Disney Fanon Wiki
Advertisement
Sorcerer Mickey sparkling

Kovu is a featured article, which means it has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Disney Fanon Wiki community. If you see a way this page can be updated or improved without compromising previous work, please feel free to contribute.

Judge me now for who I am. Or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?
―Kovu to Simba


Kovu is the deuteragonist of the 1998 Disney direct-to-video film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, sequel to the 1994 film. He is the son of Zira, the youngest brother of Nuka and Vitani, and the mate of Kiara.

Background[]

Kovu is claimed to be the youngest son of Zira, who is a close follower of Scar; his two older siblings are Nuka and Vitani. He was apparently born at some point during Scar's reign, as Scar hand-picked him to be his successor. As a result, he was referred to by the Outsiders as the Chosen One. However, Scar merely adopted him, and Kovu is of no relation to Scar. His chosen path was put to a halt after Simba took back the throne from Scar and exiled the Outsiders. As a result of Scar's death, Kovu was expected to one day avenge Scar by killing Simba and usurping the throne. As a cub, he was put through harsh training by Zira to prepare him for this task.

Personality[]

Kovu is aggressive and crude, even as a cub. Upon first meeting Kiara, his first reaction is to snarl a challenge, and the only game he appears to understand is play-fighting. His violent tendencies are reinforced by a knack for taking care of himself, as he is physically fit and an able hunter, two features that make way for his more arrogant and cocky side. Even as a cub, Kovu strives to please and takes no shame in showing off to the more innocent Kiara. However, when faced by his mother, Kovu is submissive and prone to showing his softer side, exposing a desire to befriend and treat kindly the new cub he has just met. After meeting Kiara again as an adolescent, Kovu begins to cave to his inner good, proving himself to enjoy laughter and good times.

Physical appearance[]

Kovu-young-

Kovu as a cub.

Kovu is noted by many to bear a strong resemblance to Scar, though it is a coincidence.

His fur is auburn, and his muzzle, paws, and underbelly are all creamy brown in color. He sports a dark brown head tuft and also sports tufts of fur on his elbow joints that match the color of his head tuft and tail tip. His dark eyeshades mirror those of his siblings, but his emerald green eyes match no member of his family's.

As an adolescent, Kovu's mane is colored a very rich dark brown and matches the dark shades of his elbow tufts and tail tip. He later gets a scar across his left eye identical to Scar's that is inflicted by Zira.

Appearances[]

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride[]

Kovu 2

Kovu meets Kiara.

One day, Kovu escaped from his brother Nuka, who was supposed to be watching him. While wandering about, he met Kiara, Simba's daughter, who had wandered in the Outlands. The two cubs became friends after an incident with crocodiles, but they were quickly separated by their feuding parents. Back home, Zira angrily scolds Kovu for trying to befriend an enemy but then realizes she may be able to use the friendship to allow Kovu to get close to Simba and kill him. She then praises Kovu for his brilliance, stating that he has the "same conniving mind" that Scar had.

When Kovu has grown into an adolescent, Zira sends him to the Pride Lands to initiate her plan. As part of the plan, he rescues Kiara from a wildfire that has been set by Nuka and his sister Vitani. After rescuing Kiara, he asks Simba to allow him to join the Pride Landers. Though Simba rejects him initially, it is pointed out that by law he owes Kovu a debt for saving Kiara. As repayment, Kovu is allowed to return to the Pride Lands; however, Simba still doesn't trust him. Simba chooses to reserve his final judgment until he can learn about Kovu's character and forces Kovu to sleep outside the den away from the pride. Kovu appears briefly in Simba's nightmare, where Scar turns into him and throws Simba off a cliff into the stampede (similar to how Scar killed Mufasa in the first movie).

