i was curious on what everybody’s hcs are for ahadi and uru? here are mine! :

• uru is the daughter of mohatu and his mate (of whom i like to call ‘sathi’ (‘companion’ in nepali).), therefore making her the (former) crown queen of the pridelands, and rendering ahadi her king consort.

• ahadi is the son of unknown parents, but hails from a kingdom known as the ‘desertlands’. i like to think his features suggest this (for example, dark eyerims would absorb sunlight, like grease on a football player’s face or the tear-stripe on a cheetah).

• ahadi would be married off to uru in an attempt to secure an alliance between the pridelands and desertlands, and he would probably have an older sibling that would take their place as the desertlands king as opposed to himself (i haven’t thought of a name, or even gender, for this hypothetical character yet).

• unlike ahadi, who was jokey, fun-loving, and a little bit dim-witted, uru would’ve basically been his polar opposite; being serious, strict and very intelligent (although her cold demeanour could always be warmed up by her mate).

• even though ahadi was a very gentle, friendly ruler, he could be pretty intimidating when angered; especially with his pretty prominent RAF. (resting-angry-face).

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And for all the meerkat lovers like me, if there's any around:

• Timon's colony is from the Kalahari Desert. This might make more sense in the remake continuity, since LK 1 ½ would suggest that Timon didn't travel that far when heading for Pride Rock aka Tanzania. Then again, I still have my doubts on how canonical LK 1 ½ is and might make a post about it later if anyone's up to it.

• Like in real life, colonies are matriarchal and Ma is the leader of hers. Yet, and unlike real life, she's a kind and compassionate leader and not the only one who has children. In fact, I'm willing to believe she would let evicted mothers into her burrow for safety. Generally speaking when it comes to the LK universe, I think there's a blurred line between actual animal behavior and anthropomorphism. Some animals are more humane, for lack of a better term, and some others are more savage. Also for lack of a better term. I like to think Ma is a Nice One like Mufasa, but can get ruthless if she needs to.

• Fearless Buzz was Ma's mate and Timon's dad. Maybe even fought and got killed by that hyena while trying to protect a whole litter, but all got eaten except Timon, Finding Nemo style.

• Most colonies are reclusive and overly wary of other animals, especially predators. They only trust other meerkats (sometimes only if they're from the same colony) and perhaps occasionally drongos, since they help keeping watch sometimes.

• A lone meerkat is a dead meerkat. If they're not travelling in huge groups, there's at least two. There has to be one looking out for the other, always. At all times.

• There's no secrets between members of a colony, or there shouldn't be. Everybody knows everything about everybody.

• They're very grounded (pun intended) and don't think much about things like the Great Kings of the Past. They're probably so desensitized about death that they might come off as uncaring. It's just that their kind dies so much and so often that they barely have time to mourn, and have to focus on keeping the ones that are still alive safe. So they just skip through the mourning.

• That being said, they probably take the Circle of Life very seriously since a lot of bugs eat carcasses, and meerkats eat bugs. The grass aspect applies too since a lot of bugs eat grass too, so... Timon had it right, honestly. It just wasn't him eating the grass.

And that's all I have for now. Feel free to tell me what you think or throw your own ideas, as always I shall Read.

full credit to disney for the original screencaps (and background), this is traced!

here’s my version of ahadi and uru, with uru as mohatu’s daughter, and therefore the (former) crown queen of the pridelands (making ahadi her king consort!)

I love how the jackals just feel so real. That particular vibe of "fuck anyone who isn't us" is weirdly endearing and believable.

Reirei and Goigoi also have such a believable dynamic, where Goigoi obviously adores his wife despite (and probably because of) knowing she's bad, while Reirei just likes having someone adoring her at all times. And the way they both fuss over their kids is cute. They're not really explicitly evil, just totally shameless. It's very funny, and again something you'd see in real life.

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At D23, Lebo M did a performance of his song Ngomoso, created for Mufasa: TLK

I can't link to the actual bootleg bc loose lips sink ships, however, you can hear it in the teaser trailer for the movie >!there's also a bootleg of the song on YouTube if you search up the song name but you didn't hear it from me ¬_¬!< It's realy good. We don't know the lyrics, or at least the translation for them, but we can expect to find out between now and December when the movie's soundtrack comes out

I THINK - That Ngomoso will be the opening song for the film, as somewhat of a spiritual successor to Circle of Life. Either it opens to the present day featuring Simba, Nala, Rafiki, Zazu, Timon, Pumbaa, and Kiara, or it plays when we jump back in time to Mufasa's childhood, beginning the backstory element of the film ending at the title card sequence.

If not that, then maybe it's going to be played at the end, either at Mufasa's coronation, or at the end of the present day portion of the film.

Or maybe I'm wrong and this was 100% made for the end-credits..

I like the first option better, and I think it would make for a really epic opening for a film, but what do you guys think?

(P.S. Ngomoso means "Tomorrow" in Xhosa).

