Nuka [annoyed]
Kovu, Kovu, Kovu. Scar wasn't even his father. He just took him in. (He took us all in.) [to Vitani, who is biting on a root] Oh, hey, Vitani, where's little termite Kovu, our "chosen one"? [touches the root with a claw; it snaps, and Vitani tumbles backward; Nuka guffaws]
Nuka! Where's Kovu? Did you leave him out there on his own again?
Nuka Hey, it's every lion for himself out here. [scratching himself] That little termite's gotta learn to be on his own.
Mother's gonna be mad. She told you to watch him!
Nuka [continuing to scratch his mangy back]
Oh, who cares? I should've been the chosen one! I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest... Oh, these termites! [starts biting every place he can find on his body, and rolls around on the ground; Vitani watches, smirking] I could be a leader, if she'd just give me a chance!
[scoffs]
Yeah, right. Why don't ya tell that to her?
Nuka Yeah? Don't think I won't!
Oh, yeah? [chuckles] Here's your chance.
Nuka [At the Outlands, Vitani is tugging on a root, growling. Nuka approaches from behind] [annoyed]
Kovu, Kovu, Kovu. Scar wasn't even his father. He just took 'im in. [to Vitani, who is biting on a root] Oh, hey, Vitani. Where's little termite Kovu, the "Chosen One"? [touches the root with a claw; it snaps, and Vitani tumbles backward; Nuka guffaws]
Nuka! Where's Kovu? Did you leave him out there on his own again?
Nuka Hey, it's every lion for himself out here. [scratches himself] That little termite's got to learn to be on his own.
Mother's going to be mad. She told you to watch him.
Nuka [continuing to scratch his mangy back]
Oh, who cares? I should've been the Chosen One. I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest-- OH, THESE TERMITES! [starts crazily biting every place he can find on his body, and rolls around on the ground; Vitani watches, smirking] I could be a leader if she'd just give me a chance!
[scoffs; sarcastically]
Yeah, right. [normally] Why don't you tell that to her?
Nuka Yeah? Don't think I won't.
Oh, yeah? [laughs] Here's your chance.
Nuka [Zira walks slowly by Nuka, carrying Kovu in her mouth. She ignores Nuka entirely]
What? Oh. Mother. Mother, hi! [laughs nervously] Mother, I caught some field mice for your dinner. I left 'em by the, um, by the-- Okay. [Zira drops Kovu. Vitani pounces next to him]
Hey, Kovu. You want to fight? [She mock-snarls; he looks earnest]
[angrily at Nuka]
You were supposed to be watching him! [Nuka becomes scared]
It's not his fault; I went off on my own. [Zira turns on Kovu, backing him along the ground with her words]
Who has made us Outsiders?
And what have I told you about them?!
Sorry, mother! Sh-she didn't seem so bad. I-I, I thought we could be--
Friends?! You thought you'd get to the daughter, and Simba would welcome you with open arms? What an idea! [she reconsiders and smiles] What... an idea! You brilliant child. I'm so proud of you. [She kneads the frightened Kovu with unsheathed claws and scratching his hair] You have the same conniving mind that made Scar so...powerful.
Nuka [disgusted]
Ooh, yuck. [Zira snarls and glares at Nuka, who laughs nervously; Zira then picks up Kovu and carries him into a cave, as Nuka glowers] Ugh. [sarcastically] Chosen One.
[Zira carries Kovu into their makeshift den, and deposits him in a hollow tree trunk; he lands with a grunt]
I now see the path to our glorious return to power!
[harshly]
Hush! [softly] Hush, my little one. You must be exhausted. [sings] ♪ Sleep, my little Kovu. Let your dreams take wing. ♪
♪ One day when you're big and strong, you will be a king. ♪
[smiles in embarrassment]
Good night.
