The Lion Guard S3 E15

Oh boy… This episode. This one is gonna be hard to get through. There's even a content warning before it starts saying that it contains scenes that deal with the Circle of Life, as in death, and that parents may want to watch with their young children. The moment I saw that warning, my heart sank as I remembered the description for the episode, and realized that it would be the one where Queen Janna dies. I think the only reason I didn't cry when I first saw it was because someone else was in the room with me, and I've been trying really hard to avoid crying in front of other people so they don't think anything's wrong. I know, I know, it's unhealthy, but don't worry, I went into the bathroom afterwards and felt the tears welling up, so I still have a heart and soul. That scene at the Tree definitely reminds me of my grandpa. This is for him.

## Plot

Am I the only one who thinks it's kind of weird that there wasn't also a content warning in the season premiere for Ushari's death? Then again, villains die all the time in Disney films, which don't have blatant content warnings, so why would shows based on them be any different? What makes Queen Janna's death especially painful is that Mama Binturong and the others just tried to *assassinate her* two episodes ago. Speaking of which, the reason why I'm skipping episode 14 is because it's a filler episode about animals at the Tree of Life being scared of Beshte because he unintentionally causes destruction wherever he goes and never notices, they think his catchphrase is his name, and they've never seen a hippo before. It's stupid. The villains don't even show up. Anyways, in this episode, it *starts* with the bad guys cornering a Siberian tiger mom and her three cubs. She tells her kids to run to the Tree of Life and says she'll be right behind them. Before Chuluun can get them, she's confronted by the combined forces of the Lion Guard and the Night Pride. They fight her, Ora, and Makucha while Bunga and Beshte help the cubs. Also, there's not a lot of comedy in this episode, but when there is, it always involves Bunga and the tiger cubs, Feliks, Polina, and Pasha. I only smiled at their antics at the very beginning, before we even learn about Queen Janna. Anyways, the villains run away, the tiger mom isn't hurt, and she's reunited with her cubs. Her name is Varya. She came to the Tree of Life because she heard that it would be a safe place to raise her cubs. It's up to the queen if they get to stay, but before they can see her, Ullu tells Rani that Janna has asked to see her, the rest of the Night Pride, and Kion. They see all of the animals gathered at the Tree of Life. Nirmala says that it seems like Queen Janna's time has come. Baliyo doesn't want to go in at first, but Surak, Nirmala, and Rani assure him that they'll be there with him. The voice acting in this episode is amazing for pretty much all of the characters, but especially Rani. It honestly sounds like Peyton is about to or has already started crying during the first half of the episode. And the music! The animation! It's all so beautiful and heartbreaking and wonderful all at the same time! Makini is with Queen Janna, but she's not doing well. She's dying of old age, and exchanges some final words with everyone. She's glad that she got to see the Roar return to the Tree of Life. She only regrets that she won't live long enough to see Kion complete his healing, but at least she knows he's here. She hopes he finds peace, and maybe even chooses to stay. When she puts her paw on his right shoulder, a Night Pride mark appears and then fades, like when Kion got his Lion Guard mark after he used the Roar for the first time. Kion thanks her for everything. She tells Baliyo to stay strong for Rani. The healing powers of the Tree of Life now belong to Nirmala, who promises the queen that she will continue to help all who are hurting. Janna tells her son Surak to give Rani wisdom, but let her find her own path as well. Finally, she tells Rani that it's time. Rani says that she isn't ready and still has so much to learn. Her grandmother tells her that she is ready, and she has everything she needs to be queen. She won't be alone. The Night Pride will stand beside her, and her new Royal Mjuzi, Makini, will help guide her. Rani starts crying, and promises to do her best. Queen Janna closes her eyes for the last time, and everyone starts crying. Rani says goodbye to her, and starts sobbing. Kion goes up to her and tells her that he's sorry. She thanks him and buries her head into his chest, and he starts crying too. They eventually leave and see all of the animals still waiting outside. Rani realizes that someone has to tell them, and decides to do it herself. However, Makini tells her that as her Royal Mjuzi, this is her duty. She tells everyone that Queen Janna has passed away. As is tradition, they will gather at the willows to say goodbye to her, and the coronation to make Rani the new Queen of the Tree of Life will happen at sunset. We basically see a funeral procession as everyone lays down flowers by the willow trees, marking Queen Janna's grave. Kion talks to Rani, who is further away from everyone else. She's staring at the Tree of Life, and like Baliyo, she's still crying. She assures Kion that she'll be okay. She'll miss having her grandmother here. She thought she'd have more time to learn from her. Queen Janna was so wise. She always knew the right thing to do. Rani tells Kion that if her grandmother hadn't insisted, she never would've let him in. She's worried that she can't be a good queen. Kion tells her that when he first got the Roar, he didn't think he could be the leader of the Lion Guard, but then he found the strength he needed inside him. His grandfather Mufasa taught him that. Rani asks him if he still talks to his grandfather, and learns that he hasn't spoken to him since he got his scar. Queen Janna told her the story of what Scar did to Mufasa, so the show can conveniently avoid using words like "killed", "murdered", or "assassinated". Kion doesn't think he can face Mufasa until his scar is healed, but Rani tells him that they all have their scars, and shows him the one she has on the inside of her right forepaw. Interesting. She has a scar and a mark on her right side, much like how Kion has a scar and a mark on his left side. It's like they mirror each other. Rani tells Kion that they're the same. Her grandmother reminded her of that when she wasn't sure if the Night Pride should welcome him to the Tree of Life. Rani is glad that she did, and so is Kion. Queen Janna always said exactly what Rani needed to hear, and talking to her always made her feel better. Rani suggests that Kion might feel better if he talked to his grandfather. He says that he might, and tells her that she's a lot like her grandmother. She knows just what to say too. The other members of their teams talk about Queen Janna, and Nirmala tells Fuli that now they have to prepare for Rani's coronation. She enters the Tree of Life and tells her grandmother that it won't be the same without her. She hears a rustling noise, but it's just Makini. She shows her paintings behind the vines of the Tree of Life that show its past, including Queen Janna's stories. Makini has been working on them since she and the Guard arrived. Queen Janna wanted to make sure that Rani had all of her wisdom whenever she needed it, and Rani realizes that this is what her grandmother meant about having everything she needed to be queen. Varya and her cubs come in and ask Rani if they can stay, and she says yes. Kion speaks to Mufasa again, who was worried that he had forgotten about him. Kion tells him that he was afraid to face him after he got his scar, and especially when he got angry and lost control of the Roar. He was worried that he would turn evil like Scar. Mufasa tells Kion that he could've talked to him at any time, and reminds him that he said he would always be there for him, no matter what. That hasn't changed, and it never will. Kion thanks him. He feels better now. He apologizes for staying away and promises that he won't be afraid to talk to Mufasa again. They missed each other. Rani and Bunga take Varya and her cubs to a snowy forest, which should be a perfect home for them. However, a herd of musk deer doesn't want a tiger family living near them. Rani assures them that they know the rules and respect the Circle of Life. The leader of the musk deer, Kiril, asks Rani if she's sure that *she* knows the rules. Her grandmother *died* today, you jackass, and she's been put in a position of power that she thought she'd have more time to prepare for, kind of like a young Queen Elizabeth II. Anyways, Rani tells him that she's still learning, but she's willing to give the tigers a chance. No Mom, not the Detroit Tigers. Varya came here hoping to find a safe place to raise her cubs. She wouldn't risk being kicked out by disrespecting the Circle of Life. Kiril tells his herd that the tigers are welcome by decree of Queen Rani. She and Bunga rush back to the Tree of Life for her coronation. Everyone sings a song, appropriately titled *Long Live the Queen,* just like the episode, as Rani is crowned the new Queen of the Tree of Life by Makini painting a blue stripe on her forehead. She tells her that Queen Janna would be proud. That night, Rani passes by her grandmother's grave, looks up at the sky, and tells her that she was right. She is ready. We don't see or hear Janna, but she's listening, because the clouds part to let moonlight shine on her worthy successor.