For those that are curious, here's what the Characters names mean in swahili:

Ahadi(Mufasa's and Scar's dad) means 'with much promise'

Uru (Mufasa's and Scar's mother) means 'diamond'

Mufasa means 'king'

Taka (Scar's birth name) means 'garbage''

Simba means 'lion'

Sarabi means 'mirage'

Sarafina means 'bright star'

Nala means 'queen'

Timon doesn't have a meaning in Swahili, in Greek it means 'he who respects'

Pumbaa means 'to be foolish'

Shenzi means 'savage'

Banzai means 'skulk'

Rafiki means 'friend'

Zazu means 'movement'

Kopa (simba's noncanon son) means 'heart'

Kiara means 'princess'

Zira mens 'hate'

Nuka means 'stink'

Vitani means 'demon of war'

Kovu means 'scar'

Kion means 'leader'

Fuli means 'extremely fast'

Bunga means 'foolish person'

Beshte means 'best friend'

Ono means 'vision'

Jasiri means 'brave'

Janja means 'Crafty'

Ushari means 'Agression'

Makucha means 'claw'

Kiburi means 'arrogance'

Reirei means 'flattery'

I was very active all the way back in 1994 when TLK was first released. Everyone wanted a prequel of Mufasa and Scar. Then when Simba's pride was released everyone was bitching about they rather wanting a prequel.

And now that the prequel is finally there, after 30 years, everyone is moaning about 'noone asked for that'.

Actually, yes. Everyone asked for it. It just took 30 years. It's only the small minority of people going bitching about 'breaking canon'.

Look, it seems the movie is going to be really good. What did you expect Disney to say? We have a really good story on our hands. However we can't make the movie because people will be butthurt there not brothers by birth, just raised together since very young childhood? No. Just accept this and enjoy the story. Be glad that after 30 years we finally get our prequel!

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Okay, I know we all hate Tiifu and Zuri for much of Season 1. Tiifu got some much needed development in the Season 2 episode, "The Underground Adventure", beyond just being the stereotypical snooty, fashionista lioness. Zuri, I never liked at all.

But, they are still Kiara's best friends in The Lion Guard, and their whole character arc is the show that Kiara actually had friends in the in-between years (between her first encounter with Kovu and her second meeting with him as an adolescent), and that she wasn't just a Lonely Rich Kid. I think it could be really cool if Disney did incorporate characters from the TV series into the Mufasa prequel.

Plus, I have an idea about how they can/should appear in the film.

First off, Kiara tries to go exploring in the Pride Lands, no doubt to see her secret first lover, Kovu. But, as we know from the trailers, Rafiki talks to her about her grandfather. So, what I think could happen is she finds out some secret about her grandfather and runs to meet Rafiki to ask him a question. But, then, Rafiki tells her stories about grandfather's childhood (that don't fit into my canon LK, but, I am curious to see what they are about) and about his relationship with his (adopted) brother, Scar (the adoption is another thing I'm not sure about in this story, tbh) and how they fell out with each other.

At the end of the film, when the story ends, Kiara thanks Rafiki and wonders something quite deep, like, "what would've happened if Mufasa and Scar didn't fall out. She'd still have her grandfather." Simba and Nala come over in the end (voiced by Donald Glover and Beyoncé, again) and they all talk for a bit about Mufasa and Scar's relationship and wonder how Scar could've been saved from turning evil. Kiara, then, says goodbye to them for now. Simba makes some comment about not wanting her to wander off too far from the Pride Lands. Kiara promises to not wander off again (I assume this will be after she met Kovu for the first time).

As Kiara leaves, we hear a voice in the background of the film, saying "Kiara, you ready to play with us" (or something like that) and them, the camera zooms out to show two other lioness cubs Kiara's age (voiced by Sarah Hyland and Madison Pettis again). Kiara joins her two best friends as they run off and play in the Pride Lands. The film ends with a far away view of the entire Pride Lands, with Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri (not named in this film) running off together, and a shot of her younger brother running with a young honey badger, a cheetah cub, a young hippo and a young egret playing in a different direction.

The End.

Conclusion

So, that's my storyline for fitting Tiifu and Zuri/Kion and his friends into the Mufasa prequel. I know these are all TLG characters, but, I think it would be interesting to see them make one cameo in the film. In spite of my annoyance of them in the series, I want to see them outside of The Lion Guard for a change, and I want to see Kiara having a younger brother in other timelines (with or not the rest of the titular Lion Guard). It would be interesting if she played with other lion cubs besides Kovu. Because she never did in The Lion King 2. Maybe this could where she first meets and befriends Tiifu and Zuri, potentially.

So, what do you think? Do you like my idea for Tiifu and Zuri making one cameo in this film and do you want to see them hang out with her best friends outside of The Lion Guard TV series. I think it could be cool if Disney decide to connect TLG and the Mufasa prequel in some way. Let know all of you guys thoughts on this. Do you want to see her with Tiifu and Zuri? Her younger brother, Kion? Some other random lion cub that makes a one-off appearance? Zazu? Another animal? Kovu? Let me know what you think in the comments.

The wait is slowly killing me... 🫠

What if he was a lion.

So last night I did the impossible: I got 10 hours of sleep!

and in doing so.... I had a very insane dream that December had arrived and that the new film had released in theaters.