Good night, my little prince. Tomorrow, your training intensifies. [singing] ♪ I've been exiled, persecuted, left alone with no defense. ♪
♪ When I think of what that brute did, I get a little tense. ♪
♪ But I dream a dream so pretty, that I don't feel so depressed. ♪
♪ 'Cause it soothes my inner kitty, and it helps me get some rest. ♪
♪ The sound of Simba's dying gasp. ♪
♪ His daughter squealing in my grasp. ♪
♪ His lionesses' mournful cry; That's my lullaby. ♪
♪ Now the past I've tried forgetting, and my foes I could forgive. ♪
♪ Trouble is I knows it's petty, but I hate to let them live. ♪
Nuka ♪ So you found yourself somebody who'd chase Simba up a tree. ♪
♪ Oh, the final battle may be bloody, but that kind of works for me. ♪
♪ The melody of angry growls. ♪
♪ A counterpoint of painful howls. ♪
♪ A symphony of death; oh, my. ♪
♪ That's my lullaby. ♪
♪ Scar is gone, but Zira's still around, to love this little lad. ♪
♪ Till he learns to be a killer, with a lust for being bad. ♪
Nuka Sleep, ya little termite! Uh-- I mean, ♪ precious little thing. ♪
♪ One day when you're big and strong-- ♪
♪ You will be a king. ♪
♪ The pounding of the drums of war! ♪
♪ The thrill of Kovu's mighty roar! ♪
Nuka The joy of vengeance!
♪ I can hear the cheering! ♪
NA Nuka and Vitani
Kovu, what a guy!
♪ Payback time is nearing, and then our flag will fly, against a blood-red sky! ♪
♪ That's...my...lulla...by! ♪ [evil laugh]
[Simba has been telling Kovu about Scar]
Scar couldn't let go of his hate, and in the end, it destroyed him.
[genuinely shocked]
I've never heard the story of Scar that way. He truly was a killer.
[glances at the burnt plains around them]
Fire is a killer. Sometimes, what's left behind can grow better than the generation before. [unearths a small plant from the dust] If given the chance. [Zira cackles from offscreen and Kovu and Simba look around and gasp. The Outsiders emerge from the shadows and stalk toward Kovu and Simba and growl. Simba looks to the side to see more Outsiders emerging.]
No. Oh, no. [Kovu and Simba look back and forth frantically.] No!
[Outsiders start growling] [emerges, flanked by Nuka and Vitani.]
Why, Simba.
[evilly smirks]
What are you doing out here, and so alone? [Simba squares off against the Outsiders and growl; she, Nuka and Vitani chuckle] Well done, Kovu. Just like we always planned.
[to Kovu; angry at being betrayed]
You!
No! [Simba snarls; looks around at the Outsiders desperately.] I didn't have anything to do with this! [looks imploringly at Simba.]
[Nuka lunges at Simba and snarls him, but fails to attack Simba, who knocks Nuka away and grunts] [alarmed]
NO!
[The Outsiders attack Simba while both he and the Outsiders snarl]
Ah! [fights back as more Outsiders gang up on him.]
[Outsiders snarl and Kovu jumps into the fray. He knocks an Outsider aside. Vitani kicks Kovu, knocking him into a nearby rock, and watches as he falls unconscious. Meanwhile, the Outsiders swarm over Simba and snarl. Nuka leaps into the fight, knocking Simba off a cliff, as Simba falls into the gorge.] [surveys Simba from the top of the gorge.]
Yes! [The Outsiders slide down the side of the gorge toward Simba.] We've got him! [Outsiders snarl]
[from offscreen]
Remember your training as a unit!
[The Outsiders chase after Simba through the gorge. One jumps on his back but falls. The Outsiders growl and Simba pauses at the bottom of a log pile. He looks up to see that it leads to the top of the gorge., pants, looks behind him to see the Outsiders charging toward him. He begins to climb the log pile. As he climbs, he dislodges a log that falls toward the Outsiders. They back away in time to avoid getting hit. Zira and Vitani glare up at Simba and they snarl. Simba looks over one shoulder at the Outsiders down below. He then looks back up at the log pile. Meanwhile, Kovu stands at the top of the gorge, looking down on Simba.]