During his time at Pride Rock, it becomes apparent that Kovu has never had any real fun before. When Kiara chooses to chase birds alongside Timon and Pumbaa for the fun of it, Kovu believes it to be training. Kiara teaches him to loosen up and enjoy himself. Over time, he grows fond of Kiara and begins to fall in love with her, a feeling which is encouraged by a meeting with Rafiki and begins to question his role in Zira's plot. Later, Simba finally warms up to Kovu and thank him for saving his daughter's life the other day and invites him in the den with the pride. The next morning, Kovu resolves to reveal Zira's plot to Kiara and that he doesn't want to be a part of it anymore because he loves her, but is prevented from doing so when Simba takes him alone to talk. After hearing Simba's retelling of Scar's story, he realizes how just how wrong his mother has been in her opinion of Scar. However, the two are ambushed by Zira and the Outsiders, who had been spying on Kovu and realized he was having second thoughts. Zira frames Kovu, claiming that the ambush was part of the plan. Kovu denies it, but Simba believes it anyway and quickly distrusts him. Kovu attempts to defend Simba but is knocked unconscious by Vitani.

File:LW14.jpg

Kovu reunites with Kiara.

After Simba manages to escape the Outsiders, Kovu rushes back to the Outsiders to see about Nuka, who had been trapped under falling logs while trying to attack Simba. Nuka dies as a result of his wounds, leaving Kovu, his family, and pride devastated. Zira angrily blames Kovu for Nuka's death, scarring him across one eye, reminiscent of Scar's appearance. In response, Kovu stands up to his mother for the first time, rejects Scar, and runs off. Back at Pride Rock, Simba believes that Kovu was behind the ambush, and exiles the rogue lion from the Pride Lands, ignoring Kiara's protests. As Kovu flees, he was being watched by Rafiki from a distance who sighs very sadly while realizing that Simba has completely defied his father's goals and broken the Circle of Life. However, Kovu later reunites with Kiara, who had run away from Pride Rock to find him. The two briefly discuss running away to form their own pride, but Kiara convinces Kovu that they need to return to try and unite their prides.

Lion2-disneyscreencaps

Kovu blocks Zira's path.

Kovu and Kiara return to find the Pride Landers and the Outsiders engaged in a bitter war, with Simba and Zira preparing to fight one on one. Kovu and Kiara manage to separate them, and Kovu publicly announces his intention to not let Zira harm either Kiara or Simba. As a result of his and Kiara's words and actions, Vitani leaves Zira's side, with the other Outsiders following her after Zira threatens to kill Vitani. When Zira attempts to attack Simba, Kovu looks on as Kiara fights her in an attempt to save her father. He sighs sadly as he sees his mother fall to her death. Simba apologizes to Kovu for his mistake and allows him to return to the Pride Lands, where he is united in marriage with Kiara by Rafiki.

The Lion Guard[]

Lions-of-the-outlands (565)

Cub Kovu in The Lion Guard.

Kovu, along with Nuka, Vitani, Zira, and their pride return in the Disney Junior series The Lion Guard episode "Lions of the Outlands", which takes place sometime after Kovu's first meeting with Kiara. He is very hopeful when Kiara's brother, Kion, says he could get them back in the Pride Lands due to his desire to see Kiara again, something Kion had no knowledge of until then.

When Zira and her minions are blown out of the watering hole, (which they had taken from Jasiri's clan) by Kion's Roar of the Elders, Kovu manages to avoid being blasted away. When Kion starts to approach him, Kovu runs after his mother, siblings, and pride.

LG Return 012

Kovu later returned in the series finale "Return to the Pride Lands" (which takes place after Simba's Pride) when the Lion Guard arrives in the Outlands on their way to the Pride Lands.

Lg Return

Watching Kion's wedding/coronation.