I remember walking into the theater to see it [which probably should've been a tip-off that it was a dream]. And the entire film was an absolute MIND-FUCK.

The first thing I remember was seeing a lush terrain with a dark stormy overcast; We see a bunch of rabbits going somewhere to hide, even warning one rabbit(?) (he looked like a hybrid between a porcupine and an opossum) to hide with them. This gives me the impression that we're about to see the storm that takes Mufasa from his parents, and/or we'll see some predatory animal like lions or hyenas.

Then the rain starts. Two things happen at the same time that had me going "What the fuck."

The first was that I see a bunch of lionesses on the river. On top of the fucking river. Like, just visualize lionesses standing, and then picture them on a riverbank, moving 100% still, their paws are floating on the water's surface like they're fucking basalisk lizards (wrong analogy, basalisks run on water, these motherfuckers were STANDING ON THE SURFACE LIKE MICHELANGELO STATUES) Oh and they were showing absolutely no emotion at all, they were just blankly staring at the audience. They were moving (or should I say floating) forward on the water, until all of a sudden they move backwards into what looks like a cave. Put a pin in that, it'lll come back shortly.

Then the scene cuts to some trees and we hear dialouge of an argument. It's between Zazu and Mufasa. For whatever fucking reason, Zazu (who for some reason is voiced by John Oliver) is bitching the HELL out of Mufasa screaming at the top of his lungs, going full on Benson from Regular Show on him, and Mufasa is just replying "okay" or just having base-level responses to in the most chill voice ever (it also sounded like he was voiced by James Earl Jones? Again, what should've been another tip-off tht this was evidently a dream/0. It was actually horrifying for some reason and I was wondering what the hell Mufasa did, or how long it had to have gone on for to elicit such a reaction from Zazu of all characters.

We get a glimse of Mufasa and Zazu during the end of their argument. Much like the 2019 remake, they showed no emotion and Mufasa had a lot of grey hairs for some reason? I don't know!

And then Zazu mentions something about their childhood, and how he broke some "promise" or how he "never would've been like this." Which gets me even more intrigued because we're going to flash back... in what is already a flashback? But ok.

This is where things get incredibly fucking trippy.

So I'm watching the movie in 3D glasses, so it's very up close of an experience.

The camera pans back to the river where we saw the John Favereu lionesses. What looked to be a cave in the abovementioned shot wasn't a cave.

It was a factory.

And when we zoomed into the factory, we saw the interior. It was the most stereotypical looking factory you could see, except for one thing.

The lionesses in that factory were humans. They were humans

THEY WERE FUCKING HUMANS.

Oh wait, that's not all. For some reason they were 2D-animated elderly women who looked like they belonged in a Don Bluth film.

And oh wait, that's not all! Amongst these women (who are fighting over a breadcrumb for some reason... I don't know), we see a lion cub who is quickly noted to be a young Mufasa. And next to him we can see his mother.

Do... I even want to tell you who Mufasa's mother was in Mufasa: The Lion King?

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Mufasa's mother was Madamim Fucking Mim from Sword in the Stone.

Only for some reason, she was much much older, her hair was thinned out and black, and she was very thin for some reason, thin like Scar?

Oh wait, but it gets even more insane?

In the same room where Mufasa and his mom are, we see Jasmine, Carpet, and Abu from Aladdin locked up in chains and struggling. And suddenly the wall breaks in revealing the Aladdin and Genie.

Except Aladdin WAS the Genie.

As in, Aladdin and Genie had merged into one being. Genie was spouting all of his improv dialogue, but with Aladdin's voice and sometimes his physique (and he was doing a weird impersonation of Dan Castelleneta, who voiced the Genie in the Aladdin TV series) and eventually zapped the Aladdin cast + Mufasa away.

And that's when the movie ends. Fade to black, no credits, it's over, eat shit, get fucked.

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My dream-self was SO ANGRY after seeing the film I actively screamed "THIS FUCKING SUCKS" constantly.

Eventually I went onto my computer to post my thoughts on the "movie" to r/lionking. I am hit with utter horror upon seeing the unfinished taxidermied Mufasa all over the reddit, which apparently Disney had plastered all over the posters of the movie to market it.

When I'm about to type my AVGN-style rant, I see text on the sidebar that says, "Feel free to post how much you hated Mufasa: The Lion King," and see three other posts [spoiler-marked] that pretty much share the same sentiment I had. And JUST when I was about to post

I woke up.

7 seconds.

It took me exactly 7 seconds of consciousness before I, in my horizontal state, at 6:00 A.M. laughed my fucking ass off. I actually rewound that shit in my head in my waking hours because I could not comprehend how my mind came up with it but it was so fucking funny, and the more it came up in my head, the more I just broke into laughter like a hyena. I'm relieved that the film isn't out and that it's not gonna be anywhere near as awful, but if there is anything as hilarious as what my subconscious was cooking, I would unironically pay big bucks to see it in theaters.

AI could never.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed one of the many instances of 8+ hours of sleep kicking me in the ass!

