Did Scar actually improve the Pride Lands long term?

[FriendlyHyena]

I know you're going to think I'm nuts on this, but at least Scar was a usurper and his reign was cut short and replaced with Simba's.

However, what if the cub Simba we saw before the stampede actually kept on that path, and perhaps even grew worse, as he got older? What if he ended up like Cusco from Emperor's New Groove, a self-centered, selfish, pampered ruler?

Unlike with Scar, who wasn't the true king, Simba would have been. As Scar himself admits he was too weak in the "brute strength" department, even if he outlived Mufasa and saw Simba rise as the new king, unless he had a covert assassination scheme, Simba would have remained the king.

[Stormy]

Hm.. I definitely think what you're saying makes some sense. Even though going the path towards Timon and Pumba could've made him careless and lazier, I believe it helped shape his personality into a not so reckless king as he possibly could've been seen as earlier in the movie. As well as seeing the push he got later on from Rafiki and Nala, snapping his mind into the right places, it definitely could've had a completely different outcome with Simba staying in the same mindset that he had as a cub if Scar hadn't taken his actions.

[DGFone]

I actually somewhat disagree with this assessment.

While it's true that from what we see of cub Simba, he is quite self-centered and selfish, he is also at the age when everyone is like that. I am sure that as he would start to get older, Mufasa would not actually allow him to grow up into a bad king, and would make sure that Simba goes down the right path.

And sure, Scar ruining the Pride Lands (and with some help from Nala and Rafiki) was what finally convinced Simba that he really needs to take the whole 'being king' thing seriously, it is a question if the diving off the deep end immediately after living the Hakuna Matata life with Timon and Pumbaa more than offsets the gradual and slow approach that he would have most likely had under Mufasa.

It's a question about the learning process. And I still think that having a good teacher always trumps self-learning. So no, I don't think that Scar unintentionally made the Pride Lands better by forcing Simba to become a good king.

After all, even, or especially, in real life, how many things were ruined by an inexperienced leader with the best of intentions?

[Stormy]

Honestly it's just a big "IF". There could've been many different outcomes.

[TheLionPrince]

Simba wouldn't have grown up to be a selfish, immature king if Mufasa was there to guide him. Given how much Simba looks up to Mufasa, he would have definitely followed in his direction.

[Outsider218]

I think that Scar should have been the rightful king. He was in fact next in line to be king before Simba was born. Scar was betrayed by his brother Mufasa when he chose Simba to be the next king & not Scar. Scar never got a good chance of being king. Scar isn't the bad guy really. True he could have lead the Pridelands better. But it was Mufasa's betrayal to him that made him lead it wrong because of hatred he had for him. Scar should be king!!

[SimbasGuard]

In a monarchy The King's Son (or Daughter, depending on the rules of said monarchy.) always succeeds The King by right of succession. The King's brother only assumes The Throne if The King dies without an Heir.