After Kion recovered in the Tree of Life and returned to the Pride Lands with the Lion Guard, Anga sees Kovu at Pride Rock. This worries Kion and his friends, thinking they may have been too late. When the Lion Guard and the Outlanders are about to fight Vitani and her team, Kiara and Kovu immediately interfere, with Kiara revealing to Kion that Kovu, Vitani, and the rest of their pride have joined theirs. When Kion asks about Zira, Kovu somberly reveals that Zira has died. He and Kiara then take Kion and his Guard to Pride Rock where he, Rafiki, and Kiara explain everything that had happened while The Lion Guard was away, where it is then mentioned that Kiara and Kovu will be the new rulers of the Pride Lands. Afterward, Kovu and the Royal family spend the whole day with Kion (during which time he and Kion very likely get to know each other a lot better and bond as brothers) and at night they gaze up at the spirit of Mufasa, who is happy to see them together. The next day, Kovu and several other animals watch the competition between Kion and Vitani's Lion Guards, which ends up with Kion appointing Vitani's team to be the new Lion Guard for winning most of the competition. Kovu, along with the rest of the Royal family and all the Pridelanders attends Kion's coronation and wedding to Queen Rani and is happy that his new brother is now free to be with the one he loves and follow his own destiny just like he and Kiara did and cheers for him.

The Lion King: Kopa's Heart[]

Kovu appears in the fourth film, but as a minor character along with Kiara. They discover that Simba and Nala had a son named Kopa that was their first born and might still be alive.

Relationships[]

Wiki
The Disney Wiki has an article focusing on the relationships of Kovu.

Gallery[]

Wiki
Disney Fanon Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Kovu.

Trivia[]

  • "Kovu" means "scar" in Swahili.
  • Sora's lion form in Kingdom Hearts II resembles Kovu as a cub.
  • Kovu was originally going to be Scar's biological son, however, Micheal Eisner decided that Kovu shouldn't be related to Scar, as it would cause incest between him and Kiara as "first cousins". His mane was also black during the early development stages, but was reshaded to his final design when his relation with Scar was scrapped.
    • In production, Kovu's original name was "Nunka" when he was Scar's son, but soon renamed Kovu, presumably due to Nunka being a mispelling of the Spanish word, "Nunca" which translates to "Never".
  • In the documentary Proud of Simba's Pride, Kovu is described as a "teenage killer". That would mean that his adolescent self is the equivalent of an 18/19-year old.
  • In The Lion Guard, he always seems to be the least aggressive Outsider which means that his intensive training has not yet made him more aggressive. However, he was able to stand up to Nuka and stick up for Jasiri when Nuka prepared to attack her, implying that his intensive training has at least made him, to some degree, assertive.
  • In The Lion Guard, Kovu's voice appears to have deepened, implying that he has aged since his first meeting with Kiara. Also, Kion expresses shock when learning of Kovu's friendship with his older sister. This could mean that Kion was either not born yet or was an infant when Kiara and Kovu met.
  • In a way, Zira's plan for Kovu to become King of the Pride Lands succeeds because he begins as Scar's heir to the throne, but ironically through his marriage to Kiara, Kovu ends up as Simba's heir.


v - e - d
The Lion King - Logo
Media
Films: The Lion King (video) • The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (video) • The Lion King 1½ (video) • The Lion Guard: Return of the RoarThe Lion King (2019) (video) • Mufasa: The Lion King

Television: Find Out WhyTimon & Pumbaa (videography) • Timon and Pumbaa's Wild About SafetyThe Lion Guard (videography) • It's UnBungalievable!
Soundtracks: The Lion KingRhythm of the Pride LandsThe Legacy CollectionThe Lion King CollectionReturn to Pride Rock: Songs Inspired by Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's PrideBest of the Lion KingThe Lion King 1½: Songs from Timon and Pumbaa's Hilarious AdventureOriginal Broadway Cast RecordingFestival of the Lion KingThe Legend of the Lion KingThe Lion GuardThe Lion King (2019 film)The Lion King & Jungle Festival: Rhythms of the Pride LandsMufasa: The Lion King
Video games: The Lion KingTimon and Pumbaa's Jungle GamesThe Lion King: Simba's Mighty AdventureKingdom Hearts IIAnimated Storybook: The Lion KingDisney UniverseDisney Infinity: 2.0 EditionAdventures in Typing with Timon and PumbaaActivity CenterThe Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Active PlayThe Lion King 2: Simba's Pride GameBreakThe Lion King 1½Disney Crossy RoadDisney Emoji BlitzDisney Heroes: Battle ModeKingdom Hearts IIIDisney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion KingDisney Classic Games CollectionThe Lion King: Operation PridelandsDisney Dreamlight Valley
Books: The Art and Making of The Lion KingThe Lion King: The Full Film Script
Cancelled projects: King of the JungleThe Lion Guard: Hear Me Roar!The Lion King Family Tree

