Thurston

Thurston is a male zebra. He is the leader of a herd of zebras in the Pride Lands.
When Thurston mistakenly believed that he was the real mastermind behind the Lion Guard, Cheezi and Chungu decided to use his purported inside knowledge to their advantage. Together, they led him into the Outlands, where they and several other Outlanders asked him for advice on how to defeat the Lion Guard. However, once the Outlanders realized that he was a fake, they attacked him, and the Lion Guard came to his rescue.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Thurston lived in the Pride Lands. At some point in his life, he became the leader of a herd of zebras.
===Lion Guard's search for Flat Ridge Rock===
While the Lion Guard was searching for Flat Ridge Rock, Thurston approached them and asked if they were in need of directions. They explained that they were looking for Flat Ridge Rock, and Thurston asked where that was, which exasperated Fuli. Thurston, realizing that he could be of no help, asked where he had been going, and Ono suggested that he had been returning to his herd. Thurston agreed, then left to rejoin his fellow zebras.
===Mashindano between Makuu and Pua===
Thurston watched the mashindano between Makuu and Pua. He winced when Pua got violently stricken to the ground by Makuu.
===Bunga the Wise===
After Bunga made a dam to stop Lake Kiziwa from flooding, Thurston and Shingo approached and complimented him on his wisdom. While the three were talking, the dam began to leak, so Bunga blocked it up with a stick, which impressed Thurston and Shingo.
Later that day, Thurston stood in line to get advice from Bunga the Wise along with several other Pride Landers. He asked where to find a stick if he needed to plug up a leak, and Bunga advised him to climb up a tree. Satisfied, Thurston left.
Before long, Bunga gathered a huge entourage of followers, and Thurston joined in, singing Bunga's praises alongside the other Pride Landers. The rest of the Lion Guard soon approached, and Kion told Bunga that he gave bad advice, which shocked and dismayed Thurston. Timon reminded Kion that the dam had been Bunga's idea, but as he spoke, the dam broke, and water began to flood across the plains. In a panic, the Pride Landers fled for cover.
Alongside the other panicked animals, Thurston followed the Lion Guard into a canyon, where the group got trapped at a dead-end. Thurston turned to Bunga for advice, but Bunga admitted that he did not know what to do and appealed to Kion for help. Thinking quickly, Kion used the Roar of the Elders to blow the floodwaters backward, and the trapped animals were saved. After the water receded, Thurston joined the other Pride Landers at a new water hole that had been created by the floodwaters.
===Stampede at Chakula Plains===
Thurston and his herd were grazing at Chakula Plains when Ono approached and warned them to move so that Kion could use the Roar of the Elders. Thurston refused to leave because he was eating, so Ono yelled and frightened the zebras into stampeding. The herd eventually fled to safety and continued grazing away from the ravine.
===Kupatana===
Thurston attended the Kupatana celebration.
===Mtoto's antics===
While Thurston was grazing, Mtoto and his friends cried out that there was a hyena attack. This caused Thurston to flee in fear and huddle up with several other Pride Landers. Before long, the Lion Guard arrived at the scene and figured out that the young animals had just been playing a game, after which Kion sent Ono to calm down the herds. Once he had been informed of the false alarm, Thurston complained about the young animals' antics.
Later, when Beshte addressed a small group of Pride Landers, he assured them that they did not need to be afraid. However, Thurston asserted that zebras were the most delicious animals in the Pride Lands and that the hyenas knew it. Shingo scoffed at Thurston's claim, but Thurston simply told Shingo to accept his word. Just then, Mtoto's friends called out for Beshte and informed him that Mtoto was being chased by the hyenas. Thurston urged Beshte not to listen to the children, but Gumba protested that their warnings were real this time. Believing the children, Beshte rushed off to save Mtoto, and Thurston cried out in fear, asking who would protect him.
