"Return to the Pride Lands" is the seventy-fourth episode and the series finale of the Disney Jr. animated series The Lion Guard. It premiered on November 3, 2019, and is the nineteenth episode in the third season.
Plot[]
Kion and the Lion Guard enter the Outlands on their journey back to the Pride Lands. Believing that Zira and the Outsiders are threatening the kingdom, they make haste to return home. They meet up with Jasiri's sister Madoa, who informs the group about the lions' apparent invasion of the Pride Lands, of which the hyenas were hiding from, prompting Kion to rely on the Outlanders to help stop this new threat. With the assistance of Azaad, Jasiri's clan, and Mzingo's reformed parliament, the Lion Guard make their way to Pride Rock in order to confront Zira.
Even closer to the Pride Lands, Anga spots a strange lion on Pride Rock. Based on his appearance, Jasiri identifies this as Kovu, which makes her, Kion, and Fuli fear that the worst has happened. No sooner does this happen when Kovu's sister Vitani along with four other lionesses ambush the Lion Guard, believing them to be the Outlanders who are invading the Pride Lands. The five Outsiders shout the Lion Guard's main catchphrase, confusing Kion's Lion Guard, before a fight breaks out between the two groups; Shabaha is shown to be as brave and wreckless as Bunga, Imara faces off against Beshte and is able to hold her own in a clash of strength, Kasi outruns both Fuli and Azaad, and Tazama keeps watch from a distance. Observing this, Ono orders the vultures to distract Tazama, allowing him and Anga to help Kion fight back against Vitani.
Kion prepares to unleash the Roar of the Elders on Vitani and her team once his team is out of the way, only for Kiara to appear with Kovu to intervene. Still thinking Kovu is on Zira's side, Kion prepares to use the Roar again, but Kiara places herself in the crossfire, forcing Kion to stand down before explaining that Vitani and Kovu are on their side now, much to Kion's shock. Having calmed down, Vitani finally recognizes Kion and his friends, taking notice of his scar and their Outlander allies. When asked about Zira, Kovu sadly reveals that Zira has died, to everyone's surprise. Kiara asks that Kion and his Lion Guard return to Pride Rock so they can be told everything. After thanking the Outlanders and bidding them farewell, Kion reunites with his father and mother at Pride Rock and informs them that he has finally been healed of Ushari's venom in his scar.
During the reunion, the Guard describe their adventures at the Tree of Life, including Ono's healing and the new friends they've made along the way as well as introducing Azaad to the King and Queen. They thank the cheetah for helping the Lion Guard get home safely, before Rafiki arrives to ask about Makini, and rejoices in happiness over hearing about her decision to stay as per the late Queen Janna's request.
The moment is interrupted by Kion informing Simba and Nala about the Guard's reasoning behind their return and asks for an explanation, of which Rafiki, Kiara, and Kovu provide; Following the Lion Guard's first encounter with the Outsiders, Zira devised a new plan to take over the Pride Lands by training Kovu to hate Simba and his pride and eventually overthrow them. Upon getting to know Simba and his daughter, Kovu rebelled against his mother, which resulted in her leading an attack on the Pride Lands herself. Kovu and Kiara halted the attack, explaining that as lions, they were one and did not need to fight. Whilst Vitani and the other lionesses saw the truth, Zira refused to let go of her hate, which lead to her downfall. In the aftermath, the Outsiders were welcomed into the Pride Lands. Simba ends the story by stating that Kiara and Kovu will one day become the Pride Lands' new Queen and King.
