Music and the Fictive Dream: "Love Will Find a Way" from The Lion King 2

Film Background

    The 1990s produced some of the most innovative movies to date, with a notable content producer being Disney Animation Studios. The defining elements of this decade were mature themes and intricate plot lines, and Disney took this a step further as they portrayed these components in a manner suitable for children. One of their most critically acclaimed examples of this was The Lion King (1994). Drawing on Shakespeare's Hamlet, the film follows Simba's journey after losing his father, the king, as he develops into a leader worthy of reclaiming his father's title from the usurper, his villainous uncle, Scar. Following the events of this movie, he returns to the screen to face the dissenters who remain loyal to Scar after the political upheaval, in the film's lesser known sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998). Despite Simba's character arc providing a basis for the sequel, it focuses on Simba's daughter, Kiara, and the identity crisis she faces as her royal upbringing conflicts with who she decides to be when she falls in love with Kovu, the son of Simba's rival and fanatical follower of Scar, Zira. With the beautiful star-crossed lovers arc this film re-envisions another of Shakespeare's most famous plays, Romeo and Juliet (Sandell). 

Plot Overview

   For this particular retelling, Kovu and Kiara are born of warring prides. Kovu was raised and rigorously trained by his mother, Zira, to be Scar’s chosen heir, whereas Kiara is Simba’s sheltered heir. Kovu grew callous as he struggled through each day in the desolate outlands. In contrast, Kiara grew up loved and cared for, but Simba had sheltered her in such a way that she lacked the necessary life skills to become independent. Though their territories were divided, they accidentally met as children, which inspired Zira to use Kiara as a route for Kovu to get close enough to dethrone Simba. At Zira’s instruction, Kovu infiltrated Simba’s Pride by saving Kiara from a wildfire that the Outsiders had orchestrated as a trap for her. Once inside, he agrees to teach Kiara how to hunt, so that she can finally become independent after spending her whole life tucked under her father’s overprotective shadow. In return, she tells him the truth about the horrors Scar inflicted during his reign, which proved Zira’s account to be completely inaccurate, and she teaches him what it means to feel loved and enjoy life. Thus, Kovu refuses to kill Simba once he finally gets the opportunity. Upon hearing this, Zira makes a plan to kill Simba and ruin Kovu’s reputation in the pride. Simba narrowly escapes, but not before Zira can reveal Kovu’s initial involvement in the scheme. Once Simba has fled, she blames Kovu for his brother dying during the pursuit, scars his face, and disowns him. He returns to Pride Rock to beg forgiveness. However, Simba refuses to listen and publicly banishes him. Kiara sneaks out after him, and they each must face their inner turmoil as they seek out a way to be together despite their origins. This Shakespearean dynamic is especially evident in the ballad “Love Will Find a Way” where Kovu and Kiara overcome their hesitancy and confess their love despite the exterior forces that are attempting to drive them apart. 

“Love Will Find a Way”

Composer: Tom Snow

Country of Origin: United States of America

Released: Oct. 28, 1998

Musical Elements

The song's lyrics and dynamics convey the vulnerability and inner resolution the characters feel as they are reunited. Kiara expresses herself first, and she solemnly acknowledges that while she “may not be brave or strong or smart” she is sure of how she feels for Kovu. The soft instruments accompanying her demonstrate how lonely she feels without him. The volume swells as they get closer to each other, and her voice grows stronger and bolder as she realizes that she will find him again. Her self reflection revealed that all of the qualities that she lacked in herself had been fulfilled by Kovu, which means that together they will be whole enough to conquer any obstacle. As the next verse shifts to Kovu’s perspective, we see that he actually finds her before she notices him. He is presented with a choice at this time to pursue her or flee, and the choice is difficult as he worries that their relationship will never be what it was before she knew what he had done. He expresses his apprehension directly by explaining, 

“I was so afraid 

 but now I realize 

 love is never wrong 

and so it never dies”. 

