The Senpai King

In the lands of Africa, in the "Circle of Life", Kale, a mandrill shaman, anoints Senpai, the newborn cub of King Pico and Queen Cassandra, and presents him to a gathering of animals at Pride Rock. Meanwhile, Pico's younger brother, Sunimal, who decided not to be at the ceremony, is annoyed that he is no longer the heir to the throne. Pico confronts Sunimal about not attending the ceremony and says to not turn his back on him when he tries to leave. When Sunimal says Pico should not turn his back on him and Pico asks him if it is a challenge, Sunimal replies that he would not dream of it as he lacks brute strength. After Sunimal leaves, Pico wonders what to do with him.

A few years later, Pico shows a young Senpai the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the "circle of life", which connects all living things. Meanwhile, Sunimal plots to eliminate Pico and Senpai so he may become king. He tricks Senpai and his best friend Monika into exploring a forbidden elephant graveyard. Senpai, Monika and Whitty head off to the watering hole rather as he "just can't wait to be king". Senpai and Monika makes it to the elephant graveyard, where they are chased by three people named A.G.O.T.I, Aldryx, and Garcello, who are in league with Sunimal. Pico is alerted of the incident by Whitty and rescues the cubs. Though disappointed in Senpai, Pico eventually forgives him and explains that the great kings of the past watch over them from the night sky, from which he will one day watch over Senpai.

Later that night, Sunimal gains the loyalty of the hyenas by claiming that if he becomes king, they will "never go hungry again" if they help him kill Pico and Senpai with "Be Prepared". Plotting further, Sunimal gathers more people forming an army. Sometime later, Sunimal lures Senpai into a gorge for a "surprise from his father" then signals the people to create a wildebeest stampede down into the gorge where Senpai is. Alerted by an insincerely dramatic Sunimal, Pico races to rescue Senpai from the stampede. He saves his son but is left clinging to the edge of a cliff, which results in Sunimal flinging him into the stampede below to his death. Sunimal convinces Senpai that he was responsible for his own father's death and recommends that he flees the Pride Lands, never to return. To compound this, Sunimal once again sends the people to kill Senpai, but as Senpai reaches a thorny embankment, they let him escape, hurling threats that he will be killed if ever seen again. That night back at Pride Rock, Sunimal informs Cassandra, Monika, and the rest of the pride that both Pico and Senpai were killed in the stampede and that he is assuming the throne as the closest of kin. After becoming king, Sunimal fulfills his promise to the hyenas and allows them to come into the Pride Lands.

Senpai collapses in a distant desert where he is found unconscious by Diego and EmperorDaFirst, a Emperor-kid duo who raise Senpai under their carefree "Hakuna Matata" lifestyle. When Senpai has grown into a young adult, he saves them from a hungry lioness revealed to be Monika. Senpai shows Monika around his home, and the two begin to fall in love with "Can You Feel The Love Tonight". Monika then tells him that Sunimal's tyrannical reign has turned the Pride Lands into a barren wasteland; she demands that Senpai return and take his rightful place as king, but Senpai refuses, still guilty about supposedly causing his father's death. Kale arrives and persuades Senpai to return to the Pride Lands, assisted by Pico's presence in the stars. After some advice from Kale and the ghost of his father, Senpai, followed by Monika, Diego, and EmperorDaFirst, returns home.

Once back at Pride Rock, Senpai (with Diego, EmperorDaFirst, and Monika) is horrified to see the condition of the Pride Lands. What was once a lush paradise was now a dead wasteland. With the overhunting, the prey eventually left the Pride Lands, causing famine in the pride. After seeing Sunimal strike his mother that he is "ten times the king Pico was", Senpai announces his return. In response, Senpai confronts Sunimal, who forces Senpai to confess to being responsible for Pico's death. Sunimal then forces Sebpai over the edge of Pride Rock, just as a lightning bolt starts a fire below. As Senpai dangles over the edge of Pride Rock, Sunimal whispers to Senpai that he killed Pico. Enraged, Senpai leaps up and pins Sunimal to the ground, forcing him to admit the truth to the pride. A raging battle ensues between the people and the lionesses, Diego, and EmperorDaFirst, which results in Senpai cornering Sunimal. Amid their fight, Sunimal tries to surreptitiously blame everything on the peopel, but the people overhear his conversation with Senpai and back away growling. Senpai orders Sunimal to flee the Pride Lands. Sunimal pretends to leave but turns to attack Senpai, resulting in a final duel. Senpai eventually overpowers Sunimal by kicking and hurling him over a low cliff. Sunimal initially survives the fall but finds himself surrounded by the now resentful people. The people surround their traitorous fallen leader. Sunimal frantically tries to absolve himself, but the hyenas finally had enough of his lies, derogatory treatment, and violated promises, so they ignore his life plea, attack him, and maul him to death, as flames rise around and engulf them.

With Sunimal and the people gone (almost), and with the rightful king in place, the Pride Lands are restored which is turning green with life again. The film concludes with Kale presenting Senpai and Monika's newborn cub into the air, thus continuing the Circle of Life.