A Marxist Mini-Critique of Scar's Rallying Cry

At the end of the 20^th century, the Walt Disney Animation Studio was in the midst of a Renaissance. Their new Broadway-style of films were consistently popular and critical hits. In 1994, one of the most enduringly popular of these films was released: The Lion King.

While The Lion King is filled with a lovely cast of characters, perhaps the most intriguing is Scar, the film’s antagonist. Scar is the younger brother of the king, Mufasa, and therefore next in line to the throne until Mufasa’s heir, Simba, is born, which is the event that begins the film. Immediately after this jubilant scene, the film cuts to Scar, brooding in a cave.

Thus, the conflict of the film is introduced: Scar wants power, and he is bitter about his lack thereof. As Simba grows, so does Scar’s contempt. Finally, his hatred culminates in a plan to dispose of the two standing in his way of power, a plan which he spells out to his minions, the hyenas, in the musical number, “Be Prepared,” widely recognized as one of the best villain songs ever.

Though it is structured in this way, Scar’s actual endgame is not to make the hyenas understand his plan, but to rally them to his cause so that they will provide their assistance. He does this by convincing them that his rule is in their best interest, as it will lift them to the top of the food chain by letting them rule with him. All that Scar desires from them is their undisputed loyalty: “Of course, quid pro quo, you’re expected / to take certain duties on board.”

A few times during his speech, the hyenas attempt to question Scar, but he shuts them down each time. As Scar reveals his visions of his own future station of grandeur, Shenzi, one of the hyenas, asks, “And where do we feature?” Scar cuts her off, blowing off her question, saying “Just listen to teacher.” Leading up to this, Scar has been establishing the entire hyena species as unintelligent, making it easier to marginalize them. The first three stanzas of his speech/song is entirely devoted to this, and he calls hyenas such things as “crude and unspeakably plain” and says their “powers of retention / Are as wet as a warthog’s backside.” By creating this “false consciousness,” which is described by Craig R. Smith as “controlling ideologies… [that] are not properly grounded in the social and productive condition,” Scar convinces them that they are inferior, effectively taking away their voices (Rhetoric and Human Consciousness 299). Smith states that the illusions of “false consciousness” “are an outgrowth of the material interests of those in power” (299). After he has the hyenas following him unquestioningly, he accentuates the point that because of their stupidity, they need him to lead them if they want to succeed: “The future is littered with prizes / And though I’m the main addressee, / The point that I must emphasize is / You won’t get a sniff without me!” While asserting that they are a worthless species, Scar promises them all the glory he will receive if they follow his plan for “the coup of the century.” After Scar demoralizes the hyenas, removing their agency, he offers them this salvation; they can follow him, and together they will rule the savannah.