Battle for the Pride Lands

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―Kion | ”

**"Battle for the Pride Lands"** (also titled **"Battle for the Pride Lands – The Salvation"**) is the second episode of Season 3 of *The Lion King: Revisited*.

## Synopsis

Simba's pride, Rafiki, Zazu, Timon, and Pumbaa join forces with the Lion Guard to try to stop Scar from annihilating the Pride Lands.

Returning voice actors include Matthew Broderick as Simba, Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, Jeremy Irons as Scar, Nathan Lane as Timon, Gabrielle Union as Nala, Andrew Kishino as Janja, Eden Riegel as Kiara, Nika Futterman as Zira, Khary Payton as Rafiki, John Oliver as Zazu, Andy Dick as Nuka, Lacey Chabert as Vitani, Alfre Woodard as Sarabi, Jason Marsden as Kovu, Sarah Hyland as Tiifu, Madison Pettis as Zuri, Joshua Rush as Bunga, Diamond White as Fuli, with James Earl Jones as Mufasa, and Max Charles as Kion.

## Plot summary

Having teamed up with the Outsiders led by Zira, Scar invades the Back Lands and the Elephant Graveyard, attacking Shenzi's clan of hyenas. Zira and her children, Nuka, Vitani, and Kovu, eat Shenzi, Ed, Kamari, and Azizi alive, but Banzai flees his territory.

For several months, Kion leads the Pride Landers in an epic struggle against Scar and his army as they attempt to overtake the Pride Lands. Over time, Kion and his friends grow older, with Kion's Roar becoming especially powerful.

Eventually, Simba informs Kion that they must take the fight to Scar in the Outlands. Kion agrees, as does Jasiri and her clan. Together, the Lion Guard gathers the other Pride Landers at Pride Rock to prepare for an assault on Scar's volcano. Unbeknownst to the Pride Landers, Scar's skinks overhear their plans to assault the Outlands.

Meanwhile, Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu guards the remnants of Kilio Valley for Scar. He begins to doubt his conviction, as he recounts what Jasiri had taught him about the Circle of Life. Scar's skinks overhear Janja's potential betrayal and leave to inform Scar.

In the Outlands, Scar summons Janja and informs him that the only way for Kion to defeat him is to use his most powerful Roar in the volcano's inner chamber, which would consume Scar in the flames and destroy him. He then orders Janja and his clan to distract the Lion Guard while Scar executes his plan against the Pride Landers. Ushari doubts Scar's plan, but Scar reassures him that he is always two steps ahead.

Across the savanna, the Pride Landers continue to train together. Kion doubts his abilities but resolves to fight against Scar with his team.

That night, Janja and his clan bait the Lion Guard into following them into the Lair of the Lion Guard. At the same time, Kiburi, Goigoi, and their allies set fire to Pride Rock, trapping the Lion Guard and Janja's clan in the Lair. Janja manages to escape the fire and realizes that he has been double-crossed by Scar. With no other options, he appeals to Jasiri for help, and she accepts.

In the meantime, the Lion Guard uses an underground pool to escape the Lair, along with Janja's clan. Anga and Hadithi rescue Simba, Nala, and Kiara from atop Pride Rock by carrying them in their talons, while Makini and Zazu rescue Sarabi, Sarafina, Tiifu, and Zuri. In the jungle, Max dies from old age. Ma encourages Timon and Pumbaa to help Simba save the Pride Lands.

No sooner has the Lion Guard escaped when Scar appears in the flames of Pride Rock and tells the Pride Landers to abandon their home. Simba refuses to surrender, and Scar mocks him for not having the power to defeat him. As the flames die down, so does Scar, with a final menacing laugh.

After the fight, Jasiri arrives with Janja and implores the Pride Landers, Timon, and Pumbaa to trust him. Janja explains what Scar had told him about Kion's ability to defeat Scar once and for all. The Pride Landers then resolve to assault the Outlands and use Kion's Roar to take out Scar.

Back in the Outlands, Scar informs Ushari that he had lied to Janja, for if Kion uses the Roar in the volcano, he will start a massive eruption that will destroy the Pride Lands. He then explains that he had gotten his scar from a snake who'd been in cahoots with a strange lion. The two had tried to hold the cure over Scar's head so that he would obey them, but in his rage, Scar had destroyed them with the Roar instead. He returned to Pride Rock expecting to be praised by Mufasa for destroying the lion and snake, only for Mufasa to give him the nickname "Scar". Since then, he has resented Mufasa and the royal family. He tells Ushari that it is now Kion's turn to obtain a scar and go down the path of evil.

Not long afterward, the Pride Landers assault the Outlands, and the Lion Guard, Timon, and Pumbaa break into the volcano's inner chamber. Ushari sneaks up on Kion and slashes his eye, giving him a scar and injecting him with venom. Scar taunts Kion, asserting that Kion is now marked by evil and has the same destiny as Scar himself. Suddenly, Kion remembers Mufasa's advice from before to not fight fire with fire; instead of giving in to his anger, Kion summons the Great Kings of the Past, who judge Scar by sending down rain that melts him away. Ushari tries to avenge Scar, but Bunga knocks them both into the lava pit. Ono saves Bunga from falling to his death, while Ushari meets his apparent death in the flames below.

After the fight, the Pride Landers celebrate their victory. Jasiri becomes the leader of the Outlanders, with help from Janja and his clan. However, Ono mourns the loss of his sight due to too much exposure to smoke and volcanic fumes. The Lion Guard decides to bring both Kion and Ono before Rafiki for healing.

