In The Lion King, the struggle between good and evil is very, very real. It's good versus evil every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And here, "good" means "respect for all forms of life and all natural laws," while "evil" means "total disregard for pretty much everything except yourself."
At the beginning of the film, Mufasa—the good king—informs us that the animal kingdom exists in a delicate balance of plant and animal life, and that a good and just king knows and respects this most excellent of facts. When the kingdom is overtaken by Scar, everything pretty much goes to seed. Why? Because he has no respect for the natural order of things. Why? Because he's evil.
Questions about Good vs. Evil
- How does Simba come to understand who/what is good and who/what is evil?
- What characteristics help us distinguish evil characters from good ones?
- When in the film does the battle between good and evil see its climax?
Chew on This
In The Lion King, Scar's evil is the opposing force against which Simba defines his own goodness.
The ongoing battle between Scar and Mufasa is allegorical for the age-old struggle between good and evil.