Hi, I have no idea if there was a topic like that or something alike, if there is, then of course this is a topic to close. I wasn't exactly sure where to place it, whether in TLK or TLK2 category... Still, I decided the sequel forums would be more fitting cause it allows us to eventually mention characters such as Zira and Outlanders. So, the question is: what happened in between two movies? How do you image the very first days of Simba ruling the Pridelands? We're considering the very beginnings, days or weeks after the grand homecoming, after taking the throne, not the living, breathing, green Pridelands filled with green trees and lots of animals crowding under the Pride Rock to see Simba's newborn kid. The movie ends with the rain falling, probably the first rain in years, but we know it isn't exactly like the rain falls and everything grows back to life immediately. Let's assume it took some time before Pride Lands became "functional" again. It took some time before everyone interested got to know about the "return of the rightful king" - I'm thinking of herds of different kinds of animals, since in Lion King it seems like most of animals was all fine with living along with lions, most of them favored Mufasa's reign, etc. Let's remember the Pridelands were empty. So, what happened after Simba was crowned the king? The party? Or, rather, they all woke up next day and were as hungry as days before? What did they do?
I remember there was a story about Simba's first days in the dryed out Pridelands where the pride was forced to leave for a while to search food, and then I think at this point came Zira and her lionesses (?), I think it was published in Six New Adventures, but I can't remember correctly. Either way, despite the stories are legitimate and licenced, I don't consider then canon, they're just well written what-ifs... And in this topic, I'm asking for your what-ifs, not necessarily the same as presented in Six New Adventures. What happened after the big fight for Pride Rock? How was Simba as a freshly crowned king? Do you think he had any idea what to do, or he was completely, utterly lost? And what about the situation with Zira and the banishment?
Personally, I think it must have been very hard for Simba, much harder than whatever is presented further in the sequel. The sequel presents him as a conflicted and wounded person, still suffering and letting his emotions influence his actions, but at the same time he was older, he was already somewhat settled, used to the new situation, trying to live his life in happiness, whatever it means. After happenings from TLK... after taking the throne, getting rid of Scar and meeting his old friends, fulfilling destiny etc., I think there came the gravitational collapse of some sort. Coming back to reality. And the reality was hunger, land all destroyed and the overwhelming expectations coming from everywhere, everyone looking up to him and waiting for him to do something. And then there was Simba, still broken and conflicted, a young lion which literally came out of the jungle to do things he wasn't taught to do. I doubt Mufasa had time to give him the proper lessons of ruling. I think Simba must have been somewhat scared and uncertain, and he must have been relying heavily on Sarabi's help in all the "royal" cases. Possibly also Nala, Sarafina, others. I sometimes think this whole decision to exile Zira and Outlanders (I believe they weren't born Pridelanders and were the separate herd that joined Pridelands somewhere during Scar's reign) was heavily influenced by Sarabi or Nala's advice.
Now, that is something I'd like to read about more, in fan fiction, comics or something else. What do you think of this case?