The Lion Guard S3 E5

## Plot

The backgrounds in this episode are absolutely *gorgeous*. The marsh looks beautiful. However, according to the map, the group had to go through a marsh, and *then* a bamboo forest, and this episode is basically boring filler about Makini and Ono, with no moja kwa moja stone in sight. So, does this episode take place before or after the previous one? I'm assuming before, but if that's the case, then why isn't it in the right order? Serialized stories are supposed to be in the proper order, otherwise the story makes no sense, like in *Miraculous Ladybug*. Here's just one example: During season 4 of Miraculous, one character's mental health takes a turn for the worse, but because the episodes were aired out of order in different countries, we didn't find out why or when or how it started until later. Back to this show, how is there even filler in a shortened season that I had hoped was mostly going to be about Kion, morality, and the never-ending but still worthwhile struggle between good and evil? I know, it's a children's show aimed at preschoolers, but plenty of shows, books, and movies that start out being aimed at kids don't always stay that way. They can grow with their audience. Anyways, while walking through the marsh, the Lion Guard hears some creatures getting ready to attack them. Anga can't see what kind of animals they are because the grass is too thick. Makini is scared of whatever they are and runs off with Ono to get to safety. It turns out that they're small mongooses, and the group easily takes care of them. Makini ran so far away that she can't see or hear the Guard anymore. She sees a blue light and chases after it to show Ono, who tells her that it's a marsh light, and following it will just get them lost. When the lights disappear, she apologizes to Ono for not listening to him. She doesn't know how to get back to the others. Ono reminds her that she has to be eyes for both of them. His vision is even worse in the dark marsh. When Makini steps forward, they fall into a hole. Meanwhile, the others have to figure out why the mongooses are mad and want to fight them. It's because Bunga is eating their snails. Ono and Makini are in a cavern below the marsh. She apologizes to him again, but can't climb the steep walls of the cavern. Ono can't fly out because he can't see, so he wouldn't know where to go next once he got out of the hole. He can't think with Makini making so much noise. She grabs a root to try and climb out, but it breaks off, and then water starts filling the cavern. Wait, couldn't they just float to the surface that way once the water gets high enough? That's what Anneliese, Julian, Serafina, and Wolfie did to escape the mine in *Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper*. They can swim, can't they? Makini sits still and doesn't touch anything like Ono tells her to do, but when she leans back, the wall collapses and reveals a tunnel. They go through it, but Ono gets spooked by bats. If they follow them though, they could lead them out. Unfortunately, there are two tunnels, and they didn't see which one the bats went through. Ono realizes they can try to see the same way the bats do by using echolocation. However, Makini will not. Shut. Up. It doesn't work because the bats make clicking noises that are louder and higher pitched, so they create clear echoes. Makini's voice fits that description. It's really hard to believe that Landry Bender voiced her, especially since Makini is the complete opposite of the character she played on Best Friends Whenever. I always keep thinking it's Lauren Taylor, who played Shelby. Ono and Makini go down the right tunnel. They realize that they actually make a pretty good team. They get to the surface and meet up with the others, who had been looking for them, and everyone *finally* leaves the marsh. Well, this is a short plot description, so here's a real world parallel to chew on: (Yes, that wordplay was intentional) Kion taking Tuliza to manage his injury is basically him having to take medication, or some other treatment. It's not a cure, but it helps manage the symptoms. No one in-universe calls it that or treats it like that, but I still think it counts. I like that it's normalized.