Twiga

Twiga is a female giraffe. She is the leader of a herd of giraffes in the Pride Lands.
At the onset of the dry season, Simba called a Savannah Summit so that the Pride Lander leaders could discuss how they would ration water and share territory. Though Simba invited Makuu to the Savannah Summit, Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga refused to accept the crocodile's reformation and set a trap of rotten fruit for him. Eventually, Kion uncovered the scheme, and Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga made amends with Makuu.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Twiga lived in the Pride Lands. At some point in her life, she became the leader of a herd of giraffes. She had a daughter named Juhudi.
===Encounter with Simba===
One day, Simba walked across the Pride Lands en route to Kilio Valley. Zazu bid Twiga to bow before the king, and she acquiesced, along with Pim.
===Kupatana===
Before Kupatana, Twiga practiced the opening choral piece with Basi, Mbuni, Mtoto's mother, and Muhanga. That night, the animals performed the piece, with Twiga as the lead singer. During the ensuing celebration, the jackals attacked, and Twiga reacted with alarm. However, after the Lion Guard drove off the jackals, the Kupatana celebration continued.
===Frightening Ajabu===
While talking with his new friend, Ajabu, Beshte exchanged greetings with Twiga. Though Ajabu hid from Twiga, Beshte assured him that she was friendly.
===Blocked trail===
When a giant rainstorm hit the Pride Lands, the trail from Big Springs to Mekundu Cliffs got blocked by mud. Twiga attempted to use the trail to reach Big Springs, but Bunga and Ono warned her to use a different path. She thanked the two for the "heads up," which made Bunga laugh. Bunga later tried to recount the story to Beshte but mistakenly noted that Twiga had said, "Thanks for sticking your neck out."
===Blocked water hole===
Twiga and her herd were unable to access their water hole when it got blocked off by boulders. The Lion Guard arrived to help, and Twiga and Shingo laughed at Ono for his missing crest feathers. After Beshte cleared the boulders, Twiga went to drink from the water hole.
===Bunga's babysitting duties===
One day, Twiga attempted to keep her rambunctious daughter, Juhudi, under control. Exhausted, she took a drink from a water hole, where she noticed Muhimu relaxing on the bank. Twiga asked Muhimu where Hamu was, and Muhimu explained that she had left her son with Bunga so that she could have some time to herself. Twiga wondered if Bunga would watch over Juhudi as well.
At Hakuna Matata Falls, Twiga and several other Pride Lander parents approached Bunga and asked him to watch their children. Bunga agreed, and the children gathered around him excitedly.
Later, Bunga and his young charges defended themselves from an attack by Reirei's pack. Twiga and the other parents returned to Hakuna Matata Falls, and Bunga explained to them how their children had bravely fended off the jackals. The parents were shocked that Bunga had taught their children how to defend themselves, and Muhimu praised him for being the best babysitter ever.
===Savannah Summit===
On the day of the Savannah Summit, Mtoto informed the Lion Guard that Twiga and several other animals, including Makuu, were on their way to Pride Rock. Kion deduced that Makuu must be trying to spoil the Savannah Summit, and so he and the Lion Guard took off to thwart the danger and warn Simba. Once at Pride Rock, Kion tackled Makuu, but Makuu protested that he had been invited. With Simba's support, Makuu promised to take his duties seriously, which discomforted Twiga and the other Pride Lander leaders.
Together, the party proceeded to Mizimu Grove. Along the way, Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga spoke resentfully about Makuu's past actions and how readily Simba had been willing to forgive him. Zazu interrupted their talking, and the group continued on their way, with Simba and Zazu stressing the importance of equality and unity.
Later, while patrolling the Pride Lands for trouble, Mtoto overheard Twiga speaking about Makuu, and he informed the Lion Guard about what he had heard. The team took off to protect Twiga, but when they arrived on the scene, Makuu was nowhere to be found, only Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga. Bunga proclaimed that Mtoto had heard Makuu, but Mtoto clarified that he had only heard Twiga speaking about Makuu. Twiga denied their assertion, and Vuruga Vuruga backed her up. Though reluctant, the Lion Guard left and privately deduced that Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga must be too afraid to tell the truth about Makuu because he had threatened them.
Later, after Kion realized that Makuu may be the target of a nefarious plot, the Lion Guard rushed to Mizimu Grove, where they saved Makuu from falling into a pit full of rotten fruit. Makuu realized that someone had set a trap for him, and Kion proclaimed that he knew how to find out who was to blame.
That evening, Kion announced to the Savannah Summit that Makuu had fallen into a pit and lost his life in the struggle. A horrified Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga exclaimed that they had never intended for Makuu to get hurt, only to fall into a pit of rotten fruit. Just then, Makuu revealed himself and announced to the gathered animals that he had come to the Savannah Summit with the intention of helping his float and the Pride Lands but had only received distrust and hostility in return. Twiga, Vuruga Vuruga, and the other Pride Lander leaders feared Makuu's wrath, but Makuu merely prompted Simba to let the Savannah Summit go on.
===Traveling Baboon Show===
Twiga watched the Traveling Baboon Show.
===Mashindano===
Twiga spectated the mashindano between Kiburi and Makuu.
===Disturbed by Chama, Furaha, and Mzaha===
When Chama, Furaha, and Mzaha stampeded through her herd, Twiga looked after them disapprovingly.