Episode Description

The Lion Guard rescues a baby baboon and Fuli is tasked with returning the baboon to its mother on Mapango Cliffs. Along the way, she has to avoid Mzingo's flock of vultures. Meanwhile, Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri get trapped on an island after a flood. The Lion Guard helps rescue them in time for Kiara to preside over the buffalo herd's Royal Buffalo Wallow led by Vuruga Vuruga.

Song: "Baboons"

-First off, let's talk about everyone's favourite segment, "Were the Lion Guard right to stop the vultures." Yes, yes they were. Vultures are scavengers and so their purpose in life is to eat carrion and other leftovers from other animals, not live animals. So, by hunting the baby baboon, Mzingo and his vultures are cheating the system because they shouldn't be hunting live animals, and also, it's kind of implied that young/child animals are not allowed to be hunted in the Pride Lands. So, the Lion Guard are well within their rights to stop the vultures. There's no "the Guard is stopping predators from eating unfairly" here, it's a case of "the Guard is stopping the vultures from hunting because they can't go about hunting whatever they want." Also, the Baby Baboon is adorable and I would rescue him in a heartbeat if it was me.

-With that out of the way, you cannot deny that Mzingo and his vultures are interesting characters. I love how their dynamic is like a UK parliament and the way they debate on very miniscule things on every level. It's funny. And unlike Thurston, who has a faux-British accent, Mzingo is voiced by Jonny Rees/Greg Ellis, who is a British actor. I do love his accent and his UK Parliamentary Leader-vibes.

-"Go ahead! Make your move, Mwoga!" It's nice to see Ono getting a moment to shine. He's the only one who can fly and therefore, catch the vultures in mid-air. His rivalry with Mwoga is quite funny.

-I love the animation, particularly of the rainstorm in this episode. I know, I harp on about the animation a lot in my reviews, but, this series has great animation all around and I love the art style. This episode came out at a time where Disney got really good at animating really realistic water and it shows. I particularly like the water chase when Fuli runs to save the Baby Baboon.

-I love how Fuli just willingly goes after the Baby Baboon when he gets swept by the river. I love how she may not always like baboons because they annoy her, but, she's always going to want to protect them from harm and do the right thing. It's really sweet how she doesn't even hesitate and doesn't just begrudgingly decide to help him, as in "I'll help you because it's my job, but, I don't like you." She does it because, "I'll save you because I want to protect you." That's really sweet.

-Kion: "His family probably lives in the Big Baboon Tree in Nyani Grove." Fun Fact: "Nyani" actually means "Baboon" in Swahili, so it's name in English is Baboon Grove and it's mostly populated by baboons. That was clever. I actually love the use of Swahili in this series.

-I love Fuli's Big Sister/Little Brother dynamic with the Baby Baboon. I think it's adorable and sweet. It's clearly played out as a "hyperactive, annoying little brother/no-nonsense, protective big sister" dynamic. I love the way they play off of each other throughout the episode. Fuli is kind of that big sister who gets annoyed at him and often wishes she could leave him behind, but, she ultimately does want to protect him and take care of him, and deep down, she thinks he's cute.

-Also, speaking of brother/sister dynamics, I always got the impression Fuli serves as the Big Sister of the Guard, no matter what outsiders tell you about her being the "girl on the team". This episode affirms that she does serve as a big sister figure, both for the Baby Baboon, but also her dynamic with Kion and Bunga in particular. She tends to bicker or disagree with these two the most and she tends to butt heads with Kion and gets annoyed at Bunga's antics, but, she still shows concern for the two of them and wants to look out for them, in the same way that a Big Sister would look after her Little Brothers.

-I like these Lion Guard episodes where a character goes off on a solo mission with another character. It makes for a fun little mini-adventure and fun new character combinations. I also like that it's a more character-driven episode for Fuli, where she learns that "It's important to care for the young and how little kids are not as annoying as you think. They'll surprise you if given the chance." I admire that about this episode. I also like the fact it's kind of got "Sisi Ni Sawa" vibes, but, this time, it's Fuli starting to overcome her baboon biases.

-I also think Fuli has some maternal instincts as well. She essentially the Big Sister/Carer/Mother Figure for the Baby Baboon. She's shown to use the motherly instinct card in order to protect this baby from all odds, and she's shown to be protective both as a sister and as a mother figure. I love how the baboons in the Pride Lands annoy her, but, the Baby Baboon's cuteness enters into her heart and she loves him like her own little brother/child, and they start to work well together.

-"I like baboons just fine. As long as they're not anywhere near me." I feel you, Fuli. I'm the exact same way with Rowan Atkinson. I like him as Zazu in The Lion King, but, not as much as John Oliver in The Lion King 2019 and I don't like him in Mr. Bean or as an actor. I also have mixed thoughts about new Nickelodeon content that's come out these days. I like some aspects of it, but, other aspects just feel like they are shoving nostalgia down people's throats. So, I can't blame Fuli.

-The Fuli/Baby Baboon dynamic is just *chef's kiss adorable. I love the idea of Kion's friends having mentees that are all little kids learning from older kids. It's cute seeing how they interact and learn from each other. First, we had Beshte & Mtoto, then later Bunga & Hamu, and then later again we had Ono & Ona. These kids would've been perfect shoe-ins for the next-gen Lion Guard.

