Lions

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**Lions** are felines that appear in *The Lion Guard* universe. They live in the Pride Lands, the Outlands, and the Tree of Life.

## Appearance

### In the Real World

Physically, lions are a tawny golden color and are the only cats whose sexes can be told apart at a distance. Males bare thick, shaggy manes of either blond, black, red, or brown, while lionesses are barren around the neck. Both sexes have a tail tuft, always black in color, though cubs are born without this tuft. Lion eyes are most commonly amber, but brown, green, and blue eyed lions have been observed. A male lion is roughly twice the weight of a female, at 420 pounds, while lionesses only weigh 290. The age of a lion can be told by examining how dark its nose is. Lion cubs startup with a nearly pink coloured nose. An older lion has a light brown and the very old are spotted by their dark brown noses. If you want to find a certain lion that you observed this trick will help out: By counting and looking closely at the lion's whiskers you can recognise each lion individually. Each lion has a unique pattern and amount of whiskers that stays with it as long as the animal lives.

A lioness can have when pregnant a litter of one to four lion cubs. Rarely, a pair of lions will give birth to a white lion. A lion cub is born with little, brown spots on its legs. As the cub grows older those start to vanish and disappear completely when having reached adulthood. But there has also been seen some lions that maintained their brown spots after they were full grown. [1]

### In *The Lion Guard*

As far as looks go, lions in *The Lion Guard* franchise are far more diverse. They range from gold, cream, tawny, tan, dark and light brown, grey, browny-grey and reddish-brown. Their eyes have a wide color range as well, including brown, red, orange, green, and blue. For Pride Lander lions, the males are usually portrayed as being bigger and more muscular than the lionesses and are also identifiable by their manes. They tend to have brightly-colored fur, often yellow or orange shades, with goldish undertones. Their manes are most often red or orange. However, the paintings of Scar's Lion Guard showed that they all had dark fur tones and brown manes, and another painting in The Lair of the Lion Guard depicted a Guard with black manes. The lionesses, meanwhile, are more slender, built for hunting and speed. They tend to have duller and/or paler colors than the males, although this isn’t the case for the Night Pride.

## Information

### In the Real World

Lions live in different parts of Africa and Asia. They are the second largest big cat after tigers. They spend around sixteen-twenty hours of their day sleeping and resting. A lion's roar can be heard from five miles away.

When lionesses come into heat, the male lion will indiscriminately mate with all of them to increase the chance of spreading his genes via offspring. Cubs may be born to different mothers or share a father if only one male is present. Cubs born in the same litter may also have different fathers, especially if the pride that they and their mother are a part of is dominated by more than one male. Even if the litter consists of only two cubs, there is still a chance that they may only be half-siblings, whether their mother mated with a rogue male in addition to the pride male or if the pride consists of two males and the mother mated with them both. Cubs practice their hunting skills by stalking each other. Like many cats, lions see well in the dark.

A lion's diet consists mostly on medium and large ungulates such as zebras, gazelles, and wildebeests. However, if larger prey is scarce, lions will sometimes prey on smaller animals including snakes and turtles. During a hunt, groups of lionesses will band together to take down prey. If successful, the lionesses will share their kill with the entire pride. Males usually eat first (mostly to have enough energy and strength to protect the pride), followed by the females and the cubs.

### In *The Lion Guard*

The lions in the film and series look and behave markedly different from actual lions on the Serengeti. Simba's Pride operates in a monarchy, where the firstborn child of the current ruler sits in line for the throne as the crown prince or princess. This child is anointed and presented before the animals of the Kingdom in a ceremony that occurs early in the morning. The second-born cub is gifted with the Roar of the Elders and leads the Lion Guard as the fiercest member.

Hyenas are generally treated as enemies because they do not follow the Circle of Life. However, Kion, a lion cub, befriended the spunky hyena Jasiri during the episode *Never Judge a Hyena by Its Spots* whom is from a clan that does.

## History

### The Lion Guard

The lions Kion, Kiara, Simba, Nala, Mufasa, Tiifu, and Zuri all appear throughout the series *The Lion Guard*.

### The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar

Simba is the king of the Pride Lands, Nala is the queen. Kiara is the future queen and the princess. Kion is the leader of the the Lion Guard, a team defends the Pride Lands

 File:Return-of-the-Roar (320).png  and protects the Circle of Life. Mufasa is Simba's father and Kion and Kiara's grandfather. Kion always gets advice from him. Scar is the worst lion that ever ruled the Pride Lands, he's Mufasa's brother, Simba's uncle, and Kion and Kiara's great uncle.

### Paintings and Predictions

Nala's father is seen as a painting on Rafiki's wall. Bunga thinks that it's Kion falling from a tree branch.