## Review

Okay, that wasn't quite as hard to get through as I thought, but I still needed a little bit. Maybe it's because I've watched that scene at the Tree of Life so many times now. I'm not saying I'm becoming desensitized to it, it's still just as emotional as ever. After that though, the rest of the episode isn't *quite* as hard to get through, especially the second half. I noticed a lot of differences between Queen Janna and Mufasa's deaths, but I don't know if any of it was intentional or not. Mufasa dies a violent death at a fairly young age in front of his only child and young son, which as we all know, traumatized Simba, who ran away and didn't take his rightful place as king until he was an adult. Janna dies peacefully from old age and leaves behind her adult son Surak, Nirmala, and her two teenage grandchildren, and while it's clear that they've been expecting this for some time, they're still heartbroken when it happens. Plus, Kion didn't meet Mufasa, his paternal grandfather, until years after his death, whereas Rani and Baliyo knew their grandmother before she died, but lost their parents at a young age instead, just like Simba, but Rani becomes the new queen right after her predecessor's death, while she's still a teenager. This was a beautiful episode. I would gladly recommend it to anyone and would re-watch it anytime. Once again, this review is for my wonderful grandpa, who I dearly miss. In two and a half weeks, it'll be three years since he passed away. It's still hard to believe that he's not here anymore sometimes. If he were still here though, he wouldn't want me to cry. He'd probably want me to wear more purple (which he wore to funerals), or that tank top he bought for me at the local mall. The last thing he ever bought for me was a Barnes & Noble gift card, which I used to buy my first comic book: *Sensation Comics featuring Wonder Woman*, Volume 1, which featured all sorts of various stories, writers, artists, and art styles. I even protect it from dust by covering it with books I'm currently reading or don't have space for anywhere else. It's been on my nightstand next to my bed for almost four years now. It was finally and dramatically changed around the five year mark, but only because I moved out. Grandpa, I love you, and I always will. March 7th, 1948 - September 29th, 2016. Yesterday was the seven year anniversary. I have pictures, and my family was part of a successful class action lawsuit (his early death was caused by the U.S. government being warmongering idiots and being way too scared of communism and the U.S.S.R.), but obviously, I'd rather have him lived long enough to have seen me graduate from high school, from college, get my first job, maybe even get married and have kids, etc.