The Death of Scar

(The Lion King was on last night... and I came across this intriguing article) 

Scar, former king and royal subsidiary of Pride Rock died yesterday.  He was forty-one years old.  Authorities report that the official cause of death was coronary failure.  However, witnesses cite the hyena-riot and subsequent mauling as the catalyst for the heart attack. 

The death of Scar was the culmination of a political coup d'état and familial tensions brought on by the sudden and surprised return of the deceased’s nephew Simba.  “We all thought he was dead.  Like I forgot that Sarabi even had a kid,” one family member commented.  “Everything happened so fast.  One moment I was like, ‘hey Simba’s back’ and then the next moment Scar is dead and my house was on fire.  That’s the type of stuff you see on COPS.”

The family is not new to controversy.  Years earlier the patriarch of the family Mufasa was found dead after a wildebeest stampede.   Despite suspicions of foul play, authorities were unable to construct a case and assumed Mufasa’s death to be second-degree manslaughter.  “We could only show that it was a case of hit-and-run,” said the former district attorney, who was forced to resign due to public outcry.

The constituents of Pride Rock find Scar’s death to be bittersweet; the reactions have been quite polarizing.  Many considered his economic strategy to be lacking.  “The job market and housing developments were not the best.  In fact, some may say appalling,” said one analyst.  However, his bipartisanship and stance on civil rights gave him favor in the eyes of the marginalized.  “Was Scar a money-makin man? No,” reminisced a hyena. “But did he care about us?  Yeah he did.  For better or worse.  Did Mufasa feed us?  Sure.  But what good is food when you’re being ostracized from society?  Mufasa was a racist.  You can print that.” 

Others voice concern on his replacement and the new administration.  “Simba may have the bloodlines for political office, but it’s only fair to question his experience.  It has literally only been hours since we believed him to be dead,” said one public figure.  “His youth is unprecedented, and his lifestyle prior, leaves one to question if he is really fitted for the responsibilities of kingship.  These next few weeks will be critical, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Simba and other close family members were unable to be reached for comment.  Concerning the fire and subsequent casualties authorities are continuing to investigate.  The number of casualties is officially reported at 13, and there are some who remain unaccounted so the number is expected to rise.  The victim’s identities have yet to be released until all families have been informed.

Funeral services for Scar will be scheduled at the end of the week.  He is survived by sister-in-law Sarabi and nephew Simba.  He is preceded in death by his brother Mufasa.