Surak

―Surak's catchphrase[src] | ”

**Surak** is a male lion. He is a member of the Night Pride and a prince of the Tree of Life. He is the son of Janna, and the uncle of Baliyo and Rani.

When the Lion Guard first arrived at the Tree of Life, the Night Pride mistook them for violent intruders and launched into battle against them. During the fight, Kion used the Roar of the Elders on Baliyo, which caused Rani to forbid him and his friends entry to the Tree of Life. With some encouragement from Janna, Rani amended her original verdict, and the Night Pride allowed the Lion Guard to receive healing from the Tree of Life's healers.

During the course of the Lion Guard's stay, the Night Pride teamed up with them to defeat an army of predators who had followed the Lion Guard to the Tree of Life. The frequent skirmishes eventually culminated in a final battle, which ended with the invaders' defeat.

## Biography

### Early life

Surak was born to Janna, the queen of the Tree of Life. He had an elder sibling: either Sãhasí or Ãnanda. At some point in his life, Surak joined the Night Pride, a group of lions who were tasked with protecting the Tree of Life.

### Meeting the Lion Guard

―Surak, on the Lion Guard[src] | ”

After Ullu spotted the Lion Guard at the mountain pass, she alerted the Night Pride to the situation. Along with his teammates, Surak arrived at the mountain pass to confront the Lion Guard. Baliyo attacked the Lion Guard, which led to a battle between the two groups. During the fight, Surak dodged an attack from Beshte, then warned his teammate, Nirmala, to avoid Anga's aerial attack. However, after Kion used the Roar of the Elders on Baliyo, the Night Pride backed off, and their leader, Rani, forbid the Lion Guard from coming to the Tree of Life.

Once at the Tree of Life, the Night Pride reunited with Baliyo, who was dizzy but unharmed. Surak commented that Kion's abilities seemed like a power out of legend. Before leaving to report the border incident to Janna, Rani ordered Surak and Nirmala to look after Baliyo.

Later, after receiving counsel from Janna, Rani informed her team that they were going to invite the Lion Guard to the Tree of Life for healing. Surak and his teammates returned to the mountain pass and escorted the Lion Guard to the Tree of Life.

### First skirmish with Makucha's army

―Surak, on Makucha's army[src] | ”

Along with the rest of the Night Pride, Surak led the Lion Guard to Janna, who welcomed them for healing. Later, when Makucha and his allies, Chuluun and Ora, attempted to invade the Tree of Life, the Night Pride blocked their entry. Together, Surak and his pride members defeated Makucha's army and drove them out of the mountain pass. After the battle, the Lion Guard arrived and realized that Makucha's army had followed them to the Tree of Life.

That night, the Night Pride fended off another attack by Makucha's army. However, the following morning, the army attacked again and nearly defeated the Night Pride. Just in time, Kion arrived to help.

### Mama Binturong's plot

―Surak, on Mama Binturong[src] | ”

Mama Binturong plotted to invade the Tree of Life by pretending to seek sanctuary from Makucha's army. The army enacted the plan, and the Night Pride fell for it, accepting Mama Binturong for healing at the Tree of Life.

Later, Mama Binturong returned to her allies and instructed them to kill Janna while she distracted the Night Pride. The plan went into motion, and the Night Pride fell for Mama Binturong's cries for help. In the meantime, Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora snuck over the border.

After luring the Night Pride to her with cries for help, Mama Binturong attacked Bunga and Binga. The Night Pride arrived, and Mama Binturong attempted to blame the honey badgers for the fight. However, Ullu arrived and informed the Night Pride of Mama Binturong's deception. Bunga and Binga then used their stench to defeat Mama Binturong once and for all.

### Clearing Beshte's name

Surak gathered at the Tree of Life with the Night Pride and the Lion Guard to discuss Beshte's bad reputation.

### Janna's death

―Surak, after Janna dies[src] | ”

When Makucha's army attacked a tiger named Varya and her three cubs, the Night Pride and the Lion Guard arrived in the family's defense. After the two groups successfully chased off the predators, Ullu appeared and told the Night Pride that Janna needed them right away. The group proceeded to follow Ullu to the Tree of Life, where they noticed a crowd of animals gathering outside. Upon realizing that Janna was dying, Baliyo refused to enter the Tree of Life out of fear, but Surak told him that he must go in, for Janna wanted to see him. With some additional persuasion from Rani, Baliyo agreed to visit his grandmother.

Once inside the Tree of Life, Janna told Surak to lend Rani his wisdom. Afterward, she died peacefully, and Surak grieved her death alongside the rest of the Night Pride. Later, he attended Janna's funeral at the Willows. During the ceremony, he commented that she would be a part of them forever.

That evening, Surak attended Rani's coronation, during which he watched proudly and cheered his niece on.

### Working with the Lion Guard

—Surak and Baliyo, before a fight with Makucha's army[src] | ”

One day, Makucha and his army launched an attack on the Tree of Life. The Night Pride challenged them, though Baliyo's yawning exposed how exhausted they were from a night of patrolling. The Lion Guard arrived in time to help, but Kion and Rani's dual leadership resulted in confusion.

Eventually, the Lion Guard and the Night Pride succeeded in driving off the army. Kion offered to patrol the Tree of Life during the day in order to give the Night Pride time to rest, and Rani gratefully accepted his offer. Unbeknownst to the team, Mama Binturong was spying on their conversation from a nearby tree.

Later, Ullu warned the Lion Guard and the Night Pride that Makucha's army was launching another attack. The Night Pride arrived, and Kion successfully led the two teams in their attack.

On a different day, Makucha and his army snuck into the Tree of Life due to Ullu falling asleep. The Night Pride arrived, only for the Lion Guard to take over the shift and defeat the army themselves.

