Mzingo is a male white-backed vulture and the tertiary antagonist of the 2015 TV film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar and a recurring antagonist its 2016 follow-up series The Lion Guard. He is one of Janja's affiliates and the leader of a flock of vultures that resides in the Outlands.
Background
Personality
Mzingo is opportunistic and sneaky, as seen when he eavesdrops on Kion as he speaks about the Lion Guard. He shares a desire with the hyenas to eat at his leisure, no matter the effect on the Circle of Life, and cares nothing for the other animals of the Pride Lands. He has a dry and sarcastic demeanor, and he speaks with a sense of eloquence. Mzingo is also shown to be a pyromaniac who resorts to lighting fires. Despite how devious Mzingo is, he is quite dignified. He is more sophisticated than his hyena allies since his vultures work under the rules of a typical parliament, with almost every decision being presented as a motion to be voted on. However, he is also willing to dismiss parliamentary procedure if there is a good opportunity.
After Scar's defeat, Mzingo and his parliament are shown to be very respectful toward Jasiri's leadership and appear much happier living in the Outlands under her rule. He also shows no ill will toward the Lion Guard despite their previous amnesty toward each other. He also worked well with Ono when fighting Vitani and her Lion Guard, and found his keen insight admirable.
Physical appearance
Mzingo is rather large for a vulture, nearly reaching Janja's shoulder in height. His feathers are colored a very dark blue, though his underside and wings are tipped with lighter blue, and he has a white ring of feathers around his neck. His head and neck are pink, and a blue crest rises from the back of his head in a swept-back spike. His eyes are black, and his beak is tipped with red.
Role in the series
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
Mzingo overhears that Kion is assembling a Lion Guard, and returns to the Outlands and reports this news to Janja, who declares that he and his clan will strike the Pride Lands that night, and sings "Tonight We Strike", which Mzingo joins in with.
Mzingo accompanies Janja and his clan when they attack the Pride Lands and cause a gazelle stampede, which Kion's older sister, Kiara gets caught in. However, Kion and his Lion Guard come to Kiara's rescue by getting the gazelles away from her and chase the hyenas away (with Kion using the Roar of the Elders against Janja), whilst Mzingo is defeated by The Lion Guard's keenest of sight member Ono, who knocks him into a bush.
The Lion Guard
Mzingo makes numerous appearances in the television series, serving as a supporting antagonist. In the series, he is shown to be the leader of a flock of vultures that reside in the Outlands, who made decisions in the style of a parliament.
"Can't Wait to be Queen"
Mzingo watches as Simba and Nala leave the Pride Lands. He then talks to Kiara about having peace in the Pride Lands.
"Eye of the Beholder"
Janja listens to Mzingo's vultures who are talking about how Ono can't see out of one eye.
"The Search for Utamu"
The Lion Guard sees Mzingo and his flock try to attack and devour Fuli after she becomes exhausted after running too much. Luckily, the rest of the Lion Guard arrive in time to protect Fuli, with Kion using the Roar of the Elders to blast the vultures away.
"Baboons!"
The Lion Guard sees Mzingo and two members of his flock try to hunt a baby baboon, but the vultures are prevented from doing so. Later, after Fuli returns the baby baboon to his family, Mzingo and his cronies try to attack the troop, but are pelted by fruit. Mzingo battles Fuli, who manages to get the upper hand and orders Mzingo to call off the attack, which he does, before flying away with his cronies.
"The Scorpion's Sting"
Mzingo joins Scar's Army and helps trap the Lion Guard under command of Scar preventing the Lion Guard from escaping after getting the ash required to heal Simba after being wounded by Sumu to which the Lion Guard was able to conquer Scar's army.
"The Kilio Valley Fire"
Mzingo's vultures help destroy Kilio Valley.
"Undercover Kinyonga"
Mzingo along with Mwoga chases Ono out of the Outlands.
"The Underground Adventure"
Mzingo drops fire at the hot mud pots in an ambush in which the Lion Guard, along with, Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri retreat into Muhangus' burrow.