-I kind of get Fuli's annoyance at the Baby Baboon, but, then I also get why he's like this at the start. First off, Fuli is annoyed at him because he keeps crossing into her personal boundaries and poking and prodding her fur and touching her. We learned from "Fuli's New Family" that Fuli doesn't love having her fur touched and how she likes her personal space, so, I get her frustration.

-But, then, I also get why the Baby Baboon wants to cling to her so much. She just saved his live when he was nearly eaten by vultures and she also saved him from drowning in a river. I'm not surprised that he wants to "stay attached to her like a little koala bear." She saved him and he's a little kid who feels most safe with her around. That's just how children are like at his age. They'll stay close to the caregiver they feel most safe around.

-Can we just talk about the song of this episode. "Baboons" is just so spectacular with good vocalisations, a good beat, nice and pleasant lyrics and a nice, very upbeat and happy tempo. Diamond White is an amazing voice actress and singer. Her singing voice is just flawless and I can't believe she hasn't gotten a record deal (maybe she has as of recently, I don't know). Her performance is just off-the-charts amazing. I especially the parts where she puts her own spin on it, "Baboo-oo-oo-oons, always up to double trouble...." That takes some voice box (also, it's funny because it's the noise baboons make in real life). A solid 10/10, I'm gonna say that about all of Diamond White's song because there just spectacular.

-Also, the part where Fuli finally admits that she does love the Baby Baboon deep down, despite her general dislike of baboons, was probably one of the sweetest moments in the entire episode, "If you behave. Stop throwin' fruit. I might admit, you're kinda cute. Baboo-oo-oon-oons."

-Fuli and Big Baboon's dynamic was funny. I like seeing the Lion Guard interacting with the background characters in the Pride Lands. It makes for funny and interesting dialogue. I love the moment, where Fuli is confused that the baby doesn't live in a tree and Big Baboon says, "Tree? They don't live in a tree. They live on Mapango Cliffs...." It's funny because you'd assume all baboons live in trees.

-"Who's turn is it to pick up all the throwing fruit? Ugh... baboons...." I love this guy so much. He literally feels how Fuli feels. Sometimes he can annoy her, but, other times his troop annoy him.

-Fun Fact: Hamadryas Baboons actually do prefer to live in high cliffs in the African Savannah. They prefer to be up really high rather in trees, so, they can get access to acacia leaves, opunia cacti and water source. So, it isn't inaccurate that they live on the top of Mapango Cliffs.

-I love Fuli and the Baby Baboon's little "sibling team-up" at the end, where they and the Baby Baboons' troop take on Mzingo's vultures together. At first, Fuli and the baboon just work together to trick the vultures. At the very end, Fuli wastes no time in leaping into action when she sees the vultures about to attack the baboons and runs to stop them. Showing that she has a new appreciation for their species, but, she also doesn't want to see him in harm's way. I love the fact that when Fuli is hanging down from the cliff, the Baby Baboon runs to her aid to throws a fruit at Mzingo, giving Fuli a chance to pounce on him.

-"Claws off my baboon!!!" Definitely has protective Big Sister energy about it. Fuli may find baboons annoying and a bit obnoxious at times, but, she has a soft spot for her "Baby Brother figure" and will stop at nothing to protect him from any threat. Only this time, he ended up helping her defeat the vultures, with help from the rest of his troop.

-Also, me totally not getting teary-eyed from the Baby Baboon's little "Huwezi" line at the end, followed by Fuli's smile towards him. That was adorable. Fuli has a newfound appreciation for baboons. The Baby Baboon would've been perfect for the Lion Guard's Bravest in the future. The way he sneaks up on Fuli and then tries to fight off Mzingo in the end.

-"Bet you're glad to be rid of that pesky little baboon-y." That's definitely a sibling interaction between Bunga and Fuli and I love it. I enjoy moments where the Lion Guard get to interact as friends and not just as colleagues. Also, Fuli's soft little "Baboons." lines was adorable and sweet.

-Now, what about the B-Plot of the episode? Well, it wasn't as good as the A-Plot in my opinion. It was still good enough, decent, had some good voice acting and a great lesson. I really like the fact that the writers gave Kiara a job to do in this episode. We get to she her take on more responsibility in the Pride Lands while her brother and his Lion Guard have their responsibility.

-Bunga > Tiifu and Zuri any day, in this episode at least. I mean, at least Bunga is not stupid enough to mistake stones for boulders and understands that safety is more important than looking your best. I'm glad Bunga is a genius compared to them and he's actually trying to help Kiara and the Lion Guard think of an idea. Unlike Tiifu and Zuri, he's not just killing time.

-"Somebody wanna get me off this island," Oh my God, totally not laughing at the fact that the Lion Guard were right "across the street" from where Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri were trapped. It's kind of funny. The fact that they'd be able to see them if they just turned around.

