Zuri

Zuri is a female lion. She is a member of Simba's pride.
When Zuri journeyed to the mudpots with Bunga, Kiara, Kion, and Tiifu, they got trapped in a ring of fire set by Scar's minions. Unable to escape, the friends took shelter in an aardvark burrow and searched desperately for a way out. While traveling through the tunnels, they accepted help from Kuchimba, who helped them find their way out of the underground.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Zuri lived in the Pride Lands. At some point in her life, she befriended Kiara and Tiifu.
===Cubhood===
====Dawn of the Lion Guard====
One day, Zuri was out with Kiara and Tiifu when she got her claws stuck in a fallen tree. Kiara chided her for sharpening her claws on every other tree they passed, to which Zuri countered that she liked to keep her claws sharp and shiny. Just then, Timon and Pumbaa approached, and Pumbaa readied to free Zuri's claws with a stick. However, Bunga appeared and distracted Pumbaa, who accidentally wrenched Zuri's claws out of the fallen tree. Howling in pain, she fell off the fallen tree and landed in a log full of grubs. Though Zuri was repulsed, Timon and Pumbaa praised her for uncovering a "smorgasbord."
Before long, Kion appeared, and Kiara explained what had happened to Zuri. Kion shared that Simba had put him in charge of the Lion Guard and that he had picked Bunga to be his first teammate. Timon and Pumbaa were hesitant to let Bunga join the Lion Guard, but Bunga argued that it was in line with his catchphrase, "Zuka Zama." He then explained his philosophy to Kiara, Kion, Tiifu, and Zuri. Afterward, Pumbaa released gas, and Kiara urgently ushered Zuri toward Pride Rock.
====Mashindano====
Zuri attended the mashindano between Makuu and Pua. She stood beside Kiara and Tiifu.
====Kiara's temporary queenship====
Upon the Lion Guard's arrival at Pride Rock, Zuri announced Kiara as the queen of the Pride Lands, and Bunga bowed before her in reverence. Though Kiara tried to get Bunga to stop bowing, Zuri put a paw on Bunga to keep him in a bowed position and told Kiara that she should let him bow, for she was the queen.
Afterward, Ono gave Kiara the morning report, and Kiara mused that, since some bees were building hives along a well-traversed path, a herd of eland might get stung. Kion admitted that he had not thought of that, and Tiifu pointed out that he was not the queen. This made Zuri laugh and give Tiifu a fist bump. Kiara asked Kion to divert the eland herd, and Zuri expressed excitement that Kiara had made her first official "decree."
Annoyed at Kiara's bossiness, Kion decided to move the bees instead, only for the Lion Guard to get badly stung. Upon returning to Pride Rock, the Lion Guard reported what had transpired to Kiara. Though Kion tried to cover up how badly the mission had gone, Kiara chided Kion for having disobeyed her, and Tiifu declared that the queen was always right. Zuri added that she and Tiifu were the queen's advisers.
Later, Kiara left the Pride Lands to meet Janja at Broken Rock. Kion confronted Tiifu and Zuri at Pride Rock and asked them where Kiara had gone, and Zuri explained vaguely that Kiara had gone somewhere important. Enraged, Kion snapped that she and Tiifu were bad advisers, then stormed out of the den. Zuri expressed apathy and commented that Kion was not the queen.
====Learning to track gazelles====
One day, Nala took Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri hunting, and Kion brought along his friend, Fuli. Kiara asked Tiifu and Zuri if they were ready, to which Zuri asked if they could get the exercise "over with." Kiara urged Zuri to focus, and Tiifu gushed about how impressed Kiara would be by her hunting skills, only for Zuri to yawn in boredom. Tiifu continued bragging about her tracking and pouncing skills, and Zuri replied sarcastically that Kiara would surely be wowed.
Just then, Zuri noticed Nala watching and led Tiifu toward the nearby herd of gazelles. Fuli was reluctant to hunt alongside Tiifu and Zuri, but Kion pointed out that the two were his sister's best friends and like family to him. Reluctantly, Fuli joined the hunt and dashed past Tiifu and Zuri, who reacted with jealousy and resentment. After Kiara revealed that they were simply tracking the gazelles, not hunting them, she left with Nala, Tiifu, and Zuri.
====Royal Buffalo Wallow====
After Kiara was tasked with presiding over the Royal Buffalo Wallow, Tiifu and Zuri lead her across the savanna. Kiara questioned her friends as to where they were going, as she was worried that she would miss the Wallow, but Tiifu and Zuri assured her that they were planning to help her prepare for it. They then presented Urembo Meadows, where they planned to give Kiara a makeover in time for the Royal Buffalo Wallow.
