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Lions | |||
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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 |
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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[]
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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[]
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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[]
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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[]
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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[]
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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[]
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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.
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[]
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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[]
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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[]
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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.
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.
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[]
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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[]
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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[]
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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.
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[]
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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[]
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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.
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[]
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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.
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[]
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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.
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.
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[]
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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.
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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.
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.
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.
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[]
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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.
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.
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.
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[]
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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[]
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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[]
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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.
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[]
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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.
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[]
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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.
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[]
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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.
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[]
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The royal family, Tiifu, and Zuri performed for Bunga's Christmas celebration.[21]
Janja's interrogation of Zazu about Simba[]
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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[]
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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.
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[]
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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]
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,[24] 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.[24]
Sociocultural characteristics[]
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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]
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.[25]
- 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.[26]
References[]
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