|
 |
| Lions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Physical characteristics | |||
| Hair color |
Black, brown, cream, orange, and red | ||
| Eye color |
Black, blue, green, purple, red, and yellow | ||
| Distinctions |
• Claws | ||
| Sociocultural characteristics | |||
| Habitat |
• Jungle | ||
| Dominions |
• Pride Lands | ||
| Diet |
• Antelope | ||
| Notable members |
| ||
| “ | ” |
Lions are a species of animal native to the Pride Lands and the Tree of Life. They serve as monarchs in both dominions.
History[]
Foundation of the Pride Lands[]
The lions of the Pride Lands have ruled the kingdom for generations, with each firstborn of the reigning monarch succeeding their parent as the ruler of Pride Rock. They have generally fought to keep the Circle of Life in balance and prevent evil forces from corrupting their kingdom.[1]
Dawn of the Lion Guard[]
| “ | ” |
The lion Askari discovered a mythical power known as the Roar of the Elders at Cikha Escarpment and trained relentlessly to master its power.[2] Eventually, he founded the Pride Lands' first Lion Guard, a policing force composed of the kingdom's fiercest, bravest, strongest, fastest, and keenest of sight.[3]
Rival pride invasion[]
| “ | ” |
At some point, a pride of evil lions attempted to take over the Pride Lands, nearly destroying it in the process. However, Askari's Lion Guard thwarted their efforts by working together.[4]
Peace with the elephants[]
| “ |
|
” |
Askari established a historic treaty of peace with the elephants, which led to an everlasting kinship between the elephants and lions of the Pride Lands. This event came to be known as the Ukumbusho Tradition and was celebrated annually by the Pride Landers.[3]
Scar's Lion Guard[]
| “ | ” |
Scar turns on his Lion Guard.
Generations later, the second-born son of the reigning monarch, Scar, became the leader of the Lion Guard. A rogue lion tempted him to betray his older brother, Mufasa, and take the throne of Pride Rock for himself. However, when the rogue lion employed a cobra to bite Scar, then held the venom over the young prince's head, Scar killed him in fury.[5]
Later, Scar tried to overthrow Mufasa, but his Lion Guard refused. Enraged, he used the Roar of the Elders to kill them. Since he had used his power for evil,[6] he lost the Roar forever.[7]
Simba's presentation[]
| “ | ” |
Eventually, Mufasa and his mate, Sarabi, had a son, whom they named Simba. One day, they gathered their subjects at Pride Rock to pay homage to the newborn prince. Rafiki, the kingdom's Royal Mjuzi, held Simba up on the promontory of Pride Rock for all the Pride Landers to see, and they bowed before their future king.
After the ceremony, Mufasa confronted Scar for his absence at the ceremony, but Scar merely lamented having lost his place as first-in-line to the throne.[1]
Simba's cubhood[]
| “ |
|
” |
Mufasa teaches his son, Simba, about the Circle of Life.
Over the seasons, Simba grew into a cub. One morning, Mufasa showed him the Pride Lands from the summit of Pride Rock and informed him that he would one day become the king. Leading Simba out into the grasslands, Mufasa explained that nature existed in a delicate balance and that Simba needed to understand that balance in order to be a good ruler. In the face of Simba's confusion, Mufasa pointed out that their bodies became the grass when they died and that the antelope ate the grass; therefore, they were all connected in the Circle of Life.
At that moment, Zazu arrived and delivered his morning report. In the middle of the report, a mole approached with news that hyenas were invading the Pride Lands. Mufasa immediately took off to deal with the threat, leaving Simba to be led home by Zazu.
Once back at Pride Rock, Simba bragged about his title as the future king to Scar. In retaliation, Scar subtly revealed the existence of an Elephant Graveyard, then swore Simba to secrecy.
Mufasa tells Simba about the Great Kings of the Past.
After his conversation with Scar, Simba went to fetch his playmate, Nala, only for Sarabi to send Zazu with them. On their way to the water hole with Zazu, the cubs cleverly escaped his clutches and traveled to the Elephant Graveyard. There, they were attacked by Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, and only narrowly saved by Mufasa.
Following the hyena incident, Mufasa lectured Simba for having disobeyed him and confessed that, even as king, he was afraid of losing his son. The two bonded over the incident, and Mufasa told Simba that the Great Kings of the Past looked down on them from the stars and that they would always be there to guide Simba, as would Mufasa himself.[1]
Stampede and Mufasa's death[]
| “ |
|
” |
Scar throws Mufasa to his death.
With the hyenas having failed to kill Simba, Scar decided to make an attempt on both Mufasa's and Simba's lives. One day, he lured Simba to the gorge and instructed his hyena minions to start a stampede of wildebeests. Once the plan was in motion, Scar led Mufasa to the stampede, and Mufasa dove into the fray to rescue his son. Though Mufasa managed to deposit Simba to safety, he got pulled back into the stampede himself. Throwing himself at the gorge walls in a desperate bid to escape, Mufasa began to climb to safety, only for Scar to intercept him and throw him to his death.
Once the stampede had passed, Simba found his father's lifeless body, and Scar blamed him for Mufasa's death. He then urged Simba to run away, after which he sent the hyenas to track him down and kill him. Simba managed to evade the hyenas and escaped into the desert, but the hyenas lied to Scar that they had succeeded in killing him.[1]
Scar's reign[]
| “ | ” |
Scar delivers a eulogy for Mufasa and Simba to his shaken pride.
After the stampede, Scar reported Mufasa's and Simba's deaths to the pride. He then invited the hyenas into the Pride Lands, to the lionesses' horror. Unbeknownst to Scar, Simba survived his trek through the desert with the help of Timon, a meerkat, and Pumbaa, a warthog.
Over the seasons, while Simba grew up in a faraway jungle, the Pride Lands fell into disrepair, and the herds moved on for better prospects. Eventually, the hyenas complained about the lack of food to Scar, but he refused to take credit for the Pride Lands' condition and ordered them out of his den.[1]
Simba's return to the Pride Lands[]
| “ |
|
” |
Upon learning that Simba was still alive, Rafiki led Simba to a pool in the jungle and told him that Mufasa lived in him. Just then, Mufasa's spirit appeared in the clouds and implored Simba to return to the Pride Lands. Though Simba insisted that he had changed, Mufasa urged him to remember who he was and reminded him that he was Mufasa's son and the one true king. Changed by his encounter with his father, Simba resolved to return home.
Mufasa's spirit implores Simba to return to the Pride Lands.
With some help from Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa, Simba snuck past the hyenas to Pride Rock. There, he witnessed Scar harassing Sarabi for refusing to hunt, which ultimately culminated in him physically striking her. Enraged, Simba leaped to his mother's defense, and Scar realized Simba's true identity with shock. Simba demanded Scar abdicate the throne, but Scar argued that the hyenas recognized him as the king. At that moment, Nala approached and asserted that the lionesses stood with Simba, the rightful king, and Simba told Scar that he could either step down or fight.
Instead of rising to the bait, Scar guilted Simba into confessing that he was responsible for Mufasa's death. He then cornered Simba on the promontory of Pride Rock and whispered into his ear that he, in fact, had killed Mufasa. Overcome by fury, Simba overpowered Scar and forced him to confess the truth before the pride. A fight broke out between the two factions, with the lionesses eventually overpowering the hyenas and chasing them away from Pride Rock.
Simba and the lionesses of his pride challenge Scar's right to rule.
Meanwhile, Simba confronted Scar on the summit of Pride Rock. In the face of Scar's pleas, Simba allowed him to run away from the Pride Lands and never return, only for Scar to throw burning embers into his eyes and attack. After an extended fight, Simba threw Scar to the base of Pride Rock, where he was devoured by his disillusioned hyena followers.
