Simba Zira, consumed by her resentment towards Simba, falls to her death. Simba finally approves of Kiara's love for Kovu and reconciles with his daughter, and accepts the two lions as the future king and queen of the Pride Lands. In "The Lion King 1½", a direct-to-video followup released in 2004, Simba appears as a less prominent character because the film's primary focus is on Timon and Pumbaa's behind-the-scenes role and involvement in "The Lion King", in which they appear as supporting characters. Although the two films technically share the same story and timeline, the plot of "The Lion King 1½"
Nala (The Lion King) that Nala is introduced "as a dominating young girl" who ultimately matures into "a strong woman" by the film's conclusion. "Mouse Morality: The Rhetoric of Disney Animated Film" author Annalee R. Ward wrote that Nala's role in "The Lion King" reflected "a 1990s feminist reversal". In her book "Biblical Allusions", author Lindsay Bacher acknowledged that Nala is often depicted as a stronger and more responsible character than Simba, despite observations that "The Lion King"'s female characters lack agency. Leab identified Nala as Simba's "equal" who is "a more naturally sound leader throughout the film, while Simba tends to be comparatively