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Though for me they're both formidable villains with their own aspects, I have to say that Scar was a much better villain.

He killed Mufasa for starters, without even having blood on his paws. He manipulated the entire pride to believe that Mufasa's death was an accident, and told Simba that his father's death was his own fault, leading to Simba to develop a heroic blue screen of death (BSOD = http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeroicBSOD). And this seemed to last for years since the next time we see Simba he's an adult, so probably around four-five years of age (since that's when lions reach their maturity). Now imagine for five years blaming yourself for your own father's death? Imagine how much psychological damage Simba received from that? Not only that, but when Simba returned Scar tried to turn the rest of the pride against Simba (and it probably would've succeeded if Scar hadn't slipped up).

Zira was insane, simple as that. She wanted to avenge Scar no matter what the cost was, even being abusive of her own cubs (Nuka definitely comes to mind). Cunning though her plan was to manipulate Simba's pride by accepting Kovu, and then have Kovu murder Simba in a moment of weakness, it doesn't match up to Scar's achievement, and overall her impact on the characters was hardly much compared to Scar's.

Zira was a good villain, but not really one that had an impact. Scar was definitely the better villain overall.

Zira was a better villain!! She was one scary LIon!

Okay change of opinion. Checking out most reviews and watching the movies twice this week I realize scar just might have been better. But I still can't decide.

My choice would be Zira as I thought she was alot more darker and meaner than Scar. I mean yes Scar used the hyenas to help kill Mufasa, but Zira used her own cubs to fight off Simba. Just look at how she used Kovu such a nice cub and she turned him into a monster until he changed back again. Plus I agree how she only showed Nuka any concern when he was dying. And she uses Vitani to start the fire with Nuka.

Lis

It's weird. The majority of people pick scar as the better villain when i never really found him as freaky as Zira. Though Scar was manipulative and spooky in a way

Well, with Scar, there's room to work with and pick him as the better villian. With Zira... all we know of her is that she wants revenge for the death of Scar and she wants back in the Pridelands. But the million dollar question is why she, her children, and the Outlander lionesses were banished in the first place.

Simba's Pride doesn't explain why.

That's a good point Brown Wolf.

Lis

zira . she was more dark then scar.

Scar killed his own brother and tried to kill Simba twice, or four times if you count the two times he had hanging on the edge of Pride Rock and tried to finish him off when he was on his back on the bigger stone. Killing your own flesh and blood... that's as dark as it gets.

Of course Zira threatened to kill Vitani near the end of the second film, but never did.

Threat and action are not one and the same. Scar is more darker. But I think I've already said that.

Well I think zira was more of a villain two reasons one she wants to avenge scar and revenge dosent slove anything two she beat her true born son aka nuka.

I agree with everything DakotaWereWolf stated.
Plus, I'd like to point out that all Zira really was-was just the ultimate fan-girl of Scar, sort of speak. :p

Scar was the true-mastermind behind every terrible plot that ticked inside Zira's brain - everything she did was for Scar.

She was devoted to Scar's purpose. Not the other way around. She just wanted to finish the work of Scar, that he didn't complete.

So, in my opinion. Comparing these two are like comparing Harley Quinn to Joker from Batman. (Yes, I know it's a BIT of an exaggeration, but if you really think about it, it's not that far from the truth).


Think of it like: Would Zira still be evil without Scar? Probably not, for the whole thing she did WAS for Scar.
Would Scar still be evil without Zira? D'uh! xD