The Lion Guard S3 E11

## Plot

The Guard reaches a frozen lake. The last moja kwa moja stone is on the other side of it. It's a big lake though, and going around it could take all night. They wonder if they can just walk straight across on the ice, and Bunga skates on it to see if it's safe. However, while they're walking on it, it starts cracking and breaking apart. Everyone is able to make it to the other side, except for Makini, who is stuck on a small patch of ice. The wind from Anga's wings could cause it to tip over. Kion and Fuli are able to save her after she goes into the water. She's cold, but other than that, she's okay. Unfortunately, she lost her staff in the water, and Anga can't see it anywhere, so it must be under the ice. This means that they have no more Tuliza. Dang it Makini, why? You need better vines to tie that thing to yourself. Then again, she took it off to try and grab another patch of ice, which caused her to fall into the water and lose it in the first place, and even before that, she used it to propel herself across the ice. At this point, especially after it was stolen twice, I'm surprised she doesn't hold onto it with a death grip at all times. Anyways, Ono realizes that without it, they can't bring the painting to life, so they don't know if it's really the last moja kwa moja stone. But Ono, you just crossed a landmark that looks exactly like the painting on the rock, which looks exactly like the painting in the lair, which you memorized! To quote Maria Calavera, you don't give yourself enough credit. Unlike her though, I mean it as a compliment, and as a sign of your implied character development. After the frozen lake, they have to go through a narrow mountain pass to finally get to the Tree of Life. Kion wants to head there right away, but Fuli wants to wait until morning. They don't know what's on the other side of that mountain, and they'd be able to see better in the daylight. Kion says he won't get any better just waiting there. Ono tells Fuli that once they get Kion to the Tree of Life, he'll feel better. She hopes he's right, and the others follow Kion. A female snowy owl named Ullu sees them and decides to warn a group called the Night Pride. Bunga tries to climb the pass to get a beehive, but he accidentally causes a rockslide. Kion starts to yell at him, but then realizes he isn't there. Luckily, he's okay, but he's pinned under the rocks. While they work to clear the path and get him free, Ullu arrives on the other side with the Night Pride, four lions who protect the Tree of Life. There's Rani, the young leader voiced by Peyton Elizabeth-Lee, her younger brother Baliyo, their uncle Surak, and their healer friend Nirmala. They're a lot like the Lion Guard. They have a white bird friend, they have a young leader who puts way too much pressure on themselves and talks to dead family members in the clouds, they only have two female members, they have a reckless and impulsive member who isn't very bright, they have a catchphrase that the leader starts and the others finish, they have individual foreign language catchphrases, and they have marks that look like lion heads on their shoulders. Unlike the Lion Guard, they only have four members, their white bird friend isn't officially a part of their group; sort of like what Makini is to the Guard, they're all lions, two of their members are adults, they've had other female members in the past, their leader is a lioness; not a lion, they have no mystical powers, etc. Their lion head marks are also on their right shoulders instead of their left, and instead of also looking like a paw print, they resemble a tree, since they guard the titular Tree of Life, like how the Guard protects the Circle of Life. None of them recognize the Lion Guard's voices. Nirmala suggests talking to them first, but Baliyo says they sound mean, and after hearing some out of context words from Kion, decides to attack them, which forces the others to follow him. Fuli tells Beshte and Anga to hold them off with her and Kion, while Ono and Makini keep trying to get Bunga out. While they may be the best of the best in the Pridelands, they're no match for the Night Pride's top-notch teamwork, communication, and coordination. There's also the fact that it's four on four instead of five on four due to Bunga, and while the Guard is probably tired from traveling all day, the Night Pride are nocturnal and patrol at night, hence their name. Plus the Guard doesn't really want to fight them. Fuli tries to tell Rani that the rockslide was an accident, but she doesn't believe her, and thinks Kion attacked Baliyo, not the other way around. Ah, I see they also have a leader who occasionally jumps to conclusions, mistakes friends for enemies, and makes bad decisions. Baliyo knocks Kion down, I cringe at his horrible grammar, and Kion says they've come too far to let him stop them. Dark clouds roll in, and Kion uses the Roar to send Baliyo flying. The other lions are in shock. Surak has heard stories of a lion with a powerful roar, but not since he was a cub. He asks Rani how they should proceed, but she just runs in. Fuli tells Kion that he's out of control, and he admits that he was. Rani tackles him in anger and demands to know who he is. He asks her who she is, and she tells him that she's Rani, leader of the Night Pride, a group of lions that protect everyone at the Tree of Life from those who would cause it harm, like Kion and his roar. Kion apologizes and says they're not a threat, but Rani says that actions speak louder