Friends to the End

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Friends to the End
Attribution Information
Director	•  Howy Parkins  •  Tom Derosier
Writer	Alison Taylor
Production Information
Series	The Lion Guard
Season	3
Episode	11
Air date	October 5, 2019
Episode Guide
Previous	Mama Binturong
Next	The Tree of Life

"Friends to the End" is the eleventh episode of Season 3 of The Lion Guard. It premiered on October 5, 2019.

Plot summary

While en route to the Tree of Life, Kion pushes the Lion Guard to travel as fast as they can. Eventually, the team stops for a break at a watering hole, but Kion cuts the break short, insisting that they should keep moving. Fuli asks Makini to give Kion some tuliza, but the herb does not soothe his bad temper.

As the Lion Guard starts their journey again, Fuli worries about the tuliza's dwindling effects. Bunga suggests that the venom in Kion's scar is turning him evil, to which Fuli adamantly insists that Kion is not evil.

The team eventually reaches a canyon, where they spot several goslings jumping off a cliff. Beshte insists on saving them, much to Kion's annoyance. However, the mother goose arrives and lectures the team for ruining her goslings' attempts to leave their nests. After the incident, Kion chastises Beshte and declares that they will no longer be helping animals who do not need their help. Bunga blames the scar for Kion's personality change, but Beshte defends Kion, asserting that Kion simply wants to reach their destination.

Shortly afterward, the Lion Guard finds their way blocked by a procession of peacocks. Impatient, Kion bulls his way through, purposefully knocking over one of the peacocks. The Lion Guard watches in shock, with Bunga repeating his position that Kion is taking a turn for the worst. Fuli rebukes him again, and the team continues on its way.

After leaving the canyon, Beshte befriends a clouded leopard named Yun Mibu, who is skilled at hanging from his feet. Kion is irritated by the delay and growls at Yun Mibu until he flees. He then turns his ire on Beshte, which prompts Fuli to challenge him. The two nearly get into a fight until Bunga breaks it up and reminds Kion that Rafiki had warned them about the venom's effects. This horrifies Kion, who runs off into the forest.

With Kion gone, Fuli lectures Bunga for believing that Kion is evil. The rest of the Lion Guard joins in, voicing their confidence in Kion's character ("Friends to the End").

Meanwhile, Kion sets off on his own, lamenting his awful behavior. He looks into a pool of water and sees an image of Scar, which taunts him for his turn to evil. The encounter solidifies Kion's resolve to apologize to his friends, but as he turns to go back, he falls off a cliff and only barely manages to catch on to an overhanging branch.

Fuli begins to worry about Kion's long absence and sends Anga to check on him. She spots him hanging perilously from the branch and is unable to save him herself, so she fetches the rest of the Lion Guard. Once there, they try and fail to think of a solution. Eventually, Beshte gets the idea to summon Yun Mibu for help.

At first, Yun Mibu is afraid to help Kion due to their earlier encounter, but with some encouragement, he agrees to the task. Kion apologizes for his rude behavior and promises to never growl at a clouded leopard again. Yun Mibu then hangs by his feet over the cliff and, with some help from Anga, pulls Kion to safety.

Once to safety, Kion apologizes for being so mean to his teammates. They forgive him, and Makini gives him some tuliza for good measure. Kion suggests that they head out again, but Fuli orders him to get some rest first. He relents, and the team settles down for a much-needed break.

Cast

Starring

• Max Charles as Kion
• Joshua Rush as Bunga
• Diamond White as Fuli
• Atticus Shaffer as Ono
• Dusan Brown as Beshte
• Bryana Salaz as Anga
• Landry Bender as Makini

Guest starring

• Mallory Low as mother goose
• Jason LaShea as Yun Mibu
• David Oyelowo as Scar
• Greg Chun as peacock leader
• Hudson D'Andrea as baby goose

Appearances

Behind the scenes

• The episode was released early on September 2, 2019, on DisneyNOW.