He recognizes the weight of what he has done, but the very fact that she left everything behind to go out in search of him means that she still wants to be with him. This moment captures his respect for her emotional maturity, as she is the only one who loved and understood him enough to forgive him. This is the stable source of joy and caring that he lacked growing up, and she is the only one that makes him feel alive. He had the skills to survive on his own, but, after knowing Kiara, he wanted more. She made him realize that life goes beyond power and survival, but there is a need for true companionship. For his entire solo both the volume of his voice and the music remain constant to exemplify the incomplete, boring existence that he faces without her, but, once they are reunited, both his voice and the instruments swell to demonstrate that he has found his purpose in life again. Together, they are everything that they have ever needed, and they break free of the social barriers and flaws that they were previously burdened with as they dedicate their lives to each other. Without the weight of their prior mistakes and their pride growing conflict they realize they have become more than they were before.

Social Impact

They use their new understanding to unite their pride by interrupting the battle that had broken out once Zira launched a spontaneous attack on the Pride Lands before Simba could recover from the previous ambush. Kovu and Kiara make it just in time to stop their parents from tearing each other apart, facing them and explaining what they have realized. They explain that even though the Outsiders are generally darker and leaner than the plump golden physiques of those left in the Pridelands, they are the same creature beneath the skin. There was a time that these lions knew each other intimately before their political ideologies separated them. Ultimately, their differences actually meant that together they could form a stronger and more well rounded pride if they joined forces. Acknowledging different opinions rather than casting them out makes the pride more resilient, and they ultimately end up unifying. What makes this story so interesting is that each character's mistake was a part of them doing what they thought was just. But that makes deciding right and wrong so much more complicated, which is the exact dilemma that Kovu and Kiara faced. Zira was wrong to support the corrupt system that Scar had established, just as Simba was wrong to deny Kiara the opportunity to make mistakes and learn. They were seeking a way to sustain their children and their prides, which is completely understandable, however, neither of them knew how to carry this out. Each character made mistakes in seeking what they felt to be a noble cause, but the consequences were really enforced on their children as they suffered in the divided land. This is the element that brings their love story to new levels because even in the case of Romeo and Juliet the familial feud held no basis. Hence why director Darrel Rooney addressed these details with, “It’s the biggest love story we have. The difference is that you understand the position of the parents in this film in a way you never did in the Shakespeare play” (Wikipedia Contributors). Extending this beyond the realm of the lions, we see this in our own society as we continue to draw harsh lines and we shun people around us who have differing opinions. Rather than making visual assumptions, we see in The Lion King 2 that getting to know each other despite our differences can make us stronger too.

My Reaction to the Film

Despite my adventurous disposition as a child, I was always a romantic. When I saw this movie I felt like nothing could compare to the action, the betrayal, the music, and especially the love story. It was so whimsical and yet so dark that I was instantly enraptured by the film. The battles were absolutely thrilling, and the story felt like a dream. Zira was a heinous villain who remained loyal to her cause even as everyone else stood against, and Simba was an amazing leader who made mistakes as a parent. It was so beautifully complex with so many mind blowing parallels to the original film that I thought it impossible to ever find a better movie. Watching Kiara and Kovu redefine who they were supposed to be made me feel so limitless, and watching them fulfill their destinies the way they wanted inspired me to make my own way in the world. I have not always done things conventionally, but I am very happy with where I have gotten myself, and rewatching this movie always makes me feel like I am someone that my younger self would look up to.

Works Cited

jpgnexus. ““Love Will Find a Way” - the Lion King 2.” YouTube, 1 May 2006, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XhufW7-c_k. Accessed 17 Nov. 2020.

Sandell, Rachel. ““The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride” Is an Underrated Disney Sequel.” Collider, 18 Mar. 2022, collider.com/lion-king-2-underrated-disney-sequel/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

The Lion King. Directed by Robb Minkoff and Rodger Allers, Walt Disney Pictures, 15 June 1994.

The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride. Directed by Darrel Rooney, Walt Disney Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 27 Oct. 1998.

Wikipedia Contributors. “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King_II:_Simba%27s_Pride. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.