With Scar dead and the hyenas gone, Simba assumed the throne of Pride Rock, and the Pride Lands was restored to its former glory.[1] Simba and Nala had two cubs together: a daughter, Kiara,[8] and a son, Kion.[9]
Formation of the Outsiders[]
| “ |
|
” |
Though most of the lionesses accepted Simba as the king of Pride Rock, a lioness named Zira insisted that Scar had chosen her son, Kovu, to be his successor. Simba argued that Scar had never been the true king, which enraged Zira and incited her to attack Simba. After defeating her, Simba banished her, her family, and her followers to the Outlands, where they formed a separate pride that came to be known as the Outsiders.[8]
Kiara's presentation[]
| “ |
|
” |
One morning, the Pride Landers gathered at Pride Rock for the presentation of Simba and Nala's firstborn cub, Kiara. Rafiki lifted the cub in his arms for all the kingdom to see, and the Pride Landers bowed before their future queen. Rafiki then annointed the cub's forehead with gourd juice.[8]
Kovu and Kiara's friendship[]
| “ |
|
” |
Over the seasons, Kiara grew into a headstrong and independent cub. One day, Simba tasked Timon and Pumbaa with babysitting her, but she escaped their clutches. On her own, she wandered into the Outlands, where she met Kovu. While talking, the two cubs got attacked by a float of crocodiles and only narrowly escaped into the Pride Lands. Just as the two were about to start up a game of play-fighting, Simba and Zira approached and roared antagonistically at each other.
Simba faces off against Zira.
Zira declared that the Pride Lands belonged to Scar, but Simba retorted that he had banished her from the kingdom. He then ordered her and Kovu to leave. Instead of acquiescing to Simba's order, Zira explained that Kovu had been hand-chosen by Scar to be the next king, then lamented the poor living conditions of the Outlands. Simba reminded her of the penalty for returning to the Pride Lands, and she offered up Kovu as a sacrifice. Ignoring the bait, Simba ordered her and Kovu to leave, and the two groups parted ways.
Once away from Zira and Kovu, Simba lectured Kiara for having put herself in danger and reminded her that she was the future queen. Miffed, Kiara declared that she did not want to be queen, but Simba reminded her that it was not her choice. He then assured her that she would understand someday.[8]
Zazu rescues Kion from Pua's float[]
| “ | ” |
When Kion was young, he and his best friend, Bunga, intruded on crocodile territory. Though Makuu resolved to eat the cubs, Zazu intervened and explained to Pua that Kion was Simba's son. Makuu argued that they had every right to eat the cubs, since they had challenged them, and so, Zazu offered himself in Kion's place. Impressed by Zazu's bravery, Pua allowed him and the cubs to leave unharmed.[10]
Formation of Kion's Lion Guard[]
| “ |
|
” |
Simba tasks Kion with assembling the new Lion Guard.
One day, Kion and Bunga were playing when Bunga got attacked by hyenas. Reflexively, Kion used the Roar of the Elders to save him, a sound that carried across the Pride Lands to Simba, Nala, and Rafiki on Pride Rock. Deducing that Kion had come into his power, Rafiki urged Simba to tell Kion about the Lion Guard.
Though reluctant to put such responsibility on a young cub, Simba led Kion to the Lair of the Lion Guard and related to him how Scar had destroyed his Lion Guard and thus lost the Roar. He then tasked Kion with assembling the Pride Lands' bravest, fastest, strongest, and keenest of sight.
Kion leads his Lion Guard against Janja's clan.
Heeding his father's request, Kion recruited Bunga as the bravest, Fuli the cheetah as the fastest, Beshte the hippopotamus as the strongest, and Ono the egret as the keenest of sight. Upon learning about Kion's choice of teammates, Simba reprimanded him for not choosing lions and urged him to take his duties more seriously.
That evening, a clan of hyenas attacked the Pride Lands, and Kion's Lion Guard fought them off, saving Kiara's life in the process. This thoroughly impressed Simba, who finally admitted that Kion had made the right decision in choosing his teammates.[7]
Kion's friendship with Jasiri[]
| “ | ” |
Kion meets a hyena named Jasiri.
While chasing Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu out of the Pride Lands, Kion fell into a river and got swept into the Outlands. He attempted to find his way back home, only to run into a hyena named Jasiri. She recognized him as the leader of the Lion Guard, and he wondered if she was with Janja's clan, an assumption she quickly denied. She pointed out that, if he was en route to the Pride Lands, he was going the wrong way, but he distrusted her intentions and so persisted along his chosen route.
Eventually, Kion fell into a patch of thorns, but Jasiri helped free him. Even so, he retained injuries from the fall, so she opted to accompany him to the border of the Pride Lands and the Outlands. Along the way, Kion attempted to teach Jasiri about the Circle of Life, but she informed him that she already respected the Circle of Life and that hyenas and lions were not so different. The two bonded over their similarities, and Kion came to trust Jasiri as a friend.
Kion and Jasiri work together to defeat Janja's clan.
Upon reaching the border of their kingdoms, Kion headed for home, while Jasiri returned to the Outlands. However, while passing through Janja's territory, she got ambushed by his clan. Kion happened to overhear their confrontation and joined Jasiri in battle against the enemy hyenas. Together, they defeated Janja's clan, with Kion using the Roar of the Elders to send them flying away.
At that moment, the Lion Guard approached and braced to attack Jasiri, but Kion defended her as a friend. With tensions relaxed, the Lion Guard and Jasiri traveled to Flat Ridge Rock, where Jasiri bid Kion farewell.[11]
Kiara's temporary queenship[]
| “ |
|
” |
One day, Kion and Kiara fought over a tree to sharpen their claws on. In the middle of their fight, Simba approached and sided with Kiara, revealing to Kion that she would be serving as acting queen while he and Nala were away. Shortly afterward, Simba and Nala departed Pride Rock for Kilio Valley, an event that intrigued Mzingo the vulture.
Ono delivers a morning report to Kiara.
Meanwhile, Ono delivered a morning report to Kiara instead of joining the Lion Guard on their morning patrol. Though annoyed, Kion listened as Ono informed Kiara that a herd of elands was moving along the river and that several new bee hives had appeared on the nearby trail. Realizing that the elands would run right into the bee hives, Kiara asked Kion to divert the herd, and he reluctantly agreed to the task. However, in an act of rebellion against his sister, he attempted to move the bee hives instead, which resulted in the elands and the Lion Guard getting swarmed and stung by the bees.
The Lion Guard reported what had happened to Kiara, and she chided Kion for having ignored her orders. In the meantime, Mzingo reported the disastrous incident to Janja, who resolved to take advantage of the royal siblings' squabbles. Under Janja's orders, Mzingo met with Kiara on Pride Rock and told her that Janja wished to come to a peace agreement with her at Broken Rock. Conflicted, Kiara promised to think about it.
Kion and Kiara face off against Janja's clan.
Upon hearing about Janja's proposal, Kion protested the idea as madness and warned Kiara that she could not trust Janja, but she reminded him that she was the queen. Infuriated, Kion left her to her fate. Shortly after leaving Kiara, Kion encountered the spirit of Mufasa, who reminded him that Kiara needed his help, especially when she was wrong. Heeding his grandfather's words, Kion raced off to save Kiara from Janja.
At Broken Rock, Kiara met with Janja, only to learn that he had brought along his entire clan and planned to use her as ransom against Simba. Before the hyenas could harm Kiara, the Lion Guard arrived and chased them off. With Janja and his clan gone, Kiara admitted that Kion had been right about Janja, and Kion admitted that she had been right about the bees. They then returned to Pride Rock and reunited with their mother and father.[12]
Kupatana[]
| “ | ” |
The royal family presides over Kupatana.
On the day of Kupatana, the Lion Guard overheard a jackal pup being chased through the Outlands. Simba encouraged Kion to save the pup in the spirit of Kupatana, and he did so. However, the pup invited his whole family into the Pride Lands, and the jackals wreaked havoc wherever they went.
That evening, Simba presided over the Kupatana celebration at Mizimu Grove. In the middle of the ceremony, the jackals attacked, and the Lion Guard worked together to defeat them. Once the pack had been rounded up, Simba commanded them to return to the Outlands, and they fled from him in fear. With the jackals gone, the Pride Landers continued celebrating Kupatana by eating fallen baobab blossoms.[13]
Dangerous premonitions[]
| “ | Beshte: Bunga. If these paintings tell the future, that means... Bunga: Kion's going to fall off a really high tree.
|
” |
Kion doubts Beshte and Bunga's claims about Rafiki's paintings.
While messing around with Rafiki's paintings using his bakora staff, Bunga deduced that the paintings could tell the future. He invited Beshte to examine the paintings with him, during which they found a painting of a lion cub who strongly resembled Kion falling from a tree. Afraid that their friend was destined to get hurt, Beshte and Bunga resolved to protect him from the painting's dangerous premonitions.