"Fire From The Sky"
Ono, along with help from Anga, finds out that the vultures have been dropping the fire on the Pride Lands. The Lion Guard soon gets Hadithi to help stop them.
"Battle for the Pride Lands"
Mzingo joins Scar's Army to fight the Pride Animals. However, he later joins the Pridelanders to defeat. When Scar is defeated, Jasiri becomes in charge of the Outlands. Mzingo says that they'll respect the Circle of Life.
"Return to the Pride Lands"
A now-reformed Mzingo helps Kion's team fight Vitani's Lion Guard to see whose Lion Guard is better to which Kion wins against Vitani's Guard.
Relationships
Friends
Janja
Mzingo and Janja are good friends. Mzingo would bring Janja new from the Pride Lands. Janja would always listen to what the vultures have to say.
Mwoga
Mzingo appears to see Mwoga as his closest friend, and frequently works alongside him as opposed to other members of his parliament. Despite this, Mzingo does not view Mwoga at the same level of intellect as himself, as seen by how he sometimes reacts towards his friend, particularly when Mwoga questions him or makes a mistake.
Cheezi and Chungu
Cheezi, Chungu, and Mzingo are good friends. Mzingo helps Cheezi and Chungu with all of his plans when he can. Mzingo, Cheezi and Chungu work together on many missions.
Kion
Mzingo used to hate Kion since he is a leader of the Lion Guard. Mzingo becomes part of Scar's army. After the guard goes into the Outlands to get a cure of Simba, Mzingo helps trap the Lion Guard. However, Kion and Mzingo become allies and on good terms after he and his parliament happily agree to help defend the Pride Lands from Zira at Jasiri's request. Kion was thankful to Mzingo for his help. Mzingo helps the Lion Guard fight Vitani and her Lion Guard believing them to still be evil.
Jasiri
Mzingo used to hate Jasiri since she was on the Pride Landers side. However, when she became in charge of the Outlands, he says that he'll start to follow the Circle of Life. In "Return to the Pride Lands", Mzingo was happy to see Jasiri back in the Outlands. He said that he'll help the guard fight in any way he can.
Acquaintances
Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, and Ono
Mzingo used to hate the Lion Guard since they would always kick the vultures out of the Pride Lands. When Mzingo reforms they become on good terms.
Anga
Mzingo used to hate Anga since she caught the vultures dropping fires on the Pride Lands. When Mzingo reforms the two seem to be on good terms.
Kiara
Mzingo used to hate Kiara when she was cub. When she got older they became on good terms.
Kovu
Mzingo and Kovu are on good terms.
Vitani
Mzingo and Vitani are on good terms.
Enemies
Makini
Scar orders his entire army to kill her and the Lion Guard, so that they could not cure Simba from the scorpion sting. When all of the other members of Scar's army get blasted away by Kion's roar, Scar sends the vultures to attack Makini and to reterive the ash. They almost succeed until they Makini hangs onto the gourd and Ono removes it from her staff.
Tiifu and Zuri
Scar orders Mzingo to kill them and their allies, but they escaped through an underground tunnel. Surprisingly enough, despite the fire being so big, nobody ever found out that Mzingo set the mud pots on fire.
Zira
After hearing about Zira and the Outsiders from Jasiri, Mzingo agrees to help fight.
Scar
Mzingo used to work for Scar as his minion. Until he got defeated by Kion and the Lion Guard. Then Jasiri became in charge of the Outlands.
Reirei
Reirei used to be friends with Mzingo until he started to respect the Circle of Life.
Gallery
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.png "The-search-for-utamu (301).png (1.75 MB)")
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.png "Baboons (31).png (1.42 MB)")
.png "Baboons (345).png (1.54 MB)")
.png "Baboons (430).png (1.97 MB)")
Trivia
- Mzingo means "circumference" in Swahili.
- Mzingo could be seen as the villain counterpart of Zazu.
- Mzingo is also similar to Chewa, the main antagonist of The Lion King: Six New Adventures story "Vulture Shock".
- Both are vultures.
- Both are the leaders of the flocks.
- Both serve as an enemy to a son of Simba and Nala (Kion and Kopa), though Mzingo reformed.
