Kopa

GENERATION: 9

SOURCE: Semi-Canon Character; based on "Kopa" from the "Six New Adventures" books

PARENTS: Saumu and Nala

ADOPTIVE PARENTS: Simba and Nasra

MATE: Deka

CHILDREN: Inaya

PERSONALITY: Pessimistic | Resentful | Somber | Kind-hearted | Soft | Respectful | Serious | Responsible | Gentle | Observant | Loyal | Trustworthy | Reserved
PHYSICALITY: Average

BIO:

Kopa is the only son of Nala and the rogue Saumu, who she comes across in her hunt for help to overthrow Scar. The male decides to help her find other lions to overthrow the tyrant king, but after months of wandering the two become seperated. Nala, assuming Saumu is lost to her forever, is delighted when she comes across her childhood friend Simba, and through her broken heart she finds it in herself to love again. Together, Simba and Nala win back the throne to the Pride Lands and are set to become King and queen of the lands.

Trouble strikes however, in Nala's buldging belly. She and Simba have not yet laid together as they cannot until they are officially married, as is tradition, and so the two immediately know that the cub simply cannot BE Simba's. Simba is hurt, but understands, and decides to adopt the child as his own regardless of whether or not it shares his blood. He was Nala's, and that was enough for Simba. When Kopa is born Simba raises his adopted son as his own, and decrees that for the first time in Pride Lands history, should anything happen to Simba or his future heirs, Kopa would be able to inherit the throne instead. This shocks and surprises everyone in the lands, as illegitimate cubs are often looked down upon in royalty and it is extremely rare for those unrelated to the royal family to have a place in line for the throne.

Tragedy comes across Kopa and his family, as soon after his little sister Kiara is born Nala is hunted and killed by the evil lioness Zira. Kopa is heartbroken, and is even more heartbroken that his father takes comfort in his aunt Nasra. Simba takes Nasra as his new wife and queen just a year later, and Kopa simply can't understand how his father could forget his mother so easily. What the young cub doesn't understand is that Simba is merely trying to fill a hole in his heart, and no matter how many times Simba tries to explain that just because he's married Nasra it doesn't mean he's replacing his mother, Kopa just cannot fathom it at all. He feels betrayed.

Kopa turns from adventurous and kind, to ill-tempered and surly. He had always been a respectful and well-mannered child, but now he was rude and inconsiderate. He starts flaunting the rules his parents set down for him, and he is constantly arguing back and forth with his parents. He begins to resent his little sister Kiara for viewing Nasra as her mother, even though she was simply too young to remember Nala. Many of the elders of the pride begin to whisper and compare Kopa to Scar, who also sought to be alone and had a similar temperment towards his parents and family. Things get even worse when Kiongozi is born, and Kopa outright refuses to acknowledge the young cub as family or even his brother. He's snappy and rude to Kion, and Simba begins to despair on what exactly to do with him.

Eventually Simba starts sending him away to spend time with his betrothed Deka, Malka's daughter, just to give the family time to breathe. While Kopa once liked these visits, he views them as ways for Simba to get rid of him. Eventually Kopa moves to the Dawn Lands full time, before he and his betrothed are even married, as Kopa has angrily decided that if his family don't want him around, then he doesn't want to be around THEM either. It is only with the passage of time (and many talks with his grandmother Sarabi), that Kopa begins to heal, and even miss his family. After ignoring Simba's messages for so long, Kopa begins to answer them back, and after a while he even agrees to come and visit.

He's more serious and level-headed than his wife Deka, and is great at defusing situations when they become too tense. He does not get along with his brother-in-law Lekan, Kiara's betrothed, and finds his overall presence unnerving. Kopa supports his sister when she decides to break the betrothal and marry Kovu instead. He and Deka have many falling outs over Kiara and Lekan's failed betrothal, as she is mad that he won't support how unfair it is to Lekan to stop everything now. Kopa refuses to support shoving his sister into a marriage with someone who clearly has no regard for her feelings or even who she is as a person, and almost fight Lekan himself when the other lion insists on challenging Kovu for the right to marry Kiara.

Toying with the idea of Nala calling him 'Fluffy' as a nickname. It sounds adorable to me <3

EDIT 2: Kopa's character has had a complete rehaul! I decided that my excuse for why Kopa, as first born, wasn't King was very lack-luster and didn't make much sense. I'd been toying with the idea of Kopa NOT being Simba's true son for a while now, and I finally have the courage to go through with it haha. He had a slight design change as well just to make him match up with his new father a bit more, but other than that he remains the same looks wise haha. You'll find out more of Saumu and Nala's relationship on Saumu's ref once I post it <3