presidency; this is

Scar in The Lion King. Fairytales and animation are often written off as children’s entertainment,

yet beneath the musical numbers and love stories there are often adult concepts and ideals to be

extracted. Fascist rises to power, Marxist economic concepts, Post-Colonial motivations; all of

these principles can be found in the most popular movies in our culture. The Lion King is no

exception to this notion. While there are many aspects of the film to analyze, Scar’s rise to power

is arguably the most interesting to dissect. Whether it’s the way he murdered his brother, his

hand in Simba’s exile or his alliance with the hyena’s of the underworld, Scar’s motives are

plainly malicious from the onset and give rise to a question that must be investigated. In what

ways does Scar’s rise to power fall in line with fascist ideals?

Before delving into the fascist red flags present in The Lion King, it’s important to have

an understanding of what fascist ideals consists of. Fascism was originally developed as a

conservative response to the left (Paxton 3). As Wilhelm Reich wrote in his book The Mass

Psychology of Fascism, fascism is the sum of all the irrational reactions of the average human

character (14). Robert O. Paxton defines it as a dictatorship against the left amidst popular

enthusiasm (3). Italian historian Benedetto Croce called Italian fascism “the temporary result of

moral decline magnified by the dislocations of World War I” (Paxton 8). Perhaps the most

Ahmed 2

important distinction for the purpose of analyzing Scar again comes from Reich, who calls

fascism the mentality of the “little man who is enslaved and craves authority” (15).

Scar’s introduction is an integral puzzle piece to understanding his fascist motives that

arise later in the film. The audience first meets Scar directly after Simba’s unveiling. A mouse

emerges out of the darkness and is quickly captured under the paw of a lion. As Scar dangles the

mouse between his paw, we immediately see stark contrasts in Scar’s appearance from the other

lions. While the other members of the pride are a powerful golden-yellow, Scar appears to be

orange and burnt. His mane is not a pronounced, flowing dark-brown like Mufasa’s, but a

mangy, unkempt jet-black. His eyes are a piercing neon-green as opposed to the deep brown hue

of Mufasa or Simba. The most defining attribute, of course, is the scar around his left eye.

During this scene, Scar delivers a monologue to the mouse, depressed that he will never be king.

Soon after, Mufasa comes to visit Scar, who expresses sarcastic joy that his brother has come to

associate with the “commoners.” From the onset, there are hints that Scar has the potential to be

a usurper (Roth 2005). In this scene, Reich’s concept of “the little man” can seamlessly be

applied to Scar. He feels imprisoned by his brother, his nephew and the lack of a path to the

throne, yet he craves the power Mufasa has. With the assistance of Reich’s definition, Scar’s

uprising is no surprise.

The works of various professors and scholars can be connected to The Lion King and

Scar fairly easily. Scar himself is the manifestation of all the irrational characteristics a person

could have. He is a backstabbing, thieving, murderous lion who kills his own brother for power

and sends his nephew into exile. His rise to power is a direct but opposite response to the rule of

Mufasa, which has vigorous enthusiasm from his supporters, the hyenas (Roth 1996). To connect

Croce’s philosophy, Scar’s rule falls under the exact same parameters as Italian fascism. His time

Ahmed 3

as king was clearly a dishonorable time in the kingdom against the backdrop of a drought as

opposed to World War I.

Several scenes highlight the fascist nature of Scar’s regime. One scene, however, stands

apart as the most profound piece of evidence that Scar’s rise to power adheres to the principles of

fascism previously discussed. In the scene where the intention to kill Mufasa is initially

expressed, Scar is in the underworld that the hyenas inhabit. Everything about the hyenas is dark

and dead. From the first time the hyenas enter the story in the elephant graveyard, it’s clear they

are lowest on the social ladder. They’re presented as unintelligent scavengers who live in the

grassland equivalent of the ghetto (Roth 1996). In this scene with Scar, they desperately vie for a

piece of zebra meat he’s brought them. Scar jumps down from his ledge above the hyenas and

lands in the dark crevice surrounded by mists of green gas that eerily match his eye color. He

breaks into a song about his motives while simultaneously insulting and commanding the respect

of the hyenas. Scar calls them “thick” and references their “vacant expressions,” yet the hyenas

give him an army salute during his song as if he were their commander. Many of Scar’s lyrics

have glaring fascist qualities, like, “but we’re talking kings and successions,” or “be

prepared…for the death of the king, we’re gonna kill him.” He even references “a shiny new era”

in allusion to the era of his rule and tells the hyenas they’ll be rewarded for being on his side. All

of these statements are clear indications of Scar’s intention to seize power and usher in his own

regime.

As the scene progresses, the fascist elements grow even more troubling. Scar is perched

atop a ledge as golden-yellow light streams up against the rock walls. Scar’s shadow reflects

behind him in a gargantuan, statuesque form. Simply, he looks like a dictator overlooking his

subjects (Roth 2005). Transitioning to the next shot, Scar is still up on his perch, but we see him

Ahmed 4

looking down to the hyenas who are marching and singing in a way that is uncannily similar to

Nazi Germany. Even the way the hyenas move their paws as they march bears a resemblance to a

Nazi salute. The mise-en-scene harmoniously portrays Scar preaching to his loyal patrons who

will adhere to his every word in his quest for power. As Scar gets more braggadocios towards the

end of his plan, the rocks start to crumble and red light emits from beneath them. A single pillar

lifts Scar up through the rows and rows of hyenas as he sings, “be prepared for the coup of the

century.” One must wonder if even the most infamous dictators in history (i.e. Mussolini, Hitler)

would have made such a statement. The entire sequence essentially depicts Scar militarizing his

Gestapo to song. The scene acts as a microcosm of Scar’s fascist ascent, capturing his dictatorial

uprising in the matter of a few minutes.

While there are many scenes to dissect in order to examine the fascist nature of Scar’s

rise to power, no scene captures it better than his congregation with the hyenas. He gives a

rousing speech, he successfully solidifies the hyenas under his control and militarizes his forces

effortlessly. The vernacular used by Scar proves that his thirst for authority isn’t a simple power

grab; he is more than willing to murder his own brother and nephew in order to reach the throne.

Words often associated with fascist regimes like “succession,” “era” and “coup” are thrown

around casually by Scar, making his intentions clear. Overall, Scar’s rise to power falls in line

with fascist ideals is just about every sense. His rule was an opposite reaction to the rule of

Mufasa, a hands off king who let the circle of life take its course. He had the “little man

syndrome” as Reich would call it, fueling his need for authority. Of course, the murder of

Mufasa also falls in line with the injustice and carnage that follows a fascist ruler. While The

Lion King is a movie meant for children to enjoy, the fascist qualities of Scar’s rise to power

cannot be overlooked.

Ahmed 5

Works Cited

Paxton, Robert O. The Anatomy of Fascism. New York: Knopf, 2004. Print.

Reich, Wilhelm. The Mass Psychology of Fascism. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1970.

Print.

Roth, Matthew. "A Short History of Disney Fascism." Jump Cut: A Review of Contemporary

Media (1996): 15-20. Web. 4 Mar. 2016.

Roth, Matthew. "Man Is in the Forest: Humans and Nature in Bambi and The Lion

King." Invisible Culture (2005): 1-27. Web. 7 Mar. 2016.

The Lion King. Dir. Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. By Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda

Woolverton, Tim Rice, Elton John, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, and Jeremy

Irons. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc., 1994. DVD.