===Fooled by Tamaa===
When Janja forced Tamaa to mimic Kion's voice, Thurston overheard a phony order for animals to go to the Outlands. In a panic, he attempted to flee but did not know which way the Outlands was. As a result, he ran straight into the real Kion, who denied ever having given such an order. Thurston insisted that he had heard correctly, for zebras had the best hearing in the Pride Lands.
Ignoring Thurston's boasts, Fuli questioned him as to why he was not in the Outlands, and he admitted that he did not know where the Outlands was. Kion then confirmed that Thurston had heard but not seen anything, after which the Lion Guard raced off to put a stop to Janja's schemes. A confused Thurston called out after them that he had thought they were not supposed to go to the Outlands.
===Spooked by thunder===
During a thunderstorm, Thurston and his herd got spooked by thunder and started a stampede through the Pride Lands. The Lion Guard resolved to put a stop to the danger and saved the herd from being crushed by a large falling boulder. After the stampede, Kion questioned Thurston as to why he had started running, and the zebra admitted that the herd had been scared by a loud "boom," which Ono figured to mean thunder. Kion ordered Ono to show the zebras how to get home, and it took Thurston a second to figure out that he did not have to fly to follow Ono. He then hastily raced to catch up with the egret.
Once at his grazing ground, Thurston and two of his fellow zebras were spooked away by Janja and his cronies, Cheezi and Chungu. The Lion Guard went out of their way to fetch the zebras back, but Beshte accidentally sent a rock rolling toward them, which frightened them and caused them to jump into a nearby river. Just in time, Kion used the Roar of the Elders to blow them to safety, and the zebras landed safely among the Lion Guard.
===Encounter with Ajabu and Makucha===
Ajabu the okapi approached Thurston's herd, and Thurston asked him what he was. Before Ajabu could answer, Thurston interrupted and made several guesses as to what species he could be. Just then, Makucha the leopard approached, and Thurston plowed into him in a panic. Terrified, Thurston begged for his life, and Makucha declared that he was after a much tastier animal than a zebra. As Makucha raced away, Thurston snorted in disgust, insulted that Makucha had called him less tasty than another animal.
===Stuck in mud===
When the trail from Big Springs to Mekundu Cliffs got blocked by a mudslide, Bunga and Ono attempted to prevent the Pride Landers from using the trail. Thurston approached and demanded that he be let through. Despite Bunga's and Ono's protests, he shoved his way through and got himself stuck in a mud pool. He then commanded Bunga and Ono to help him, and the two complied.
===Lion Guard's search for the Zimwi===
While searching for the Zimwi, the Lion Guard ran into a panicked Thurston. Bunga assumed that Thurston was running from the Zimwi, but Thurston asserted that the Zimwi was nothing more than a story and clarified that he had been spooked by some genets. The very thought of the genets spun him into a panic, and he took off again into the forest.
===Makuu's invasion of the Flood Plains===
While taking a drink at the Flood Plains, Thurston got interrupted by a mongoose. Before long, he noticed Makuu invading the area and fled with the other Pride Landers.
===Traveling Baboon Show===
Thurston gathered with other Pride Landers at a tree to watch the Traveling Baboon Show. During the performance, Uroho joked about Thurston's tendency to panic and run, which made Thurston laugh.
Later, Thurston was present when Ma Tembo called the Lion Guard to look at a tree whose leaves had been mysteriously stripped. Thurston informed the Lion Guard that large swathes of grass were missing as well. He asked them if they knew what it all meant, and Ma Tembo surmised that there must be a food thief in the Pride Lands. The Lion Guard resolved to track down the thief, which satisfied the gathered Pride Landers.
Upon inspection of the missing grass, Bunga declared that it must have been a zebra that had taken all the food, which offended Thurston. Ono declared that it could not have been a zebra because all the bugs from under nearby rocks had been taken too, and some zebras were afraid of bugs. As Ono spoke, Thurston discovered a caterpillar in a patch of grass and took off in a panic.
===Christmas===
One night, Thurston attended Bunga's Christmas 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, Thurston partook in the "The Twelve Ways of Christmas" performance. After the performance, Timon lamented that Dandy Claws would never come, only for Pumbaa to suddenly appear in costume. Pumbaa 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.