Get him, Kovu! Get him! [Kovu runs offscreen.] Do it! NOW!
Nuka [Simba continues to climb. Nuka clambers up the log pile after Simba.]
I'LL DO IT FOR YOU, MOTHER! [bounds gleefully up the logs and snickers but loses his balance] Oh! [looks down at Zira as he climbs] MOTHER, ARE YA WATCHING?! [under his breath] I'm doin' it for you, and I'm doin' it for me.
Nuka [he grabs onto one of Simba's back paws and yells, as Simba winces and grunts]
This is my moment of glory! [The log Nuka is standing on breaks, causing him to fall.] What? No!
NO!
[Nuka falls, looks up and yelps as a log crushes him. Several more logs land on top of him. Simba climbs higher, kicking more logs down the pile. Nuka struggles to free himself. He looks up in fright as more logs fall toward him as he screams. Simba climbs to safety. Meanwhile, more logs fall, raising dust. After a moment, the dust clears. Kovu bounds down to the bottom of the gorge and starts to pry the logs off Nuka, but Zira shoves Kovu aside. Zira reaches down for Nuka. Kovu backs away. Zira shoves a log aside with her head, and sees Nuka is seen hopelessly buried in logs. Nuka coughs]
Nuka [weakly; his last words before his death]
I'm sorry, M-Mother. I tried.
[reaches down for Nuka.]
Shh.
[Nuka tries to speak, but his eyes shut, and his head falls limply in Zira's paw. She draws back slowly, leaving his head to rest on the logs, and stares down at him in devastation.] [approaches from behind Zira; sadly]
Nuka. [bows her head. The scene transitions to the open savanna. Simba limps through the grass. Kiara, Zazu, Timon, and Pumbaa appear on a nearby hill.]
Father? Father! [looks at Zazu, who has alighted in a nearby tree] Zazu, get help!
Oh, yes! [flies away] Help! At once! Of course! [Kiara, Timon, and Pumbaa rush down the hill toward Simba, who pauses, looks up wearily at their arrival and grunts]
Father. [nuzzles Simba, then pulls away and watches him with concern. Pumbaa skids to a halt in front of Simba, with Timon in his mane.]
Simba, talk to me! [spreads his arms wide] What happened?
[weakly]
Kovu. Ambush. [collapses on his side and moans]
[Pumbaa picks up Simba's head, while Timon lifts his tail.]
It's all right, buddy. We're here for ya.
[Timon and Pumbaa carry Simba away, while Kiara strides alongside them. The scene transitions to the gorge, where the Outsiders are gathered mournfully around the log pile.] [sadly]
Scar, watch over my poor Nuka. Oh... [glares over one shoulder at Kovu and angrily lunges at him] YOU!!! [Kovu looks up and Zira angrily slashes him in the face, and he yells in pain and turns away; he breathes heavily and looks back at Zira angrily, revealing a scar over his left eye.] What... have you... [juts her head at Kovu] done?!
I didn't-- I-I didn't mean to. I-- It wasn't my fault. I-I-- [steeling himself] I did nothing!
Exactly! And in doing so, you betrayed your pride. Betrayed Scar!
[refusing to follow Scar]
I want nothing more to DO WITH HIM!
You cannot escape it. [strides toward Kovu, who backs away and slips on a rock.] Nuka is dead because of you!
[she and Vitani glower and angrily at Kovu]
You've killed your own brother!
[losing control of his rage and screaming at Zira]
NO!!!!!!!!! [runs away from Zira and the Outsiders, who roar]
[holds up a paw to halt Vitani]
Let him go! Simba has hurt me for the last time. [climbs a pillar of rock and stands overlooking the Outsiders, who gather below Zira.] Now, he has corrupted Kovu. [smirking] Listen to me; Simba is injured and weak. [lifts a paw] Now is the time to [slams her paw into the ground] attack! We will take his entire kingdom...BY FORCE! [the Outsiders roar in agreement as she laughs evilly]