Upon reuniting with Kion, Beshte and Bunga tried to convince him that he was in danger, but he scoffed at the idea of Rafiki's paintings being able to tell the future. At that moment, Ono warned the team of a hyena attack, and they departed to deal with the problem. At the scene of the attack, Kion attempted to ambush Janja by climbing onto an overhanging tree branch, but Bunga worried that he would fall and so tackled him to the ground.
Bunga tackles Kion.
After the awkward fight, Bunga informed Beshte that he had saved Kion, but Beshte worried that the cub was still in danger. Just then, Ono reported that some zebras were stranded on the other side of Maji Baridi Falls, and the Guard resolved to help them. Along the way, Bunga mistook Ushari the cobra for a stick and tackled him, to Kion's annoyance. Suspicious, Fuli confronted Beshte and Bunga over their strange behavior, and they confessed their worries about Kion's safety. Though doubtful that Rafiki's paintings could predict the future, she agreed to help them for Kion's sake.
At that moment, Kion began to climb a tree, and Beshte, Bunga, and Fuli scrambled to stop him. In following him up the tree trunk, they caused the entire structure to collapse. Before Kion could question his friends on their behavior, Ono pointed out a shortcut to the zebras that would take the team through a grove of trees. Frantic, Beshte, Bunga, and Fuli suggested a different route, and Kion was forced to go along with them.
Kion uses a tree branch to cross a river.
As the Guard struggled through a river, Ono questioned his friends on why they had chosen such a difficult route, and they passed on their suspicions about Kion's future. Worried that Kion might be in danger, Ono decided to help them.
Before long, the Lion Guard arrived at Maji Baridi Falls, but they became so distracted worrying over Kion that they failed to notice him crossing a tree branch over a river. In terror, the Guard rushed across the tree branch to save him, causing it to tip them all into a heap on the opposite bank. Kion demanded to know why his friends were acting so strangely, and Bunga reminded him that Rafiki's paintings had predicted his fall from a tree branch. Kion, however, refused to believe his claims.
Kion readies to use the Roar of the Elders.
As Beshte stood up from his fall, he accidentally sent a rock rolling toward the zebras, who panicked and fell into the river. The Lion Guard rushed along the bank, eventually getting ahead of the zebras, and Kion decided to climb onto a tree branch that was hanging off the side of the falls so he could roar the zebras to safety. Bunga protested Kion's idea as dangerous, but Kion denounced Rafiki's paintings once and for all, and proceeded with his plan. Using the Roar of the Elders, he boosted the zebras onto solid ground.
With the zebras safe, Kion climbed back toward his friends, only to slip and fall out of sight. To the Lion Guard's relief, he caught himself at the last second and climbed to safety. Together, the team returned to the Lair of the Lion Guard, where Rafiki explained that his paintings depicted the past and that the lion cub whom Beshte and Bunga had mistaken for Kion was actually Nala's father.[14]
Sinkhole[]
| “ |
|
” |
One day, the royal family departed Pride Rock so they could attend the first elephant concert of the season at Mizimu Grove. Along the way, they were intercepted by Ono, who warned Kion that some sable antelope were trapped in the mud near Chekundu Cliffs. Though reluctant to leave his family, he took off to help the Lion Guard deal with the situation.
Bunga and Simba find themselves trapped in a sinkhole.
As the royal family continued on their way, a sinkhole formed beneath them, and Simba fell in in an attempt to push Kiara out of harm's way. Across the Pride Lands, the Lion Guard heard a distant rumbling, and Ono reported that Simba had fallen into a sinkhole. Concerned for his father's safety, Kion departed immediately, leaving the sable antelope in his teammates' care.
At the scene of the sinkhole, Kion learned that Simba had survived the fall. At that moment, the Lion Guard approached, and Bunga recklessly jumped into the sinkhole in an attempt to save Simba. Realizing that they were both trapped, Bunga tried to escape the sinkhole, to no avail. Getting an idea, Kion ran off alongside his teammates. In the meantime, Simba sent Nala and Kiara ahead to the elephant concert, as he and Bunga were in the capable hands of the Guard.
Bunga and Simba argue as they attempt to navigate a network of underground tunnels.
Upon returning to the sinkhole, the Lion Guard tried to heave a log into the sinkhole so that Bunga and Simba could climb to safety, but the log crumbled upon impact with the ground. With Kion's plan having failed, Bunga spotted a tunnel in the side of the sinkhole, and Simba deduced that it could lead to Nandembo Caverns. He informed Kion of this new development, and they agreed to meet one another in the caverns.
While navigating the underground with Bunga, Simba became frustrated with his reckless and thoughtless behavior, and the two parted ways. Eventually, Simba realized that he was going the right way. Overcome by guilt at having left Bunga behind, he doubled back to find him and lead him to safety. At first, the two struggled to find one another, but then, they began to sing "Hakuna Matata" and followed the sound of the other's voice until they had reunited. Once together, they bonded over the fact that they had both been raised by Timon and Pumbaa, and Bunga pointed out that they were like brothers.
Simba and his family perform "Hakuna Matata".
Meanwhile, the Lion Guard searched the tunnels alongside a despondent Timon and Pumbaa. Overhearing the duo's cries, Bunga and Simba followed the sound until they reached a steep divide that separated them from Timon, Pumbaa, and the Guard. Getting an idea, Simba ordered Bunga to climb onto his back, then leaped across the divide. Once safely on the other side, Bunga and Simba had a delighted reunion with Timon and Pumbaa.
Across the Pride Lands, the elephants concluded their concert, and Nala and Kiara complimented them on their performance. Just then, Simba, Timon, Pumbaa, and the Lion Guard arrived, and Simba apologized for his tardiness. To make it up to the elephants, he performed "Hakuna Matata" with his family.[15]
Kion's encounter with the Outsiders[]
| “ |
|
” |
One day, Jasiri journeyed to the Pride Lands and informed Kion that a pride of lions had overtaken her clan's watering hole. Though confused that there were lions in the Outlands, Kion agreed to help her and instructed Bunga to pass on the situation to the rest of the Lion Guard.
Jasiri appeals to Kion for help.
Together, Jasiri and Kion traveled to the Outlands. Jasiri confessed that she had been unsure if Kion would side against lions for her, but he pointed out that the lions might not know that she was a good hyena. Eventually, the two reached Jasiri's clan, where Kion met Jasiri's sister, Madoa. Two hyena cubs, Tunu and Wema, reacted fearfully to Kion's presence, and Madoa explained that they had only met bad lions and were thus afraid of them.
After meeting Jasiri's clan, Kion set out with Jasiri to confront the mystery lions. Along the way, Jasiri was ambushed by a rogue lion, Nuka. Nuka's brother, Kovu, approached, and Nuka declared that the fight was now in his favor. Kion, however, leaped to Jasiri's defense, and Nuka questioned why he would side with a hyena. Slowly, the four circled one another, during which Kion learned that Kovu and Nuka were not welcome in the Pride Lands. Kion asserted that his father would surely welcome them into the Pride Lands, to which Nuka declared that he must first speak with their mother, Zira.
Kion meets Zira and her family.
With Kovu and Nuka in the lead, Jasiri and Kion traveled to Jasiri's watering hole, where they met Zira and her daughter, Vitani. Jasiri explained that Kion had come to resolve the water dispute and revealed that he was both the son of Simba and the leader of the Lion Guard. Upon hearing this, Zira taught Kion how to use the Roar of the Elders to make rain fall from the clouds. Incredulous, Kion asked how Zira knew about the Roar, but she only agreed to tell him if they spoke alone, away from Jasiri. Once in private, Zira declared that lions were the superior species, but Kion countered that what mattered was respecting the Circle of Life.
Meanwhile, Bunga informed the rest of the Lion Guard that Kion was meeting with a pride of lions in the Outlands. Upon overhearing Bunga's message, Rafiki reacted with horror and explained that Kion had most likely encountered the Outsiders, a group of evil lions whom Simba had banished from the Pride Lands. Worried for their friend's safety, the Lion Guard struck out for the Outlands.
Kion and Zira disagree over whether lions are the superior species.