Disney Parks
Rafiki's Planet WatchDisney's Art of Animation ResortDisney's Explorers LodgeThe AnnexCircle of Life: An Environmental FableDisney Animation BuildingEsperanza Character CarouselIt's a Small WorldMickey's PhilharMagicRhythm of the JungleSorcerers of the Magic KingdomThe Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management)The Lion Guard AdventureThe Lion King: Pride Land (The Lion King attraction)

Entertainment: AnimagiqueDisney's BelieveDisney's WishesDisney Dreams: An Enchanted ClassicDisney KiteTailsFantasmic!Feel the MagicFestival of Family & FriendsFestival of the Lion KingHakuna Matata Time Dance PartyIt's Party Time... with Mickey and FriendsMickey and the MagicianMickey and the Wondrous BookMickey's Gift of DreamsMickey's Magical Music WorldOnce Upon a MouseRivers of Light: We Are OneThe Adventure of RhythmThe Golden MickeysThe Legend of the Lion KingVillains Tonight!
Restaurants: Restaurant Hakuna Matata
Parades: A Million Splashes of ColourDisney's Magical Moments ParadeDisney's Party ExpressDisney Adventure Friends CavalcadeDisney Cinema ParadeDisney Magic on ParadeDisney Stars on ParadeFlights of Fantasy ParadeJubilation!Mickey & Friends Street CelebrationMickey's Soundsational ParadeMickey's Storybook ExpressThe Lion King CelebrationThe Wonderful World of Disney ParadeWalt Disney's Parade of Dreams
Fireworks: Celebrate the MagicCelebrate! Tokyo DisneylandDisney Dreams!Disneyland ForeverDisney Tales of MagicHappily Ever AfterHarmoniousIgnite the Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and LightIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationThe Magic, the Memories and YouMomentousOnce Upon a TimeTree of Life AwakensWonderful World of AnimationWorld of ColorWondrous Journeys
Summer: Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise
Halloween: Happy HallowishesVillains Grove

Characters
The Lion King: SimbaNalaMufasaScarRafikiTimonPumbaaZazuShenzi, Banzai, and EdSarabiSarafinaThe PridelandersPride Land AnimalsHyena ClanWildebeestsGopherVulturesGrubs

