The Lion Guard S3 E1

## Plot

The Lion Guard is at Mizimu Grove. Makini's tree is growing. They vow to get stronger, never give up, fight for what's right, and defend the Circle of Life. The Pridelands will never end as long as they're around. Anga tells them about an attack by Scar's army. Cue the song and montage of them stopping various attacks. I love all of the songs in this special. They're aided by Jasiri, who formed a hyena resistance with her clan in the Outlands and gave Janja a chance to reform back in season 2. Suddenly, there's a time skip, and we see the Lion Guard as *teenagers!* Oh my god! It's the most noticeable with Kion, but they've all grown up. Bunga's fur is a bit longer and wilder, Fuli is a bit bigger, at least I think she is, it's hard to tell; Ono's legs seem longer, Beshte has more hair, and Kion is larger with a longer and thicker mane. Simba and Rafiki note that the Roar is getting stronger as Kion grows up, and announce that it's time to defeat Scar and his followers once and for all. Kion points out that they don't know how to defeat Scar himself, but Simba says he'll be powerless without his army. Jasiri offers her clan's help too. The skinks overhear that they're invading the Outlands. Before they tell Scar though, two other skinks hear Janja thinking about changing sides. After all, Jasiri has saved his life twice, and that's just what we've seen onscreen, plus her clan is always full and happy. His clan is tired of guarding Kilio Valley and always having to fight the Lion Guard, the other Pridelanders, and Jasiri's clan. One thing that detracts from this special is the placement of the songs. There are three pretty much right in a row, and they're all over by the fourteen minute mark in this fifty-two minute episode, and the final one is around the half hour mark. After that, there's just the new credit sequence, which I personally love, but still. My point is, all of the specials have had the same number of songs, but in my opinion, the previous two were better at spacing things out. This is a very action heavy episode though, and stopping all of that for a musical number seems really silly, and this is coming from a former theater kid who loves musicals. The climax happens about three quarters of the way through, and the rest is a very well earned resolution. Anyways, Ushari is worried about the turn of events, but Scar assures him that he's always two steps ahead. They tell Janja that the Pridelanders are going to attack the Outlands, so they're going to attack them first. Scar claims that if Kion uses his most powerful roar on him from inside the volcano, the fire would destroy him. He tells Janja that all he and his hyenas have to do is keep the Lion Guard in their lair while the rest of the plan unfolds. If it works, they'll be rid of the royal family, the Guard, and a potential hyena revolt. If it fails, Scar already has another plan in place. The Pridelanders are all at Pride Rock, practicing their moves for the big battle tomorrow. Even Shujaa, a gorilla warrior ally from season 2, who's not from the Pridelands, has arrived to help. Simba wants Kion to lead the attack. I know he's in charge of the Lion Guard and he has the Roar, and it was his idea to have all the Pridelanders work together and fight, but this attack is Simba's idea, and we know he can fight. I'm not saying he has to lead the whole thing, but it'd be nice to see the other lions actually participate. Kion wishes that they knew how to defeat Scar. Simba tells him that he wouldn't ask them to do this if he wasn't certain that they'd succeed. Shupavu shows the hyenas where the Lion Guard lair is. Janja sees Goigoi gathering sticks for a big fire, and assumes that's the other part of Scar's plan. Kion talks to Mufasa, who assures him that all evil can be defeated. He tells him to stay true to who he is inside, and remember that he can't fight fire with fire. Ono spots the hyenas and gathers the rest of the Guard. They all enter the lair. Kiburi and his crocs pile sticks at the entrance so the vultures can set it on fire, so they can get rid of the Guard and the hyenas. Ono notices the fire and tells Kion. Janja notices that the exit is on fire, but he's the only one who's able to get out in time. He realizes that Scar double-crossed them. He needs help, but the Pridelanders won't trust him, and he can't trust the rest of Scar's Army. The lair is filling with smoke. Kion can't use the Roar because the whole place could collapse on them. Ono flies out to make sure Simba, Nala, and Kiara are okay. But if there's a huge opening, then how exactly is the lair filling with smoke? All of Pride Rock is on fire. Simba, Nala, and Kiara are okay, but they're stuck at the top. Anga tells Ono that they chased off the vultures. She carries Kiara to the ground. Bunga suggests using the water from Beshte's pool once the fire gets close enough. Beshte says that the water from his pool has to come from somewhere outside the lair, and checks it out. Hadithi and Anga carry Nala and Simba to the ground. Not gonna lie, I wasn't expecting that to work. Sure, Hadithi and Anga are large birds, but adult lions weigh between 280 to 420 lbs. Meanwhile, Janja asks Jasiri for help, and she agrees. Fuli hangs onto Beshte while he swims to a nearby lake. Kion lets the hyenas come too. Simba says that Pride Rock will survive. There have been fires there before. Scar appears at the top. He's disappointed that Simba survived, but claims that the Guard wasn't so lucky, before they show up with the hyenas to prove him wrong. Kion tells Scar that they'll never surrender to him. He disappears, and Kion says they can't call off the