Tiifu

Tiifu is a female lion. She is a member of Simba's pride.
One day, Tiifu went hunting with her friend, Kiara. While hunting, the cubs witnessed Janja and his clan invading the Pride Lands. While Kiara stayed behind to monitor the situation, Tiifu fetched Simba, Nala, and Rafiki. The four returned to the scene of the invasion, where they watched as Kion and his newly formed Lion Guard saved Kiara and drove off the hyenas.
After Scar's spiritual resurrection, Tiifu journeyed to the mudpots with Kion, Bunga, Kiara, and Zuri. There, the friends got trapped in a ring of fire by Scar's lackey, Mzingo, and so they were forced to flee underground. Though at first anxious and fearful, Tiifu befriended Kuchimba, who helped her overcome her fear of the dark. She, in turn, soothed Thurston's fears and helped lead him out of the underground.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Tiifu lived in the Pride Lands as a member of Simba's pride. As a young cub, she became best friends with Kiara and Zuri.
===Cubhood===
====Dawn of the Lion Guard====
Tiifu, Kiara, and Zuri were out and about when Zuri got her claws stuck in a log. In the face of Zuri's distress, Tiifu urged her to hold still and reminded her that Timon and Pumbaa had promised to help her. After Timon and Pumbaa helped Zuri free her claws, Kion and Bunga arrived, and Bunga announced that Simba had made Kion the leader of the Lion Guard. Timon and Pumbaa were reluctant to allow Bunga to join the Lion Guard, as it went against their problem-free philosophy, but Bunga clarified that it was in line with his philosophy, "Zuka Zama." Tiifu asked what "Zuka Zama" meant, and Bunga explained that he liked to embrace the chaos of life and ignore the strife.
Later, Tiifu and Kiara went out on a hunt. Tiifu asked if they were going to hunt the gazelles, and Kiara explained that the pride did not take more than their fair share, else they would break the Circle of Life. Just then, the cubs noticed Janja's clan invading the Pride Lands, and Kiara sent Tiifu to fetch Simba. Tiifu did as she had been asked and returned to the site of the invasion with Simba, Nala, and Rafiki. Together, the four watched as the newly formed Lion Guard saved Kiara's life and drove off the hyenas.
====Mashindano====
Tiifu watched the mashindano between Makuu and Pua.
====Kiara's temporary queenship====
At Pride Rock, Tiifu and Zuri announced Kiara's entrance in front of the Lion Guard, and Bunga bowed before her. Though Kiara disliked the praise, Tiifu reminded her that she was the queen and that she should let Bunga bow. Ono proceeded to give his morning report, and Kiara realized that a herd of elands was in danger of being stung by bees. Kion admitted that he had not thought of that himself, and Tiifu remarked that he did not have to, as he was not a queen. This made Zuri laugh and give Tiifu a high five. When Kiara told Kion to divert the eland herd, Tiifu and Zuri expressed excitement that she had made her first royal decree.
Instead of heeding Kiara's advice to divert the eland herd, Kion decided to move the bees. As a result, he and the Lion Guard returned to Pride Rock covered in bee stings, and Kiara chided him for having ignored her decree. Tiifu then declared herself and Zuri to be the queen's royal advisers.
Later, Kiara left the Pride Lands to meet Janja at Broken Rock. Kion arrived to put a stop to her plans, but when he entered Pride Rock, he found Tiifu and Zuri alone. The two explained that Kiara had gone somewhere important, and Kion accused them of being bad advisors.
====Learning to track gazelles====
Tiifu, Kiara, and Zuri learned how to track gazelles with Nala. Fuli joined in the exercise but was shocked to discover that they were not actually hunting.
====Royal Buffalo Wallow====
After Kiara was tasked with presiding over the Royal Buffalo Wallow, Tiifu and Zuri led her across the savanna. Kiara asked her friends where they were leading her and worried that she would miss the Wallow, but Tiifu and Zuri assured her that they were going to help her prepare for it. They then showed her Urembo Meadows, where they would give her a makeover in time for the 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 came to an abrupt halt, and Tiifu and Zuri informed Kiara that the wet flowers would make her smell even better for the Wallow. As Tiifu and Zuri began to roll in the flowers, a surge of floodwaters struck the plains, trapping all three cubs on an island in the midst of two raging forks of water.
Ono happened to spot the cubs and warned Kion about the situation. The Lion Guard arrived at the scene, and Tiifu and Zuri decided to let them handle the rescue. The two attempted to give Kiara a mud facial, but Kiara protested that she needed to leave in time for the Wallow. She 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 other way and disappeared into the floodwaters.
Ono reported Kiara's failed plan to Kion, who wondered if he should combine Kiara's plan with his own. 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. Kiara and Kion started to execute their combined plans when Tiifu and Zuri fell into the river. Kiara pulled them both to safety, but, in doing so, she got herself, Tiifu, and Zuri covered in mud.
With Tiifu and Zuri safe, the Lion Guard pushed the boulder into the water, and Kiara and her friends pushed a dead tree onto the boulder. To the Lion Guard's delight, the bridge held, and Tiifu, Kiara, and Zuri crossed safely to shore.
After the rescue, Tiifu and Zuri apologized to Kiara for having failed 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, Vuruga Vuruga. The cape buffalo praised her for her muddy appearance and commented that most royals showed up too stuffy for the event. Kiara thanked Vuruga Vuruga for the compliment, then gave credit to Tiifu and Zuri for always insisting that she looked 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, Tiifu participated in Bunga's "The Twelve Ways of Christmas" performance as one of the "six lions leaping." However, after several jumps, she and Zuri 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, Tiifu pointed out that they already knew 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, Tiifu pointed out that she and Zuri were her royal advisors, then 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====
Tiifu attended the Ukumbusho Tradition alongside the rest of her pride. During the ceremony, a horde of bees attacked the elephants, and the pride shielded themselves from the swarm. Eventually, the Lion Guard managed to calm the elephants down, and the celebration continued.
