The film opens with Rafiki (Robert Guillaume) gathering the animals of the Pride Lands together for the presentation of Simba (Matthew Broderick) and Nala’s (Moira Kelly) new daughter Kiara. Mufasa's spirit (James Earl Jones) watches over the ceremony. Later, Simba becomes very over-protective of an older Kiara (Michelle Horn), and to her dismay, he assigns Timon and Pumbaa (Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella) to be her babysitters. One day while they are arguing, Kiara sneaks into the "Outlands" where she meets Scar's heir, a young cub named Kovu (Ryan O'Donohue). After escaping a river filled with crocodiles, the two become friendly, but Simba and, Kovu's mother, Zira (Suzanne Pleshette), find them and quickly end their playing. During a tense face-off, Zira reminds Simba that he exiled the Outsiders, and notes that if he wants to punish them, Kovu is Scar's hand-chosen successor. Unwilling to harm the cub, Simba orders them to leave and later scolds Kiara for endangering herself. In the Outlands, Zira's elder son, Nuka (Andy Dick), complains to his younger sister Vitani (Lacey Chabert) about Kovu's status as "the Chosen One" — the cub chosen by Scar to lead the pride after he was gone. At that moment, Zira returns and scolds both of her sons, but then decides that she can use Kovu's new friendship with Kiara to get her revenge against Simba.