Azaad

Azaad is a male cheetah.
When Fuli wandered into Azaad's territory in search of tuliza for her friend, Kion, Azaad challenged her presence. He allowed her to pass through his territory only if she were to win a race against him. During the race, Azaad nearly fell into a canyon, but Fuli stopped the race and saved him. This solidified Azaad's friendship with Fuli.
Later, Azaad led Janja and Jasiri to the Tree of Life, where the Lion Guard was staying. He accompanied the Lion Guard to the Pride Lands.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Azaad lived in a network of canyons near Flamingo Beach. He preferred to live in isolation and never had any friends. He once suffered an injury from a fall and so journeyed to the Tree of Life for healing. There, he befriended the princess heir, Rani.
===Befriending Fuli===
Fuli entered Azaad's territory in her search for tuliza. Along the way, she got lost in the network of passes, and Azaad demanded to know why she was in his territory. She informed him that she was helping a friend. Azaad scoffed at the idea of a cheetah having a friend, but Fuli did not give in, but instead asked for Azaad's help in navigating the terrain. He agreed, but only if she were to best him in a race.
Azaad and Fuli had their first race, but Fuli lost, as she tripped on a patch of uneven ground. She accused Azaad of cheating and insisted that they race again, to which Azaad reluctantly agreed. They started their rematch, and Fuli began to pull ahead. Refusing to be bested, Azaad took a shortcut by jumping over a canyon, but he only barely caught on to the cliff and started to fall. Fuli heard his cries and raced back to help him. A shocked Azaad questioned why she had not simply won the race, and Fuli explained that friends helped each other.
Fuli returned to her friend, Kion, with the tuliza. Immediately, Kion calmed, and the Lion Guard continued on its way. Before leaving, Fuli bid Azaad farewell and said that she hoped to see him again.
===Reunion with the Lion Guard===
At the Tree of Life, Ullu approached the Lion Guard, heralding the arrival of Azaad, who was leading Janja and Jasiri across the terrain. Fuli was shocked that Azaad and Rani knew each other, and Azaad admitted that he had once come to the Tree of Life for healing after suffering an injury from a fall. Jasiri informed Kion that Zira was invading the Pride Lands and that the royal family needed the Lion Guard's help. The team decided to return home as soon as possible.
Azaad led the team to the fastest route home: a narrow canyon pass. Beshte was too wide to squeeze through, so Kion used the Roar of the Elders to widen the pass. Next, the team came to a canyon that was too wide to jump across, and Kion used the Roar to funnel his teammates to the other side. However, Azaad and Fuli elected to jump across themselves. Finally, Kion created a rainstorm that filled a dry riverbed, allowing the team to hitch a ride on a floating log.
The Lion Guard continued their journey, passing familiar landmarks, such as the marsh, the mountain, and more. Eventually, they reached a massive stone wall. Kion used the Roar to break apart the rock, not knowing that the wall functioned as a dam, and accidentally opened a fissure that spurted water. Kion continued to Roar in order to hold the water back while the Lion Guard rescued nearby animals. Azaad, Fuli, Janja, and Jasiri handled rescuing a herd of klipspringers.
The rest of the Lion Guard worked together, heaving rocks into the Roar, until there were enough to fix the hole in the wall. Kion stopped Roaring, and the rocks fell, effectively blocking the dam. Kion complimented his friends on their teamwork, and Azaad led the team around the stone wall. They eventually arrived in the Outlands, where they caught a glimpse of Pride Rock in the distance. The Lion Guard then entered the Pride Lands, determined to save their kingdom.
===Time in the Pride Lands===
On the border of the Outlands and the Pride Lands, the Lion Guard was attacked by Vitani and a pride of unfamiliar lionesses. Azaad assisted the Lion Guard in fighting off the pride and worked with Fuli to take on Kasi. However, in the midst of the fight, Kovu and Kiara arrived and explained that the Outsiders had joined Simba's pride. Though confused, Kion halted his attack, and Kiara encouraged him to come to Pride Rock to hear the full story.
At Pride Rock, Kion reunited with his parents, Simba and Nala. Fuli then introduced Azaad to the royal couple and explained that he had helped the Lion Guard return home. Simba thanked Azaad for his assistance, and the cheetah replied that it had been his honor. Along with the Lion Guard, Azaad followed Simba, Nala, and Rafiki to the base of Pride Rock, where he listened to the tale of the reunification of the Outsiders and Pride Landers. Afterward, he spent time with Fuli in the Pride Lands, during which the two were greeted by a troop of excitable baboons.
The next day, when Kion and his Lion Guard entered the Lair of the Lion Guard, they found that Vitani and her lionesses were already inside. As the two groups began to bicker, Laini arrived and informed the two Lion Guards of an emergency at Mbali Fields. Kion and Vitani launched into another argument over who should go, and Azaad suggested that they both go. The groups agreed to Azaad's plan, but when they arrived at Mbali Fields, they began to argue again over who should save Thurston. In the meantime, Azaad approached Thurston and advised him to back out of the hole that he was stuck in. The idea worked, and Thurston freed himself. This led the two Lion Guards to conclude that they must stop fighting. With some prompting from Thurston, they decided to hold a formal competition over who had the right to defend the Pride Lands.
Azaad attended the announcement of the Battle of the Lion Guards at Mizimu Grove. He watched Beshte's individual competition and comforted him when he lost to Imara. Before Fuli's contest, Azaad commented that no matter how fast Kasi was, she could not beat a cheetah. He then cheered Fuli on and, upon her victory, congratulated her for having bested Kasi. He also watched Anga's individual challenge, the final mashindano between Kion and Vitani, and the appearance of Askari's spirit in the sky.
===Kion's coronation===
Azaad attended Kion's wedding to Rani at the Tree of Life.
==Physical appearance==
Azaad is tall and lanky, with large green eyes and a bulbous brown nose. His hide is yellow with black spots, and he has a lighter muzzle and underbelly. His ears are tipped with brown, and he bears the signature black tear markings of a cheetah.
==Personality and traits==
Initially, Azaad was cold and defensive. He was willing to protect his territory from intruders at all costs, as he firmly believed that cheetahs were loners and could have no friends. Additionally, he was arrogant and overly confident, and believed himself to be the fastest cheetah. However, after he befriended Fuli, he relaxed and became much more friendly and helpful.
Azaad has a strong sense of pride and dignity, and prefers to do things on his own terms. However, when help is offered, he is grateful and willing to follow orders. He exhibited bravery, ferocity, and strength when fighting alongside the Lion Guard. He often refers to himself in the third person.
==Appearances==
* The Lion Guard
** "The Race to Tuliza"
** "Journey to the Pride Lands"
** "Return to the Pride Lands"
==Trivia==
* Azaad was voiced by Behzad Dabu.
* Azaad's name means "free" or "liberated" in Arabic.
* Azaad's catchphrase "Mibinamet!" means "See you (later)!" in Persian.
* Azaad frequently refers to himself in the third person.
* In "Journey to the Pride Lands", Bunga and Beshte comment that Fuli and Azaad get along well, like Kion and Rani. This implies that Azaad and Fuli have romantic feelings for each other.
* Azaad is similar to Swifty from The Race; both are arrogant cheetahs who challenge someone to a race, only for their competitor to save their life.
==References==
Category:Canon articles
Category:Characters
Category:Cheetahs
Category:The Lion Guard characters
Category:Males