### Battle for the Tree of Life

―Surak, on an attack by Makucha's army[src] | ”

Makucha's army invaded the Tree of Life with new forces. Ullu warned the Night Pride about the army's attack, and they rushed to the Tree of Life, only to be shut in by a giant rock pushed by Ora and his minions. With the Night Pride out of commission, the army attacked the animals at the Tree of Life.

Kion, Bunga, and Rani arrived, and Kion used the Roar of the Elders to defeat the villains. He then struck the rock at the Tree of Life's entrance with lightning, destroying it and freeing the Night Pride.

### Kion's coronation

Surak attended Kion and Rani's wedding at the Tree of Life.

### Battle of Mount Kilimanjaro

After Makucha's army destroyed half of the Tree of Life's realms, Surak, Baliyo, and Nirmala were trapped inside the Chamber of the Night Pride. Later, Rani, Fuli, Jasiri, and a reformed Chuluun freed Surak and the Night Pride, joining the ongoing fight against Scar at Mount Kilimanjaro. After Mufasa disintegrated Scar's spirit, ending his threat for good, he died peacefully. Despite not knowing Mufasa, Surak knelt out of respect for him.

## Physical appearance

Surak is a large and imposing male lion, with wide shoulders and a strong build. He is considerably bigger than his fellow pride members, being a full head taller than his niece, Rani. Surak's size and build prove to be an asset in battle, as they enable him to take on powerful enemies and knock down even relatively large animals, such as snow leopards. Despite this, Surak is agile, quick on his feet, and able to climb, dodge, and maneuver with ease.

Surak's main pelt is dark brown, while his muzzle, paws, and underbelly are cream. He has brown ear rims, the tops of which are darker in color and the sides of which are lighter in color. His eyes are brown and framed by bi-colored eye rims; while the upper shades are darker in color, the lower shades are lighter in color. He has a full, swept-up, dark brown mane that is tinged with lighter shades and pointed on either end.

Surak's right shoulder is marked by a lion's head symbol, which represents his position as a member of the Night Pride.

## Personality and traits

Like his mother, Janna, Surak is soft-spoken, thoughtful, and calm. He holds a countenance of maturity and works hard to defend the Tree of Life alongside the rest of his pride. He tends to maintain a rather stoic persona and acts quite seriously during even the tensest of situations. Despite this, he is not emotionless, as seen when he shed tears over Janna's death and comforted his nephew, Baliyo.

Surak is quite knowledgeable, as he is aware of ancient legends like the Roar of the Elders. He is also considered to be very intelligent and wise, and was Janna's first pick to give Rani monarchical advice. Even though Rani is his leader, she often turns to him for guidance and relies on his knowledge and advice when she is unsure of what the right course of action is. He frequently offers advice to the other members of his pride as well, most notably Baliyo.

Like all members of the Night Pride, Surak is dedicated to protecting the Tree of Life and its inhabitants. When in battle, he is a powerful and ferocious opponent. He shows considerable camaraderie with his teammates and works well with them. Despite being a strong warrior and fierce defender, Surak prefers to solve matters without violence and is not one to rush into fighting without first thinking about the situation.

## Relationships

* Sãhasí - Elder Brother
* Ãnanda - Sister-in-Law
* Rani - Niece and Savior
* Baliyo - Nephew

Allies* Night Pride - Teammates and Friends
	+ Nirmala - Close Friend
	+ Ullu - Majordomo
	+ Kion - Temporary Enemy
	+ Anga - Temporary Enemy
	+ Fuli - Temporary Enemy and Savior
	+ Beshte - Temporary Enemy
	+ Ono - Temporary Enemy
	+ Bunga
	+ Binga
* Royal Mjuzis
	+ Makini
	+ Rafiki †
* Great Kings of the Past
	+ Askari †
* Pinguino's rookery
	+ Pinguino
* Varya - Former Love Interest
* Feliks
* Pasha and Polina
* Chuluun - Former Attempted Killer and Savior
* Simba's pride
	+ Simba
	+ Nala
	+ Mufasa †
	+ Sarabi
	+ Kovu
	+ Tiifu
	+ Zuri
	+ Kopa
	+ Vitani
* Jasiri's clan
	+ Jasiri - Savior
	+ Janja
	+ Cheezi
	+ Chungu
* Reirei's pack
	+ Reirei
	+ Goigoi
* Kiburi's float
	+ Kiburi
	+ Tamka
* Pride Landers
	+ Timon
	+ Pumbaa
	+ Thurston
	+ Hadithi
	+ Ma Tembo
	+ Makuu
* Mzingo's parliament
	+ Mzingo
* Timon's colony
* Azaad
* Shujaa
* Ma
	+ Makucha
	+ Ora
	+ Mama Binturong
	+ Fahari
	+ Jiona
* Smun's prickle
	+ Smun
* Final Army of Scar
	+ Scar †
	+ Ushari †
* Shupavu's group
	+ Shupavu
* Outsiders

## Appearances

* *The Lion King: Revisited*
	+ "The Tree of Life"
	+ "Kiara's First Hunt"
	+ "The Unwelcome Stranger"
	+ "Love Will Find a Way" (cave painting)
	+ "Return to the Pride Lands" (mentioned)
	+ "Epilogue: An Important Coronation"
	+ "Lion Guard: Wild Schemes and Catastrophes"

## Trivia

* Surak was voiced by Lou Diamond Phillips.

* A variation of Surak's name ("Surakh") means "clue" or "information" or "crevice" or "orifice" in Nepali.

* Surak's catchphrase, "Jogina!" means "Don't stop me!" in Somali.
	+ Surak only says his catchphrase in his debut episode and in "Epilogue: An Important Coronation".