Nala

"Worried about Kiara, or are you worried about your tribute?"

- Nala, Can't Wait to be Queen Nala is Simba's mate, the mother of Kiara and Kion, and the daughter-in-law of Mufasa. She is the reigning queen of the Pride Lands.

Appearance
Nala is a full grown lioness with a dark tawny coat, pale tawny muzzle and underbelly, turquoise eyes, and a very dark pink nose. The tuft at the end of her tail is brown. She is built somewhat more narrowly than Simba, and is slightly shorter. Unlike most lions, her paws are not paler than her primary fur color. In addition, the area between her eye and her eyebrow is paler than this color rather than darker. Nala has slender dark brown eyebrows.

Personality
Nala is assertive and determined, with a sense of responsibility. She is confident and always has faith in her loved ones, of whom she is very complimentary and encouraging. She never hesitates to offer her support when it is needed, and strives to keep her whole family happy. Despite her usually gentle demeanor, she is bold, sharp, and firm in the face of enemies, and though it is not her first choice, she will fight if she needs to. She is also calm and understanding.

Prior to The Lion Guard
Nala met Simba at some point in her life and became his best friend, and the two eventually had two cubs, Kiara and Kion.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
Nala is at Pride Rock after hearing her son's roar. She at first shocked to hear that the intense roar was Kion's, but Rafiki assures her that it was and declares that it is time. Simba is hesitant, explaining that he wants more time to prepare Kion, but Nala tells him that he just ran out of time. She reassures him to listen to the mandrill and walks away, leaving Simba to have a word with his son.

Later, when she hears that the hyenas are attacking the gazelles, she is surprised to see that Kion and his friends are taking care of it. Once the Lion Guard sends Janja and his clan packing, Nala proudly declares that Kion is her and Simba's son. However, the gazelles soon begin to stampede, charging right towards Kiara, who was awaiting her parents' return. Nala cries out in concern, but thanks to Bunga and Fuli, Kiara is rescued and returned to her parents safely. Nala nuzzles her daughter, relieved that she is safe, and casts Simba a knowing look when Kiara remarks that Kion knew what he was doing when he chose his friends for the Guard. As Kion lets out a final roar to drive off the hyenas, Nala quietly whispers his name, then turns to Simba as he acknowledges that it is time for the Lion Guard.

The Rise of Makuu
Nala is seen on Pride Rock with her mate and children, as she hears about Makuu's challenge. She reminds Kion that Simba had to fight Scar to regain leadership of the Pride Lands. She joins the rest of her family later in the day as they witness the Mashindano, sharing Kion's concern when Pua loses to Makuu. After that, she and Simba go out hunting, leaving Kiara in charge of Pride Rock.

Can't Wait to be Queen
Nala, along with Simba and Zazu, leaves Kiara in charge of Pride Rock in order to attend a funeral of an elephant named Aminifu ovr at Kilio Valley. Simba expresses concern of leaving Kiara as temporary queen, but Nala believes that he is more concerned about the tribute than their daughter, as as part of the tribute, Simba has to speak in Elephantese to which Zazu offers to teach Simba.

Later, Nala urges Zazu to explain more about the better tasks of being King, when Simba begins to doubt his position as King and is tired of his duties. Nala later comforts Simba when he gets angry at struggling to master Elephantese.

Eventually, Nala, Simba and Zazu reach Kilio Valley and see elephants cover Aminifu's body. Nala nuzzles Simba sadly, before joining the elephants. At the funeral, Simba gives his tribute, but accidentally says "he had poop on him" instead of "he had good on him" in Elephantese, which concerns Nala and Zazu, but the elephants laugh, with Aminifu's daughter, Ma Tembo, taking it in good faith.

After the funeral, Nala returns to Pride Rock with Simba and Zazu and is asked by Kiara about how the tribute went. Simba is hesitant to answer, but Nala tells her daughter that it went great in the end.

The Kupatana Celebration
Nala is seen with her family at the Kupatana Celebration. She silently watches the Pride Landers celebrate and later watches as they eat the flowers of the baobab tree next to Kiara and Simba.

Fuli's New Family
Nala, Kiara, Tiifu, Zuri, Kion, and Fuli are practicing hunting in the Pride Lands. Nala supervises them and compliments Kiara on her tracking skills, revealing to Fuli that there was never any intention of actually killing any animals. She further explains that Kiara is still in training.