### Lions of the Outlands

Jasiri takes Kion to the Outlands after telling him about lions taking over her family's watering hole. Here, Kion meets Nuka and Kovu, a pair of young male lions who decide to take him to their mother. He follows them to the watering hole and encounters a lioness, Zira, with her daughter Vitani. Zira talks to Kion and sings *Lions Over All*.

 File:Lions-of-the-Outlands (731).png  At the Lair of the Lion Guard, Rafiki tells the story of how Zira and her family were banished. His paintings show them leaving the Pride Lands.

Back in the Outlands, Kion denies Zira's request to join her. He ends up trapped by her lionesses until Jasiri and the Lion Guard arrive. They begin to fight, and Zira points out that her lions outnumber them. But after being prompted by his best friend Bunga, Kion uses the Roar of the Elders to blast the Outlander lions away.

### The Trail to Udugu

Nala takes Kion and Kiara on a trail to Udugu. Meanwhile Simba becomes in charge of the Lion Guard.

### The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar

After using the Roar of the Elders in anger, Kion accidental summons Scar, the worst lion ever to rule the Pride Lands.

### The Ukumbusho Tradition

Askari was the first lion in the lion royal family to become the leader of the Lion Guard.
During his time he brought peace between the lions and elephants. The Lion Guard performs in the Ukumbusho with Ma Tembo's herd and sing "May There Be Peace" until Bees come and ruin the performance. Also this is King Simba's first very Ukumbusho.

### Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas

During the song "The Twelve Ways of Christmas", Simba's Pride comes to the performance as "Six Lions Leaping."

 File:Timon-and-Pumbaa's-Christmas (636).png
### The Scorpion's Sting

The Pride Landers have the Kumbuka celebration to celebrate King Simba’s return to the Pride Lands.

### Cave of Secrets

A very long time ago, a group of evil lions tried to take over the Pride Lands and nearly destroyed the kingdom until they were stopped by Askari and his guard.

### The Underground Adventure

After a fire created by Scar hits the Mud Pots Kion, Bunga, Kiara, Toifu and Zuri go under the Muhangus' burrow to escape from it. They soon find out that Tiifu is afarid of the dark and the gang tries to find away out. They meet a golden mole named Kuchimba and helps them. Soo

 File:The-Underground-Adventure (192).png  n they find Thurston the zebra and they get lost. Kion and Kiara sniff out for Muhangus. Kion and Bunga annoy him until he decides to help them. Once they hit daylight Tiifu starts running towards it. After Thurston finds out that they've been trapped in the dark he starts to panic and run. Tiifu comes back to calm him down and everyone gets out of the cave.

### The Queen's Visit

Simba invites Queen Dhahabu and her herd into the Pride Lands for a celebration to thank them for sharing their Watering Hole. He asks Kiara to show Dhahabu around the Pride Lands with Tiifu and Zuri. The Lion guard escort them and a fire hits the ground due by "Dry Lighting." Fuli helps Kiara, Tiifu, Zuri and Dhahabu

 File:The-Queen's-Visit (167).png  over the fire while the guard took it out. Dhahabu asks if Fuli, Tiifu and Zuri would be her royal guards. Kiara goes back to help set up for the celebration. Wheen Dhahabu learns about baboons the girls get attack by the jackals. They get help from the Lion Guard and Starehe and Raha. However Dhahabu doesn't see the zebras in action and claims that she wants her guards to be permant. The girls don't agree and Kion thinks that Starehe and Raha should be her guards. The jackals come back again and this time they're joined by a couple of crocodiles. Starehe and Raha save them again and Dhahabu makes them her new guards. That night Dhahabu tells the Pridelanders that they're welcomed to save their Watering Hole forever.

### The Fall of Mizimu Grove

Simba welcomes his friends Timon and Pumbaa to the stage as they sing a song for Makini's Mpando Mpaya. The Army of Scar crashes the party and the Pride Landers work together to fight them. Soon Scar reveals himself in front of the Pride Landers and explains his plan. Simba wipes away the Mark of Evil and the herds start to panic and run. Kion uses the roar on the Outlanders Simba says that he wants to talk to Ma

 File:The-Fall-Of-Mizimu-Grove (684).png  Tembo while they take out the rest of the fire. Once the herds are calm everyone is not happy and are scared they claim that they want to leave. Simba feels bad for not telling them but he says he did it for a good reason. That night Kion explains about what happens to Mufasa and asks for help. The next day everyone meets at Pride Rock for an annoucement. Kion tells everyone to come back to Mizimu Grove and he shows them Makini's baobab tree. Everyone decides to stay in the Pride Lands and Makini plants the tree.

### Battle for the Pride Lands

Simba is at Pride Rock with Rafiki watching over the Pride Lands. Years later when the guard is all grown up Kion uses the roar on the Outalnders. Simba claims that it's time to defeat Scar once and for all. Later that night Zazu reports that Hadithi

 File:Battle-for the-Pride Lands (345).png  and Shujaa have showed up to help.

