The Lion Guard S3 E12

## Plot

Taking place right after the previous episode, the Night Pride and the Lion Guard enter the Tree of Life and meet with Rani and Baliyo's grandmother Janna, the Queen of the Tree of Life. She knows about the Roar of the Elders, and she knows Rafiki. Nirmala is a healer, and examines Kion and Ono's injuries. Healing Ono's sight will be simple, but the remedy will take a few days to prepare. Kion's injury is more complicated. It's more than just a scar. His healing will take time and patience, and he and Nirmala will start right away. Janna tells Rani to give the others a tour, assuring her that Surak and Baliyo can handle the Night Pride's duties for now, and she has to continue to perform the duties that her grandmother can't due to her age. Queen Janna asks Makini to stay. She remembers her from when she and her parents first came to the Tree of Life, and offers to continue her Royal Mjuzi training. Kion and Nirmala arrive at Dirisha, the River of Patience. How long Kion's healing takes will depend on him. This is just the first step. He has to get an orange flower on top of a ridge for Nirmala, but he has to follow her specific instructions. First, he has to hop on a log, ride it to a sandy bank, hop off, and take a winding path to the top. He thinks it'd be faster to just swim across the river and climb the ridge to get to the top, but Nirmala tells him that the fast way isn't always the best way. They have to wait for a log, which could take days. Rani tells the others that the Tree of Life is so special because it's home to every kind of habitat. Really? *Every* type of habitat? I find that claim to be doubtful. I think there's either eight or ten main ones, and they come in many varieties depending on where they are in the world. There are many different regional, local, and micro-habitats. Also, the Night Pride is made up of Asiatic lions, which are different from African lions, similar to how Azaad is an Asiatic cheetah, so he looks different than Fuli, who is an African cheetah. Rani sings a song, and while I've never heard Peyton sing before, it sounds like her, unlike in her second and final song this season, just like Kion. Maybe it really is her and Max Charles though; I honestly have no idea. Actually, I found out literally a day after I wrote this that her singing voice for both her songs is provided by Lana McKissack. Oh my god, that last name is *brilliant*! And then I found out a day or two after *that* that Kion's singing voice was provided by someone named Aaron Daniel Jacobs. Why does he have three first names? I couldn't find out how old he was, but my guess is not a teenager. I also found out that Lana McKissack was 35 when this episode originally aired, although she certainly didn't look or sound like it, and I mean that as a compliment. She was born in 1984, and Aaron was born in 1994, which would've made him 24 or 25 when these episodes first aired in 2019. Anyways, Rani says that all are welcome here, as long as they respect the Circle of Life. Cue Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora reaching the mountain pass. Ullu sees them and leaves to warn the Night Pride. Or rather, she hears them arguing because they don't like each other or get along at all, which wakes her up and alerts her to their presence. She tells Rani, who runs off with her and tells the Guard that the tour is over. They think that something's up. Nirmala tells Kion that Rafiki sent him here to be healed because Askari first discovered the Roar at Cikha Escarpment, which is not far from here. A log finally floats down the river, but Kion jumps on it too quickly and falls off, so he has to wait for another one. Rani gets Nirmala, who tells Kion to stay and focus on his task. The Night Pride confronts Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora. The rest of the Guard tells Kion about what Rani did, and they decide to help them. However, the Night Pride are easily able to defeat the bad guys on their own because of their serious lack of teamwork. And then the Lion Guard runs into them, literally. Rani tells them that defending the Tree of Life is their job, and they're good at it, so they don't need their help. She tells them to stay out of their way, get healed, and go home. Baliyo mentions that it was just two leopards and a komodo dragon, and one of their names was Makucha. The Guard recognize their descriptions, and Kion realizes that they must have followed them there. Queen Janna shows Makini some paintings behind the vines, and gives her their old Royal Mjuzi's bakora staff. Rani tells Queen Janna that Kion led three predators here, and they never should've let him in. Kion apologizes. He had no idea they were following them. Janna doesn't think they'll leave now that they've found the Tree of Life. Kion offers his and his friends' help, but Rani once again tells him that defending the Tree of Life is the Night Pride's job. Queen Janna agrees with her, and tells Kion that he must help himself before he can help others. She does scold Rani for yelling at him though. Around sunset, he jumps on another log, but he falls off, so he decides to do it his way. Nirmala does it her way and beats him to the top. The current was stronger than he thought, and the ridge was too slippery for him to climb all the way to the top. He asks Nirmala why she didn't get the flower while she was up there, and she tells him that's his task. He should get some sleep while she goes on patrol. He can try again tomorrow. He vents to the others, but they encourage him and cheer him up. Rani asks Nirmala if he's healed yet, and she says she sounds just like him. It's going to take time. Rani hopes it doesn't take too long. She thinks that Kion and the Lion Guard are nothing but trouble. They see Chuluun, Makucha, and Ora trying to sneak back in under the cover of darkness, but there's a reason they're called the Night Pride, and they kick them out again. The next day, Kion is at the river before Nirmala is. Another log comes, and this time he waits until after it passes him to jump on. He still falls off, but he gets back on the log and jumps on the sandy bank. Ullu shows up and tells Nirmala that Rani needs her. The predators are attacking again. Kion offers his help again, but Nirmala tells him to stay focused and finish his task no matter what. Instead of doing things Ora's way, Makucha tries to find another way in, and Chuluun and Ora follow him. The Night Pride goes after them, and seemingly corners them at a dead end. Chuluun jumps into the trees while Makucha and Ora fight. Baliyo warns Surak about Chuluun, and he's able to dodge her attack. Unfortunately, Ora bites and paralyzes Baliyo. Rani headbutts Ora, and Nirmala and Surak circle up around Baliyo. Kion makes it to the top of the ridge, but before he can pick the flower, he hears Rani yell and sees the fight. He picks the flower before heading down to help. Before Chuluun can attack Baliyo, Kion tackles her. Baliyo tells him to use the Roar. Just hearing that makes Ora run away. Makucha and Chuluun realize that if Kion came down from that slope, then they can get in that way. Rani tells Surak to follow Ora and make sure he doesn't double back. Nirmala will get Baliyo to safety while Rani and Kion take care of Makucha and Chuluun. Kion drops the orange flower, and goes up the path that Nirmala tells him to. He gets to the top of the ridge before Makucha and Chuluun. He throws Makucha out, and Rani kicks Chuluun out. The rest of the Guard shows up, Bunga sprays them with pheromones again, and they keep running. Rani admits that the Lion Guard and the Night Pride make a pretty good team after all. Or does she mean her and Kion specifically? Stupid ambiguous pronouns! Nirmala says that the venom will wear off eventually, and Baliyo will be fine. Kion notices that the orange flower was trampled during Makucha and Chuluun's retreat. Nirmala says that he completed the task. Giving her the flower wasn't really the point. The point was for him to learn to be patient, focus on the task at hand, and let Nirmala guide him, which is what he has to do during all of the steps in order to heal. Did… did they just make *a step of therapy* meta and self-referential? That is officially the coolest thing ever. Bunga and Rani ask if Kion is all better now, but he doesn't think so. There's more he has to do. He's taken the first step, but there's still a long way to go. His healing is more about his mental state. It's almost like it's psychosomatic in nature. He just needs patience. Makucha, Chuluun, and Ora are complaining about the Lion Guard, particularly Bunga, when *Mama Binturong* comes out of a tree, introduces herself to them, and makes herself their new leader.