How Did Scar Get His Scar In The Lion King? There Are Multiple Answers

Disney's 1994 film The Lion King has arguably some of the most memorable and lovable Disney characters of all time, from the comedic duo Timon and Pumbaa to the heroic Mufasa.

One of the most iconic characters in the film, Simba's uncle Scar, is an especially intriguing and dark villain. In the film, Scar is a power-hungry, expertly manipulative antagonist consumed by extreme jealousy of his brother Mufasa. In the film, Jeremy Irons gives a chilling vocal performance that brings this villain to life.

His distinctive design makes him stand out from the other lions with his dark mane, menacing yellow eyes, and the pink scar running down his left eye that gives him his namesake. But a big question, and one that is not addressed directly in the original 1994 film, is how did Scar get his scar in The Lion King? 

Given that it's such an important part of his character design that it even became his name, many who have watched the film wonder about its origin story. Keep reading for the answer to how Scar got his scar and the different stories behind it!

How Did Scar Get His Scar?

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There are a few different versions of how Scar got his scar (some explicit and one implied) from different Disney projects that were made after the original film. Unfortunately, there isn't an answer that is consistent across all stories based on The Lion King.

In the first book of the series The Lion King: Six New Adventures called A Tale of Two Brothers which was published in 1994, Scar got injured when a plan to pit his brother against a buffalo backfired. According to the Disney Junior show The Lion Guard, Scar was bitten by a venomous snake. And in the 2019 remake of The Lion King, Scar is implied to have gotten his scar from challenging Mufasa and losing.

The first answer we got after the release of the original film for the question of how Scar got his scar was the A Tale of Two Brothers book that was published in 1994. The story gives more detail to the backstory of the conflict between the brothers. In this version, Scar, whose name was originally Taka (which translates to “waste” in Swahili), is deeply jealous of Mufasa and arranges for a cape buffalo to attack Mufasa. However, things don't go according to plan and the other buffalo of the herd attack Taka instead, injuring his eye.

We got another answer about how Scar was injured in the 2016-2019 television series The Lion Guard. The spirit of Scar sings a song about it called “When I Led the Guard.” 

Scar's name was originally Askari, and he used to lead the Lion Guard. He was given a power called the “Roar of the Elders” that enabled him to roar alongside the Great Lions of the Past. Askari was tricked by another lion who promised power but deceived him by leading him to a venomous snake that bit him and gave him his scar. Scar used the roar to destroy them both. After he reported the incident to Mufasa, his brother merely laughed and called him “Scar,” and the nickname stuck, causing Scar to grow increasingly more resentful. When Scar put into motion his plan for vengeance, the power of the Roar of the Elders was stripped from him.

See the moment that Scar gets his scar in The Lion Guard here:

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The 2019 remake The Lion King hints at another way Scar got his injury. In this version, it's never explicitly stated but heavily implied that Scar challenged Mufasa.

In a tense moment between the two brothers as Mufasa confronts Scar for not showing up to the presentation of Simba, Mufasa responds to one of Scar's retorts with, “Is that a challenge?” and Scar responds, “I wouldn't dream of challenging you…again.” This is the explanation that probably comes to mind when most wonder how Scar got his scar, so it makes sense that they leaned into this for the remake. However, the answer to this is not stated directly.

While there are several versions of the story of how Scar got his scar, each one serves as a pivotal event in Scar's life that turns him on a path of vengeance against Mufasa. No matter his backstory, Scar is still one of the most memorable and menacing villains Disney has ever created. 

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