Simba asks Kion to lead the herds to the Outlands the next morning. Later that night Pride Rock is on fire. With the help from Hadithi and Anga the royal family is free. Soon Scar comes ontop of Pride Rock and explains that they can't stop him. When Scar is gone the herds start to worry. Soon Janja comes and says that he knows how to defeat him. At first Simba doesn't like trusting Janja but Makuu convinces him otherwise. ​​​​​​He says that Kion should use his roar on him. The set up the plan and gets some rest.

Back when Scar was leader of the Lion Guard, a strange lion walks up to him. Knowing that he has the Roar of the Elders, the strange lion suggests that Scar should be the king of the Pride Lands. But Scar then meets a strange cobra and the snake gives him a scar on his left eye. Afterwards, The Lion Guard arrive at the Outlands volcano where Scar has Ushari attack Kion, who is left with a scar over his left eye. When Scar declares that he and Kion are the same, Kion replies that he forgives Scar for what he has done, much to Scar's horror. Kion then summons the Great Lions of the Past with a gentle blow of air who then summon rain over the volcano. Being made of fire, Scar's spirit is extingushed by the water of the rain. Scar then curses Kion and insists to him that the Roar of the Elders is a curse and that he will see that they are the same before vanishing completely. The lava then hardens into igneous rock, destroying the Mark of Evil, finally ending Scar's threat to the Pride Lands once and for all.

When Ono can't see they get Ono to Rafiki. Rafiki says that there's nothing he can do about Ono's eyes. However since there's no cure for Kion's scar in the Pride Lands he says to go to the Tree of Life the only place to get better. Ono might get healed too.

 File:Battle-for the-Pride Lands (874).png  Anga soon becomes the new Keenest of sight while Ono becomes the smartest. Now with six members on the Guard they leave the Pride Lands. Nala and Simba wishes them good luck and is hoping to come back before Kiara's first hunt. The guard leave with Pride Landers wishing them goodbye. Kion talks to Thurston who says that the zebras will protect the Pride Lands while they're gone.

### The Tree of Life

While trying to get to the Tree of Life, Bunga causes a rock slide trying to reach a beehive. A group of Asiatic lions called the Night Pride hears the rocks

 File:The-Tree-of-Life (267).png  and starts attacking. After sending Baliyo flying, the leader, Rani, says to Kion that he and his friends will never be welcomed to the Tree of Life. However, the ruler, Queen Janna, says that she would like to meet the Lion Guard.

### Long Live the Queen

Queen Janna completes her journey through the Circle of Life. Rani becomes the new queen of the Tree of Life.

### Triumph of the Roar

Askari teaches Kion new ways to use the Roar of the Elders.

### Journey to the Pride Lands

According to Jasiri, Zira and her evil lioness are back in the Pride Lands.

### Return to the Pride Lands

 File:Return-to-the-Pride-Lands (164).png
As they are returning home to the Pride Lands Vitani and her Lion Guard shows up. They start to attack and Kion is about to use the Roar on them. However Kiara stops him along with her mate Kovu. Kovu says that Zira has completed her journey through the Circle of Life. Kion soon reunites up with his mom and dad Kion wonders what happened to Zira. Rafiki, Kovu and Kiara explain how Kovu was raised to believe that Simba was the enemy. However, after getting to know them both, he and Kiara stood between the two prides when they engaged in a showdown, telling them that, as lions, (we) are one. Zira's lionesses, including Vitani, saw that this was true, and joined forces. Zira was unable to get past her hate, and thus it led to her destruction.

That night, the royal family, including the new prince Kovu, smile towards Mufasa as he leaves their sight from the clouds. All but Kion return to the den, prompting Kiara to sit alongside her brother to see what's troubling him. She learns about Queen Rani and instantly detects her brother's sorrow. With Kion confessing that he misses her, Kiara suggests that maybe he could go back someday, and how she was sure that their parents would understand. The Lion Guard decides to go into their lair, but the lair is occupied by Vitani's Lion Guard and they argue over who should be the Lion Guard? Suddenly, a Galago rushes into the lair saying that there's an emergency which turns out to be Thurston getting the front part of his body stuck in a hole. Both Lion Guards argue over what to do and Azaad solves the problem by telling Thurston to just walk backwards and he's out of the hole instantly. Kion and Vitani know that this isn't going to work and they don't know how to decide who should be the Lion Guard? Thurston suggests that they decide the Zebra way and have a contest which they agree on.