Shortly into the excursion, a rainstorm struck Urembo Meadows, and the cubs sought shelter under a tree. Though Tiifu tried to assure Kiara that moisture was good for her complexion, Kiara worried that the storm would last all day. To the cubs' relief, the storm abruptly broke up, and Tiifu and Zuri informed Kiara that the wet flowers would make her smell even better for the Wallow. As the two friends began to roll in the flowers, a surge of floodwaters struck the plains, trapping the three on an island in the midst of two raging forks of water.
Ono happened to spot the cubs and departed to warn Kion of the situation. The Lion Guard rushed to the rescue, and Tiifu and Zuri decided to let them handle the situation. The two attempted to give Kiara a mud facial, but she protested that she needed to leave in time for the Wallow. She then urged her friends to help her, and the three used their combined strength to push a rock into the river. However, the rock simply rolled the opposite way and disappeared into the floodwaters.
Ono reported Kiara's failed plan to Kion, who wondered if he should combine his plan with hers to get the cubs off the island. He ordered Beshte and Bunga to push a large boulder into the floodwaters while Ono instructed Kiara and her friends to collapse a dead tree. However, as they were doing so, Tiifu and Zuri fell into the river. Kiara rushed to their aid and pulled them both to safety. In the process, the three cubs got plastered in mud.
With Tiifu and Zuri safe, the Lion Guard pushed the boulder into the water, and the cubs pushed a dead tree onto the boulder. To the Lion Guard's delight, the bridge held, and Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri crossed safely to the shore.
After the rescue, Tiifu and Zuri apologized to Kiara for their failure to prepare her for the Wallow, but Kiara assured them that there were more important things than appearance. She then departed for the Royal Buffalo Wallow, where she was greeted by the leader of the cape buffalo herd, Vuruga Vuruga. To Kiara's surprise, Vuruga Vuruga praised her muddy appearance and commented that most royals showed up too stuffy for the event. Kiara thanked Vuruga Vuruga, then gave credit to Tiifu and Zuri for always insisting that she look her best.
====Christmas====
Kion spoke to his family about partaking in a Christmas celebration for Timon and Pumbaa. After they agreed to the task, Kion told them to bring Tiifu and Zuri along as well. That night, the Pride Landers attended Bunga's rehearsal. Things went well until the next morning, when everyone was leaning toward abandoning the project. However, right before the animals could depart, Bunga desperately explained the importance of the performance to both himself and Timon, which prompted the Pride Landers to change their minds.
Later that day, Zuri participated in Bunga's "The Twelve Ways of Christmas" performance as one of the "six lions leaping." However, after several jumps, she and Tiifu began to grow tired, and Nala had to nudge them along. After the song, Timon lamented that Dandy Claws would never come, but Pumbaa suddenly appeared in costume. He apologized for his lack of gifts, but Timon pointed out that their family and friends were the gifts. The Lion Guard decided to make Christmas an annual holiday in the Pride Lands, and the gathered Pride Landers yelled, "Merry Christmas!" in unison.
====New water source====
One day, Tiifu, Zuri, and Kiara were drinking from a watering hole when some hyraxes approached. Kiara moved her friends aside, and the hyraxes began to drink.
Later, the royal family gathered at Pride Rock to meet Makini, Rafiki's new apprentice. As they waited, Kiara asked about Ma Tembo's search for a new water source, and Kion admitted that she had not had any luck so far. Zuri asked if Tiifu could imagine anything more boring than searching for water, and Tiifu agreed. However, Kiara reminded her friends that searching for water would not be so boring if they were thirsty. Just then, Makini approached and introduced herself, only for an exasperated Rafiki to follow her out onto the promontory and remind her that the introduction was for him to do. Misunderstanding Rafiki's intent, Zuri asked why Makini would introduce Rafiki, and Kion explained that Rafiki was introducing Makini.
After the introductions, Kiara asked her parents if Makini could accompany her on her mission to help Ma Tembo, and they agreed. As Kiara and Makini left, Kiara referred to Makini as her royal advisor. Confused, Zuri remarked that Kiara could not go without them, and Tiifu called out to Kiara that she and Zuri were going to accompany her on her mission. However, Nala halted Tiifu and Zuri, and offered to spend the day with them instead, to their delight.
====Ukumbusho====
Zuri attended the Ukumbusho Tradition along with the rest of Simba's pride.
====Trapped underground====
Upon hearing Tiifu and Zuri yelling for help, the Lion Guard followed the sound to Pride Rock. However, once they arrived, they realized that the cubs were simply distressed about how the heat was messing up their fur. Kiara and Nala approached and chided Tiifu and Zuri for calling the Lion Guard for a non-emergency. Beshte suggested that Tiifu and Zuri visit the mudpots at the edge of the Pride Lands to moisturize their fur, and they agreed enthusiastically. They invited Kiara to join them, and Nala sent Kion and Bunga along to watch over the three friends.
