[Ledge Scene]
{Simba slowly crosses the desolated land. He reaches the lip of a cliff and looks out over his former home. Mostly lacking in life, it is painted in grays. Seeing the desolation, a look of determination, even fury, appears on Simba's face.}
Nala: Simba, wait up! {She trots up next to him on the ledge} …It's awful, isn't it?
Simba: I didn't want to believe you.
Nala: What made you come back?
Simba: I finally got some sense knocked into me. And I've got the bump to prove it. Besides, this is my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?
Nala: I will.
Simba: It's going to be dangerous.
Nala: {Quoting young Simba} Danger? I laugh in the face of danger. Hah ha ha haa!
Timon: I see nothing funny about this.
Simba: Timon? Pumbaa? What are you doing here?
Pumbaa: {bowing on one foreleg} At your service, my liege.
Timon: Uh.. We're going to fight your uncle ... for this?
Simba: Yes, Timon; this is my home.
Timon: Phh. Talk about your fixer-upper. Well, Simba, if it's important to you {bows}, we're with you to the end.
{Simba smiles appreciatively. Nice scene with the four of them on the ledge viewing the work ahead of them.}
[Hula scene]
{Camera switches to Simba. Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa sneaking up to the edge of Pride Rock. From behind a log, they observe close up the hordes of hyenas.}
Timon: Hyenas. I hate hyenas. {Whispering to Simba} So what's your plan for getting past those guys?
Simba: Live bait.
Timon: Good idea. {Realizing} Hey.
Simba: Come on, Timon-- you guys have to crate a diversion.
Timon: {Incredulous} What do you want me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?
*HULA WORDS REMOVED*
{They run off, screaming, leading some of the hyenas away. Simba and Nala creep by.}
Simba: Nala, you find my mother and rally the lionesses. {determinedly} I'll look for Scar.
[Confrontation Scene]
{Simba is making his way up Pride Rock. Scar calling his mother causes him to pause and watch.}
Scar: SARABIII!
{Sarabi ascends Pride Rock. The hyenas snap at her heels. She only glares disdainfully at them.}
Sarabi: Yes, Scar?
Scar: Where is your hunting party? They're not doing their job.
Sarabi: {Calmly} Scar, there is no food. The herds have moved on.
Scar: No. You're just not looking hard enough.
Sarabi: It's over. There is nothing left. We have only one choice. We must leave Pride Rock.
Scar: We're not going anywhere.
Sarabi: Then you have sentenced us to death!
Scar: Then so be it.
Sarabi: {Disgusted, amazed} You can't do that.
Scar: I'm the king. I can do... whatever I want.
Sarabi: If you were half the king Mufasa was you would neve--
{Scar backhands Sarabi, knocking her to the ground[1].}
Scar: I'm ten times the king Mufasa was!
{Simba appears on the ledge, growling loudly. He leaps out and runs to his mother. Scar mistakes Simba as Mufasa and is understandably frightened.}
Mufasa? No-- you're dead.
{Sarabi awakens at her son's nudge, but mistakes him for Mufasa as Scar did.}
Sarabi: Mufasa?
Simba: No; it's me.
Sarabi: {Delighted} Simba? You're alive? {Confused} How can that be?
Simba: It doesn't matter; I'm home.
Scar: {Confused} Simba? {Back in form} Simba! I'm a little surprised to see you... {giving the hyenas above him an angry look} alive.
{On the word “alive,” Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed gulp audibly and slink into the shadows.}
Simba: {As Sarabi looks on with some pride} Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart.
Scar: {backing into a wall, apologetic} Oh, Simba, you must understand. The pressures of ruling a kingdom...
Simba: …Are no longer yours. Step down, Scar.
Scar: Oh, oh, ye-- Well, I would, heh, naturally, heh-- however, there is one little problem. You see them? {pointing to the horde of hyenas on the rocks above[2]} They think I'm king.
{Nala appears with the rest of the lionesses.}
Nala: Well, we don't. Simba is the rightful king.
Simba: The choice is yours, Scar. Either step down or fight.
Scar: Oh, must it all end in violence? I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Simba?
Simba: That's not gonna work, Scar. I've put it behind me.
Scar: Eh, but what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?
Nala: Simba, what is he talking about?
Scar: {Delighted} Ahh, so you haven't told them your little secret. Well, Simba, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Mufasa's death!
{Scars last line causes the lionesses to start. All are concentrating on Simba.}
Simba: {Steeling himself, then taking a step forward} I am.
{Sarabi approaches her son.}
Sarabi: {With much grief} It's not true. Tell me it's not true.
Simba: {Regretfully} It's true.
Scar: You see, he admits it! Murderer!
Simba: No! It was an accident!
{Scar walks around and around Simba as he accuses him; very nicely done animated rotation.}
Scar: If it weren't for you, Mufasa would still be alive. It's your fault he's dead.... Do you deny it?
Simba: No.
Scar: {Severely} Then ... you're ... guilty!
Simba: No. I'm not a murderer.
Scar: Oh Simba, you're in trouble again. But this time, Daddy isn't here to save you. And now everyone knows why!
{Scar has been backing Simba up the length of Pride Rock. After his last sentence, Simba slips over the edge and is clinging to the ledge by his forepaws. Lightning strikes below, igniting the dry brush.}
Nala: Simba!
{Scar sits back and pretends to think.}
Scar: Now this looks familiar. Hmm. Where have I seen this before. Let me think. Hmmm... hmmm. Oh yes, I remember. This is just the way your father looked before he died.