Back in the Outlands, Kion attempted to learn more about the Roar, but Zira forced him to choose between lions and hyenas. Kion declared that he was on the side of the Circle of Life, and Zira noted how similar he was to his father, Simba. She then led him into a pit and lamented his decision to not side with lions. At that moment, several of Zira's followers surrounded Kion, and Zira explained that if he did not side with her pride, then he would never leave the Outlands. Though Kion threatened her with the Roar of the Elders, Zira reminded him that Scar had lost the Roar for using it against other lions.
Leaving Kion under the supervision of her lionesses, Zira returned to the watering hole and lied to Jasiri that Kion had sided with her pride over Jasiri. A saddened Jasiri fled the watering hole, while Zira returned to Kion alongside her cubs. The Lion Guard happened to run into Jasiri and convinced her that Zira had lied about Kion.
The Lion Guard faces off against the Outsiders.
Together, the Lion Guard and Jasiri reconvened with Kion and fought off Zira's pride. Upon realizing that she was facing the Lion Guard, Zira mocked it for only having one lion member and rallied her pride against their enemies. Bunga urged Kion to use the Roar on the Outsiders, but Kion feared that he would lose it forever for using it against other lions, as Scar had. To Zira's horror, Bunga retorted that Scar had lost the Roar because he had used it for evil. With renewed confidence, Kion used the Roar to blow Zira and her pride all the way to the termite mounds.
With the Outsiders gone, Jasiri's clan returned to their watering hole.[6]
Kion's refusal to use the Roar of the Elders[]
| “ |
|
” |
One day, Janja's clan attacked Nala, and an enraged Kion used the Roar of the Elders to defend her. While the Roar blew the hyenas back into the Outlands, it was so forceful and powerful that it rebounded off a cliff and fractured the earth beneath Nala. Just in time, Kion was able to grab hold of her paw and pull her to safety. After the fight, Kion surveyed the damage his Roar had caused in distress.
Kion uses the Roar of the Elders in fury.
Throughout that day, as the Lion Guard performed their duties, Kion refused to use the Roar. Eventually, he confessed to Bunga that he could not control the Roar and should thus stop using it, but Bunga encouraged him to not give up, reminding him that he was the leader of the Lion Guard and the Pride Lands' fiercest. Unbeknownst to the friends, Makuu had overheard their conversation and resolved to take advantage of Kion's weakness.
Meanwhile, Kion sought advice from the spirit of his grandfather, Mufasa. He explained what had happened when he had used the Roar in anger and confessed his fear that he would turn out like Scar. Mufasa, however, pointed out that Scar had only ever cared about himself. He asked Kion why he had used the Roar, and Kion explained that his mother had been in danger. Mufasa reminded Kion that Scar had never cared for anyone in the way that Kion cared for Nala, then encouraged Kion to speak to his mother about the incident.
Bunga encourages Kion to keep using the Roar.
Across the savanna, Makuu and his float invaded the Flood Plains, driving away the other Pride Landers in the process. Beshte, Bunga, and Fuli confronted him, and Makuu mocked them for having a leader who refused to use the Roar. He and his float quickly dispatched of the Guard, surrounding them in the midst of the Flood Plains.
At the same time, Kion apologized to Nala for the incident with his Roar, but she insisted that there was nothing to forgive and reminded him that he had saved her life, both from the hyenas and from the earthquake. Despite her reassurances, Kion confessed that he might never use the Roar again, but Nala asserted that the Roar was a part of him and that she trusted him to use it responsibly.
Kion reconciles with Nala.
Just then, Ono arrived with news of Makuu's attack on the Flood Plains. Together, Kion, Nala, and Ono traveled to the Flood Plains, where Kion and Nala commanded Makuu to share the Flood Plains with the other Pride Landers. In answer, two of Makuu's cronies knocked Nala into the water and carried her into the midst of the float. An enraged Kion nearly used the Roar in fury but managed to stop himself from harming anyone. Nala called for him to trust himself, and he used the Roar to specifically target Makuu's float and keep Nala from being harmed.
With the crocodiles defeated, the Guard praised Kion for his efforts, and Fuli commented that she had not known that he could use the Roar in such a way. Kion stated that he had just needed to have faith in himself, to which Nala asserted that she had always had faith in him.[16]
Udugu[]
| “ | Simba: Taking the Trail to Udugu is an important part of growing up in the royal family. Nala: And all royal siblings make the journey...when they're ready.
|
” |
One day, Kiara used her tracking skills to hunt down Kion, who was hiding from her. Upon tackling him, she boasted about her impressive tracking skills, but Kion argued that she had simply gotten lucky. From nearby, their parents watched proudly, and Nala declared that they were ready for a special day. Together, Simba and Nala approached their cubs, and Nala informed them that they were ready to take the Trail to Udugu, a special ceremony for royal siblings. In Kion's absence, Simba would lead the Lion Guard.
Nala prepares to take Kiara and Kion on the Trail to Udugu.
As Nala led Kiara and Kion on the Trail to Udugu, the two wondered about what was at the end of the path and argued over who was more important. Before long, Kion began to chase Kiara, and the two nearly fell off a steep cliff, until Nala saved them. After the close call, Nala led Kiara and Kion to a thorn patch and instructed them to find a way through. Though each took a separate path, thinking it better than the other's, they were forced to retreat when the thorns became too painful. However, upon escaping the thorn patch, the cubs realized that their mother was gone.
Thanks to Kiara's tracking skills, the cubs found Nala's pawprints and followed them to a high ledge. They attempted to climb up the ledge themselves but were unable to get a firm grasp on the stone. Realizing that they could not reach the ledge on their own, Kion suggested that he give Kiara a boost so she could continue tracking Nala, as she was the more skilled tracker. With Kion's help, Kiara climbed onto the ledge, only to run into Nala. Nala praised her cubs for having found her and explained that "Udugu" was another word for "kinship." She added that they had found Udugu by working together.
Kiara and Kion work together to find Nala.
Meanwhile, Simba attempted to lead the Lion Guard in his own way, despite the team's warnings that Kion led it differently. Eventually, Simba's poor leadership resulted in a herd of gazelles fleeing up a steep slope and causing a rockslide that dropped a rock on Simba's tail. Realizing the error of his ways, Simba asked the Guard how Kion would lead them and allowed them to formulate their own plan of rescue. Together, the Lion Guard calmed the panicked gazelles and freed Simba's tail.
Later, the royal family reunited, and Kiara and Kion explained that they had found Udugu by working together. Kion questioned Simba on how he had fared with the Guard, and Simba admitted that working with Kion's team had helped him find Udugu as well. He then stressed the importance of Udugu and reminded his cubs that they would one day be responsible for the Pride Lands.[17]
Savannah Summit[]
| “ |
|
” |
For the annual Savannah Summit, Simba invited the prominent herd leaders in the Pride Lands to gather at Pride Rock. Upon noticing Makuu at the event, Kion tackled him, but Simba explained that he had invited Makuu himself. Though Kion expressed his doubts about Makuu's intentions, Simba pointed out that crocodiles had always participated in the Summit and that he believed Makuu was ready. Together, the Pride Landers proceeded to Mizimu Grove.
Simba presides over the Savannah Summit.
Later, Simba was presiding over a discussion between Bupu and Makuu about where their respective species would sleep during the dry season when Kion tackled Makuu again. Infuriated by the Pride Landers' lack of trust in him, Makuu stormed off, ignoring Simba's pleas to come back. Once Makuu had gone, Simba chastised Kion for having ruined the Summit and left to salvage what he could of the event at Mizimu Grove.
Later, Kion uncovered a plot against Makuu, which he exposed before all the Pride Lander leaders. Makuu pointed out that he had agreed to participate in the Summit to help both his float and the Pride Lands but had received only distrust and hostility in return. To his audience's shock, he prompted Simba to continue the Summit. Simba then complimented Kion on his work.[18]
Scar's resurrection[]
| “ |
|
” |
Makini meets the royal family.
One day, Makini overheard Kion speaking with the spirit of his grandfather, Mufasa, and explained that she was learning how to communicate with the Great Lions of the Past herself. Kion shushed her hastily, reminding her that Rafiki did not indulge his abilities to the other Pride Landers. Unbeknownst to the pair, they were being spied upon by Ushari.