-I like Kiara in this episode though. She's literally the only likable one out of the lioness cubs in this episode. I like she's very responsible and hardworking and actually wants to do Simba and Nala proud. She's come a long way from not wanting to be Queen (it was probably her young in TLK 2, tbh) to taking her job very seriously. I like how she's intelligent, resourceful, quick-thinking, brave, courageous, calm, collected, responsible, rational, determined and very inventive. She's able to formulate a plan, along with Kion, to get off the "island".

-"I'm sure it is. But, we're getting out of here! Now!" I like how Kiara is portrayed as proactive. This is a huge step up from "Can't Wait To Be Queen", where her and Kion were both kind of unnecessarily dumbed down and she listened to Tiifu and Zuri over her brother. In this episode, she's proactive because she's not waiting around for the Lion Guard to think of a plan. I also like the fact that she recognises safety is more important than looking your best, unlike some fashionista lionesses I could mention.....

-"We're gonna a stepping stone path to shore." Kiara is very calculating in her ideas. She recognises that they can use stones to cross over. I mean, it's simple, but it's still a good idea. At the end, she recognises that it wasn't big enough and that they would get pulled by the current.

-Much like Fuli and the Baby Baboon, Kion and Kiara are having their own "sibling team-up" in this episode. I like how when Kion's plan doesn't work and when Kiara's plan doesn't work, they both agree that if they combine their two plans together, Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri will be able to cross the river safely. I also like how Kion recognises his sister had a great idea. This episode, with them working together, is a like a precursor for "The Trail to Udugu" in that way.

-"We'll need something just a little bigger." That was funnier than it had any right to be. I just love how Kiara feels actually how I feel. She's as annoyed as we all are about Tiifu and Zuri's annoyingness and stupidity. This is a huge step up from "Can't Wait To Be Queen" where she was easily influenced by them.

-"That's what princesses do." Okay, so, as much as Tiifu and Zuri annoyed me in this episode, I did like the fact that Kiara did heroically save them from drowning and/or being swept away by the current. I mean, no matter how much they peeved Kiara and myself off, I wouldn't have wanted to see them be hurt. So, I' glad Kiara saved them. But, I mostly like the fact that Kiara was given the opportunity to perform an act of heroism, even if it was just minute compared to Kion and his Lion Guard. And, in fairness, Tiifu and Zuri became more endearing after this moment, which was nice.

-Also, she's arguably the best one to save them in this specific moment because she's the closest to them. Beshte could probably reach them, but, the current looked to be moving too fast for a young hippo. Even if he could reach them, Kiara was standing closest to them, to pull them to safety. Tiifu and Zuri are not strong enough to swim through the current either because they're only cubs (Also, can you really imagine these two being able to swim? Because, I don't believe you.)

-I did like that she teaches Tiifu and Zuri a valuable lesson about how "There are more important things than how you look." I do think that is a great lesson for kids and adults. Sometimes in life, there are other pressing matters that should be prioritised than fashion, in this case, getting off the island and possibly, preparing to preside over the ceremony. I admire Kiara teaching them that "fashion isn't everything in life and it's not important how you look, it's how you present yourself that counts."

-I also like that Kiara is not at all bothered about fashion, she's much more bothered about making a good impression for the buffaloes and about arriving there on time. I like this because it feels very in-keeping with how she was in TLK 2, she was much more interested in hunting, adventures, exploring and running around, than looking pretty. She's kind of a bit of a tomboy in that way.

-Onto the Buffalo Wallow Ceremony, Vuruga-Vuruga (the buffalo leader) means "Disarrange/Mix" in Swahili, hence why the buffalo are always covered in mud. Also, she's an interesting background character. I actually think she'd get along with Nala. I wish made move appearances in the series. I loved her dialogue with Kiara before the ceremony, and how she gives her props for her "next-level" messiness at the start of the ceremony, making all of Tiifu and Zuri's shenanigans worth it after all.

-I like the Lion Guard just hanging out as childhood friends, after a job well done. It's a nice moment whenever they get to just hang out together and not think about work. I like the moment where they're just watching the ceremony from afar. I love the moment at the end where Kion breaks the forth wall and says, "Nothin' is ever simple when it comes to Fuli and baboons." Ain't that the truth.

Cons

-First off, I know I said that the Lion Guard were well within their rights to stop the vultures from hunting because vultures are scavengers after all. However, I don't like the way the show's writers demonize "circling vultures" and make it out to be a bad thing. I get that if Mzingo's parliament are circling, it's the Lion Guard's to check it out to make the circle of life is in order, but, I don't like the fact that they treated it like was a sign of trouble. They could've had Fuli say something else other than, "That usually is a sign of trouble." They could've changed it to "We better see what's up" and then left it at that.

-I also don't know why Disney made Mzingo and his vulture carnivorous in the first place, or why they made them villains. I think it would've been better if Mzingo's parliament were hawks/eagles or literally anything else, because those actually are birds of prey for real life. It's common knowledge, really, the vultures are scavengers who eat leftovers from predatory animals and the only time they would eat something that is alive, is if it's currently dying or nearly dead. I don't like how they needed any excuse for Mzingo and the vultures to be defeated.