Along the way, Kion's scar causes him so much pain that he accidentally uses the Roar on Bunga. He tells Rafiki how much he has been suffering, and Rafiki tells the Lion Guard that they must travel to the Tree of Life for healing. In Ono's stead, Anga becomes the Keenest of Sight, while Kion reappoints Ono to be the Smartest.

The group leaves the Pride Lands shortly after, along with Makini, to find the Tree of Life.

## Voice cast

* Matthew Broderick as **Simba**
	+ Rob Lowe as **Simba** (understudy)
* Ernie Sabella as **Pumbaa**
* Jeremy Irons as **Scar**
	+ David Oyelowo as **Scar** (understudy)
* Nathan Lane as **Timon**
* Gabrielle Union as **Nala**
* Eden Riegel as **Kiara**
* Andrew Kishino as **Janja**
* Nika Futterman as **Zira**
* Kevin Schon as **Chungu** and **Thurston**
* Khary Payton as **Rafiki**
* Diamond White as **Fuli**
* Maia Mitchell as **Jasiri**
* Ana Gasteyer as **Reirei**
* Whoopi Goldberg as **Shenzi**
* John Oliver as **Zazu**
* Andy Dick as **Nuka**
* Lacey Chabert as **Vitani**
* Alfre Woodard as **Sarabi**
* Jason Marsden as **Kovu**
* Sarah Hyland as **Tiifu**
	+ Bailey Gambertoglio as **Tiifu** (understudy)
* Eric André as **Azizi**
* Keegan-Michael Key as **Kamari**
* Cheech Marin as **Banzai**
* Jim Cummings as **Ed**
* Bryana Salaz as **Anga**
* Joshua Rush as **Bunga**
* Blair Underwood as **Makuu**
* John O'Hurley as **Hadithi**
* Vargus Mason as **Cheezi**
* Common as **Kiburi**
* Dusan Brown as **Beshte**
* Atticus Shaffer as **Ono**
* Julie Kavner as **Ma**
* Jerry Stiller as **Max**
* James Earl Jones as **Mufasa**
	+ Gary Anthony Williams as **Mufasa** (understudy)
* Max Charles as **Kion**
* Christian Slater as **Ushari**
* Madison Pettis as **Zuri**
* Penny Johnson Jerald as **Sarafina**
* Nolan North as **Tamka**
* Phil LaMarr as **Goigoi**
* Landry Bender as **Makini**
* Christopher Jackson as **Shujaa**
* Michael Dorn as **Bupu**
* Lynette Dupree as **Ma Tembo**
* Ford Riley as **Njano**
* Jacob Guenther as **Dogo**
* Amber Hood as **Kijana**
* Johnny Rees as **Mzingo**
* Dee Bradley Baker as **Tano** and **Baby baboon**
* Beau Black as **Nne**
* Eric Bauza as **Fred** (early draft)

## Appearances

### Locations

* Pride Lands
	+ Pride Rock
	+ Lair of the Lion Guard
* Outlands
	+ Volcano
* Hakuna Matata
* Back Lands (mentioned)
* Tree of Life (mentioned)

### Organizations and titles

* Army of Scar
* Bupu's herd
* Laini's group
* Lion Guard
* Majordomo
* Makuu's float
* Ma Tembo's herd
* Mbeya's crash
* Pride Landers
* Royal Mjuzi
* Ruler of Pride Rock
* Shenzi's clan
* Simba's pride

## Production

*Main article: Production of Battle for the Pride Lands and Epilogue: An Important Coronation*

In 2019, Disney announced a series premiere for the third season of *The Lion Guard*, titled *Battle for the Pride Lands*. In late 2020, Jon Favreau was announced to direct *Battle for the Pride Lands*, having been redeveloped as a special for *The Lion King: Revisited*, and its sequel, *Epilogue: An Important Coronation*. Tony Bancroft returned as Pumbaa's supervising animator, and Jeff Nathanson and Ford Riley had signed on to write the screenplays for both episodes. Mercury Filmworks, the lead vendor on *The Lion Guard*, provided the animation, which were supervised by The Moving Picture Company execs Robert Legato, Elliot Newman, and Adam Valdez.

## Music

Hans Zimmer's musical score for this episode referenced themes from previous *Lion King* media by Nick Glennie-Smith, Don Harper, and Christopher Willis, as well as his own themes from both versions of the original film.

## Reception

### Critical response

*Battle for the Pride Lands* was praised for Jeremy Irons' performance as Scar, the action sequences, animation, emotional weight, and tribute to Jerry Stiller.

## Trivia

* This episode, alongside "New Acquaintances for Timon", was dedicated to Jerry Stiller, the voice of Max.

## Sequel

*Main article: Epilogue: An Important Coronation*

*Epilogue: An Important Coronation* began production, with Favreau returning to direct, and Riley and Nathanson once again writing the screenplay. Broderick, Sabella, Irons, Lane, Union, Jones, Woodard, Schon, Payton, White, Mitchell, Marin, Chabert, Marsden, Kishino, Oliver, Rush, Shaffer, Slater, Kavner, Charles, and Pettis returned to voice their roles, with Rob Lowe, Jaime Camil, Behzad Dabu, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, and Shohreh Aghdashloo joining the cast.

## References

1. ↑ Ushari was slated to appear in *Epilogue: An Important Coronation*, picking up his story after falling into the volcano.