Later, Janja and his clan attempted to eat Ushari, but he revealed the secret to the Lion Guard's success: Kion's communication with Mufasa. He urged Janja to think like a lion, specifically a "great" one, but Janja argued that no lion had ever wanted to help a hyena. Ushari countered that Scar had and promised to gather more information on how they might commune with his spirit.
Janja and Ushari ressurect Scar's spirit.
With the help of his skink spies, Ushari learned from Rafiki that an evil Great Lion of the Past could be summoned in the volcano using a bakora staff and the Roar of the Elders. He and Janja then schemed to steal Makini's bakora staff and kidnap Kion's sister, Kiara, since his roars were at their most powerful when he was angry. Meanwhile, Makini met the royal family on Pride Rock.
Before long, Janja and Ushari's plan went into motion, with the hyenas stealing Makini's bakora staff and imprisoning Kiara in the volcano. The Lion Guard arrived to rescue Kiara, and Janja managed to goad Kion into using the Roar of the Elders in anger, which caused the volcano to explode. Janja then kicked Makini's bakora staff into the lava, and Scar's spirit emerged, resurrected.[19]
Kiburi's attempted assassination of Simba[]
| “ | ” |
Upon learning from his skink spies that Kiburi had challenged Makuu to a mashindano, Scar asked Ushari if the royal family would be in attendance, and he confirmed that they likely would. Scar, in turn, schemed to use the mashindano as a distraction so that Kiburi could assassinate Simba for them.
Scar plots to overthrow Simba.
At sunset, shortly before the mashindano, Ushari tricked Kiburi into thinking that he could rule the Pride Lands if Simba died. Kiburi fell for Ushari's trick and ordered his lackeys to take out Simba while the Pride Landers were focused on the mashindano. Before Kiburi's minions could harm Simba, however, the Lion Guard stopped them, and Simba exposed Kiburi before all the other Pride Landers. As punishment for his crimes, Simba exiled him from the Pride Lands.
After his defeat, Kiburi furiously confronted Ushari, but the cobra simply led him to Scar. The spirit invited Kiburi to join his army, then revealed his plan to eventually take over the Pride Lands and become its king.[20]
Ukumbusho[]
| “ |
|
” |
On the day of the Ukumbusho Tradition, Ma Tembo's herd made preparations in Mizimu Grove. Under Ma Tembo's direction, the Lion Guard began to practice their lines for the upcoming ceremony. Before they could start, Ma Tembo pointed out that Guard had traditionally been composed of lions only, and so, Makini offered to paint the Guard members to resemble lions. After the Guard had been painted, Timon and Pumbaa tried to coach them on their lines, claiming that they knew best how lions acted, since they had raised Simba.
Simba's pride watches as bees swarm the elephants.
That evening, Simba's pride arrived for the ceremony. To kick off the celebration, the Lion Guard performed "May There Be Peace", after which Kion described how Askari had first made peace with the elephants, thus establishing generations of cooperation between elephants and lions.
Suddenly, a swarm of bees attacked the elephants, chasing them from Mizimu Grove. In pursuing the elephants, the Lion Guard realized that the bees were attracted to the elephants' painted foreheads, as Makini had used yellow flowers to make the paint. After the paint got sprayed off, the elephants returned to Mizimu Grove, and Ma Tembo apologized to Simba for her herd's panic. Though she was concerned that they could not continue the event without the elephants' ceremonial sunbursts, Kion and Simba encouraged her to embrace a new tradition. She agreed, and the Ukumbusho Tradition continued.[3]
Christmas[]
| “ |
|
” |
The royal family, Tiifu, and Zuri performed for Bunga's Christmas celebration.[21]
Janja's interrogation of Zazu about Simba[]
| “ |
|
” |
Per Scar's instructions, Janja kidnapped Zazu and attempted to interrogate him about Simba's secrets. Zazu, however, only offered trivial information, thus rendering the operation fruitless.[10]
Scar's assassination attempt on Simba[]
| “ |
|
” |
In an attempt to overthrow Simba, Scar sent Sumu the scorpion to sting him. In the midst of the Kumbuka celebration, which celebrated Simba's triumph over Scar, Sumu stung Simba on his tail, causing him to collapse. Though Makini and Rafiki tended to the king as best they could, they did not know how to help him recover fully. Suddenly, Rafiki realized that volcanic ash could cure Simba and tasked the Lion Guard with retrieving some from the Outlands volcano.
Simba collapses from a scorpion's sting.
Together, the Lion Guard ventured into the Outlands, where Makini collected some volcanic ash. As they were about to leave, Scar revealed himself and confessed that he had sent Sumu to finish off Simba. Despite Scar's admission, Kion insisted that they must get to his father in time, and the Lion Guard attempted to leave the volcano. Before they could, Scar cornered them with his army, but Kion defeated them using the Roar of the Elders.
Once free of Scar and his army, the Lion Guard delivered the volcanic ash to Pride Rock, and Simba was given a dose. To Kion's relief, he began to recover, though Rafiki insisted that he must rest. Kion told Rafiki that he needed to speak with Simba about Scar's return, and Rafiki advised him to wait until his father had healed. The Lion Guard then resolved to stand strong against Scar's villainy.[22]
Kongwe's advice to Simba[]
| “ |
|
” |
Simba and Kion seek wisdom from Mufasa about Scar's return.
One day, Simba and Kion consulted with Mufasa's spirit as to how they should handle Scar's return. Mufasa admitted that an evil lion returning from the past was beyond his experience but encouraged them to trust that the wisdom to defeat Scar lay within the Pride Lands and themselves. Once Mufasa had gone, Kion wondered if he had been referring to a specific animal, and Simba remarked that he knew just which animal he might have meant.
Later, at Pride Rock, Simba resolved to find Kongwe, the oldest and wisest animal in the Pride Lands. Fuli and Makini worked together to retrieve her and escort her to Pride Rock. There, she advised Simba to be patient and asserted that good always triumphed over evil in the end.[23]
Test in the Lair of the Lion Guard[]
| “ |
|
” |
One day, the Lion Guard combed the Lair of the Lion Guard for paintings that could give them insight into how to defeat Scar. In searching the Lair, they accidentally uncovered a secret chamber beneath the Lair. As the Guard forged into the chamber, both Beshte and Ono saved their friends from peril, and the team realized that the Lions of the Past had designed the chamber to test a Lion Guard's mettle. They continued on, and, as expected, Bunga and Fuli each had to pass tests in order to help the Guard find their way.
Kion uses soft roars to lead his teammates out of the darkness.
Eventually, the Lion Guard reached a chamber, only to get trapped inside by a rockfall. However, Kion was able to roar softly to get a feel for his surroundings, then guide his teammates out of the dark by following the echoes. With Kion in the lead, the Guard reached another chamber, where Makini led them to a painting. She explained that a group of evil lions had attempted to overtake the Pride Lands, but Askari and his Lion Guard had foiled their plans by using an unstoppable force.
Makini then led the Lion Guard into a chamber where there was a pool of water and yet another painting. At first, the Guard could not decipher where the unstoppable force was, but then, Kion realized that it was their reflection - or the Lion Guard itself - that was the unstoppable force. As one, the Guard looked up at the painting, which shifted into the symbol of the Guard, and cried out their catchphrase, determined to defeat Scar.[4]
Fire at the mudpots[]
| “ |
|
” |
Kion, Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri get trapped in a fire at the mudpots.
One day, the Lion Guard heard Tiifu and Zuri crying for help and followed their voices to Pride Rock. Upon arriving there, they discovered that the girls were merely upset that the heat was messing up their fur. Nala approached, chastising Tiifu and Zuri for having summoned the Guard for a non-emergency, and Beshte suggested that they visit the mudpots to moisturize their fur. The cubs agreed to the plan enthusiastically and invited Kiara along. Before the girls could leave, however, Nala sent Bunga and Kion with them to keep an eye out for danger.
Once at the mudpots, the cubs played together. In the meantime, Scar sent the vultures to set the nearby grasslands on fire. Though Bunga, Kiara, and Kion attempted to combat the fire, it spread too quickly, and the cubs were forced to take shelter in a nearby aardvark burrow. Once underground, Tiifu had a panic attack over the dark and accidentally caused a rockfall that trapped them all in the tunnels.
Kion, Kiara, Tiifu, Zuri, and Bunga attempt to navigate the underground.
