In The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Nala is depicted as slightly older, calmer, and less overprotective of Kiara than her mate, Simba. After returning to Pride Rock, she helps Simba defeat Scar and take his rightful place as King of Pride Rock afterwards she becomes Simba’s wife and mate as well as his Queen. Several years later, Nala encounters Simba as a young adult and develops a relationship with him.

In The Lion King, she is portrayed as Simba's childhood friend (whom she is betrothed to when they were born and younger infants by their parents) After helping Simba enter the elephant graveyard, she has to be rescued by her future father-in-law, Mufasa when the hyenas attack them. Although she is a prominent character in The Lion King, she makes minor appearances in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, The Lion King 1½, and The Lion Guard. She is also Rani and Kovu’s mother-in-law by the end of the second film and the third season of The Lion Guard. Nala (voiced by Moira Kelly in the films, Niketa Calame as a cub in The Lion King, Gabrielle Union in The Lion Guard, Beyoncé in the 2019 film, and Shahadi Wright Joseph as a cub in the 2019 film) is the daughter of Sarafina, the best friend and later mate of Simba, and Kiara and Kion's mother. He later welcomes Kion home following his journey and accepts his love to Rani of the Night Pride by accepting her as his daughter-in-law after Kion and Rani's marriage and after Kion's coronation as King of the Tree of Life. However, due to a facial wound caused by a snake bite during the battle, Kion journeys to find the Tree of Life, to get healed. As of season three, Scar's ghost has been defeated and his followers have become neutral under the rule of Jasiri, who becomes the new Outlands leader. Currently in the show, after a failed attempt on Simba's life, orchestrated by the spirit of Scar, Simba, and Kion plot to defeat him once again and for all. In The Lion Guard, Simba fathers Kion, and initially refuses to accept Kion's decision to allow non-lion animals into the Lion Guard but later accepts his proposal.

In The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Simba is an overprotective parent of Kiara and obtains a great hatred of the Outsiders, a group of lions led by a lioness named Zira, whom he exiled due to their loyalty to Scar, specifically Scar's protege Kovu, before learning to let go of his hate and accepting Kovu as his son-in-law. After defeating Scar, Simba takes Mufasa's place as King of Pride Rock before marrying Nala and having Kiara and Kion with her. He is the son of Mufasa and Sarabi, Scar's nephew, Nala's mate, and Kiara and Kion's father as well as Rani and Kovu's father-in-law. Simba (voiced by Matthew Broderick as adult Simba in the films, Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a cub in The Lion King, Matt Weinberg as a cub in The Lion King 1½, Cam Clarke in Timon & Pumbaa, Rob Lowe in The Lion Guard, Donald Glover in the 2019 film, JD McCrary as a cub in the 2019 film) is the protagonist of The Lion King franchise.

The lion king lioness crossword clue