attack. He admits that he doesn't know how to defeat Scar, but Janja arrives with Jasiri and says he can help with that. Simba isn't sure that Janja has changed sides, but Makuu points out that he gave him a second chance when no one else would. Kion thinks that if Jasiri trusts Janja, they should at least hear what he has to say. Simba notes that Kion always being willing to forgive his enemies is a noble trait. True, but there are exceptions to every rule, and there is such a thing as being too trusting. Janja tells them what Scar told him. Shupavu tells Scar. He was expecting Janja to join the Pridelanders, so he lied to him earlier about how Kion could defeat him. If he uses his most powerful Roar at the top of the volcano, it will cause a huge eruption, which would utterly destroy the Pridelands and kill the Lion Guard. Scar tells Ushari that he needs him for the next part of his plan. He got his scar when he went into the Outlands with a strange lion by himself. He put the idea into Scar's head that the most powerful should be king. A cobra friend of the strange lion attacked him and gave him his iconic scar. I know most people hate this explanation, and would rather go with either the 2019 photorealistic movie implication that Scar got his scar when he foolishly challenged Mufasa in the past, or with *A Tale of Two Brothers* book, which claims that he got his scar when a water buffalo attacked him when he tried to kill Mufasa when they were young. Personally, I don't really care. The lion wanted to take over the Pridelands himself, but needed help from Scar and his Roar, and then they'd rule over everything together. He said he'd cure the cobra's venom, but only if Scar did what he said. Instead, Scar lost control, roared in rage, and killed them. He expected to be praised for stopping the lion, but Mufasa just nicknamed him Scar, and that's when he decided that his older brother shouldn't be king. We even see him kill his Lion Guard and lose the Roar, watch the wildebeest stampede kill Mufasa, and see Simba defeat him on Pride Rock. Scar tells Ushari that they need to make sure Kion can no longer control the Roar, so today is the day he gets his scar. Oh my god! Also, Ford Riley confirmed that in this version, Scar's real name was Askari after his ancestor, but it was shortened to Scar after he got his scar, instead of his real name being Taka, which is Swahili for trash. The running motif with these specials appears to be beautiful sunrises that look like they came straight out of the original film. The Pridelanders and hyenas clear the way for the Guard to get to the top of the volcano. Scar sends Shupavu and her skinks out to stop them. They obviously won't, but they need to make the Guard think that they don't want them to get there. When they do, Ushari attacks Kion, and gives him a scar. Scar says that they're the same, but Kion tells him that they'll never be alike. Ushari's venom is making it difficult for him to think. Scar tells him that there's no other choice but for him to accept his destiny. Kion remembers what Mufasa said, and realizes that there is another choice. He forgives Scar, and instead of judging him, summons the Lions of the Past to do so, who make it rain, which destroys Scar, who tells Kion that they are the same, and the Roar is a curse. Ushari tries to attack Kion again, but Bunga tackles him over the edge. Ono flies down to save Bunga from the lava, and Ushari's death is only covered by steam. The Guard watches as the lava and the Mark of Evil in it disappears. Jasiri is concerned about Kion's face, but he says he'll be fine, and tells everyone that they've won. Scar is gone. Janja and Kion decide that Jasiri should be in charge of the Outlands. She knows they can all get along, provided that they all respect the Circle of Life. And if they don't, they'll have to answer to her clan, which now includes Janja and his guys. The jackals, vultures, and crocodiles agree, even if some are more reluctant than others. Ono asks if the smoke from the volcano has cleared up yet. It did, a long time ago. Anga tells Ono that his eyes look different, and he says that everything looks a bit blurry and fuzzy to him. Rescuing Bunga took more out of him than everyone realized. He breathed in a lot of smoke and ash, and volcanic fumes can be poisonous. They all head back to the Pridelands to have Rafiki look at him. As Kion goes by the place where Scar killed his Lion Guard, he realizes that his scar still hurts, and finally looks at it in a puddle of water. It looks just like the Mark of Evil and Scar's scar, and Kion wonders if he was right after all. When Bunga yells to get his attention, he accidentally roars at him. He's okay though, and the others know Kion didn't mean to do it. Back at the lair, Rafiki confirms that the volcanic fumes have seriously damaged Ono's eyesight. This is far more serious than dirt in one of his eyes. Only time will tell if his vision ever returns to full strength. The others tell him that he was the keenest of sight when he saw Bunga falling into the volcano, the bravest to dive in after him, the fastest to reach him in time, the strongest to pull him out, and the fiercest to never give up. Rafiki looks at Kion's eye. He's seen this kind of injury before, and it's not good. Eating Tuliza blossoms will ease the discomfort, but it's not a cure. Simba, Nala, and Kiara see Kion. Rafiki tells them that if Ushari's venom remains in Kion too long, he may not be able to tell the difference between right and wrong, just like Scar. There's no cure for him in the Pridelands, but hope is not lost. In order to get better, Kion has to go to the Tree of Life. Makini went