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| Night Pride | |||
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| Leader | |||
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| Purpose |
To protect the Tree of Life | ||
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Active | ||
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The Night Pride is a group of animals who protect the Tree of Life. They are led by Queen Rani.
While studying to be queen under her grandmother, Janna, Rani led the Night Pride. One day, the Lion Guard arrived at the mountain pass leading to the Tree of Life and inadvertently caused a rockslide that blocked the pass. Believing the Guard were enemies, the Night Pride attacked them, and Kion used the Roar of the Elders on Baliyo. Furious, Rani condemned Kion and forbade the Guard entry to the Tree of Life. However, with some persuasion from Janna, she relented and allowed the Guard to enter their territory.
Over time, the Lion Guard helped the Night Pride defend their territory from an army of predators who had followed them to the Tree of Life. The frequent skirmishes culminated in a battle that ended with Kion exiling the army of predators using the Roar of the Elders. Afterwards, the Guard returned to their home in the Pride Lands, only to forfeit their duties to Vitani and her Guard, and join the Night Pride instead.
Concept[]
Function[]
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The Night Pride is a group of animals who defend the Tree of Life from threats to its peace and sanctity. Initially, the Night Pride was comprised of lions who lived at the Tree of Life,[1] though other species from a foreign land later joined its ranks.[2] The Night Pride is led by a member of the Tree of Life's royal family, either the reigning monarch or their successor in the event that age or illness renders them unable to act in this capacity. Each member has the Mark of the Night Pride on their right shoulder. The group resides in the Tree of Life and its surrounding territory.[1]
Duties[]
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As part of their pledge to protect the Tree of Life, the Night Pride is bound by innumerable duties. These include but are not limited to:
- Granting outsiders entry to the Tree of Life,[1]
- Conducting regular patrols of the Tree of Life and its surrounding territory,[3]
- Dealing with external threats, including invasions by outsiders,[4]
- Dealing with internal threats, such as addressing the concerns of residents[5] and handling internal conflicts,[6] and
- Protecting weak and innocent animals.[7]
History[]
First encounter with the Lion Guard[]
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The Night Pride arrives at the mountain pass.
The Lion Guard sought out the Tree of Life so that two of their members, Kion and Ono, could receive healing. However, upon reaching the mountain pass leading to the Tree of Life, the Guard accidentally caused a rockslide. Ullu alerted the Night Pride to the Guard's presence, and Rani led her teammates to the mountain pass. Though Nirmala suggested a peaceful approach, Baliyo perceived the Guard to be a threat and so launched into battle against them. As the Night Pride joined in the fight, Kion took on Baliyo and used the Roar of the Elders to send him flying away. Because of Kion's hostility and direct attack on her brother, Rani forbade him and his teammates entry to the Tree of Life.
Shortly after the incident, Rani convened with her grandmother, Queen Janna, who remarked that the Roar had returned to the Tree of Life at last. She then advised Rani to welcome the Guard into their territory. Though reluctant to do so, she sought counsel from her parents, Sãhasí and Ãnanda, and they urged her to follow her grandmother's advice.
The Night Pride welcomes the Lion Guard to the Tree of Life.
Along with her teammates, Rani returned to the mountain pass to find that the Guard had cleared the rockslide. Kion apologized for his earlier attack on Baliyo and requested that Ono still be allowed entry to the Tree of Life for healing, since he had been uninvolved in the battle. Impressed by Kion's selflessness, Rani allowed the Guard to enter their territory, and the Night Pride personally escorted them to the Tree of Life.[1]
At the Tree of Life, Janna welcomed the Guard and examined Kion's and Ono's injuries. She then tasked Nirmala with overseeing Kion's healing, while Rani took the Guard on a tour of the Tree of Life's territory.[4]
Threat from Makucha's army[]
| “ | Janna: Rani? Is something wrong? Rani: You could say that. Kion led an army of predators here!
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Makucha and his allies, Chuluun and Ora, followed the Lion Guard's trail to the mountain pass. There, the Night Pride intercepted them and ordered them to return to their own territory. They, however, refused and attempted to fight their way to the Tree of Life, only to get swiftly defeated by the Night Pride.
The Night Pride defends the Tree of Life from Makucha's army.
Shortly after the attack, the Guard arrived to help the Night Pride, and Kion realized that he and his teammates had inadvertently led Makucha's army to the Tree of Life. Furious, Rani brought the Guard before Janna and accused Kion of having led an "army of predators" to the Tree of Life. Kion apologized on the behalf of his teammates and volunteered to help the Night Pride deal with Makucha's army, but Janna told him to focus on his healing and let the Night Pride conduct their duties on their own.
Later, Makucha's army launched a nighttime assault on the Tree of Life, but the Night Pride drove them back. The next morning, the army returned and attack again, this time nearly incapacitating the Night Pride. Just in time, Kion arrived to help, and Makucha's army fled the Tree of Life's territory.[4]
Mama Binturong's plot[]
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The Night Pride defends Mama Binturong from a perceived attack by Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora.