Bunga and the King
Nala and her family are on route to view the first elephant concert of the season, hosted by Ma Tembo and her herd in Mizimu Grove. After Kion and Kiara run off, Simba asks Nala, "Shall we?" Nala remarks to Simba that they needn't race. As they make their way over, Ono swoops down from the sky to alert Kion to a group of antelope that have gotten themselves stuck in the mud. Nala tells him that keeping the animals of the Pride Lands safe is his duty. Reluctantly, Kion decides that his role as leader of the Lion Guard takes precedence over his social life, and he leaves to sort out the problem.

The family continue their journey, with Kiara running ahead. As she does so, Simba starts to notice the ground shaking. He and Nala call for her to get uphill, but it turns out their warning of a sinkhole is too late. Simba rushes over, flinging Kiara over to Nala, who grabs her in turn. Just as she attempts to run, the sinkhole emerges. Whilst she and Kiara make it safely to high ground with Simba pushing them up, Simba himself finds himself unable to hold on, and tumbles into the sinkhole, causing his mate and daughter great worry.

Simba soon emerges from a clump of rocks. He confirms that he's okay, although he is unable to climb out, as there is nothing to climb onto. Ono then leads Kion to the sinkhole, where he asks his mother if his father is okay. She confirms that he is, and that he is indeed stuck. Suddenly, Bunga, Beshte and Fuli appear having completed their mission. Without thinking, Bunga leaps past Nala and over the sinkhole, causing him to plummet down and land softly on Simba's mane.

When Beshte tries to see how deep the hole is, it begins to expand. Nala calls for everyone to get back and runs. Kiara is saved by Fuli after almost falling in. Nala concernedly asks her daughter if she is all right and nudges her gently. After Bunga's attempts to save them fail, Simba tells Nala to go on ahead to the concert with Kiara, knowing that Kion will save him soon. Nala is hesitant, but agrees nonetheless.

Later at Mizimu Grove, the elephants finish their concert, with Kiara and Nala applauding their hard work. Nala apologizes for Simba's absence, though Ma Tembo is understanding, pleased that they came regardless. Just then, Simba arrives with Timon, Pumbaa and the Lion Guard in tow, apologizing himself for his late arrival. Bunga causes confusion when he regards himself as 'brother to the king', and further confuses Kiara by telling her to call him 'uncle Bunga'. Nala questions what happened, though Simba brushes it off as being 'quite an adventure'. He thanks the herd for their patience, though since he missed it, he decides to sing a song dear to his family. Together, the royal family and the Lion Guard sing Hakuna Matata to Ma Tembo's herd, which delights them.

The Imaginary Okapi
When Kion presents Ajabu to Simba and Nala and explains that the okapi requires their blessing to remain in the Pride Lands, Nala remarks that he may stay as long as he'd like and that they would be happy to have him there.

Baboons!
Simba and Nala are mentioned to have tasked their daughter Kiara with presiding over The Royal Buffalo Wallow.

Never Roar Again
Janja and his clan are in the Pride Lands, and Nala confronts their leader from atop a rock, asking what he's doing. Janja feigns puzzlement, but Nala leaps down and sharply tells him the direction of the Outlands, ordering him to go. Chungu is intimidated, but Janja is not. He notes that she's alone and outnumbered, but Nala only slinks into a crouch, challenging Janja if he really wants to fight. When the hyena attacks, she dodges his leap, but the clan now has her surrounded. She swats at Janja and Cheezi, then cowers back. Kion arrives, and Nala cries his name as she hops back to avoid Chungu, then Nne. He uses the Roar of the Elders to blast the hyenas away as Nala flattens herself to the ground. Once the Roar is over, Nala is on her paws, glaring in the direction of the Outlands. Kion approaches her and nudges her after she thanks him. But Kion's Roar comes surging back, and though Nala flees, the ground beneath her splits, causing her to fall into a ravine. She clings to a ledge and makes her way back up with Kion's help, finally sitting and nuzzling Kion gratefully. Kion's friends rush over, and Nala assures them that they're fine. Kion later seeks out Nala, explaining how he felt when he saw her under attack. She interrupts him, reminding him that she was there. Kion asks if she can forgive him, and Nala stands, surprised, telling him as she ruffles his mane that there’s nothing to forgive, for he saved her life. He brings up her falling into the gorge caused by the earthquake the Roar resulted in, but Nala smiles and states that he got her out. Kion finally confesses that he’s been too frightened to use the Roar ever since the incident, to which Nala replies that the Roar is a part of him that he can’t stop using. Kion frets about the possibility of hurting someone again, but Nala lifts his chin and nuzzles him, remarking that she trusts him. Ono arrives and asks them to follow him, leading them to The Flood Plains, which have been taken over by Makuu's Fleet. At The Flood Plains, Nala informs Makuu that all Pride Landers are welcome in the area, and Kion adds that they must leave if they will not share. Makuu does not back down, and Nala glares at him, but is pulled into the water by two crocodiles. Floundering behind the crocodiles, she advises Kion to trust himself. By following her advice, Kion discovers a new way to use the Roar, forcing the crocodiles away whilst leaving his mother unharmed. Once the fleet is gone, Nala paddles back to the shallows. Kion realizes that he only needed to have faith in himself, causing Nala to declare that she’s always had faith in him. They nuzzle affectionately once more.