===Dispute with Vuruga Vuruga's herd===
Twiga and her herd got into an argument with Vuruga Vuruga's herd over Big Springs due to a severe drought. Kion defused the situation. Later, Twiga and her herd traveled to Dhahabu Grove, where they had access to drinking water.
===Attacked by Janja's clan===
When Janja and his clan began to chase Twiga and Juhudi, the Lion Guard rushed to their defense. In the midst of the chase, the team split up, with Kion and Beshte remaining to handle the situation. As Beshte and Kion raced after the hyenas, Janja ordered his lackeys to stop them. With four hyenas on the attack, Beshte and Kion quickly became overrun.
Up ahead, Twiga lashed out at Janja, kicking him away from her. Janja consequently surrendered, and the hyenas retreated. Beshte and Kion checked on the giraffes, then followed after the hyenas to make sure that they had left the Pride Lands.
===Tamaa's show===
Twiga and Juhudi enjoyed a show put on by Tamaa.
===Kumbuka===
Twiga attended the Kumbuka celebration at Pride Rock.
===Kilio Valley fire===
After Ma Tembo's herd got ousted from Kilio Valley due to a fire, Kion requested that the herd temporarily stay with the giraffes. At first, Twiga was receptive to the elephants staying in Acacia Grove, but when they started eating entire branches off the acacia trees, she appealed to Kion to take them elsewhere so her herd would not starve.
===Encounter with Kinyonga===
One day, Thurston reported that a nearby rock had been talking to him. At first, the Lion Guard doubted the story, but then Twiga appeared and made a similar claim about a tree. Kion calmed the animals down and promised to figure out what was going on. It later turned out to be a chameleon named Kinyonga who had been speaking to Twiga and Thurston.
===Dhahabu's visit===
Several Pride Landers, including Twiga, gathered at Pride Rock in anticipation of a visit from Dhahabu. Upon Dhahabu's arrival, Fuli asked the giraffes to bend down so that the other Pride Landers could see better, and they acquiesced to her wishes. That night, the Pride Landers listened to Dhahabu's announcement that she had agreed to a water treaty with Simba.
===Scar's attacks===
Several Pride Landers, including Twiga's herd, attended Makini's mpando mpaya at Mizimu Grove. However, in the midst of the celebration, the Army of Scar attacked, and the Pride Landers rose up to defend themselves. The battle paused when the spirit of Scar appeared in the flames of Mizimu Grove and threatened to overtake the entirety of the Pride Lands. Frightened by Scar's unexpected appearance, the remaining Pride Landers fled Mizimu Grove. As Twiga's herd followed Basi's pod out of the grove, Beshte stopped them and told them that they could stop stampeding.
When the Pride Landers had regrouped at Mizimu Grove, Twiga asked if Scar had been behind all the Outlander attacks, and the others asked why the Lion Guard had kept Scar's return a secret. Simba approached the gathered animals and admitted that he had had knowledge of Scar's return for some time but had kept it a secret out of fear that the Pride Landers would leave the kingdom. Though Twiga disapproved of Simba's dishonesty, Ma Tembo noted that she understood why he had kept it a secret. After Simba's confession, the herds deliberated whether they should leave the Pride Lands for good, and Simba told them to inform him of their decision the following morning at Pride Rock.
The next day, the Pride Landers journeyed to Pride Rock to inform Simba of their decisions. However, at Kion's request, they went to Mizimu Grove, where they saw that Makini's baobab seed had survived the fire. Inspired by the seed's survival, the Pride Landers decided to remain in the kingdom and work together to defeat Scar. As the various animal herds looked on, Makini planted her baobab seed.
Later, when fiery sticks began raining from the sky, the Lion Guard rushed to protect Twiga and her herd. The giraffes managed to take cover by sheltering under a large rock.
===Lion Guard's trip to the Tree of Life===
Twiga and her herd bid the Lion Guard farewell as they departed the Pride Lands for the Tree of Life.
===Battle of the Lion Guards===
Twiga attended the announcement of the Battle of the Lion Guards at Mizimu Grove. She then watched several individual competitions, including Anga's and Bunga's. She also witnessed the final mashindano between Kion and Vitani, and reacted with awe when Askari appeared in the sky.
===Kion's coronation===
Twiga attended Kion's wedding to Rani at the Tree of Life.
==Physical appearance==
Twiga is a tall and slender giraffe. She has pale orange fur, with a cream-colored chest, brown spots on her flank, and a long dark brown mane. Her eyes are green.
==Personality and traits==
Twiga is friendly and easygoing. She looks out for the interests of her herd, to the point that she denied shelter to Ma Tembo's herd out of concern that her own herd would starve. She is also a loving and protective mother to Juhudi. Whenever her daughter is in danger, Twiga will do anything to save her, even attack a dangerous, hungry predator. At times, Twiga can be judgmental and snooty. Along with Vuruga Vuruga, she refused to accept Makuu's reformation and even set a trap of rotten fruit for him. Eventually, she apologized for her behavior and made amends with Makuu.
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
* Twiga was voiced by Alex Cartañá.
* Twiga's name means "giraffe" in Swahili.
==References==
Category:Canon articles
Category:Characters
Category:Females
Category:Giraffes
Category:Leaders
Category:The Lion Guard characters
Category:Pride Landers