With no choice but to travel farther underground, the cubs attempted to find their way in the dark. As they traveled, they ran into a golden mole named Kuchimba, who attacked them in the defense of his tunnels. However, when he realized that they were simply passing through, he guided them toward a tunnel that would take them to Pride Rock. Along the way, he helped Tiifu overcome her fear of the dark.
Once Kuchimba had gone, the cubs realized that they were still lost. At that moment, Thurston approached and admitted that he did not remember how he had entered the tunnels to begin with. Suddenly, Kion got the idea to ask Muhangus for help, and Kiara tracked him by scent. Bunga and Kion then convinced him to help, and he reluctantly led the cubs out of the tunnels. As they neared the surface, Thurston panicked that they were underground, but Tiifu managed to calm him down. Together, the group emerged into daylight and reconvened with the rest of the Lion Guard.[24]
Dhahabu's water treaty with Simba[]
| “ | ” |
One morning, the Pride Landers gathered at Pride Rock in anticipation for Queen Dhahabu's visit to discuss a water treaty with Simba. Before long, she approached alongside her herd and met with Simba atop Pride Rock. He welcomed her to the Pride Lands, then announced to the gathered animals that the official celebration would continue at sundown. Afterwards, Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri showed Dhahabu around the Pride Lands, with the Lion Guard tagging along at Dhahabu's insistence.
Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri give Dhahabu a tour of the Pride Lands.
During the tour, dry lightning started a fire nearby, and Fuli helped coax Dhahabu to safety. Impressed, Dhahabu appointed Fuli, Tiifu, and Zuri to her "Queen's Guard," with Fuli only acquiescing for the sake of the water treaty. Later, some jackals attacked Dhahabu. Though Raha and Starehe fought the jackals off, Dhahabu credited Tiifu and Zuri with the victory and insisted that they become her permanent bodyguards.
In another incident, the jackals attacked Dhahabu again, this time alongside crocodile allies. Raha and Starehe once more saved Dhahabu, and she witnessed their impressive fighting skills firsthand. Once her enemies were gone, she appointed Raha and Starehe to be her bodyguards and relieved Fuli, Tiifu, and Zuri of service. She then returned to Pride Rock, where she renewed her kingdom's water treaty with Simba.[25]
Scar's attack on Mizimu Grove[]
| “ |
|
” |
On the day of Makini's mpando mpaya, Simba welcomed Timon and Pumbaa to the stage to sing "Tujiinue". In the midst of the event, the Army of Scar attacked, and the Pride Landers worked together to fight them. Suddenly, Scar's spirit emerged in a nearby fire and threatened to overtake the entirety of the Pride Lands. Once the apparition had vanished, the Pride Landers fled the grove in fear, while Kion used the Roar of the Elders to defeat Scar's army.
Scar reveals himself to the Pride Landers.
Once the Lion Guard had calmed the Pride Landers, they returned to Mizimu Grove, where they expressed disapproval with Simba for having hidden Scar's resurrection. They debated whether they should leave the Pride Lands for good, and Simba told them to inform him of their decisions the following morning at Pride Rock.
Come morning, the Pride Lander herds readied to share their decisions with Simba. At the last second, Kion interrupted and implored them to follow him to Mizimu Grove. Once there, he showed the Pride Landers how Makini's baobab seedling had survived Scar's fire. Inspired, the Pride Landers resolved to remain in the kingdom and help defeat Scar.[26]
Battle for the Pride Lands[]
| “ |
|
” |
Over the seasons, the Lion Guard and their allies prevented Scar's army from overtaking the Pride Lands. Eventually, Simba determined that they must take the fight to Scar in the Outlands. That evening, the Pride Landers gathered at Pride Rock to train for the upcoming invasion. Simba told Kion that he should lead the upcoming attack, then ordered Zazu to tell the Pride Landers to get some rest. Sensing his son's unease, Simba questioned what was wrong, and Kion questioned how they would defeat Scar. Simba expressed his confidence in the Lion Guard, then encouraged Kion to get some rest as well. Despite his father's reassurances, Kion doubted his ability to lead the upcoming attack, and his friends helped restore his self-confidence.
Anga helps rescue the royal family from a fire at Pride Rock.
That night, Scar's army set fire to Pride Rock, trapping the royal family on the promontory as well as the Lion Guard and Janja's clan within the Lair of the Lion Guard. With help from Anga and Hadithi, the royal family reached safety, while the Lion Guard and Janja's clan escaped the Lair through an underwater tunnel. As the fire blazed around Pride Rock, Scar's spirit manifested in the flames and implored the Pride Landers to abandon their kingdom before it was too late.
After Scar disappeared, the Pride Landers despaired over their chances against him. At that moment, Jasiri and Janja approached, and Janja revealed that Kion could defeat Scar if he used the Roar inside the volcano. Having a plan to defeat Scar, the Pride Landers resolved to carry through with their invasion plan.
Kion bids his family farewell.
The next morning, the Pride Landers and their allies stormed the Outlands, and the Lion Guard confronted Scar in the volcano. Unexpectedly, Ushari attacked Kion, injecting him with venom and giving him a scar over his eye. Instead of caving to his anger, Kion summoned the Great Lions of the Past, who sent rain that extinguished Scar for good. Enraged, Ushari attacked Kion, but Bunga intercepted the attack, and Ushari fell to his death in the lava below. Meanwhile, the Pride Landers triumphed over Scar's army.
With Scar and his army defeated, the Outlanders agreed to maintain peace under Jasiri's leadership. Kion, suffering ill effects from his scar, consulted Rafiki in the Lair of the Lion Guard, and he determined that Kion must seek healing at the Tree of Life. Together, the Lion Guard readied to leave the Pride Lands for the Tree of Life, and Kion bid his family farewell.[5]
Kion's breakdown[]
| “ |
|
” |
During the Lion Guard's trip to the Tree of Life, Kion began to suffer wild mood swings and was prone to a hot temper and violence. At one point, he pushed the Guard to travel faster, not even allowing them a brief reprieve at a water hole. As they continued on their way, he chastised Beshte for wanting to stop and help some nearby goslings. Next, the team ran into a flock of peacocks, only for Kion to aggressively bull his way through them. His friends were shocked by his behavior, and Bunga suggested that the venom in his scar was turning him evil.
Kion suffers the ill effects of Ushari's venom.
Finally, when Kion chased off a friendly clouded leopard named Yun Mibu and yelled at Beshte for being nice, Fuli confronted him and suggested that she take charge while he was not thinking clearly. Kion, however, saw this as a challenge and insisted that he was the leader of the Lion Guard. The two nearly fought, until Bunga intervened and reminded Kion that Rafiki had warned them about Ushari's venom's effects. His friends likewise reminded him of all the mean things that he had done earlier that day. Ashamed and afraid he was turning evil, Kion fled.
Once away from his friends, Kion considered seeking counsel from Mufasa but was too ashamed of his scar to follow through. He gazed into a nearby puddle, and a vision of Scar taunted him from the water, urging him to accept his destiny as one marked by evil. Dissipating the vision with a splash, Kion insisted that though they may have looked the same, they would never act the same. He resolved to apologize to his friends, only to fall off a cliff and only narrowly catch on to an overhanging branch.
Kion argues with a vision of Scar.
Upon realizing Kion's peril, the rest of the Lion Guard gathered around him and tried to think of a solution. Eventually, Beshte got the idea to call Yun Mibu. Though hesitant to help Kion, Yun Mibu eventually acquiesced and hung over the cliff by his feet to save the young lion. Kion apologized to Yun Mibu for his earlier rudeness and promised to never growl at another clouded leopard again, after which Yun Mibu pulled him to safety.
After the rescue, Kion apologized to his friends for his poor behavior, and they forgave him. He started to rally them to continue their journey, but Fuli stopped him and insisted that they must rest first. He reluctantly agreed and curled up to sleep.[27]
Lion Guard's arrival at the Tree of Life[]
| “ |
|
” |
As the Lion Guard neared the Tree of Life, they entered a mountain pass, only for Bunga to accidentally start a rockslide that blocked the pass and trapped him in fallen rocks. As the Guard worked to free him, the Night Pride approached, and Baliyo attacked the Guard, believing them to be enemies. Though the Guard attempted to clear up the misunderstanding, Kion eventually lost patience and used the Roar of the Elders on Baliyo. Outraged, the Night Pride's leader, Rani, forbid the Guard entry to the Tree of Life. Afterwards, she shared what had happened with her grandmother, Queen Janna, who remarked that the Roar had finally returned.
