Lions are majestic-looking creatures, but that is not the only reason Mufasa’s line ruled over the Pride Lands in The Lion King. While the original movies might have simply assumed that lions should be in charge, a more recent Disney project has elaborated on that premise by giving the kings a mystical superpower that ensures their right and ability to justly rule over the other animals — the Roar of the Elders.
For generations, the lions governed as a family. The king and queen ruled. The firstborn acted as the heir to prepare for the future, while the secondborn was given the role of protector. As such, the Great Lions of the Past bestowed the Roar of the Elders to the secondborn, so that he could ensure the safety of all the animals in the kingdom with their special powers.
The Roar of the Elders never appeared in the original Lion King movies because Mufasa only had one child. Therefore, Simba could not be both the prince and the leader of the Lion Guard. However, Scar, Mufasa’s younger brother, once held the power before using it for evil. It was taken from him after he tried to overtake the throne and murder his followers for their refusal to help him usurp Mufasa.