Another old adversary of the Lion Guard, Mama Binturong, joined up with Makucha's army and resolved to help them infiltrate the Tree of Life. Devising a plan to trick the Night Pride, she pretended to be under attack by Makucha's army and sought help in the mountain pass. As she had hoped, the Night Pride jumped to her defense and allowed her entry to the Tree of Life.
Later, Mama Binturong conspired to distract the Night Pride while Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora snuck into the Tree of Life to kill Janna. Mama Binturong managed to lure the Night Pride to her with cries for help, and her allies used the distraction to cross the border. However, the Guard drove off Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora, and Ullu warned the Night Pride of Mama Binturong's deception. With the gig up, Mama Binturong fled the Tree of Life's territory.[6]
Janna's death[]
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The Night Pride says their goodbyes to Janna.
One day, the Night Pride and the Lion Guard defended a family of tigers from Makucha's army. After the fight, Ullu told them that Janna wished to speak with them at the Tree of Life. Upon seeing many animals gathered outside the Tree of Life, Rani realized that Janna was dying, and the Night Pride resolved to speak with her together.
Once inside the Tree of Life, the Night Pride convened with a dying Janna. The elderly queen passed on her healing duties to Nirmala and encouraged Baliyo and Surak to support Rani. She then told Rani that she had everything she needed to be queen and added that the Night Pride and Makini, her Royal Mjuzi, would support her. After saying her goodbyes, Janna died peacefully, and the Night Pride honored her passing with a funeral at the Willows.
Later, the Night Pride attended Rani's coronation at the Tree of Life and voiced their support of her reign.[8]
Partnership with the Lion Guard[]
| “ | Kion: The Lion Guard could patrol during the day while you rest. Rani: Then the Night Pride could go back to patrolling only at night. Oh, we could use the help. Especially now that I'm queen and leader of the Night Pride.
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One day, Makucha's army launched another attack on the Tree of Life. Though exhausted from a night of patrolling, the Night Pride intercepted the army and ordered them to stay away from their territory. Just then, the Lion Guard arrived to help the Night Pride. However, Kion and Rani both began to issue separate orders, resulting in their teammates getting confused and failing to execute their attacks properly.
The Night Pride forms a partnership with the Lion Guard.
Eventually, the Night Pride and the Guard drove off Makucha's army. After the fight, Rani ordered Kion to follow her lead from then on, and he began to doubt if he could effectively lead his team. He then commented that the Night Pride needed some rest, and Rani lamented how Mama Binturong refused to give up. In an effort to ease the Night Pride's burdens, Kion volunteered to patrol the Tree of Life's territory with the Guard during the day so that the Night Pride could get some rest, and Rani gratefully accepted his offer. Unbeknownst to the Night Pride and the Guard, Mama Binturong had been spying on their conversation and resolved to exploit the Night Pride's weakness.
Later, Ullu warned the Night Pride and the Guard that Makucha's army was launching another attack on the Tree of Life. The two teams arrived to thwart the invasion, and Kion led them in a combined attack. Together, they fought off Makucha's army, and Rani complimented Kion on his leadership skills.[3]
Battle for the Tree of Life[]
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One day, Ullu fell asleep, and Makucha's army took advantage, invading the Tree of Life and chasing some of its animal residents. The Night Pride started to deal with the invasion, only for the Lion Guard to arrive and chase off the predators themselves.
The Night Pride struggles to escape the Tree of Life.
Later, Makucha's army invaded the Tree of Life with additional allies. Ullu warned the Night Pride about the attack, but when they rushed into the Tree of Life to deal with Makucha's army, Ora and his Komodo dragon minions pushed a rock into the entrance, blocking the way out. The Night Pride attempted to move the boulder, to no avail, while Makucha's army launched an attack on some nearby animals.
Before long, Kion, Rani, and Bunga arrived, and Kion used the Roar of the Elders to defeat Makucha's army. He then used the Roar to summon a lightning bolt that shattered the rock at the Tree of Life's entrance, thus freeing the Night Pride. After the battle, Rani implied that Kion should stay at the Tree of Life.[7]
Induction of the Lion Guard[]
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The Night Pride attends Kion's coronation.
In the aftermath of the battle, the Lion Guard returned to the Pride Lands to deal with an invasion by the Outsiders. While in the Pride Lands, Kion forfeited his title as the leader of the Lion Guard to Vitani, and she and her teammates became the new Lion Guard. Afterwards, he consulted with the spirit of Askari as to what he should do next, and Askari hinted that the Tree of Life could use his help. He and his former teammates agreed to the task, and instantly, the marks of the Night Pride appeared on their shoulders.
Together, Kion and his friends returned to the Tree of Life and formally joined the Night Pride. Kion then married Rani and became the Tree of Life's king. The Night Pride attended the coronation ceremony, during which they cheered for Kion and Rani.[2]
Notable members[]
Appearances[]
References[]
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