"Black Panther" vs "The Lion King" characters

The characters in "Black Panther" and "The Lion King" share some similar character traits.

Be warned, SPOILERS ahead if you haven't caught "Black Panther" in cinemas!

"Black Panther", which was only released last week, has already made history in the movie industry. Not only has it grossed over USD361 million worldwide but it has also taken that important step forward towards diversity in movies since it mainly stars black actors and actresses.

The African vibe adds to this as we rarely see a movie that centers on the African culture and is proud to showcase its beauty. The only movie that comes to mind is probably 1994's Disney animated feature "The Lion King". Come to think of it, some of the characters from "Black Panther" and "The Lion King" are very much alike.

Let's take a look at the similarities between the characters from the two movies.

T'Challa / Black Panther vs. Simba

T'Challa and Simba are both heirs to the throne.

The similarities between these two protagonists are striking. Both lost their father and are destined to be king in order to lead the people. Although Simba does not have that cool vibranium Black Panther suit to intimidate his enemies, he makes up for it with his loud roar that is heard throughout the jungle, demanding respect.

Erik Stevens / Killmonger vs. Scar

Killmonger and Scar want the throne and are ready to kill if they have to.

Killmonger and Scar share the same attributes in their thirst for power. Killmonger wants a seat on the throne claiming he is the rightful heir after defeating our hero in the ritual combat and Scar wants to be king of the jungle and eliminates Mufasa. Plus, they literally have scars on them.

Nakia vs. Nala

Nakia and Nala are love interests to the main protagonists.

Nakia and Nala are both strong female characters that are helpful to our main protagonists' journey to rediscovery. They are also the love interests that play hard to get in the beginning of their relationship but eventually live happily together.

Zuri vs. Rafiki

Zuri and Rafiki are both wise and help their heroes through their spiritual journey.

What is similar about Zuri and Rafiki is that they are both the wise ones that other characters always seek for advices. They believe in the spiritual concept and use this to help T'Challa and Simba respectively on their path to righteousness.

T'Chaka vs. Mufasa

T'Chaka and Mufasa sadly died but still managed to guide their sons to become the leaders that they are now.

The protagonists' fathers unfortunately died before they could fully guide their sons to become the leaders they were born to be. Both the protagonists even experienced the same feeling first-hand when they witnessed their fathers cruelly killed.

Ramonda vs. Sarabi

Ramonda and Sarabi are their sons' beacon of support.

Mothers to the main protagonists, Ramonda and Sarabi act as the beacon of support to their respective children. They both lost their significant other and only have their sons to count on to lead their family.