The contest is witnessed by the entire Pride Lands. The contest is a best of 5 challenge between both Lion Guards, where the members that represent their roles on the team (fiercest, bravest, fastest, strongest, and Keenest of Sight) face off against each other to see which is better at their role. Since Ono's role is the Smartest and that role isn't in Vitani's Lion Guard, Ono acts as the referee for the contest. The losing side of the previous challenge gets to set the conditions for the next challenge with Vitani's Lion Guard choosing first. The first challenge is a contest between the Strongest members over who can be the first to push a giant rock with an elephant on top to a tree on the other side of a field. Beshte and Imara face off and Beshte is close to winning, but Ma Tembo points out to Beshte that he's getting sunburns and Beshte runs to a mud pit to cover his body. That detour costs Beshte and Imara wins the first round.

The fastest members compete in the second round where they have to race through a canyon. Kasi uses up her energy too quickly in the beginning while Fuli paced herself and Fuli sprints past Kasi near the end of the race to win. The Keenest of Sight challenge is next and both competitors have to find a galago hidden in a dark cave. Anga has trouble locating it while Tazama is able to utilize her night vision and manages to locate the galago. The bravest members compete next where the challenge is going across a patch of thorns, a river filled with crocodiles, and having to climb a cliff to get a baobab fruit off a tree. Shabaha gets scared when she sees the crocodiles while Bunga easily gets across them. Bunga manages to get up the cliff when Shabaha finally crosses the river, but Shabaha can't close the distance in time and Bunga gets the baobab fruit first.

With the contest tied at 2-2, Kion and Vitani have to face each other with Vitani calling for a mashindano. Kion tells Vitani that she's no match for him when he has the roar and she tells him that she's fierce enough to lead the Lion Guard without the Roar. Kion remembers what Askari told him that only one who can let go of the roar completely can truly master it. Kion then forfeits the last challenge saying that Vitani proved she was the fiercest by challenging him despite not having the roar. Vitani's Lion Guard wins the contest and Kion gives the Mark of the Guard to Vitani along with the ability to use the Roar of the Elders. Due to that, Kion and the old Lion Guard lose their Marks of the Guard which depresses them.

Suddenly, Askari appears in the sky and tells Kion that he has truly mastered the roar by letting it go. Kion is confused about why he would still need the roar if he's not the leader of the Lion Guard anymore? Askari tells Kion there's another place that could use the roar's help and Kion realizes he's talking about the Tree of Life. The Mark of the Night Pride that was given to Kion by Queen Janna before her death appears on Kion's shoulder. Kion asks his friends if they want to help Queen Rani protect the Tree of life? All of the old Lion Guard members accept the offer and the Mark of the Night Pride replaces the Mark of the Guard on their bodies. Vitani wonders what Kion meant by mastering the roar and Kion shows her by using the roar to lift the entirety of Pride Rock off the ground.

Later, some of the Pride Lands' animals gather at the Tree of Life to see Kion's ascension to King of the Tree of Life (the ceremony also doubles as a wedding to Rani). Rani tells Kion she's glad the Roar has returned again and Kion affirms it's here to stay

 File:Return-to-the-Pride-Lands (893).png  and they both tell each other they're looking forward to ruling the Tree of Life together. Makini puts the mark of the King on Kion's forehead and declares him King of the Tree of Life which causes the crowd to erupt in cheers. Kion tells Rani they'll make a great team and Rani responds that they already do. They both roar in the sky as their ancestors look down in happiness.

## Notable Lions in *The Lion Guard*

* Simba's Pride
	+ Simba
	+ Nala
	+ Kiara
	+ Tiifu
	+ Zuri
	+ Kovu
	+ Vitani
	+ Shabaha
	+ Kasi
	+ Imara
	+ Tazama
	+ Nala's Father
	+ Sarabi
	+ Lioness
* Outsiders
	+ Zira
	+ Nuka
* Lions of the Past
	+ Askari
	+ Mufasa
	+ Scar
	+ Janna
	+ Sãhasí
	+ Ãnanda
* Night Pride
	+ Rani
	+ Nirmala
	+ Baliyo
	+ Surak
	+ Kion
* Strange Lion
* The Bravest (Scar's Guard)
* The Fastest (Scar's Guard)
* The Strongest (Scar's Guard)
* The Keenest of Sight (Scar's Guard)

## Trivia

* According to the directors of *The Lion King*, male lions were given whiskers and females were without them during finalization because they were difficult to animate. This appears to have been continued in The Lion Guard. Nala, Sarabi, Kiara, Tiifu, Zuri, Vitani, Rani, Nirmala, Janna and Zira do not have whiskers while Kion, Simba, Mufasa, Scar, Kovu, Nuka and Surak are given whiskers except Baliyo despite also being male.
* Lions are featured in the *It's Unbungalievable!* shorts *Who's Mightier?* and *Who's Louder?*.
* Few of the lions that have black manes resembled to the extinct Barbary lion and Cape lion.

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