===Ma Tembo's search for water===
Thurston followed Ma Tembo as she searched for water. During the search, he commented that he was parched and that he hoped she would find the new water source soon. Eventually, Ma Tembo located water, and Thurston joined his fellow Pride Landers in getting a drink.
===Mashindano between Kiburi and Makuu===
Thurston watched the mashindano between Kiburi and Makuu.
===Stuck in a dry riverbed===
When Thurston and members of his herd got stuck in a dry riverbed, the Lion Guard arrived to help. Beshte warned his teammates that they must rescue the zebras quickly, else the sun would dry the mud faster, so Kion used the Roar of the Elders to summon a rainstorm and loosen the mud. The Lion Guard looked on in awe and shock as the Roar turned a cloud into a thunderstorm, and the falling rain loosened the mud, freeing some of the zebras.
At first, the Lion Guard believed the zebras to be safe, but when the rain refused to stop and a flood began to rush down the riverbed, Kion ordered Beshte to stop the water flow while he and the rest of the Lion Guard freed the stuck zebras. Because of the Lion Guard's efforts, Thurston and his herd were delivered to safety.
===Brush fire===
Near Pride Rock, the Lion Guard struggled to put out a brush fire. Though they managed to put the fire out, the commotion frightened Thurston and his herd into stampeding across the grasslands. Once the herd had slowed, Ono learned from Thurston that dry lightning had caused the brush fire.
Later, Chama, Furaha, and Mzaha scared Thurston by spraying dust at him.
===Warding off tsetse flies===
A herd of cape buffalo stampeded across the Pride Lands so they could escape a cloud of tsetse flies, and the Lion Guard attempted to calm them. In the midst of the chase, Ono pointed out that tsetse flies detested water, and Kion ordered the team to steer the herd toward a nearby water source. After clearing Thurston and his herd from their path, the Lion Guard successfully led the cape buffalo to a watering hole, where the tsetse flies were warded off.
Later, the Lion Guard helped Mbeya climb out of a ditch in which he had been stuck. The team escorted him back to the watering hole but found themselves plagued by tsetse flies. A frustrated Beshte ordered the flies to leave, and to the team's shock, the cloud disappeared. Just then, Thurston and his herd appeared in search of a new watering hole, and Ono realized that the zebras had been the ones driving off the tsetse flies. This gave Kion an idea, and he and the rest of the Lion Guard decided to escort Mbeya and the zebras to a new watering hole.
Shortly afterward, Madoa approached the Lion Guard and told them that Janja's clan had trapped Jasiri and two hyena pups in a steam vent. Kion attempted to lead his team to the rescue, but they got caught in a cloud of tsetse flies, which prevented them from moving quickly. Kion suggested that Thurston accompany them to ward off any remaining flies, and the zebra agreed to the request, as he hoped to "earn a new stripe" for his bravery.
In the Outlands, Kion realized that the tsetse flies had vanished, and so he ordered Thurston to return to the Pride Lands. The zebra departed, and Kion advised Madoa to leave as well so she could protect her clan. Just before the Lion Guard could launch their rescue, Thurston reappeared, asking for directions, and the team frustratedly pointed him in the right direction. However, Thurston got turned around again and continued to follow the Lion Guard deeper into the Outlands.
The team became irritated when they realized that Thurston was still with them, but they had no choice but to proceed with their attack. The Lion Guard engaged in a fight with the hyenas, and Janja and his clan were effectively steered away from the edge of the steam vent. With the hyenas out of the way, Kion ordered Beshte to push a large rock into the lava flow, which allowed Jasiri and the pups to clamber to safety.
After the fight, Jasiri thanked the Lion Guard for their help, and the Lion Guard led Thurston back to the Pride Lands. Once there, the Lion Guard thanked Thurston for his help, which led him to believe that he had been invited to join the Lion Guard. He excitedly announced his new status to his herd while the Lion Guard looked on in amusement. Just then, the tsetse flies reappeared, and the team decided to hang out with the zebras.