Once the story is over, Simba and Nala happily celebrate the Lion Guard's return into the Pride Lands, as do many others. Throughout the rest of the day, the Guard reunites with their friends and family, many of whom had bid them farewell during their departure: Anga meets her idol Hadithi once again, Bunga and his adoptive parents Timon and Pumbaa relax at Hakuna Matata Falls eating Utamu grubs, Beshte reunites with Makuu and his float, his pod, his father, and an adolescent Mtoto, Fuli, and Azaad race through the Pride Lands into the sunset, accompanied by the baboons, and the re-united royal family are visited by a prideful Mufasa, who fades into the clouds in the night sky. Kion stays out on Pride Rock looking at stars, which gets his sister's attention. Kion tells her that seeing Kiara and Kovu together reminded him of a "friend" he met at the Tree of Life. Kiara initially teases Kion in a playful manner about his new love interest, before sensing his sadness over leaving her, and suggests that one day Kion would be able to go back to the Tree of Life one day, knowing that their parents would understand.
The next morning, the Guard enters their lair for the first time since their departure, only to discover that Vitani and her team of lionesses have taken it over. The two guards argue over who is the real Lion Guard; Vitani believes that as the future king's sister, it is her duty to lead the Lion Guard, whilst Kion believes that as the future queen's brother, the current king's son, and the bearers of both the Mark of the Guard and the Roar of the Elders, he and his Guard are the true protectors of the Pride Lands. During the quarrel, Laini enters the lair alerting the Guards of an emergency, forcing them to put their disagreement on hold. They arrive in Mbali Fields, where Thurston is stuck in a hole. The two Lion Guards argue once again over who is capable of solving the issue, resulting in Thurston saving himself. Seeing the disagreement, Thurston suggests that the two guards compete for their worthiness like zebras do. Everyone agrees with this and the contest is held at the now-restored Mizimu Grove.
Rafiki tells the Pride Animals about the Battle of the Lion Guards, which will determine whose Lion Guard is better in a competition. As the Lion Guards' Fiercest, Bravest, Fastest, Strongest, and Keenest of Sight face off against each other in a series of challenges, Ono serves as the referee as the Pride Lands' Smartest. As the challenging team, Vitani's Guard has the first choice of a strength contest. At Chakula Plains, Ma Tembo and Zito argue to know if Beshte or Imara is better, to which the first contestant to push the rock to the tree is the winner. During the contest, Beshte pushes a rock with Ma Tembo on it as Mtoto cheers him on. As Beshte reaches the finish line, he begins to get sunburnt, which Ma Tembo sees. She warns Beshte to protect his skin from sunburn while Imara progresses farther than Beshte and wins against him. The next position during the competition is the Fastest, in which Fuli challenges Kasi to a race around the canyon. Kasi gains the lead for most of the race before Fuli eventually defeats her, putting a tie between the two guards.
The next position during the competition is the Keenest of Sight. Anga competes with Tazama to know which contestant has keener eyesight than the other. Soon, as Anga competes with Tazama in the darkness, Anga has trouble seeing in the dark Tazama comes out of the cave first and rescues Laini inside, winning against Anga. The next position during the competition is the Bravest. At the Maumivu Thorn Patch, Bunga competes against Shabaha to know who is better at being brave by racing her to the baobab tree at the top of Makundu Cliffs. Bunga successfully crosses Urembo River while dodging crocodiles and climbing up Makundu Cliffs and getting the fruit and the baobab tree, winning against her.
After four tough events, leading to the teams being tied at two wins apiece, the last position during the competition is the Fiercest between Kion and Vitani. During the last challenge, it is up to Kion and Vitani to decide the tiebreaker. Vitani calls for a Mashindano, which is supported through the animal's chants, but Kion realizes she doesn't stand a chance since he is armed with the Roar and its new powers he has discovered during his time at the Tree of Life. Vitani confidently retorts that she doesn't need it, being fierce enough to lead the Guard without it. Intrigued by the idea of leading without the roar, Kion remembers that Askari told him that only one who is planning to let go of the Roar completely can truly master the power of it. Recalling what he was told by Askari, Kion sees the meaning to his words, and forfeits the final battle to Vitani, naming her and her lionesses the new Lion Guard, entrusting her with both the Mark of the Guard, and the Roar of the Elders. Vitani tests out the Roar, and successfully pulls it off as the Lions of the Past roar with her, truly marking her as the new leader of the Lion Guard. With the new Guard set in place, Kion, Fuli, Bunga, Beshte, Ono, and Anga all lose their Marks of the Guard, signifying the end of their time as the Lion Guard.
