The Race to Tuliza

"**The Race to Tuliza**" is the sixty-third episode of the Disney Junior animated series *The Lion Guard*. It premiered on September 28, 2019 and is the eighth episode in the third season.

## Plot

At the desert, the Lion Guard continues their journey to the Tree of Life. Makini then realizes that she has no more Tuliza left in her gourd to which Anga decides to find some. Fuli then hopes that Kion doesn't have trouble controlling the Roar before the Guard gets more Tuliza to which Ono and Beshte explain that the desert has been extremely challenging for the Lion Guard due to the intense heat. Kion then decides to continue their journey as Anga finds Tuliza on a cliff with a tree on it marked on the Moja Kwa Moja Stone in the island. She explains that the Tuliza is far away past a nearby sea ahead to which Bunga decides to go to the sea. Arriving at the sea, Bunga dislikes the salt water as Kion tells the Guard to get Tuliza. Makini then remembers that Rafiki told her that saltwater can be very relaxing to which instead of drinking the water, one can soak it. Kion decides to give the sea's saltwater a try just like Makini told the Guard. Relaxing peacefully at the sea, the Guard decides to relax at the sea. Fuli decides to get some Tuliza for Kion while she tells Anga to keep an eye out for problems. While planning to get Tuliza, Fuli decides to go to the spot Anga saw with her vision.

Fuli runs to the spot Anga pointed to and while exploring the canyon, she encounters another cheetah asking her why she is in his territory. At the sea, the Lion Guard continues to relax peacefully until Anga notices something weird going on. Meanwhile, a flock of flamingos arrives at the sea where the Guard is relaxing as Anga is worried that Kion needs to relax due to the venomous scar on his face. Back at the canyon, the territorial cheetah talking to Fuli introduces himself as Azaad as he confronts her for getting into his territory. When Fuli talks to him that she needs to help the Guard, he explains that a cheetah is a solitary hunter and has no friends to assist while hunting. Fuli tries to ask Azaad for help to get Tuliza but he refuses to. Fuli explains why having a friend is extremely important to which Azaad explains that he can help her only if she wins a race against him. Fuli then decides to accept Azaad's challenge.

Meanwhile at the sea, the flock of flamingos continues spending their time while Anga tells Makini to keep Kion away from the noisy flamingos. As Anga is finding a plan to calm Kion before he roars at the noisy flamingos, Ono decides to talk to the flamingos. While talking to the flamingos, two flamingo girls arrive and tell Ono that the flock of flamingos is on migration as they explain that every year, the stop to migrate at the sea they call Flamingo Beach. Ono tries to tell the flamingos to keep the noise level down but the two flamingo girls tell him not to spoil the fun at Flamingo Beach. The flamingos dance in the sea while Makini takes Kion away from the flamingos of what they do when they spend time in the sea.

Ono is then worried that if the flamingos continue partying, Kion may not be able to relax peacefully with all the loud flamingos partying at the sea. Meanwhile at the canyon before racing, Fuli tells Azaad to race to the Tuliza as Azaad tells her that she must beat him during the race. As the two cheetahs race, Azaad wins the race against Fuli because Fuli did not notice an uneven gap as she forgot to jump. After losing to Azaad, Fuli tells her that she demands a rematch against him to which Azaad agrees.

Meanwhile at Flamingo Beach, the Lion Guard is attempting to stop the noisy flamingos from bothering Kion. Anga tells the flamingos to stop but they don't listen to her as they imitate her movements as the flamingos continue their moment at the sea. Back at the canyon, Azaad and Fuli do a rematch to race against Azaad to get the Tuliza. During the rematch, Fuli witnesses Azaad falling off the cliff as Fuli saves him from falling off. Azaad thanks Fuli for rescuing him as he tells her she could have won the race against him as she was progressing faster than him. Azaad then accepts Fuli to be her friend as he agrees to find the Tuliza for Kion. Back at Flamingo Beach, Anga finds out the plan to stop the flamingos from bothering Kion was not successful while the two flamingo girls notice Kion relaxing peacefully as the flamingos try touching him. Kion ultimately wakes up and tells the flamingos to stop bothering him. The Guard stops Kion from using the Roar as Anga sees Fuli and Azaad with Tuliza for Kion.

Arriving at Flamingo Beach, Fuli conquers her fear of water to deliver the Tuliza to Kion as Azaad does the same thing too. Upon giving Kion some Tuliza, Azaad introduces himself to Bunga that he made friends with Fuli. Kion then feels better after consuming Tuliza as he apologizes to the flamingos for being mad at them as the flamingo girls accept his apology as Makini thanks Fuli and Azaad for helping Kion. Kion tells the Guard to leave the flamingos alone so they can spend their time at the sea as the Guard continues their journey to the Tree of Life. Fuli then bids a farewell to Azaad after making friends with him as Fuli catches up with the Guard to continue their journey.

## Cast

* **Max Charles** as **Kion**
* **Joshua Rush** as **Bunga**
* **Diamond White** as **Fuli**
* **Atticus Shaffer** as **Ono**
* **Dusan Brown** as **Beshte**
* **Bryana Salaz** as **Anga**
* **Landry Bender** as **Makini**
* **Behzad Dabu** as **Azaad**
* **Anndi McAfee** as **Flamingo Girl #1**
* **Sarah Grace Wright** as **Flamingo Girl #2**

## Appearances

### Characters

* **Kion**
* **Bunga**
* **Fuli**
* **Ono**
* **Beshte**
* **Makini**
* **Anga**
* **Azaad** (debut)
* **Flamingo Girl #1** (debut / first appearance)
* **Rafiki** (mention)
* **Flamingo Girl #2** (debut / first appearance)
* **Makucha** (followed)
* **Chuluun** (followed)
* **Ora** (followed)

## Groups

* **The Lion Guard**
* **Flamingo Girls' Flamboyance** (debut / first appearance)
* **All in One** (followed)

## Locations

* **Flamingo Beach** (debut / first appearance)
	+ **Azaad's Canyon** (debut / first appearance)
* **Desert**
* **Tree of Life** (mention)
* **Pride Lands** (mention)

## Animals

* **Lions**
* **Honey Badgers**
* **African Cheetahs**
* **Hippopotamuses**
* **Egrets**
* **Eagles**
* **Mandrills**
* **Asiastic Cheetahs** (debut)
* **Flamingos** (final appearance)
* **Shrimps** (debut)
* **Elephants** (mention)
* **Snakes** (mention)

## Trivia

* This episode introduces Azaad, the only Asiatic cheetah in *The Lion King* franchise. Azaad would later return in the last two episodes of the final season.