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride: KiaraKovuZiraVitaniNukaOutsidersCrocodiles
The Lion King 1½: MaUncle MaxMeerkat Colony
Timon & Pumbaa: The Native ChiefThe Three NativesMother GorillaFronk FegnugenMontiBaampuNobiFredQuintThe WoodpeckerBruceStinkyRalph and EddieTedsSavage LionBartholomewThe TarsierToucan DanVulture PoliceNedNefuRabbitUncle BoarisUncle ErnieBoss BeaverBoy BeaverLester the WhaleThe TigressJackalThe CobraSpeedy the SnailSmolder the BearLittle JimmyIrwinEl ToroCount DownMr. PigWolverineJumbo Jumbo the ElephantCheetato and CheetataMartin PartinRita BookChef ClaudeCaptain BloodbeardCisco PigCisco Pig's GangDr. CagliostroTorgoThe Meerkat AngelWonderful Rhino of LawsPumbaa Jr.Dr. HappyLeslie LambeauMr. ButtonsSharlaWarthog SounderHermanLaraMelClaudiusBahukaTutan PharaohGenieMadame CredenzaDuke MeerkatTatianaMother EagleBaby EarlKing LeopoldPrincess ClaudiaSigmund and LloydHeimlich and SchnitzelMad Dog McGraw, Billy the Goat, and Three-fingered JackelopeDr. ExeterSal ManderJungle InspectorBigfootPimon and Tumbaa
The Lion Guard: KionBungaFuliBeshteOnoTiifuZuriJanjaCheeziChunguJanja's ClanMzingoMzingo's ParliamentMwogaMakuuMakuu's FloatPuaBasiBasi's PodUshariJasiriMadoaTunu and WemaJasiri's ClanThurstonMbeyaPorcupine BrothersMa TemboZitoAminifuReireiGoigoiDogoDogo's BrothersKijanaReirei's PackTwigaJuhudiShingoMuhanga and MuhangusTamaaNala's FatherSwalaMuhimuHamuAjabuMakuchaMakucha's LeapMakucha's ArmyFahariJionaMjombaOgpoaHayaLainiBadiliMbuniMapiganoMtotoGumbaKambuniKwatoShaukuNneTanoVuruga VurugaYoung RhinoLionessMajinuni and HafifuKing SokweHadithiBig BaboonBupuBobokaChuraKifaruMwenziUrohoMwiziKulindaOnaMpishiMakiniShupavuWazaNjanoKiburiTamkaNduliKiburi's FloatChamaKengeDhahabuHodariStareheRahaNyuniSumuKongweKinyongaKuchimbaShujaaAngaStrange LionStrange CobraThe FastestThe StrongestThe BravestThe Keenest of SightYukiHitashiKimyo and NabasuDomogDughiBoginoChuluunPãgalaKrud'dhaLumba-LumbaOld CivetOraKomodo DragonFikiriKitendoTuppAzaadFlamingo GirlsFlamingo Girls' FlamboyanceTenukTompokSeisouBambunMouse DeerMama BinturongSmunYun MibuNirmalaRaniBaliyoSurakJannaUlluSãhasíÃnandaBingaTangaagimPinguinoCek and RamaTsah and SasemAstutoVaryaFeliks, Pasha, and PolinaHeng HengKelyKely's TroopAskariShabahaKasiImaraTazama
Printed Media: UruAhadiKopaBomaZuzuJokaLulu
Deleted: DikuBaashoIggyHerr RhinoKwashiBhatiMheetuBanagiDaabiDwalaNaanda
Remake: SimbaNalaMufasaScarRafikiTimonPumbaaZazuShenzi, Kamari, and AziziSarabiSarafinaKiaraDembe
Mufasa: The Lion King: KirosEsheObasiMasegoAfia
Miscellaneous: ZawadiKiumeKibibiNakawa

Episodes
Timon & PumbaaThe Lion Guard
Locations
The Lion King Trilogy: AfricaMount KilimanjaroPride RockThe Pride LandsThe Water HoleThe Elephant GraveyardThe GorgeJungleRafiki's Ancient TreeThe Outlands

Timon & Pumbaa: Zazu's TreeMadame Credenza's PlaceSavage RockBoss Beaver's Log LandThe Tree of TruthDismal Swamp
The Lion Guard: Lair of the Lion GuardJanja's DenTree of Life

Songs
The Lion King: Circle of LifeThe Morning ReportI Just Can't Wait to Be KingBe PreparedHakuna MatataCan You Feel the Love TonightHawaiian War Chant