Suddenly, Askari appears in the sky to commend Kion as, due to him giving up the Roar of the Elders to Vitani, he has truly mastered it, before revealing that Kion must keep the Roar as there is another place that could use the Roar's help. Upon this realization, Kion gains the Mark of the Night Pride bestowed to him by Queen Janna before her passing, and then asks his team if they would join him in helping Rani and the Night Pride defend the Tree of Life. Everyone is in agreement, gaining the Mark of the Night Pride as well, before Vitani asks Kion what it means to have "mastered the Roar". Telling her to watch, Kion demonstrates his full mastery of the Roar by lifting the entirety of Pride Rock off the ground and holding it aloft in the air for several seconds as his family, the Pride Landers, and Vitani and her Guard watch in astonishment and surprise. After returning Pride Rock to the ground, Kion listens as Vitani utters his catchphrase "Hevi Kabisa" in shock, but also in admiration, wonder, and amazement.
Some time later, a large gathering of animals is at the Tree of Life. Among them are Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kovu, Zazu, Rafiki, Timon, Pumbaa, Kion's Lion Guard, Jasiri and her Clan, the Night Pride, and many other animals that the Lion Guard have met and helped throughout the seasons. Kion then approaches Rani, both being happy to see each other again, before being marked by Makini; This signifies Kion's marriage to Queen Rani and his ascension as the King of the Tree of Life. The crowd erupts into joyful cheers. As everyone celebrates the marriage and coronation, the new couple roar proudly to the gathered animals as the spirits of King Mufasa, Queen Janna, and Askari smile down from the heavens as the Great Lions of the Past roar in celebration as the Roar returns to the Tree of Life once again.
Cast[]
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Trivia[]
- This episode takes place after the events of The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, making this episode an epilogue as well as a television sequel. This is also the second Disney television episode to take place after a Disney sequel movie. The first was Hercules and the Arabian Night, which takes place after Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
- The latter events of Simba's Pride are detailed in a painting by Rafiki and are narrated by him, Kovu, and Kiara.
- Oddly enough, Kovu and Vitani's older brother Nuka is not mentioned or referenced at all in this episode, nor is he seen during the cave paintings describing the events prior. His death in the film is also omitted from the recap for unknown reasons.
- Similarly, Zira's death in the film is said to be due to the Outlanders betraying her, albeit with no mention of Zira falling off the cliff, even though it is subtly alluded to. This was likely intentional as Zira's implied suicidal death from the film is deemed too dark for the series' younger target audience.
- The latter events of Simba's Pride are detailed in a painting by Rafiki and are narrated by him, Kovu, and Kiara.
- This episode creates an inconsistency between the series and Simba's Pride: In the painting depicting the events of Simba's Pride to the Lion Guard, it's stated that after Zira's encounter with Kion, she devised a new plan to overthrow Simba, which was training Kovu to hate and kill Simba, an obvious reference to her plan in the second film. This is shown to be an invalid time-line, since in the film, Zira begins her training of Kovu directly after his encounter with Kiara, which is set to take place before the events of The Lion Guard, and as a result, Kovu would've been in the midst of his training by the events of "Lions of the Outlands".
- After Kion loses the Mark of the Guard, Askari appears to not only him, but all of the Pride Lander animals who attend the Battle of the Lion Guards. This is at odds with The Rise of Scar, where it's explicitly mentioned that only the lions in Simba's pride as well as the Royal Mjuzi can see, hear, and communicate with the Lions of the Past.
- Excluding the one-hour specials, this serves as the longest episode of The Lion Guard, running at 24 minutes and 32 seconds as opposed to the regular 22.5 minute runtime.
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