====Trapped underground====
At Pride Rock, Tiifu and Zuri yelled for help, and the Lion Guard rushed to their aid. However, once the team arrived, they realized that the cubs were simply distressed because the heat had messed up their fur. Kiara and Nala approached, and Nala chastised Tiifu and Zuri for having called 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 then invited Kiara to join them, and Nala sent Kion and Bunga along to keep the three cubs safe.
Together, the five traveled to the mudpots and played in the mud. Muhangus the aardvark, who lived in a warren nearby, became annoyed at the noise and ordered the cubs to keep quiet. Meanwhile, Scar ordered Mzingo the vulture to set fire to the grasslands near the cubs. Mzingo did as he had been commanded, and the cubs soon found themselves walled in by flames. Kion, Bunga, and Kiara attempted to create a fire line, but the flames spread too quickly, and so the group was forced to seek refuge in Muhangus's burrow.
Once underground, Tiifu became frightened of the dark and had a panic attack, during which she desperately tried to escape the warren and ended up causing a rockslide that trapped the friends underground. In response to the others' confusion, she confessed that she was afraid of the dark. Her friends comforted her and helped guide her as they searched for a way out.
Along the way, the group encountered a golden mole named Kuchimba, who tried to protect his tunnels from them. However, once he realized that they were simply passing through, he offered to help them find their way out. Tiifu asked Kuchimba if he was afraid of the dark, and he assured her that there was no reason to fear being underground. 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 had gone, Kion realized that there were several tunnels to choose from. The friends continued navigating the tunnels and ran into Thurston the zebra, who had wandered underground himself. Just then, Kion got the idea to track down Muhangus and ask him for directions. At first, Muhangus was loath to help the friends, but when Bunga threatened to sleep in his den, the aardvark reluctantly agreed to lead the cubs to the end of the tunnel.
When the group reached the end of the tunnel, Tiifu took off for the light, but Thurston began to panic, as he had been unaware that they were stuck underground. Tiifu rushed back and calmed him, reminding him that there was nothing to fear in the dark. She then led Thurston into the daylight. Shortly after being rescued, Thurston wandered into another cave and began to panic again, so Tiifu rushed off to help him once more.
====Dhahabu's visit====
Dhahabu, the queen of the Back Lands, arrived in the Pride Lands to discuss a water treaty between the kingdoms. After she met with Simba atop Pride Rock, she got escorted on a tour around the kingdom by Tiifu, Kiara, and Zuri. At Dhahabu's insistence, the Lion Guard tagged along as well.
In the middle of the tour, a bolt of dry lightning ignited the plains, which endangered Dhahabu. While Tiifu, Kiara, and Zuri managed to escape, Dhahabu hesitated, and Fuli was forced to shout 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 raging flames. After the rescue, Dhahabu praised Fuli for her bravery and Tiifu and Zuri for having remained at her side throughout the ordeal. She then insisted that the three stay with her for the remainder of her visit.
Later, Ono discovered that Dhahabu was being set upon by the 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. However, Dhahabu misinterpreted the situation and believed that Tiifu and Zuri were her saviors. As a result, she appointed them to her "Queen's Guard" along with Fuli.
Shortly afterward, Dhahabu was freshening up at a water hole when the jackals attacked again, this time with crocodile allies. Ono informed the Lion Guard of the predicament, and Raha and Starehe raced off to defend their queen. After the fight, Dhahabu relieved Tiifu, Fuli, and Zuri of their duties and appointed Raha and Starehe in their stead.
That night, Tiifu listened to Dhahabu's speech as she renewed her water treaty with the Pride Landers.
===Adolescence===
====Lion Guard's trip to the Tree of Life====
Tiifu and the rest of the Pride Landers bid Kion and his friends farewell as they departed for the Tree of Life. Before her brother's departure, Kiara wished him luck on his journey and agreed to keep Tiifu and Zuri out of trouble while the Lion Guard was gone.
===Young adulthood===
====Kion's coronation====
After Kion willingly relinquished his role to Vitani and her Lion Guard, Tiifu attended Kion and Rani's wedding at the Tree of Life.
==Physical appearance==
Tiifu is a slender and well-muscled lioness. She has cream-colored fur, with a pale underbelly, pale ear rims, and pale paws. She has several distinguishing features, including speckles under her eyes, a head tuft, and light brown fur on the tops of her ears. Her eyes are green.
==Personality and traits==
Tiifu is gentle, kind-hearted, and patient. She is especially good at soothing her friends when they are distressed, such as when Zuri got her claws stuck in a log and when Thurston panicked due to being trapped underground. However, like Zuri, she can be quite shallow and obsessed with appearance. Tiifu puts tremendous stock in how she looks and likes to appear competent in front of those she respects. Both she and Zuri are reverent of royalty and enjoy spending time with them. In particular, they admire Nala.
During stressful situations, Tiifu is prone to panic and does not always think clearly. She is especially afraid of the dark, though she learned to overcome this fear with help from her friend, Kuchimba. Both she and Zuri are loyal friends to Kiara; they supported her temporary queenship over the Pride Lands, helped her look her best for the Royal Buffalo Wallow, and refused to join Dhahabu's Royal Guard out of devotion to her.
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
* Tiifu was voiced by the following:
** In The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, Season 1 of The Lion Guard, and "The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar", she was voiced by Sarah Hyland.
** In the rest of Season 2 of The Lion Guard, she was voiced by Bailey Gambertoglio.
* Tiifu's name means "obedient, submissive, compliant" in Swahili.
* According to Sarah Hyland, Tiifu is the youngest of the main cast.
==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