Askari was a male lion who was the leader of the first Lion Guard. He was the second-born son of the Lion King and Queen of the Pride Lands of his time. His ghost appears in Season 3 Disney Junior television series The Lion Guard.
Background
Biography
Presumably, sometime after gaining control of the Roar of the Elders, Askari was appointed the leader of the first Lion Guard and assembled a team of lions, who are comprised of the fastest, bravest, strongest, and keenest of sight in the entire Pride Lands.
Eventually, Askari would meet and make peace with the elephants, which would lead to an everlasting kinship between the elephants and lions. This event would later be known as the Ukumbusho Tradition and would be annually celebrated so long as the current Lion Guard could participate.
Personality
Askari was a brave, noble lion who believed in peace between animals that were capable of such feats. He also believed in defending and helping the Circle of Life, even outside of the Pride Lands, since the Tree of Life could use the roar's help.
Askari had been known for his wisdom, kind humor, and good deeds, he was also sometimes very strict with rules and laws, Askari was also dignified and regal in bearing. He had acquired much experience and wisdom from his time as the leader of the Lion Guard and serves as a mentor to Kion.
Physical appearance
From the painting, Askari has a golden brown fur pelt, his face has a white muzzle and dark orange nose. A light golden underbelly with a big red mane with darker red edges and yellow stripe markings.
Powers and abilities
Powers
- Roar of the Elders: Askari possesses the Roar of the Elders, when he uses the Roar of the Elders, spirits of multiple deceased lions roar along with him, instilling real power in the Roar. With this roar, he has flattened plains, held floods back and torn down rock-slides.
- Super Sonic Roar: Askari can use the Roar to send his enemies several feet away.
- Mark of the Guard: Whenever Askari chooses someone to become part of his team, he marks them with a lion head, symbolizing their positions as members of the Lion Guard. When Askari inherited the Roar of the Elders - a lion head automatically appeared on his own left shoulder.
- Producing Rain Clouds: Askari can use the Roar on a cloud to produce rain clouds.
- Precision: Askari can use the Roar to hit a precise target(s). However, it only works if his target(s) are in front of him.
- Spiritual Summoning: Askari can use the Roar to summon spirits from the afterlife.
- Atmokinesis: Askari can use the Roar to create a whirlwind to lift objects from the ground.
- Electrogenesis: Askari can use the Roar to summon a bolt of lightning.
Abilities
- High-Level Intellect/Expert Tactician/Leader: Askari was highly intelligent, as the leader of the first Lion Guard; he was an excellent tactician and leader.
- Expert Combatant: As the leader of the first Lion Guard; Askari was an excellent combatant.
Role in the series
The Ukumbusho Tradition
Kion portrays Askari in the Ukumbusho Tradition. He describes how Askari had made peace with the elephants in order to keep the Circle of Life in balance.
Cave of Secrets
Askari is mentioned and appears in a painting. Makini explains that he and his Lion Guard had used teamwork to overcome a group of evil lions who were threatening the Pride Lands.
The Lake of Reflection
Askari finally makes his physical debut appearance in the final season's episode as a spirit after only appearing as a painting in the previous episodes.
After Mufasa tells Kion that he cannot return the roar to him, he tells him the roar came from Cikha Escarpment. Arriving there, Kion talks to Askari who recognizes him as the leader of the first Lion Guard to which Askari tells Kion he knew him as the new leader of the Guard as he tells him that he thought the Roar made Kion the leader to which Kion is unsure if he should control the Roar anymore as he led the Guard before the Roar to which he decides to give back the Roar so he is ready to learn everything all that the Roar can do.
Triumph of the Roar
When the Lion Guard goes on patrol to protect the Tree of Life, Kion returns to Cikha Escarpment once again to continue talking to Askari who teaches Kion all about the different powers of Roar of the Elders to which he explains one who is ready to let go of the Roar can truly master the power. Soon as Kion decides to give up the Roar, he tells Kion that he has everything the Roar can do.
Inside the Tree of Life, Bunga tells Rani about Kion to which Makini told her that Queen Janna showed her a painting a long time ago which told a legend that Askari would go to Cikha Escarpment and practice to learn everything the Roar can do. Rani and Bunga decide to talk to Kion who is talking to Askari. Askari tells Kion to stay calm, focus, and roar to control. Mastering the power of the roar, Askari sings to Kion to make him learn the power of the roar. As Kion continues practicing the roar under Askari's command, Kion continues practicing over the roar to which he finishes mastering the power of the roar and uses it defeat Makucha's army and destroy the boulder blocking the Tree of Life to free the Night Pride and Makini.
Return to the Pride Lands
When both Lion Guards are tied and the last position during the contest is the Fiercest between Kion and Vitani in a plan for a Mashindano against both leaders, Kion tells her to know about the leader of the Lion Guard with or without the Roar to which he then remembers that Askari told him that only one who is planning to let go of it completely can truly master the power of the roar as he decides to cancel the Mashindano between Kion and Vitani. Kion tells the Pridelanders about what Askari said to him to which he tells them that Vitani has won against Kion's Lion Guard and is the Pride Lands' new Lion Guard. Upon letting go of the Roar, Askari appears in the sky and praises Kion for finally mastering the power of the roar (also causing the marks of the Lion Guard on all of Kion's members to disappear).
Askari then speaks to Kion with all of the members of his Guard and other Pridelanders watching. Kion asks if he's no longer the leader of the Lion Guard why would he need the Roar to which Askari says that there is one place that needs the Roar. Kion and the rest of the members of his guard go back to the Tree of Life (the place that needs the Roar according to Askari) and join the Night Pride. His spirit appears again at Kion's coronation as King of the Tree of Life after marrying Rani, alongside Mufasa and Janna just as the Roar of the Elders roar in triumph.
Relationships
Family
Kion
Kion is Askari's distant relative. When he was the leader of the Lion Guard, Askari taught him all about the Roar of the Elders. Kion met Askari in "The Lake of Reflection", where he was shocked to meet him since Askari was the first leader of the Lion Guard. Kion has heard stories of Askari before and he even played him in "The Ukumbusho Tradition."
Simba, Nala, and Kiara
Kion's family meets Askari as Kion gives up his powerful roar and joins the Night Pride.
Mufasa
Mufasa is seen in the sky along with Askari and Janna at Kion and Rani's wedding at the end of the series finale.
Friends
Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, Ono, and Anga
Kion's friends were all shocked to see Askari in "Return to the Pride Lands".
Janna
Askari and Janna are both seen in the sky along with Mufasa at Kion and Rani's Wedding.
Gallery
Trivia
- Askari means "police", "guard", or "solder" in Swahili.
- His indirect descendant Scar was originally named after him before he acquired his facial wound. This is confirmed by series producer Ford Riley, as "Askari“ was Scar's birth namesake.
- The book series The Lion King: Six New Adventures, however, claims that Taka was Scar's birth name.