Together, the five traveled to the mudpots and played in the mud. While the cubs were playing, Muhangus emerged from his den and ordered the cubs to keep quiet. Meanwhile, Scar ordered Mzingo to set fire to the grasslands near the cubs, and Mzingo did as he had been commanded. Before long, the cubs found themselves walled in by flames. Though Kion, Bunga, and Kiara attempted to create a fire line, the flames spread too quickly, and the friends were forced to escape into Muhangus's burrow.
Once underground, the friends began to search for a way out. Along the way, they encountered Kuchimba, a golden mole, who tried to protect his tunnels from them. Upon realizing that they were simply passing through, Kuchimba offered to help them find their way out. Eventually, he led the friends to the end of his tunnel and instructed them to take the main tunnel out into the Pride Lands.
Once Kuchimba was gone, Kion realized that there were several tunnels to choose from. As the friends continued to navigate the tunnels, they heard nearby hooves pounding and ran into Thurston. Kion then got the idea to track down Muhangus and ask him for directions. At first, Muhangus was loath to help the friends, but he eventually agreed and led the friends to the end of the tunnel.
====Dhahabu's visit====
Dhahabu, the queen of the Back Lands, arrived in the Pride Lands to discuss a water treaty between her kingdom and Simba's. After meeting with Simba atop Pride Rock, Dhahabu got escorted on a tour around the kingdom by Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri. The Lion Guard tagged along at Dhahabu's insistence.
In the middle of the tour, a bolt of dry lightning ignited the plains, endangering Dhahabu. While Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri managed to escape the flames, Dhahabu hesitated, and Fuli shouted at her to jolt her out of her panic. Together, the two jumped over the fire to safety, and the rest of the Lion Guard successfully put out the flames. After the rescue, Dhahabu praised Fuli for her bravery and Tiifu and Zuri for remaining at her side throughout the ordeal. She then insisted that the three of them stay with her for the remainder of her time in the Pride Lands.
Later, Ono discovered that Dhahabu was being attacked by jackals. Along with Raha and Starehe, the Lion Guard rushed to the rescue and fought off the pack. During the fight, Tiifu and Zuri cowered behind Dhahabu, while Raha and Starehe fiercely fought off their queen's attackers. Dhahabu misinterpreted the situation, believing that Tiifu and Zuri were her saviors, and so she appointed them to her "Queen's Guard" along with Fuli.
Shortly afterward, Dhahabu was freshening up in a water hole when the jackals attacked again, this time with crocodile allies. Ono informed the Lion Guard of Dhahabu's predicament, and Raha and Starehe raced off to defend their queen. After the fight, Dhahabu relieved Fuli, Tiifu, and Zuri of their duties and appointed Raha and Starehe in their stead.
===Adolescence===
====Lion Guard's trip to the Tree of Life====
Zuri gathered with the royal family and Tiifu at Pride Rock to bid the Lion Guard farewell. Before leaving, Kion told Kiara to keep Tiifu and Zuri out of trouble, and Kiara vowed to do so.
===Young adulthood===
====Kion's coronation====
Zuri attended Kion's wedding to Rani at the Tree of Life.
==Physical appearance==
Zuri is a moderately sized lioness. She has a burnt orange pelt, with a dark pink nose and a pale muzzle, paws, and underbelly. She has crescent-shaped markings under her eyes as well as a small, swept-back tuft of fur on her head. Her eyes are dark blue.
==Personality and traits==
Zuri is snobby, stuck-up, and vain. She puts considerable stock in her appearance, to the point that she will call it an emergency when her fur is disheveled. Unlike Kiara and Tiifu, she is disinterested in hunting. However, she likes to impress others and is willing to engage in hunting exercises for the sake of appearance. Both Tiifu and Zuri love royalty and look up to Nala in particular.
Zuri is somewhat of a coward and does not like to engage in physical fights. Even so, she is loyal to her friends, as seen when she refused to abandon Kiara to join Dhahabu's Queen's Guard. She looks out for Kiara, supports her decisions, and does her best to help her succeed.
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
* Zuri was voiced by Madison Pettis.
* Zuri's name means "good, nice" or "beautiful, pretty, lovely" or "cute, attractive" in Swahili.
* In The Day of the Crocodiles, it is implied that Zuri has a crush on Kion.
==References==
Category:Canon articles
Category:Characters
Category:Females
Category:The Lion Guard characters
Category:The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar characters
Category:Lions
Category:Pride Landers