{Scar grabs Simba with his claws as he did Mufasa. He whispers into Simba's ear.}
And here's my little secret. I killed Mufasa.
{Simba has a quick memory flash back to that fateful instant. His voice blends with his younger voice in the scream of when his father died. In one giant leap he lunges up and pins Scar on his back. Scar is caught completely by surprise and is understandably very nervous and shaken.}
Simba: NoooooOOO.... MURDERER!
{The lionesses are surprised at this sudden change.}
Scar: No, Simba please.
Simba: Tell them the truth.
Scar: Truth? But, truth is in the eye of the beholdllgkkk…!
{Simba starts to choke Scar.}
All right. All right. {quietly, venemously} I did it.
Simba: So they can hear you.
Scar: {Grudgingly, but clear} I ... killed ... Mufasa!
{Nala starts towards Scar, the hyenas attack Simba in a wall of teeth. The lionesses join in, attacking the hyenas. We see Pumbaa and Timon come in. Pumbaa charges with Timon riding him; hyenas fly everywhere.}
Pumbaa: Heyyy-yaaaaah!!
Timon: ‘Scuse me. Pardon me. Comin’ through. Hot stuff. Whoo!
{Bowling strike sound effect as hyenas fly. Rafiki whacks a hyena off of Simba. Camera switch to him; with a battle scream, he joins the fray. As a bit of comic relief, Rafiki is fighting in kung-fu "B-movie" style, complete with cheesy sound effects.}
Rafiki: {As he hits various hyenas} wwwA! Hozah! Hazoww! Yaa! Yah! hhyEEOOWww!
{Camera switch to Timon running from Shenzi. He runs into the cave. Zazu spots him. Timon runs into his cage for safety from the hyenas.}
Zazu: Let me out! Let me out!
Timon: Let me in let me in! {to the hyenas, pleading} Pleeease don't eat me.
{Pumbaa appears at the cave's entrance.}
Pumbaa: Problem?
Banzai: Hey, who's the pig?
Pumbaa: Are you talking to me?
Timon: Uh oh. They called him a pig.
Pumbaa: Are you talking to me?!
Timon: Shouldn't ‘a done that.
Pumbaa: ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?!?
Timon: Now they're in for it.
Pumbaa: THEY CALL ME.. MISTER PIIIG! AAAAAAAAAAA--
{Pumbaa charges and drives the hyenas off.}
Timon: Take that! And that! {etc.}
Banzai: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ...
Pumbaa: Take that! And that! {etc.} You yellow belly...
Zazu: Take that, you stupid... {etc.}
{They start the Arsenio hall “Ooh, ooh” chant. The scene switches to Simba chasing Scar up to the high point of Pride Rock. Scar runs up to the edge and sees the sheer drop. Simba leaps up to confront him and the cliff like edge. Scar is very apprehensive, seeing he is cornered and at Simba’s mercy.}
Simba: {Quietly, severely} Murderer.
Scar: Simba, Simba. Please. Please have mercy. I beg you.
Simba: You don't deserve to live.
Scar: But, Simba, I am ... ah ... {unsure of his tactic} family. It's the hyenas {regaining composure} who are the real enemy. It was their fault-- it was their idea!
{Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed are in the background. They overhear and back away growling at Scar's betrayal.}
Simba: Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a lie.
Scar: What are you going to do? You wouldn't kill your old Uncle...? {ingratiating grin}
Simba: No, Scar. I'm not like you.
Scar: {Greatly relieved} Oh, Simba, thank you. You are truly noble. {aside} I'll make it up to you, I promise. {standing up} How can I, ah, prove myself to you? Tell me, I mean, anything.
Simba: {Gravely, with deep anger} Run. Run away, Scar. And never return.
Scar: Yes. Of course.... As you wish, {looking down and seeing a pile of hot coals.} your Majesty! {Scar swipes the coals into Simba’s face. With a cry of surprise and pain, Simba paws the coals away as Scar leaps and attacks.}
{There is a fight in slow motion. Both Scar and Simba land heavy
blows. Simba gets knocked on his back. Scar leaps through the
flames at him. Simba gathers courage and uses Scar's momentum in a
"throw" similar to Nala's fighting tactics to send him flying over the
edge. Scar tumbles to the bottom. He weakly gets up. He sees Banzai,
Shenzi, and Ed approaching and smiles. Ed has a very angry look on his
face.}
Scar: Ahh, my friends.
Shenzi: Frie-he-hends? I thought he said we were the enemy!
Banzai: Yeah, that's what I heard.
Banzai and Shenzi: Ed?
Ed: {Laughs evilly}
Scar: {Very nervous} No. L-L-L-Le-Le-Le-Le-Let me explain. No. You don't understand. No! I didn't mean for... No, No! Look, I’m sorry I called you... No! NOO!
{The camera moves away and we can only see the shadows as the horde of hyenas close in on and attack Scar. Rain opens up and douses the fire. Simba comes down and greets his mother and Nala. Rafiki motions for Simba to ascend Pride Rock as king. Simba starts up and pauses to hug Rafiki as his father did.}
Rafiki: It is time.
{Very majestically, Simba ascends. Music is strong. At the tip of the rock Simba looks up through the rain. Through a hole in the clouds we can see a patch of stars. One bright star shines out briefly.}
Mufasa: Remember . . .
{ Simba's expression gains confidence and strength. He roars. The lionesses roar in reply. Time switch to the Savannah in full bloom again. Cue “Busa” theme:}
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