there when she was really little. It's where Rafiki first met her, and the Lions of the Past told him that she would be the next Royal Mjuzi. The Tree of Life isn't easy to find and is very far away, but there are landmarks to help them find their way. They'd have to follow paintings on the Moja kwa Moja stones, which is Swahili for one by one. Ono thinks the Tree of Life could help him too, so the rest of the Guard decides to go with him and Kion. With Scar gone and Jasiri in charge of the Outlands, there's finally peace in the Pridelands. Simba and Nala tell them that they can go. Ono isn't the keenest of sight anymore, and tells Anga to replace him. Kion places a lion head on her wing, which causes Ono's to disappear. However, Kion puts him back on the Guard in a new position, as the smartest animal in the Pridelands. Now the Lion Guard has six members. Ono has memorized the landmarks that point the way to the Tree of Life, and Rafiki gives Makini permission to go with them. Simba asks Fuli to bring Kion home safe, and she says they will. All of the Pridelanders arrive to say goodbye and wish them luck as they leave. Aw! My heart! I'm gonna cry! So many emotions! Also, something I wanted to avoid talking about as much as possible when I decided to start expressing my thoughts on this series in public: Shipping. More specifically, shipping young animal characters, especially when they're two different species. So, I guess Kion is a shipping magnet, and most people seem to ship him with either Fuli or Jasiri, who are not lions. I don't know why the idea of cross-species couples squicks me out so much in theory, but when I actually see it, I think it's one of the most adorable things ever. Anyways, I'm mentioning it now because, regardless of whether or not you interpret it as romantic, Kion and Fuli's relationship changes a lot over the course of season 3. It becomes clear that Fuli cares a lot about Kion, but she also isn't afraid to question his decisions and express her disagreement. She basically becomes his second in command. And I'm only what, halfway through the season at this point? I can't wait to finally meet the lioness Rani, and all sorts of other new characters, and see beautiful new locales. I don't know if you guys have realized it yet, but *Bunga*, the brave, impulsive, and comic relief member of the group, has a body count now. Sure, Kion destroyed Scar, but he was a spirit, and he had help from the good Lions of the Past. Bunga tackled Ushari over the edge and into the lava, which caused his death.

## Review

I loved this episode, and while thinking about it recently, months later in the middle of a pandemic, just four days away from my 21st birthday, with the one year anniversary of the original airing of this episode just over two months away, I realized something: This may be a children's show aimed at preschoolers, but throughout most of season 2 and this first episode of season 3, we're seeing the events of *a war* unfolding. It's literally referred to as a fight, a battle, or a war multiple times over the course of the series, either in dialogue from the characters or in lyrics from certain songs. We saw the Lion Guard win many times, yes, but they lost the battle for Kilio Valley, and it was taken by the enemy. Mizimu Grove was also almost entirely destroyed, but at least it wasn't claimed by the Outlanders. That loss and the reveal of Scar still dealt a huge blow to the Pridelanders' morale though. I'm still annoyed that no other lions participated in the attack, but then I realized, the lions are probably staying in the Pridelands to protect the land they still have left. When Scar attacked Pride Rock the night before, everyone figured that he must have known about their attack, and many even considered calling it off before Kion convinced them otherwise. Still, that means they knew the attack had a chance of failing, and if that happened, someone had to stay behind in their own territory to hold the line against the Outlanders in case everyone else fell in battle. That's where the lions of Simba's pride come in. They also had to protect Kiara, the heir to the throne, and their future hope in case they really did lose the Pridelands, sort of like the plot of the original movie. And also season 3 and the Daemon Rising special from *ReBoot* with Enzo Matrix. And Flurry Heart, Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, and the rest of the Crystal Empire in case the Mane Six couldn't stop Cozy Glow, Chrysalis, and Tirek in *My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic*. If this was like a real war, with real people, like World War I or II, then they're sort of like the U.S. citizens back home who are doing what they can, like rationing their food and trying to keep everyone's morale up. I imagine Rafiki and Makini stayed behind because they're basically the only medics in this world, plus Makini can't fight to save her life, let alone anyone else's, and she's still in training. So, yeah, this has been my overly long analysis of this episode. I liked the whole theme of Kion forgiving his enemies, even Scar, who is… you know, *Scar*, the lion who murdered his grandfather, almost killed his dad, caused the Lion Guard a lot of grief in season 2, and is arguably responsible for his and Ono's injuries. That would take a lot for anyone to do, let alone a teenager, but Kion did it. That being said, as an almost 22 year old in the disappointing and unfair real world, I reserve the right to be super petty and cynical, and also the right to never forgive Cass from Tangled. Ever. Unless I get to write for her and fill her with guilt like she's a giant water balloon.