Mufasa: The Lion King‘s use of Kiara was disappointing, but the next movie in the Lion King franchise could make it all worth it. The news that Simba and Nala’s daughter would be called Kiara in the 2024 prequel movie was rather exciting since it implied that the CGI pH๏τorealistic Lion King franchise would continue along the same canon as its animated predecessor. Kiara was the primary character of the 1998 movie The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, so it was thought that Mufasa: The Lion King might follow a similar plotline. However, this wasn’t the case.

Mufasa: The Lion King serves as both a prequel and a sequel. It picked up after the events of The Lion King, as Simba and Nala left Pride Rock to give birth to their second cub. As they did this, they left Kiara in the care of Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki. Since Kiara was frightened by a brewing storm, the trio took to storytelling to distract the cub. The bulk of Mufasa: The Lion King brought Rafiki’s story about Mufasa’s origins to life on the screen, which means that Kiara herself wasn’t much of a focus. Given her Simba’s Pride role, this was a bit disappointing.

Kiara Only Had A Small Role In Mufasa After Her The Lion King Introduction

Kiara’s Role In The 2024 Movie Was Negligible

For the most part, Kiara’s character only listened to Rafiki’s story about Mufasa and laughed at Timon and Pumbaa’s antics in Mufasa: The Lion King. She had a small personal character arc, but it was only meant to emphasize the themes and lessons of young Mufasa’s story. The reason Rafiki chose to tell her about her grandfather was because she was frightened of the storms outside. Kiara believed that her father or the legendary Mufasa would have been unbothered by the lightning and loud thunder, but Rafiki proved otherwise with his story.

At the end of Mufasa: The Lion King, Kiara took inspiration from Rafiki’s story about Mufasa and went outside to face the storm. As she roared into the rain and lightning, she saw Mufasa in the grey clouds roaring back at her. It was a sweet reminder of the lesson Simba learned in The Lion King—that his father lived on in him and would, therefore, always be watching out for him. Mufasa: The Lion King puts meaningful emphasis on the power of family and generations. Still, this wasn’t the story we wanted for Kiara. Ultimately, her character was negligible, but the stage is set for that to change.

Mufasa Still Did A Good Job Of Setting Up Kiara’s Lion King Future

The Lessons Kiara Learned From Mufasa’s Story Can Carry Her Forward

Though Kiara’s role in Mufasa: The Lion King was a bit disappointing, it’s still better that her character was introduced. At the very least, this sets the stage for further The Lion King stories. It’s difficult to say whether Disney will ever adapt The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride exactly, but the continuation of Mufasa’s line (and the general success of Mufasa: The Lion King) all but guaranteed that there will be more movies added to the CGI Lion King franchise going forward. This will be much easier to do now that Mufasa established a foundation for this version of Kiara’s character.

While there is still a lot to learn about Kiara, Mufasa: The Lion King has effectively demonstrated that this cub is very similar to her father and grandfather. She isn’t naturally fearless but uses the examples of those who came before her to face her fears. More than likely, future Lion King movies will follow Kiara as she learns what it means to be a good ruler. Additionally, this future queen of the Pride Lands will surely have to face the ghosts of both Mufasa and Simba’s past. Since Mufasa: The Lion King introduced the villainous Outsiders, it certainly appears as if this will tie into Simba’s Pride.

Kiara Will Have A Much Bigger Role In The Next Lion King Movie If It Adapts Simba’s Pride

The Door Is Wide Open For Disney To Adapt The Lion King’s 1998 Sequel

If the next Lion King movie is based on The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, it would bring all the elements of Mufasa: The Lion King together. Kiara is the protagonist, who quickly grows up and ultimately meets an Outsider named Kovu. The 2025 prequel introduced its own version of the Outsiders. In Simba’s Pride, these were lions who had been loyal to Scar during his rule and were exiled when Simba returned and reclaimed his throne. This was changed by Mufasa: The Lion King, where the Outsiders are white lions who were exiled from dozens of prides across the African continent.

Since Rafiki told Kiara the story about Mufasa and the Outsiders, she would know in The Lion King II that these white lions have a dark history at Pride Rock. Simba would also know this, so his role in the 1998 movie would likely remain the same. In the animated version, Simba is anxious about Kiara’s independence and is especially untrusting of Kovu. It’s ultimately up to Simba to put his prejudice aside and focus on unity rather than division. However, it’s Kiara’s influence that leads the тιтular lion king to this decision. If the same happens in the next movie, it would make up for Kiara’s disappointing Mufasa role.

The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride Can Make Up For Mufasa’s Disappointing Kiara Usage

Perhaps This Was The Plan All Along

Mufasa: The Lion King was a great continuation of its 2019 predecessor for various reasons. However, it didn’t deliver on our hopes after learning that Kiara would be a feature. This character was fierce and exciting in The Lion King II, to the point that she was even more likable than Simba had been in The Lion King. While we saw the start of this in the 2024 sequel/prequel, the underutilization of Kiara’s character didn’t allow for a satisfying payoff. Of course, there is still time for future The Lion King movies to make up for this fact.

Mufasa: The Lion King emphasized Kiara’s role as the descendant of Mufasa. The movie created a magical connection between these two characters, and this could make a remake of The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride more powerful. In a sense, with the story of Mufasa now added to the Lion King franchise, Kiara’s role in any future movie has been made more meaningful. So, while it will take some patience, Kiara’s disappointing role in Mufasa: The Lion King could potentially become worth it. All the players are in place for a fantastic continuation of the legacy Mufasa started.