than words. Fuli tells her that they're not here to harm anyone, and she gets off of Kion, who introduces himself, and says that he and his friends have been on a long journey to the Tree of Life to get him help. She says that he and his friends will never be welcome at the Tree of Life, and demands that they leave now and never return. She, Nirmala, and Surak leave. Kion is in disbelief, and for now, they decide to get Bunga free and clear the rockslide. Bunga points out that they don't have to listen to Rani because Kion has the Roar, but the others don't want to force their way in. Fuli says that just because they can do something doesn't mean they should, and Beshte points out that the lions were probably just defending their home, just like they would do if someone started a rockslide in the Pridelands. Kion walks off by himself. The others decide to leave him be and clear the rocks. Rani, Nirmala, and Surak find Baliyo, who claims that he's okay, but he almost falls down a few times. Rani decides to tell Queen Janna what happened, and tells Nirmala and Surak to make sure Baliyo is really okay. They leave to get him something for his head. Rani enters the Tree of Life and speaks to Queen Janna, her grandmother and Surak's mother. She's the lioness from Makini's flashbacks, but she looks much older here. Rani tells her what happened, and when she mentions Kion's roar, Janna says that the Roar has finally returned. Kion sings a song similar to his lament one from the pilot… in a voice that doesn't sound like Max Charles at all. Okay, I know he went through puberty and his voice got deeper, but we heard him sing at the beginning of the season, and he didn't sound anything like this. I couldn't find out who provided the singing voice for Kion during this and his other song in the second half of this season, but it kind of sounds like Beau Black, who wrote and produced every song in the show, and even performed a few, including some of my favorites. As I found out a few days later, it was actually Aaron Daniel Jacobs. Don't get me wrong, his voice is fine, but it just doesn't sound like Kion to me. Although given what happens later, maybe they went the Ninjago route, like when the creators of that show gave Lloyd a new voice. I still think that's a silly reason, especially since Max and Peyton were presumably both teenagers when they recorded their dialogue for these episodes, but whatever. Anyways, Kion regains hope after seeing his friends not give up and work to clear the rockslide, and finally realizes that there's more to this journey than himself. They finally free Bunga. Kion tells them that he doesn't think they can go to the Tree of Life, because he lost control of the Roar again. He wonders if Rani was right about it not being safe to let him go to the Tree of Life. He apologizes to everyone. He took them on this long and difficult journey, they stuck with him through it all, and then at the end, he ruined everything. They know he didn't mean to lose control of the Roar. They decide to try and talk to the Night Pride again and explain everything. Ono tells Kion that even if they can't get to the Tree of Life, they'll find another way to heal his scar, and they won't give up until they do. Kion agrees, they won't give up, because his scar isn't the only thing that needs healing. Janna tells Rani that the Roar can be a great thing, and when her granddaughter mentions the scar across Kion's eye, she reminds her that they all have their scars. Sisi ni sawa. She asks her to welcome Kion and his friends to the Tree of Life before they actually do leave for good. When I first saw this episode and watched Rani leave the Tree, I noticed a scar on the inside of her right front leg. She tells Surak, Nirmala, and Baliyo that the Queen was excited to hear about the Roar, and wants them to welcome the strangers to the Tree of Life. Surak was right before; it was the Roar of the Elders. He tells his nephew that they should think before they react. Nirmala says they'll have to treat Kion with care, and tells Baliyo to relax. Before they leave, Rani walks off by herself… and talks to her parents in the clouds, confirming that they're dead. I suspected it before this, but to actually have this confirmation when most children's shows and movies just gloss over missing family members is heartbreaking. Their names are Sãhasí and Ãnanda, and they're voiced by James Sie and Grace Young. It's believed that Sãhasí is Surak's brother and Janna's other son and Ãnanda was their in-law, but I don't think it's ever been officially confirmed. The only reason we even know their names is through the credits. Rani asks for their advice about letting strangers into the Tree of Life. She's worried that something bad will happen if she does. They remind her that Queen Janna is very wise, and is preparing her to take her place one day. The Night Pride gets to the pass and sees that the Guard is still there. They cleared the pass, but they didn't go any further. Kion apologizes for using the Roar, and says he'll understand if they won't let him enter, but asks them to at least let his friend Ono in. He wasn't part of the earlier fight, and his eyes need healing. Rani says Ono can come to the Tree of Life, and anyone who puts their friend's wellbeing before their own is worthy as well. They're all welcome at the Tree of Life. They finally introduce themselves as the Lion Guard. Kion promises not to roar at Baliyo again, and as the sun rises, they finally make it to the Tree of Life, which looks gorgeous.