-The thing that majorly pissed me off was Tiifu and Zuri. I can't stress how much I hate them in Season 1. They are so annoying and obnoxious. I don't like the fact that they think beauty and looking your best is more important than anything, even when their safety and wellbeing is at stake. I hated the fact that they had been no help to Kiara for ages and how she has to force them to help her get the tree into the river. It's episodes like this where I have to ask, why does Kiara hang out with these two? What does she see in them? They're just like mid-season SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star, just really, really thick-headed and annoying.

-I don't like the way Kiara, bless her soul, is trying hard to get them off the so-called island and her supposed "best friends" are just faffing around and doing nothing. I get that they want to help her get ready for her princess duties, but, it clearly wasn't the right time and they would've been better friends if they just decided to help her think of a plan this particular moment. Instead of messing about and lollygagging, they should've been more ready to help. Also, what do Tiifu and Zuri think is so glam about a Royal Buffalo Wallow anyway? It's just buffaloes wallowing in mud. Kiara does not need to look pretty for a Wallow Ceremony.

-Also, you never see Simba and Nala grooming and/or "dressing up" before going to a royal event, so, why does it matter if Kiara "dresses up" in order to represent them? It doesn't. Tiifu, "But we haven't finished getting ready for your Royal Buffalo thingy." Tiifu, really, what's there to get ready for, it's literally just buffaloes covered in mud!!! The only thing you guys are doing is wasting Kiara's time!

-"Giving you a mud facial," Ughhh, Tiifu, we've got more pressing matters to attend to. What part of "we're stuck on an island" did they not get? I hate the way they just mess around and lie in the flowers while Kiara is doing all the work. They seem to care more about fashion than they care about their own safety or helping their friend, Kiara, which is horrible. They're kind of like Karen Smith and Gretchen Wiener from "Mean Girls", but more stupid and with "less fetch".

-"But, I might trip a claw," Really, Zuri! That's what you're worried about! Do you want to sit around admiring yourself and looking pretty or do want to help with more pressing matters? Zuri has been one of my favourite characters in the entire series for years. She comes across as a spoilt rich bitch and her whiny voice just grates on my nerves. I also think she was very hypocritical here, for some reason. It's like, one minute, she wants to help Kiara attend the Buffalo Wallow, but, the next she can't even be bothered to help her make a bridge to the other side, concerned more about her appearance as always. That annoys me.

-Tiifu is far more likable a lot of the time, but, I hate her as much as I hate Zuri in this episode. I don't like how she's completely clueless about safety. She and Zuri just sit around lollygagging while the whole island is crumbling, bit by bit. I don't like how she doesn't care that they need to get off the island in a moment's notice or the fact that Kiara is going to be late for the ceremony. She's too oblivious for my liking. I don't mean to harp on this, but, I hate the fact that she (and Zuri) prioritise Fashion over Safety and Wellbeing.

-"I see a stone. This'll be easy." Really, Tiifu. I don't like how she comes across as really stupid and thick-headed, and doesn't understand that a pathetic little stone is going to pulled by the current. It's not even funny that she pushes a tiny stone into the river, it's just kind of dumb and serves as useless "filler". Based on this episode, Tiifu and Zuri are literally too dumb to live. They haven't the slightest idea what a big stone is, do they? I'm glad Tiifu became more likable in later episodes. The writers could've found a more interesting way to move the plot forward. Surely, there was a more interesting "obstacle in the player's way."

-Also, I don't wanna be that girl, but, it's totally Tiifu and Zuri's own fault that they fell into the river. I'm not saying I would've left them to drown in the river, because obviously I would've saved them. But, I am saying that they were the ones who stood in front of Kiara when the island was almost completely gone underwater. So, therefore, it was their own stupidity that nearly led to their demise. If they hadn't stepped out super close to water ledge or even spent all that time lazing around, Kiara wouldn't have needed to save them. I get that they're only cubs, but, I think at their age, they should know better than to stand dangerously close to the water. It's dumb that Kiara had to swoop in and save them.

-Also, the B-Plot is just adequate at best. It's not as good as the A-Plot. Tiifu is a Dumb Blonde with nothing interesting to do or say, Zuri is an Alpha Bitch, most of the time is spent watching them faff around on the island, being completely clueless to what's at stake and not doing anything to help. Then, we are treated to them very slowly agreeing to help Kiara make a bridge, then, because Tiifu and Zuri were too endearing apparently, we are treated to more their stupidity until they all eventually finally cross the river. This could've been avoided if Kiara didn't tag along with these two in the first place? Why would she even agree get all "dolled up" anyway, if she doesn't care that much about fashion?

-I also didn't like how Tiifu said to her, "I meant I'm sorry we couldn't help you look better." Is that all she cares about? She should've said sorry for delaying her from getting to her royal event. She should've said sorry getting them trapped on an island, because it was their fault, and Kiara did tell them she didn't want to keep the buffaloes waiting, since that would be rude.

"Tiifu and Zuri deserve some of the credit too." What! Kiara, you just spent the entire episode wanting to get to the Buffalo Wallow Ceremony and they got in the way. She didn't need to mention Tiifu and Zuri, since it was their fault she was almost late to the ceremony. Kiara could've just not given them credit at the end. She taught them that there more important things than looks, only to then give them credit for getting her all muddy. She wouldn't have even had to go through all this if it wasn't for them. So, that kind of took away from the lesson, in my opinion.