===Kenge's attack===
Thurston shouted, "Panic and run!" when his herd got startled by Kenge.
===Tamaa's performance===
Thurston enjoyed a show put on by Tamaa, who impersonated his voice.
===Kumbuka===
Thurston attended Simba's Kumbuka celebration at Pride Rock.
===Encounter with Kinyonga===
When the Lion Guard overheard Thurston's frightened brays, they approached him and asked what the problem was. He reported that a nearby rock had been talking to him, but the team had their doubts. However, Twiga soon approached and made a similar claim about a tree, so Kion promised to figure out what was going on.
The next morning, the Lion Guard noticed Thurston speaking to a rock and figured that it must be Kinyonga the chameleon. Before long, Kinyonga turned off her camouflage, and Thurston realized that she was a chameleon rather than a rock, which caused him and his herd to flee in fear.
===Advising the Outlanders===
The Lion Guard saved a pair of hyraxes from a dust devil. Nearby, Thurston got aggravated by the storm and proclaimed to the Lion Guard that they should be putting a stop to the dust devils. Just then, Ono spotted another dust devil, and Kion led the team to the site of the storm.
With the Lion Guard gone, Thurston bragged about how he was the team's true mastermind and strategist. Unbeknownst to Thurston, Cheezi and Chungu were listening from the underbrush. The two hyenas hatched a scheme to kidnap Thurston and force him to spill all of the Lion Guard's secrets. To enact their plan, they led him away with the promise that he could attend a party with them in the Outlands.
In the Outlands, Thurston informed the hyenas that the Lion Guard sneezed uncontrollably if they were exposed to red flowers. Cheezi and Chungu raced off to use this information against the Lion Guard, while Thurston stayed behind and pondered if it had been himself who was subject to the flowers.
Later, Goigoi was tasked with finding food by his mate, Reirei. He happened to notice Thurston sitting idly in a clearing and approached him with the intention of eating him. However, he paused when Thurston mentioned that he had inside knowledge on the Lion Guard. Thurston explained that the Lion Guard often overlooked him due to his stripes, and Goigoi wondered if he could use the same tactic to defeat them. As Goigoi left to deal with the Lion Guard, Thurston wondered if he had been unnoticeable only because he had been lost in a herd of other zebras.
Tamka and Nduli had their own encounter with Thurston, who told them that the Lion Guard would fall asleep if their bellies were tickled. However, as the crocodiles departed, Thurston realized that he had been talking about his own quirk, not the Lion Guard's.
Meanwhile, Kion voiced his concern that Scar was behind some strange attacks and ordered Ono to scout out the Outlands. Ono soon spotted Thurston being attacked by Cheezi, Chungu, Goigoi, Nduli, and Tamka. Since he was a Pride Lander, Kion decided that it was their duty to save him.
As the Outlanders debated which part of Thurston to eat first, he advised them to "panic and run." Just then, the Lion Guard appeared and chased off the Outlanders. Thurston then revealed that he had been advising the Outlanders, and the Lion Guard realized why they had been the butt-end of such strange attacks. Together, the team and Thurston left the Outlands to return home.
===Trapped underground===
As Kion, Bunga, Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri navigated some underground tunnels, they heard pounding hooves and ran into Thurston, who was also underground. They questioned him as to which direction he had come from, but he was unable to recall where he had been.
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 with some persuasion, he begrudgingly agreed to assist them. With Muhangus in the lead, the group traveled to the end of the tunnel. However, Thurston began to panic, as he realized that they had been stuck underground for some time. Before he could collapse the tunnel, Tiifu rushed to his side and calmed him, asserting that there was nothing to fear in the dark. She then led him out of the tunnel and into the daylight.
Once above ground, the friends were met by Beshte, Fuli, and Ono. Just then, Thurston wandered into another cave and began to panic, so Tiifu raced off to save him again.