Rani forbids the Lion Guard entry to the Tree of Life.
Meanwhile, Kion wandered off by himself and decided that, even if he did not heal his scar, he could rely on his friends. More at peace, he returned to the mountain pass to find that the Guard had freed Bunga. Beshte suggested that they explain their situation to the Night Pride, and Kion agreed, as he wanted Ono to receive healing for his damaged eyesight. At the same time, Janna urged Rani to allow the Guard to enter the Tree of Life, even Kion. Conflicted, Rani sought counsel from the spirits of her parents, Sãhasí and Ãnanda, who encouraged her to follow Janna's advice.
After speaking with her parents, Rani led the Night Pride back into the pass, only to find that the Guard had cleared the rockslide and not proceeded any farther toward the Tree of Life. Apologizing for his earlier actions, Kion implored Rani to accept Ono for healing, and she agreed, touched by his selflessness. With the Night Pride in the lead, the Lion Guard traveled through the mountain pass and arrived at the Tree of Life.[28]
Kiara's first hunt[]
| “ |
|
” |
Simba's pride gathers for Kiara's first hunt.
Over the seasons, Zira trained Kovu to be a cold-blooded killer who was intent on assassinating Simba and becoming the king of Pride Rock. Meanwhile, Kiara grew into a young lioness. On the day of her first hunt, the pride gathered to wish her well. She asked Simba to promise that he would let her complete the hunt on her own, and with some encouragement from Nala, he agreed. However, as Kiara left Pride Rock to hunt, Simba secretly instructed Timon and Pumbaa to tail her.
As Kiara hunted, she continually failed to be stealthy, and her prey escaped from her. Eventually, she stumbled upon Timon and Pumbaa. Furious that her father had broken his promise, she fled the Pride Lands and continued her hunt. Unbeknownst to her, Nuka and Vitani set the nearby grasslands on fire. Before long, the flames caught up to Kiara, and though she tried to escape, she soon grew fatigued and collapsed. Per his mother's instructions, Kovu found Kiara unconscious and bore her to safety in the Pride Lands.
Simba reluctantly allows Kovu to join his pride.
To Kovu's shock, when Kiara awoke, she yelled at him for having brought her back to the Pride Lands. However, when he revealed his identity to her, she softened. At that moment, Simba approached and confronted Kovu. Kiara accused her father of having broken his promise, but he retorted that it was a good thing that he had, for he had almost lost her. In trying to defend herself, Kiara let slip Kovu's identity, and Simba roared furiously at him. From nearby, Rafiki revealed that Kovu had saved Kiara's life, and Kovu explained that he had left the Outsiders and wished to join Simba's pride. Though reluctant to trust Kovu, Simba decided to reserve judgment on his character and let him join the pride for a time.
Together, the lions returned to Pride Rock. Kovu attempted to join the pride in the royal den, but Simba growled antagonistically at him, causing him to sleep outside instead. Seeing Kovu alone, Kiara approached him and thanked him for having saved her life. To her surprise, he mocked her poor hunting skills, and she challenged him to teach her what he knew. From afar, Nuka and Zira watched, and Zira reveled in Kovu's intention to kill Simba.[8]
Kiara's romance with Kiara[]
| “ | Kiara: My father said there was a... a darkness in Scar that he couldn't escape. Kovu: Maybe there's a darkness in me too.
|
” |
The next morning, Kovu followed Simba to a water hole and readied to kill him, only for Kiara to intervene and ask him to start their first hunting lesson. Reluctantly, Kovu gave up on his mission and followed Kiara away from the water hole. While she attempted to sneak up behind him, he waited and easily dodged her attack. He then urged her to relax and feel the earth beneath her paws so it would not shift and make noise.
Kovu teaches Kiara how to hunt.
At that moment, Kovu noticed some birds alighting on a nearby hill and attempted to demonstrate a killing move. Upon cresting the hill, however, he ran into Timon and Pumbaa, who were attempting to drive the birds away from their grubs. At the duo's request, Kiara roared to frighten away the birds, and Kovu hesitantly joined in. As the friends began to chase the birds, scattering them, Kovu asked what the point of this training was, and Kiara clarified that they were simply having fun. Together, the friends continued to chase the birds, only to run into a herd of rhinoceroses and incite a stampede. After narrowly escaping the stampede, Kovu and Kiara found themselves wedged inside a crevice and accidentally brushed muzzles.
Later that night, Kovu and Kiara stargazed together, during which time Kiara shared that she and Simba had used to stargaze all the time and that, according to him, the Great Kings of the Past were among the stars. Kovu wondered if Scar was up there, but Kiara only looked at him uncertainly. Pacing away from her, Kovu admitted that, though Scar had not been his father, he was still a part of him. Kiara explained that her father had told her that Scar had been unable to escape his own darkness, and Kovu wondered if there was a darkness in him as well. In answer, she nuzzled him.
Rafiki encourages Kovu and Kiara to fall in love.
From nearby, Simba watched the pair and admitted to Mufasa's spirit that he felt lost because Kovu was an Outsider and Scar's heir. Nala approached and pointed out that perhaps Kovu did not want to walk the path expected of him. She then encouraged Simba to give Kovu a chance.
Meanwhile, Kovu pulled away from Kiara and nearly confessed his part in Zira's plot, only to give up and walk away. Before he could leave, Rafiki stopped him and led him to a lush jungle paradise. There, he encouraged Kovu and Kiara to fall in love. Afterwards, the pair returned to Pride Rock and exchanged fond farewells. As Kovu started to settle down on the peak of Pride Rock, Simba invited him into the royal den. From afar, Vitani watched in anticipation, expecting Kovu to attack Simba, but when the attack never came, she reported Kovu's betrayal to their mother.[8]
Zira's ambush[]
| “ | Zira: Well done, Kovu. Just like we always planned. Simba: You! Kovu: No! I didn't have anything to do with this! |
” |
The next morning, Kovu prepared a confession for Kiara about his part in Zira's plot, only for Simba to interrupt and invite him on a walk around the Pride Lands. With Kovu in tow, Simba walked through an area of the kingdom that was still ravaged from Scar's reign and explained that Scar had been destroyed by his own stubborn hatred. He then told Kovu that future generations could be better than those that came before, if given the chance.
The Outsiders ambush Kovu and Simba.
Just then, the Outsiders surrounded Kovu and Simba, and Zira congratulated Kovu for having gotten Simba alone. Furious, Simba rounded on Kovu, but he denied having had anything to do with the ambush. At Zira's order, the Outsiders attacked Simba. Though Kovu leaped to Simba's defense, Vitani kicked him into a rock, knocking him unconscious. The pride proceeded to chase Simba into a nearby gorge and up a pile of logs. As Simba attempted to climb to safety, Kovu appeared on a nearby ridge, and Zira urged him to kill Simba, to no avail.
In Kovu's stead, Nuka began to scale the pile after Simba, only to lose his footing and get crushed by logs. After Nuka's death, Zira slashed Kovu across the eye, giving him a scar, and blamed him for Nuka's death. Ashamed, Kovu fled. Zira then readied her pride for an attack on the Pride Lands, since Simba was injured and weak.[8]
Kovu's exile[]
| “ |
|
” |
Kovu and Kiara reunite after his exile.
As Simba recovered from Zira's ambush, Kovu approached Pride Rock and begged for his forgiveness. Though Kiara pleaded with her father to give Kovu a second chance, Simba exiled him from the Pride Lands. After the Pride Landers had driven Kovu away, Kiara begged Simba to reconsider, but he insisted that Kovu was following in Scar's paw prints and that he must follow in Mufasa's. To his dismay, Kiara proclaimed that he would never be Mufasa, then fled into the royal den.
While weeping, Kiara noticed a hole in the back wall and escaped from Pride Rock. She searched for Kovu but eventually gave up. As she mourned his loss, Kovu spotted her from afar and approached her, finally accepting his feelings. The two had a delighted reunion in which Kovu declared that they were "one." Deeply affected by Kovu's words, Kiara convinced him to return to the Pride Lands with her so that they could unite their feuding prides.[8]
Battle between the Outsiders and Simba's pride[]
| “ | ” |
Kovu and Kiara stop the battle between the Outsiders and Simba's pride.