-Lastly, I don't really know why there's a Royal Buffalo Wallow ceremony in the first place. I know I gave a lot of praise to the writers for giving Kiara something important to do for this episode and how I enjoyed the fact that she had more responsibility, but, I think this is still the weakest execution. It's probably one of the weakest worldbuilding elements I've seen in this series. I don't really understand why she'd be presiding over a Buffalo Wallow ceremony, but, alas, they just have annual ceremony for some reason. What happens when these buffaloes need to wallow in mud to keep cool? Couldn't they have found another way for Kiara and Vuruga Vuruga to interact?

Overall

Okay, so that was my updated "Baboons!" Review. It was a good episode overall. I liked everything about Fuli and her little baboon friend. I loved their little brother/big sister dynamic and I liked Fuli constantly protecting him from harm and I loved it when she finally admitted he was cute. I loved their little team-up at the end against the vultures. I don't know why, but, Fuli and Mzingo's dynamic just works really well and I found it really engaging to watch. It's probably the first and only one I've seen between a cheetah and a vulture. I loved Mzingo's dynamic with his vulture and how they are just like the UK Parliament in many ways. I love the way the debate on absolutely everything going on in the Pride Lands. I liked the final battle at Mapango Cliffs with Fuli and the baboons Vs. Mzingo's parliament. I loved Fuli's newfound appreciation for baboons. It still had nice character interactions for the most part. I loved Kion and the rest of the Lion Guard's other mission. Kiara was really well written into this episode. I liked the fact that she was trying to come up with a plan on her own, instead of waiting for the Lion Guard. I liked her and Kion's team-up at the end. I liked the animation, especially of the water. The only things that made me want to drop it down a few points is how much Tiifu and Zuri annoyed me. I hate them in the early episodes of the series. Tiifu is too oblivious and stupid for my liking, and Zuri is too whiny. I didn't like the villainizing of the vultures when they are meant to be scavengers. Apart from the misinformation about vultures and way too much screen time for Tiifu and Zuri, it was still enjoyable enough and had nice and cute moments in it. Just because of how much I liked Kiara and the Lion Guard members and how much I liked the A-Plot, I'll give this episode a 6.5/10. I'd watch it and I liked all of the A-Plot and Kiara. I just felt like B-Plot drags on a little and is bit annoying. I'm mostly knocking a few points off because of how much Tiifu and Zuri annoyed me. I also didn't get why Kiara gives them credit at the end of the episode after she specifically said there are more things than looks and also the fact that it was their fault she was stranded on an island. But, this episode had enough good stuff to make it enjoyable for me. I also didn't get the why the Buffalo Wallow Ceremony is a royal event.

r/lionking r/LionGuard r/lionkingwriters r/KrattBoy2006 r/HoraceTheBadger r/Queen_Wah r/LionessNightPride

I love the original Lion King, I love the coming of age story of Simba, the deceit of Scar and how his selfish and shortsighted actions caused the near destruction of the Pride Lands and how it destroyed him in the end.

However, as much as I love the original, I believe, the sequel, Simba's Pride, has the better story.

The story of Simba's Pride has an anti-racism message, the song " We are One," helps in delivering that message, especially in the ending of the story, where Simba accepts the Outsiders into the Pride after Kiara tells Simba to identify what differences he sees between his Pride and the Outsiders.

The love story of Kiara and Kovu is one of my favorite ships there, their friendship and eventual romance is so natural and real to me and their song, "Love will Find a Way," is so romantic and touching. I found more chemistry with them than Simba and Nala.

As for animation and production, it's very impressive considering it's a made-for-video release, in fact, this should have been a theatrical release, I believe it would have done well.

https://preview.redd.it/9gq7rdeezesd1.png?width=958&format=png&auto=webp&s=4080e8c2be70274d5b7e784d7544858fdccc748b

Did they just acknowledge how meerkats and cobras fight regularly with Ushari and Timon kinda smiling at each other here? Because it was during the we're all together in peace song and right after Pua and Makuu also smiled in the same manner so like, temporary peace implication?

I JUST. Man. Was this just because of their species or do they have history. I know the show won't answer that at least from what I've seen on the wiki, but damn if it wouldn't be interesting since Ushari already has beef with Bunga, and I know it's because of stuff Bunga has done to him particularly, but if he had beef with Timon too MAN wouldn't that add layers.

Anyway, why won't you have at least one episode about meerkats, The Lion Guard.

Since crocodiles sleep during the dry season, then wouldn't that mean for the entiredy of Season 2, Pua would've been asleep?

Since he was banished from Makuu's float, he wouldn't have been amongst the crocodiles that the Guard escorted into the cave to hibernate - and thus he wouldn't have been interrupted from his slumber like they were.

So whilst everything involving Makuu, Kiburi, and Scar was going down, Pua would've been in aestivation. Man, imagine the following wet season when he wakes up and discovers what shit went down.

(This is running off the assumption that he doesn't die of old age before that).