===Frightened by Shujaa===
Thurston and his herd tried to drink from the watering hole, but they were frightened away by Shujaa. Kion sent Beshte and Ono to calm the zebras.
===Scar's attack===
Thurston attended Makini's mpando mpaya at Mizimu Grove. In the midst of the celebration, the Army of Scar attacked, and the Pride Landers rose up to defend themselves. The battle paused when Scar appeared in the flames and threatened to overtake the entirety of the Pride Lands. Frightened by Scar's unexpected appearance, Thurston fled Mizimu Grove, and the other Pride Landers followed suit.
After the Lion Guard had calmed the herds, Simba approached them and admitted that he had had knowledge of Scar's return for some time. 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, Kion implored Thurston and his herd to follow him to Mizimu Grove before they decided to leave the Pride Lands forever. The herds obediently followed Kion to Mizimu Grove, where Makini's baobab tree seed had survived the fire. This inspired them to remain in the kingdom and work together to defeat Scar.
===Lion Guard's trip to the Tree of Life===
When the Lion Guard left the Pride Lands to find the Tree of Life, Thurston and his herd journeyed to Pride Rock to say goodbye. Thurston assured Kion that he and his zebras would protect the Pride Lands while the Lion Guard was away, and Kion thanked him by name. As the Lion Guard left the herd behind, Thurston boasted to his fellow zebras that Kion had known his name all along.
===Battle of the Lion Guards===
Laini raced to the Lair of the Lion Guard, calling for help, and both Kion's and Vitani's Lion Guards agreed to assist her. Laini quickly led the teams to where Thurston's front half was stuck in a hole, but the two Lion Guards began to argue over who should rescue him. Meanwhile, Azaad approached Thurston and told him to back out of the hole. Thurston did so successfully, and Kion commented that the Lion Guards had to sort out their problems in order to avoid quarreling. Thurston suggested a competition to determine which team was better, and both Lion Guards agreed to the challenge.
Later, Rafiki announced the Battle of the Lion Guards at Mizimu Grove. Thurston attended the announcement as well as every individual competition. He also witnessed the final mashindano between Kion and Vitani, and reacted with awe when Kion lifted Pride Rock with the Roar of the Elders.
===Kion's coronation===
Thurston attended Kion's wedding to Rani at the Tree of Life. During the ceremony, he bragged to Pinguino that he had taught Kion everything he knew.
==Physical appearance==
Thurston is a tall and stocky zebra with long legs, a rounded muzzle, and a slender neck. His main pelt and mane are striped with black and white, while his muzzle is dark gray. He has brown eyes and an abnormally long mane that is swept up at the front.
==Personality and traits==
Like most zebras, Thurston is absent-minded, clueless, and dim-witted. He does not have a good sense of direction and tends to misunderstand what is going on around him, such as when he believed that dry lightning was simply a large flash of light. He is easily spooked and will often fly into an inconsolable panic whenever he is exposed to his fears, which include predators, thunder, and being underground.
Thurston is conceited and self-absorbed, and likes to bask in the praises of his fellow zebras. He often tells tall tales and conflates his own abilities, especially his intelligence. Despite the exaggerated nature of his stories, he does seem to believe his own lies, as he convinced himself that he was the true strategist behind the Lion Guard. He takes special pride in his species and frequently asserts that zebras are the tastiest animal in the Pride Lands. If an animal ever disputes him on this point, he will take deep offense.
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
* Thurston was voiced by Kevin Schon.
** Schon also voiced Iron Joe in The Lion King 1½, Timon in The Lion Guard and The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa, and Chungu in The Lion Guard.
* According to Kevin Schon, Thurston's name was intended to be a tribute to Jim Backus, who played Thurston Howell on the 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island.
* "Return to the Pride Lands" is the only episode that lists Thurston in its end credits.
==References==
Category:Canon articles
Category:Characters
Category:Leaders
Category:The Lion Guard characters
Category:Males
Category:Pride Landers
Category:Zebras