The Lion Pride

Return to the Pridelands

Kion's lion guard, Jasiri, and Janja follow Azaad to a shortcut through the Outlands, where they meet up with Cheezi, Chungu, and Madoa, who are pleased to see their clanmates again. Madoa explains that Zira and her pride entered the Pride Lands not long after Janja and Jasiri left to find the Guard. The hyenas have been living in hiding ever since, and thus don't know what happened after. Thinking Zira and her pride is still in the Pride Lands, the Guard realize they need all the help they can get, which comes in the form of Jasiri's hyenas and Mzingo's vultures.

Nearing the Pride Lands, Anga reports that a strange lion is on Pride Rock. Jasiri identifies him as Kovu based on a descriptive appearance. With no indication that the rest of Simba's pride is even there, the Lion Guard is about to continue with great haste. Suddenly, Vitani, Kovu's sister, and a group of lionesses stop them in their tracks, warning the "Outlanders" not to invade the Pride Lands. Vitani, clearly the leader of this new group, barks out orders to Shabaha, Kasi, Imara, and Tazama, before launching an attack shouting out the phrase "Till the Pride Lands end, Lion Guard defend!".

Stunned at hearing their own catchphrase, Kion lets his guard down and allows Vitani to attack him. Soon, a battle ensues between the two Lion Guards, with members from each team proving to be evenly-matched against the other. Noticing how similar their strengths are, an idea comes to Ono. He calls for the vulture to distract Tazama, Vitani's Keenest of Sight, while he and Anga assist Kion with Vitani. With Tazama unable to keep watch, Kion is able to knock out Vitani. Having had enough, Kion orders his team to get behind him as he prepares to use the Roar of the Elders on Vitani's Lion Guard.

Suddenly, Kiara appears, calling for her brother to stop. Kion is pleased to see her, but his joy is short-lived when he notices Kovu sliding down the wall behind her. Believing Kovu will attack her, Kion calls for Kiara to move out of the way, but Kiara refuses, blocking him from using the Roar against Vitani's Lion Guard or Kovu. Kiara explains that Zira's Pride has joined theirs, much to Kion's surprise. With both sides calming down, Vitani finally recognizes Kion as Kiara's little brother, though she admits it was hard to do so with his new scar, as well as seeing him surrounded by Outlanders, in which she is also unaware of them being on the Pride Landers' side or not. Kovu then joins the group, asking Vitani what's going on moments before Bunga does the same.

Confused, Kion explains "We heard Zira was gonna attack the Pride Lands. Where is she?" Kovu says "Zira has completed her journey on the Circle of Life." Then the Lion Guard, hyenas, and vultures got shocked.

Understanding her brother's confusion, Kiara tells Kion to return to Pride Rock, offering him to explain everything back there. After thanking Jasiri for her support in the fight, the Lion Guard follow Kiara and Kovu to Pride Rock. There Kion at first reunites with his parents, who realize with worry that Kion still has his scar. But he assures them both by explaining that even though he will now always have it, he has been healed of the venom successfully. When the others arrive, Simba asks if their journey was worth it. The rest of the Guard admit having enjoyed the journey and staying at the Tree of Life where Ono managed to recover his eyesight. Simba then spots a stranger among them and Azaad presents himself to Simba and Nala. The king and queen accept him in the Pridelands, thank him for having brought home safely Kion and his guard and offer him to stay with them. Afterward, Rafiki asks about Makini's whereabouts, noting her absence from the group. Kion reveals she decided to stay at the Tree of Life by becoming Queen Rani's new royal Mjuzi, causing Rafiki to announce that Queen Janna had been right all along: Makini's true destiny was always at the Tree of Life, and not in the Pride Lands as Rafiki had once believed. Before long, the subject of Zira is risen up again, and Rafiki guides them to the lower section of Pride Rock, ready to reveal what happened while they were gone.

Using paintings detailing the story, Rafiki explains that, after the Lion Guard's first encounter with the Outsiders, Zira devised a new plan to take over the Pride Lands. Taking over for Rafiki, Kovu said "Zira raised me to believe that Simba was our enemy, but after I got to know Simba... and Kiara, I realized she was wrong."