The Trail to Udugu
Kiara brags to her brother that her mother has been teaching her how to track. Nearby, Nala watches her children with her mate, commenting that their daughter's tracking skills are improving. When Simba observes how evenly matched they are, Nala claims that they are ready. They approach their children and Nala explains that the two cubs will be taking the trail to Udugu with her, a trip which all members royal siblings take during their life. Curious, the children question the whereabouts of Udugu, but his mother tells him that they'll see. Soon, the trio are walking across the Pride Lands, with Nala commenting that they don't spend enough time together. The cubs speculate about what could be waiting for them at Udugu, and soon start racing each other to get there. The two use a couple of tactics to slow the other down, and Nala comments on how they would compete over anything, to which they agree. She rolls her eyes and tells the cubs that they have a long way to go, and they continue their journey. As Nala, Kion and Kiara walk through a canyon, Kion asks his mother where Udugu is. Nala replies that it's hard to find, and Kiara taunts her brother by saying that she'll find it first. The two cubs start chasing one another and run off ahead. Noticing the danger ahead, Nala cries out to her cubs but is too late. The two cubs try to stop, but they almost fall off a cliff. Nala arrives and calmly places her children back on safe ground, telling them with disappointment that that is not the way to Udugu. Nala then leads her children to a thorn bush. Kion questions if it's really the way, and Kiara tells her mother that she can probably find an easier path if she tells her where it is. Nala assures her children that there is no easy path to Udugu, but there is a way to get past the thorns. She lifts up one of the thorn branches, and her children hurry inside. Kion is certain that he can get past the thorns by crawling under them, but gets hurt doing so. Nala tells him that his way wasn't correct, and Kiara agrees, instead choosing to go over the thorns. When Kiara also hurts herself in the process, Nala tells her children that she doesn't believe either of them are understanding her, and walks away without them noticing. The two cubs continue on their separate paths for a bit but soon notice their mother's absence and retreat back to the clearing. They call out for her, but Nala hides behind a bush. Smiling, she comments that they're truly on their way to Udugu. Eventually, the cubs manage to find their mother using teamwork. When Kiara reaches the top of a ledge, she is shocked to see her mother just waiting for them. Nala calls to her son and leaps down to him, where he affectionately nuzzles her before asking where she went and that he thought she was going to lead them to Udugu. Nala explains that she believes they have already found it, and after a bit of confusion, Kion asks if it was the big rock. Nala tells him that it isn't, and asks Kiara to come down so that she can explain. Kiara does so, and joins her brother in front of their mother. Nala explains that Udugu is another word for kinship, and that by working together, they have found it. Back at Pride Rock, Simba asks his children if they found Udugu whilst Nala watches proudly. They explain that they did, but it isn't really a place - it's about them working together. He tells them that the lesson is very important for them and leads them to the edge of Pride Rock, with Nala following close behind. He goes on to say that, as queen of the Pride Lands and leader of the Lion Guard, they will be responsible for all of the Pride Lands. The royal family gaze out at the Pride Lands, and Nala urges them to hold onto what they learnt that day, so that they will always have Udugu.

Ono's Idol
She appears with Simba, having heard of the stories about Hadithi, and wishes to give him the honor of placing his talons in The Royal Mudprint Ceremony.

Family
Nala's Father: Father

Scar: Uncle-In-Law

Mufasa: Father-In-Law

Simba: Mate

Kiara: Daughter

Kion: Son

Trivia

 * Although not named, Nala's father was revealed in Paintings and Predictions.