That night, the Outsiders invaded the Pride Lands, and Simba's pride arrived to stop them. A battle broke out, culminating in a one-on-one fight between Simba and Zira. Just as the two were about to strike each other, Kovu and Kiara leaped in-between them and begged for peace. Though Simba ordered Kiara to stay out of the conflict, she reminded him that they were "one" with the Outsiders, and he submitted to peace with the Outsiders. Zira, however, refused to back down and made one last attempt on Simba's life, only for Kiara to intercept her attack.
The two lionesses rolled into a nearby gorge and only barely caught on to a ledge. Kiara attempted to help Zira climb higher, but she refused and fell to her death in the raging river below. Afterwards, Simba helped Kiara climb up the gorge to safety. There, she reunited with Kovu, and Simba finally accepted that he had been wrong about the rogue. He then invited the Outsiders to return to the Pride Lands with his pride.[8]
Marriage of Kovu and Kiara[]
| “ |
|
” |
At Pride Rock, Rafiki married Kovu and Kiara. Along with Simba and Nala, they walked toward the promontory, while the lionesses bowed to them. They then roared over their kingdom, with the Pride Landers below watching happily.[8]
Night Pride's first skirmish with Makucha's army[]
| “ |
|
” |
At the Tree of Life, the Lion Guard met Queen Janna, and Kion explained that he and Ono had come for healing. A gifted healer, Nirmala, examined the pair and reported to Janna that, while Ono's eyesight would be simple to heal, Kion's scar would take more time. While Nirmala led Kion away to begin his healing journey, Janna instructed Rani to show the rest of the Guard around the Tree of Life's territory.
The Lion Guard meets Queen Janna.
Nirmala led Kion to Dirisha, the River of Patience, and told him to wait for a log to pass, then jump onto it and fetch her a flower that was on the opposite bank. Kion pointed out that swimming across the river would be faster, but Nirmala countered that the fast way was not always the best way. Though impatient, Kion waited for a log to pass. When one finally appeared, he tried to jump onto it but merely fell into the water.
Just then, Rani approached and called Nirmala away on a mission. Shortly afterwards, the rest of the Lion Guard reconvened with Kion and revealed that the Night Pride had been called away to deal with something important. Worried that they might need help, Kion led his teammates to the rescue. Upon arriving at the mountain pass, the Guard discovered that the Night Pride had already chased off some predators who had attempted to breach the Tree of Life's territory. In the course of the ensuing discussion, the Guard realized that it was Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora who had attacked, and Kion revealed that they had followed the Guard to the Tree of Life.
The Night Pride confronts Makucha's army.
Furious, Rani brought the Lion Guard before Janna and accused Kion of having led an army of predators to their home. Kion apologized to Janna and offered the Guard's services to her, but she insisted that it was the Night Pride's duty to defend the Tree of Life. She added that he must heal before he helped others.
Together, Kion and Nirmala returned to Dirisha. Before long, another log floated down the river, only for Kion to impatiently fall off it once more. Unwilling to give up, he opted to cross the river himself to fetch the flower, but Nirmala used her own path to beat him there. That night, the Night Pride fended off another attack by Makucha's army.
Kion finally succeeds in his task.
The next day, Kion used patience to hop onto a log, cross the river, and climb toward the flower. In the midst of his healing session, Nirmala had to leave to help the Night Pride repel another invasion by Makucha's army. Though tempted to help them, Kion finished his task first, retrieving the flower from the opposite bank. Once he had his prize, he arrived to help the Night Pride fight off Makucha's army, and Ora fled in fear of the Roar. Though Chuluun and Makucha attempted to infiltrate the Tree of Life by using a different path, Kion and Rani worked together to drive them off.
After the fight, Kion apologized to Nirmala for having let his flower get trampled by the battle, but she assured him that the task had been more important than the flower. She then told him that he had completed the first step on his journey toward healing.[2]
Mama Binturong's plot against the Night Pride[]
| “ |
|
” |
The Night Pride defends Mama Binturong from a perceived attack by Makucha's army.
In an attempt to infiltrate the Tree of Life and learn the Night Pride's secrets, Mama Binturong pretended that Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora were chasing her into the mountain pass. As she had hoped, the Night Pride arrived to defend her, chased off the predators, then accepted her for healing at the Tree of Life. Once there, she met Queen Janna and requested a tour of the Tree of Life's territory. Janna, however, explained that the Night Pride rested during the day, and Rani instead showed Mama Binturong to a grove of trees that she could use as her home.
Later, Janna used the Tree of Life's powers to heal Ono's eyesight. In the meantime, Mama Binturong instructed her allies to infiltrate the Tree of Life and kill Janna while she lured the Night Pride away with cries for help. That evening, the plan went into motion, with the Night Pride falling for Mama Binturong's trap, while Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora advanced on the Tree of Life. Just in time, Ono realized Mama Binturong's deception, and the Lion Guard intercepted her allies, thus saving Janna's life. At the same time, the Night Pride arrived to help Mama Binturong, only for Ullu to warn them about her plot. She was then defeated by Bunga and his friend, Binga, who used their stink to drive her away.[29]
Poa the Destroyer[]
| “ |
|
” |
Baliyo and Rani inform the Lion Guard of Beshte's bad reputation among the residents of the Tree of Life.
Over time, Beshte earned a bad reputation among the locals at the Tree of Life for inadvertently causing accidents. When Baliyo and Rani caught wind of this, they gathered the Lion Guard at the Tree of Life, and Rani explained all the destruction that Beshte had caused. While Beshte exiled himself from the Tree of Life, saddened by the pain he had caused, the Guard and the Night Pride resolved to help the locals regain their trust in Beshte.
Later, after some residents had been gathered at the Tree of Life, Kion and Rani attempted to explain that Beshte was, in fact, kind-hearted. At that moment, Beshte approached with Pinguino riding on his back, and Pinguino declared that Beshte had saved his life, thus clearing the hippopotamus' name. The locals then started up a chant of "Poa!" for Beshte while the Guard and the Night Pride looked on in satisfaction.[30]
Physical characteristics[]
Lions are large, lean, and physically powerful mammals. Their pelts tend to be cream or gold, though some lions have black or brown fur. Male lions have thick, shaggy manes, most of which are red, but some of which are black or brown.[1][8] Lions can have blue,[31] brown, green, orange,[1] or purple eyes.[8] While the lions of the Pride Lands tend to be lighter in color,[1][8] the lions of the Tree of Life tend to be darker in color.[31]
Sociocultural characteristics[]
| “ |
|
” |
Lions are big cats who live in large groups called prides. Lions tend to live under a monarchy system, in which a blooded ruler is in charge of a vast territory called a kingdom. The lionesses under the monarch are responsible for obeying his laws and providing food for the pride. Though most lions respect the Circle of Life, some have been known to abuse their power and allow for nature to be thrown out of balance, such as Scar.[1]
Lions live in groups known as prides.
Rival lion prides occasionally get into conflict with one another. Most often, this results in one pride trying to overtake the territory of another pride. This can either be resolved by the prides merging, as is what happened with the Outsiders and Simba's pride, or one of the prides being overpowered and driven away.[8][4]
Lions are predators and known to eat antelope, hippopotamuses, and zebras. In some rare cases, like Simba, they may also eat grubs. There are no known predators of lions, as they are "at the top of the food chain." They typically live on the savanna, though they may also reside in areas of jungle.[1]
Notable lions[]
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- In the canon, only male lions have whiskers, while lionesses have none.[1] The only exception is Baliyo, a male lion without whiskers.[32]
- According to the animators of The Lion King, a single whisker had to be drawn on a separate piece of paper, which made it extremely difficult to animate them on several characters. As a result, only the male lions were given whiskers.
- Lions are featured in the "Who's Mightier?" and "Who's Louder?" episodes of It's UnBungalievable!
- In The Lion King, hyenas take on both lions and lionesses. In reality, hyenas only mob lionesses if there is a three- or four-to-one advantage, while male lions are avoided at all costs. Even if the hyenas outnumber a male twenty to one, the hyenas will typically give him a wide berth.[33]
References[]
|