Instrumental Scores: This LandHyenas...To Die ForUnder the StarsKing of Pride RockDidn't Your Mother Tell You Not to Play with Your FoodWe are All ConnectedHyenas in the Pride LandsElephant GraveyardI Was Just Trying to Be BraveStampedeMufasa DiesIf You Ever Come Back We'll Kill YouBowling for BuzzardsWe Gotta Bone to Pick With YouKings of the PastNala, Is It Really You?Remember Who You AreThis Is My HomeThe Rightful King
Rhythm of the Pride Lands: The Lion Sleeps TonightKubeLea HalalelaIt's TimeLalaBusaNoyana
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride: He Lives in YouWe Are OneMy LullabyUpendiOne of UsLove Will Find a Way
The Lion King 1½: Digga TunnahThat's All I NeedSunrise, SunsetGrazing in the Grass
Musical: Lioness HuntRafiki MournsOne by OneGrasslands ChantChow DownThe Madness of King ScarShadowlandEndless NightSimba Confronts Scar
Timon & Pumbaa: The Lion Sleeps TonightAlone TogetherStand by MeYummy Yummy Yummy
The Lion Guard: Call of the GuardA Beautiful Day (Ni Siku Nzuri)Zuka ZamaTonight We StrikeKion's LamentIt is TimeHere Comes the Lion GuardWe're the Same (Sisi Ni Sawa)Don't Make a StinkBunga the WiseDuties of the KingOutta the WayJackal StyleOur Kupatana CommunityMy Own WayUtamuAll Hail The VulturesHero InsideBird of a Thousand VoicesPanic and RunTrail to HopeLife in the Pride LandsWe'll Make You a MealFind Your RoarChungu's LamentBaboonsBeware of the ZimwiLions Over AllStand Up, Stand OutKuishi Ni KuchekaRunning with the KingHadithi the HeroMakin' Hippo LanesTickbirds and RhinosTeke Ruka TelezaEveryone is WelcomeThe Traveling Baboon ShowA Real MealFujoThe Path of HonorBring Back a LegendToday is my DayI Have A PlanGotta Look on the Bright SideThe Worst Hyena We KnowMay There Be PeaceBig Bad KengeChristmas in the Pride LandsThe Twelve Ways of ChristmasI Do Have a Great Deal to SayFabulous DhahabuGive a Little Guy a ChanceWe're the SmartestGood King SimbaThe Faster I GoI'm Gonna Run This DumpNow You See Me, Now You Don'tWisdom on the WallsHe's The Zebra MastermindKwetu Ni KwetuNothin' to Fear Down HereShujaa PondaPride Landers Unite!Prance With MeTujiinueHeight and SightWe Will DefendA New Way to GoOn the Last NightWhen I Led the GuardThe Tree of LifeHome of a Snow Monkey's DreamsGhost of the MountainAnythingThat's the Dolphin WayAs You Move ForwardFlamingo Dance PartyYou Best Not Mess With MamaFriends to the EndKion's ReckoningWelcome to the Tree of LifeWho is Better Than WhoPoa the DestroyerLong Live the QueenRemember What Makes You YouThe Power of the RoarOf the Same PrideAs You Move On
Remake: Life's Not FairRafiki's FirefliesScar Takes the ThroneSimba is Alive!Reflections of MufasaSpiritBattle for Pride RockRememberNever Too LateMbube
Mufasa: The Lion King NgomsoI Always Wanted a BrotherMileleWe'll Go Together
Deleted: To Be KingWarthog RhapsodyThe Lion of the MoonOld Fearless BuzzThe Madness of King ScarThanks to MeWhere Do I Belong
Miscellaneous: Safety Smart

See Also
Rafiki's Bakora StaffGreat Lions of the PastMusicalLion GuardRoar of the EldersNight PrideMark of the GuardMark of the Night PrideMoja Kwa Moja StoneTulizaThe Disney AfternoonFind Out WhyHouse of MouseOne by OneTimon & Pumbaa's Vacation SafariAs Told by Emoji


v - e - d
Disney Prince name
Official Disney Princes
The PrincePrince CharmingPrince PhillipPrince EricBeastAladdinJohn SmithLi ShangPrince NaveenFlynn Rider
Other Princes
BambiArthurPrince EdwardReiSimbaHerculesMilo ThatchKovuEmperor KuzcoHarris, Hubert, and Hamish
Other Male Protagonists
Mickey MousePinocchioFlikPeter PanMowgliJack SkellingtonQuasimodoTarzanGusto GummiJohn RolfeTaranPhoebusSoraWreck-It RalphJim HawkinsKristoffYao, Ling, and Chien PoRobin Hood


es:Kovu fr:Kovu it:Kovu nl:Kovu pl:Kovu pt:Kovu pt-br:Kovu ru:Кову

Advertisement